Remember Amit Sidwani?  If not, I’m sure these pictures will ring a bell….

He won one of my recent 12 week transformation contests, perhaps the most dramatic   transformation I’ve ever seen! We’ll, I just got this email from him and it wasn’t so much the words, but the casual mention of his new after pictures that shocked me!  Give Amit a big congratulations.  He’s living large inside and outside of the gym!

“Well, first of all, I must congratulate you on the grand success of first ever Live Large Seminar and I am proud to be part of it, though virtually through DVD’s. I have already watched 4 DVD’s and got ample amount of revived motivation to strive harder in my Personal, Professional and Spiritual Life. And I am sure by next year, at the time of next Live Large Seminar, I will be a successful testimony leading a life of LIVING LARGE and will be apart of the seminar in person!” 

Amit Sidhwani.

P.S.  - Recently, I gained 20 pounds of muscle and that’s undoubtely the best of the shape I have ever been. I have attached couple of pics.  

If it’s been said before, it’s been said 937 times – if you want to succeed, you are going to have to take chances.

Take the turtle for example. Poor creature moves as fast as a stone. If he wanted, he could stay inside his shell all day and relax. But it knows it’s missing out on the action; so the turtle sticks its head out and does something about it.

When we stay complacent with our lives, or pass up on opportunities we are interested in, we are the ones relaxing inside the shell. We are missing out on the action. But if you stick your neck out of the shell, there are so many possibilities waiting for you.

Memorize this:

“Behold the turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.”

- James Bryant Conant

10 Strange Reasons I’m Competing On Stage…

1. I believe I only make progress in life when I stick my neck out. Not just my neck but I’ll be sticking out every body part for the world to either critique or applaud.  Contrary to what you might think, it’s not normal for the majority of physique athletes to prance around the stage in virtually no clothing while a panel of judges scores you on your overall marketability, physique, stage presence, level of confidence, overall health, symmetry, colour, choice of clothing and probably a few more things I’m missing.  So by getting up on stage – believe me when I say I’m OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE.  Now the key is to become a different character and put on a show so that on lookers have no idea I’m actually nervous inside!

2. I don’t believe in competing unless I know I can or will look better than my last show. To me, competing over and over while bringing the same physique to the stage is like running  a 5km road race in the same finishing time.  Where is the improvement?  I compete to take my body to new heights and to win.  I don’t treat a physique competition like a recreational activity or hobby.  It’s a sport and I treat it like a full time professional athlete.

3. I want to win my Pro Fitness Model Status so I can compete against the best of the best August 27th at the World WBFF Championships in Toronto, Ontario.  I believe I need to get first place this weekend (and you never know who’s going to show up at these shows… guys come out of the wood works!) and in physique competitions anything can happen!  A lot of people ask me who I look up to and their is a small handful of physique athletes I’ve grown to know personally, whom I consider friends and guys who keep me focused on my goals because their bodies are so inspirational.  Who are they?  ”Six Pack” Artus Shakur, Rob Riches and Obi Obadike.  These guys are all first class gentleman and I would be honoured and humbled to be on the same stage with all of them one day!  I could name off a series of other guys who are truly in a class of their own and would be honoured to compete against them but I don’t want them to know I’m spying on them too I am a true competitor so would love to see how I fair against the best of the best.  If you think you have a body that can compete with the best fitness model physiques in the world, check out http://www.wbffshows.com for more info.  This is the organization that has impressed me the most, does the most for the athletes, hosts in great venues, gives away decent prizes and attracts the highest caliber of athlete.

4. I want to hit 4.5% body fat. I have not been in “contest shape” (5-7% body fat range) since June 2008 when I competed last.  I guess you could say I got the competition bug and after watching one of my training partners, Artus Shakur, compete last September and earn his Pro Status, I told myself, “I can do this too and I’m going to give this a serious shot.”  I also brought a coach into the picture, an IFBB PRO BODYBUILDER who was a huge investment and has dialed my body in perfectly.  I’ve learned so much by working with a coach instead of doing it on my own this time.  I can’t image preparing for a show on my own ever again.  I can’t wait to see how he gets me dry to the bone by Saturday!

5. One of my life-time achievement goals is to land a cover on either Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Status, REPS, Inside Fitness, Muscle & Fitness or any other fitness mag.  It’s easy to get featured inside the magazine but it’s completely different to land a cover.  The fitness industry is similar to all organizations and it’s often not “How you look but who you know!”  Competing at the big shows, meeting the organizations, athletes, photographers and inside contacts can go a long way and speed things alone.  Just like any business, people want to do business with their friends and people they know so you got to become friends and meet the people that can pull the trigger for you.  The day after the show I’ll be shooting with Jason “The King Of Covers” Ellis, GW “The Edge” Burns and Leigh “Style” Hagan.  Three big name guys that I want to make very easy to photograph me.

6.  I’m the only guy on the Internet who believes you can BLOW BEYOND YOUR GENETIC POTENTIAL so better believe that I’m going to live up to that message and disprove any monkey who says otherwise. It’s not just a cute saying to sell more of my programs – it’s something I truly believe and by taking my body to new levels I’m living proof (even after I’ve been training for almost 10 years in the gym now) that you can shatter and shred your goals from limb to limb.   I am the face of my mantra: LIVE LARGE.  I would never tell you to LIVE LARGE if I didn’t live out the message myself.

7. My beautiful wife, Flavia, has never seen me on stage prancing around and squeezing my glutes in front of a huge crowd. My wife keeps saying, “Any guy can get a six pack Vinny… I want to see you get a eight pack!”  She’s not kidding and believes in me that much.  I won’t let her down.    I have to give her this pleasure at least once in her life to drool all over a shredded eight pack!  She’s also never seen me shredded and diced so this will be a super fun experience!  She’s seen me “lean” but she’s never seen veins coming out of my chest, lower abdomen and I’m even starting to get lines on my glutes!  I really want to make her proud.

8. I’ll be in the best shape of my life by April 16th! Not a bad way to start the year eh? The 2011 Fitness Atlantic Championships are being held early in the year so I‘m going to be sitting at sub 5% body fat by mid April. I plan on doing another show, April 30th in Quebec and will be competing with a few of my training partners.  And meet organizer, Brian Cannone who’s an amazing guy, has brought in P90X creator Tony Horton to the event so I’m really hoping I can meet him (I look up to Tony for all he’s done and how he looks at 52 years of age) and shoot some vids with him.

9. I successfully bulked up my body to almost 230 lbs in November and December of 2010 and it’s time to reveal the freak and show the world what I really look like after all the water and fat is stripped off my body. Every athlete knows whether they bring their best or not and I can say I’ve never brought my absolute best to the stage.  This April 16th, I’m going to show the world what a real man looks like and reveal the freak, the savage beast, the ultimate warrior, an untamed barbarian… the heart throb Vinny D is going to show the world what it means to LIVE LARGE!  My goal is to come in under 5% body fat which will be a life time achieve accomplishment for me.  In the picture on this page I’m 199 lbs and 6.4%  I’m training like a wild pitbull right now to get the last few grams (not pounds) of fat off.  Oh yeah, their is NO SUCH THING as stubborn fat.  Fat is fat.  If you’re not lean, you simply have MORE fat to lose.

10.  This year I’m working on my hardcopy book deal and want to be the model for the exercises! Yes, majorly exciting stuff and I want to be the model for the book that will perform the exercise shot list.  This means I want to bring my best physique to the shoot and ensure I’m happy with the pictures for a long time to come.  Transformation pictures are powerful and can be used to market yourself for a lifetime.  I’ll never become that guy who uses the same “after” pictures from ten years ago! Heck, they are still using Arnold’s pics to sell magazines and his pics were taken 30+ years ago!

Wish me luck and if you live in the Connecticut area, here is the event information to get yourself some tickets and to see me BRING IT!   I’ll be on stage at 12pm for the pre judging and 6pm for the finals.  Click here to come and watch.

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Comments? Questions?  Anything you want to know about my show prep?  Let me know and I’ll do some more blog posts this week.

For now, i want to hook you up with a 50% off discount for a program called STAGE READY NUTRITION & TRAINING and in it you’ll discover the “back stage secrets” that the most successful fitness, bikini, model and bodybuilding competitors use to dominate their competitions and land on famous fitness magazines…

CLICK HERE TO FOR A “SHOW PREP 50%” OFF SPECIAL!”

“Gino Wins Again And Proves Virtually Anything Can Be Physically Achieved”

“As you can see I have managed to shred even more fat while staying at the same weight, which means yet again I have put on a little more muscle at the same time.

I suspect I am around 4.5% bodyfat now. Thanks to MYM I find no greater joy than being able to demonstrate that through dedication, persistence, motivation, and hard work anything is possible; and what’s more these qualities carry over positively into other areas of my life.

I have learned that if we dream something and commit ourselves to doing everything we possibly can to achieving it, our minds can be so powerful that it can truly become a physical realization.”

Gino Aquino
Trinity Beach, QLD, Australia

2nd Place Winner of $2000 Cash

“Aimo’s Inspires An Entire Generation Of Men To Train With Weights!”

“It is a great pleasure to me to be your customer and pupil. I especially like your way to be the main star in the videos, in which you so clearly show, how to train, to do it effectively.

Also I am very much interested in your nice way of teaching people, how to live and behave to be happy, giving that way something, that few coaches care to do.

Your teaching includes advice, that benefits the person as whole, not just the body part, but attitudes and spirit as well.

I have studied a lot during the last few years through the Internet, especially how to train and eat. My files contain more than 20 binds full of training and proper eating. My notebook has names of 25 trainers and coaches, many of whom must be your friends and rivals. Some were in your wedding video and some in your MYM videos. I like that free way of being connected to others in mutual giving and receiving. It reminds me of, what Paul said about more happiness in giving than receiving. I agree with him and you. You are giving more than you have to, because you receive more that way, not only money, but obviously joy.

