It was a year ago to date that I did my first competition and that’s whats led me to type up a blog post…

I need to go right back to the beginning of when I started lifting weights. I have hundreds, if not thousands of pictures, notes, weights, measurements, food diaries, videos and so on from over the years. I use these to monitor myself and to see how far I have come. I honestly look at myself in the mirror and see the same old George that I used to be. As sad as it sounds, I rely on my notes to prove to myself that I am on the right, yet long path.

I needed a year to take it easy and that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been consistent with training, yet relaxed and enjoying other aspects of life too. I will push every single day now for the next 12 months and see what I can do to my body. I owe this to myself and I am going to make some changes to the way I approach the sport from a personal point of view and I will also progress and hopefully help others along the way.

I go to the gym, punish myself with a bland boring diet, do cardio every day, sleep, dream, focus and so on, to see how I can change things to better myself. I also have a huge passion for helping others and I strongly believe this is what will separate me and other personal trainers that just do it because it’s an easy option in life. I do everything through passion and I can hold my hand up and say that I am just as passionate about my goals today, as I was when I started dieting 7 or 8 years ago. I have broadened my knowledge along the way, I have dieted, gained strength, changed my physical, as-well-as mental approach to life and I am happy to feel this way after 6 years of 100% natural bodybuilding. I feel that my place in this sport will be to represent the average person and I have documents that people can freely read and see that I have so much passion in myself and I will put equally as much passion into helping them too. Unless they take the piss.

The old pictures were took on the very first day I started to lift ‘a weight’ the other pictures are today in the gym. I looked at the pictures on my phone today from the gym and I felt so disheartened with how poor I look. All I could see was the old me and it messes with my head a lot. I then found my first pictures and realised that I am progressing. Granted it’s slow progress, however I have stuck to my guns and have done what I set out to do.  The next year I have to stay focused and follow my heart. I have my diet in place that I hope to stick to for the next year. I still don’t eat meat or fish, yet if I really fancy some meat I will have it. I just don’t want it and that’s that.

Fortunately the hard part is done. I feel that I can put all the last 6 years together and have a good shot at reaching a few new goals over the next 12 months. I don’t look at it in any other way than a lifestyle. I don’t really have to try to do any of it, as it just happens. I still have my short term goals and I will post about that over the next few weeks, and there is also my dream goal to discuss over the coming months and then there’s the very long term goal which I’ll discuss when I’m old and battered. hehe

I motivate myself and I think this is very important. I see to many people relying on short cuts and big words to impress others, when it’s in fact their ego talking and not passion. I’m working towards bigger things in life and I will keep pushing until I fulfil my dreams. (remember this is a fitness blog and I try to keep it fitness related. I have much bigger dreams in life with my family etc, just this is strictly my blog talking about me)

What has changed in 1 year?

• The main thing must be my diet. I’ve discovered a lot of new things and cut out fish/meat.
• Had 6 months off supplements.
• I’ve noticed more people are asking for help with diet training etc.
• Had a few mentally challenging months after the show.
• Explored more aspects of the sport.
• I’ve found everything to be easier in general.