It’s already been a month that has passed at the new gym and we feel really settled now. We are pushing each other as hard as we can during each training session together and have learnt a lot of things too.

I have weighed myself today and compared my pictures from August (which is when I decided to try and do my first cut) Personally I feel that I am in a better starting position than back then, even though I have just been on my bulking months. This last week I have knuckled down and got my diet on track as-well-as adding some light walking pace cardio to my daily routine.

I hate cardio and that’s the truth. I try to do 1 hour a day walking on the treadmill at home whilst listening to my music and after having my Black Bombs fat burner. I have only been changing things around since last Sunday, so I don’t expect any difference yet, which is quite obvious. I do however feel that at the end of February if I can give it 100% like I have this week, I will be able to see a slight improvement from today. I’m keeping my expectations low and I will do my very best to battle through any rough patches I come across and reach my goal.

I’m currently at 12st 12Lb and  16.8% body fat.(according to Boots) I hope to lose 4-6lb in February and drop my body fat closer to the 15% mark, ready to battle on to 10% as a goal.

Why does it take me a month to lose just 4lb?

I can lose 4lb in a day if I dehydrate myself and eat salads all day (And I have proven this several times in the past) The idea is to maintain as much of the little muscle and strength that I have through my cutting months. I want to drop 4lb of fat and not 4lb of muscle.

What about the new gym? 

Everything is positive about the new gym and that’s the short of it. Top quality equipment with a mixed level community. There are people who are going into competition and people that are new to gyms. (My wife is one of the new people to the gym) Having people around me who are into Bodybuilding helps me push harder. It’s good to see the different techniques people use and this broadens my knowledge and also gives me different ways to work my muscles.

One down side to my old gym was the way people would pick up on me every time I tried to lose body fat. They would say I was losing to much fat meaning I’d lose to much strength. I can understand what they were saying, but they couldn’t understand I didn’t want all that fat on me. The new gym gaffa has a completely different approach and will help every member individually if you would like him to help you.

I know the new gym has helped me improve, as I know the exercises are hitting the muscle I want them to reach. As I only worked with free weights in the old gym. I now have access to machines that are easier on my lower back and easier on my body as a whole. If I do want to use free weights, I still have access to a very larger variety of dumbbells, barbells and plates. It’s a win win situation in every aspect joining the new gym.

We have something that I find very exciting coming up this Monday. I’ll be sure to update you with that as long as it goes ahead. Unforeseen circumstances can’t be helped if they crop up, touch wood they wont though.

BodyPower 2014

I have this as my short term target to cut my body fat down as much as I need to and to look my very best so far. If I were to lose 4lb per month from now till May and maintain what little muscle I have, I’m sure I will have a low enough body fat percentage to see my abs. Seeing my abs has been a dream of mine for years, I’ve said it’s impossible all those years too. It’s time to stop saying it’s impossible and work harder to get them. No more excuses!!!

Progress pics

At the moment there are no progress pics as I have a lot to work on. I have took pictures today and I will take them every weekend until I feel the need to put them up on here with some noticeable progress. I will post them all at the end (Hopefully end of February) showing you how I have got on week- by-week along with any progress that has been made. I do want to share everything I do with my readers on here, just so they can have some sort of an idea of how my journey is going and hopefully inspire someone.

I’ve said it several times before that I never speak out of arrogance when I show my progress or make goals. I simply have a passion for what I do and I just love doing it! I love the training, I love the challenging nutritional side of things, I love the people I have met along the way, I love the pain, I love the changes, I love my body!*

*Just to clarify, ‘I love my body’. I don’t mean I love my body in the way that I think I’m good, I simply love my body as I care for it and want it to be healthy, strong and always progressing to when I visualise myself to be. I love my body and that’s why I try to care for it and it is by far the most important thing that I have in my life, without my body, I simply wouldn’t exist. I never used to love my body and that’s why I was unhealthy and obese. I was going down a slippery slope as I hated it and simply didn’t want to do anything to make it better… till one day when I started this long, winding journey. (I hate putting stuff like this, but I feel that I need to as I don’t want to come over as arrogant) I also understand that once I reach my goal and give it 100% of my effort, I may then look into other paths to full fill my dream.

I’m not sure where I’m going with this post so please bear with me, I’m just going to ramble…

Four years ago I was clinically obese, unhealthy, unfit and just useless. I decided I needed to change my life when our second daughter came along. I wanted to be a dad that my children could be proud of healthwise.