My goal to take part in this MYM system was not only to seek for better condition and looks, but to show by my official photos to other older men, that it is never too late to start serious training, although I can not be very satisfied with the outcome, as yet…

I even thought, that those after photos may make people laugh at me, thinking, that I must be a big jolly joker to let publish them ( if they ever will be shown to public ). Anyway those photos may be able to show, that some change may occur, if you try to do, what you should have done continuously your whole life, train, eat a lot fruits, vegetables and chicken and turkey breast, fish and other food that contains protein + good oils, and sleep enough. I have slept 10 to 12 hours a night since I was 62, and I have noticed, that it gives me more strength and vigor, than the usual 8 hours sleep.

I also take multivitamins and minerals, especially vitamins C and D to make sure, that there will be no lacking links in my cells. I have studied a lot these items. I am sure, that people in general should test their body with these things to be healthier and happier and live longer. It really is good to be 73 and strong and healthy. My doctor only tests me every year and never gives me any prescriptions, never yet.

What more should I say, than THANK YOU, Vince!

This hot summer in Spain has seen me getting plenty of sunshine on my roof, where I have been able to train in fresh air. I understand, that I should have been running more in the near hill, but other duties have taken my time, and the hot days and nights have taken their toll, too… ( 42 degrees Centigrade as tops ).

I have had mixed feelings towards this picture thing. I must Tell you, that I have been sort of ashamed of my arrogance to take part in this picture campaign. But as I told you in my essay, my main goal was to try to encourage older people to train with weights.

I will be very happy, if even one person will get a kick to start taking care of his/her body after seeing my before and after photos.
My Best Regards to you and your beautiful wife. You both are doing a great job to help people all over the planet to live a strong and long life. Your loyal customer.”

Aimo Ruoho
Torrevieja, Alicante province, Spain

3rd Place Winner of $1000 Cash

“Aimo’s Dave Loses 45 Lbs Of Lard & Feels Like A New Man!”

“My transformation started with me weighing in at 230lbs and 25% bf. I was ashamed of what I had let myself become.

With my 30th birthday coming up I was looking for a program to help get me back in shape quick. 16 weeks into MYM I am now 185lbs and 15%bf. I am truly amazed at what I have done.

I no longer am ashamed of myself and my confidence has gone through the roof. My confidence has carried through in every aspect of my life and I feel like a new man.

When I started I was on the opposite end of most people starting the program. I want to use MYM to prove that this program isn’t just for added muscle, but also for fat loss. I still have a ways to go on my transformation, and with MYM I should knock those goals out in another 16 weeks.”

Dave Chaffin
Ashland, Kentucky

4th Place Winner Of $500

“James Drops From 15% To 6% Body Fat & His Confidence Has Skyrocketed!”

“For the past 4-5 years I had been stuck at about 170lbs and 11%bf. MYM seemed like what I needed to get back into shape and break through my old plateau. It provided me a well-designed program that was already laid out for me and which would insure a variety of set/rep schemes, progressions and exercises.

I hadn’t planned on entering this contest, but after losing a pound and 1%bf the first week I decided to take a picture and track my weight/bf%. The past 16 weeks and the sacrifices required to make this transformation have helped me become more disciplined.

In addition the transformation has caused my confidence to skyrocket and has me excited about what can happen during the next 16 weeks and the rest of MYM. My transformation and the changes to my lifestyle have also had an impact on my friends and family, encouraging them to improve their dietary habits and to rededicate themselves to their training.”

Stats:
May 18, 2010 – 174lbs 15%bf
Sep. 8, 2010 – 179lbs 6%bf

James Wolf
Pleasanton, California

5th Place Winner

“Dietrich Gains 10 lbs of Muscle & Lost 5% Body Fat!”

“Where do I begin? I’ve always (like many, no doubt) aspired to having a physique that people put on a pedestal. One that gets people to do a double-take, whenever you walk past. However, I never seemed to be able to get any closer to that dream.

I’ve always been active and lived a relatively healthy lifestyle, even more so after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 14. Yet, this seemed to further hinder my progress. So I decided to just keep doing what I was doing, and maintain the level was at. It seems that, while I was never skinny, I was never going to be that super ripped guy either.

At the start of last year (2009) I moved out of home, because of University. Like most guys, I didn’t want to slave over meals in the kitchen, so junk seemed like the way to go, even though I tried to keep a relatively tight leash on myself, by still taking in fruit and vegetables. Then one day while driving, I noticed a slightly bigger bulge over the seatbelt (down, where it goes across your waist). Most people wouldn’t have thought much of it, but that really was the drive I needed! When I got home, I jumped online and started looking up fitness info and videos. This led me to Craig Ballantyne, who had impressive credentials, so I followed some of his stuff for a while, but then started hitting another plateau.

Then in one of Craig’s newsletter’s I got the link to sign up to MYM. At first I was really sceptical, since I’m always on the lookout for online marketing scams. But I literally only had $1 to lose, so I went for it.

With no regrets!

The first thing I got in order was my diet/nutrition. I realised that there’s more to getting lean and building muscle than just eating ‘healthy’ foods. I believe that you can eat the healthiest foods on the planet and still be overweight. The key is timing. This requires knowledge. I learnt when to eat certain foods, and when to avoid them; when they’d be most beneficial, and when they wouldn’t be. This helped me get down to a whopping 5% body fat .

The other thing I did was look at who I was hanging out with. I started hanging around people who have a similar outlook on life to the one I’ve got, or have similar aspirations. The results have been amazing! I’ve become a more productive and confident person. While I still have a long way to go, and will never stop growing at that, I have come a long way. Instead of merely being the guy in the background, for a lot of people, I’m now the go-to guy when it comes to health and fitness, and I’ve also noticed that people have started asking me for advice about how to cope with other areas in their lives.

One of the challenges faced by me is due to my diabetes. Being type 1 diabetic, my body doesn’t produce insulin, so I have to administer doses myself, which requires careful balance, since too much can lead to hypoglycaemia (low blood-sugar), and too little to hyperglycaemia (high blood-sugar). Thus, getting hitting certain anabolic targets isn’t as easy for me. An example would be post-workout, where I’ll take in heaps of carbs. In a non-diabetic, the insulin would shove all the carbs into the muscle, replenishing glycogen stores. I can take in the same amount of carbs, but can’t just administer insulin whenever I choose, so it requires a bit of balance. All this means for me, is that my gains will be a little slower. This hasn’t kept me down. I’ve accepted that there’s no getting around it. Supplements may help, but we don’t get ones that are too great here in Australia, so I’ve been sticking to whole foods mainly which meant I had to learn to cook (which is an area in which I’ve grown personally). Thus, this has in no way kept me from reaching my goals. In fact it’s renewed my determination to reach them, more than before, just to prove to others that it IS possible, and that doubts are superficial limits that our own minds throw up around us when we’re forced to take risks, or really commit to something.
The key is to admit that you need to learn, which means really humbling yourself and admitting that you don’t know everything, and asking for help. It also means that you have to accept that there are times that you will fail, BUT you need to learn from those experiences, and then get up and try again. Whatever happens, you will come out the other side a better, more mature person!

The key to being a leader is being prepared to be lead. This means that before you can tell anyone else what to do, you have to be able to do it yourself, or apply it in your own life, otherwise you are a hypocrite, and have no right to criticise others. Put another way: the best way to get a message across is through actions, and not words.

Thanks Vince, and all the other MYM superstars and members for the fantastic advice and environment they have provided, to help me grow and become a better person.”

Start:
Weight: 76Kg
Body Fat: 9-10%

Finish (after shedding all the water weight and heavy dieting):
Weight: 80Kg
Body Fat: 5%

Dietrich Marquardt
Hobart, Tasmania
Australia

6th Place Winner

“Josh Lost 7% Body Fat & Reveals His Best Physique To Date!”

“I started Maximize Your Muscle in April of this year. Before then I had been training for a little over a year starting out doing just basic weightlifting pretty much following general principles i.e. 3 sets of 10 to 12 per exercise and about 6 to 7 exercises per workout. I did well losing 20 pounds in about 4 months time and becoming more toned than I had ever been. I then started p90x and followed that program for almost 7 months and while it did get me even more toned it never really helped me gain any size.

I happened to just stumble across Vince’s website one day on the internet looking for new bodybuilding workouts and something about the way he marketed himself and the way he came across in his videos spoke to me.

One month into the program I had gained about 3 pounds and was excited that I was finally starting to see some new progress. With the help of phase 2 Vinsanity, XFLD, and Vince’s Worlds Toughest Diet I managed to lose almost 7 % body fat bringing me down to 6.5% and was looking the best I ever had.

This program has helped me boost my confidence 10 fold and I know that there is nothing that can stop me from blowing beyond my genetic potential.

What really makes Vince’s program unique is not only are the workouts constantly challenging you but the additional content and support he provides to you is exceptional. He really makes you feel like more than just another customer.”

Josh Proberts
Wamsutter, Wyoming

Special Congratulations To The Entire Crew Of Maximize Your Muscle Members Who Are Blowing Beyond Their Genetic Potential Each Month… Here Is Special Recognition To The Rest Of Our Contestants From The Most Recent 16-Week Transformation…

“Jovanny Makes An Investment & Now Has Ripped Abs”

“I’ve always been a person who likes to challenge himself and push my limits. MYM workouts are incredible! I love 5 Day Full Body Vinsanity.

My life and body quickly started changing after I signed up for this program, best investment I’ve ever made.

Even the life of people around me changed. I’ve got many people into joining me at the gym and changing their unhealthy eating habits. What I love most about the programs is the Vinny’s inner views and how he shares his own life experiences with us members and really helps us connect with him. MYM not just a bunch of workouts put together on hard paper, it has feeling put into it. At least that’s how I feel when I receive a copy in the mail (which by the way it’s very exciting!). I am very happy with this program and I am sticking to it and working hard to follow the plan!”

Stats:
Before: 174 lbs 15% fat
After: 152 lbs 7% fat

Jovanny Aviles
New York, New York

“Syd Lost 24 Lbs of Blubber & His Girlfriend is Very Impressed”

“All my weights have gone up quite a lot from when I first started to now the gym I am at I am starting to max out a few machines, and my body weight has decreased from a rather large 115kgs (253lbs) in the past, down to currently 104kgs (229lbs) and I don’t intend stopping there.

My body fat % has come down accordingly and my girlfriend is very impressed with the results!

