Mark Valenti’s BodyBlog

I thought to be important to put this somewhere as it basically describes myself prior to becoming active again, as well as my transformation throughout the 12-week Body for Life Challenge. This essay also went on with my official package to the judges for this years contest. I know that all of you are already very active and motivated but it’s ‘my story’ and I hope that it can still spark a bit of inspiration as I continue to progress now that the challenge is over.

Thanks and stay healthy!

Inner Transformation Essay: 

Trying to sum up how this challenge has changed my life… hardest I suppose is deciding where to begin. What got me to even consider a lifestyle change might be the best starting point though?

I had seen my 40^th birthday creeping up on me and knew that I was in bad shape. I decided that a physical would be a good way to initiate a change, especially being that I hadn’t seen a doctor in many years. The blood results came back, not as bad as I thought they would be, but definitely not healthy! To sum myself up at this point in time: I had a bodyweight of 245 pounds, cholesterol level of 268, wore size 38 pants, could not take a picture where my eyes didn’t appear closed and had to gasp several times for air just to put on my shoes and socks. I felt so disgusting. My potbelly was the result of doing nothing more than sitting in front of a computer for most of the day. The fat mass, I had mostly put on over the past 5 years, since I had taken on the duties of a stay-home dad, which included cooking for my family. The worst part of this was that all that I knew how to cook was fried chicken, fried meatballs… you name it and I fried it! To complete this unhealthy package, I brought my own metabolism to a crawl by typically eating only 1 large meal… dinner, yet snacked throughout the night, right up until going to bed. 

From the day I left the doctors office, I began making changes and saw results which kept me going, but at a very casual pace. By simply dropping cokes and crackers, I managed to lose 15 pounds! It was at this time that a friend of mine told me of a person he had met at a jobsite, that had actually won the 2006 Body For Life Challenge! We spoke of the challenge for most of the day, discussing diets and working out and when I got home I went straight to www.bodyforlife.com. 

I’m a firm believer that things come into your life for a reason and most importantly when they are meant for you! I saw this challenge as just that… But, I couldn’t start right away, being that we had a vacation planned and I didn’t want to ‘waste’ 10 days in an environment where I couldn’t control my exercise and diet. So, I waited and used this time to learn as much as I could about your program. We got back from vacation and July 29^th was my BIG day! 

While I may not be the most competitive person, I do well setting a goal and staying focused to see it through. I have to admit though that keeping my eye on the prize has helped too. One of my goals from Day 1 has been to become your 2007 Grand Master Champion! My wife may call it being obsessed, but it has helped me to complete this challenge knowing that I really couldn’t have done much more or ended with much better results than I have. 

“Much more” or “better results” are probably not the right words, because I’m ecstatic with all that I have learned and the results that I’ve accomplished! 

Through the Body for Life Challenge, I have dropped my bodyweight from 230 pounds to 215 pounds, which while nice, doesn’t have the full effect without my body composition changes. My body fat went from 30.20% to 9.43%, which means that in 3 months I’ve shed 49.19 pounds of pure fat and added 34.19 pounds of muscle to my frame! 

My cholesterol level, while not extreme, was at an unhealthy number of 268. After this challenge, my total cholesterol is at 190! 

My potbelly, of course, that’s gone and I will never gasp for air the way I did prior to Body for Life, again! Those size 38 pants I gave away weeks ago too and today I wear a size 34. 

I don’t know if this has been tested and proven to be generally the case but my wife says that since I’ve started this program that I no longer snore and that has to be something many other people would appreciate too! 

Beyond all that though, through this challenge I have learned so much about nutrition, exercise and myself and am finally out of the slump that I had been in for such a long time! I feel energetic, I would even say younger and probably most importantly …happy. 

My thanks for putting together such an awesome package and inspiring me to join! It’s been a great ride to this point and I look forward to all of the effects that it will have weeks, months and years to come!

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