M1 | Day 70 and CONTEST | Day 28

A 'Big Cat' attacked by a hyena……..huh?

Watching a wild life documentary last night I watched in amazement as a Lioness jumped into a tree to pull down a leopard kill.

Once the Lioness had the casrcass on the ground a hyena approached and started hassling the big cat.

Now a hyena is more than five times smaller than the cat and definitely no measure for this major predator but the hyena kept annoying the cat.

After some time the hyena started in, on the cat in earnest and actually started attacking the Lioness, who by this time was feeding.

A scuffle ensued and although the two fighting styles are vastly different…..the hyena sniping at the cats extremeties and the cat swiping with it’s huge paws with massive talons, the cat eventually gave up and the hyena stepped in to eat.

Now you’ll have to trust me when I tell you that it’s unheard of to observe a huge cat sitting down to sup with a little aggressive chap like a hyena, but co eat they did, and when they finished the hyena politely stepped away from the table bid his farewell to the cat and andered off dragging the remains of the carcass with it……say what? Unbelievable, sure but true…

….Why did this happen….turns out the Lioness was pregnant and cubs, warm, happy and comfy inside her belly were more important than A joust over a plate of food.

For the Hyena….could be he knew, or could be he was desperate, see desperation makes even animals do strange things….as it does to people.

And desperation, otherwise known as rock bottom makes people do desperate things like stick needles filled with sheeps urine into their bums, to lose weight…or eat only protein for two months, lose bunches of weight and MUSCLE MASS, think they are done and put it all back on plus a few pounds because they start eating normally.

There is only one way. A quality eating plan that does not restrict you, an intelligent training program which includes some cardio work and definitely some restistance training, a support system, such as the ‘sphere’ and for you to hit rock bottom.

Rock bottom is what brought you here RTP-TS is what will keep you here…all you need is the patience to see it through and….if you are not done in 84, do another one until you are done.

LIFESTYLE is the word here and ingraining good habits….but believe me once good habits are ingrained it’s very easy to slip back….I’ve been there.

It’s also interesting to watch people, male and female hit the gym with a vengeance and look fabulous after 6 months of two lettuce leaves and three hours of cardio a day….problem steps in when the clothes come off because all they are now is ‘ thinfat people’ who still can’t take their clothes off on the beach..

Whether you like resistance or weight training , in some form, or not it has to be done…especially with women and osteoparosis.

So…the message on this beautiful sunny Sunday here in Johhansburg is ….you are on the right track, doing the right program, eating the right stuff…and it’s all good.

Keep it going, make a few mods if you have to but ….this is the one, this is it….

….the only thing you should be ‘ chopping and changing ‘ from time to time is your vegetables.

Shred like crazy…time is marching on.

PEACE OUT.

M1 | Day 69 and CONTEST | Day 27

Quantum Physics.......Part 2

Quantum Physics is a very interesting subject because if you get to understand a tiny bit of it you start understanding God's power. For instance, it is proven, scientifically that we are all made from the same stuff. You, me, tables, your ferrari, a gulf stream G4 jet. Molecular particles. Furthermore everything is dynamic. It is always moving. A table under a microscope will be seen to be moving. A tree a flower, water.

And you also know that tests have been done which categorically proves that water...say in a lake, will produce more beautiful, symmetrical crystals if spoken to kindly and will produce a mess of crystals if abused. Sound completely whacky...check it out for yourself.

Kinds gives new meaning to talking to your rose bushes doesn't it. If talking to your water makes it purer, and knowing that water is life sustaining maybe we should all be chatting nicely to our water before we chug it down eight times a day.

Maybe that's why we gravitate towards some people....because the frequency waves we put out resonate to the other person and vice versa. Have you ever wondered why you sometimes have a bad feeling about someone you have seen but never spoken to. Maybe that's why people who love to give unconditionally have happy lives..because what we put out is what we get back.

Maybe that's why, if we live life with gratitude and thankfulness...that's exactly what we get back.

Now....if you put the power of the Universe together with 'The One' who created it and you tap into that power...for we all can....are you not invincible.

If you just stop and THINK about all this for a while....it can get you pretty excited about life...your life....can't it?

You can HAVE, BE and DO anything you want....ANYTHING. Now go and get into shape.

M1 | Day 68 and CONTEST | Day 26

Oh........ she's so Intense

Heard that before....of course you have, not about you...no of course not.

in this case though....you would hope to be called tooooo intense.

So.....I walked into the gym today with a plan.

This was going to be the BEST training session I had ever had.....and so it was. It helps that I love weight training and it also helps that I train in a magnificent gym with all the latest gear and...of course....my hottie, Miss Power Plate which I use between every set I do. Accelerates blood flow and allows me to train harder. ( Champions do daily what ordinary people do occasionally) and that is one of the Extra things I do.

Another extra-ordinary. very important thing that I do is ......and this is muy importante..... scout around for one of those 'lurkers' who are dressed in the corporate gym gear or I look for a guy who looks like he knows what he's doing and I ask him for a spot.

Now, for those new to the world of lifting a spot is not some instant drug that makes you grow bigger it's just an easy way of asking for a helping hand.

Now, again for those new to this sport...and actually it is a sport, and you are a 'bodybuilder' like it or not. You may never compete.....oh no sorry, how silly of me, you're competing right now...So you ARE a bodybuilder...be proud of it......

.....oh, sorry I digress....

those new to the sport of bodybuilding need to know that the quickest way to build muscle

( girls don't be scared you will not end up looking like Linda Hamilton in Terminator....
...what's that I hear, oh you WANT to look like her or Demi Moore in GI Jane....then this applies to you.)

is, apart from sticking needles in your upper outer quadrant or Butt, filled with junk that makes horses more muscular and leaner, and has a cool side effect like PREMATURE DEATH......is....INTENSITY.....shout it from the rooftops.... INTENSITY.....that means correct form and the heaviest weight you can lift for the exercise and number of reps you are required to do.

At the risk of alienating my female friends here I have to say I have never seen a female training, on her own, anywhere near her potential....which of course means, she is stunting her progress.

