Focused on fat loss

Muscle & Fitness, July, 2008 by Brian Kirkma

Last May, I weighed in at 318 pounds with 36% bodyfat at 27 years old. I looked and felt horrible. I was drinking soda all the time and eating nothing but bad foods, and I wasn't getting the exercise I needed. Finally I looked at myself in the mirror and said, "It's time to get your-self together!"

Ever since that morning I've done exactly what I set out to do. I went cold turkey and immediately cut out all the fast food, pizza and fried foods I was eating and made sure I got in five healthy meals a day. I drank at least a gallon of water daily. After just one month, I had lost 15 pounds. That's when I enlisted the help of a personal trainer.

For the next three months, my trainer worked closely with me and helped me learn all about proper nutrition and exercise. After that I took the knowledge I'd gained and continued to apply it on my own.

In October I also began taking karate classes and started reading M&F religiously. I do karate twice a week, hit the gym three times each week and make sure I do cardio to keep burning fat. As of January, eight months after starting my program, I weighed 204 pounds at 18% bodyfat. I'Ve lost 48 inches off my body and am happy with my progress, but I'm not done yet. When it comes to being healthy, the strenuous months of dieting and exercising are worth it when I look in the mirror and see the results of my hard work.

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