2008 Transformation Contest

This is a brilliant billboard for Nike that reads:

"Yesterday you said tomorrow."

How many times have we all been guilty of this?

Many times people ask me if you had to choose one supplement what would it be. There are many great supplements on the market and it would bee hard to choose. Protein powders and drinks make it much easier to get in the amounts of protein I should be taking in. Multi-vitamins are always essential and I’m a big fan of extra vitamin C. However if I had to pick one supplement it would be glutamine. I use Higher Power L-Glutamine but there are a number of brands out there. The biggest difference I can tell when taking glutamine is decreased muscle soreness.

What is glutamine?
Well, I could explain it to you but there are a few articles here on bodybuilding.com that do a much better job of breaking it down. You can check out the glutamine articles here on bodybuilding.com. Read up on it and I’d suggest looking into adding a glutamine supplement to your day if you’re not already.

Another one of my favorite reminders. Have a great day Bodyspacers!

WHETHER YOU THINK YOU CAN OR YOU CAN’T
YOU ARE PROBABLY RIGHT
If you think you’re beaten, you are;
If you think that you dare not, you don’t;
If you’d like to win, but you think you can’t
It’s almost a cinch that you won’t

If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost;
For out in the world you’ll find
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in a state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are;
You’ve got to think high to rise;
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
you can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
to the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
is the man who thinks he can.

I had a chance to listen to my first "Body Beat" mp3 courtesy of 2008 Transformation sponsor, mybodybeats.com. The mp3 featured IFBB Pro Bodybuilder, Idrise Ward-El.

My breakdown of mybodybeats.com:

• The site rocks! As a designer I can appreciate the look and feel of the site, but every visitor will find the ease of navigation and clear layout beneficial.

• Top people participating with the site. The mp3s on this site are with some of the fitness/bodybuilding industry’s best. I spoke with my chica friend Adela Garcia (2007 Fitness Olympia winner) about her experience with the site and the owners. Her words, “it was really cool and they are very nice people.” Adela tells it how it is.

• The sound quality is second to none. This isn’t some crappy recording with cheap equipment. The sound is professional, clear and very well done.

• Along with the workout downloads, you can listen to some of their interviews here on bodybuilding.com and on their blog. I listened to the interview with new American Gladiator and IFBB Pro Valerie Waugaman. It is a great interview because it is so Val. One of the things Nikki talked about at the beginning was Val’s newest mantra - Team Rhino. I had the chance to talk with Val in West Palm Beach where she gave me a photo of a charging rhino. Val is a character but make no mistake she is going places. The interview with Val is worth a listen.

• This husband/wife duo does a great job with this site and I give it two thumbs and protein drinks up.

** I’m sure some of you are wondering how much I got paid to say all these things. ZERO - ZIP - NADDA. I’d let ya know if I thought it was a waste of time or something I didn’t enjoy. Anyone who knows me knows I have no problem saying what I think.

Give MyBodyBeats a listen - you can hear samples before you buy on their web site and tell them Bodybuilding.com sent ya.

"The only thing that counts is your dedication to the game. You run on your own fuel; it comes from within you."
–Paul Brown

Stay dedicated and when in doubt, look within. Make it a great day!

My Mission - get my abs back and loose the winter coat. While some people are hibernating and putting on a winter coat of fluff I am dead set on shedding mine. I started on December 17, 2007 at a weight of 219.3lbs. Today, the final day of 2007 I am sitting at 210.5lbs. A nine pound difference in two weeks has me motivated to keep forging ahead in 2008.

Week 2 weight - 210.5lbs

It was eight years ago to the day that I was overweight, depressed and had no energy. I took up body-for-life for 12 solid weeks and it changed my life forever. I’m excited to be doing another transformation with more knowledge, more insight and more focus than 8 years ago. Will I have similar results as the first time, undoubtedly so.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A few years back when I was getting ready for my first show I found myself making excuses and complaining to others. I interviewed my friend and pro competitor, Lovena Tuley during that time. I’ve never forgotten what she told me which I coined, "The smackdown":

ISAAC: You once laid the smack down on my ass when I was whining about doing my first show. What advice do you have for others looking to get into this industry?

Lovena: Do it for you. Do it because it’s a labor of love for yourself. When the joy is gone - stop doing it. Never do anything that makes you uncomfortable or compromises your values. See my "smack down" definition below for details.

