Mark

Male

26

Pennsylvania, United States

Got tired of my body at 16 just being a fat storage. I got into a lot of hobbies to keep me off the computer when I was 17. I started training in jujitsu, kick boxing and grappling at the age of 17 at a local karate club in my area. It was the best I could find it was about real fighting not an art. I also picked up the guitar and started to play age 17. I enjoy jamming out, some eruption, Paul Gilbert licks, Mark Tremonti licks etc. At the age of 19 I had decided I was sick of the people at the local karate place. I only liked training with people who were real serious about it. My Instructor was awesome though. I just didn't like some of his clients and got tired of seeing their faces lol. Plus I had to move on and get a job after graduating highschool. So I worked at a grocery store till age 23. I decided to go back to school and ended up getting lazy, started eating crap again got fat being a computer technician. And never could find a job that would hold in that career. I ended up trying a job in Houton TX as a salesman in cell phones with a friend and noticed how much I didn't like the area, the people, my living space etc. My biggest reason is I missed my family too much. I enjoy where I live here in PA. It showed me all I ever wanted was right here where I live. I just wish jobs were better. Very little options and never good pay most of the time. So I decided to go work for the schools in my area. It's not a glamorous job being a custodian. But it pays a lot better then any retail industry around here. A year ago though, doing what I love working out. I had an accident. I was jumping into sets, switching weight on my dumb bells and didn't get my clip on the side of bar completely on. I did a fly type of exercise and the clip popped off and one of my ten pound plates hit a speaker on my computer desk since I workout at home, but the 10lb plate of iron came back at me and crushed the front of my foot. I went through hell to walk again. I only fractured the tips of two of my toes luckly. But lost some natural plantar fat padding to the bottom of my foot. And it causes me to put too much pressure on my tendons in my ankle and the most important one that allows you to walk the Achilles Tendon. I have developed the dreaded Achilles Tendonitis and still have it a year after my accident on March 28th of 2008. Currently I am working harder then ever to scale down my body fat. Build muscle, and make it easier on me at my job. I don't have much, can't afford the gym. Just a set of dumb bells and pair of ankle weights. But I am determined to let nothing stop me. So maybe in the near future, hopefully a couple months I'll see some good progress. So in the end the Iron has taken a lot from me. But hopefully it gives a lot back. Will see...

Ever since my injury I have found my love for bodybuilding again. It has taken so much from me at one point. My ability to walk, and I had so much pain in that year I wanted to jump out of my skin. But I am back at it now. Even though some days I feel like is this working? I keep trying to solve the complex issue of losing fat constantly reading, observing and keeping the best on bodyspace close to me as I try to figure out what they are doing.

I stay motivated by drinking a lot of coffee LOL! Keeps me up beat an positive. White Flood is a big contributor at times doing workouts. I realized low energy make us naturally feel unmotivated, depressed an unhappy. So if you're energy is low I take a nap an then add some coffee when I wake up. An back at it again. Keep my sleep patterns on schedule is crucial it seems anymore to at least being able to get up knowing once I had some coffee an a few meals I'll feel ready to go. Now that might not sound very motivating but if you try this. I am telling you the only thing you'll need for motivation is some good music while hitting the heavy iron an doing that cardio!

I once had abs. Never in my life did I have that. I naturally gain weight easy I have that Mesomorph body type. The good side to that is I get larger muscles quick, the negative can't get the stubborn fat off! I guess currently my accomplishments would be getting back to lifting after my serious injury. Finding that drive once again after getting rid of so much pain. Being my own nutritionist, trusting myself again an finally back to my weight I once had would be my main accomplishments. I am very proud of that. I also feel the mental gains are very much important. Maybe more so then the actual physical side. Since if your mental state is depressed or low energy you'll achieve crap. You must break those mental barriers that hold you down an train your mind to be successful. Even if it's small achievements etc. It doesn't matter as long as some progress is being made. But I really do this to stay strong, healthy an so I can always capable of doing my job. Rebounding from that injury was very hard an took 8-9 months before pain finally stopped since I felt it 24/7 for that period of time. I don't believe in God or Hell, but, if there is one it was the one I went through in reality!