My Story

NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
edited February 2008 in Fitness
I give out a lot of advice here, I thought at this point it would be proper to show where I've come from, and what I'm doing.

For most of my life, I have been extremely sedentary. I used to play street hockey when I was a kid a lot, but what I ate was still terrible, and it was no surprise that by the beginning of my senior year in high school I was out of shape, introverted and depressed about the situation I had put myself into. I realized that most of the interaction in my life happened between me and a computer a foot in front of me and that I lacked any sort of real life social capabilities. I was about 5'8" and 180 pounds with close to 35% body fat.

I decided that I would dedicate myself to change my life, not just one aspect of it, but all aspects of it. It is for this reason that I tie very closely intellectual and emotional development with physical development. When I was naive, I believed that you were gifted with either athleticism and looks, or intelligence. As I grow older, I personally feel that one does not fully exist without the other. Much in the thought of Yukio Mishima, the body and mind deserve equal consideration.

The became very involved in clearing my system of caffeine related products, specifically sodas, coffees (which I used to drink with four cream and four sugar), and and chocolate. I also weened myself off other sugary products and deep-fried foods. In doing so I lost about fifteen pounds in a few months time. I still felt this wasn't good enough, I invested myself in bike riding as my chief instrument of weight loss. Admittedly I knew very little about both exercise or dieting, but I started doing little things to become more active. Walk instead of drive, stairs instead of elevator, things of that nature. I began biking slowly, about four miles every two days and soon I found out I enjoyed long distance biking. It was not uncommon for me to bike 12-14 miles each night, every day of the week. In about four months I had lost forty-two pounds all told.

I continued to cycle in the spring and that summer, I played varsity tennis my senior year in the spring as well. All through this, I found myself much more out going. I started dating, went to homecoming, went to prom, became involved in Model United Nations, had a lead roll in our high school musical, Grease, and began forming true, fulfilling relationships with friends that exist to this day. These are all things I could have never imagined doing previously, losing weight gave me a great deal of confidence. The most difficult obstacle in life is your own body.

Spring forward to college and I realized that I was in shape for biking, but not very strong relatively. I was scrawny, and not very well diversified. I became interested in weight lifting and increasing my strength and size to come up with a more ideal figure for myself. Since then I've worked out five days a week, every week, for a year.

When I started off, I could do the following at 5'10" and 138 pounds:

Bench: 95 pounds
Deadlift: 85 pounds
Squat: 95 pounds
Pullups: 0
Bodyweight dips: 0
Running Mile: 13:00

Over the past year I have dedicated myself, my diet, and my lifestyle in the pursuit of great physical fitness and my body, I believe, has transformed accordingly:

Timeline.jpg

Far left is January of 2007 at 138 pounds, the far right is January of 2008 at slightly under 6'0 and 163~ pounds (I currently weigh 170~).

My lifting stats are:
Bench: 195x6 for two sets
Deadlift: 355
Squat: 225x6 for three sets
Clean and Jerk (overhead press from floor): 170x6
Pullups: 10
Dips: 8xBodyweight+50# attached
Running Mile: 5:56, also completed a seven mile course in 50 minutes last May

Some other pictures:
Back-1.jpg
Back, from August 2007 to January 2008

Side.jpg
Side profile, January 2008

I'm about to enter my first period of cutting, in attempt to lose body fat before I go to gain more muscle again.

I am the least likely person to take on this sort of change, but I believe that no person has genetic limitation, and each person can fulfill their ideal body shape with persistence and dedication.

Comments

  • ThelemechThelemech Victoria Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Very inspiring Nomad, it actually has inspired me to start bodybuilding again... it was the most intense and physically happy I ever have been ! I also commend you for your efforts and achievements, some very good results.
    I recently have stopped drinking, might as well add healthy eating and some training.
    :rockon:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    It's good to see your success in this, Nomad. Did you have any inspiration for beginning your change or was it just due to the epiphany you described above?
  • JokkeJokke Bergen, Norway Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Wow, that's quite impressive! I agree with you on the genetical aspect. I'm so tired of everyone whining about genes, and saying that "dieting and training won't help, because I'm just made this way!" Anything can be done with the right amunt of dedication and determination. I admire that you have managed to change your lifestyle completely, I myself won't do that. I would like to live mostly as I do now, just including a bit healthier food and some more training. Congrats with your results, and good luck in the future!
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited January 2008
    Great post man. Grats on your progress, it takes a lot of dedication to do what you have done and most people just lack the motivation. Keep it up, I feel the best I have in my whole life since I have joined the gym and started working out.
  • NomadNomad A Small Piece of Hell Icrontian
    edited February 2008
    GHoosdum wrote:
    Did you have any inspiration for beginning your change or was it just due to the epiphany you described above?

    No, but my mother has lost a lot of weight and that helps motivate, especially since she's doing it at her age.

    Also, as a sidenote I hit a new PR on my deadlift last week doing the following:

    135x10
    185x8
    225x6
    275x3
    315x6 for two sets
    355x1
    365x1

    I wasn't really considering maxing out until after I did 315x6 for two sets. This isn't how I wold typically warm up for a max attempt, so I'm guessing I could probably do a bit more.
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