Update

Hey all,

Just wanted to give you an update on my power lifting. Today I got to lift with a couple friends as a fun day. We had a deadlift party. This was an idea I got from Metroflex Long Beach. They had posted earlier in the week that they were going to do one on Thursday morning. The gym I go to was closed on Thursday, so I decided to see if people wanted to do on on Friday. Another reason that I wanted to do this is that Jim Stoppani offered a challenge on his Facebook page for people to do 25 reps on deadlift with 250 lbs. Deadlift, of course, happens to be my favorite lift so I could not pass up the challenge. He also stated that if you recorded it and posted it on his Facebook page that he would give you a lifetime membership to his personal website www.jimstoppani.com. This was just more motivation for me to try it out. I also decided that if I made the 25 reps that I was going to go for a PR on the deadlift at 500 lbs. My previous best was 475 so it is a good jump up in the 3 weeks that I have been focusing on maximal strength. Below is both videos, I hope you enjoy them.

God Bless
Travis Miller

Happy Thanksgiving

Hi all,
Just wanted to take the time to say thank you for all your support. That on this day set aside to be thankful, I am thankful for all my family and friends. Remember this day isn't just about all the wonderful food. It is about reflecting on all aspects of our lives and giving thanks for everything whether it is a straight up blessing or it is a trial that forces you to be stronger in your life. Be thankful for it all.

A few things I am thankful for:
1. God - I am thankful for Jesus Christ being my Lord and my Savior. His grace and mercy are wonderful.
2. Wife - My beautiful and wonderful wife who supports me through it all. She is an awesome woman who bring sweet joy to my life.
3. Kids - My 3 wonderful kids who constantly bring me joy and challenge me daily.
4. Family - All my family who reminds that I have been loved for 36 years.
5. Friends - Friends bring laughter and inspiration, help and care, and many more things.
6. Leaders - My leaders in church and at work who are there to help me in my endeavors.
7. US Military - These men and women who selflessly sacrifice for a greater purpose. This includes their families who also give up so much.
8. The Iron - These items of various weights are always true to who they are...200 lbs is always 200 lbs.
9. Role Models - These are those people who have achieved what I am looking to achieve and they provide so many of us great information.
10. Thanksgiving food - Yes this is something I am thankful for....I call this Epic Cheat Meal Day.

God Bless.....remember to be thankful

Travis Miller

P.S. Oh Yea, Second week of my power lifting journey went well.....Tomorrow is deadlift Friday...getting together with friends and hitting the gym.....gonna be a blast.

End of Week 1 of my Powerlifting Journey

Hi all,

So I was planning on writing this on Sunday or Monday but now it is Tuesday and I am finally getting to it. Last week I talked about reevaluating and refocusing my goals in the direction that I want to move in. I also mentioned that I was going to start following Mike O'Hearn's Power Bodybuilding program to get my strength up so I can have a personal powerlifting meet to see if I have made gains. My goal was to increase my overall total to 1300 lbs from my current best at 1115lbs.  Here is what happened this last week.

On Monday, which is my natural rest day I started reading up on powerlifting and different strength programs to help me improve my strength and technique. I found information on Westside Barbell and their program called The Conjugate Method combined with The Dynamic Method. As I read up on the programs and the story behind Westside Barbell, I found myself interested in their program and the techniques they use. So I wrote a program based off the information on their site and other sites talking about them.

This week was a fun week and I enjoyed following the Westside Barbell Method of training. I have been sore in new ways and in different muscles. I tried new types of exercises that challenged me mentally and physically. Below is what I have been doing.

Tuesday - Dynamic Effort Bench Press
Wednesday - Bench Extra Work
Thursday - Dynamic Effort Squat/Deadlift
Friday - Squat/Deadlift Extra Work
Saturday - Max Effort Bench Press
Sunday - Max Effort Squat/Deadlift

Dynamic Effort is speed work. This is where you perform exercises to increase the explosive strength. This strength helps with the start from the bottom of the press, squat, and deadlift. This work includes working between 50-60% of your 1RM doing explosive reps sometimes with bands and chains to add variable resistance to help reduce bar deceleration throughout the rep.

