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Crossing the Mental Minefield…The Path to a Golden Lifestyle: Interview w/ AT-14 Winner Ream Kidane [Reamerton]

October 27, 2014 by

Here’s your latest essay interview with 8th place winner  Ream Kidane from the 14th Adonis Golden Ratio Transformation Contest.

Ream Kidane - AT14 8th Place - Front Before/After Photos

Ream Kidane 8th Place – Front Before/After Photos

Ream’s Transformation Interview:

1- What workout or nutrition routine did you do before Adonis Golden Ratio (AGR) System? What kind of results did you get?

AGR was the first workout program that I have applied consistently.   Before AGR, I would more or less follow whatever the newest program from Men’s Health magazine or something similar.  Growing up, I played soccer and basketball and later took up running, but never had a consistent training program that I followed.  As a result, my results were mediocre and I easily fell back into old habits.  I finally made the decision that I didn’t just want to be healthy, I wanted to look damn good too! I haven’t looked back since.

 I’ve tried too many nutrition programs to count.  The ones that I stuck with the longest were the “slow carb diet” from the 4 hour body and the “one-day” diet from Biotrust.  They were both effective when I was on them.  I was able to lose a significant amount of weight with both and that experience prepared me to fashion a set of habits that were helpful during the contest, but ultimately were too restrictive for me for a long term period.

2- How did you find out about AGR?

Honestly, I have read about and come across so many different programs over the years that I don’t remember how I first found out about AGR, but it was the only one that stuck.

Ream Kidane 8th Place - Side Before/After Photos

Ream Kidane AT-14 8th Place – Side Before/After Photos

3- What was most appealing to you about AGR?

The most appealing thing about AGR is the simplicity.  With my limited experience with weight lifting, it was easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of information that is available.  AGR made it simple (but not easy) to learn the basics and develop a solid framework for steady progress.

4- Were the any concepts or approaches you were skeptical about?

I was most skeptical that such a drastic transformation was possible in such a relatively short amount of time.  Although I had seen the transformations in the other men from previous contests and the forum, I had always secretly thought there must be something different about them.  It must be their genetics or they must have more motivation or some other thing that I didn’t have.

 5- When did you decide to jump on board full fledge with AGR?

Although I had the AGR program for years, I did not jump in fully until the beginning of the AT14.  It was the motivation and the accountability through the coaching program with Jason Haynes that allowed me to push through the resistance and the doubt of the first few weeks.  Having someone whose been through the process to answer my questions and provide guidance was critical in the periods where I was having a lot self doubt.

Ream Kidane AT-14 8th Place - Back Before/After Photos

Ream Kidane AT-14 8th Place – Back Before/After Photos

6- When did you first decide to enter an Adonis Transformation (AT) contest?

I had actually entered the contest once before AT14 and dropped it after a few weeks.  I decided after multiple attempts at starting the program that I needed to prioritize my workout routine over anything else that came up.  It meant sacrificing many of things that I enjoyed but were not actually helping me to achieve my goals.  I needed to fully commit and only after doing that would I be able to evaluate how effective it would be for me.

7- What was your experience going through the AT contest? Challenges that came up? Things you didn’t expect?

In retrospect, going through the contest was difficult, but not as difficult as I imagined it would be before I started.  Some of the biggest challenges for me were psychological.    I never considered myself a “gym” guy and often felt uncomfortable even being at the gym at all, among guys that looked like they had been training their entire adult life. It took a while for me to learn to not pay attention to what other people were doing, but on my own workout and my own progress.

 The biggest challenges came when I didn’t have access to all things that I would normally have (my gym, my kitchen, convenient access to grocery stores) when I was out of the country for several weeks.   I was only about a month into the contest when I left for my trip, but in that short amount of time, I had learned enough to be able to approximate my nutrition needs and my workouts.  I jumped right back in when I returned, because I knew exactly what I needed to do.  I had internalized the most important parts of my routine.
Ream Kidane - AT14 8th Place - Transformation Image

Ream Kidane – AT14 8th Place – Transformation Image

8- How did people react to your transformation? Positives and negatives (if any).

Most reactions to my transformation were positive.  One of the most common reactions to my transformation was “you’re getting too skinny” or “you shouldn’t lose any more weight!”  I found over time that it became easier to ignore.  I learned not to react or explain or justify any of it.  I would just say “yes, I’ve been working out and eating well and I’ve never felt better”.  I got to a point at the end of the contest that other people’s reactions, positive or negative, didn’t really matter to me anymore.  Although it certainly felt good to place in the contest.  I’m at a point now where the only feedback I need is the measuring tape.

9- How do you react to the “Brand New” you? Have you noticed changes in your outlook and attitude in general.

The difference in my outlook and attitude cannot be understated. I have more energy and confidence. I sleep better than I have my entire life.  I am more optimistic about almost every part of my life in general.  The most important thing that I’ve gained through this process has been the level of self trust that comes with following the program through to the end.  I’ve learned to trust the process and not get hung up on individual days or weeks where it seems that I am not making progress.  I’ve also come to understand what it means when others have said that this is not just a workout plan or a diet, but a lifestyle.

 

Editor’s Note:

Hey Ream,

Happy to hear that your transformation was supported through the Adonis Golden Ratio Coaching Program.  We pride ourselves on the ability to help others cross that “mental minefield” during the transformation period in order to reach not only a brand new body, but a new lifestyle.

I really enjoyed the part in your interview when you mentioned overcoming the mental barriers and ignoring the negative comments from others who did not understand the transformation process.  My favorite quote was when you said, “The only feedback I need is the measuring tape.”