For example, there were two girls doing leg press when I was training and I could see the girl in the hot seat was hardly working and she certainly wasn't bringing her legs down anywhere near where she needed to, to get maximum benefit. As I walked past I said, add a 22lb weight on either side....the girl in the machine nearly had appoplexy and I was contemplating calling for a brown paper bag she was hyperventilating so much......but I convinced her that she could do it, and so she had a go.......outcome......I think she's planning to train for the next Miss America title she was so thrilled.

This is not new....I see it every day...and I bet she can't wait for her next training day to up her weights with everything.

So.....ASK for help on correct form, ASK for a spot and you'll immediately see your training and results jump a notch or two.

It works for me, I was incline benching 80lbs in each hand today.....not because I'm strooooonnnng, but because I had help from someone who was going to help me if my reach had temporarily exceeded my grasp, and it hadn't.

I would rather not train than train with 85% effort. I am a champion and that is just not good enough I'm afraid, and it shouldn't be for you either.

Love, Gratitude and Peace

M1 | Day 67 and CONTEST | Day 25

To become a Champion

A STORY of HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT

The day I checked out of hospital I had the strength of a gnat. I had lost 10kgs (22lbs) and all of it muscle mass...my quads were wasted, my arms had just enough strength to pick up the contraptions that were attached to my body via various needles and I was wearing a very uncomfortable neck brace.



I would have to stop half way up a flight of stairs in the hospital to avoid passing out whilst trying to at least get some exercise.

During the next 9 months and multiple major operations, I was on antibiotics whilst trying to fight persistant and dangerous infection.



Eventually after a dangerous op to remove the hardware from the back of my head I started to heal.

By this time I had put on 15kgs (35lbs) and I now weighed 100kgs or 220lbs. All of it was fat.

Comfort eating plays a big part in your life when you are recovering from a 'very' near death experience


.

And so this is where I was on day 1 of Mission 1 of my RTP-TS shred.

10 days out of hospital with nothing but but a whole lot of FAITH, HOPE, BELIEF and trust in Adam Waters system. RTP-TS.

Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ........Fast forward 65 days to yesterday.

Barbell Bench Press - final set, 4 reps 200lbs, correct form no spot. Bent over Barbell Rows - final set - 180lbs Lying Tricep extensions - final set 45lbs each hand Barbell bicep curls - 90lbs Do you think it's working?

I'm pretty happy with my progress and I should be. To date my total shred compliance has been 100%.

My training and my eating plan has been text book and my visualisation and thinking has been perfect.

I AM TRAINING LIKE A CHAMPION because I believe I am one.

How:

Champions Do Daily What Common Men Do Occasionally.

Thank you Carlos

I am telling you all this not because I think I am a big deal or I'm trying to impress anyone because I'm not.

I telling you this because at this time in the contest some are wavering and some have already fallen away. Some are coasting and some need hope and encouragement.

This story is about those two words. I can't be with you in person but I can help you by giving you renewed hope and encouragement.....that spark that you had on day 1. That excitement, that determination, that drive.

Time is moving along so quickly and is not about to wait for you.....so waste no more of it.

Re look at your plan and see where you can tighten up, where you can improve and use every day.

This is not just another contest.....this is an International competition where at the final moment the winner will be crowned "The World Champion"

How badly do you want to be "The World Champion"

And if you decide you do, remember.....

Champions Do Daily What Common Men Do Occasionally.

If I can do daily what I need to do, to be a champion then...surely...you can too.

M1 | Day 66 and CONTEST | Day 24

Wow, what just happened here....who is this guy?

The RTP - transformation system by Adam Waters is what happened and who is he?

I can understand someone happening onto Adam's program via Google or youtube or one of the social networking sites or, or,or and asking the question, but for an awful lot of us we have seen this coming for some time.

For me it is real interesting to have been able to observe first hand the progress, the latter part anyway of this work in progress. As Adam himself says, he's not done yet.

Here is an ordinary guy, who has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and become extraordinary.

What he has done is proof absolute how you become successful by giving to others.

Through his own efforts, initially with no thought of personal gain he has firstly ' taken ' back his life by force and secondly turned the methodology of that victory into a world class business.

Here is a guy that stood up and said ' enough is enough ' and refused to accept second best. He with huge courage made public his personal transformation and dragged hundreds of us kicking and screaming along with him.

I predict that the guy will become a leader in the health and fitness industry and will be travelling globally to address health and fitness conferences all over the planet very soon.

Having said all that, here is what I believe to be the interesting part. Listen up.
This planet is in tatters....and we have made it so.

Corporate obesity caused by individually overbloated executives.....greedy public servants with no regard for the public they serve and the encouragement of general anarchy on a global scale has taken us to a place from which a whole lot of people will never return.

I have been on this planet a long time and I have never seen mass ' shoulder drooping resignation ' for the situation we find ourselves in like this ever before. 1929, phaa....nothing compared to where we are now.

How do we re group....how do we find our way back, ploughing through the treacle of uncertainty, in the dark.

Health and fitness is how. It starts with US. How we think about ourselves. Health and fitness plays a huge part in the phsycological well being of the planet. Collective positiveness is a start.

There are thousands of 'guru's' on the net telling us how to get healthy.. for personal gain, but only a handful of people really dedicated to helping others through walking ' the road less travelled'.

Those that have REALLY struggled to find out who they are and how they get to where they are supposed to be.

Adam Waters is one of those...the real deal and I reckon that without laying it on too thick, he will single handedly play an enormous part in kick starting the global recovery

Before you splutter into your coffee and wonder if I've gone nuts think about what that would take.

Make no mistake the RTP transformation system is already a big hit and the power of networking on the internet is going to make it a giant. What does that mean. It means that hundreds of thousands of lost people, if not millions are going to be using this system to reclaim their own lives

Who would argue the possibility of a high percentage of those being major decision makers in business, industry, government etc etc.....c'mon, who's to say?

