The Full Story

I first got into doing physical activity probably at the age of 12-13. I started to play basketball. It seemed easy enough and for whatever reason, people always called mee “Charles Barkley”. Probably because for my age I was short, fat, and I was able to get every rebound for whatever reason. I was only 5’6″ so i wasn’t really that tall. My mom took me for a check up and I weighed about 197 lbs.  My doctor told me and my mother I was obese according to BMI chart. Which in my opinion is completely arbitrary and should not be used as a means of gauging a persons health. That is for another day.  However, I took what my doctor said seriously and I stopped eating fried food and started drinking diet soda instead. Yes, I know BLASPHEMY, but it was a start. I also joined my high schools basketball club. We played I believe once a week at a local YWCA. That was in 2003. During the summer of 2003 and 2004 I played basketball pretty much every day for 6-8 hours. And during the school year I would play whenever I could. I went from 197 lbs in my freshmen year to about 158 in junior my year.  I graduated from high school in 2005. I weight maybe… 170.  When I was in  college I never played basketball. I also did not do much of any exercise, even though I felt I was in great shape. At the end of 2010, I weighed 165 lbs and I looked like a string bean.  Then my girlfriend, now fiance, asked me to go to the gym with her. And there is where my journey began.

My fiancé wanted to start lifting weights and doing this program called, Starting Strength. So I did it with her and her younger brother. Mind you my form for everything was HORRIBLE. Once I did my own research and watched a lot of you tube videos, I was able to do  Squats, Deadlifts, Presses and Bench presses with better form. The first 6 months I went from 165lbs to about 200lbs. Then from 2011 to 2012, I ballooned to about 225 after I was told I had a hernia, when in fact it was just a strain.  That summer I decided to make a career change and reinvent myself. I quit my job. Started training 3 days a week, 2x per day. I went down to 188 in about 3 months.  I went back to school and took 3 classes in Biology, Chemistry and Math. During that time I was preparing for the ACE personal trainer exam. I took it on May 17, 2013 and passed. I was very happy. Then shortly after in August I was hired as a fitness coach at a local center. I also work at a local gym.  The next thing on the list is to get down to 180 lbs and take the CSCS examination sometime next year.

I learned everything I know through reading , trial and error and more reading.  I want to help sedentary people accomplish their goals and improve their health. That’s it.  So I will be sharing my fitness and life journey with whom ever comes across this blog.