That spoke volumes on so many different levels!  Congratulation again Ream, we look forward to hearing more from you as you continue your pursuit to Golden.

your brother in Iron,

 

Filed Under: body image, diet, exercise, health, Muscle Building, Transformation Tagged With: , , , ,

Believe & Achieve: Interview w/ AT-14 Winner Colin Doyle [ColinD]

October 20, 2014 by

Here’s your latest essay interview with 6th place winner Colin Doyle from the 14th Adonis Golden Ratio Transformation Contest.

 

Colin Doyle - AT14 6th Place - Front Before/After Photos

Colin Doyle – AT14 6th Place – Front Before/After Photos

 

Colin’s Transformation Interview:

1- What workout or nutrition routine did you do before Adonis Golden Ratio (AGR) System? What kind of results did you get?

Before I discovered AGR I had never done any regular workout routine. I used to play various sports quite regularly up until about six or seven years ago, such as soccer, swimming, surfing and lots of other ad hoc sports when the opportunity arose. When I started to slow down, as work and family began to consume more of my time, I started playing squash once or twice a week. But all of this was just general activity to maintain some semblance of fitness. I had never really worked out properly, and had never been a member of a gym. Honestly, I thought that just wasn’t for me.

With regards nutrition, I had never followed any kind of formal nutrition routine. I have always eaten a fairly balanced and healthy diet – lots of vegetables, never too much junk food – but as I got older the fact is that every biscuit or pint ends up going straight to the gut. I’ve always had a sweet tooth and have a fairly hearty appetite for social boozing. I could keep the impact of this relatively in check when I was more active and younger, but in the last few years this lack of routine (and knowledge) meant that my belly had quite literally gotten out of hand. Out of both hands actually!

 

2- How did you find out about AGR?

I think it was Google. Last November something just clicked in my head and I decided I wanted to primarily get rid of my belly, and secondly become more fit. Honestly at that point I figured I was too far gone to actually get into really good shape. I just wanted to lose the belly. That seemed like a monumental task at the time and so I wasn’t really thinking about weights or getting into optimal shape. But when I found AGR I just knew instantly that this was what I was looking for.

 

3- What was most appealing to you about AGR?

The most appealing thing to me was how pragmatic the system is. There was no fluff, quick fixes, or short-term-easy-results promised. The message was simple and easy to understand: eat less, work out more. But the important feature was that once you got that simple message, AGR has the full apparatus to help you achieve this, namely:

  • The nutrition calculator: to give you plain and simple guidance on your diet.
  • The workout programs: based on your specific measurements, and excellently tailored to progress you toward the perfect physique. I loved the fact that there were exact measurements for the Golden Ratio too, so you could measure progress.
  • The member community, forums and blogs: originally I didn’t think this was for me. I had thought I was on a solo journey, all about me. But the community is absolutely vital, and extremely valuable. The contributions from all of the other members proved immeasurably helpful and instructive. The questions, pointers, solidarity, guidance and support from fellow members is so important that I do not think that I would have made as much progress without it. For that I am extremely grateful to all my fellow members who regularly contribute and help others – a huge thank you to all those guys!
  • The podcasts, particularly the whole backlog of coaching calls: when I started to make progress I started to really believe I could go the whole distance, and become Golden. Listening through the whole backlog of podcasts, and particularly the coaching calls, was hugely beneficial because I kept learning, even about questions and issues I hadn’t encountered myself yet. I downloaded them all and listened on my commute or anywhere. That’s when I figured out why it was called ‘Immersion.’ How appropriate that name is! In order to achieve the best possible results, for me anyway, immersing myself in the whole AGR system and lifestyle was essential.

I’d like to emphasize again, that when I started out I don’t think I really believed I could become like some of the other guys whose amazing pictures and transformations were on the site. I kind of dreamed or wished, but it was not until I started to see some results – relatively quickly – that I started to really BELIEVE. And then the whole framework above, last but not least, the positive momentum I got from the forums and blogs, propelled me to first believe and then to work harder to achieve.

And the great thing is that the more I progress, the hungrier for ultimate success I’ve become. It’s a really positive cycle of life-improvement.

4- Were the any concepts or approaches you were skeptical about?

I’d say the thing I was most skeptical about was whether I could really do it. I was so far away from fit, had become very unhealthy and was so many belly inches away from being in good shape that it just seemed highly improbable that I could consider myself in the same company as some of the guys whose pictures I was looking at in the forums and blogs.

I didn’t really know much about nutrition or working out, so there was definitely an element of blind faith that the system could do for me what it had done for lots of others. But it is all spelled out in such an accessible and straightforward way that it was easy to understand the logic. Once I started then, I could see the progress relatively quickly. I started on AGR Category 2 and was amazed at how effective it was at targeting fat so quickly. So I think my mindset pretty quickly became “well I don’t really know much about this stuff, but these guys clearly do, so I’m just going to stick with the program.”

 

Colin Doyle - AT14 6th Place - Side Before/After Photos

Colin Doyle – AT14 6th Place – Side Before/After Photos

5- When did you decide to jump on board full fledge with AGR?

I jumped on board right away,  having read the background material and looked at the AGR Category 2 training program,  that it seemed to me like you just needed to get busy and that’s what I did. The results began to show almost immediately. That provided momentum and I’ve never really looked back.

After the first couple of months of working hard and sticking to the calculator, I got more curious and wanted to step up the pace of my understanding. That’s when I started listening to the podcasts and accessing the historical blogs. I felt I had kind of earned the understanding for some of the finer points of nutrition, supplements and workouts. I’d also search for some topics that I was experiencing first hand for myself, and the answers were always there.