This is a 'complete' transformation system that WILL change your life and the world along the way... because the principals and values we all should live by are contained inside the box it comes in.

You don't just do what he has done over 8 years with an ' oh that looks cool, let's give it a shot'.

The way the program works is the way the world should work. Business, government, industry should all take heed of the principles he lives by and the commitment he believes in and we would not be in this mess....but we are so......let's ALL work one by one, together to make it right.

Adam started out just wanting to find himself. Committing to change by taking massive action and in the process he is changing the world.

Boy....bet he didn't see that coming.

M1 | Day 65 and CONTEST | Day 23

Is your Heart working......or overworking

I have like a lot of people on the 'sphere' had the slightest hint of a cold these last couple of days...not enough to stop me training but this morning doing cardio I noticed that my heart rate was higher than it normally is and at the time I wasn't working that hard.

What does this mean.

Well for those of you who may be new to the world of heart rates etc you should at least know what your resting heart rate is. That is your fitness barometer. You should then check it every morning on waking before you even think about training.

Here comes the important part.

If you resting heart rate is 10 beats or more above your resting rate...do not train.

Especially not cardio....Resistance work is ok as long as you are not elevating your heart rate.
Shredders on phase two are OK....shredders on phase one or three should be very careful.

I have seen too often where people train with flu through not wanting to miss a day's training and end up spending a two weeks in bed.

I even know of a young cross country runner who, whilst racing for his province dropped dead of a heart attack because he had tried to race through flu. He was 21 years old...The tragedy could have so easily been avoided had he believed that you can serious damage your heart muscles by exercising with flu.

Rather miss a day of cardio than three weeks off or a lifetime in a wooden box I'd say...wouldn't you.

M1 | Day 64 and CONTEST | Day 22

You cannot rush progress.

Just finished training, had an awesome powerful session. Saw a guy that I hadn't seen before
he looked fantastic about 30, great physique, not overly muscular but very little body fat.
He was benching 300lbs, with his training partner spotting.

Now I could see this guy wasn't a juicer and I wondered about how long he had been training.....
.....so I asked him. Friendly guy told me he's been training for 30 years. WOW, That makes him 45 if he started when he was 15.

I was stunned. Not the length of time but the way he looked. My training partner had just asked me how long it would take before he was in great shape (which he is already BTW).

"Now you know", I said.

What can we take home from this experience.

1. Rome was not built in a day.
2. If you are in this for only 12 weeks.....leave now.
3. Health and fitness is a lifetime project and one should have no short term thoughts.
4. Once you've built the frame with a good foundation...you've got it
5. Patience...We have to know that it takes time and patience. Do not give up
6. Perserverance..You have to believe that at times the guy has been disheartended about his progress.
7. Persistance...That's what gets you through the feeling mentioned above
8. Eating clean. I asked him...he said...ABSOLUTELY...Like "Are the Kennedy's gun shy."
9. Stay with a training program enough to give it a chance...Don't chop and change.
10. Periodisation....Don't do the same thing all the year round, follow a plan. Like the one you have.
    

We can all get to where we want to go....Age makes no difference, present condition doesn't, equipment doesn't, location doesn't.... WE CAN, get there..

All we need to do is understand the conditions above and keep going the way you are now....and you WILL GET THERE.

M1 | Day 63 and CONTEST | Day 21

God gave us a brain....and I think he'd like us to use it.

I believe that creative thinking is nothing more than believing that you are a creative thinker and then using your brain to create stuff. I am no Michaelangelo but I have proven my theory many times during the course of my tenure on this planet.....on myself... and yes I do know about all this left brain right brain stuff.

So what has this to do with health and fitness. Well I read an article recently, written by a top international trainer who made a very bold statement. "My perfect gym" he stated "would be a room with an automobile in it."

To make this even more convoluted, when people hear that I'm a fitness professional, they very often, offer, unsolicited, the comment "Oh I hate gyms and I don't have any equipment, so I can't train."

REALLY....OK, this is where the automobile and the creative thinking comes in.

If you had a room, admittedly with a bit of length, containing a small auto you could build a super solid routine with any amount of compound exercises. Pushes, pulls, lifts, squats, stretches. Even a driveway and your auto would do.

Ok, what else am I talking about? Out walking I saw a lady and her daughter walking up the hill in front of me. (By way of a quick explanation a large majority of our population in South Africa have no access to their own transport and they mostly live some distance from the nearest taxi route. In order to get to that route, they walk.)

Mother and daughter were obviously going somewhere for more than a day since they were both carrying luggage. The interesting part was the fact that they would walk, stop and down luggage, rest and then repeat the process. No thought, just do, that's just how it works here.

At first glance this seems fairly cruel and an archaic way to travel, but actually the up side of this is that these folk are super healthy. Getting from one point to the next is AN EXERCISE ROUTINE, and they do it EVERY DAY.

That is why those that don't own cars in South Africa are a very healthy bunch. They either walk or ride bicycles and generally are carrying something with them.

When they get to the taxi they are subjected to the most hair raising and suicidal ride on the planet. One hundred and plenty mph per hour through rush hour traffic weaving to and fro is not a pleasant experience, but the up side is that for the duration of the ride their heart rate is up around 90% of max which means they get a solid Hiit cardio workout eavery day without leaving their seat.

I remember some years ago seeing before and after transformation pictures of a woman in a remote area of South Africa. She had no access to a gym so she made her own set of barbells by securing empty 2ltr plastic soda bottles onto each end of a broomstick and filling them with water. By varying the amount of water she had a whole set with varying weights. That's CREATIVE. BTW her transformation was unbelievable. (The will to want to.)

The point of all this is that you do not need a designer gym with fancy schmancy machines that shape your abs whilst serving a skinny, latte, without wings and turning the pages of cosmo for you at the same time.

All you need is to use that brain God gave you, get creative and go workout.

M1 | Day 62 and CONTEST | Day 20

Contestants ready......your challenge starts....NOW

This is where the rubber meets the road.