MYM provides you the training system to build the body you want as fast as you want or to go at the speed your comfortable with so to speak, as you continually learn more and more of what you and your body are capable of.

And you have someone there every step of the way to provide guidance and leadership. The forum and having access to communicate with others and Vince and his team is a huge benefit and supports you to what you want to achieve, as were all heading in the same direction. Others will help you up and along to your goal.”

Syd Solomona
Tauranga, New Zealand

“Alistair Is Looking Better Than The Younger Guys In His Gym”

“I think you can see straight away I’ve really progressed in leaps & bounds with my transformation, I have improved the shape & tone of my body & my body looks completely different to when i started.

I have been what i would consider active for many years & thought i was in good shape, well until the truth of the day 1 pics showed me otherwise. I had felt good at the time as I had just lost 10kgs prior to this with a lot of cardio & kettlebell training, but all the while was desperate to find a new way of training that would kill the boredom i was feeling at the gym & help me get back to the way i looked when i was in my late twenties.

I had been doing a lot of research online & came across your program via Scott Sonnen & his tacfit commando website, it was honestly on his recommendation that i took the leap & purchased MYM, well plus the fact that you made me believe you had something special to offer & not just in the way of transforming myself but offering me the chance to inspire others & to be inspired, something I find happening most days when i log in & read the advice of others or their stories of dedication & training from my fellow MYM members.

The phases have been all you said & more, phase 2 was so tough & left me a lot of the time with a feeling of “i cant go on” but i believe in myself & dont give up that easy, plus having a light at the end of the tunnel reminding me that if i do push through, there’s rewards waiting for me & getting into great shape is only the beginning of what comes with discipline & self respect.

The flow on effect of this physical change is happening in my work life & also wherever i go, I’m getting close to 40 now yet I feel better than i have since my 20′s & early 30′s all thanks to this amazing training regime. I’m even lifting more than i ever have before & at risk of sounding a little cocky, i think I look better than most of the guys in my gym now & they are mostly in their 20′s 

As pleased as i am with how I’ve done so far, i know i can do better & hope to wow you with my continuing improvements. I know phase 5 isnt relevant to this but I cant get enough of it, my strength has gone through the roof, my squats PB has gone from 140kgs/308lbs to 170kgs/374lbs in only 3 weeks! I cant wait to see what else you have to offer.

Thanks for the chance to enter this comp Vince & thanks for giving me back my self belief & desire to hit the gym hard every day & leave knowing i have given my all.

Good luck to all who have entered the comp”

Alistair
Australia

“Jason Goes From Skinny Soft Guy To Lean & Muscular”

“I started this program at about 170lbs soaking wet and I had worked hard to get the body fat off me…but I was still somewhere around 18% and looking in the mirror I felt that I looked too much like a marathon runner…which was not at all what I had been shooting for.

I stumbled upon MYM and subscribed. Now a little over four months later I am 180lbs and about 11.5% body fat.

I have never felt so good in my entire life. I am leaner and more muscular and the confidence boost has been a great help to me. I may not be the most radically transformed individual physically, but the mental transformation that this program has provided me has been far more important to me.

I have made significant progress in my business, I am starting to build up a clientèle and I am really loving my work! I was a bit of a procrastinator before I started MYM, but having a goal and being reminded that all I had to do was put forth the effort and plan it step by step has helped me get my life moving forward again!”

Jason Ward
Wolfville, Nova Scotia

“Arn Stops Wasting His Time & Strips 31 Lbs Of Stomach Fat”

“That’s a sentence Vince used in one of his programs. And I couldn’t get that sentence out of my mind. How long have I really been wasting waiting… I barely could not ask that question to myself. How long…WAY to long!

After a couple of years training in the gym it was always the same game…gaining muscle and gaining fat, losing muscle and losing fat… I was sick and tired not getting the results I wanted. It was time for the real deal!

So I started MYM. Each month a new training program, new tips and hints, a coaching call and lots of support on the forum. This program is designed to work, and it did!

I started at 94kg (207 pounds) and a lot of that weight was fat and I ended at 80kg (176 pounds) with less fat and far more muscle I ever had before.

People started to notice that I began to change and started to ask me questions. What are you eating, which program do you use and one guy asked me if I use steroids. To be honest, that last question made me happy, it was a compliment. I love MYM because it’s different then other programs. It feels like having a personal trainer 24/7.”

Arn Borremans
Antwerp, Belgium

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End

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Pretty amazing transformations eh?  And I’m not just referring to their bodies.  If you took the time to read their transformation stories you’ll see that these guys have transformed in body, mind and soul – in the literal sense.

I’m extremely proud of my Maximize Your Muscle members and they continue to prove that limits are only created in the mind.  Feel free to ask them any questions you have about their stories and I’ll ask the boys to stop by and help you out.

Vince Del Monte

“From Obese To Ripped Cover Model!”

“I want to thank you as i have achieved one of my life goals of being featured as cover Boy in India’s largest Health Magazine – “Men’s Health”. I purchased and followed your 6 pack abs quest program for 4 months religiously n got my 6 pack ab sheet. I reduced from 18% body fat to 2.9 % body fat to be shoot ready. I was obese since birth and by the time i finished high school i was hefty 119 kgs. with waistline of 44 inches but i started jogging and reduced my size to 85 kgs. in 9 months but still six pack was evasive and due to constant slow and steady cardio my metabolism went sluggush.

That time my body fat was 18 % and i hit the plateau. Then, i came to know about your program. I again want to put on this on record, without your training n diet principles it would have been impossible for me.”

Amit Sidhwani
India

2nd Place!

“From Fit To Freaking Shredded!”

“Before actually getting started and being disciplined on your program, I could not manage to get ripped and still maintain strength. I always had some power and strength, but I looked completely bloated before stumbling upon your program. Its so amazing what your program has done for me. I basically started eating right, as you adamantly put when stating how to get ripped. I began doing a lot of the isolated, slow moving exercises to tear the muscle fibers for complete reconstruction of the muscle and incorporated the cardio three times a week for at least fifteen minutes. These three main things did wonders for me as the fat began to disappear and people everywhere began giving me compliments and asking me to train them. All I could say was, “Vince Delmonte Program” and explain to them the things involved and the methods I was using. You really have helped me. Not only as a motivator but as a trainer. ”

Joey de la Cruz
Uvalde, Texas, USA

3rd Place!

“65 Is Only A Number…He’s Miles Ahead!”

“I was going to the gym fairly regularly, but not doing any specific ” Goal Oriented” training. I had a Personal Trainer that I used once a week, and he’s the one who suggested I should consider competing.

I decided to keep at the program and started to download many of your articles “Deadly Body Building Myths”, “Weight Training Tips”, “The Secret to 6 Pack Abs”, “Upside Down Training’, etc. I’m getting back into training now and have now downloaded your “Coaching Videos” and as before will follow routines from your “Insane Muscle Gain Report” and your “Virtual Trainer”.

I’m 65 now, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s only a number and should never be used as an excuse not to have a lean, trim, athletic body, and the extra energy I have from being fit puts me “Miles” ahead of many of my associates in their early “50′s.”

Don Casagrande
New Zealand

And Special Congratulations & Recognition To All Our Other Body Transformation Contestants From The 7th and 8th Transformation Contest

“I Will Do It I Will Make My Abs Visible!”

“I have been traning for years but still i never could remove my shirt and show my body to anyone. I was around 215 pounds for couple of years but i was far from ripped body, even not close to lean. I had lot of fat around my muscles. I was doing wrong things for years. I was working with heavy wheights and i was not checking type of food i was eating. Once i was in restaurant with couple of my friends we started to talk about gym and body. After while one of my friends said to me how come you are advicing us while your body doesnt look like u do gym at all. This is when i said to myself I WILL DO IT, I WILL MAKE MY ABS VISIBLE As i was subscribed in lot of Web sited including vince delmonde’s i started to follow those videos from YOUTUBE. I started this program on november and after sixmonths i got from fat to lean – ripped in 10 % body fat with very nice body shape with 180 pounds.”

Valerie Comeau
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

“Thanks…I’ve Started To Change My Life…”

“Hello, Vince!

I write to you to say thanks about your muscle building workouts and your tips who change my life. 3moth ago i wanted to change my life and start looking on internet some tips – how to grow my muscles. And youtube show me first link to Vince Delmonte story. After some day of reading your public materials and workout tips i start to change my life.

I make my successfully meal plan and start go to gym. I use your workout tips and inspiration and now i can show my result after 90 day transformation.

3moth ago i have 75kg now i have 77kg. About body fat i don’t know how to calculate it,  but starting transformation my height: 187cm, weight: 74kg, waist: 89cm and after height: 187cm, weight: 77kg, waist: 84cm.

The biggest benefits from my transformation was:
1) I feel more healthier.
2) I learned how to reach the goals using my will force.
3) I feel more confident about myself.
4) And of course girls like my new body more better ;”

Gatis
Latvia, Riga

“Chris Gains 19 Pounds Of Muscle & Takes Control Of His Life…”

“My name is Chris and I recently purchased your no-nonsense 30th birthday package about a week ago when you had that special birthday sale! I’ve been so wrapped up between reading the e-book and watching the DVD’s (thank you for those by the way! They are awesome!)  (note: I’ve done weight training and bodyweight training prior to purchasing your program, but I have never done so as intense as your program entails!)

I am 5’1″ and weighed in at 124 lbs. during my photo. I believe my body fat percentage was 4% during the taking of this photo ( I might have to get back with you again on this for proper accuracy… unsure if this was my body fat percentage or not but still calculated in the metabolic calculator anyways.)

Here are my measurements (used body measuring tape):

Biceps 13 inches 33 cm (left/right)
Waist 25 inches 75 cm
Chest 32 inches 88 cm
Legs (Thighs) 14 inches 40 cm (both)
Neck 14 inches
Calfs  14 inches 37 cm (both left and right)
Forearms 10 inches 29 cm (both)

Before purchasing your program I had no clue on what exercises to do and I just wasted alot of time in the gym doing alot of the wrong exercises. I wasn’t making any gains and I was really getting frustrated. I did some exercises before purchasing your program but never as intense as this program is.