I’m pleased with my own results to date. I know that I still have a huge amount to learn, and plenty of progress that I am determined to make and maintain. Whereas I’m going probably slower or faster than others, I feel like I’m at the right pace for me and it’s great that the system caters to each person in that way. I’ve been fully invested in terms of my own commitment since the start, and whenever I feel it’s right for me to fine tune a subject, up my skills on certain elements or add specific boosters etc, that is easy to do because it is all there.

Colin Doyle - AT14 6th Place - Back Before/After Photos

Colin Doyle – AT14 6th Place – Back Before/After Photos

6- When did you first decide to enter an Adonis Transformation (AT) contest?

AT14 was my first contest. During my first training program, AGR Category 2, I wanted to just stay focused on my own training and program and really prove to myself that I could do it. When that was going well I began to look around a bit more and started paying attention to AT13. At the time I had also started reading some of the blogs from a few years ago, of guys who were in the earlier contests. It was great reading through them and then shadowing the closing stages of AT13. I began to really appreciate that level of commitment and how amazing it must be to set a target like that and just go all guns blazing to push yourself to see what you could do. By the end of AT13 I had decided there was no point hanging about – I was all in for the next one!

 

7- What was your experience going through the AT contest? Challenges that came up? Things you didn’t expect?

I can safely say, it was one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done in my life. I am not making light of it – it was very tough! – but to have come that far in that relatively short space of time has been just immense. I have this feeling that I can do anything!

I was a little daunted at the start as to whether I could stick it out. And there were a couple of moments where I thought I would not finish. I had a holiday during the contest and didn’t really get to do a proper workout during that. I had tried to compensate beforehand, and worked hard afterward to make up for it. But for that week I had doubts as to whether I was truly giving it my all. But in hindsight, I realized that was no excuse. There will almost never be 90 days in my life where there won’t be some kind of excuse or obstacle or whatever. And this was a holiday for me and my son and that is way more important than anything. So I just worked around it. And it was a brilliant holiday too, plenty of water parks and swimming in the sea etc, so was pretty active.

Something else I experienced during the contest was that I have firmly progressed from just wanting to lose fat when I initially joined, to now wanting to really work on my shape, build muscle. To have made this much progress in a relatively short space of time has instilled a sense of confidence that this is the logical progression, and that I can achieve that too.

 

Colin Doyle - AT14 6th Place - Transformation Image

Colin Doyle – AT14 6th Place – Transformation Image

8- How did people react to your transformation? Positives and negatives (if any).

People have been almost unanimously positive and complimentary. Because I was coming from a starting point of having to lose weight rather than gain muscle, it’s probably more obvious to people at the start than if you’re trying to gain muscle mass. Most were full of praise initially which was great, and no doubt helped fuel momentum. I also found that as I continued to progress loads of people were intrigued to find out what the trick was. The answer of ‘eat less and work out more’ doesn’t generally cut it for people though….!

I will say this though. Whereas it was great to hear people say “you look great, have you lost weight?”, it’s absolutely exhilarating when people start saying “oh you are looking really toned there, you must be working out?”

9- How do you react to the “Brand New” you? Have you noticed changes in your outlook and attitude in general.

It would be impossible to overstate the positive net effect of the new me. Not sure I have the words to fully articulate (or anyone would want to read that much!) so let me say it as simply as I can: my life is so much better now than it was when I started.

It is great to achieve anything in life that takes hard work, but your body and health are the most important things so that makes making this kind of change amongst the greatest things anyone can do for themselves. I said this in my first post before I started and I fundamentally believe it.

It is also really great when people start reacting positively to you and how you look. That becomes another positive cycle because you reciprocate, and the world is a happier place.

But I think the most important change of all is a mental one. Having felt that I was so far away from where I wanted to be meant I was starting on a very long, steep uphill journey, with plenty of doubt in my mind. I am not where I want to be yet, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I will get to where I want to be. I know what it takes, I know how to get there and I am armed with the system to get me there.

This is what AGR has done for me. It has given me a sense of self belief that I am applying to all areas of my life. The system itself with the nutrition and training routines, the podcasts, the forums, blogs and contributions from other members. I am extremely grateful to everyone who forms part of that system and community.

 

Editor’s Note:

Hey Colin,

Thank you for you tremendous belief in the AGR system and the mental stamina to, “Stay in the fight”  for your AT-14 contest goals.  I’m a big believer in positive mental attitude and whole-heartedly believe this mindset eliminate a lot of barriers that hinder people particularly along this transformational period.  I could totally relate to when you said there would never be a 90-day period  when there wouldn’t be a choice of an obstacle to overcome or an excuse to set you back. It reminded me of a quote, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.”   Keep striving for excellence Colin.  We look forward to hearing more from you and your journey in the AGR community.

your brother in Iron,

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: body image, diet, exercise, health, Muscle Building, Transformation Tagged With: , , , ,

Finishing a Transformation Contest Never Hurt So Good! : Interview w/ AT-14 Winner Jim Ferneyhough [Jimmysnsd]

October 13, 2014 by

Here’s your latest essay interview with 4th place winner Jim Ferneyhough  from the 14th Adonis Golden Ratio Transformation Contest.

 

Jim Ferneyhough - AT14 4th Place - Front Before/After Photos

Jim Ferneyhough – AT14 4th Place – Front Before/After Photos

 

Jim Ferneyhough - AT14 4th Place - Back Before/After Photos

Jim Ferneyhough – AT14 4th Place – Back Before/After Photos

 

Jim Ferneyhough - AT14 4th Place - Side Before/After Photos

Jim Ferneyhough – AT14 4th Place – Side Before/After Photos

 

Jim’s Transformation Interview:

1- What workout or nutrition routine did you do before Adonis Golden Ratio (AGR) System? What kind of results did you get?