20 days done, 64 to go. The euphoria is beginning to wear off.....the eating plan is repetitive and my taste buds are getting bored....The training is tougher than I thought it would be and I'm not seeing the results that I thought I would by this stage......am I going to make.

At this stage of the contest, these are questions which many shredders will be asking. For most of us, this is not the first transformation PLAN we have undertaken, in fact for a lot of us we have tried a LOT of plans and probably are well versed in every diet in the book.

This is the time to dig deep and find out for real and forever what we are made of.

We are NOT going to bale on this one because:

WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE. If there was ever a secret to success in this kind of project...this would be it.

Inherantly we know that we are following a solid plan...that we know works, so why do we stumble at this stage and in fact some fall.

Because the enemy, the giant, the monster within, does not want you to succeed.

Remember the story of the wolves. Its worth repeating.
A young indian boy in North America was looking for advice from an elder. I have in my head bad wolves...they fight all the time and steal each others food and growl at each other and I also have good wolves who play and share food with each other and are happy but sometimes the good wolves fight with the bad wolves.....who will win. The elder replied " The ones you feed the most"

We all have good and bad wolves and it's just a questions of managing "The monster"

First, let's not call it the beast or the monster because that's just giving it power. Second it has no control over us unless we let it. Third we DO have the power to make it go away.

Here is a simple technique to deal with anything negative that is running rampant in your head.

1. When you become aware of a negative thought immediately say STOP to the voice.
2. Ask yourself...is what the voice saying the truth (99% of the time the answer will be no)
3. Change the negative to a positive thought. ( eg. I am such a loser, I'm never going to lose weight..STOP. Is that true? Clearly it's not true because you don't know that.
4. Replace the negative thought with a positive such as. "I know this is the right program for me and with patience I will get to where I want to be."

Initially this takes a bit of work but once you make it habit...you'll never look back. I promise.

Re-look your PRW's and make sure that they are still relevant. Often times when you get into doing something you need to do, you discover the reasons for doing it are no longer valid. If your PRW's are not valid or powerful anough they will not motivate through 84 days.

Now is the time to dig deep and find the strength that you KNOW you have. Don't give that stupid voice in your head the power to de-rail you. Let this be the time when you triumph, FINALLY and FOREVER.

M1 | Day 60 and CONTEST | Day 19

Today is my precious son's birthday. His name is Michael-James and he is 14 today.

Where did the time go...he was born on the day of the first game of the 95 rugby world cup....The first time we became world champions.

I remember so vividly all the babies in the maternity ward had little cuddly toys in their cots. My boy...a rugby ball. He still has that ball today.

Some years ago I was at a dinner party at a very upmarket function when one of the guests began regaling a story of 3 youngsters who had scaled the wall of a private house, leopard crawled across the front lawn, climbed the outside wall to the first floor and entered the house through the master bedroom before getting caught.

Apparently these kids, we we were told, had been watching S.W.A.T on TV and decided it would be fun to emulate the highly trained troops.

Everybody thought it was terribly funny including me until I realised that my son was one of the boys involved. Everybody thought it was even more funny when they knew.

I have many stories like that in my memory bank to share at his 21st.

More recently, in fact the beginning of this year, as a keen rower for his school, he won a bronze medal at the South African Championships.

Why am I telling you all this. Well for one, I am very proud of him and because I love him so much I want to be the best role model I can, which is a major motivating factor in my transformation process.

He was on the beach that day when I came close to death last year and Karen told me that whilst I was lying in hospital she had gone into his room at bedtime to find him in tears. He was worried about his dad making it out alive.

I want him to know that I am as well and healthy as I can be so that he can get on with his life to the best of his ability without unecessary worries.Making sure I get a meal in.

before some serious bench

Got to stay healthy for my boy

I want to be healthy enough to watch him play field hockey, which he loves and is very good at...I want to go hiking with him, I want to do stuff with him as he gets older and I want to be the BEST Dad I can be.

Most of all, I want an awesome six pack, exactly like the one he's got. LOL

That's my boy

M1 | Day 60and CONTEST | Day 18

LAST YEAR........ THIS YEAR

I have written about about visualisation being an essential tool to reaching your goals.

This is critically obviously, because everything starts as a thought. Following on from that, we know that we do not think in linear fashion. In other words, if I think to myself "swimming pool" I do not see the words but I see a swimming pool with sparkling blue water, that makes me want to jump in.

The more you visualise that pool the more vivid it becomes until you even start smelling the salt from the salt water chlorinator and being able to feel the texture of the water and you may even see children playing in the water and having a fabulous time.

Now, in an article I wrote about a vision board and how important it is to be able to create that vivid picture of what you want. SUZETTE picked up on that and suggested we all "write" a visualisation of what we want from our transformation, which I think is a great idea..thank you SUZETTE...so here is mine.

Mine is more short term.

I start packing for december vacation. This year is different, not in the destination...that's always the coast..I cannot imagine december vacation without sea and sun...but this year is different because I am different.

I don't have to pack those huge board shorts that I mistakenly thought hid my expansive girth, until I saw last years photographs. I can dump those xxxxxoversize T shirts that hid a multitude of consistent culinary sins. "Oh I must take a lot of these T's so I don't get sunburnt...and I'll swim in them too.. What a damned LIE.

Nope this year I am packing a new wardrobe. Clothes that fit me properly, that accentuate my new physique...not in a boastful way, but so that I feel really good in them.

Driving down to the coast in the Landrover, a longish drive...I feel full of energy and exitement, none of that lethargy of last year where it was a mission getting in and out of the vehicle which is quite high off the ground.

Somehow my girlfriend and the kids seem more exited, everyone seems happier...hmm, actually it's me. I have a different attitude. I am in great shape, my heart is so strong from all the cardio, I'm not pulling my huge T shirt away from my bulging front all the time, hiding behind sunny's so no one can see me. Yep, it's definately me. I feel great and the journey is going really well.

Hours later we're at our wooden cabin on the mountain overlooking the ocean. I unload the vehicle. Gee baby did we pack less than last year? Are you sure? Again, me..much stronger, much fitter, much less effort.