Max Effort is maximal strength work. This day of the week you push to a 3RM or a 1RM and try to hit new personal records (PRs). This helps build muscular strength and is done with a variety of exercises to ensure your muscles don't adapt and that you CNS (central nervous system) doesn't get burnt out.

Both the Dynamic and Max Effort days consist of 1 main exercise to focus on explosive or maximal strength respectively. These days are followed up with assistance work which consists of bodybuilding type exercises focusing on the major muscle groups used for each main movement. So on bench day the first assistance work is for triceps followed by upper back and shoulders. On squat and deadlift day the assistance work would be glutes, hamstrings, lower back. All these should be 8-10 reps but the rep range can vary to keep the muscle confusion principle working.

Extra work is essentially a recovery workout by working the same muscles used the day before with lighter weights and higher reps. These workouts should be less than 30 minutes and can be as early at 6 to 12 hours after the previous day. I, for the sake of time, wait until the next day. I always end this exercise with a conditioning cycle of tabata style work. This is also the day that I hit abs hard because they are one of the most important muscle groups.

This is what I did this last week and this week has started off just a good. The cycle for this program is on Dynamic day week 1 is 50%, week 2 is 55%, and week 3 is 60%. Then you drop back down to 50%. I am going to throw in week for as a repetition week where I do the main lifts for 6-10 reps which will help with the groove of the movement. This is to help improve my technique, which is knowledge from listening to Mark Bell's Powercast and Brandon Lilly's YouTube page.

Any questions feel free hit me up on twitter @travismiller1

God Bless
Travis

Power Lifting Status and Goals

Hiya,
So last time I posted that I was shifting my focus from aesthetics to strength based goals. This was because I am not really an aesthetic kinda guy, but I really love the feeling I get lifting heavy weights. So, I also mentioned that I was going to be testing where my current lifting status is by performing a simulated power lifting meet and then I would reevaluate my goal for January 3, 2014.

Today I went to the gym feeling a little under the weather because of head congestion. but I wasn't going to let it stop me from getting the results I wanted. Yesterday, I did some research on the order of a power lifting meet and what a typical warm up progression for 1RM (rep max) would consist of. The meet would consist of the lifts in the order of Squats, Bench Press, and Deadlift. The typical warm up for testing 1RM is as follows:

50% 1RM for 8 reps followed by 2 minutes rest
60% 1RM for 5 reps followed by 2 minutes rest
70% 1RM for 3 reps followed by 3 minutes rest
80% 1RM for 1 rep followed by 3 minutes rest
90% 1RM for 1 rep followed by 5 minutes rest
100% 1RM for 1 rep followed by 5 - 15 minutes rest
+2~5% increase followed by 5 - 15 minutes rest
Continue until unable to complete rep

Today I went with my approximate 1RM and based my test off of those. In the order of Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift. The only thing I didn't do that would have been allowed in a meet would be 3 attempts at a given weight. I decided that because of time that when I hit my first failure I was done. So where do I sit as a power lifter?

Squat at 355 lbs - I was estimating 400 lbs
Bench at 285 lbs - I was estimating 315 lbs
Deadlift at 475 lbs - Previous best was 455 lbs
Total at 1115 lbs

I was a little disappointed on the squat and bench but it is understandable because I had been focusing on aesthetics instead of strength. I am totally excited on breaking my personal best on deadlift and that makes up for the squat and bench.

So here is where I am at for my goals. Deadline is still January 3rd, 2014. I am still setting my eyes on the 1300 lbs total with Squat at 425 lbs, Bench at 350 lbs, and Deadlift at 525 lbs.

Many people will tell you that it is an unrealistic goal but The question isn't if their opinions are going to let me but rather who's going to stop me!

