baldy’s BodyBlog

1.      a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc.

When it comes to bodybuilding and competing, these definitions have described me at some point or another.  I am an idealist.  I cherish and pursue noble and high principles.  I am a visionary, and I set lofty goals, etc. etc. etc.  and while this is a good thing, i must admit that it has kept me from dwelling in the land of the "Real World."  Even though I am not disciplined, I would set these lofty goals, such as: I’m going to be in the gym 6 days a week, and I’m going to work out for 2 hours and do cardio, and eat right, and…and…and…  My intentions are very good, however they are a bit impractical for me at this stage in the game.  Now, there are others who are extrmely disciplined and are consistent, who go to the gym everyday, they eat right, focused on their mission, etc.  that is great…but I’m not there yet.

I have to give myself a reality check because my lofty goals were kicking me in the ass and I would get discouraged time and time again, and tempted to give up - to throw in the towel - to cry out "No Mas, No Mas."  So I have to stop what I was doing and reevalute my life and what i was doing.  I would say I would get in the gym 6 days a week, but i would actually go once or twice.  I would say I’m going to work out for 2 hours and then do cardio, but I would cut my work out short because I was spending too much time away from my family.  I have had to transition from the world of "Idealism to Realism."  What did I do?

The first thing that I did was to go through my Muscle and Fitness Magazines to see which workouts would be practical to my life.  I found one that put me in the Gym 4 days out the week.  Perfect.  I can get through this worlk out in an hour/ hour and 15 min. max.  Perfect.  An added bonus, becuase I get bored quickly, it’s a 6 week program and it changes each week.  Perfect.  Let’s see If I can follow this.  I will let you know.  I’m back in the game!

I’m not sure if anyone has ever heard of this word before, so here it goes: Instant Gratification. lol.  This is the world the I dwell in.  Seeing results instantly or in the short term.  Instant Gratification keeps me motivated and focused to do…whatever.

Here’s the problem.  I am now trying to live in a different world.  This world is one of health and fitness, and ultimately bodybuilding.  To be honest with you, this world is kicking my you know what.  Why?  Because health and fitness, or getting and sustaining as awesome physique does not care about the world that I came from.  It is not about nor is it into "Instant Gratification."  This world that I am now trying to move into, is all about "Delayed Gratification."  It’s not about instant or short term results.  Sure, you may be able to see some increase in your strenght, or something like that…but substantive change, no way.  This is something that I’m going to have to get used to and retrain my mind and spirit.  As I continue to learn how to be discipline in my diet and training, the results will come…I guess. lol.   What have I gotten myself into?????????

Bodybuilding is definitely a long term goal and one that I will reach.  I am excited about that; however, that is, like a said, a few years down the road.  To be honest with you, I like instant gratification.  Eversince I began this journey, I have had to wrestle with this known fact.  Bodybuilding takes time and it takes effort.  The effort is something that I don’t have a problem with…it’s the time.  That’s okay because I am in it for the long haul.  When I think about my father and how he died a year and a half ago because of health complications; when I served in a hospital as an intern chaplain and discovered that so many of what people wrestle with today are preventable; when I think about all of the health care and the how so many people are taking so many prescriptions, etc. of course the list can go on and on, I don’t want that for me.  I take pills (Supplements) because I want to, not because I have too.  I don’t want that kind of life.

As much as it depends on me, it that will not be my lot.  In order for me to get to where I want to be, I have to implement things now to set me up for the future.  Because I like gratification and pleasure, I need to see some kind of results.  From 228 lbs., I wanted to be at 215 lbs. by the end of January.  I’m not quite there.  I was at 215.2 lbs. in the middle of the month and instead of me pressing forward and exceeding my goal, I slacked off from my diet and workouts.  Hey, it is what it is.  Because I lost weight with my diet and workouts, I lost weight and it was fairly easy.  I was proud of myself. Each month, I want to have a goal.  My February goal is to weigh 200 lbs.  With hardwork and dedication, I know it can happen.  Now, if I gain muscle in the process, then I’ll adjust and really focus on my body fat percentage, but for now, 200 lbs. is where I’m going.  The less bodyfat I have, the healthier I will be.  If I reach 200 lbs. do you realize how estatic I will be?  Do you realize how my self esteem will be be?  My goodness.  I encourage you to journey with me.  It will be frustrating, but the end result will be exciting and rewarding!!!!

"Excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothing, and those that usually specialize in them are seldom good at anything else. EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES!!!!

I haven’t been to the gym for several days now because I recognize that I have a lot of excuses.  The best/ideal time for me to go the gym is bright and early in the morning; however, I HATE getting up in the morning.  I HATE getting up at 5/6 am to get to the gym.  I’m at home during the day with my son, and I work in the evenings.  On the days that I get of work a little early and I could go into the gym, I feel bad that my wife is at home with the kids, and I want to help her.  In order for me to get up early in the morning, I need to get in the bed by at least 11 or 11:30 pm, and not between 12-2 am.  That’s what I sometimes do because I want time to myself, relax and enjoy movies, peace and quiet.  Whe I go to bed, I have every good intention on getting up in the morning, and I say to myself, "Tomorrow is the day."  But "Tomorrow" never comes, and "Tomorrow" is always the following day.  It’s this endless cycle.

In addition to the gym, I’ve been having more cheat days than I need too, and when I have a cheat day, I tend to go overboard.  I work at a restaruant in the evenings and I admit that I am not as disciplined as I need to be while I’m at work.  Especially if there’s a mistake, and anyone can have access to the food.