Standing out on the deck with the wind gently blowing over my solid torso, I smell the salt and look at the ships lights twinkling gently out at sea. "Baby, I'm looking forward to running on the beach at dawn. You?.. Can't wait. You see last year we were down at the beach, but it wasn't dawn and it was more of a plod.

Dawn...fresh sea breeze, great for an early morning run. After 15 minutes we are both covered in a sheen of fine persperation, well I am, my girlfriend is glowing. I look down and see my muscles glistening in the sunlight, I feel like I could run forever..my body feels taut, like a spring...I really feel like an athlete. My girlfriend runs smoothly next to me. She's gorgeous, 6ft 1 inch and also in great shape.

Heading back home we discuss breakfast. Fresh cut fruit, scrambled eggs on wholewheat and a skinny cappucino. Mmmm, delicious.

We head down to the beach after breakfast...me carrying umbrellas and cooler bags and stuff (moms you know about this) which is not a problem I am twice as strong as I was last year.
I'm in board shorts and sans T shirt which is in thebag. Why wear one I have abs now, and I certainly don't feel self conscious.

On the beach we get set up and I head into the ocean with the kids. I grab for my T shirt...hang on, don't need that this year. In the sea I'm jumping waves and holding the kids up and frolicking around like a mad man. Feel fantastic about the way I look.. it is second nature to me now and I have trouble remembering what I looked like before. I think about Adam Waters for a while and wonder if he's doing the same thing as me, but in OZ. I offer a silent thanks to him. He's the one that started all this.

Walking back up the sand I feel the eyes of a whole bunch of middle aged guys with big guts bulging over huge board shorts sitting in the sand, beer in hand, looking at me...and I KNOW they are thinking, man he must have good genetics..or..he must have such a boring life if he looks like that and all I want to do is go to each one of them and tell them that, they can also get their lives back and stop internally feeling terrible about the way they look and blaming everyone and everything but themselves.

I could never look like that, I don't have time..I'm too busy..I don't have the genetics..I'm happy with the way I am..I'm not fat, I'm BIG.

I keep walking hoping that a vacation photo will help them see the truth.

After lunch we go down to the rock pools and look for fish. Looking forward to a barbeque tonight of fresh fish and salads before settling down for the night with the fresh ocean breeze gently caressing my shorts only clad finely toned body. Yup no supersized T shirt for me this year.

Drifting off to sleep with a smile on my face as I think "I look and feel fantastic, I have got my life back..thank you Adam Waters.

Now... By the time we hit the ocean in 6 weeks time I will have visualised that day so many times that my body will find ways to eat cleaner, train harder and think smarter because the mind cannot differentiate between a real and an imagined experience and I will look and feel just like I see it today. WOW, that is powerful.

Write you own script, AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

M1 | Day 59 and CONTEST | Day 17

The one time when Negative, is really positive.

Did leg press this morning emphasising the negative. In other words emphasising and over controlling the downward movement instead of letting gravity pull you down. Man are my legs sore now.

I focussed on negatives with all my exercises and I can feel that I really put in the effort.

I think that often times even though we are focussed on what we are doing, we don't drill down far enough, mentally to get the greatest benefit from the exercise. To illustrate let's look at the good old standard, the bench press.

You lie on the bench, grab the bar, take the strain and, if its a heavy set, get through it as quick as possible. What you should be doing is this.

1) Visulise your goal for the set before you get to the bench. Understand what you are trying to achieve.
2) Lie on the bench, close your eyes and calm your breathing down
3) Again visualise the goal for the set, and imagine that you are actually doing the first few reps. Feel the weight and how smooth your rhythm is.

When you've done a few reps, in your mind, take the strain, lift the bar off the rack and continue the set, for real.

You'll be amazed at how much more you can lift and also how rythmical the set was and how it went exactly according to plan.

Understand this, The mind cannot distinguish between a real and an imagined experience. Therefore the more you train in your mind, with a specific goal, the more proficient the real action will be, because you've already done it...according to your sub conscious.

That's real focus.

Give a try at your next session and let me know how it goes.

M1 | Day 58 and CONTEST | Day 16

I found a new secret weapon.....and she is HOT...

Yesterday whilst training at a brand new mega gym with super fancy this and mind blowingly technologically whiz kid that..... in between sets I saw her.

She was standing silently watching everybody training. She looked peaceful, but lean and hungry, kind of menacing, just waiting to pounce.

I pondered whether to approach her and find out what she was about.

The guy at the bench next to me saw me looking and told me that she could really help my training. Still standing there just observing, she was, so I asked him what it was that she did.

Looking from right to left in a furtive kind of way he said...shhhh, don't talk too loudly but she knows how to release testosterone and human growth hormone.

The weight room came to a grinding halt. The big boys dropped 12olbs dumbells right where they were standing. Berbells which had once been supported by the bench stops were now being supported by semi crunched sternums.

Testosterone, HGH, released... a new way......man this was music to our ears...we all crowded around our new best friend...we had found the hole grail.

What do you mean she knows how to release TT and HGH......Not only that but she can help you push heavier and make you more flexible he replied.

By now the guy with the info about the lean and slender beauty standing aloof, watching us almost with a sly smile on her face, was being crowded to the point where the word crushed was begining to look decidedly relevent.

It was time for him, to spill the beans or risk a trip to the emergency room.

OK, OK, I'll tell you her name he uttered with a terrified look on his face. It's, I'ts......
.....Miss, Power Plate.

I sauntered over pushed her buttons and she started jiggling like a magic jelly bean. VERY COOL.

The expert advice I got from the very qualified lady standing next to her was that stretching and warming up on one of these beauties can indeed release TT and HGH which is exactly what we need and can also benefit training. A stretch and a warm down on the machine will clearly help flexibility and doing abs on the jiggler I am told will build em double quick....You may not see them yet, but it will build them. It also promises to increase metabolic rate...another YES PLEASE.

So time will tell, but, to my mind, I will do or try anything (legal and allowed) to help me get closer to my goal.