I followed almost every workout/ nutrition program you can think of:

  • Body For Life
  • Atkins Diet/ Cutting Carbs
  • Men’s health programs from Mag
  • Juicing (not steroids)…Fruit/Veggies
  • Master Cleanse
  • Fat Burners & other… ‘magic pills’…and a bunch of others!

Most had little or no change. All were short term fixes that I rebounded from & ended up in worst shape. Body for Life was the only one that had results, however eating 6 meals a day & filling out all those crazy charts created too much work.

2- How did you find out about AGR?

I found AGR by a simple click of the “mouse” button.  A friend LIKED your Facebook page. So I went on to check it out. At the time it seemed like any other program but I signed up to be on your free email list. Receiving those emails once a week was what really got me interested. But it was the podcasts where you interviewed previous winners that made me want to give the program a shot.

Jim Ferneyhough AT14 4th Place Transformation Image

Jim Ferneyhough AT14 4th Place Transformation Image

3- What was most appealing to you about AGR?

The idea of the Adonis Golden Ratio is amazing & really appealed to me. The concept that I can achieve the perfect body for me was very exciting. The fact that this formula exists & can be used by anyone with any body type was awesome & I had to learn more. And when it is all backed up with a great history dating back to the Renaissance period was simply incredible. That’s when I knew this was something special & VERY different from anything I ever did in the past.

4- Were the any concepts or approaches you were skeptical about?

I was very skeptical when the AGR nutrition calculator suggested I intake only ‘1,000’ calories a day.  Several questions arose such as, how would I function mentally?  Could this negatively impact my training performance?  Additionally, Reverse Taper Diet is the complete opposite of every other program and seemed like some crazy trick that would not work. On top of the fact that this program wasn’t recommending eating 6 meals a day with tons of protein, which seemed very strange to me. How can I eat once or twice a day & gain muscle?

So initially, I was very skeptical of almost the entire program. However, I read ALL the material & it started to make total sense & the fact that it was ALL backed up by science made a huge difference for me.

To be totally honest after reading everything I could and listening to those podcasts I was totally hooked for 2 reasons!

1) Achieving my Golden Ratio measurements

2) This was TOTALLY different from everything I ever done & nobody else was doing anything like it at the gym.

5- When did you decide to jump on board full-fledge with AGR?

After reading and listening to the emails/podcast for about a year in January 2014 I signed up & entered AI 13.  The other important thing I did was cut off all other sources from the fitness industry.

I was no longer interested in Bro Science! I wanted to be 100% focused on AGR and did not want anyone or thing changing my thinking. This was the best decision I ever made regarding my fitness.

Jim Ferneyhough AT14 4th Place Transformation Image

Jim Ferneyhough AT14 4th Place Transformation Image

6- When did you first decide to enter an Adonis Transformation (AT) contest?

Because I had been learning & listening that entire year I joined a month before the next contest started, knowing I was going to enter.

7- What was your experience going through the AT contest? Challenges that came up? Things you didn’t expect?

‘Hurts So Good’…That’s how I would summarize my experience during the contest. It was tough but so worth it. Eating only 1,000 calories a day along with training 6 days a week for 90 days is tough. I experienced many tired mornings with little aches and pains along the way.

But every morning I wrote out the day’s work out on paper. Then on the back I wrote out my goals. That mental picture of the end result kept me moving forward. That and knowing I committed to my photo shoot and images would be taken if I was in great shape or not.  The
“after” pictures were a true source of accountability.

If you want to be successful at anything in life you need goals, a game plan, and a deadline that you are held accountable too. These contests provide everything someone needs to be successful… 1. A Goal to strive for (your Adonis Golden Ratio Measurements)

2. Plan (AGR Workouts provided)

3. Deadline (90 days contest conclude with submitting “After” pictures.)

The key is to ‘Execute the Plan’

Before every workout I would say to myself “I’m not the Biggest, Strongest or most Ripped BUT nobody will out work me today.”

Jim Ferneyhough AT14 4th Place Transformation Image

Jim Ferneyhough AT14 4th Place Transformation Image

8- How did people react to your transformation?

Other people’s reactions have been typical with the… “Hey there, you are looking good!” to “Are you losing weight?” – “Don’t get too skinny.” – “So, you’re cutting carbs?” –  “You must be starving yourself.”

Most people say nothing. I had a guy at the gym pull me aside and noticed I was losing weight and shaping up. Then told me about some crazy carb cycling thing I can do to get to the next level! I was polite and said I would check it out. However, I labeled it BroScience and continued to follow the AGR game plan.

A few people asked “What’s your secret?”… My answer normally is  “I eat less & train more.  And my workouts are provided by Adonis Golden Ratio”. They all had that “Yeah Right, you must be doing something else but won’t tell us” look on their face.

 

 9- How do you react to the “Brand New” you? Have you noticed changes in your outlook and attitude in general.

I am now more confident, with increased energy and feel absolutely fantastic. Since January, I have taken 2 garbage bags full of clothes to the GoodWill donation center. The most important thing for me is finally knowing how to control my eating habits.  After 20 years of training & working out & TRYING everything under the sun the #1 issue has always been my nutrition. I now feel  in control and able to make corrections if I wonder off the path.

The Adonis Golden Ratio Program is the absolute best workout and nutrition program.  I would highly recommend it to anyone.  The online community is the secret sauce that makes this work.  I will continue to “Execute the plan” provide on my way to “Golden & Beyond.”