Smack down­
      "Stop focusing on what other people are doing and not doing. Bodybuilding is about a private, personal quest to make yourself, challenge yourself, and change yourself in whatever ways fit with your life philosophy. You are never really competing against others; you are competing with yourself. No one can defeat you but you! You can NEVER control the decisions others will make regarding their health and life.

      I have had to struggle with these kind of issues for many years. I would bitch and bitch about the unfairness but really, I made my choice. I am not sorry and I will be the last one laughing! No $10 trophy was ever worth my health or ethics. Honestly, nothing in this sport/arena is worth what they will ask you to pay. Make your decisions and live graciously with them. Offer no excuses and always do your best. If you are improving yourself, mentally and physically, every year- than you have success. Stop being a wimpy, grudge-holding, natural bodybuilder. Do it lovingly or don’t do it!!"

Read my full interview with Lovena here.

"You set a goal to be the best and then you work hard every hour of every day, striving to reach that goal. If you allow yourself to settle for anything less than number one, you are cheating yourself."
–Don Shula

The new year is almost here, will you cheat yourself in 2008?

Any one who thinks figure competitors don’t train hard is full of it. This morning I woke up at the butt-crack of dawn, had a cup of coffee and ventured out into the frigid Denver weather. I realized today that working out at 7am is much more enjoyable than 8:30 or 9am simply because the gym is 50% less crowded. Any whoo, I met up with my friend Sara Hurrle for a kick ass chest and arms workout at Greenwood Athletic and Tennis Club. This is one of the top clubs in Colorado and the United States. You can check Sara out at: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/sarahurrle/. She is currently following the training for the NPC JR. USA in May and looking great. She won the Colorado PRO/AM figure title in her first time on stage. Check out the training video with Sara in my Colorado Connection Article.

We did a routine I am not used to and it whooped my butt.
Our workout:
Seated Incline DB fly - 20x
Seated Incline DB press - 20x
Standing Cable Fly High - 20x
We did 4 set of these with no rest in between each exercise. At the end of the 3 - rested for 2 minutes and hit it again.

Seated Flat bench DB fly - 20x
Seated Flat Bench DB press - 20x
Machine Press - 20x
We did 4 set of these with no rest in between each exercise. At the end of the 3 - rested for 2 minutes and hit it again.

Cable Fly Chest level - 20x
Cable Fly Floor level - 20x
Bench - 20x
We did 4 set of these with no rest in between each exercise. At the end of the 3 - rested for 2 minutes and hit it again.

Arms -
Cable kick backs - 20x per arm
Overhead DB press - 20x
Rope Pushdowns - 20x
We did 4 set of these with no rest in between each exercise. At the end of the 3 - rested for 2 minutes and hit it again.

1 arm extensions - 20x per arm
Reverse grip extensions - 1 arm - 20x per arm
Seat bench close grip - 20x (by this time I am wiped and barely got 15)
We did 4 set of these with no rest in between each exercise. At the end of the 3 - rested for 2 minutes and hit it again.

DB hammer Alternating arms - 20x
straight bar curls - 20x
laying rope pulls with resistance - 10x
We did 4 set of these with no rest in between each exercise. At the end of the 3 - rested for 2 minutes and hit it again.

We ended the work out with 30 minutes on the Gauntlet. Let me tell ya - you want to get the old heart rate up, this is the machine for you. It looks like a set of stairs that drop below you as you walk. This is the one machine that I sweat like no body’s business.

This was the best workout I’ve had in a long time. I will be joining Sara 1-2x a week for other workouts. I’ll make sure we videotape a few along the way and you will see the intensity of them. I have a few more surprises in the works with some other people in Denver. Check back for more right here on bodybuilding.com. My video camera should be arriving today from SONY - the blasted thing broke back in Sept and just getting it back now!

TIME TO EAT

"Have respect for yourself. Love yourself and realize that whatever you attempt to achieve in life is a direct reflection of you. Be proud."
–Joe Greene

Be proud and love yourself! It’s gotta start from within my friends.

One of my favorite reminders in this one. Are you going to be a winner or a loser? It’s your choice.

Winners vs Losers
When a winner makes a mistake, he says, "I was wrong."
When a loser makes a mistake, he says, "It wasn’t my fault."

A winner works harder than a loser and has more time;
A loser loser is always ‘too busy’ to o what is necessary.

A winner goes through a problem’
A loser goes around it, and never gets past it.

A winner makes commitments’
A loser makes promises.

A winner says, "I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be."
A losers says, "I’m not as bad as a lot of other people."

