Transformation pics of myself leading up to competition

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Hey guys, figured I would post some pics that I've taken over the past couple of years. I hope they will give others motivation to see that nothing is impossible with the right determination, knowledge and sacrifice. I was fit in high school and then 4yrs of college + fast food/bad eating all the time led me to have very little muscle and 27% bodyfat! I use to use my herniated discs in my lower back as an excuse but one day I was flipping through old high school pics and said I would get back to where I was and not just quit after a month or two. Well, 2yrs later, here I am as the new and improved Ricky. Seriously, 2yrs ago the only way I thought I'd have abs is if they were photoshopped lol. After 1yr of consistent training and healthy eating, I made a commitment to myself that I would compete in a bodybuilding comp the following year. Well, I just did my first show June 15, 2013 and the next one is in 2wks!

If I can say one motivational thing I will say: REMEMBER THIS, it is NEVER too late to change no matter how bad off you are!

[SWLAmarshrunner]

First 2 images was 2yrs ago when I first got started. So around May 2011. The other 3pics are from my first competition on June 15, 2013. Follow me/friend me and check out my album for many more pics!

[SWLAmarshrunner]

And please feel free to add comments or ask questions. I will help in any way that I can.

[Funkdubius]

Amazing work man !

Embedded for you

[Funkdubius]

[SWLAmarshrunner]

All these views and no replies? When I get home I will post up my bulking and cutting diet/macros if I see that people are interested

[Jman1993]

Wow, what a transformation! That is amazing man, you should be very very proud of yourself. I'm definitely intrigued to see what your macros, diet and workouts were like as I'm where your before pictures are. I'd love if you had any advice to give me, etc. But holy crap man, you look shredded and ripped!

[sampagett]

Amazing transformation, good work.

[mightyoda]

from fat to fit! now that's a great work!

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Ok guys I didn't have much time today but I promise I will post my diet, training style and cardio sessions tomorrow while I'm at work. Thank you all for the positive comments and stay tuned for some good info

[Funkdubius]

Repped and Bumping thread ! Im surprised you dont get more reactions. Keep it up!

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Wow, what a transformation! That is amazing man, you should be very very proud of yourself. I'm definitely intrigued to see what your macros, diet and workouts were like as I'm where your before pictures are. I'd love if you had any advice to give me, etc. But holy crap man, you look shredded and ripped!

Thanks! I am about to post my diet and workouts. If I had some advice to give you, I would say set short term and long term goals between bodyfat, strength records, physique appearance, and also your personal life/career. Find something that motivates you and use that as your drive. For me, I was just tired of being weak, chunky, and out of shape and I told myself I wouldn't stop until I had met my goal of at least having a 6pack lol. But have a plan and a reason for everything you do.

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Offseason/bulking
MACROS - eating 6 meals a day. 6am, 9am, 11am, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm

Protein/Carbs/Fat each meal
45/30/10 non-workout days
45/50/10 on workout days
40/80/0 on leg day


On workout days, I would follow this and use as two of my meals....(the preworkout/intra-workout drinks as 1meal, the steak/white rice as another meal)

45 min Preworkout: 1/2 cup oats (dry measure), 45g grams protein from whey, 1 tbsp almond butter, 3g beta alanine, 5g citrulline malate

15min preworkout: Workout drink - 80g carbs from Karbolyn, 2 scoops VPX No Synthesize, 3g beta alanine, 5g citrulline malate

1 hour post workout: 1.5 cups cooked white rice, 7oz cooked lean steak

Protein Sources: chicken, lean cuts of steak, fish, turkey, egg whites, whey, caseinate, any high quality protein powder
Veggies: basically anything green, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, asparagus, salads, (I could add veggies to any meal)
Fats: all natural peanut butter, macadamia nut oil, extra virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, almonds, walnuts, pecans, almond butter, avocado, coconut oil (USE A MIX OF FATS EVERY DAY – DON’T JUST USE PEANUT BUTTER!)
Carbs: oatmeal, rice, potatoes, yams, Ezekiel bread, whole wheat pasta

Any zero calorie condiments and spices to your meals. Also any zero calorie beverages at any time (diet soda, crystal lite, coffee, tea, etc.).