Excuses.  I want to have a rock hard body, but I have to discipline myself to make this dream a reality.  James Weldon Johnson talks about a new day begun.  That whatever I wasn’t yesterday, I can be today."  This is apart of the journey.  Maybe not your journey, but it is apart of mine.  I will get there!!!

A few days ago, January 15, marked 1 month since I began this journey of bodybuilding, and I must stop and celebrate the small, but necessary victory in my life.  Lao-Tzu once said, "The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  I am more closer to achieving my goals today, than when I first began this journey a month ago.  Several weeks ago, I stated that by the end of January, I want to weigh 215 lbs, and as of a couple of days ago, I was at 215. 2 lbs. and I started at 228 lbs.  If I continue on this journey, where will I be 4 months from now, eights months out, hey even a year?  Where will I be?  I don’t know…stick around and find out!

This past Friday,1.09.09, I took a picture of myself without my shirt, and it was severely discouraged.  I hit a major roadblock during this journey that I am on.  For me, it was hideous.  I have to admit, I could look at this in two different ways.  I could look at the picture of myself (Deleted it of course) and use it as motivation to go to the next level.  Or I could stay and wallow in this place and continue to believe that this won’t happen for me.  I’m actually torn between the two.  There is apart of me that does not believe that I will achieve my goals; yet at the same time, If I discipline myself, eat right and exercise right, etc. over time, I can achieve what I have set out to do.

I’ve hit a roadblock and I’ll get back on my journey tomorrow.  This roadblock set me back.  I began to eat what I used to eat.  I went to burger king, and ate a Double Whopper with cheese.  The following day I went to Ruby Tuesday with my son and ate a Colossal Burger.  I’ll get back on, and continue to move forward.

I know that it takes serious commitment in gym and with your diet to achieve optimal success.  A big part of getting shredded in addition to the aforementioned is Cardio.  I force my way to the treadmill and bike.  I really dislike cardio.  I do it because it is absolutely necessary, but If I could achieve "shreddedness" in another healthy way…sign me up.  I love to play racquetball, and two to three games of that will have you exhausted.  For me, it’s about finding a player and coordinating our schedules together.

I had a really good workout today.  From the moment I walked into the Gym and noticed that I was the only one, I immediately got excited.  I put my music on, began dancing a little bit, and hit the weights.  I’m noticing that I am getting stronger, which is always an encouragement.  After about an hour of my workout, I was finished and it was time to do Cardio.

I had taken Hydroxcut Hardcore before I went into the Gym, and I’m sure it was working from the moment the liquid capsules bust inside my stomach and began working immediately; however, I didn’t notice anything until I was like 15 minutes into the cardio session.  I was sweating like it was no body’s business.  Now, I’m not sure if it was directly attributed to the supplement, but I haven’t sweated that intensly before.  As I continue to take this supplement, along with my diet and weight training consistency, I’ll see if it lives up to all the hype.

Not in any particular order:

Tool #1:I’m sure all of you have heard of the Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Book “The New Encyclopedia of Modern Day Bodybuilding.”  My wife got it for me for Christmas and I actually am enjoying the book.  It is an excellent book that I love but struggle with at the same time.  In this book Arnold gives me a more wholistic approach to bodybuilding and teaching me about the basics of health and fitness.  This is what I love about the book and struggle with it at the same time.  I struggle with it because I want to jump straight to the working out.  I could jump to the middle of the book, but I want to take this journey and see where it takes me.

Tool #2: Muscle and Fitness Magazine.  Until I venture out and subscribe to other fitness magazines, this is the only one that I get.  Well, I also receive Muscle and Body, but that is very recent.  I like Muscle and Fitness, but I wish there was a lot more content.  It is filled with Supplement advertisements.  I like reading the success stories and the “Before” and “After” testimonies because this provides for me further encouragement.  I am currently following an 8 week work out regiment called “Shredded Bliss.”  It’s going okay for now.

Tool #3:Diet.  This is probably the most difficult tool that I have to use.  I know that if I want to see the kind of results that I want, this must be conquered.  I eat five times a day.

1) Cup of Cereal or Oatmeal and Fruit

2) Tuna Fish Sandwich and Bananna

3) 1 1/2 Cups of Rice, Chicken and Fruit

4) Protein Shake and Fruit

5) Chicken Sandwich and apple juice.

P.S. I can have as many vegetables that I want

Tool # 4: Workout.  I am in the gym 6 days a week and I try to do an our of cardio each day.

Tool #5: I purchased some abs straps the other day and I went to a Christmas party and someone got me a duo wheel.  Very difficult for me, but overtime it will become easier and my abs will be rock hard.

With all of what I have listed, there really should be no excuse for me not to reach my goals.

I went to the Gym today focused.  Although this is about to change, the gym that I work out at is very small, so many times I am in there by myself.  I like the feeling of being the only one.  I can listen to whatever music I want to, yell if I want to, etc.

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he asked me how much weight did I want to lose.  I never really thought about it.  My main focus has always been shedding and getting rid of this body fat.  That is the most pressing thing for me.  But anyway, it got me thinking.  Last month, I weighed myself and I was 228 lbs.  My goal by the end of January is to be 215 lbs. The next thought that I had was competition.  For the past month, I’ve been saying to myself and others that my 3-5 year goal is to compete…but why shoot only to be on the stage, when I can strive to win.  That’s where I’m going.  I’ll be moving to Columbus, OH at the end of June, and there, I will win my first local competition.  Period.  Enough said.