A winner listens;
A loser just waits until it’s his turn to talk.

A winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn something from them;
A loser resents those who are superior to him and tries to find chinks in their armor.

A winner feels responsible for more than his job;
A loser says, "I only work here."

A winner says, "There ought to be a better way to do it."
A loser says, "That’s the way it’s always been done here."

As I approach the 8 year mark since my first transformation, I am stoked to be participating in another transformation challenge. I’ve gone from over-weight to ripped and competing in two bodybuilding shows over the last 8 years. The past year I’ve traveled nearly every weekend photographing and reporting on bodybuilding/fitness/figure shows. I’ve gone from having abs like those on stage to looking like a walking cheese ball. Airport food, not eating enough to eating too much. Poor eating habits and not hitting the weights have been my downfall. Traveling and being "too busy" is no excuse for letting my physique slide to what it is now.

While I am not competing for prizes or against the 5 competitors, it doesn’t mean I won’t approach the next 13 weeks with any less intensity. I started my transformation challenge last Monday - December 17, 2007 weighing 219lbs. Today 9 days, later I am at 213.5lbs. I cleaned up my diet and drinking more water. This has made a HUGE difference in my energy levels over the week. Hitting the weights again has been a challenge - I’ve lost a good deal of strength and I’m walking like an 80 year old man with a walker. I over did it a couple days and reminded myself to not over due the weights and I’m not out to set any lifting records. Aight - enough babbling. Here are my "Before" photos and as soon as my camera is returned from SONY - be on the look out for some training videos, visits with some of the pro bodybuilders, top trainers, various classes and more. I’ll also be using my network of contacts in the industry to provide insight into products, training and more. I’m here to show that you can accomplish anything when you put your mind to it. Join me in not only watching the five competitors transform here but also set your own goals and do it with them. My goal - drop 30lbs in 14 weeks and see the six pack again.

BEFORE PHOTOS - December 17, 2007 - 219.3lbs

9 DAYS into it - December 26, 2007 - 213.5lbs

The Ab Hunt Begins!

Many of the quotes I’ve (and will continue to) posted are from a High School wrestling coach. No, no, he didn’t write them but he put them together for the wrestling team and I’ve kept it ever since. I graduated high school in 1994, so ya it’s been a wee bit. My wrestling coach provided me with something I’ll never forget and I’ll always hold on to with that booklet of inspiring words. I wish the five competitors the best in the transformation challenge and it is my hope that a few of these inspiring words may help you along the way. This is the first day of the challenge and with that I am sharing my favorite passage from that booklet…

THE MAN IN THE GLASS
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts the most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and Chisel a plum
And you think you’re a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please-never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear to the end.
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

"Discipline is the whole key to being successful. We all get 24 hours a day. It’s the only fair thing, the only thing that’s equal. It’s up to us as to what we do with those 24 hours."
–Sam Huff

A sample breakfast of what I eat approximately 1 hour after working out. I work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This may not work for everyone but I’ve found it is the best way to start my day.

Sample Breakfast:
• 8 Eggwhites - 1 Yolk
• 5 strips of 90% fat free turkey bacon
• 1 tablespoon of diced mushrooms

Spray the skillet with Pam cookie spray - dice the turkey strips and mushrooms - mix them up and cook everything together. I like my eggs hard and not mushy. I also put pepper on the eggs while still cooking.

Along with my eggwhites. I eat:
• 1 cup of Oatmeal
• 2 packets of Splenda
• Cinnamon

Mix this all together in a bowl - add a little water and put in the microwave for 1 minute. I don’t like my oatmeal "soupy" so I microwave it without much water in it and it ends up as having a thick, hard consistency to it. It tastes like an oatmeal cinnamon cookie, well in my mind it does.

I have a gallon jug of water with Orange flavored crystal light which tastes as close to tang as you can get. I have a glass of that with my meal. Along with this I take my vitamins and UDOs. Throughout the day I try to take in at last 1 gallon of plain water along with an occasional Diet Coke or Crystal light flavored water.

1 - Multi-Vitamin - AST Multi Pro 32x, 100 Caplets  
2 - Chewable Vitamin C
2 - Enchincea pills
1 - tablespoon of UDOs oil
1 - table spoon of Higher Power Glutamine

I will explain more on the UDOs oils later but it is refrigerated and has all my Omega 3-6-9 oils in it.

That my friends is what my usual breakfast looks like.