Friday, August 31, 2007

I'm taking time to plan

I'm taking the next couple days to get ready...to build the strategy, the plan.

Monday is day 1, so I need to strategise, plan and shop for food over the weekend. I need to decide on a training program, and I need to decide on my mental approach. All this is easy...I've been here many times...but it's not simple.

What I do know, is that if I don't plan, this will not work, so I'm giving a lot of time to preparation. I also need to be sure that I believe in my goals.

That's a bit of a no brainer but if you set a goal that you don't believe you can achieve...well

So I'm in a heightened state of awareness right now and will be until my "journey" starts on monday.

My next post will outline my approach in detail.

Later

Thursday, August 30, 2007

....Starting is easy

It's always the easy part. I've been here before..many times. I've just registered my entry for the 2007 BFL Challenge.

Old thinking would be "hmm.. Left it a bit late, this is the last challenge of the year..if I get sick, or injured, that's it." Could that be an exit if needed?

I also recognise that it's easy to start on a "get in shape" plan when
you're full. A lot more tricky when you're hungry.

So I've gone the "burn the bridges" route. I love that story..it goes something like, "when the vikings landed on new shores, the first thing they did was burn their boats" There WAS NO OPTION but to win, no turning back. The theory is "if you leave a back door, you'll always use it.

I'm done with back doors. I've metaphorically polished my viking helmet, trimmed my beard, shone my breastplate, and standing straight and tall I AM READY.

I've told my clients, family and friends what I'm doing, I'm turning my face away from the dream stealers because I BELIEVE I can have, be, and do anything I want and right now what I want more than anything is to take my life back "BY FORCE".

I will only listen to the good voices, I will not feed the bad..I will seek support when I need it and I will trust my team to help me when I struggle...I'm not naive enough to think I won't.

I take 100% responsibility for ME, and I will see this through to the end. Then I will set new goals and begin again.

I WILL NOT FAIL.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Letter to Adam


Hey Adam,
Happened across your article (bffm insider) and your blog. WOW. My own story runs loosely parallel to yours even down to the dates.

I was going through a messy divorce in 2000 when BFL saved my life. Got great results and did another official challenge in 01 and 02 and then, speedily downhill. Just when you think you’ve got it all under control.

Fast forward to date. Have spent years beating myself up whilst struggling to get back on track. Have lied to myself about “bulking” and have started my own journey back countless times.

I finished my first challenge at 11%, 82kgs. As I stand here now I am 103kgs at 20%. Bulking…pshaa.

It’s like I have tanked 6 years…What the hell happened.

So…. You are an absolute inspiration to me and I have spent hours devouring your blog and running back and forth through all your very comprehensive info. You are my final shot. Well not really, I'll never give up.

No pressure but I intend to apply your “intelligent” concepts and practices and FINALLY overcome these demons.

I would really appreciate your mentorship and would, after serious thought, consider it an honour to be accountable to you, if you are up for that.

My “big hairy audacious goal” To become the 2007, International Body-for-LIFE, Age group winner. The last entries close 3rd September 07. I am turning 58 on October 1st.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Dougal Macdonald
Johannesburg, South Africa

How...no, why did I get here and what am I going to do about it.

Adam Waters is responsible for my being here. You know that saying "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear" well it is completely relevent in this case.

Talk about parallel paths, the only real difference between AW and myself is my age...I'm 58 in a months time.

Going through a really tough time in my life in 1999...divorce, business problems etc..I happened across the Body-for-LIFE website. Lucky for me I had hit rock bottom and the website SCREAMED out at me. I rushed out, bought the book, read it cover to cover and started training.

I hadn't a clue what I was doing and bumbled my way through 12 weeks with absolute commitment. I did every session, every cardio routine, ate every meal and spent my life at the EAS South Africa offices making an absolute nuisance of myself asking a million questions.

At the end of 12 weeks I was hooked. I rested for a week and completed a second 12 weeks, rested again and did another 12 weeks. All in all I've done about 7 challenges.

I even had great results... 2nd, 3rd, 2nd in my age group in South Africa.

I fell so in love with weight training and the concept of a healthy lifestyle I even started helping people do the same thing. Full time.

Slowly but surely, insidiously, whilst feeding my soul, through helping others, my own body starting deteriorating.

At first I didn't even notice. I was weight training on a regular basis...well sort of, and pretending to myself that I was eating properly...after all I do know how this this thing works, geez I'm teaching others how to do it successfully...hundreds of them.

By the time I woke up and stopped conning myself that I was "bulking" I weighed 105kgs at around 20% bf. I was FAT.

Then came the pain and anguish, the false starts, the falling down...man it was tiring..well not was, has been tiring, actually, exhausting.

So, Adam Waters, enough is enough. Rock bottom, is where I am now and I have had ENOUGH.

I am, and will continue to bare my soul within this blog whilst taking MASSIVE ACTION towards regaining my self respect. This is hard to do but truth is the only way.

Monday 3rd September 2007 will be day 1, of 84 days, of my "journey" back.

Join me for "The Journey"