I love fitness because I love being healthy. I was an Alcoholic for a lot of my twenties, especially my mid twenties. At the age of 29 I decided that I didn't want to be an addict for the rest of my life and that I wanted to feel as vibrant and able as possible.
I decided that while I love resistance training and admire the work and dedication that goes into bodybuilding specifically, I wanted to become as healthy and have as much vitality as possible.
With that goal in mind I determined that I would not pursue a bodybuilder's physique but rather build a body that is the healthiest version of myself and to embellish my natural physique and features rather than change them dramatically with a bodybuilding vision and routine.
I do a lot of traditional bodybuilding lifts and rep schemes but without any emphasis on building mass. I also do a lot of calisthenics, yoga and I treat my cardio as its own area of fitness and progress that is as important as all forms of resistance training.
Because of this I built my legs as they are now entirely through running, using long distance running, long distance trail running, sprints, treadmill and hill runs.
As well, my diet does not resemble a traditional bodybuilder's diet in that I do not treat Protein as being more important than other nutrients and I put a lot of importance on Fiber and Healthy Fats. Using a few broad rules of thumb, such as "if it grows out of the earth or on a tree, eat it" and "vary your colors" I developed dietary habits that have enabled me to remain consistent for over two years now.
The pictures I have posted here are the result of the principles that I have been adhering to. I am not a huge guy, but I am dense and strong (not power lifter or even body boulder strong, though). My baseline running range on a good day is about 13 miles, meaning that at any given moment I can drop what I am doing and run 13 miles without a great effort, lol. That feels pretty good.
I am firm believer in vision and that your vision determines not only your outcome but your experience. For this reason when approaching my nutrition I adhere to the principle of "addition over subtraction". Adding something healthful to your diet is more important and impactful than taking something out of your diet, and this lead to the idea that crowding out toxic foods is more effective and efficient- in terms of mental energy and will- than it is to spend precious time and energy abstaining from something that you want.
As well, "toxic" or "junk foods" have less impact on a robust diet containing a multitude of healthy food choices than it does on a deprived diet containing a limited selection.
I do not weigh myself or focus on an aesthetic goal. I keep in mind my health and how I feel on a given day and take it from there. I think it has served me well over these past couple of years and the results have enriched my life. I can say that my ultimate vision is to be as healthy as possible and to look healthy. I believe that health from the inside results in beauty on the outside.
Enjoy your goals!