God Bless,

Travis

Stop Being Schizophrenic with Your Workouts

Hey all,

Sorry I haven't been on here. I have been working out but I have not been consistent. I was jumping from program to program every couple of weeks. I was trying to find one that was going to get me to my goal. My goal of getting to 10% body fat by Christmas. This seems like a decent goal with a firm date and a tough but attainable and measurable result. However, I was not happy with what I was doing to get there and so I was confused on what program I wanted to do. There is so much information and so many programs to try that give great results, but it can get chaotic when you try to process all of it. I had to find something to fix this issue.

Well the other day Cory Gregory, the President of Muscle Pharm, put out a twitter Q&A session. I sent him a tweet asking @MusclepharmPres Do you ever feel like a schizophrenic when deciding workout routines? Ideas on overcoming? I expected a response because he is good at interacting with his followers and the response I got really got me thinking. This is what he responded: @TravisMiller1 yea thats why I try to have a goal at the end of the plan helps me focus. It is not a deep revelation or an awe inspiring piece of knowledge, but it got me thinking.

Then he also has been blogging at #StayMotivated and when I went back and read a few of the posts that I missed. I came across this one.I-could-feel-it-in-air. I realized as I read it that my goal of 10% body fat is an aesthetic goal and I am not an aesthetic person. Yes, I do pose in front of the mirror and I like to flex my biceps and look at the V-Taper that is building as my body fat decreases, but I have never cared about aesthetics or showing everyone my physique. I had forgotten what I really loved to do in the fitness world.

So the solution to my schizophrenic workout mindset......evaluate and set proper a goal(s). This is what I have done and I have a plan, which is still under construction details wise. I really like the power lifting aspect o f weight lifting. Do I want to set world records and become one of the strongest men in the world? That is not part of my goals at this time, but if it happens then it happens. So with a goal set and a date set, I am working out the specific strategy to work toward those goals. I have the program I am going to use to reach my goals chosen.

Before I tell you my specific goals I am going to give a quick overview to the world of power lifting to those who don't know. Power lifting is based around 3 main lifts. Bench Press, Squat, and Deadlift. The goal is to max out for 1 rep (1RM) on all three lifts. To the best of my knowledge, during a meet or competition they have placings for each of the main lifts and an overall which is a combined weight of all your lifts. So for example, say someone has a bench of 300, squats of 450, and deadlift of 500 they would have a combined of 1250 lbs.

So to my specific goals, I plan on holding a personal meet....IE this is my deadline for my goal on the 3rd of January. Based on my past performance my goal is a combined of 1300 lbs. This is based off my best lifts in the past where bench was 295, Squat was 350, and deadlift is 455. The squat is an approximate because I never had as spotter to go for a true 1RM. So my estimated combined is 1100 lbs.

I know, I know, you cannot base a goal on an estimated starting line. So this is where the strategy comes in to play. This upcoming week, I am going to do all three lifts to find out my 1RM on each one of the lifts. This will allow me to adjust and finalize my goals on the lifts and combined. The second part of the strategy is the program I am going to used to get me to my goals. One of the role models that I have had in fitness is Mike O'Hearn. Mike O'Hearn is a huge fitness Icon. He has a program that he follows called Power Bodybuilding. It incorporates the three may lifts in a power lifting routine followed by secondary bodybuilding routine. I am sure that I had mentioned this in the past because I was following this program earlier in the year.

So I ask you once again, to stick with me and keep checking in. ...I will keep you updated with my current 1RM for all three lifts and if I need to adjust my goal for January 3rd then I will update you with that information too.


God Bless,
Travis

Back to the Blogging

     As you all have known, I am on a journey to make my physical being better. I have made great improvements. I had stopped writing on here when I stopped being so dedicated about my progress. I let my diet slip a little and then I got a little confused on what I wanted to do for workouts. This caused a little confusion in my gym life. I have still been working out and still making progress but I have not been as focused. I have been following a program for the last 8 weeks called Get Swole by Cory Gregory the president of MusclePharm. I have seen great results from this program. I have been putting photos and videos up on my instagram @TRAVMLLR.
     I am getting ready to start a program called MI40 by Ben Pakulski. After purchasing his program and reviewing the material and watching all the videos, I am completely amazed at how well this program is put together and the wealth of information Ben provides. I have run a couple of sample workouts this past week based on his concepts and program. As I sit here with my calves and quads on fire from yesterday's workout, I am absolutely convinced this is what I want to used for the next 6 weeks, even though the concepts and knowledge will transfer to any workout program with little effort.
     I am looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you who have been faithful supporters of me and my journey. I plan on keeping this updated as well as adding some videos to the site. I am looking at doing random or maybe some regular video blogs. Please stay tuned and check out the programs I mentioned in the links below.

