Intro

I want to be a bodybuilder. Specifically I want to compete in the figure class. I want to enter the Washington Ironman in October of this year. I’m a type A personality big time, a total planner, so I want to know now if it is practical for me to pull my goal off. So I’m doing a dry run and expecting it to be fraught with trial and error, but also success. My gym, Gold’s Gym, is doing a 12 week total body transformation challenge complete with “before” and “after” pics, a weigh-in, and measurements. I signed up, sure winning would be fun, but I signed up to assist with my diet motivation (the hard part for me – wanting to workout comes easy) and to hold myself accountable to a firm timetable. I bought myself an elliptical I found on sale at Sears for Christmas and I have a 40 lb set of chrome dumbbells at home that I love. My home equipment set is slowly expanding so that I can complete a good portion of my workouts while my son is sleeping. I also have access to a fantastic rec center with loads of top of the line equipment on campus, but the time that my son is in preschool is precious to max out for getting all that a 16 credit 300 level accounting load requires, so unfortunately, a minimal number of my workouts will take place there.

Here are my beginning stats:

Waist 30.5”
Right Thigh 24.5”
Hip 40”
Right Bicep (unflexed) 10.5”

Body Fat 27.2% (this is what the gym scale said, my machine at home claims 19.2% I have access to a bod pod on campus so plan to get that done asap for a reliable reading).

Weight 150.4 lbs

Yup I’m a heavyweight, but scope out my closet and all my pants are either 4s (or 28s) and my sweats and beloved workout pants are all a size small. I’m just “dense” always have been, just like my aunt. Genetics are on my side for this ;)

Here are my specific goals:

1) Add 1" to each bicep.
2) Build visible definition in my back.
3) Uncover my 6 or 8 pack (your genetics determine your abdominal structure).
4) Not a goal, but I'll likely drop between 10 and 15 lbs in the process.

My blog will essentially be my training log interspersed with what I like to think of as pithy, but often useful commentary.