Week 1

Monday July 7th 2008, I suppose, will be a day of personal infamy. Nothing particularly exceptional or unprecedented was accomplished, not by normal standards. The seeds of a better future with far greater potential was introduced in quite an inauspicious manner: a tiny pink pill, not unlike the proverbial planted seed.

I've never smoked a cigarette, never done a recreational or party drug, and only consume alcohol rarely and mildly. I'm a pretty clean-cut individual, and am generally considered a pretty stand up guy. I've spent a quarter of a lifetime taking only calculated risks, and I suppose, this is no different. It's a calculated risk, because in my opinion, the juice is worth the squeeze (pun intended).

Being at the gym 5 days a week for the next 12 weeks is a daunting venture to sign up for, especially having everything be recorded and immortalized on reality-tv, and knowing I'll have to deal with a number of deeply rooted personal issues along the way. But, hey, it'll be a neat little experiment at the very least, even if my inner-most demons are set out for the world to see. People deal with things in different ways, I guess, and my forum of choice is the media. I had a previous attempt at the gym in University with two good friends and while we had fun and I enjoyed seeing what the gym had to offer, there weren't any noticeable results and along the way things came up and we went less and less, and the dream went back into hibernation.

Before I begin with how the first week went, I have to give some thanks. See, the opportunity to live two dreams (Having a great body while being healthy, and being on reality-tv) in one fell swoop came from someone who I've known for just a little over a year, but has quickly became one of the best friends I've ever had: The Producer/Director of this experiment Nenad. Likewise, the Cinematographer/Editor of this project Shane, whom I've known for just over a year as well, has also become one of my best friends ever. It might seem strange that I would value and respect the friendship, opinions, and advice from two guys who I've known for a relatively short amount of time in comparison to other friends who I've known for years, but to me people are people and one's level of friendship shouldn't have much to do with how long you've known them inrelation to someone else. So, to those two who are helping and guiding me through this, as well as doing the workout routines as well to get in shape, I'd like to send out my sincerest appreciation. Oh, and I can't forget to mention Nenad's girlfriend Kelly who has been an awesome e-mail buddy with some great advice for me, as well as making lunch for everyone after the gym! We couldn't do it without you!

The first day was met with excitement. A new chapter, a new season, something to get me out of bed in the morning. A new story to tell. The first thing I learned is that I'm terrible at form, which is crucial in aproper workout. The second thing I learned is that I'm even weaker than we thought. The third thing I learned is that my muscles and body will have no choice to grow, because, as Nenad puts it, they've been dormant for almost 22 years and are now ready to explode! The fourth thing I learned is, well, something I already knew in that I can walk really fast and cardio isn't a problem for me at all. Anyway, on the first day I weighed in at an astonishing 138lbs with a 6.7% body fat. I'm 6'1" for those of you scoring at home. In the next two-ish days I met my first bout with frustration much earlier than anticipated. See, it all got to me, you know. The potential impact of my decision, the long road ahead, that I was already having a hard time with the workouts, getting a hug from someone and being called "too bony". I mean, what if it doesn't work? What if I'm stuck this way forever or any number of bad things. I questioned everything, but, in the end decided that this is right for me at this point in my life. It's time to grab out and take what I feel I've always deserved, to be the person I've always wanted to be... Always should have been. So, by the end of the week, sure, the gym problems were still there: I'm not strong, I've got little to no muscle to build off of, I have bad form, and I feel embarrassed ALWAYS being the smallest guy there. I keep telling myself that it doesn't matter about that stuff no, what matters is the results I have from sticking with it and giving it all I've got over the remaining 11 weeks of the program. At the end of the week I was 143lbs with 7.8% body fat. That's a pound a day! I tried a few new foods, but didn't really like any of them that much, and I found in a few different places the reassurance I needed early on to keep with it and to remind myself why. The weekend held some much needed rest and sleep periods, and with week 2 on the horizon I've decided to push myself harder and further. I've taken the first few very large steps... I expect many twists and turns along the way, like in any good show. But, for now, I'm feeling better and I'm looking to the future!