God Bless
Travis

Links
My Instagram
Get Swole
MI40

Progress Update: End of the $100,000 Transformation Challenge

Hi all,
Sorry I haven't been on here and posted any updates. I have been pretty successful in my transformation. I am down 2 shirt sizes from XXXL to XL. My pants and shorts have gone down from 46 inch waist to 38 inches. True waist measurement is down from 50.5 to 44.75 inches. I didn't make it as far as I wanted to but I am not discouraged and I have started another challenge called Summer Shred also on bodybuilding.com. Here is my final blog entry for the Transformation Challenge HERE.

I am also in the process of creating my own workout program. It is based off of the role models that I have talked about in the past. Dr. Jim Stoppani, Cory Gregory, Mike O'Hearn, and Steve Cook. I have learned so much over the last 9 months from these guys. As you know I specifically followed Jim Stoppani's and Mike O'Hearn's workouts during the transformation challenge. I also used some of the techniques I learned from Cory Gregory. I also have a goal of becoming a personal trainer and so this creation is another step in the process of learning how to be a personal trainer. I know it is a small part but it is a start. And like my primary role model Dr. Stoppani, I am going to be the first guinea pig to follow this program over the next 6 to 12 weeks during the Summer Shred. I will get back into keeping you updated and let you know how my new journey is going.

I would like to thank all of you for your support during this last 13 weeks or so as I have been putting in the effort. Your support is invaluable for staying motivated and pushing through the hard times. If any of you need help or have questions about what I am doing feel free to comment and I will get back to you shortly.

Good Night
God Bless

Travis

Some good links to my role models
www.jimstoppani.com
www.mikeohearn.com
www.musclepharm.com
www.stevecookhealth.com
www.bodybuilding.com

A Week Late but Here You go!

So I promised you all a 6 week update on my progress which of course the end of week 6 was last Monday. Well better late than never.
I would like to say that I don't think the progress pictures do any credit to the real results probably due to the fact that the pictures were not taken with the same background or the same distance from the camera. Lesson learned from that experience. However, the measurement numbers don't lie So without further adieu here you go for the update

Top: Weight 271lbs, BF 26%, Chest 48.5in, Waist 50.5in
Bottom: Weight 260lbs, BF 23.6%, Chest 46.25in, Waist 47in

So there you go. I have switched to doing the HIIT 100 program by Jim Stoppani. This week I have lost another 4.5 pounds and I am excited about what the results are going to be at the end of the entire 12 weeks. 

Another update is that after this 12 weeks is up my friends and I are going to be running in the Warrior Dash on April 13th. This is a 3.2 mile obstacle course. 

That's it for this week. I will try to keep you updated a little more frequently.

God Bless
Travis

Update

So in the last post I had said that I was going to update you on my current stats and what kind of progress I have been making. I didn't do that as you know if you are a regular here. I did take the measurements and I am quite pleased with the results and a I had expected at that time I have actually started losing weight although it hasn't been a lot I am down 7 pounds. Other progress results that I am pleased with is that I am currently wearing a shirt that I haven't worn in about 1 1/2 years.

That is about all I am going to give you for updates on my progress for now because in 8 days I will be 6 weeks in to my 12 week challenge which means it is time for progress pictures and time to switch the exercise routine up. I have the routine I am going to do next already figured out. I need to finish doing some weight calculations for this program but I am doing that on Monday, which happens to be my rest day. So one final progress stat for today and then I am going to sign off until next weekend when I will re-post my before pictures along side my progress pictures. That stat is for the month of January I lost 1.5 inches off my waist and I am sure I have lost about another inch since then but we will find out next week at my half way update.