I asked friends for advice but I didn’t quite get the advice I wanted. My only option was the internet. I researched thick and through until I found your webpage! I finally got the answers I wanted, so I ended up purchasing your program on your birthday special, which was really awesome. As I started reading the e-book upon purchasing, I was amazed at the valuable info that was in the book! It really changed my whole perspective on training. I love the online forums as I am making and motivating others to make success like I am myself.

With your program, I have a huge increase in strength, I gained fifteen pounds (137) since starting your program and my co-workers have notice the increase in the mass of muscle I’ve been gaining within these three months. I have learned how to properly recover, better sleep, improved my eating habits, and using the correct form with the exercises. I am having a blast with the program and I can’t thank you enough!!! Things are starting to turn around for me and I can’t wait until the end result!!! You’ve taught me to believe in myself and train hard to acheive the success that other guys don’t want to do! I’ve earned alot of respect from my peers and I keep myself motivated through the forums and committing to what I do to stick with it! I’ve even inspired some people on the forums as well as in my personal life.

I can now enjoy fitness and I can incorporate this into my lifestyle. Fitness can be so much fun if you make it fun and improvise.

It’s helped me live a better lifestyle and be lean as well as healthy at the same time!!! Thanks Again!

6 Month Update From Chris:

Just within the last month I gained another 5 lbs of muscle getting myself now to 143 lbs. with 10% BF. I have the summer look that I want but I am still working out alot more to further improve myself throughout the summer. I am mixing things up and keeping the muscles guessing all the time. I’ve even cut my social life to a minimum so that I can focus and acheive the body I want to get.

All of my friends are pretty jealous of me now and alot more attention from the ladies… even at work! It feels pretty damn good to finally get the attention I deserve and the results just keep on coming!! I’ve done some variations with your program as well as outside your program. I’m doing alot of bodyweight conditioning, as well as some kettlebell training, plyometrics, and some yoga for flexibility (I know yoga is weird, but it’s helped me alot with everyday life and improved my posture).

I changed up my eating habits not eating too much salt or sugar and I’ve been drinking water 24/7! I have portioned my meals eating at least 6 times a day eating lean proteins and eating alot of fruits and veggies. I only eat now when I get hungry! I am hoping for an additional 5-6 lbs. of lean muscle by the end of this month as we speak! Thank you again for giving me the confidence to acheive my results inside the gym and doing so outside the gym as well. Keep up the good work!”

Christpher
Elburn, IL

“Ex-”Skinny Kimmy” Gains 90 Pounds Of Muscle In 1.5 Years!”

“Just wanted to thank you for the muscle building program, i have built over 90lbs in total of which almost i am sure most are muscle in 1.5 years following your program beginning healthy eating, but because i live in Hong Kong, i did not have access to the gym all the time, but over this time, i have worked very hard following your principles in the No Nonsense Muscle Building program!

I know the weight gain might seem a little exaggerated, but because i suffered from Anorexia bulimia before so i lost weight, lost so much that i almost died, i was only 80lbs and now i am 170lbs. Thanks a lot!

This was taken 1.5 years apart. People even accused me of being on steroids! Just wanted to thank you so much again! I have been bullied when i was in primary school and most of the time i just got physically abused, after hopping onto your website i saw all the amazing gains, i could not believe my eyes.

I have actually suffered from anorexia bulimia a while ago, and then got so skinny and got bullied so badly, I had to gain some muscle. I was so skinny i was only 80lbs around now i am 170lbs. People called me Skinny Kimmy like you being called Skinny Vinny. Thank you so much Vince! ”

KIM HO
Hong Kong

“55-Year Old James Gains 20 Pounds Of Clean Muscle And Get Single Digit Fat!”

“At age 55, between July and October, I have put on 20 lbs. of clean muscle. This Saturday, three years to the week after having major back reconstruction surgery, I’ll be stepping onstage in the Over 50 and Novice Heavyweight Divisions of the L.A. Bodybuilding Championships! I’ve dropped from 254 and 18% bf to 209 and 7.5% BF.”

James Davis
Los Angeles, California

Congratulations from Vince!

I want to personally congratulate every success story above and every person who has taken action and transformed their mind, body and life.  If you would like to be featured on my blog and have a dramatic before and after transformation, please email me at vince at vincedelmontefitness dot com

If you were in the recent transformation contest and do not see your pictures above but would like them featured on my blog, please let me know below and I’ll be sure to add them to this page.

Who are these people?

The pictures featured were contestants of my 7th and 8th 12-week transformation contest.  I combined two contests because the last one finished up while I was on my Honeymoon so I didn’t have time to put together a voting page.

Each contestant above is a user of either my No Nonsense Muscle Building or Your Six Pack Quest transformation programs.

Want to compete in the next contest?

The current deadline is December 31st, 2010.  You must be a user of one of the programs above and submit your before and after pictures, body fat percentage, measurements and a testimonial similar to the ones you see above.  Also include your first and last name and the place of your residing.

The next deadline after December 31st is March 31st, 2011.  I look forward to featuring you one day on the site.

Feel free to congratulate and ask any of the contestants above questions and hopefully they can stop by the site.

Vince Del Monte

BEFORE Maximize Your Muscle Picture: Husein

AFTER Maximize Your Muscle Picture: Husein

Hi every one my name is Husein J My biggest challenge that I’ve been through in my life was building up my body. I started weightlifting 2 years ago when I was at the end of grade 11. As what normal teenage skinny kid always wants to have a bigger muscular body.

For me seeing older bigger men with massive man “jugs”, thick back, massive arms that got nearly every single person’s attention inspired me to lift weights. I didn’t have much knowledge on how to build my body so I use to go to the gym & pretty much do nearly every possible machine in the gym. “It felt great but I didn’t see ANY results at all.” I got sick off wasting my money on gym membership & powders after nearly a year of getting NO results.

I’ve tried everything the pyramid routine, 12 rep ranges, doing as much as u can on single weighted dumbbell, my body just didn’t respond to gain any muscle! I play basketball and Rugby, in rugby players need to be super strong and BIG and guess where was I playing? “The BENCH.”

So at the end of last year I received an email from Vince that he will be revealing a new program that hits 12 different anabolic targets. Most of all it mentioned that their will be different exercises EVERY MONTH so that we don’t get sick of the same old thing! Honestly I thought that this would be the same thing as the magazines and other internet lies that I red. I had nothing to loose.

When I received the 100 rep, straight away looked at the DVD, photo copied the program and I was off to gym. A month later I measured myself and gained couple of cm all over my body which gave me a massive confidence boost to keep going!

4 months later I’m double the size I was, super defined and I was asked to compete in the body building contest this September. As for Rugby I nearly play the whole game without getting subbed off Juntil now this program is truly the best body transformer that I’ve seen, “and I’ve tried heaps!

Husein Al Shakarji

Vince:  On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard would you rate building muscle?  10 being the hardest.

Husein: Well it all depends on if u know how to build it, like for someone who has no idea about building muscle would be extremely hard but for more experience people would be more easier but physically its an 8 but when your on a diet to get shredded its defiantly 10.

Vince: What was your number one reason for wanting bigger muscles?

Husein: To feel more confident around the people who I hang with and also to find a healthier and more exciting life style.

Vince: How old are you and where are you from?

Husein: I’m 18 years old and I’m from Townsville, Australia

Vince: What do you think is more effective?  Machines or free weights? Why?

Husein: It all depends on what type of muscle you try to train. Free weights are very important, it requires balance and also feels lot heavier then machines, which stimulates more muscles during the workout. Machines are designed to hit a particular muscle and also their are better resistance then free weight, for example cable preach curl or leaning behind back cable fly. We need both to gain the best amount of muscle.

Vince:  Tell me about some of the different programs you tried?

Husein: I’ve tried a lot, books, looking at people and lots of internet sites. I’ve tried a book called “maximum muscle plan” in 12 weeks but didn’t get any results & I got bored with the same exercises. “Muscle” by Ian King, ill tell you the pictures looked absolutely stunning, a model with his six pack doing them & it caught my eye lol.

Off course the “internet” it’s free and it has all these big defined male and female on them. From all this the only thing I learned was 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps makes muscle and that’s pretty much all I use to do, go to different exercises and try to get that rep range. It worked for the first 3-4 weeks but my strength went down and I couldn’t do any more weights.

Vince: Why do you think your body responded differently to my program?

Husein: Not only because theirs different exercises to hit different muscle fibres every 4 weeks, but also their was no over lapping the same muscle. For example I use to do 3 sets of barbell bench press then I did 2 DB press then after I did 2sets of machine press. I had lack of knowledge and also they all hit the same muscle. During phase 1 my strength went up very high and very quick, then phase 2 was a total different thing, it made my stamina high and it was hard for me to breath during the session but I really enjoyed it because it gave my back a total different look and its truly named Vinsanity.  Now I’m in the last week of phase 5 (5^th month) and it has giving me the strength and size but also the leg muscles that I’ve never seen. Many people only train their upper body and not legs (I was one of them) but they don’t realise how much leg session stimulate testosterone to build more muscle. Also in your booklet and DVD you tell us about the type of nutrients, supplements, recipes and also life adventures that I enjoy to read as well J

Vince: Who asked you to compete in a bodybuilding contest and did you agree?  Tell us about that.

Husein: Theirs a personal trainer called Tony Tsompanellis, he has trained many natural bodybuilders around the country and also over the states. Him self was one of the greatest body builders who won the Australia and southern hemisphere championships for couple of years.

Most of the time that I go to the gym I see him training massive guys, and during phase 2 he was impressed by the energy level that I was doing it with having short amount of rest as well. He told me that I could have a chance of winning the under 19years and under 70kg open title.

That literally gave me a massive confident into how much effort I put in my training and it also made me work harder. I told him I might go for the comp this October but I still feel that I need to gain a lot more before I join it specially my upper chest, obliques and calves. Hopefully the next couple of phases do it for me and ill be able to win it easily. J

Vince: How was lifting weights improved your abilities on the Rugby field?

