Wow… I have a lot of respect for bodybuilders, bikini and physique competitors.
Well, I always have because of their dedication and the fact that they will be on a stage practically naked in front of hundreds of people.
But today I started a journey of my own, a journey to become as absolutely shredded as I possibly can become. To accomplish this, I have to do all the same steps that any competitor would have to do… and man, it’s going to be a long 12 weeks!
So let be back track and explain how this all came about….
So my girlfriend and I decided that we needed a vacation, but it had to be tropical. But she’s hitting the east coast in May and I just got home from Vegas. So we didn’t want to spend too much money… So we booked a cruise to Mexico!
It’s cheap, all-inclusive and most definitely tropical enough for us. So it was settled, cruise ship in June. But then we realized we’d be in bathing suits for a full week everyday and wanting to take pictures. So naturally we decided to start a game plan to get as lean as possible before June.
Since I am who I am, of course I hooked her up with a nutrition plan and a training program to get her where she wants to be before the cruise. But I was kind of lost… I didn’t know what approach I wanted to take, for a couple reasons.
First off, I knew I needed something different. I have been on an intermittent fasting plan for almost 2 years now and I am starting to plateau a bit. [Been stuck at this weight and BF% for about 8 months…]
Second, I needed the same accountability my clients come to me for. Just because you are a coach, doesn’t mean you don’t need a coach. I needed someone to get on my ass about what to eat, how to eat it and when to eat it.
So what did I do? I hired the top nutrition coach, Shelby Starnes, for my diet plan and turned straight to the top trainer, Luka Hocevar, for my training program.
[ www.shelbystarnes.com ] [ www.lukahocevar.com ]
I told them the goal, break 180lbs [currently at 175lbs] and drop to about 6-7% BF [currently at about 9%].
And just like that, it began…. Boom Boom’s Beast Mode Mission!
…. Ok, I may have to work on the title a little bit but you get the point! I am on a mission to become absolutely shredded. Head to toe, I want to be a monster.
So after it all got set up, Shelby sent me my diet protocol and exactly what to do. And now I’m here, day one… and holy shit am I nervous! But that’s good, I should be. This is something different and out of my comfort zone which tells me that I am going to grow as a person from this process.
So last night I figured out what my first day will look like and I wrote it out.
It may not look to crazy or complex, but what isn’t shown here is that I had to calculate an exact macro nutrient percentage for each and every meal. I had to time each meal perfectly and prepare each meal ahead in advanced.
By the time I finished just planning my day I was exhausted and I hadn’t even started cooking the meals yet! This is going to be crazy, BUT I am more excited than anything. This is going to help me in many ways:
- I will achieve the physique I’ve always wanted, becoming leaner, stronger and more muscular.
- I will learn a ton about nutrition, coaching and programing in the process.
- I will have more respect for those who go through this process and will in turn be respected more by those who go through this process. To me, it is important to practice what you preach and by definition I am doing exactly that.
- I will learn valuable lessons and become more disciplined.
- I will be able to take each and everything I learn and experience, and feed it directly to you all.
During this journey I will be recording everything I do, feel, eat, and experience and blogging it weekly. Along with the story behind my journey will be photos of my training, meals and results throughout the process. I will also have one lesson per article, so by the end of each article I PROMISE to teach you something or give you something to benefit from.
So here it begins… And what have I already learned that I can give you all to learn from as well?
Step outside your comfort zone!
Because I did this I will achieve twice as much as I would have if I just did what I’m used to and what I feel comfortable with. This doesn’t just apply to training; this applies to absolutely every aspect in life.
You need to get comfortable, being uncomfortable.
Anytime you’ve ever tried a new program, started a new job/career, or done something out of the ordinary; you’re stepping outside your comfort zone. But you grew from each of those situations. Life isn’t meant to be a stand still or to be lived any way other than extraordinary. To become the best version of yourself you can be you must learn, grow, develop, and get better. To do any of that, you got to get uncomfortable.
That is exactly what I was looking to do with this new diet/program. I wanted to get bigger, stronger, leaner, more confident, and overall grow from the experience.
So your way of doing so may not be the same as mine this time, but the key is that you find your way to get better and grow.
“The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity; moving beyond it necessitates intuition, which in turn configures new perspectives and conquers fears.” -Dan Stevens