Stay Tuned

God bless
Travis

L.A. Fitness Expo

Hey All,
Sorry I am late with my update to the Fitness Expo post. I wanted to give you guys an overall presentation of what I thought of the expo and give you an idea of what you can expect when you attend one in the future.

First, I would like to give a big thank you to my good friend Joey over at From Trials to Triumphs for convincing me to go. I had a really great time with him and Ray. We had a great time on the drive up and the drive back. I look forward to future treks with these two Swoldiers.

Second, I would like to congratulate BodyBuilding.com for a great event and what seemed to be a great turn out with the expo. They did an excellent job with getting the event mostly organized and having a lot of great role models for people to meet and greet.

With the thanks out of the way I would like to give you my impression and review of my experience at the L.A. Fitness Expo. We drove to L.A. on Friday, which ended up being a 6 hour drive due to traffic and an unfamiliar route to the driver. We took the time to find a gym and we did about an 1 1/2 hour workout. We then traveled and stayed with a relative for the night. Our plan was to hit the expo early and get as much in as we could on Saturday and then drive back home. With a semi decent hour or two of sleep we woke and took off toward the expo that was held at the L.A. Convention Center. The expo was scheduled to open the doors at 10:00 am and we arrived around 7:00 am, scouted parking and went for breakfast. After breakfast we headed back found our parking which being close to the Convention Center was $25 for the day.

We proceeded into the convention center and found the areas where the expo was being held. Getting there around 8:00 am we got in line which were short at that time for tickets. At around 8:15 they opened up the ticket booths and I was through in about 8 minutes. Joey and Ray had advanced tickets and it took them closer to 20 minutes to get through a shorter line so I don't know how that was beneficial for them. We then proceeded to stand in line for an hour and a half. This is where I think it could have been better organized because it went from a line to 500 people standing around in a big group waiting for the doors and the rush to enter the expo. All said it moved very quickly in and very smoothly.

The setup of the expo floor was pretty good with markings for booth numbers and rows plainly visible and matching the map that was provided at the ticket booth. We walked around and there were many vendors of supplements and training equipment handing out samples and give demonstrations of their products. Some of these seemed to be a little hokey but that is kind of what you expect of up and coming companies trying to break in to an industry. They events and demonstrations going on Saturday were entertaining and fun to watch they had Crossfit challenges, Strongman, Powerlifting, Jujitsu, and a Bodybuilding competition. They also had some events that every joe schmoe in attendance could join such as a max repetition competition. This was pretty entertaining as I watched the barbell curl max rep event while waiting. They had a announcer who was pretty big and looked like he could curl a small bus, and had some pretty witty commentary. And of course with the major supplement brands and celebrities that were there you waited in long lines.

So I got tired of waiting in lines and I decided to walk and meet people. I would like to say that everyone I met was pretty cool, down to earth, and eager to help people reach for their goals. I mainly wanted to meet 3 people and a 4th that was a nice bonus. These people would be Steve Cook, Lou Ferrigno, Kris Gethin, and Jim Stoppani. The first guy we had experience with was Lou Ferrigno and it didn't go very well. Joey saw him in the lobby while we waited for the doors to open and asked if he could get a quick picture and Lou said to meet him at the appropriate booth and walked off. This wasn't a very good start in our Hulk experience. When we did get in the doors the first place we headed was Lou's booth. This is where the major disappointment came in. I can understand that he makes money off his stardom, but there is apparently no limit to the apparent arrogance. So for sale he had professional photos of him in his prime both natural and as the hulk color or black and white, and a training DVD all for $20.I understand this and was willing to pay for anyone of those items. However, the next item on his list of products was a Picture with Lou from my cell phone/camera. This also was listed at $20. I don't know about you but that seemed pretty darn arrogant and set in my mind to not purchase anything from the Hulk. Sorry big guy. But enough about the one disappointment from the expo.

