MY TRANSFORMATION
Here is what I wrote for my bio(transformation of the week) Let me know what you think. I hope that maybe it can inspire people. This site is bringing me so much and I love to share back! StatsBefore:
Age: 35
Weight: 185 lbs
Body Fat: 31%
Measurements: 37.5 – 35 - 45
After:
Age: 37 (after 2 years of bb)
Weight: 160 lbs (lost total 25 lbs)
Body Fat: 16% (lost total 15%)
Measurements: 35.5 – 29.5 – 41.5 (lost total 12 inches)
Why I Got Started
I’ve always been active and somewhat into healthy living. I was the cardio queen who lived in the aerobic room of the gym countless hours a week. I ran 2 marathons a year, took swimming and spinning classes and martial arts. My diet was healthy-ISH, or so I thought. I enjoyed salads and wholesome foods, but huge quantities of it. And I had a love relationship with carbs and sugar, not to mention SALT. I always thought if you do 2-3 hours of cardio a day, what harm is a piece of cake?
You’ve heard of SKINNY-fat. I was what you call a FIT-fat. I had always dreamed of shedding the extra fat layer I was carrying, but after 15 years of rigorous daily exercise, I had accepted the fact that this was the way body had to be and it just does not want to change. Plus, I just adored my eating parties where I just went crazy with food after a long cardio session! So I lived with it. I wasn’t unhappy, but I always secretly wished for a hard body.
How I Did It
The first session with the trainer was really a wake-up call. I had though of myself as being in good shape, but this was embarrassing! I remember going on the chin-up machine, at the easiest level, trying to pull my weight, and for the life of me, could not pull myself up, not even once! After ONE WEEK of proper dieting (eating 6 clean and balanced meals a day), I was SHOCKED when I actually pulled myself up 10 times!! Right then, I had a WOW moment and realized the power that diet has on my body and my muscles. My trainer always said diet is 80% of the work and training is 20%, now I realized just how true that was.
I decided to completely change my life and break away from all bad habits. To do this, I would have to make drastic changes. I stopped going out. Going out led to drinking, late-night binging, and oversleeping. I quit drinking completely. Next, I eliminated all refined sugar. It took about 2-3 weeks for this junkie to be off it! I was shocked how quickly I adapted. The next challenge was incorporating my new lifestyle and eating plan to my career, which involves work meals and lots of travelling. Let me tell you, where there’s a will, there’s a way. The hardest thing is probably having to argue with co-workers who want to “push” you to over-indulge, because it will make THEM feel better about doing it. My next test was to not listen to that voice in my head that would tell me: ‘don’t train today, take the day off, stay in bed!!’
I wanted EXTREME results and I knew that to achieve this, I would have to do EXTREME actions. My plan was simple: 6 meals a day, 6 workouts a week, one day off a week, one (and only one) cheat meal a week. I saw results almost right away. This kept me challenged and very motivated. After one year of living the lifestyle, I discovered bodybuilding.com. This was incredible for me because I had no one around me up to that point who understood the sacrifices and demands of bb…and all of a sudden, I have thousands of friends to share with. Anytime I felt unmotivated to go train, I would log on and somehow, found the strength to go and kick it at the gym.
Supplements
I experimented with many to see how my body reacts. I do not react to caffeine at all, so any energy supplements to not work on me. I use Optimum protein, Creatine post-workout, Glutamine after workouts, and multi-vitamins. Fat burners are great for appetite control. My all-time best supplement is my own personal adrenaline!
Diet
My diet is 1500-1800cals a day, balanced and very clean. My proteins include whey, chicken, and fish. Carbs: oats, vegetables, fruit, bread on occasion. Fats: peanut or almond butter, measured dressing for the salads. I train in the morning, so I eat my carbs earlier in the day. I’m very strict and do not allow any food not on my diet to enter my mouth! (except for cheat meal, once a week) Oh, and NO alcohol at all. I drink 4-5 litres of water a day and, yes, TONS of coffee! Love my java! (with milk only) I do not snack at all between meals. If I have cravings, I control with sugar-free drinks.
Training
I train like a dog!! Hardcore!! I train with weights and do cardio 6 TIMES A WEEK. Whatever I’m doing, I make sure it hurts! I only rest 30 seconds between reps which keeps me going aerobic for my whole workout. After my weights (45 minutes), I immediately jump on the stairclimber, spinning bike or elliptical and DESTROY whatever I have left! I bring it! I do HIIT or just stay HIGH for the whole time. I judge the quality of the workout by the size of the sweat puddle I’ve left on the floor! Many people don’t believe in weights and cardio daily, but I’ve found that it works best for me, my metabolism and my body.
Suggestions for Others
It’s human nature to be envious and jealous of other’s successes, and so people will continuously try to sabotage your efforts, especially if they are you old eating buddies, or worse, your spouse. You can attempt to explain how important this lifestyle is to you, but in the end, you may have to severe ties with people who can negatively influence you.