Husein: It made a dramatic change, their are lot big guys who play rugby and most of them are fat. As for skinny guy like me, trying to tackle them or them running at me was VERY scary!!! I was only used as a kicker or to jump and catch the ball for our team, that’s why I joined basketball because it’s more a skinny guy type style of game. Since joining your program and gaining size, strength and muscle I became more confident in rugby training and started to tackle the bigger guys which gave the coach a surprise look. Now I’m scoring couple of tries a game and also tackle lot of people without getting that voice in my head of  “man I’m gonna get smashed right now” lol.

Vince: What was your nutrition during your transformation?

Husein: For a skinny guy I needed lots of carbohydrate and protein. Even tho fast food has lot of carbs I still didn’t eat any of them. I mainly had eggs, fish, steak, pasta, protein shakes, lots of vegies, fruit, rice and generally real food that had a slight high carbs in the first 2 months. Then as the transformation contest came I started to cut down on carb. More eggwhites with less egg yolk, fish, breast chicken without the skin, (no rice, pizza, chocolate, potato, white bread), plenty of veggies, nuts and basically high protein food. And offcourse no alcohol AT ALL!!!

Vince: In total, how much muscle did you gain?

Husein: As what you can see in the picture I’m not a bulky guy, I don’t like to be just big with no definition. The only way I know if I should cut down my diet is if I start to see my six pack disappear.

For me it has been an amazing 5 months and I would love to see myself at the end of this 12 month program so hopefully Vince makes a better program later on. J

When I started I weighted at 60kg, now 5 months later I’m at 71 kg and happy. “These measurements are without tensing”:

At 60kg:                                                        At 71kg:

Chest: 91cm                                                  Chest: 98.6cm

Waist: 72.5cm                                               Waist: 76cm

Shoulders: 109.5cm                                       Shoulders: 116.5cm

Right arm: 29cm                                            Right arm: 32.4cm

Left arm: 29.5cm                                           Left arm: 32.5cm

Right leg: 51cm                                             Right leg: 55.2cm

Left leg: 51cm                                                Left leg: 55.6cm

Right calf: 35.5cm                                         Right calf: 36.7cm

Left calf: 35cm                                               Left calf: 36.4cm

Vince: What’s your number one piece of advice to guys who want similar results like yourself?

Husein: Seriously if you don’t see a slight gain after the 1^st month and a half then it is not the right program. In every program I’ve taken a “before and after photos”, because I find it easier to see my progress and in this program I saw plenty of it. I think Vince is putting up another chance to grab this program in September and if u guys don’t have it you should give it a try. It seriously works better then anything you’ve tried and if u didn’t get any results after the first month which I doubt it then return it with your money back as well. As what my parents and people have told me was “learn from other people’s mistakes to try and not fall through them.”

I say this because I was one of the magazine and internet victims, and as a friend I really don’t want you guys to fall through them.

END OF INTERVIEW

Got a question for Husein?  Fire away.  Post your questions and he’ll help you out while I’m on my honeymoon for another few days.  Don’t forget to wish Husein a big congrats.  He really filled out nicely!

Vince

These motivational stories will show you everything you will ever need to know on how to finally create the body of your dreams.

Feeling unmotivated? Well, look no further. Your fellow bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts are here to give you all the drive you’ll need!

BEFORE PICTURE: Bruce

AFTER PICTURE: Bruce

“THE MOST COMPLETE AND CHALLENGING WORKOUTS”

“When you came out with the MYM program in Jan 2010, I thought that if the master sculptor for bodybuilding has a new program I wasn’t going to pass it up. I also felt you threw down the gauntlet when you said this was only for those really serious. I wasn’t about to pass up the challenge! Also, I wanted to see how a 63 yr. old body would respond to this level of workout. These were the most complete and challenging workouts I’ve ever been involved in. I was sore in places I didn’t think you could get sore!

Like all involved in the MYM program, it has taken lots of work, sweat, tears, consistency and eating healthy. Stay the course and you can achieve what you dream to have. At 63, I hope I’m an inspiration to those looking at these photos – young and old.

I appreciate the need to be in good shape and healthy at my age. I see too many my age that aren’t in good physical shape or in good health who are getting ready to retire. It is unfortunate for these people because they are going to be sitting on the sidelines or worse yet in the bleachers watching others as they play on the field of life! I prefer to be out there actively enjoying life because I’ve chosen a life style that enables me to thanks to your programs!”

-Bruce Macdonald MPH, RM(NRM), CSP,  Durham, North Carolina

Vince: Congrats on your recent transformation.  How do you feel about it?

Bruce: I enjoy looking and feeling good. Having put on more lean muscle since I finished the 6 Pack program has helped fill out my physique. While I’m impressed what I have done in 16 weeks, I still have not achieved the level I want.

Vince: It must take a lot of discipline and hard work to transform your body at 63 years of age.  Would you agree?

Bruce: I chuckled at this question. I simply don’t view myself as 63 whatever a 63 is supposed to be/look like. In my mind I’m still a “young stud”, well maybe not THAT young!

I’m sure it took a lot of work for everyone on the MYM to transform their bodies regardless of age. I think too many people believe just because you’re over 60 yr. old you’re limited in what you can do! Not true. Sure recovery time may take a tad longer than when I was younger. I’m certainly not able to do what I used to do when I was younger. And there are years of accumulated aches and pains. However, I never let being over 60 yrs. old stand in my way. Any goal you want to achieve takes discipline and hard work no matter what age.

Vince:  What is one thing you think you could have done to improve your condition more in the past 16-weeks?

Bruce: In looking back over the 4 Phases, I would have tried pushing more heavy weights. Part of holding back was from past injuries to my shoulders I had gotten in racquet sports that hampered me from doing heavy weights for some exercises. I found, though, the exercises I did do has helped stabilize my shoulder as I’m seeing in Phase 5 when lifting heavier.

Vince: How did you get into bodybuilding and fitness?

Bruce: Since I was a kid I was always active. In High School I did cross country and track. In college I took as many PE courses as I could to stay fit. Part of my drive to be fit comes from seeing how unfit my Dad was. He smoked and drank too much, having the skinny man’s beer belly. At the age of 62 he passed away as a result of being in poor health. I vowed I would not let myself get like that. This picture has been interwoven in the matrix of who I am and how I take care of myself.

Weight lifting hasn’t been a strong point with me until the last 3 years. Most of my lifting was to simply keep strong enough for the racquet sports I did. I really had no game plan when it came to lifting.

When our club closed there weren’t any other places around that had squash courts resulting in me finding a club to workout in. My workouts were totally unstructured. Doing the same old thing I had in previous years. One day I happened across your web site. One thing you said that hit home was “If you don’t have a plan when you workout then you’re wasting your time in the gym! Look around you. How many are still where they are physically this year as they were last year?”

Yep, that about described my workouts and the results I wasn’t getting. I decided at that point to get involved with the 6 Pack program to lose the body fat I had gained and go for the ripped look.

I’d like to add a sidebar to this answer because I think your readers need to read an example that illustrates the importance of your statement “You put small deposits into your account when you work out.” The event is another factor that continues to drive me to be fit.

In 2002, after an annual physical, I was told I needed to have heart surgery to repair a valve. If I didn’t then I wouldn’t have many years left to live. After the surgery I spent 5 days in the hospital and then was released. It would be two weeks before I had my follow up examine and could get back to my normal routine.

I realized when I was home that I needed to get out and walk to begin the process of building up my strength. If you’ve never had major surgery, you just cannot imagine what it takes out of you!

Having been disciplined in working out was a strong force to get me going. The first day I went a half block. It was as if I had done a marathon! I was exhausted. I didn’t know if I could make it back home!  In subsequent days I was out again going farther, pushing to do a personal best.

By the end of two weeks I was doing 2 miles at a pretty good pace. Once I was given the O.K to go back to the gym I was in there doing light cardios and weights to continue to build up strength and endurance.

I attribute my ability to bounce back fast to the deposits I made in my account over the years that I worked out. I didn’t anticipate having heart surgery and I don’t think anyone can forecast when a health event will arise. Making those deposits, though, WILL give you a significant edge in recovery.

Vince: At what point did you decide to take your bodybuilding goals very seriously?

Bruce: Once I saw the results after 32 weeks on the 6 Pack program, I decided to go for your NNMB program.  I had only done 3 months when you came out with your MYM program. It was at that point I decided to kick the bodybuilding up to a whole new level. To give you a time reference, I started the 6 Pack in 2009 so I really haven’t been involved in a serious program very long.

Vince: What’s next for you in terms of physique and life goals?

Bruce: I still want to have a physique like you so I’ve got plenty of work ahead of me. I would like to see what being 180lbs of lean muscle and 7-8% body fat is like. This means putting on about 10lbs of lean muscle. I think this can be done in the next 16 weeks.

Vince: What was the most impressive result you experienced on MYM?

Bruce: The most impressive result I got from the MYM so far was increasing the size of my biceps and thighs. My biceps have always lagged and seem never to respond to whatever I did. This is one area I really pushed as much as I could.  Phase 4 may have been the point that really got me over the plateau. And it was at that time people started making comments about how big my biceps had gotten! As far as my thighs are concerned, my legs have always been the strongest part so the increase came as no surprise.

Vince: What is the biggest mistake older fellas are making in the gym who want to build muscle?

I think the biggest mistake most people, no matter what age, make in the gym, is they go in without a game plan. They have no defined goal in mind, consequently they have no direction! I feel you need to define what it is in the long run you want to achieve. Once you have that clearly define in specific terms, then you’re ready to put together a map of how you’re going to get there and what your milestone will be.

Vince: What is the biggest tip for managing your belly and keeping a firm and flat stomach?

Bruce: I found that diet is the key to being successful. I once thought that doing umpteen ab exercises was the trick. However, as I learned, if you have strong abs but lots of belly fat, you aren’t going to see those abs.

Eating clean and being disciplined in your diet, with the occasional splurge, goes a long way to have the stomach you want. For me it is eating less carbs and more protein. It took me a while to figure out what my body responds to.

What everyone needs to figure out is how THEIR body responds to a specific diet. If you’re not seeing the results you want then you need to change up one aspect and see the results you get. Keep changing one thing at a time until you hit the right solution.