The first guy we got to meet was Kris Gethin who is the video/virtual trainer for bodybuilding.com that Joey and Ray are both following. They are doing his 12 week Hardcore workout. I didn't meet him personally but I did get to see the way he interacted with Joey and Ray. He listed to Joey's story and was truly interested in seeing the progress Joey was making. It was a pretty cool thing to see. Joey would probably agree.

Next we went over to the On Nutrition booth where we met Steve Cook. Steve is really down to earth and I got separated from Joey and Ray before getting to him so I only got to see the interactions of the people around me and then my personal experience. He seemed so down to earth and truly a nice guy. I got to talk to him about being a Christian and that what he was doing as being an inspiration. I got my picture taken with him and got my Jan Muscle and Fitness magazine signed.

The last notable guy on my list is Jim Stoppani. As you know by now, Jim is my video/virtual trainer off bodybuilding.com and his website jimstoppani.com. I send Jim questions via twitter and he responds which is pretty cool because I know the guy gets 100's of tweets per day. When I met him I walked up and was ready to give him a brief introduction that I am following his workouts and before I could get past Hey Jim he looks at me and says "I know you." This is pretty cool because they only place he would have know me is through my twitter avatar and a couple pics that have been flown through the twitter space while tweeting with him. But he remembered me and even remembered details about our recent conversations. I think this is where what Joey calls my "Mangasm" started. Jim was so awesome to talk to and talk with about the workouts and the frustrations/progress that I was experiencing at the time. He then proceeded to give me some supplements that he had brought to give out to people. He gave me a pretty cool shaker, a 32 serving MusclePharm Assault, and some BPI Creatine. This was a pretty cool experience for me, but what happened next was much cooler. Joey came over to meet Jim and I got to watch Jim talk to Joey about his past and got to see Jim give on the spot personal advice to Joey to help overcome.

That is a basic overview of what we did and what we experienced. Joey and Ray got to meet more people who were the spokes models for Bodybuilding.com because they waited an hour in line which I didn't want to do by that time. I had enough with lines.

I would recommend going to one of these expos if they have one near you or with in a few hours drive. It is well worth the little inconveniences. I plan on going back next year to the L.A. Fitness Expo if possible.

Let me know what you think

Progress update should be coming up soon. I am starting week 4 of my transformation tomorrow.


God Bless
Travis

Joey with Kris Gethin

Me with Jim Stoppani

Me with Steve Cook

Exciting Weekend Ahead

Hey all,
I just wanted to tell you that I am heading to LA this weekend for the 2013 Fitness Expo. I am pretty stoked about meeting my role models, my personal trainer, and some cool celebrities like Lou Ferigno aka The Original Incredible Hulk. I plan on posting pics and doing a review of the event for you all by the end of Monday.
My fitness program is going well. I was a little disappointed because I wasn't seeing the slightest bit of weight loss. I talked to my personal trainer about caloric intake and it seems I am doing pretty good even though I am a little low on the recommended calorie intake. I decided that I would check to see if there was any other evidence of progress and I have in 11 days lost an 1/2 inch off my waist. So I am pretty excited about that and waiting to see what the final results are going to be.
I am also going to be getting my body fat tested by a professional hopefully on Monday morning. This is a big deal because trying to get an accurate measurement is some times pretty difficult by yourself. I have calculated my body fat to be anywhere from 16% to 36%. This is why I am going to have someone else take the measurements for me.

Thanks for tuning in

God Bless
Travis

Before Pictures and Progress

So I am a little late on sharing my before pictures as I had said I would. l did get them uploaded to the contest on Tuesday as planned, I just didn't get them posted on here. So without further ado here they are.