-Jimmy


Editor’s Note:

Hey Jim,

Wow! Talk about positive mental attitude.   Reading through your journey I was inspired by your positive daily affirmations and your method of mapping out each workout.  You put the “Big Hurt” on your transformation/weight loss goals.  Job well done my friend! Keep striving for greatness and big kudos to you for keeping that “Secret Sauce” stirring in the AGR community.

your brother in Iron,

 

Filed Under: body image, diet, exercise, health, Muscle Building, Transformation Tagged With: , , , ,

A Second Chance at 70 Years Young: Interview w/ AT-13 Winner Daniel McCarthy [pseudonym44]

October 6, 2014 by

Here’s your latest essay interview with 7th place winner Daniel McCarthy from the 13th Adonis Golden Ratio Transformation Contest.

Daniel McCarthy - AT 13 7th Place - Front Before/After Photos

Daniel McCarthy – AT 13 7th Place – Front Before/After Photos

Daniel McCarthy - AT 13 7th Place - Back Before/After Photos

Daniel McCarthy – AT 13 7th Place – Back Before/After Photos

Daniel McCarthy - AT 13 7th Place - Side Before/After Photos

Daniel McCarthy – AT 13 7th Place – Side Before/After Photos

 

Daniel’s Transformation Interview:

 There I was the day after Christmas, 2011, at Gold’s gym doing my third set of front squats at a fast pace. It was part of a HITT protocol that used weight training and body-weight movements to get your heart rate up and keep it up. My cardiologist was all in favor since I had done a Bruce-protocol treadmill stress test for him the previous month and lasted fourteen minutes. The received wisdom is that if you can last longer than ten minutes, you are basically immune from heart attacks for the next five years. So it must have been my inner snowflake that got busy that day. When I came to and started talking to the nice young paramedic, he told me that I had blacked out and they had had to use paddles to get my heart restarted. The next week, after I got my very own implanted defibrillator, I started thinking about what I could do to avoid any repetition of training to near-death. I decided I would stop doing any routine that demanded HITT-type heart rates, and I thought that getting my BMI down from about 26 would help stave off future problems. When I was looking for a weight-loss program coupled with exercise, I ran across Eat Stop Eat and eventually the whole Adonis Golden Ratio program. I was attracted by the podcasts and the careful, explicit, science-based approach to weight loss and exercise that AGR uses. I was also impressed by the before and after photos that came with the podcasts.

I bought AGR 3.0 in June, 2012. I figured that since I was 68 years old at the time, a transformation would probably take more than twelve weeks; but to give myself a running start, I joined the transformation contest (AT 9) that started in August. I started the contest with a 34” waist and 46” shoulders at a height of 6’0” and an AI of 1.31. I ended it with golden waist, (32.1” but far from golden shoulders (~46” instead of the 52” I needed). My AI was at 1.43. I kept on working out and keeping track of things through AT 10 and 11. About one month into AT 11, I had my first-ever DEXA scan, and found out I carried 13.9% body fat. 14% fat!! 24 pounds of fat on my (I thought) skinny 174-pound frame!!  I had my second DEXA scan about six months later at the end of AT 12, confident in the fact that my AI was up somewhat (about 1.46), and I thought I looked better. Maybe I did, but my body fat was almost 1% higher, at 14.7%. I know that these are just numbers, but they clearly are not contest-winning numbers.

I consulted my inner snowflake and decided that if I couldn’t get an additional 5 inches of shoulder breadth, I would make my 47” shoulders golden with respect to a far slimmer waist – about 29” per my calculations. Although this was not my true golden waist with respect to my height, I thought I would see how I liked the look and made it my goal for AT 13.

 

AGR Origins: On the Left Daniel McCarthy AT10 (2012) & On the Right AT3 (2014)

AGR Origins: On the Left Daniel McCarthy AT10 (2012) & On the Right AT3 (2014)

I had also read that a reputable journal reported that muscle growth in men ~70 years old was significantly greater when they followed a regimen of six sets of a given exercise instead of the three sets that are usually sufficient for younger men. I do not think there is anything magic about six sets vice five, or seven, or eight; it is, however, the number of sets used in the study, so I evolved the following plan.

  • In order to lose more fat, I would use the AGR Nutrition calculator, and fudge the entry by making my waist measurement larger by the amount that my actual waist exceeded 29”. All other entries would be accurate
  • I would use AGR 3.0 and add a basic shoulder or chest booster every workout.
  • One extra set would be added to the exercises in AGR 3.0 that specified five sets.
  • If the shoulder or chest booster appeared to work one body part for six or more sets (e.g. dumbbell flyes for three sets and cable crossovers for four sets), the booster would be performed as written.
  • If no exercise in the boosters met this criterion, one of the supersets would be increased to six sets of the two exercises, with the other exercise being performed as indicated.

Basically this amounted to adding a maximum of one set to one exercise in the main workout and three sets to two exercises in the boosters per day. I found over the weeks that this was sustainable, and that I could do it without injury or excessive fatigue.

My DEXA scan on 4/13/2014 proved that my plan is working. My total body mass is down by 2.5 kilos since my last scan at the end of AT12. My total body fat is down to 12.5% from 14.7%. I have lost 2.4 kilos of fat and gained 1.6 kilos of muscle mass in my trunk alone, while adding ½” to my shoulders. (One downside: My legs have less muscle mass and a little more fat mass than before because I lowered the resistance on all of my lower body exercises to avoid joint pain.) My AI ratio has increased from 1.46 to 1.58 currently. I missed my 29” waist goal by about ½”, but that’s OK. The changes I see clearly are not happening at the same rate that younger men experience them, and more work remains to be done; but I have learned some patience over the years.

