I started changing my diet significantly in 2008. Since then I have developed a very strong attitude about eating well and taking care of my body. I cycle to work 4 days a week and go to the gym 5 days/wk during my lunch hour. At this point I am about to finish this strict routine to drop bodyfat and will soon focus on putting on mass.

When I first began, I started to see little changes in my arms and legs—then the body fat just seemed to start melting off. Between 2008 to 2011 I dropped 62 pounds. It's an amazing feeling to look in the mirror and think 'Hey, that's a new muscle!' At this point I'm not necessarily consciously thinking about changing my figure. I want to, yes, but I want this to become a lifestyle change based on habit--not based on forcing myself to make major changes. Little by little, I tighten up my diet. I've gotten into the habit of glancing through my grocery basket before checking out—having discovered the junk food that would make its way into my basket. Now, I look in the mirror every so often and see a change for the better, simply because I learned to change my lifestyle rather than to do a temporary speed diet.