My first introduction to fitness started before I joined the military. I was obese, out of shape, 196lbs at 5'8'' and I promise you that it was not muscle. I will find an old picture one of these days and upload it. I was so out of shape that when I went to the recruiter at 18 the recruiter told me I needed to loose 30 lbs before he would even talk to me. I believe he thought I was not going to come back because of just how bad I looked, and I told him that day I will be back in under 90 days. He replied with a sarcastic yeah ok we will see you then and kind of chuckled under his breath. I used that for motivation to get started that day. I did'nt know a thing about working out or dieting or nutrition I just knew I needed to get active so I did. That day I went for a run and made it not even a 1/4 mile before i had to walk and I would keep going running and walking until my lungs were on fire. I did this as much as I could until eventually I was running 2 miles then 3 then 4 and you get the picture. I walked in that recuiters office 34lbs lighter 64 days later and the recruiter was shocked. I knew what I wanted and I may not have known exactly how to get there but where there is a will there is a way. I have been fit ever since and I love everything about it. I first started bodybuilding when I was in the military. Being young and in the military I was surrounded by people that were fit and we all worked out together. I had an NCO that just seemed huge to me, more so than everyone else. I talked with him and found out what he did to get so big and it was the typical advice. lift heavy and eat big to get big. I did that for a while and I got big just not the size I was looking for. I finally found out about nutrition and how much it played a role in building muscle and the significant difference it made in my physique. I no longer looked like a puffed up power lifter.
I love bodybuilding for many reasons. It has been such a major part of my life since around 2008 and it has helped me cope with a lot of issues I am dealing with from my time spent in the military. Everyday I go to the gym it is like a form of meditation for me. All I have to focus on is the muscle and the weights. I am not worried about anything else, I can get all my aggression out on the weights. every time I leave the gym feeling better then when I walked through the door. In my life right now fitness and bodybuilding is all I have and it is where my focus is. I want to prove that this can be done naturally without the help of drugs because I have seen it first hand. Being in the military you get drug tested all the time and there are some guys that are monsters. I want to prove that you can be successful no matter what life throws at you, or how many people say you can't do something. This country was built on people who fought for what they believed in and did not listen to the naysayers. I love bodybuilding, but I don't like where the new bodybuilders are going. I still believe that the classic physiques like Arnold are what we should strive for. Today's bodybuilders seem to be all about mass and size and not as much symmetry. Bodybuilding is an art form and I hope one day to be able to contribute.