Daniel McCarthy AT13 7th Place Transformation Image

Daniel McCarthy AT13 7th Place Transformation Image

I’ve also learned the difference good photographs make. I have been working with a professional photographer friend of mine for the past three contests. He had never done physique photos before, but he paid attention and improved his technique with each contest. It helped, too, that as I leaned out, he could better see what I was looking for in the results. (PM me if you live in the Los Angeles area and would like to contact him.) I would also like to mention that the cost of becoming an immersion client was some of the best money I have ever spent.

Daniel McCarthy AT13 7th Place Transformation Image

Daniel McCarthy AT13 7th Place Transformation Image

In the coming weeks I plan to gradually increase my calories from slightly below maintenance to the point where my waist stays approximately golden while my shoulders and chest fill out. I will use the Muscle Building Foundation and increase the five-set elements to six sets. I’ll have another DEXA scan in about three months to see if I’m on track.

In the meantime, I have been getting some positive feedback from family and friends, and I like how I look at a 1.5+ AGR. Some of the guys at the gym (same gym for 5 years, same guys) have also commented on my new look and seem to be friendlier than before. My doctor says my blood work is remarkable for a man of my age; and I aced a recent treadmill test – not that that’s a huge comfort given my past experience. It’s been two and a half years since my episode, I’m fifteen pounds lighter, my BMI is at 23.6, and my defibrillator (which reports every night to my electrocardiologist – don’t ask, she’s a nice lady) has not had to kick in even once. I’m looking forward to having more time above ground to get to a true golden AI. In the meantime, I put every workout I finish in the win column; after all, I could have been done with any and all workouts on December 26, 2011.

Editor’s Note:

Hey Daniel,

Wow! Your story is most humbling.  It goes without saying that at 70 years young you have really raised the bar for us younger guys by achieving a Adonis Index Scores of 1.58!  I can think of a few  people including myself who want to be like you when we grow up! LOL

Patience is definitely a virtue and you have clearly demonstrated the AGR principles are timeless and you can strive for “Golden” even in your Golden years.  We look forward to hearing more updates from you in the future!

your brother in Iron,

 

Filed Under: body image, Muscle Building, Shape, Stories, Transformation Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

If At First You Don’t Succeed, Try AGR : Interview w/ AT-13 Winner Noel Cibaian [Prevasticus]

September 22, 2014 by

Here’s your latest interview with 9th place winner Noel Cibaian from the 13th Adonis Golden Ratio Transformation Contest.

Noel Sibayan - AT-14 9tth Place - Front Before/After Photos

Noel Cibaian – AT-13 9th Place – Front Before/After Photos

Noel Sibayan - AT-14 - 9tth Place - Side Before/After Photos

Noel Cibaian – AT-13 – 9th Place – Side Before/After Photos

Noel Sibayan - AT-14 - 9th Place - Back - Before/After Photos

Noel Cibaian – AT-13 – 9th Place – Back – Before/After Photos

 

Noel’s Transformation Interview:

 

1- What workout or nutrition routine did you do before Adonis Golden Ratio (AGR) System? What kind of results did you get?

In a nutshell, I didn’t follow any nutrition or workout routine and just ate whatever I wanted when I wanted. My fitness and health journey started back in 2008 when I visited my doctor for an annual checkup and found out I had hypertension. I always thought I was healthy and the possibility of having high blood pressure had not occurred to me. It was the time when my weight reached 147 pounds, which in 2008, the BMI regarded as “obese” for my height. My all-time high weight was 157 pounds, just two years earlier. Upon using a BMI calculator today, I noticed BMI is now calibrated to regard 150 pounds as “normal” for a 5’ 5” male with 32 inch and half waist circumference. How times have changed. Despite my weight and a mildly protruding belly, I didn’t think I was fat. At least I didn’t look fat when I had my shirt on. My significant other suggested doing some exercises to bring the blood pressure down. I really didn’t know where to start. I just knew I didn’t want to do running just to get in shape. It seemed it was what I always defaulted to doing when I was younger. Unfortunately, surfing the internet for hours didn’t generate any satisfactory result. I was looking for a resistance/weight lifting training program with free weights, but couldn’t find any. At some point, I found a popular DVD based, 90-day, seven days a week functional training program. It was not what I was looking for, but did it anyway because I naively thought it was the only exercise program available. So I worked out 90 days straight with only one day missed and even working out while sick with a cold. I did manage to lose weight down to 135 pounds on the 90th day and my blood pressure did drop down to normal. However, I couldn’t do the program again because quite frankly, exhaustive exercises of 1-1.5 hour sessions for six days a week and with only one day reserved for recovery or stretching for me was not sustainable.

2- How did you find out about AGR?

This part is going to be long winded, so please just bear with me. Fast forward to 2013 and I was back to 147 pounds and being “skinny fat”. I hurt my back earlier in the year by just bending over to pick up some bags of groceries. This is when I knew I had to do something. Again, I had no luck finding the workout program I wanted, just layers upon layers of online advertisements. Eventually, I bumped into a popular bodybuilding/supplement website but, it seemed it was filled with immature meatheads constantly calling each other names in forum postings. Surely, there is a better way to get in shape. At some point, I did kettlebells and then elliptical machines, but followed no real program. Both turned out to be incredibly monotonous, so I stopped working out altogether. Eventually, in June 2013, I found the newer, faster, better, stronger version of the DVD based 90-day functional program I have done previously. Not knowing any better, I followed the program through, got mildly in shape but still had a gut at the end. Even more depressing was I could not lose as much as weight as before and I was stuck at 147 pounds. I asked myself surely, the ripped trainer in the DVD knew something I didn’t and blamed myself for the lack of progress. Out of curiosity, I did a little bit of research on the program and found that many people have been doing the program many times over with very little or no visible results. The program’s workout mantra was to just keep watching the same DVD workout over and over again until results came. I was not happy at all. Then, I found the bodybuilding version from the same company. I was so excited at the prospect of finally perhaps having a muscular body. It was a 6-day body part split training program. I didn’t mind the hectic workout schedule because I thought I finally found what I was looking for.

