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 By: Michael Vincent
Let's go back to March '05. I bought two pairs of khaki pants, size 38. They fit me perfectly when I tried them on. When I got home, I threw them in the back of my closet until the need to dress formally. One month later came the need to, so I got out the khakis, and now they don't fit. Not even a little snug... I can't even button them. I realized then it was time to stop what I was doing and change my life.
   Click To Enlarge. Down To Size 33!
The next day, I started researching what I needed to do to fix the mess I had put myself into. The first thing to change was the diet. No more candy, chips, fast food, eating late at night, and so on. Bring on the good stuff! Eat more and weigh less! Second on the list was the gym. Having a gym right next to my office made everything easier, and gave me absolutely no excuse to not go. After figuring out a diet, I signed up for a yearly membership for the gym. I was determined not to be a statistic... Joe Schmo who signs up, puts his heart into it for a few weeks, then gives up and makes excuses not to go. Next thing were the supplements. What was my body lacking that was going to hinder my process of weight loss and muscle gain? That led me to researching online, to sites such as www.bodybuilding.com. After doing the research, I made a list, and bought what I needed to help achieve my goal!
I started working out with a friend from work. He basically showed me the ropes, how to use the machines, the correct techniques, etc. I remember it like it was yesterday... I couldn't go 4mph for more than a minute without being out of breath. A month later, I was able to walk 4mph for a good ten minutes.
After that, I was doing it for thirty minutes. Then I started HIIT, and incorporated jogging at 6.5mph with the 4mph walk. I'm happy to say that today I am able to run 7mph constantly, and mix in 9mph+ sprints!
I did more than that as well. I even started to read magazines such as Men's Health, and Men's Fitness to keep up with the latest news in the health industry.
  Click To Enlarge. A Couple Bicep Shots During My Transformation.
"I'll do what I want, when I want, eat whatever I want, etc."
I ate fast food every day as it was convenient to my job; I ate candy, chips, junk food all the time.
  Click To Enlarge. Back When I Was Eating Junkfood All The Time. What made that worse is I have an office job, the normal 9-5 grunt work where you sit all day. That just made the situation worse. Then I'd drink multiple cans of soda a day, and at night? Always a snack while lying down and watching TV!
  Click To Enlarge. A Rare Trip Away From The Television In My Lavish, Uncaring Life. Being Around Hot Women Is/Was Great Motivation!
I use Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Gold Standard Rocky Road and Tropical Punch, and also their Casein protein vanilla flavor. I definately recommend them to anyone as they taste great, and www.bodybuilding.com has great prices! I was and still am dedicated to keeping my body clean, using natural supplements, not un-natural chemicals which companies claim help you.
As far as liquids, I drink water all day. I sometimes drink flavored water such as Fruit2o to break up the monotany, but never soda! I'll have the occasional diet soda with lunch or dinner though. Green tea is definately a part of my diet too! I drink at least two cups a day. I recommend Lipton's Green Tea Collection, so you can sample a few different flavors and not be drinking the same original flavor every day.
 Click To Enlarge. Mixing It Up. After that, I started another two month routine of high reps and lower weight to get more tone. That consisted of 3 sets of 15-18 reps because they took me longer to do; I added my cardio in the morning before work.
 Click To Enlarge. Lat Pullover.
After each workout I usually hit the punching bag for a few minutes and shoot a couple hoops as well, just to let loose.
 Click To Enlarge. Lettin' Loose.
Today, I'm leaner, healthier, and overall am just living a better life! One tip I have though is that you do not cheat! I go out all the time with friends, both at restaurants and/or bars. Fortunately, my friends respect my lifestyle and understand when I don't drink as they do, or eat the 1,300 calorie burger at restaurants.
Think about what you put in your body! Do you really need that candy bar, or is it a craving? Just think about what you put into your body, and if it will help you or hinder you in your goals. It seems almost everyday I get complimented on how I've changed so much and how much better I look. That just pushes me to go further! People I've known for years can't believe how far I've gone and tell me how different I look... that I look like a different person. I've even had people who haven't seen me since before my change of life give me a strange look thinking "Who are you?" when I see and greet them by name.
 Click To Enlarge. "Who Are You?" Hopefully what I've done can help others achieve their goals if they are overweight. Trust me when I say it. I've been there before, you can do it!
Regards,
Michael (a.k.a. Romeo) Vincent
Michael Vincent Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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