OVER 40 MUSCLE

The 16th of April may not be a big day for a lot of people. For me it marked 6 months since I decided to take my life back. As I approached my 40th birthday I was not happy with what I saw. A back injury took me out of the only job I have ever really loved (law enforcement) and made me a sedentary lump of goo. When my back was injured I weighed 225. Five years of not doing anything active had definately taken it’s toll. So, on August 16, 2006, I decided I had to do something. But I knew I did not get this way overnight and I was not going to get the body I wanted overnight either.

At the start of my journey I tipped the scales with 260 pounds of blubber. I had gained 70 pounds since my high school graduation in 1985. My diet consisted of fast foods, fried anything and enough unhealthy combinations to kill a horse. I was drinking 6-8 Diet Cokes a day, everyday. I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and was required to use a CPAP when I slept. My condition was so bad that my family would check on me at night just to make sure I was still breathing. I was so out of shape that I could not even play with my kids. Getting out in the yard and throwing the ball or walking while they rode their bikes and scooters was out of the question.

Fast forward to the present. At my last weigh-in I was a healthy 216.4 pounds. That means I have dropped 43.6 pounds in 6 months. My last body fat test results were just over 20%. I think it is lower than that now. Not bad for a guy who had to be in the high 30’s or maybe even low 40’s six months ago. I now eat 6-7 small meals a day. I have not had anything fried since the start of this transformation and might not ever again. I have eaten at fast food places but the greasy cheeseburgers and fries have been replaced with salads and grilled chicken sandwiches and fruit cups. I still enjoy a Diet Coke every now and then (one about every 4 weeks or so as a treat). My CPAP is now packed away in its original box and sitting in my closet. Now I am able to play ball with my kids, wrestle with them when they want and enjoy life.

As I look back on the past six months I have several things to be proud of. Physically, I am doing very well. I have really been working hard in the gym and my efforts are showing some drastic results. Other than the usual over 40 aches and pains I have been injury free. As my body fat keeps dropping I am seeing the fruits of my labor. I am not (and never will be) built like Ronnie or Jay but for 6 months of work I am darn proud. I have been able to stick with a 5-day a week workout program for the entire 6 months and that too makes me proud. I have never been one to stick with anything too long but I think I am on to something.

I do not know what the next 6 months will hold. My goals, however, are simple. I want to continue to loose body fat while building lean muscle (who doesn’t?). I also want to get on a serious bodybuilding program, under the direction of a personal trainer who really know his stuff, and get in the best shape of my life. I have entertained the thoughts of competing someday and if I am going to do that I have to get going now.

I also have a goal of getting my personal trainer certification soon. I would like to have it by the end of the year but I am not going to rush it. When I do get it I want to be in good enough shape to where people will want me to help them. I am getting closer every day but still have a ways to go.

Lastly, I want to thank those of you that have supported me. Chances are we will never meet face to face but your words of inspiration have been timely and well needed. I hope I have motivated others as well as you have me. I will need you guys even more in the next six months as my diet gets tighter and my workouts get more intense. Thanks again!

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 28th, 2007 at 3:58 pm and is filed under Journal. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.