I was then 35, an overweight, bloated, sweating attorney, On the way to work I would stop by the neighborhood minimart and buy a big breakfast burrito on the restaurant on our building. I gained weight so quickly one partner said to some other attorneys in my firm, "is it just me or does he get fatter each time he comes in here?" My doctor called me a "malpatient" after I balooned up to 250 plus.
I don't know why, maye it reminded me of a more innocent time as a young kid, but I picked up a 35 lb pair of dumbells for the office. I know, not a big deal for those of you curling and pressing more massive amounts. But each day I would do a basic exercise for a different bodypart. I gave up breakfast burritos for canned tuna and protein powder.
Each day passed. I would walk 5 miles, sometime sobbing like a fool. Like a weed, a new lifestyle began to emerge. I began to wonder how I could install a pullup bar on the high beam in my garage. I now slipped away from work to go to Gold's Gym at Venice Beach. Not much had changed physically, yet something was changing inside. One day, I noticed that I no longer woke up exhausted After several months, my belt didn't cut into my gut during the drive to work. I started a regular routine in my steadily growing home gym.
Then, one day a co-worker was in the elevator with me and said, "wow, what have you been doing? you look fantastic." That night I went home and took a good look in the mirror. The love handles had not disappeared entirely but shrank to a great degree. I saw the begining shape of muscles in my chest, delts and biceps and a horeshoe rige in my triceps. From that moment on, I fully embraced a new addiction. I bought every muscle mag i could find, I worked the internet like I was doing legal research, I wrote down every scrap of food I ate and constantly analyzed how my diet could be better. I focused harder on my intensity in the gym.
It's been over a year. I wouldn't be mistaken for a competitive bodybuilder, but in a group of people, I stand out as someone who is serious about his condition. My weight is down to 220 at 6'3, my arms are not huge, but measure a solid 18", my waist is not cut but at a fairly trim 33/34". Every month a new detail seems to emerge like a picture coming slowly into focus.
In sum, I'm now 37. I have no illusion of ever competing or being mistaken for a full time bodybuilder (how I wish I had this passion 15 years ago). But every time I go to my job, or kiss my wife, or hug my kids, all of which I was close to losing, I'm being handed a Sandow. I owe more to this sport than anyone and I hope I'm worthy of it for the rest of my days.
To my brothers and sisters in iron, I say continue to fight the good fight and I admire you all more than you could ever guess.