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Ok, I have used two different methods to cut weight. I have used a keto diet and also another diet which I am currently on taking in 110g carbs a day. They both work for me but I prefer to be eating some carbs. I am able to have better workouts, not feel so drained, muscles stay fuller compared to being on keto diet. I did the keto diet because I decided 8wks before I went on a cruise last year that I would cut a little fat and that was the fastest way to do it.

Keto Diet:
1. 50g isolate
2: 50g isolate, 2 tbsp almond butter
3: 8oz lean meat, 22 almonds
4: same as meal 2
5: 5oz fatty fish or 3tilapia fillets, small salad with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1tbsp apple cider vinegar
6: 2whole eggs, 6egg whites

This adds up to ~1,172 calories from 293g of protein and ~645 calories from 72g of fat... trace carbs from salad. So about 1,800 calories total. I followed that for two weeks before I had a refeed and then I would have a refeed once a week.




Cutting Diet that INCLUDES carbs:
MEAL ONE-
PROTEIN: 5 egg whites, 1 yolk, 5 oz chicken breast
CARBS : 40 carbs from creme of wheat
SUPPLEMENTS =
VIT C 1000 MG ( to keep immune system functioning at high level)
CLA 1/2 sccop

MEAL TWO
PROTEIN: 9 oz top sirloin
CARBS: 6 oz cooked wild rice

MEAL THREE
PROTEIN : 8.5 OZ CHICKEN
CARBS : 6 oz red potatoes

MEAL FOUR
PROTEIN: 1 scoop Hydro whey (Optimum Nutition)

MEAL FIVE-
PROTEIN:7 oz Tilapia
CARBS : 3 oz greens
CLA 1/2 SCOOP

GREENS:
3-4 ounces of any of the following
Broccoli
Green Beans
Asparagus
Romain Lettuce
Spinach.

MEAL SIX- 1 scoop gold standard casein, 1/2 scoop hydro whey

All protein is measured after its cooked
In the above diet, there is:
~316g/protein, ~112/carbs, ~7/fat
~1266cals from protein, ~450cals from carbs, ~63cals from fats
macro % 71/25/4
Total caloric intake = ~1,780

I have been using this diet precontest and it has kept me full, preserving muscle, and dropping bodyfat.

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Cardio:
I didn't do cardio last offseason but that was a mistake. My bodyfat % went up to maybe 20%.... Yes, I was really strong and put on a little muscle but when I started cutting weight, I had alot more work to do. This time around I will do cardio at least 3x a wk during the offseason to try and stay a little leaner.

Cardio precontest:
I started what was originally going to be a 20wk prep on Jan 5, 2013. The show I originally planned on doing, I ended up skipping out on it because I felt like I wasnt conditioned enough. I attended the show and after seeing who my competition would have been I regretted not doing the show.

Starting Jan 5:
20min 5x a wk..... did that for about 2wks
30mins 5x a wk
45mins 5x a wk
45mins 7x a wk
Around March 1 moved up to 1hr 7x a wk and I have been doing between 60-90mins a day since then.

All cardio is low intensity.... mostly incline treadmill but sometimes I like to mix it up and go for a bike ride or jump on the elliptical

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Workouts:
I don't have a set split where I tell myself I HAVE to follow this exact routine.... I do what I feel my body needs....

Here are examples of what I might workout on any given day:
chest only
chest/tri
chest/shoulders (I do that on incline days because you are already working the front delt)
back only
back/bi
bi/tri
bi only
tri only
shoulders only
shoulders/traps
hams/calves
quads
hams/quads

So out of that list, I try to hit each bodypart once a week. If I feel a little ache or pain like in the shoulders, I will go about 8-9 days between working them. I never hit the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Say I hit back only.... I would rest biceps for a day or 2 before hitting them because they are indirectly being worked on back day.


SETS/REPS
I like to do straight sets. I'll choose 3-4 excercises per muscle group and do 4 working sets. Rep range usually between 8-12 but on the last reps, I am struggling to get it.... If I am not struggling on the last rep, I did not go heavy enough.

For example:
Incline barbell bench - 135x12 - 165x10 - 185x10 - 205x10 - 225x10
You better believe that I am struggling and giving it all I've got to get that last rep on my last set. I'll throw in 2-3 other excercises for chest, I like to do alot of different movements so it just depends on what I am feeling that day.