Anyway this was around my peak of 15 stone of fat, four years ago.

(I will never have arms that big again) 😛

I went on a diet and got down to 11 stone 6 pound after a year of calorie cutting and jogging. Problem was, I just lost the fat and then looked too thin and I didn’t like that. When I was obese I thought I was big, my head told me that I was muscular and bigger than all the other men. I guess I was big though, in a size 40 inch jeans, that is big, big as in obese!

This is what I looked like on the day I decided to change my mind and body by lifting weights.

I knew I was thin and I knew I needed to gain some muscle mass. I thought back then that lifting weights would gain muscle and I would see some big changes over the coming weeks. I was taking pictures on a weekly basis and did this for a few months. I had absolutely no clue about diet or how to build muscle, but I tried. The first year I was at home working out. I ate three big meals a day. My main meal was pasta with cheese. I thought that would bulk me up quickly as it had lots of carbs in. Obviously I was wrong.

I managed to find a gym in June 2011 and started working out there. I had to learn everything new and started right back at the beginning. I still didn’t understand the diet and I have only just started understanding the basics in the last year and I have only just started putting it into practice over the last few months. I now eat 6 meals a day, I understand the body can only consume 50g of protein per sitting and the body only stores protein for around 2-3 hours meaning that I need to keep it topped up within this time. I also understand the importance of fruit and veg, the difference between ‘basic and complex carbs’ and how important sleep is.

Since I joined the gym I have never slept for over two hours without waking up, as I started the gym 2 weeks before my boy was born. Just because I couldn’t sleep though doesn’t mean I couldn’t educate myself on nutrition and how to build muscle. (How do you educate yourself when you don’t know where or what to look at though?) I have watched tons of DVD’s and read lots of books. They all have the basic principles, ‘Nutrition, Intensity, Sleep’.

The last month or two, our son has started sleeping through the night, my diet is very good and my intensity has stepped up a lot. I always weight lifted, but now I bodybuild, I feel that I have a connection between my mind and the muscle I want to work.

My wife lifts weights too and if she didn’t, I wouldn’t have the same heart I do for the sport.  We bounce ideas off each other and support each other the best we can.

Here’s a pic of what I was like around 6 weeks ago when I started my 6 meals a day and some intense training…

I had a bit of fun last night and tried out some of that bronzer that they use for competitions. I will emphasize that it was just for fun and I have a very long way to go!

I can see that I have dropped some fat naturally by eating healthy. This was the aim and I can also see just how much fat can change the look of my body. I also did a video of my back as I have never saw my back and that is also coming along… slowly. Everyday I am learning more and I am going in the right direction. The more I learn, the better I will get, it’s just going to take time.

My next aim is to train with Dorian Yates and Temple Gym Birmingham. I hope to sort that out in the next month. The knowledge I will get from that in just one hour will be more than I have learnt in the 3 years I have been on this journey!

I always hear people saying, “If I can do, it anyone can”. I always though that was complete and utter rubbish as they have super genetics. I now know that if I can do it anyone can! Who knows about their genetics until till they try? Who knows what they can accomplish if they don’t try? Why would you want to dream about it for years and not try? (I have tried it many time in my life, I just didn’t dedicate myself to it till now)

I still have people say to me now that they look weak and want to lift, but BUT BUT BUT BUT… There’s no BUT, do it! Make excuses all you want, fail yourself. You need to give yourself a kick up the back side and do it!!!

No one has time,  BUT make time. Turn off the TV, put the game down, go to bed half hour later, sort out your diet! If you want to do it you can, stop making up excuses!!! Press ups, sit ups, pull ups and squats can be done in 15 min!

(The ending was a bit of a motivational speech, I am far from able to preach, but I will try to help anyone who will listen)

Three months ago I was calling out for inspiration and people to follow/discuss ideas with. I  am now surrounded by fitness and it makes a big difference to my mind!

More we get onboard the easier it is…

On the 31st of August I did a full body measurement with weighing scales, skin fold clippers and a tape measure. It has now been four months to the day and so I will do it again, mainly for a reference for when I do it again in one year time.

Click for August weigh-in

Here is some stats for today…

September and December
.

August 2012

December 31st 2012

I think that is all I need for now. Nothing is exact, but it’s close enough for me. I don’t need to do this as I know I’m progressing in the right way, but nothing shows it quite like numbers.

Happy new year to you all!

Onwards and outwards…