My fitness journey started a little later than most, and the ripe age of 41 in 2012. As a father of four, and husband to my wife of 10 years, I decided I needed to make a change. Eating chips and salsa every night, not having enough energy to play with my kids or even mow the lawn without having to take a break every 5 minutes wasn’t going to cut it.

I also have Meniere’s Disease. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a condition of the inner ear that brings about sudden (and without warning) extreme bouts of vertigo. Some “attacks� (as they are called) are so severe that it renders the person bedridden as we cannot tell up from down, left from right, etc. You can’t walk, stand or sit without falling over. I have had Meniere’s Disease in my left year for nearly 20 years. A few years ago, it started in my right ear as well. The condition got so bad, I eventually was forced into early retirement because of it.

I don’t talk about this much. I’ve posted about it, maybe a time or two, so most people aren’t aware I have it. It’s just a part of life as I know it that I deal with every day. But when folks do find out, the first thing that seems to come up is,� How do you keep up with your workouts?�

The answer is simple. Flexibility. My workouts (nutrition also, but that’s a topic for another day) are flexible. For the most part, everything is based on volume, predominately over a week. Without getting to far into the details…as long as I lift a predetermined amount of weight (reps x sets x weight) over a 7 day period, per body part…I’m compliant. So, when I miss a day, I can make it up on days I am feeling good. I can move days around, go at night if I am experiencing an attack in the morning, combine two workouts into one, if absolutely necessary, when I’m incapacitated a day or more. Sure, this may not be “optimal� but it works for me.

These are the reasons I started working out, as a focus to just get in shape and with hope that exercise would help with Meniere's Disease management. For some people, exercise can make it worse. Others, like me, seem to benefit from it. It's doesn't stop the attacks...but it is a great stress reliever (stress can make Meniere's worse) and I have noticed increase attacks when I am not working out regularly.

In the beginning, lifting was never about "looking better" nor did it include visions of competing, winning shows or obtaining my pro card. It was just about getting healthy, being a good example for my kids (never give up mentality) and managing Meniere’s. That said, overtime, I noticed some changes...REAL CHANGES. My body started transforming into more of an "athletic" physique, instead of the "dad-bod" I carried around so long. I can tell you, without a doubt, the changes were subtle, but noticeable overtime. I attribute it to staying consistent with my training program, adhering to my daily nutrition, and focusing on what needed to be done.

It's been a mentality of "slow and steady wins the race" and "progress, not perfection" that brought out a new physique.

I love working out, and the sport of Bodybuilding because it keeps me focused, reduces my stress. I love the physical changes that it has made, and the health benefits are priceless. Cholesterol is down. Body Fat is down. Testosterone is up (I was diagnosed with low T several years ago as well). Lean Muscle Mass is up. Confidence is up. Mood is up.

The bottom-line...it has given me my life back. No longer do I dwell on the down days. Instead, I focus and relish in the good days.