WOULDN'T YOU.

M1 | Day 57 and CONTEST | Day 15

I can feel the cool breeze whispering across my bare arms as I head out to the gym at 4.30am. It's pitch black and I'm alone, Brrrr I shiver...the rest of my gated community sleeps soundly.

I love that time of the day - I feel like I own the world, it's my special time. The cool night air tells me winter is nigh. It won't be long before hoodies are de rigeur and a regular in my weekly wash.

People tell me I'm nuts.."It's not normal for people to be up at that time of the day" they say..If they have to get up occasionally to catch an early flight they corner the market on "grumpy" for hours.

Why? Things HAVE to be done and people HAVE to do them. That's it...that's the way it is, that's life.

ME...instead of bitching, I prefer to embrace change with open arms, and that includes the changing of the seasons. Hey I love warm weather as much as the next guy but how would I know that unless I had freezing weather to compare it to.

I love rainy days because they make me appreciate the sunshine. I love climbing mountains because at the top they enable me to see into beautiful valleys.

I love the occasional bad moods because only then do I know what happy feels like.

I guess what I'm saying is " I embrace adversity because if I do that...nothing can touch me."

You are only a loser when you DON'T GET UP.

I live in a land of turmoil, not only here in South Africa but on the border with our neighbour Zimbabwe.....and guess what.... I LOVE IT.

Stop whining about what you don't have and embrace what you do...then make the rest happen.

Peace out......

M1 | Day 56 and CONTEST | Day 14

Gratitude and Adversity.....march hand in hand

I can't tell you how grateful I am that I have played a small part in helping people to keep going on their own health and fitness crusade.

I'm grateful for the new people I meet every day online, my dear friends "The usual suspects", the shredders.

Those of you who follow my blog will know that My own personal mission statement is "to empower 5 million people to find and fullfill their purpose through health and fitness." Now I can never do that on my own talking to one person at a time, so the more people I can get to help me online, the better I am fullfilling my own calling.

So thank you to all of you who are getting something out of my blog. Don't keep it to yourself, share it with as many people as possible.

OBESITY is NOT an option. Help change the world today, NOW.

I chat to God every day....I'm absolutely NOT being blasphemous, I just have a personal relationship with Him and we chat...that's how I, ...note I, again I...believe it is supposed to be...

...for years now I have thanked Him for adversity since if I embrace adversity how can there be any downside to my life....and I'm not poo pooing balance, of course balance is important but when I thanked Him the other day I said Father, I know I thank You for adversity but did it have to be such a big SMACK upside my head.

I mean, I've been through SERIOUS challenges in my life, and pompously I said to myself a while back "hey man you very nearly lost your life".... that same day, just out of hospital, after my accident, I happened to be at a mall with my girl holding my arm, since I was feeling super weak...and sorry for myself, when I saw a father carrying his 6 year old, wearing pyjamas, lovingly in his arms. The boy's mother was walking slowly behind them.

Something made me stop Mom and ask her what was wrong with her boy. "We are taking him to Cape-Town for a heart transplant" she answered almost silently, head bowed.

BANG, another whack upside my head.

I gave Mom a big hug, which she accepted with tears in her eyes, and I stupidly mumbled something like " Everything is going to work out fine." before moving on in a daze.

I said to my girl, I can walk on my own now, thanks, and I said to myself, "get over yourself and change your attitude right this second."

WOW, what a wake up call. No matter how badly off you are, get over it, there are people out there with problems much bigger than yours.

I suddenly had a light bulb moment " God tells us things in strange ways, IF WE listen."

M1 | Day 55 and CONTEST | Day 13

M1 | Day 54 and CONTEST | Day 12

This is not working...I'm soooo depressed.

"I'm so fat", "How do you know", "I'm so depressed, I got on the scale and I havn't lost anything in 4 weeks."

"OK, let's check your body fat." "Ooooh no", "why not?", "I'm scared I've put on fat." "Well let's check." "Ummm...ok", says this tiny voice.

We head for my office, do the BF% thing and find she lost 3% BF. I showed her how if you lose BF and you gain muscle your scale weight STAYS THE SAME. No need to find a tall building.

"How do you feel now" "WONDERFUL" she shouts tripping off to find her mobile to tell all her friends.

This is a generic story that I have heard a million times and maybe it will clarify the reality of things FAT and how the only person a scale can benefit is the Trainer...for analytical purposes.

Scales should be banned from homes, they only make people miserable and...they lie.

Fat weighs the same as muscle...Hello!....muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. 1kg muscle weighs exactly the same as 1kg fat.

Now, once you've accepted that, you are weight training to build muscle, let's explode another myth...girls are NOT going to build big muscles...they don't produce enough of the stuff that helps boys build big muscle and even with boys it's not that easy. You don't just grow muscles overnight because you push weights. Doesn't happen...unless of course you are sticking needles with illegal substances into your body, with a main side effect of PREMATURE DEATH.

So...you are building muscle and losing fat, now, fat takes up 5 times, let me repeat that, 5 times as much space as muscle so, lose 10lbs fat, build 6lbs muscle...you've only lost 4lbs scale weight...eeeek.... wrong, I'm not going to insult your intelligence by asking you to imagine what you are going to look like.

All I know is, regardless of what the scale says, you are going to fit very neatly into pants a size smaller.

OK....OK.

When guys walk on the beach and they see a "hotty" (that's one of you) lying there in a bikini, they don't whisper "Bet she weighs 11o lbs, " do they. No, you're either hot or you're not.

So girls....moral of the story, DUMP the scale, it's only going to hurt you. Buy some calipers, learn how to use them and measure body fat instead. Calipers I said not a BF% scale, they are NOT reliable.

Go on....in the dumpster...NOW, go on, NOW.

M1 | Day 53 and CONTEST | Day 11

The best medicine is NOT obtained by a Doctors prescription

Once in a lifetime we connect with someone who just 'gets' us, you know the kind of person you can talk rubbish to 5 times a day and not get bored....in my life, my sister was that person.
On the 21st November 1993, my then wife, sister and a friend from the UK were travelling home on a dark road some 5kms from my home at around 10pm on a sunday night.