Noel Sibayan - AT-14 - 9th Place - Transformation Image

Noel Cibaian – AT-13 – 9th Place – Transformation Image

However, it was not to be. Since it was a traditional bodybuilding program, there was the strict insistence on eating six meals a day and eating in excess of 3000 calories daily, all in the name of building muscle. Predictably, I got fat at the end of the program. So once again, I was back where I started, only feeling a little worse for having wasted so much time. While still doing the bodybuilding program, I found a beginner full body strength training program that focused on adding weight on subsequent workouts as a way to build muscle. The program’s founder looked “muscular” enough, although not in the way the Adonis Index would define what a proportionate, muscular body should look like. He didn’t look like a meathead which was a plus, but he didn’t have that pronounced v-taper look either. He spoke of the glory of getting strong over having the look of a muscular body. The basic premise of his program was, getting stronger eventually translated into bigger muscles. I started the program with some reservations, especially when I saw the “graduates”. Most of them looked pretty ordinary. Some were skinny, some were average looking and few were even looking downright overweight. The muscular ones were fewer still and seem to have uneven muscle development. But they were supposed to be very, very strong. According to this guy, strength is what counts. Then, I looked down at my protruding belly fat, which never went down throughout the program. This is when I knew for sure something was missing in my training. Not knowing any better, I scoured the strength training website for some clues and found a cross-promotion article on Eat Stop Eat. I was only few pages into reading Brad Pilon’s e-book when I decided to fast twice that same week. Within four weeks, my waist circumference shrank into what the Adonis Index refers to as my “golden waist”. During this time, I was still doing the workouts in the strength training program when Brad P. casually mentioned Adonis Golden Ratio in his Eat Stop Eat Optimized e-book. Of course I had my doubts. I got burned several times already and I didn’t want to waste any more time on another program preaching more of the same. But eventually, I visited the AGR website anyway.

3- What was most appealing to you about AGR?

For me, it was the podcasts. John Barban, Brad Howard and Brad Pilon’s science and research based discussions on fitness is what really sets AGR apart from everyone else. At this point, I was still skeptical about getting a ripped body, so I set my expectations low until proven otherwise. I also liked the fact that AGR also has metrics for the ideal body and perhaps the most intuitive online nutrition software that actually made sense. 

4- Were the any concepts or approaches you were skeptical about?

I didn’t really have any problem with AGR concepts or approaches as far as muscle building or nutrition guidance once I started reading the program materials. However, my first impression of the AGR website was that it was somewhat commercial. Prominent display of third party products and supplements just seemed too similar to every popular bodybuilding/supplement websites I preferred to avoid. It was this initial impression of AGR that made me press the “cancel” button over half a dozen times when purchasing the program. I know it sounds very silly to pick a program based on website impressions, but I’ve been burned several times with false promises from other programs, so I needed a little more convincing that AGR is not one of them.

5- When did you decide to jump on board full-fledge with AGR?

Despite my reservations on AGR’s marketing approach, Brad Pilon’s e-books were so good and informative I just had to give Adonis a go. My thought was, If Brad recommended the Adonis Index, surely it can’t be that bad. My only regret was that, as many AI members have stated before, was not finding Adonis sooner.

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Noel Cibaian – AT-13 – 9th Place – Transformation Image

6- When did you first decide to enter an Adonis Transformation (AT) contest?

At first, I was hesitant of joining a contest. About a month before AT13, I was just under two thirds of finishing a full body strength training program. I tend to follow through anything I start with, even if I was feeling very dissatisfied with my results from the program. Eventually, I finished the full body strength training program. I focused on moving on with my training with Category 3 and never looked back. I finally joined Adonis Transformation Contest 13 on January 22, 2014 to get my significant other’s support, rather than just looking overly obsessive compulsive about working out.

7- What was your experience going through the AT contest? Challenges that came up? Things you didn’t expect?

My experience was that the workouts are awesome. The nutrition portion wasn’t too bad since I already lost most of the fat on my waist, although my abdominal muscles were still not visible. My biggest challenge came from weaning myself out of the caloric deficit mentality. According to the AGR Nutrition Software calculator (aka Reverse Taper Diet calculator or just “RTD”), I needed to eat surplus calories. This is not the 3000 plus “bulking” style, but rather a sensible 200-300 calories above my resting metabolic rate. As far as unexpected, a month into the contest and two months overall in the Adonis Index, my progress seems to have stalled. Worse, when I increased my calories, my waist circumference increased as well, which typically means fat gain. My initial reaction was to cut calories, but another AGR member convinced me to stick to the Reverse Taper Diet recommendation and only lower my calories by a few hundred calories if I wanted to. It was this level of support from the AGR Community that kept me going. Any questions I had, someone in the community knew the answer, or at least point where to look for more information.

8- How did people react to your transformation?

The reaction from my family was mostly positive. My two sisters are both into fitness, so they could appreciate the results from the Adonis program. My coworkers on the other hand, hardly noticed the change. My missus has been back and forth worried about me getting to skinny, or being too bulky with muscles. To this day I explain to her that such bulkiness can only come from using drugs.