There are NO good or valid reasons to fall off the wagon. If you’re sad; go workout, you will feel better. If you’re happy, have a nice healthy meal, you’ll feel even greater. Had a fight with your child or boss? Go sweat it out at the gym. After an hour of spinning, you’ll forget ‘what’s his name’! DON’T MAKE EXCUSES.
Set realistic goals and visualize them. Making a goal like “I want a 6-pack by Christmas” or ‘I want to lose 20lbs this month” may not be realistic and could set you up for self-sabotage. However, picturing yourself on a beach, looking fit and hot and feeling great could be just what you need to get yourself off the couch tonight and off to the gym!!
I hope this inspired you
thanks to my bb friends! You inspire ME!!
Post by: sparkie
October 7, 2008 at 1:59 pm
We are not worthy.
Seriously. The results speak for themselves. From reading this, I understand I need to pick up my intensity.
Great job!
October 8, 2008 at 1:55 am
LOOK AT YOU OLD FREIND !!!!!
DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
my my m y……………..
October 8, 2008 at 2:59 am
This was a great blog. Congratulations on your transformation and you’ve inspired me to kick my diet and workouts into high gear. Thanks!
October 9, 2008 at 11:04 am
Great point about bad associations. I smoked for about 11 years. When I quit I had to stop doing things that I associated with smoking, like stopping in a bar with friends for a beer, and other things. It’s funny how people encourage you to quit smoking, and then when you’re successful resent you for it. I ran into the same thing with losing weight and getting into shape. You’re on the right track now, and all your hard work and self discipline has paid off.
October 10, 2008 at 10:49 am
I love your story. I used to be fit-fat too, now I’m just fat. Your story has inspired me. I hope they pick your story it is a good one.
October 10, 2008 at 10:54 am
Great story! Kudos to you for making this lifestyle change. You won’t be sorry - you have given yourself the best gift: the gift of health:)
October 10, 2008 at 4:40 pm
That is awesomme!!!!! Great job! You are an inspiration to many with your hard work and dedication. I like the short hair too.
October 10, 2008 at 4:50 pm
You’ve always been an inspirtion to me! Great job!
October 13, 2008 at 7:39 am
Great job!! You’ve made some awesome changes; you should be very proud of what you have achieved!
October 16, 2008 at 9:23 am
I am going to use your diet plan to help me get rid of my fit fat
October 16, 2008 at 11:39 am
I really enjoyed reading this and wanted to congratulate you!
October 16, 2008 at 12:00 pm
that is awesome. you are definitely an inspiration!!
October 19, 2008 at 11:57 am
You are a true inspiration. You inspire me to keep going, do more than I plan to do, eat CLEAN all the time. I am struggling with that, but I know that is KEY to get results. Thank you for sharing your experience…I have do doubt you will reach all your goals and more.
October 22, 2008 at 3:00 pm
What an inspiration. Makes me want to take my game to another level.
October 25, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Your story and photos say it all! I know gals like your old self, they do lots of cardio and still have fat. I can’t talk them into touching any weights because they are worried about looking muscular. Ha… if they only knew the magic of body building! Your story is very inspiring and I think it is worthy of being a BB.com transformation of the week story!
October 26, 2008 at 5:01 am
Thata girl toot your horn you deserve to!
November 4, 2008 at 1:05 pm
great work, nice post, awesome training schedule. i like to do cardio everyday after weights too. thanks for sharing.
November 9, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Training at the break of day is commendable, maybe even admirable, but it’s only 50% as effective as training in the evening. It’s fine for refining your functional fitness capacities but it will do almost nothing to change the shape and size of your muscles. If you think muscles aren’t important you are wrong so I will correct you. Muscles are what you are. Muscles are your shape and you motor. You must cater to their needs, not yours. The muscles are dormant for the first 2-4 hours after awakening from a night’s rest. Training them right after waking is like lecturing someone who is almost entirely unconscious.
January 28, 2009 at 7:43 am
VERY inspiring blog!! You are awesome, and your pictures prove it!
February 9, 2009 at 10:40 am
Awesome results. You look amazing!
June 18, 2009 at 10:23 pm
This was an awesome blog…. Thanks iam taking alot of it with me on my journey…. especially the end of your blog..when you discuss people that maybe jealous of your change and sabotage you… I just got off the phone with an old friend and she said so many hurtful things to me… Not to mention them all bc it would take forever!!!! She told me that a coworker of hers saw my husband and asked If his wife was in shape too? so my friend tells me "Of course I lied and told her that yes you are in shape" I immediatly felt horrible bc my old friend knows that I workout everyday and she knows I have lost 46 pounds and she knows I am trying to finally get in shape… I felt like it was low blow… for a while now ever since I have been losing weight she has been really mean to me.. Tonight iam sad bc I thought she was my friend and now with all that she said Iam seeing she never was.. I dont have many friends in my life just my two daughters and my husband.. she was the only one I really let into my life… iam so sorry this was too long but I needed to vent and your blog really helped refocus my goals… thank you and again you look awesome..:) Tomarrow she will be my punching bag…