Bodybuilding Question and Answer with Vince - Goal setting for your fitness program

Hi Vince, your in great shape man. If I could have any physique it would be yours. I'm 5'9, 180 pounds with a 36 inch waist. In recent years I've completely let myself go. I'm completely new to exercising, any recommendations on getting started? thanks for your time. Paul

Thank you for the compliment, I really appreciate that.

Paul, with your being new to the whole exercising thing, you should first consult with a personal trainer at a gym that you choose to get you on the right track as far as learning the exercises and how to use the equipment, or of course be sure to look at the exercise videos on this site and familiarise yourself with the form and execution. But, more importantly, let's start out with the basics in setting some goals for yourself and staying focused and dedicated to achieving these goals. This is exactly what I did years ago when I was on a quest to look like Marky Mark....remember him? Actually he's better known today as Mark Wahlberg the actor. Yeah, I know your probably chuckling right now, but that's what helped me way back when I was first getting started. Here's my advice to you to get you on the right path:

- set a long term goal perhaps with an image that you have for yourself, but approach it with short term goals along the way so you feel a sense of accomplishment, motivating you to continue.

- figure out a workout schedule that coincides with your personal and work schedule, and stick to it no matter what.

- diet is at least 70% of achieving your physical goals, so approach this with not only setting a daily calorie intake, but also a good balance of proteins/carbohydrates/fats. I personally eat 5-6 small to moderate meals which are mainly protein based. This allows my body to keep lean muscle with little fat, since I take in more than 1 gram of protein per pound of my bodyweight.

- keep motivated to reaching your desired body....you definitely can do it!

Trust me Paul, it took me years of trial and error to finally get it all right. Its a matter of being in touch with your own body, understanding what works best for you. Don't ever think of this as a "diet", or "new years resolution", etc....this is a way of life now, that's what my motto is. Everything that I do with my normal diet and training regimen is just a part of life for me, something that is just as normal to me as breathing or going to work everyday, etc...

Good luck with your endeavour Paul, and remember always to believe in yourself. I always envisioned myself looking like some guy on the cover of a fitness magazine, knowing that at worst I'd get a decent looking body. Well, wouldn't you know upon turning 40 years old, I finally reached my desired goal, and then some.

PS. You should start out with at least 3 days of 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercising, with mixing in resistance weight training either during this time, or on another day. At my level, I weight train 4 days per week, about 1 hour per each workout, going at a pretty fast pace.

Vince

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