Noel Sibayan - AT-13 - 9th Place - Transformation Image

Noel Cibaian – AT-13 – 9th Place – Transformation Image

 9- How do you react to the “Brand New” you? Have you noticed changes in your outlook and attitude in general.

Today, I feel very light and “free”. Free to be finally rid of the fat that was slowly eating away my health. It is hard for me to think of my body other than what it looks like now. The credit goes to Eat Stop Eat, AGR, as well as my resolve to make the change. Also, I thought I made a good decision as far as investing in the AGR system. The free podcasts are great, but the Immersion podcasts and the coaching calls made the AGR experience much, much better as far as staying informed. It was definitely a dream come true, to have at my fingertips research information based on actual science rather than just made up “bro” science the fitness industry loves to misinform the masses with. The AGR folks are constantly posting blogs regarding new developments, to ensure its members have the most up-to-date information available, whether it’s on muscle building, nutrition, industry-related information or simply to motivate. I sincerely believe that my physical transformation also translates into positive mental and emotional well-being. I know that my body feels great and I have a more positive about my outlook on life. I feel that there are definitely still a lot more work to do, but I have clearly made progress towards building the body I wanted using AGR in the past months.

Editor’s Note:

Hey Noel,

Or should I say Prevasticus AKA “Prev.”   Congratulations on a stunning transformation.  You are a champion in our community forum. Always willing to go the extra mile to help others along their AGR journey.  Thanks for helping make the AGR system a true testament to others by not only paying it forward; but also by going out and getting personal results! We look forward to seeing more transformation updates from you in the future.

your brother in Iron,

Filed Under: body image, Contest, health, Muscle Building, Transformation Tagged With: , , , ,

Let the Music Do the Talking: Interview w/ AT-13 Winner Ibrahiym Gladney

September 15, 2014 by

Here’s your latest interview with 4th place winner Ibrahiym Gladney from the 13th Adonis Golden Ratio Transformation Contest.

Ibrahiym Gladney - 4th Place - Front Before/After Photos

Ibrahiym Gladney AT13- 4th Place – Front Before/After Photos

Ibrahiym Gladney AT13- 4th Place - Side Before/After Photos

Ibrahiym Gladney AT13- 4th Place – Side Before/After Photos

Ibrahiym Gladney AT13- 4th Place - Back Before/After Photos

Ibrahiym Gladney AT13- 4th Place – Back Before/After Photos

 

Ibrahiym’s Transformation Interview:

1- What workout or nutrition routine did you do before Adonis Golden Ratio (AGR) System? What kind of results did you get?

To be honest I followed the crowd as far as workout routines are concerned. I would go to the gym and do three sets of chest, three sets of legs, and maybe a set or two of shoulders or back followed by 45 minutes of cardio. At the time I weighted 240 and I was able to lose 15 pounds and walk around at 225. With the addition of adding squats to my routine I was able to lose another 5 pounds and drop down to 220. Unfortunately I was only able to maintain that weight for about six months before I started slowly packing on weight until I shout back to around 239-240 pounds.

Adonis Origins

Adonis Origins: Ibrahiym’s Adonis Lifestyle Transformation (Left: 240lbs | Right: 180lbs)

2- How did you find out about AGR?

I was sitting in the service area of my Hyundai dealership while checking my email and Kyle Leon recommended that I check out a short presentation and that presentation was the AGR system.

3- What was most appealing to you about AGR?

The fact the AGR focused on a leaner look and muscular symmetry while at the same time gaining strength and losing weight.

4- Were the any concepts or approaches you were skeptical about?

I was skeptical about counting my calories, the workout starting point categories, and the whole program. I had a hard time accepting what was different between bodybuilding.com and the Adonis Golden Ratio System.

5- When did you decide to jump on board full-fledge with AGR?

Lol the minute I saw the video and heard the presentation.

6- When did you first decide to enter an Adonis Transformation (AT) contest?

I believe a year or two after joining the program.  I realized that I was in the best shape of my life but I was lagging in certain muscle groups. So I decided to join the contest to see how far I could push myself physically and mentally.

7- What was your experience going through the AT contest? Challenges that came up? Things you didn’t expect?

The biggest challenge for me was building up my intensity without a workout partner. I often felt that I wasn’t improving my physique because of the non-workout partner limitation. So I often put on my head phones and turned the anger and frustration into a constant challenge and it seems as if I came out on top. I absolutely did not expect to be so tired after my workouts.  They took everything out of me. I also did not expect to see my body transforming in front of my eyes.

8- How did people react to your transformation?

Positives and negatives (if any). A lot of negative comments came my way as far as “you are getting super skinny” (normally by people who were not in shape) “don’t fade away on me”, or even from body builders in my gym calling me “weak” or to “small”. On the other end, I also received some positive comments as far as “you look great” and even some “keep up the good work”.

 9- How do you react to the “Brand New” you? Have you noticed changes in your outlook and attitude in general.

Yes everything changed for me. I started performing poetry. I went out and threw away all of my old clothing and bought new ones. I am a much healthier eater than I was before the AGR System.

Editor’s Note:

Hey Ibrahiym, Wow! What an awesome transformation you have had overall with the AGR system.  It was great to hear about your struggles as well as  your victories while working towards your “Golden Ratio.”  I understand you may have felt like the “Lone Eagle” while on your journey.  It can be tough when you don’t have a training partner.  However, it was more refreshing to learn that your listening to music during your workout channeled your motivation and enabled you to push harder than before. Ibrahiym, congrats again on amazing transformation and keep pushing to inspire others! your brother in Iron,

 

Filed Under: body image, Contest, health, Muscle Building, Transformation Tagged With: , , , ,
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