Michael

Well, I’ve definitely made it. I’ve begun socking away a big portion of the income into my retirement, and simultaneously cutting back living expenses. In 12 years, I expect to have enough invested in safe funds to be able to live off of the interest. Then, I’ll be able to work at a non-profit I believe in without having to worry about the money.

Can’t wait!

Flying Fader, Mary, and I made it to Max Brenner’s.

After about three months of lifting weights on my own, I found that my attendance had started to falter. The motivation had run out.

What I did to solve this was to identify the challenges which were facing me, and go after them one at a time. I didn’t like my gym, I had learned that my workout wasn’t very effective but was intimidated by the prospect of coming up with a new one, I was worried about lower back injuries due to my tight hamstrings, I couldn’t figure out how to take reliable measurements, and I couldn’t find a workout partner.

Once I had identified all of the issues, things came together pretty quickly. Before that point, every time I thought of a possible solution to one problem, I would remember another, and then another, until I was thoroughly demotivated. But seeing them seperately, one at a time, allowed me to attack them individually with success.

Now I’ve been working out for 6 months straight. I have a great workout partner with the same goals as I do and the same level of dedication that I have. I’m working out at a gym where the staff greets me with a smile, the machines all work great, and a DJ even comes in on certain nights to play music. I bought the Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, the “bible” of pumping iron, and built a routine based on the information it had. I found a trainer who showed me how to take measurements, and I built a stretching routine which addressed my inflexible hamstrings.

All in all, I’ve seen substantial improvement as a result of bodybuilding and I intend to stick with it!