Initially, I was reluctant to tell anyone about my involvement in the challenge. I was thinking how silly I would sound, if I told people, and then didn’t come through. After telling the first person, however, something unpredictable happened. All of a sudden, I was accountable. What an amazing motivator that is. I found I wanted to tell even more people, as each one gave me more reasons to stay committed.

I’ve really had to restructure my thinking. These are not “diets” and “exercise programs”. If you really want to transform yourself to reach your full potential, it needs to become a lifestyle. Granted, the food I am eating now is geared towards a competition, and I know full well I will not continue to eat like this forever, but I will maintain the basic components of a clean diet. Exercise needs to become an integral part of your daily routine, in addition to regular workouts at the gym, for the rest of your life. I do choose active sports over going to the movies. I do run up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. I do park further away when I go shopping. I do take active vacations over sedentary ones. These are choices that need to be made if I want to feel strong. If I want my clothes to look fabulous. If I want my confidence to soar. And I do. I know what the alternative is. I’ve been there. Tired, uncomfortable, self-conscious. Not the empowering emotions I want to feel. So, above all else, determination and commitment are the very first steps towards a new life.

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My training schedule consists of a total of two hours a week with a trainer. I would like to do so much more with him, but the cost is prohibitive, even at Gold’s relatively affordable rates. We spend half an hour one day on back, half an hour another day on shoulders, and an hour one day on legs. These are the body parts he wants to develop the most. I take care of chest, arms and abs myself. After my sessions are over with him, he still gives me more sets to do so that I generally work each body part once a week for about an hour and a half. He shows me new exercises, and makes sure my form is correct, which is by far the most important element, more so than heavier weights. Proper form and control are key. I have been instructed to do five 45 minute sessions of either stair climber, or uphill treadmill each week. I can also substitute outside hiking, as long as there are hills involved. I am to maintain a slow, steady pace. This is a fat burning exercise, not aerobic. He sent me my diet instructions the other day. I was initially shocked. He wants me to eat the same exact things, at the same exact times, every day, for the 12 weeks ! I have oatmeal and egg whites for breakfast, then grilled chicken, broccoli and sweet potatoes every three hours for the rest of the day. I am allowed a protein drink after my workout. That’s it. The only liquid I drink is water. At first I thought he was insane. No way could I possibly stick to this plan. But I have found that it’s not so bad. Shopping for food has become a no brainer. I prepare a couple of day’s meals at a time. I bought a counter top grill to cook the chicken, which beats baking it in the oven. I’m allowed to season it, and have bought all kinds of spices to do that. I can’t cook with any oils. I do use a little spray oil in the pan for eggs. I sweeten the oatmeal with equal and some vanilla extract. I bake the sweet potato, and that tastes good on its own. I steam the broccoli, and season it with a little powdered popcorn cheese. That works well. By far, the diet is the most challenging aspect of the process.

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The fitness challenge winner is judged on before and after measurements and photos. The winner will be the person the judges feel has made the most significant transformation of their body according to those pics and measurements. It’s hard to say exactly what they’re looking for. Could be the person who drops the most weight. That would be pretty dramatic. I’m not trying to lose any weight, I’m trying to drop the fat to show the muscle underneath, while at the same time, building up the muscle. This should actually result in some weight gain. I’m counting on the fact that Gold’s Gym is a body building establishment, and therefore, would want to highlight someone who makes a transformation from thin to muscular, as opposed to overweight to thin. This is just my theory. The process for achieving this requires strength training, cardio, and a very strict diet. I have slowly cut all fats and sugars out of my diet. My trainer has trained for and competed himself, and he is passing on this knowledge and guidance to me. The day of the weigh in, my body fat was at 21%. We are aiming for a reading of 14% by the end of the 12 weeks. I will be amazed if I reach that.

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I first heard of the Gold’s Fitness Challenge as I read the morning paper. There was the ad describing and promoting it. I had spent the summer with a trainer in the gym, and had made some wonderful gains in muscle tone and overall fitness, but then I had started a new job, and my training schedule was affected. For me, routine is crucial for maintaining a fitness lifestyle, and when it was interrupted, my dedication suffered. Slowly I had stopped going to the gym, and began to fall back into the old habits. In a short, three month period, the gains I had worked so hard at achieving all summer were fading away. The ad for the challenge sparked a little flame in me and I vowed to get back into the gym and continue on the path I had started. I did go to the gym that afternoon, and as I was going through my routine, I noticed a sign on the mirror advertising the Challenge. So I started seriously considering joining it. I had as much chance as anyone. This wasn’t some high stakes fitness competition, this was more like a personal quest to improve your lifestyle. There are cash prizes for the winners, and even some promotional opportunities for the overall winner. It seemed a winning situation regardless of winning or not. I would end up being in great shape, and have a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle. I figured the added element of competition might actually inspire me to be more committed. So I joined. I contacted my trainer and set up a program with him. As imagined, the competition factor is a huge motivator. There is also the added time element. So not only going against others, but having to do it with a deadline. The pressure is on…..

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