I don’t feel that one diet fits all and not all diets fit a particular personality. I like a diet that is extremely simple and doesn’t take a lot of thought to do and has tasty meals. For me, I find David Ruel’s plans are great. He has fantastic recipes in his book that meet my criteria.

Vince: Did you tweak the MYM workouts or nutrition at all based on your age?

Bruce: I didn’t do any tweaking. Age played no role in how I approach the MYM workouts. I may not have set any record time in finishing the work out, however, failure to finish was never an option.

I adjusted diet according to the workout intensity. When cutting I just ate 2000 cal high protein less carbs.

Vince: How about supplements?  What role did they play?

I take multivitamins, Omega 3 oil, creatine, whey protein powder, and glucosamine. Since all these work on the cellular level, I couldn’t tell you what results the supplements have had. I know they do work for cellular protection against free radical, and help to build muscle.

Vince: Final advice to our over 60 crowd who want to get buff and stronger than ever?

Bruce: From my perspective, age isn’t a limiting factor or an excuse not to work out as long as you don’t have physical and health issues.  Learn how to eat healthy by incorporating meal plans that are simple and good tasting.

Establish what it is you want to achieve physically in specific terms and define the time you want to achieve that goal. Set milestones to make the ultimate goal more manageable. Then, get yourself a game plan before you go into the gym. Vince has a variety of work outs to meet most needs and level of experience.

Once in the gym stay focused on the workout and don’t get distracted. For me the gym is no place for chit chat or cell phones when working out. Save that for afterward.

Be consistent in your workouts – failure to workout is not an option in most cases. During each workout, set a personal best in weight or sets or reps., this will give you a sense of accomplishment and help you see improvement.

Take before photos and after 4 months take another photo to see the improvements. Seeing results helps keep you motivated.

Become a role model of fitness and inspire others to workout. Help eliminate obesity that is rampant worldwide.

END OF INTERVIEW

Pretty impressive eh?  Now it’s your turn to congratulate Bruce and ask him some questions and I’ll get him to help you out.  Post your comments, congrats and questions below.

Vince

BEFORE Maximize Your Muscle: Tom

AFTER Maximize Your Muscle: Tom

“I probably don’t fit your typical readership as I am 53 years old. The way you introduced your program caught my eye as you said it was geared towards people that have been training for awhile and didn’t shy away from hard work. That was enough to get me in. Honestly, when I think about it I believe it was your work ethic that I have seen and some of your comments about the way some or I should say most people “exercise” that made me take action and say this was for me.

I absolutely loved Vincesanity! Strength and endurance through the roof and started to get cuts where I never thought possible on me. Your insights for living life, the wisdom you have already gathered for a young man of 30, your passion to develop the human body all come through in your material. I would encourage anyone young or not so young, if you don’t like what you see or who you see in the mirror get off your butt, take action and get your life back! ”

TOM BODD
CRESTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Vince: When did you start bodybuilding?

Tom: I have played around with BB since I was young…probably like the rest of the guys in Maximize Your Muscle and the rest of your readers but when I was young there wasn’t this kind of info available like there is today.  About 8 years ago I had a tragedy in our family so I had to find an outlet for myself, so I would say in the last 7 years I started kickboxing and then a few years later I did some casual weight training on my own. Nothing to serious. I’ve been reading your material for quite sometime now and when you introduced Maximize Your Muscle as an advanced program I became very interested in that. In the last 5 months I have made the most consistant gains in the last 5 years.

Vince: What was your biggest obstacle in changing your body at age 53?

Tom: My biggest challenge is keeping myself injury free. I didn’t stretch and warm up anything like I do today. Again following your program as you lay it out. Stretching and proper warm ups have kept me pretty healthy.

Vince: Tell us about your results using Maximize Your Muscle in the past four months.

Tom: My results have been the most consistant in the last four months than they,ve been in the last 5 years. Each month builds on the previous month. Before it was hit and miss but this way one leads into the next so I just kept improving. My strength and shape have changed the most.

Vince: You mentioned that “age is just a number” What does that mean and do you think that any 53 year old can build a body like yours?

Tom: Yes 53 is just a number. To me being 53 brings advantages not disadvantages. At 53 a person should have alot more wisdom, and discipline than someone half my age. My discipline and focus work to my advantage.  I don’t believe in excuses. I believe that anyone with a goal or desire to change them selves can do so.  Just get the right information, apply it with consistency, adjust where needed and you will arrive at your target.

Vince: What separates your mindset from other males your age?

Tom: I don’t think like everyone else. If you tell me it can’t be done I’ll do it anyway just to prove it can be done. I don’t give up and I go harder than anyone I know, well almost anyone!

Vince: What would the #1 secret you maximized to get your razor sharp jaw dropping abs?

Tom: Ahhh the abs. When I train I try to focus my mind and make a connection between that and the muscle I’m working on. Abs are no different. I use a slower than normal rep tempo and really squeeze the abs, also stretch them out often.

Vince: What does your daily nutrition plan look like?

Tom: Nutrition is very basic. I have a huge breakfast as soon as I get up with both carbs and protein. I eat 5-7 times a day consuming most of my carbs in the top half of the day. I eat only prepared foods and never eat anything out of a box. Pretty basic really.

Vince: In your testimonial above you mentioned that “The way most people train is a complete joke.” Elaborate on that and what mistakes can our readers avoid so they don’t waste their time.

Tom: Oh oh I could get in trouble here but you asked.  Most, a very high percentage of people go to the gym and think it’s a social event. Did you come here to work or to chat it up with all your buddies? They do the same workouts day after day month after month they don’t change anything so they don’t change. There is no sense of urgency. It’s just a waste of time for them, but they think they are doing great.

When I work out it’s not a real pleasant experience and I don’t believe it should be. If you want to push your body to look different you have to challenge it not baby it.  It will take it but it will not be comfortable. Most people don’t like to be uncomfortable so they just coast and the results show that too.

Vince: Are you married? What do your kids and wife think of your insane body?

Tom: I have two kids.  My daughter doesn’t say much but my son and I compete with each other. He inspires me to go as hard as I do because I do the same for him. He is very very proud of his Dad.

Vince:  Do you use any supplements?

Tom: I just use the basics: protein powders, creatine and glutimine, and efa’s (essential fatty acides). Nothing fancy. I don’t believe that all that fancy shit they sell to these young guys does anything. I just eat whole foods, that’s enough for me.

Vince: Do you apply any special recovery stategies in the last four months, especially phase 2 when you where working out sometimes 5 days aweek and the workouts were as much as 90 minutes long? Does your body respond better to high or lower volume workouts?

Tom: I ice my legs after a heavy leg day. I find that helps my out alot. As far as phase 2: after the first week it didn’t bother me to much. I just make sure I get enough sleep/ rest. If I don’t sleep well I’m in trouble. I just don’t have the energy if I’m tired I’m in bed by 10pm. Ya, I know that’s boring but that is what works for me. I respond better to high voume training for sure.

Vince: What are your final words of wisdom to males over 40 who want to look like you?

Tom: More trouble. I would tell them to STOP making excuses far themselves and justify why they are the way they are. Set a goal. Get a clear picture of what you want to look like by a certain time and then arrive at that point. Once you arrive, set another goal or get another picture of yourself and go again.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and you won’t be there in 2 months either, but you have to start sometime if that is your desire. Get the right information, apply it with consistency and conviction, clean up your diets, and watch your self grow into something brand new!!

END OF INTERVIEW.

Want some more no nonsense answers that are not watered down?  Tom holds nothing back and I’m sure will hook you up with some straight forward advice if you ask.  Post your questions.

Don’t expect him to sugar coat any answers for you.  Post below.

These motivational stories will show you everything you will ever need to know on how to finally create the body of your dreams.

Feeling unmotivated? Well, look no further. Your fellow bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts are here to give you all the drive you’ll need!

Gained 9 Pounds Of Pure Muscle And Zero Fat In 16-Weeks

BEFORE PICTURE: Anthony

AFTER PICTURE: Anthony

“The only thing that should be left on the gym floor is sweat.  My name is Anthony Ciccotto.  I am 29 and live on Long Island in New York.  Devotion is the key to success and I believe strongly in this.  There is no point in doing something in which you are not going to give one hundred and ten percent to.

Training is a big part of my life.  I have been doing it for as long as I can remember.  A year ago I started to lose the challenging aspect that training should always bring.  Around that time I Found Vince on line and subscribed to his newsletters.  After six month of seeing what Vince had to offer, my confidence in him as a trainer grew.  He then introduced MYM and I jumped on it.  It was, and is, exactly what I needed to throw the challenge back into my training.

MYM Phase One (100 Rep muscle) awoke my muscles again and set the stage for what was to come in the phases to follow.  Phase Two (Five Day Full Body Vinsanity) brought my body to a new endurance level that I never experienced before.  After just two phases my weight increased from 147lbs to 152lbs.  MYM Phase Three (Crank Up The Volume) expanded my muscles.  It gave me a constant pump, feel and look, inside and outside of the gym.  My weight jumped up to 158lbs.  MYM Phase Four (Ripped In A Rush) toned my body while keeping the muscle on.  This program kept me lean throughout.  However, Phase Four gave me the tools to get extra cut just in time for summer.  I am currently weighing in at 156lbs.

I really enjoy the challenges that Vince Del Monte brings through MYM.  This program builds from month to month.  As the program builds, my mind and body follow.  I am very excited to see what is in store in the months to come. Thank you Vince for giving me the tools needed to bring my body to a whole new level of training.  Health is life.

Anthony Ciccotto

Long Island, New York

Vince: What was your bodybuilding training like prior to starting MYM and entering the 16 week contest?

Anthony: My training kept me lean however, i was having a tough time gaining.  I would hit the weights Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.  My cardio days where Tuesday, Thursday.  I used the weekends as my off days.  My diet was just “OK”.  I wasn’t getting enough meals in.

Vince: You mentioned you didn’t take measurements, just your scale weight.  Do you think you can make gains and modifications to your program simply relying on the mirror?