On a downhill I noticed a vehicle parked on the side of the road and as we passed I observed the driver a young girl was in obvious distress.

I did a u turn and drove back to the car parking opposite on the shoulder of the road. My passengers in unison had asked me not to stop as they felt the presence of evil very strongly hovering around the area like a black cloud.

I felt I had to help the young woman who was alone in her car and crossed the road to help.

Turns out she had hit a dog 50 yards back and was hysterical and not able to go back herself to check on the dog.

I shouted over to my passengers asking them to look after the girl while I walked up the road to look for the dog. I found the dog who sadly had been killed and pulled him off the road.

Walking back to my vehicle I noticed my sister standing beside my car, waiting for a vehicle which was approaching down the hill, she obviously intended crossing the road to help the young woman.

The oncoming vehicle illuminated my sister and I was very aware that it was travelling at speed.

As the vehicle approached where my car was parked on the verge the driver inexplicably swerved towards my car. He collided with the side of my vehicle and hit my sister head on picking her up on the bonnet of his car.

He continued towards me and as he saw me in his headlights swerved back onto the road in the process dumping my sister's body into the bush on the side of the road.

My mind refused to believe the horror I had just witnessed and I ran towards my car. In the process I instinctively cried out " GOD HELP ME."

In that very instant a peace washed over me like a warm blanket soothing and loving and I was fully at ease and very lucid and cognicent of what had just happened.

I ran back to where my sisters mangled body lay and put my hands on her. I felt a whoosh and her spirit left her body. Later that evening I remember the others telling me that they had seen a blazing chariot at the point of impact, above my car, rising up into the heavens.

In the prime of her life, at age 36, she was gone.

In an instant there were at least 20 or 30 people at the scene, all baying for blood since the offending driver had just continued down the road like a madman.

Now it bears noting that I spent 12 years as a soldier from the age of 16, fighting in a very violent
war torn area then known as Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. I grew up with a rifle in my hand so I was no stranger to the violence that the growing crowd was vehemently promoting and under normal circumstances would have been an eager participant.

But....the Peace that I had experienced was still with me and I was completely calm and able to settle the crowd whilst taking care of the details with the Police on the scene. I told the crowd collectively that the driver needed to be FORGIVEN, for he did not know what he had done.

Indeed, I myself felt absolute forgiveness in my heart and to this day I have never felt any malice towards the driver who turned out to be drunk at the time.

In fact the first thing that I told the driver when he appeared in court was that I had forgiven him for what he had done.

The court handed down a $200 fine for the many offences on which the young man was found guilty one of which being Culpable Homicide and everyone was outraged.

Me..... again that peace which I had felt had prevailed and I wasn't at all peturbed. After all, I wasn't the one that had to live with it and in fact it had such an effect on the young man that he tried to commit suicide.

So...I can personally attest to the fact that there is no finer medicine anywhere than FORGIVENESS.

Unforgiveness has been the cause of more sickness and cancer than any disease and I urge you ... as did Adam in his initial RTP-TS modules, that if you have any unforgiveness in your heart right now....Find a way to let it go, because until you do...your progress with anything in your life least of all your transformation will be radically impaired.

Finally, you may be wondering how I found the driver of the car.

Well at 5am I was sitting on the side of my bed and since God had given me this incredible peace and forgiveness I figured he might tell me who and where the driver was so....I asked him.

"Lord you know I feel no malice towards this man but I need to know who he is."

Seconds later my phone rang and it was my ex business partner. " Dougal I'm really sorry to hear about your sister but I think the vehicle responsible is parked outside my office". (he was a very early riser and happened to be driving to work at the time) I immediately went to his office and indeed there was the car abandoned under a tree.

Obviously, I gave the information to the police who found the the driver.

Supernatural you bet....Does God exist, you bet he does, for me....and on that day he dispensed the most powerful medicine possible, FORGIVENESS.

That gift has never left me and it has been the most incredible help in my personal growth over the years.

You CAN'T get that Over The Counter or from any Doctors prescription pad.

Find a way to let go of any unforgiveness in your life....if not....it will hurt you badly.

PEACE

M1 | Day 52 and CONTEST | Day 10

Learning to change...

I was driving home from the gym this morning and marvelled at the magnificent, autumn shades and hues of the leaves on the beautiful trees in my suburb.

We are heading into winter and the days are getting shorter and brrrr. colder.

I remember just a few weeks ago those very same leaves were a verdant green, bright and happy almost like the trees were smiling at me ...

So it got me to thinking about seasons...how the seasons change and why the changes are what they are.

Then I got to thinking about how that mirrors our lives.

Why do we need seasons? Well for one thing, I believe humans do not do well on prolonged routine. It becomes boring and monotonous and we thrive on change and in fact need it in order to grow, both mentally and physically, even if we think we don't.

In the Southern Hemisphere we have long summers, full of sunshine and beautiful life giving rain which makes everything so clean and sparkly and shortish winters which by Northern Hemisphere standards are not really winter at all.

So, as the seasons change so does our attitude...note how people are more smiley and jokey coming out of winter and when the woolies start coming off.

Moving on from there comes, " How would we know".

How would we know what a beautiful mountain looked like if there were no valleys, how would we know a magnificent summers day if there were no winters, how would we know that we felt good, if sometimes we didn't feel lousy.

And that is why we change training routines every four weeks or so. The integrated human system is so magnificent that it will adapt to a training routine in about 4 weeks. And so we go from an entry level "break in" routine to a heavier routine to a circuit routine and so on. And through all of that, we change and grow and lose body fat. One is not better, they are all necessary.

Some of us change quicker than others and that is often because our metabolism doesn't trust us.

We have been on so many "DIETS" before, that our metab, says ughh, ughh, not going anywhere until you show me that you are in this for real.

That's why as in a previous post I gave an example of change only taking place in week 8 of a contest. Check out that post from the link below if you havn't read it.

http://www.shreddersphere.com/blog.php?b=1230

When the metab trusts us we start rocking and rolling..

