My experience with working out came to light like most boys in high school. I was a defensive lineman and offensive tackle for my Junior Varsity and Varsity football team, as well as a shot-put and discus thrower. I have always had a muscular/athletic/stocky build thanks to genetics, but this also contributed to a love for food and an disposition to storing belly fat. When I was in high school, I weighed around 205-215, and in fact, I can't remember when I weighed less than 200 - almost like it never existed. I also can remember finishing practice and eating an entire Red Baron freezer pizza by myself, and not gaining a pound due to my active lifestyle. Fast forward to adulthood, after high school and college, I never so much as lifted a dumbbell really. Partying hard slowly crept into bills and many job changes with age, as well as a messy and unconcerned diet. A couple of years back, I started working out again and with the help of a clean diet, some doctors advice that I needed to drop the weight, and High Intensity Interval Training, I managed to drop a whopping 30 pounds. I started at 269 and got down to around 240. Slowly, but surely, my confidence caused me to excuse myself for more and more frequent cheat days, until I gained every pound back and then some.

At 26, I'm currently weighing in at my heaviest I have ever been. I look at this opportunity as my last true chance in my twenties to drop some serious weight. My goal is around 205, but I'm more concerned with body composition, the healthy lifestyle, and feeling better (and a six pack wouldn't' hurt either). I've been working out with my girlfriend now for about a month, and even though the pounds aren't dropping off as fast as I hope, my body fat is decreasing. My plan is to drop from 25% body fat to around 10%, and to help my girlfriend drop about 10 pounds in the process (she just wants to drop a few pounds at 139 to about 125 or 130).

I'm hoping along this journey that I can harbor some inspiration, and network with some inspired and motivated people who have gone through the same struggle as I with weight. I'm doing a few different routines such as the 12 Week fat cutting program, as well as a popular DVD home workout program (not P90x). Six squares a day, focusing on protein, carb, and fat intake, some good supplements like CLA, fish oil, carnitine, and BCAAs, and also my whey and casein. Armed with this, high motivation, and a whole lot of will to live a long and active life - I'm hoping THIS is my year to be incredibly fit, lean, and ripped!

I love bodybuilding because it is the ultimate miracle drug. I often have body and joint aches from wear and tear over the years, but working out just seems to balance you out and reduce the pain. Also, the adrenaline and endorphin rush achieved from sticking to your goals and achieving them is amazing. I have never had a "six pack" in my entire life, with the exception of when I was a toddler, and I have always coveted the head turning effects. I don't know anyone in my family that has a six pack, so it would be nice to break the genetic stronghold and really sculpt a hard body!