Anthony: Absolutely.  I pay much more attention to the mirror than the scale.  Too many factors can sway the truth of the scale.  (water weight, heaviness of the meals the day before weighing, time of day, weather or not a bowl movement was made prior to weigh in)  haha  you get the point.  As far as the mirror goes, ya just have to make sure its clean enough to see your self.  If i start to see something in the mirror that im not happy about, ill make a change to correct it.  Be it diet or training.

Vince: It appears you gained at least 10 pounds of pure muscle mass without any fat?  What was the number one strategy behind this hard to achieve result?

Anthony: Clean diet.  I only use one kind of protein shake.  I don’t rely on protein bars.  I get all my protein, carbs and nutrients from actual food.

Vince: What do you think you did better than anyone else to achieve the results you got?

Anthony: I would say its a combination of my clean diet and my consistency with the training.  Consistency meaning, not skipping days because im tired or not in the mood, and consistency meaning, hitting it as hard as i can every time im there.  My goal every time i go to the gym is to always make sure im going to feel that soreness the day after.  Then i know i worked hard enough.

Vince: What is the number one mistake guys are making when trying to gain quality muscle mass without the fat?

Anthony: Well, i cant speak for other guys but i do know that i used to make the mistake of doing too much cardio.  I have also made the mistake in the past of eating anything and everything to gain the size and then cutting down at a later date only to find myself back where i started.

Vince: What is your life outside of the gym like?

Anthony: I work at a hospital as a CAT scan Tech.  I work mostly the evening shift (4pm to 12am).  I work some weekends but when i do have off i dont go out drinking.  (before MYM, i drank on the weekends often).  My friends bust my chops but they understand.  I have a motorcycle and enjoy to ride any chance i get.  For a while i was a volunteer EMT.  I took the EMT classes and joined a Fire dept. to both challenge my self and help the community.  I am currently waiting to hear if i am going to be accepted into the July academy for the NYPD.  I dont have a girl friend at the moment and haven’t had one for a while.  I dont have much time in my life right now to invest in a relationship.  I know this isn’t a good thing.  So im working on making time.

Vince: You got super thick in the shoulders and abs.  Any insider shoulder or ab secrets?

Anthony: I used to neglect my shoulder training in the past.  MYM doesn’t allow neglect to any muscle.  So basically, i simply started to work them out.  As far as the abs go, i actually used to work them out everyday that i would hit the weights but i would only use body weight.  Since MYM i have worked them less frequently but have been using weights.  They seem to have responded better with the less frequent training plus weights, who knew.

Vince: What is your diet like?

Anthony: Its clean. I eat simple.  Nothing processed.  I try to use as much organic food as possible.  Whole foods is what i aim for.  I do admit that i eat kinda plain.  I dont look at it as food much any more.  To me its just fuel.  I give my body what it needs.  On cheat days, however, that all goes out the window. I am human.  haha

Vince: How much of a role did supplements play?  Did you use anything?  Which brands?

Anthony: The protein shake i use is Isopure.  Have used it for a long time now and love it.  From the start of MYM Ive used GNC brand Mega Men Sport Multivitamin and GNC brand ZMA.  At the beginning of phase 3 i started creatine called Creakic Hardcore by Muscletech, and started taking GNC brand triple strength fish oil.  I also started taking a pre work out drink called naNO Vapor also by Muscletech.  Good for energy.  I was seeing good results within the first two phases before i started taking the majority of these supplements.  At that point i new MYM worked so i started to take the extra supplements just to get that little bit of extra edge.  They definitely added to my gains.

Vince: What was your biggest obstacle during your 16 week transformation and what did you do to stay motivated?

Anthony: My biggest obstacle was living in an Italian household.  I am currently waiting for the paper work to go through on a house which i recently purchased.  Until then, i am surrounded by Italian home cooking and endless amounts of pastries and sweets. I used mini goals to get me to the end.  For example i have a cheat day every three to four weeks.  I make them my mini celebrations to reward my self for being so strict.  The fact that there is a possible trip or money coming my way at the end of the 16 weeks didnt hurt either.  haha

Vince: Did you train alone or work out with a training partner?

Anthony: No.  I havent worked out with a partner in a very long time.  There was always an issue.  Either they were not motivating me enough or i had to spend way to much time motivating them to even go.  I found it was much easier for me to just go and not need to wait on anyone else.  I get to the gym, do my thing and leave.  No chit chat, no waisting time.  Sometimes i feel it would be nice if i could find a buddy to go with that was as motivated if not more than i am.  When i do need a spot ill just ask a random person in the gym.  No one has turned me down yet.

Vince: Anybody advice to a young guy who does not believe he can have a transformation like yours?  What would you say to him or her?

Anthony: First off, it is 100% possible.  Just look at Skinny Vinny!!! haha   I myself have gained 9lbs of muscle and im not done yet.  Second,  If you really think you cant do it then step outside your comfort zone and try to prove your self wrong.  After all you have nothing to lose.  You will only gain.  Third, If you want it you can have it.  All you have to do is stop making excuses and put in the honest work.  You are the only one stopping you.  Remember that.

Anthony Ciccotto

END OF INTERVIEW

Pretty impressive eh?  Now it’s your turn to congratulate Anthony and ask him some questions and I’ll get him to help you out.  Post your comments, congrats and questions below.

Vince

These motivational stories will show you everything you will ever need to know on how to finally create the body of your dreams.

Feeling unmotivated? Well, look no further. Your fellow bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts are here to give you all the drive you’ll need!

Packed On 10 Pounds Of Muscle In One Month

BEFORE PICTURE: Matthew

AFTER PICTURE: Matthew

“After my first semester at college, i had already gained 10 pounds of the freshman 15, much to my disappointment. Returning home at semester my brother asked, “what happened to you?” and thats when the search started for a fat shredding, muscle gaining program that would get me shredded quickly, without wasting what little time i had extra at college.

After searching over and under, Maximize Your Muscle caught my eye with a very affordable first month of the program(FREE). So i started the program, and was astounded by the fat burned, and changes in my body. My roommate at college told me that watching me change was “inspiring stuff”, and he then borrowed my first month of the program when i started month 2 of MYM. After just one month of the program i had packed on 10 pounds of pure muscle!

Never in my life have i accomplished something like this before. As the months went on, i saw rapid and incredible changed, not only in my body, but in my behavior. Every month, i was challenged with something new, a different way i can better my way of life, and ways of reaching my newly set goals, made in month number two.

Every month, my roommate and I would pick a new quote from the MYM book and post it in our status’ on facebook or on the wall of our room. My personal favorite was “You will not soar with the eagles if you’re running with the turkey’s”. Where i evaluated who i was hanging out with, and decided whether or not those people would help me become the person i wanted to become, and from there i saw the most improvement in my life. I started being true to myself, my friends, and my family. With this achiever’s mind-set, i was able to change my body. With the help of MYM i figured out important things in my life, packed on muscle, and got ripped. Now when someone asks me if i gained the “freshman 15″ at college, and can proudly say, “yes i did–all in muscle”.

My arms exploded and got Huge during this program, i finally found my six pack, and packed on over 15 pounds of pure muscle during Maximize Your Muscle!  Thanks Vince for the incredible program, and life lessons every month. This program was truely life-changing.

You can’t soar with the eagles if you’re running with the turkeys

-Matt Beukelman, Mitchell, South Dakota

Short note to you vince before the questions: My friends can’t believe i’m actually being interviewed for this! like they can because of what they saw happen to me, but its you, VINCE DELMONTE! your program is “legit!” thats what we would call it at college. You are a model of a success i look up to. Thanks for everything, and keep changing lives!

Vince: You mentioned you gained the “Freshman 15″.  What mistakes did you make in your first semester at college?

Matt: Well i got a job at McDonalds because i needed the money and it was only a block away from my dorm, so it was easy first semester to skip going to the gym, eat fast food, and just enjoy college with friends and put exercise and proper diet on the side.

Mainly what hurt me the most was my poor diet and midnight snacking at college while studying for tests, doing homework or just hanging out. College was an entirely different schedule than what i had been used to in years past, so i really was hurt by my poor food choices and busy schedule to where i never went in to work out.

Vince: What was your starting weight before starting Maximize Your Muscle and what was your primary motivation for trying out the program?

Matt: I started college at 160, gained about 10 pounds of fat first semester, and when i started Maximize Your Muscle i quickly trimmed pounds, and started packing on muscle. But starting the program i was at about 170 pounds, lost 10 pounds of fat to return to my 160 and packed on 10 quick pounds in the first month, which was amazing to watch happen. I knew if i wanted to change my body i needed to get into a program where my schedule would be somewhat structured, otherwise i would wander from machine to machine just doing whatever i felt like, and i knew i wouldn’t make any significant gains like the several years in the past where i just worked out doing random things. But the primary motivation was to shred fat and get back to at least the skinny version of me, i knew the program was supposed to help me gain muscle, but i didn’t actually believe it was deliver like it did. Amazing program period.

Vince: What do you think the number one reason was that you gained 10 pounds of muscle in the first month?

Matt: It was several things that contributed to my quick 10 pounds of muscle, i knew coming into MYM from watching the DVD’s that i would have to change several of my everyday activities from actually getting into the gym to my diet. It was a combination of things that was pointed out to me in your book and DVD that led me to the first 10 pounds. But i’m sure giving 110% in the gym everyday had something to do with it.

Vince: What was the response from your friends after this rapid change in your body?

Matt: There were several different reactions, a lot of people at college, from what i noticed, started wanting to come to the gym to workout with me. I also remember when i started getting asked if i was using sterroids or if i was juicing from people at home, and a few from college. But a lot of people knew i had started MYM and actually came to me for tips on how to find their six pack or to start packing on muscle, which was a fun experience for me.

A lot of people at college started to make Vince DelMonte jokes too. If i had a long day of tests and work and i didn’t know if i was going to work out or not, my roommate would look at me and yell “WHAT WOULD VINCE DO!!! DO YOU EVEN WANT THAT $2000?! GET TO THE GYM!!!” it was all in good fun, but good motivation.

Vince: What was your biggest challenge with building muscle while in college?  How did you overcome it?

Matt: Finding time was the biggest problem for me. But when i got my priorities straight, i ranked working out high on the list of things to do, and made time, either in the morning or early afternoon, to get that done. It was all about getting up early and getting it done, even after a late night. I really had to push myself with working lots of hours and fitting all my classes into a day, but I made it happen.

