Tuesday, February 25, 2014

One Year Plan

I remember the very first time that I saw a muscle magazine. My jaw hit the ground because I was in disbelief. How can anyone have that many muscles on their body let alone have that much mass to them.  They looked so weird to me. That was probably because I have never had that many muscles and even when I dreamed of having muscles….it was never like those men I saw in the muscle magazine. My dreams changed after that day….I couldn’t get those images out of my head. I had imagined what it must feel like to have that kind of muscle on your body.  What a muscle cramp for them must feel like. What it must feel like to lift your bride up off her feet without throwing your back out. (Not that that had ever happened to me….I knew better…but it would have been nice)
That was then….but now days all I wonder is how many painful hours they spent in the gym to achieve that type of muscle.  Being new to working out I started reading on how muscle is made. I found out that in order for you to grow muscle you must first break the muscle down. (Thus the pain)    And since I am not a big fan of pain….the whole growing muscle thing stayed in my head as more of a dream than actually trying to make it a reality. That was until I actually started going to the gym on a regular basis and started seeing some muscle on my arms and legs. Once I saw them and how cool they looked on me….I find myself wanting more.  I am willing to endure the pain a little bit more than I could before. And no one is in the gym at 2:00 in the morning, so no one hears the agonizing pain screams I let out when my arms or legs feel like they are going to burn off from my body. 
Now I catch myself looking into the mirror more often, and looking to see if any new muscles have popped out. I do not intend to ever get like those guys from the magazines. But I would definitely like some good definition in my body. I also know that it does not come over night; it is something that happens over time.  I am still too embarrassed to put any pictures of progress on here even though I know I would only get nothing but support from my friends and family.  It has been since the second week of January since I have been working out so I still have a couple more months before any really good progress can be shown. But I am excited and have a lot to learn on how to make this a reality.
This is what kind of muscle tone I would like to have by next January

When I started this I had intended this to be a one year commitment. I still plan on keeping that commitment but I really think it will be more of a lifestyle change for me rather than a one year plan.   I did take a before picture in the mirror and was pretty disgusted by what I saw. I didn’t like it. I had to do something about it and so I planned it all out. I would quit smoking on Jan 1st. Then I would start exercising the following week.  I would eat  better and lose the weight and get to the weight I had been at forever which was 187 lbs. (I started at 206) I am now at 193 and am determined to get to that weight I set.  At that point I will then focus on gaining more muscle mass by increasing my protein and calorie intake and changing up my work out routine. But the most important things I have to do are:
Enjoy it and take it one day at a time.