As you can see I have some fat to burn off but that is what this is all about. Getting myself into better shape and more aesthetically pleasing, for myself.
Today is day 5 of the 1-2-3 Lean program that I am following right now. The workouts are kicking my butt which is good. The program is a constant moving, constant working program. That means from the time I start to the time I finish which is about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes, I am doing nothing but sweating my butt off while doing cardio and weight lifting. This program has my whole body sore but I know it is for a good thing. It doesn't limit my daily activities just gives me a reminder that I am doing something about my fitness condition.
Exercise is half of the solution to the body fat. The other half is nutrition. You cannot expect to put crap in and get a diamond out. You have to put in quality to get quality results. I have been eating pretty clean and pretty lean. I am only eating whole grain foods which means no processed flours, sugars, or starches. I am eating a lot of fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and like I said whole grains. Sample of my daily diet is as follows:

Breakfast:
3-4 Eggs (omelet)
1/4 shredded fiesta cheese
2 slices turkey bacon
1/4 cup tomatoes
1/4 cup mixed peppers
1 TBSP Salsa
1/2 Cup Plain Quaker Oats

Snack:
1/4 cup Almonds
1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit

Lunch:
2 Cups Leaf Lettuce
1 Cup Baby Spinach
1/4 Cup Tomato
1/2 Cucumber
1/2 Cup mixed peppers
2 TBSP Fat Free Dressing
6-8oz Grilled Chicken Breast
1-2 slices Whole grain bread

Snack:
1/2 cup frozen/fresh fruit
1/2 cucumber

Dinner:
Similar Salad as lunch normally no dressing

I am also taking Muscle Pharm Combat Protein Powder with Muscle Pharm Assault for pre-workout and Muscle Pharm Combat Protien Powder for post workout.

Right now my diet isn't as balanced as it should be but it is getting closer. I am shooting for 40% Protein, 40% Carbs, and 20% fats. Currently running 40% Protein, 30% Carbs and 30% Fats but I am still eating pretty healthy. The change of the percentages is slowly moving more toward optimal so I am going to keep going and get it done.

God Bless

Travis

2013 The Year of Goal Accomlishment

So it has been a while since I have posted. The good news is I am still hitting the gym at least 5 days per week. I have been seeing great gains strength and definition wise. Weight wise I haven't lost any poundage but I am down between 6 and 8% body fat.
So goals have been set for this year. Since I have spent the past couple months building muscle, my goal is to get shredded and lose the body fat. I am set to steer clear of high fructose corn syrup ie no soda, and only whole grain bread. I don't know what my goal weight is but I do know that I want to be sub 12% body fat.
Motivation right now is pretty high because I am gearing up for a new program that is designed to burn the fat and develop lean muscle. I have seen some pretty awesome before and after photos of other people who have had great success with this program. Another tool that is motivating is that I am entering into Bodybuilding.com's 2013 $100,000 Transformation. This is an 84 day or 12 week competition that they put on where grand prize is $50,000 with supplement prizes, gym membership, all expenses paid trip, and video/photo shoot. The motivation is doing the contest and challenging myself to push past my goals. I also have a couple of friends, that make up our #GoGreen team (see Pic Below), that are also joining the contest. I am getting so much motivation from my friends and family as I keep getting compliments on the progress that I have already made. Thank you all for the support.
So what am I doing different for the next 12 weeks? Well I am starting a program by Jim Stoppani called 1-2-3 Lean which is going to kick my butt and I am looking forward to it. It is only a 6 week program so I am going to follow it up with either Jim's HIIT 100 program or his Six Weeks to Sick Arms. Which one will be determined by where I am after the first six weeks us up. I'm you want to know more about the programs check out Jim's website jimstoppani.com.
Meal wise I am going to be eating very lean with chicken breast, tuna, and lots of vegetables. Also going to be eating slow burning carbs and cutting out all the sugars and "white" carbs. Lower glycemic carbs are healthier and better for fat loss.
So my contest starts on Tuesday and I am really excited to see the results in 12 weeks. I plan on keeping you all updated along the way. If you want to know more about what I am doing either exercise wise or food wise leave a comment and I will expand more in my next post. Come back on Tuesday to see my contest before pictures. I will get them up as soon as I can. I am thinking of maybe doing a video blog in the future. Let me know what you think.

God bless
Travis