When I started this journey I was 315lbs (maybe more?) and in terrible shape. My son at 11 years old was really starting to excel at wrestling and I just couldn't work out with him for more than 5 minutes without taking a 30 minute breather. I knew I had to get healthy, strong and have great conditioning so I could become a better training partner for him. It was either that or he would be able to beat me up by his 12th b-day, which I luckily delayed until his 13th b-day.


3) How long have you been on your program for and what kind of success have you experienced so far?

My "program" really changes constantly. Sometimes I feel like jogging, sometimes I feel like banging on the drums on Rock Band for a couple of hours (very nice cardio workout... ever seen a fat drummer?). Most nights I end up wrestling my son trying to throw each other onto my bed (gonna need a new bed soon) for about 15 to 30 minutes. I also workout at lunch going through the following cycle:

Monday - biceps/chest
Tuesday - legs
Thurs - shoulders/traps
Fri - triceps/back

By using biceps with chest and triceps with back I get to work those body parts twice a week as a primary and secondary and allows those small muscles to be strong when they're the secondary workout muscle.


4) How has this success changed your day-to-day life for the better?

I feel great about myself and that at 40 I can take most 20 year olds out on the mat and watch them gas out in about 10 minutes of live wrestling practice when I'm still ready to go strong for hours!


5) Did you experience any setbacks along the way? If so, what were they and how did you get past them?

I wasted a lot of money buying supplements I didn't need and tearing some tendons trying to lift too heavy. I've learned to keep the weight fairly light but "feel" through my workout and know when I'm hitting the muscle well enough to get some teardown but not enough to over work them.


6) What type of training plan has worked best for you?

I'm not specifically trying to do anything but be in good shape and be a great wresting partner. I'm actually gaining weight right now so as to keep a 20lb gap on my son so that he is used to wrestling heavier stronger guys.

I plan on maintaining this gap through HS if I can so I'll end up back around 260ish if he continues to grow like he is. Long term I'll drop back down to 230ish at around 8% BF.


7) What type of nutrition plan has worked best for you?

MEAT and salads. :)

Most days I just eat a chicken breast and a medium sized yam for lunch. Breakfast is almost always 50g of protein, 2tbsp peanut butter, 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup (dry) oatmeal blended with ice water. Dinner ranges but is always a low fat meat and a salad.

Carb cycling works very well for me when I'm cutting. 3 days of no more than 80g carb, 1 carb load day of 100% carb to protein ratio and 1 day of 60% carb to protein ratio then back to low carb. I keep fat around 20% of my total daily intake always.


8) What muscle building and/or fat loss supplements have you used? Which ones worked for you and which ones didn’t?

I tried them all, none worked really well for me specifically as I saw no "steroid-like" response to them. None really failed me either, just became a financial burden to spend $400 a month on supplements.


9) What are your future fitness goals?

Just to be in great shape as I continue forward. One day I might want to bodybuild specifically and enter a competition but probably in another 6-10 years depending on my son's need for me to continue to wrestle with him.

10) What are the top 3 tips you would give to others who are interested in beginning a muscle building and/or fat burning program?

1) Make sure that you learn to count calories so you get used to portioning your food.

2) Have a cheat day every couple of weeks.

3) Constantly change up your training. Your body will get used to whatever program you are on and adapt and the losses/gains you are attempting to achieve will stall.