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Here is a pic taken yesterday/chestday and 1wk 6days out from the next competition

[transformerchad]

True Inspiration man!

hope i can achieve that by your age .

[Retrab]

Wow dude - I can only speak for myself of course, but first of all GREAT progress :O and secondly, THANK YOU for taking the time to post so much info about how you achieved these results

[hfb92]

A new person, this lets me know I can get rid of this skinny fat body I have, congrats buddy and keep it up!

[Retrab]

Cutting Diet that INCLUDES carbs:
MEAL ONE-
PROTEIN: 5 egg whites, 1 yolk, 5 oz chicken breast
CARBS : 40 carbs from creme of wheat
SUPPLEMENTS =
VIT C 1000 MG ( to keep immune system functioning at high level)
CLA 1/2 sccop

MEAL TWO
PROTEIN: 9 oz top sirloin
CARBS: 6 oz cooked wild rice

MEAL THREE
PROTEIN : 8.5 OZ CHICKEN
CARBS : 6 oz red potatoes

MEAL FOUR
PROTEIN: 1 scoop Hydro whey (Optimum Nutition)

MEAL FIVE-
PROTEIN:7 oz Tilapia
CARBS : 3 oz greens
CLA 1/2 SCOOP

GREENS:
3-4 ounces of any of the following
Broccoli
Green Beans
Asparagus
Romain Lettuce
Spinach.

MEAL SIX- 1 scoop gold standard casein, 1/2 scoop hydro whey

All protein is measured after its cooked
In the above diet, there is:
~316g/protein, ~112/carbs, ~7/fat
~1266cals from protein, ~450cals from carbs, ~63cals from fats
macro % 71/25/4
Total caloric intake = ~1,780

I have been using this diet precontest and it has kept me full, preserving muscle, and dropping bodyfat.

Only 7g Fat? o_O How long do you do this for pre-contest? What sort of deficit is your 1780Cals from your TDEE?

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Only 7g Fat? o_O How long do you do this for pre-contest? What sort of deficit is your 1780Cals from your TDEE?

Honestly, I'm not sure because I've never calculated my TDEE. I had read before that your bodyweight X 15 for a male is your maintenance calories. At 165lbs, 2,475 cals is maintenance so 1780 cals would be almost 700 of a deficit. It's worked well for me but I wouldn't go any lower, thats for sure. I looked up all food on myfitnesspal (calorie counter) and based off the portions above, it came out to just 7g of fat.

[SWLAmarshrunner]

A new person, this lets me know I can get rid of this skinny fat body I have, congrats buddy and keep it up!

Yessir, you can do it! bodybuilding.com has alot of great info to help anyone achieve their goals

[SWLAmarshrunner]

I got some great news today guys.... Bodybuilding.com is going to do one of their weekly transformation articles on me! I'm pretty excited about that!

[carbsih8]

wow that is incredible - awesome and congratulations on achieving your goal of getting on stage. Also to be a featured transformation is such an honour!

Thank you for the encouraging words that it is never too late - i am 44 and am learning that this is true, but it can be a battle at times!

[ChewYourFood]

Wow. Great Success.

[drumplayer]

Congrats on the transformation man. I'm in the same boat as you. Gained a ton of weight during college and now getting back in to shape. Need to lose a total of 40 lbs. I'm down 11 so far. How'd you do in the competition?

[yrot21]

Speechless, bro. Tons of great information, too. I'll probably reread everything again, lol. REPS on r/c!

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Congrats on the transformation man. I'm in the same boat as you. Gained a ton of weight during college and now getting back in to shape. Need to lose a total of 40 lbs. I'm down 11 so far. How'd you do in the competition?

Sounds like you are off to a great start brother! I ended up placing 2nd out of 4... All the other guys were shredded. I really thought that I might be getting last and was surprised when I got 2nd. Looking to bring a better package at the next show in 7days

[SWLAmarshrunner]

Speechless, bro. Tons of great information, too. I'll probably reread everything again, lol. REPS on r/c!

Thanks man, I really love to see others succeed so I hope that people will gain something from the information I posted