Vince:  Did you take any supplements during MYM?

Matt: Gold Standard 100% WHEY protein. That was the only thing in addition to food i consumed.

Vince: How important was it to have a room mate to train with and do this together instead of alone?

Matt: My roommate, started on a different month, and our schedules were very conflicting so we didn’t actually get a lot of working out done together, but he really did help to push me to get to the gym, which was very helpful. But having someone ask you how workouts went every day, and having my roommate actually make sure i’m doing my workouts really helped with a lot of my success.

Vince: You liked the quote, “If you want to fly with the eagles, you can’t run with the turkeys…” How did this quote inspire you?

Matt: It sounds funny at first, i put it on my facebook status and a lot of people “liked” it, but to me, it means that if i meant business, and if i wanted to see progress, i can’t go half-hearted or be passive about my lifting, i have to soar above the crowd and go harder than every other guy in that gym.

I also applied this to my personal life where i would never pass a life opportunity up. I have several goals in life, and when i wanted to get one of those done but didn’t have quite enough initiative to start the task this year, my and my roommate would just say to each other “you only live once, get it done!” or say “if you want to fly with the eagles, you can’t run with the turkeys” its very true that a lot of what you decide to do is judged by the people around you. I was lucky to have such a great roommate that pushed me to my limits to get everything i could done in my first year of college.

Vince: What was your #1 nutrition strategy that made the biggest difference in your physique?

Matt: No more fast food. No more fried foods in the cafeteria. I ate a lot of wraps(which were filled with lots of veggies and meat), pastas, and cottage cheese. And drank lots of milk with every meal. I cut out all the fried foods, and that seemed to go a very long ways for me.

Vince: What is your advice to a young guy or gal who wants to gain 15 pounds of muscle instead of 15 pounds of fat when they head off to college?

Matt: Buy a program worth while, Maximize Your Muscle(i can speak from experience), delievered more than what i paid for. Life lessons were established every month which was a very big thing for me. Full length DVD’s that showed the intensity that needs to be brought for every month, coaching calls with Vince, and many many many other things made this program simply great.

If you want to pack on pounds, Lift lots of heavy weights, eat healthy, and run. But this program brought all of that, making it a great program for college students. Also, there is absolutely NO wasted time in this program. You get your work done for the day, follow some dieting rules and you will see success.

Vince: What have you been inspired to do with your life, outside of the gym, from your success inside the gym?

Matt: I have made it a point to NEVER go half way with anything. Give my all in Everything i do. This last year i was also an undecided major, but now i am looking into an Athletic Training major, which would be something i now Love to do. It has really helped me in so many different ways outside of the gym, and in month 3 i set various different goals that i know will get accomplished  in years to come. MYM really set out steps to accomplishing my life goals if i just follow through, i will be meeting all of those goals in years to come.

Vince: What are your bodybuilding goals after gaining 15 lbs of muscle?

Matt: To gain another 10 pounds! I am planning to go through the program again and see where i end up. I would really be happy at 185-190 pounds of muscle. I do love where I am now, but i love where I am going to be even more, thanks to MYM!

END OF INTERVIEW

Pretty impressive eh?  Now it’s your turn to congratulate Matt and ask him some questions and I’ll get him to help you out.  Post your comments, congrats and questions below.

Vince

These motivational stories will show you everything you will ever need to know on how to finally create the body of your dreams.

Feeling unmotivated? Well, look no further. Your fellow bodybuilding and fitness enthusiasts are here to give you all the drive you’ll need!

Lost 10 Pounds Of Fat and Gained 18 Pounds Of Lean Muscle In 16-Weeks

BEFORE PICTURE: Timo

AFTER PICTURE: Timo

“I started working out about one and a half years ago with the goal to get an eight pack. But it turned out to be quite a bit of a challenge as there’s much more to it than just doing sit ups. Thanks to Google I was able to figure out that the right nutrition’s the key and soon I also stumbled upon Vince’s blog.

He was a huge inspiration to me and the more I read about body building the more intressting it became until one day I was infected with the BB virus (just before I decided to start MYM) after the virus took control over me it affected my whole lifestyle. I stopped smoking (for good), didn’t go out at night if wanted to work out the next day, restricted my alcohol consumption and of course adjusted my nutrition to my needs. So now body building is my new lifestyle and I love it.  I’m just 2 packs short to my goal and hope to achieve that soon.

My stats:

Before MYM – 160 lbs with about 12% BF
After Phase 4 – 168 lbs with 7.5% BF

Timo Zimmermann, Switzerland

Vince: Are people into bodybuilding in Switzerland?  What is the fitness culture like where you are from and is muscle desired like it is in America?

Timo: Well there are a lot of people that go to the gym to workout but most of them just do it to get rid of their guilty conscience and some kind of wanna be lifestyle, they still look the same after working out for a year. So there’s only a small percentage which really takes it seriously and adapts their lifestyle inside the gym to the one outside of it. Unfortunately there’s a lot of disinformation about bodybuilding out there and I often get asked if I am on steroids (even my friends ask me).

Vince:  How old were you when you got into weight training and what was your inspiration?

Timo: I started working out at the gym when I was 22, about one and a half years ago. I used to do some bodyweight exercises at home but just didn’t see any results so I decided to get a gym membership. It took some time until I made the final step though, I’ve always been making excuses why I couldn’t go to the gym i.e. no time.

My inspiration was and still is to get an 8 pack. I mean every one can get a 6 pack but an 8 pack is something really rare, needs big time dedication and that’s the good thing about it. So in order to achieve this I must always give it everything and force myself to do harder every time I train. Even now where I’m quite defined I’m still not satisfied and must keep pushing myself over the limits to get to the next level. It works wonders for me to set really high goals to strive for. I’m never satisfied with myself unless I’ve reached my goal and even then I’ll set a new one straight away so I can’t get comfortable for too long.

Vince: How did you get infected with the “bodybuilding virus” and lifestyle?

Timo: The more you know about it the less you can ignore it. It’s like becoming a scientist always striving to discover the unknown and unfold its secrets. It starts to become an addiction and you always want more and more.

For example I just don’t get satisfied with just knowing what to eat. I want to know what‘s exactly behind it, why a certain food is good or bad and how it affects your body and hormones.

Immediately after I’m done with a workout I’m already thinking about the next one and how to best prepare for it and I handle my nutriotion just the same.

Now I’m planing my life around bodybuilding and not bodybuilding into my life. It has become my first priority and I’m trying to give my best every day.

Vince: What was the first nutritional breakthrough you discovered and what were the results?

Timo: My first breakthrough was when I discovered the different macro nutritient breakdowns and how which one affects you. I decided to go a bit more aggressiv with 45% carbs/35% protein/20% fat. Soon after this adjustment my scale started going crazy and the gains started to come but I neglected cardio and also gained some fat. Now I incorporate about 3-4 cardio sessions a week and am doing just fine.

Vince: Did you train alone the entire time or with workout partners?

Timo: Before I started with MYM I used to have a workout partner but after I moved away I trained by myself which turned out to be an advantage, as I could always focus enterly on my workouts and just that. I turn on my iPod, crank up the volume and train like there was no tomorrow. Cut out the chit chat. If the bench press or something is occupied don’t stand beside it and waste time while waiting or even start comparing your personal bests with the other guys, just jump to the next exercise. Don’t ever take your earphones out, that’s an opportunity for others to talk to you and  interrupt your run. People might think your a moron but I figured out that it‘s enough to say „hi“ and „bye“ or chitchat at the end of a workout session.

Vince: You gained 18 lbs of lean muscle mass and lost 10 lbs of fat?  Did this happen at the same time or did you do it in phases?

Timo: Yeah at first, even though I had some flab around my belly, I focused on gaining some mass. I bulked till the end of Phase 3 (3 months) and then started to cut. I lost most of my fat (7lbs) in the last month (Phase 4) just before the photo shoot. Thanks to the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet the pounds literally melted away. As mentioned before, I guess with more cardio I could have avoided the fat gain and leaned down even more.

Vince: How big of a difference did it make when you quit smoking and cut back on alcohol?  What is your philosophy with bodybuilding and booze?

Timo: The smoking quit me..haha..when I started Phase 2 – Vinsanity. After one week of gasping for air during these extreme conditioning workouts it was quite easy to stop.
In regards to alcohol, it made a huge difference waking up in the morning full of energy and the urge to workout instead of feeling flat and weak, forcing myself to wake up and go to the gym (yeah I even worked out after drinking), and feeling dizzy when metabolism started going during workouts.

You’ve got the choice: either booze or train. Don’t booze and train, because your body needs to recover first after a booze and if you work out it causes even more damage. I myself also have a glass of wine or a beer once in a while but even then I try to have it at least 4 hours before I go to bed in order to keep insulin levels low.

Timo’s Rear Bicep Post – Nice After Pic

Vince: What is the number one mistake young guys are making who want to lose fat and build muscle?

Timo: I’d say the wrong nutrition. If your body doesn’t get what it needs and deserves you can’t grow muscle but will instead gain fat. Imagine putting diesel into a gas engine, it just won’t work. It‘s about more than just adjusting the caloric intake and lifting some weights. Nutriotion is THE KEY.

Vince: What is your plan to get a six pack since you already got a great 4 pack?

Timo: Now that I’ve reached a milestone on my 8 pack quest I’ll first bulk up again for 2-3 months and then start cutting back again. But I want to maintain my 4 pack during bulking phase especially now as it’s summer and topless time. I want to increase the size of my arms and chest now to get the overall proportions right.

Vince: What are your long term bodybuilding goals?

Timo: I’ll just list them up:

-          my main goal is to get my body weight up to 200 lbs with 6-7% body fat. I want tshredded.

-          get into fitness modeling

-          compete in a fitness model competition

-          enhance my fitness blog

-          start to coach people

-          get some sort of fitness education, I‘m not sure what though

END OF INTERVIEW

Pretty impressive eh?  Now it’s your turn to congratulate Timo and ask him some questions and I’ll get him to help you out.  Post your comments, congrats and questions below.

Vince