Posted by: John_Hamilton on 08/25/2012 10:38 AM
Updated by: John_Hamilton on 08/25/2012 10:45 AM
Expires: 01/01/2017 12:00 AM
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Nine Weeks from Today and Reaching your Fitness Goals with Kenny Lee! ~ By John Hamilton
Avery, CA...As I write this I am pedaling on an exercise bike. Not pedaling fast or with my heartrate up but pedaling nonetheless. Two years ago I weighed over 290lbs, I was having heart problems and was recovering from a blood clot in my left foot. I had not exercised regularly for 18 years and was probably a borderline diabetic. Today I am 49 years old and I will be entering the Western USA Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships on October 27th, 2012. 63 Days from today I will be standing on stage. What shape I am in and if I have a chance at placing well is yet to be determined. 9 weeks from today I will find out. So just a few months before my AARP Card arrives in the mail I will try and force my old muscles, joints, tendons and body into shape...
To get into contest shape will take everything I have and probably then some. My diet has been cleaned up and I "cheated" last night with a pint of non-fat cottage cheese before I went to bed. Right now everything is sore including most of the muscle groups, joints and more. My dad always used to say that you have to make progress everyday of you will actually be sliding backward. How wise he was! As we age if we do nothing will lose up to 1% of our muscle mass every year over the age of 25. It truly is use it our lose it.
I was motivated to do this by those in our area who continue to excel even as they age. Especially Valley Springs' Seana Hogan who is setting cycling world records in her 50s. I did an interview with her as she was training to regain her world 24 hour record. I started talking to myself that I may not be able to set a world record but I should be able to at least get into top physical shape. We will find out in a few weeks if I was able to do so.
Why write this? Well I have been putting it off and didn't want to. I shot a video with Kenny Lee from Family 4 Fitness over a week ago and it has just been sitting and waiting. But in the end I think if I share the goal publicly it may be of some use to others in the audience who are trying to get some pounds off or facing other goals. There are also businesses in our area who do a great job of helping our community meet and reach fitness goals. Kenny will be helping me get into what hopefully will be contest shape. We will be shooting videos every week or so with tips and information you can use in your fitness goals.
They have helped many in the area get ready for sports, increase strength for marathons, recover from injures and generally get their lives on track. They have a very well equipped, clean, modern facility well beyond whatever needs I might have right now.
Why bodybuilding and why compete? Weight training has become one of the foundations for performance in most sports now. From skiing to football and most sports inbetween a good strong athlete will usually beat just a good athlete. Look at todays professional athletes. They look like bodybuilders from 30 years ago.
Many studies have now shown that resistance training can actually make your cells function and repair themselves as cells from a much younger person. Weight training may not be the fountain of youth but combined with good nutrition it is as close as we can get at this time. It is also a great way to measure your progress. If you are lifting more weight this week than your were last week that is proof positive you are on the right track.
I started training for this show at a weight of 253 pounds. I definitely need to be down in at least the 225lb range or lower to be lean enough. As of last night I was 246lbs so I am down about 7lbs so far.
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