Set goals to gain

BodyBlitz Challenge Measurements Before Height: 180 cm Weight: 100 kg Chest: 113 cm Waist: 104 cm Calves: 40 cm Arms: 40 cm Thighs: 60 cm After Height: 180 cm Weight: 97 kg Chest: 122 cm Waist: 91 cm Calves: 41 cm Arms: 46 cm Thighs: 63 cm

Wow, 12 weeks doesn’t seem like a very long period, but a lot can happen in this space of time. I have struggled for years now to stay motivated and focused for any length of time. Like so many other people I would lift weights for a couple of weeks, then have a week off, lift for four weeks, take two months off etc. I love lifting weights — always have — but as anyone knows who has been on this on-again off-again cycle, you tend to get nowhere. I had been reading the stories of past winners each month for years and finally thought, ‘Maybe this is how I can stay motivated, by actually having a goal,’ and for that I truly thank Iron Man magazine.

I set out a bodybuilding plan and then looked at my diet. My alcohol consumption was way over the top: I was consuming anywhere from one-to-two cartons of beer a week. And this was something I had done for years with no hope of changing, I thought; after all, this was who I was, an Aussie bloke who loves a beer or 24.

This was the hurdle I thought was going to bring me unstuck, but I am proud to say from 12 weeks ago I have been averaging about two low-carb beers a week. I had always eaten well, with my loving wife preparing me lunch and always cooking fantastic, nutritious dinners. However, I never ate breakfast and in fact never ate anything until about 12.30-1.00 each day.

I put in a plan to eat breakfast and then eat a small meal every couple of hours or so. This I also managed and I soon discovered how this quickens up the metabolism. So I started training; my philosophy was heavy weight training and light cardio for the first six weeks, which went very well, getting me back to bench pressing 140 kg and squatting sets at 160 kg.

At the end of this period I decided I needed to drop some kilos, so I took on a new approach of higher intensity weight training, using super sets and drop sets, whilst increasing cardio and changing to interval-style bike. All was going to plan until midway through week eight when I fell ill with an upper respiratory infection. I lost 5 kg, couldnt train for 10 days and when I came back had no energy.

This in all, I estimate, cost me about three weeks. I thought about not finishing but then thought of all the hard work and sacrifice that had preceded. So I buckled down and pushed hard to the end. I must thank my wife and two daughters, Bonnie and Demi, for helping me through this and allowing me to be a bit selfish along the way. I couldn’t have done it without their support, and that is not just a cliché.

So now I set a new target for the next 12 weeks and really analyse where I’m at and what needs improving, and work towards those goals, and then push on to the end of the year. IM