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.
I Fell Out of Love with Fitness…
Hello and welcome. My name is Vincent Bizzell, and I want to start the new year off with something a bit different. This may eventually become a fitness related site as I continue to grow and go on this journey, but these blogs will not be solely fitness related. I want to use this space, even if it doesn’t reach anyone, as a place to put my thoughts, goals, and passions down, as well as my experiences from every day life and travels.
I plan on, with my second post, going a bit more into detail of myself and who I am, my interests, hobby’s, and goals for this new year, but first I want to start with my mental space a year ago that lead me to where I am now, as I type this out.
As I go through my notes I have left myself, I found this one in particular that I felt would be a great “beginning” of this new journey I want to embark on. This was a note to myself, close to a year ago, when I found love for the gym again.
“All I wanted to do when I moved from my hometown was Personal Training…bring fitness to the lives of those who wanted the help with living a healthy lifestyle. And I started doing just that. But as the long days went on, I fell out of love with fitness myself.
I stopped training. For one reason, I just moved with my then soon to be fiancé, and we needed to support ourselves more. And the money just wasn’t cutting it. I was a stranger in a vast city where I knew no one but her. It just wasn’t a viable position to try to take on while wanting to propose to the love of my life, find an apartment that allowed a mammoth of a dog, who I could never abandon, on top of maintaining my own fitness and other priorities—payments for car, moving costs, etc.
Over the past 8 years, I have tried, really tried to get back into training, even just for myself. I missed the way I had looked and felt, especially when I know I wasn’t blessed with the best genetics. I had gained so much self confidence going from a weight out of highschool of 115 lbs soaking wet, to my best self while training 5 years later sitting at 215 lbs. That may seem far fetched, but that’s where I was able to push myself. Countless meals and hours spent at the gym. And when I say these things, I mean it. 6-8 meals a day. 2-3 hours at the gym, sometimes twice a day. I wanted it. Badly. It was my goal that I had accomplished.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago—February 2024, and I weighed in at 180, muscles had atrophied from what I used to be, 20 percent body fat. All that was left the same was my personality, I think. I happened across some pictures of myself. I immediately recollected the way I felt, not only day to day but how strong I had gotten in the 5 years of lifting.
Week 3 of being back at the gym. Creatine, fish oils, protein, pre workout, and 6-7 meals a day deep. Muscle memory is real and it’s insane. Weighing in the morning around 193 currently, and body fat has dropped to 15%.
I have fallen back in love with fitness, and the gym.
But as I am starting to get my results and gains back, I still look at myself in the mirror, and see the tiny husk. I’m sure it’s body dysmorphia. But that won’t stop me. Not this time.“