I got started lifting when I was in college. Ended up having hernia surgery my freshman year in college. Gained about 50 pounds after the surgery. Wasn't able to do much of anything for a few months, but I never had a problem staying in shape until then. Until the surgery happened, I didn't know how easy it was to put on weight by not eating right and not being able to workout. It took me about 5 months to gain around 50 pounds. When I went home for the summer, I decided to join a gym. I had enough of the fat that was keeping me from being active and doing things I wanted to do outdoors.

I joined East Shore Athletic Club in Charleston, SC for a 3 month membership during the summer. I was able to drop about 30 pounds just by exercising 6 times a week. When I moved back to college that August, all of the people I hung out with on a daily basis were all fitness minded and mostly collegiate athletes at the time. I didn't want to be left behind, so I continued working out. In February of the following year, I finally got fit enough to play college football, after 2 years off from the sport. This is when lifting got serious. I ended up getting to 205 pounds and not a lot of fat on me at all.

Then reality hit me. In August of 2009, I semi-collapsed on the practice field during a sprint. Unfortunately, they were not able to correctly diagnose the problem at the time. Realizing that this was my heart, I decided not to pursue football anymore, not to be at risk of anything more serious. The following February, Valentine's day to be exact, I was rushed to the ER by a friend after what felt like a heart attack while playing a game of pick up basketball. Finally after 6 months of not knowing what was wrong with me, they were able to catch the problem. I was diagnosed with a heart condition where my valves didn't consistently pump the correct amount of blood needed into the heart. I spent 2 days in the ICU while undergoing multiple tests throughout the days and nights. My resting heart rate was a shocking 182 when admitted into the hospital. Needless to say I was scared to do anything for a while.

Fast forward to 2013. I accepted a job in Atlanta, which was a great break for me. I was excited about the move. I was at a good weight, but not great. Unfortunately, once I moved, I began to have a little more heart trouble. The most I would do was work out in my apartment complex gym, with free weights only maxing out at 50lb dumbbells, and the machines not carrying a substantial amount of weight either. And somehow I ended up back at 255 lbs. I had no idea how it happened. Then I realized my strength had gone down, my food intake was complete garbage at the time. Fast food almost every day for breakfast and a huge dinner, all while doing almost zero cardio.

I decided to make a change once and for all. In January 2014, a close friend of mine made me aware of the 12 week transformation challenge on this website. He told me everything about it, and that I should look into it. All it took was one look in the mirror without a shirt off to make my decision. I was embarrassed. I was the guy who would always walk around with his shirt off in the house, but I was ashamed to at that point. My job had stressful hours, and that stress went straight to my stomach and thighs. But I knew I had to change, no matter what it took. So I got over my mental fear of my heart disease and got a real gym membership at LA Fitness in Atlanta, GA.

Throughout the 12 weeks, I'm not going to say it was easy. I had to change everything about me. And I knew I couldn't just stop eating and lose 40 lbs. It is not healthy. So I hit the gym 6 -7 times a week, and changing my whole diet. I put on more muscle than I've had in almost 2 years, while dropping at least 20 lbs at the same time. The 12 week challenge is over, but my new life is just beginning, and I can't wait!

One reason I love to work out is the stress relief it brings. Yes lifting is hard if you do it the right way. I don't want it to be easy. But it is my escape from the world. In the gym I don't worry about the stress of work, or the stress of paying bills. That is my time to focus on myself, and making myself better, and I wouldn't have it any other way