Each of us have a different tempo when it comes to our own personal ups and downs and we all have to learn how to manage those to be succesful in everything we do.

Change is not only necessary but critical to personal success and patience is a component of that.

Imagine if we were a Bamboo farmer. The farmer plants the bamboo and then waits for ages before a shoot shows...but when it does it can then grows up to 2 feet per day.

We don't have that kind of patience when it comes to our bodies, but we have to learn. It's part of the seasons we go through.

Ultimately, we come to accept that we go through seasons, we have no choice, but it makes it a lot easier if we are in fantastic condition, physically.

Never, ever give up...It's only a matter of time before you see significant changes...may be faster or slower, they are all changes.

Point is, YOU WILL GET THERE IN THE END.

M1 | Day 51and CONTEST | Day 9

WHO SAID WE HAVE TO BE LEAN?

What is it that fascinates us about leaness in the human form? Who was the first person or group of people to decided that lean and muscular was the way to go?

How come we are not all striving to be 130kgs and 53% bodyfat?

Can you imagine this scenario:

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen and a warm welcome to the 2009 european summer collection, we are going to show you the very latest in beautiful swim wear for your european summer holiday....

as you can see fashionable swim wear gets smaller each year and this year is no different."

Lights start flashing, music starts thumping, and the ramp floor starts bouncing....

"Ladies and Gentleman our first model in a stunning, skin tight ultra small bikini, Naomi Crumble."

An audible sigh of admiration from the very experienced audience as Naomi lumbers onto the stage looking like a beached whale.

"Oh my goodness, exclaims an afficionado in the front row, She's put on at least another 15 kilograms from last year, oh my, she's absolutely exquisite". Smiling Naomi turns and lumbers off stage as the italion supermodel Fabio Luvafood, is smashing the last of a chocolate eclair into his face before he rolls slowly onto the ramp.

A blond socialite 2nd row left almost falls off her seat with delight...."Ohhh Fabio, ohh, my fat fat Fabio", she sighs.

Two others VIP guests turn to each other and simultaneously gasp.."Is, Is, Is, he actually wearing a costume at all." His fleshy skirt completely covered his nether regions making it impossible to see if he had remembered to put on his Karl Largerfelt original bathing suit whilst stuffing the last of the cream chocolate mix into his mouth.

"Oh I so love these shows" say two VIP's to each other, "I just love the way the models just get fatter and fatter each year...how exquisite. By the way, it's my turn for lunch, there's a fabulous new Kentucky Fried chicken just off the strip, I had to book 3 months ago for a table. They have an all you can eat special. C'mon let's hurry".

Just a tongue in cheek, lighthearted look at the way we see bodies...others and our own and imagining, just for today, how it would be if things were different.

M1 | Day 50 and CONTEST | Day 8

Quantum Physics rocks my world

I love quantum physics....From the moment I saw ' What the bleep do we know ', I was sold.

I then read 'The Hidden Messages in Water' by Masaru Emoto.

Now before you wonder whether I've lost the plot and you drift off to sleep on the couch, let me explain.

Dr Emotu discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific concentrated thoughts are directed towards them. Loving words reveal brilliant, complex and colourfull snowflake like patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts shows incomplete asymmetrical patterns with dull colours.

Now when you consider that our bodies are made of 70% water this obviously creates a new awareness of how this impacts on our health.

Delving further into Quantum Physics also shows, which we all knew, didn't we, that we are all made from the same matter. Molecular particles.

So this fascinating subjects then logically leads us to the following.

Drink healthy water...Talk to it kindly before you drink it and drink it often and realise that you are one with the steel.

The next time you wrap your hands around the bar, know that you are one and work as if you believe it were true. You'll feel an amazing difference in your training.

Now all of this seems entirely logical if you belive in a Creator....By whatever name...My personal preference is God.

If God created us and everything else on this planet, then why should we not be one with nature, and all that's on it and in it, including the water we drink and the steel we hoist mightily above our heads.

Mental strength is as important as physical strength and everything starts with a thought.
Before I do something I have to think it first, therefore if I have to think it first, why not the right thought.

We all have choice so think the right things, drink clean water and embrace the weights, they are your friend.

"As a man thinketh in his heart..so is he."

Oh and if you are on the couch get off, couches are for dogs.

M1 | Day 49 and CONTEST | Day 7

TO YOU, AND YOU, AND ESPECIALLY TO YOU

I've done this before but I think it's especially appropriate right now

I am so grateful to all of you who read my blog, those who support me through my own trials, and those who encourage me so much through your comments.

It is because of you that I write. Because of you, who have given me positive feedback, and who have articulated your appreciation for something that I have learned to love doing. Writing is very cathartic and is my friend

Those who have stood by me when I needed support,those who have encouraged me, those who have laughed with me, those who have cried with me, those who have passed the word on.


It has been an honour for me to serve you, to....in some small way help you to take charge of your own lives....to make small changes which lead to big results, to give you the occasional " Aha " moment.

To have been able to bring you joy, and I hope I have, to have uplifted your spirits, to have made your heart soar high above where the eagles fly, to have strengthened your resolve, to have helped you kick start your journey.

In all of these things, if I have been in some small measure, a catalyst, I am grateful for in so doing, I have healed myself.

Below is a dedication to all you incredible shredders out there who with courage and true grit have chosen to follow the path of a man who is a magnificent example of what we are all striving to achieve Adam Waters.

As we shredders tramp this earth together
arms entwined, we carry those who stumble
and they us,
we band of brothers and sisters forever linked by one...
His leadership, resolute, unwavering,
Our eyes upward, our hearts beating
with mighty resolve, we hoist the steel
and run the road, fleet of foot
onward toward victory
with no thought of failure..
and, with a glance behind, we see
multitudes of those, our numbers growing
day by day,
as we, with him in front, encouraging us,
surging into our future
as we all choose ..
to take the road less travelled.

Thank you and please come back.