Transforming Myself: New Beginnings

It’s been 12 days since my last post, and this wasn’t a mere oversight or laziness; it was a deliberate decision. I needed this time to prepare for the upcoming week and last. It was worth every moment.

As I had mentioned earlier, this year, I set out to elevate my fitness goals to new heights. I’ve always created my own fitness programs, encompassing lifting, dieting, and cardio—or lacking thereof. However, the challenge I faced was accountability. While I was aware of my actions, I struggled to maintain consistency across all fronts. Everything had fallen by the wayside a few years ago, so I decided to address my habits one by one.

Initially, I focused on lifting, as I believed it would be the easiest aspect of my plan. The past year has been dedicated to consistent progress in this area. I knew that if I could instill the motivation to hit the gym regardless of the day’s circumstances, I could break through the initial barrier. At first, it was challenging, but I started small, committing to two to three days a week. I gradually increased my frequency, starting with two to three days, then four, and eventually reaching five days a week. While it took time, the foundation of getting in the gym was key, and I successfully achieved my goal.

My diet has always been the most difficult aspect to manage. I would start strong, but my love for food would eventually overpower my desire for a healthy diet. I would manage well for a month or two, then relapse. When I first started lifting 15 years ago, I consumed as many calories as possible because I was only 110 pounds and needed to gain weight. However, despite not being that old, I now have to exercise caution in my food choices.

Twelve days ago, I embarked on a program with a coach—a first for me. Not only will I have someone create a customized nutrition, supplementation, and workout plan, but I’ll also have someone I’ve admired since high school, Kris Gethin, as my coach. He’s an expert in helping individuals transform physically, mentally, and their lifestyles.

I started with his book, “Body By Design,” and I was instantly hooked. I followed his video trainers on bodybuilding.com and gained valuable knowledge, as well as physical size and strength. I even met him in person at the Olympia last October—a truly memorable moment.

Shortly after, I had the opportunity to become a client, and I jumped at the chance. This is the accountability I needed, and I didn’t hesitate to commit to it. The best part is being part of a community of Kris’s clients, where I can see their progress firsthand. These people range in age from my age to 60, which is incredibly motivating. It gives me a sense of community and accountability that I’ve never experienced before.

Now, I’m starting week two of my program. I’m meal prepping, hitting the gym, and doing cardio. It’s been a great first week, and I’m excited to see where this year takes me.

Who am I?

As I mentioned in my first blog, I want to introduce myself and share a brief background of how I got to this point.

My name is Vincent Bizzell. I was born in 1992 and grew up in a city called Hays, KS. Most of my childhood years were spent in and out of hospitals. It was very unfortunate, but I had an amazing mother who took care of me through it all, and I am very grateful for it.

This site I am creating uses the title, Bizzell Fitness. This is one of my biggest passions in life. Fitness. Now looking back on my life, I can say honestly it always has been a huge inspiring factor through it all. As a child, I heavily played youth soccer and baseball. I loved sports, or did I? In middle school, I participated in a few sports. Football was okay, maybe it was due to my petite stature and skinny nature I just couldn’t enjoy it like others did. Or maybe it was because I never had any experience pre middle school where others had. So I gave basketball a try next….with the same thought and outcome. Through all of those I found my first passion.

Long distance running.

Now, I know, it sounds like something a psychopath would enjoy, running for miles. Something in the way you could just…be free with any thoughts or problems. I continued this through high school, running Cross Country and track. My weight, which throughout high school maybe maxed out at 115 lbs, really helped with this as I was lean and very fit.

Fast forward to after high school. I had no clue what I was doing with life, nothing really prepared me for it anyways. I remember I had picked up a book, called Body by Design, written by Kris Gethin. I thought, what could it hurt, I weigh 115 soaking wet, and was tired of being this small guy. Over the span of 5-6 years, thanks to the first time picking this book up, following various programs from Kris, I was able to get myself to place I loved. This book ignited this fitness journey and passion.

During that time from 2011 to 2016, life was perfect. I had a physique I loved-kind of, damn body dysmorphia-found my literal best friend and moved to a bigger city. Not huge, but bigger. Did some personal training, worked, and enjoyed life. Personal training was okay, but where I worked, the pay just wasn’t there. And being in a new city, trying to find our footing.

Then covid came around.

Since covid, work, and life, I had fallen off quite a bit. Physically, I had a dad bod without being a dad. Mentally, I was drained from work, the pandemic, and societal norms. I hadn’t been consistent in the gym. There was no motivation. This is where my last post comes in. I really had fallen out of love with fitness and thought I wouldn’t get it back ever again. But at the time, I wasn’t too mad or hurt. I missed everything about it, but I had married my best friend and loved spending the time with her when we weren’t at work.

So here I am now, I am almost a solid year consistent in the gym, and I feel better than ever. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Honestly, I couldn’t have done any of it with my best friend, my wife, Tamara. So thank you and I love you more than you could know.

Sappy, right? That is my TL:DR of from there to here. There are many more details, but I won’t bore anyone reading this today. If you want to hear more, I plan on making few of my posts about what I have had to overcome, health wise, to get to this point today.