Rodney’s BodyBlog

Alright, 

Since this is my first real blog, I’ll try to be as honest and cordial as possible. I’m warning you now, I am known, rather notorious, for saying what I believe. I do my best to take into account the feelings of others. Unfortunately, I also know there are times when feelings need step aside. At any rate, I am free writing, so if the sentences are not free of grammatical errors, my apologies in advance. That being said (written), here goes: 

Most of my life I was told those who loved me that I was just too skinny. It’s not their fault, they are just natural at picking out what doesn’t seem right to them. It didn’t help that when I went to college I lost about 20lbs. I went from 140 to 124. It had to do with allot of things, but that’s all in the past. It wasn’t until about 2 years ago I decided I wanted to change my body for the better. Thus began my not so noble quest to “look better.” I experimented with supplements from creatine and weight gainer shakes. Man was I mistaken! Never take those things when you don’t have proper diet to go along with them. 

After many failed attempts to gain proper weight, I went on a mass bulking binge. I gained up to 25 lbs in a period of a few months. Unfortunately, a large amount was fat. Eventually I ballooned to a whooping 164 lbs. Man, I felt obese. 

As a side note, here are a few situations that helped me to “know” that I had gained the wrong weight: 

1. When you go to the beach and your friends stare at your gut in amazement. 

2. When you have to lay on the bed just to button up your pants (for those of you who aren’t sure what I’m talking about, then be thankful you have never gotten to that point) 

3. When a friend tells you, after seeing your stomach, that he had no idea that you were that “plump” 

4. When your younger brother looks at you and makes fun of your stomach 

5. When you’re afraid to wear a tight workout shirt because you look like a crescent moon. 

As some of my pics state, I had tried so many diets, routines, and workouts and saw little to no progress. I became exceedingly angry. But that is not what changed me. Here is: 

I went home to visit my family for a week or so. I was talking with my brother and he showed me some of the clothes he had just bought. He bought a sweater that I absolutely loved. Even though I had slimmed down to 154, my stomach still poked out. The sweater fit tight and looked awesome on me. Unfortunately, he refused to give it up. 

After many nights on Google, eBay, overstock, etc… I found the sweater in a store in New York and had them 3 day ship it to me. I thought about all the effort, money (I probably spent close to $700 on supplements during that time) and time I put in with such little results. I took all that anger, imagined myself in that sweater with a six-pack (stomach-not drinks), chest that poked out firmly, Slim waist, firm and toned arms, and knew that if I wanted to look as good as I knew I could, I had to do something radical. 

I spoke to a good friend of mine and made up a routine as I spoke with him. 

Breakfast: bagel (whole grain), 4-8 slices turkey bacon, orange juice (dont measure), protein shake (optional) 

Lunch through dinner- Salad and chicken (and a little brown rice here and there) 

Yep, that was it. I also would substitute a meal or two with a lean cuisine whole grain rice meal. I took flax and fish oil with nearly every meal, multivitamins, lipo 6, EAS protein light shakes, and cellmass. I introduced NO-Xplode about 2 weeks into the workout due to my fear of caffeine (not allergic, just don’t wanna become dependent.) I dumped every other supplement I had-weight gainers, previous types of creatine, protein shakes, etc…) 

 When I first started back in the gym (on the new regime), I was just angry. I couldn’t realize why. Nope, not until tonight. I was angry at not seeing results. Angry at being fat. Angry at being skinny. Angry because I had let people tell me and determine HOW I should look instead of just being comfortable with whom I AM. I attacked every damn machine in the room. I had a 3 day split 

Monday- Chest and Abs 

Wed. - Back, Arms, Shoulders 

Friday- Lower body and Abs 

Prior to every workout, I bike 3 miles. After every workout, I bike 3-4 miles and may run a mile with the hill set to 5. Everything is done at 134 bpm or above. 

I don’t have a set routine. I just pick a chest machine on Mondays and go. Then I go to an ab machine. I flip flop until I hit about 1 hour or 1 hour and 15 minutes. I don’t speak to anyone; it’s just me, the machines, my mp3 player, and blood flow. 

I don’t do crunches? Why you ask? Simple, I used to do hundreds a day. Guess what I got? More toned fat. I haven’t done a SINGLE CRUNCH since I started this routine. I get pissed off whenever I think about doing them. Does that mean there ineffective? No. It means they don’t work for me. I use the ab machines and free weights. I make sure I put my body through each time I workout. I want to feel and know that I have put this machine through hell so that it will come out stronger. 

Whewww!!! Man, what a load off. I feel better. I guess I’ll say these last few words. Most men have distaste for, fear, or even loathe the action of crying. Well NOT ME!!! I look at that first pic and look at the last and nearly get watery in the eyes! Am I Happy that my body is changing? Without a doubt! Am I in the best shape of my life? Definitely! But the truth of the matter is that for the first time in my life, the first time I can really remember, I am happy with WHO I AM!!!!! Yes, me! Even now I have people saying I should lose this or gain this- They had to see a side of me that is not to kosher at all. Let’s just say when I was done, that comment will never be UTTERED ever again. Thanks for letting me vent (in all of bad English usage-lol)

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