I love this lifestyle. 5 Months Before and After Pictures

209 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 6 months and 26 days from today

Weight: 188
Here are the five month before and after pics. I have made progress.I still have a long way to go. I'll be very happy to make new pics once I shed the few pounds of fat hiding my abs.

There are days when I cannot workout due to work or other constraints, but they are few. I have been doing this long enough to know that on days when I'm not "feeling" it, all I need to do is start my routine. I change clothes, start some music, make sure I've had a snack and start thinking about what I want to accomplish. I go pull out my workout log and draw the same pattern grid on the page that I've drawn for all 80+ workouts since this all began. I've logged over 80 workouts now and I love to flip through the pages and think about all that work I've put in. Little by little I'm clawing my way toward my goal. Today is roughly the end of the fifth month since I began. My entire body feels different. I feel stronger than any other point in my life. I am proud of my work. I have a very satisfied feeling of sticking with it for longer than any other time in my life. Looking back, the time I hurt my back early on, and just about the three month mark I missed several workouts and started to waiver. I feel determined again of late. I have not been gaining weight as quickly as I had hoped and I am really shooting for 190lbs. I am really excited about the next month and my future progress. Thanks for all your support.

P.S. I have begun using weights during the pull-ups and dips. I am really eager to close the gap between the pull-up and the complete muscle up.

Feed The Wolf!
Bradley

History will remember me!

219 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 7 months and 5 days from today

There was a time in the beginning where I was being postive for postive's sake. That time has passed. I have reached a level where I can tell a difference and it's very exciting. All those times I thought I was stuck with a slender, skinny physique and could not gain, I was wrong. I was not being rational. The method is out there. Track food, don't workout so long that your body eats itself, and keep doing it. Over and over. I had a great week. I must bump up my caloric intake. Weighed in at 188 yesterday. I should get another killer workout in today. I feel strong. I am very excited about where this is going.

Bradley

Get Started My Friend!!

228 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 7 months and 14 days from today

Today's Workout -I can't flip this because aliens are invading my front yard (or I don't  know how)

Super hot day and full of Cici's Pizza! I'm getting really close to 190 lbs and I think I will start a 10 lb cut (or weight loss) when I get there. I gotta enjoy some pizza while I can. I'm getting really tired of the mid-section thickness that goes with bulking! Super good work out today. In case you just got here to my blog, my strategy right now is to gain weight while doing short, intense workouts every other day. I am trying to add as much lean muscle to my body as possible. I have gained 20 lbs in the last 3 months and it's almost time to shave off some of the fat that comes along with gaining. If you are thinking about getting in shape, then the best way to do it is start and stay positive. No matter how many days you miss or how bad you ate yesterday, your next workout and your next meal are whats important. You CAN change yourself. Look how many people do it! Everyone has doubts, throw the fear away and just move forward little by little. I am subject to doubt everyday and many times a day. I just feed the wolf of belief. I know I can. Thanks for your support and know that you have mine. Get started my friend!

Bradley

Leg Day, Gotta Do It!

231 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 7 months and 17 days from today

I woke up and very stiffly began a calisthenic leg day today. Squats and Lunges with some crunches thrown in. After a few sets, I was feeling good and proud to be after it. Sometimes it's difficult to get started and I hear that small voice telling me to skip it or do it later. Luckily I'm getting pretty good at squashing the "do it later" mentality. I did really well eating today and I believe I got in about 3500 calories with plenty of protein.  I'm working harder to not skip leg day. I always feel like the guy in the photo above after a few sets of squats!

Bradley

Alabama Heat!

233 days 

until Saturday January 25 2014

a Saturday 7 months and 19 days from today

Weight: 186.8

Workout:  UpperBody-Dips, Chin-ups, Crunches, Forearm Roller

Just finished a killer workout and I'm feeling pretty motivated. It's super hot here in Alabama today and I was almost ready for a nap. I decided I'd better get my workout done first. I grabbed my music and my workout log and headed out for some progress. It only took me one set and one Franz Ferdinand song to feel good and pumped and I tore through five sets of most of my exercises. I have really grown to love my pull-up bar in the front yard. I spent about $200 bucks making it and I have already got enough use out of it to make it worth it. Came back in to cool off and had 40 grams of whey protein and a large handful of raisins. I got a very big compliment yesterday on my size. It makes me think something is working. One day at a time. I'm on the brink of something amazing! 

Hit it hard today! 

FEED THE WOLF

Bradley

Holy Moly, I'm struggling!

The last week or so has been characterized by a slow, steady drop in enthusiasm combined with a to do list at home of a million things. I have been letting my workouts slip to a lower priority on the list. I can see how detrimental this is to my progress. It gets into my mind that I'm falling. That I'm failing just like many times before. How can this be? I ask myself. I had so much motivation only a week ago. It's time that I spent some time feeding the wolf and really remembering why I want this. It's time to look over my progress and realize how far I've come. I have frequently remembered this quote lately, "If not now, then when?" and also " If you are tired of starting over, don't quit." I do not want to slack off on my goals. But, I am human and I must realize that I am susceptible to many diversions during the course of this year. There will continue to be many things that attempt to break my focus, things that will be momentarily more fun but will only result in the prevention of this serious goal I have set. I must reset my pattern of eating and working out and think often about the final results. Most recently I weighed 185.6. I would like to weigh 190 by the end of June. Thats only 1 pound per week roughly. In order to do that, I will have to track my food intake more accurately. I use the "MyFitnessPal" app on my phone but I've been slacking on the food entries.

So, in short here are my today goals.

1. Think about why I am doing this 
2. Think about the final results
3. Reprogram my brain with fitness thoughts and refocus on my target

Have a great day!

Bradley