Zero Day: My Body For Life Experience (And Secret Pictures!)

G’day,

Before I let you know who I am, I’ll talk about what it is I am doing, and why I’m doing it.

Why Do A Real Time Physique Blog?

This is a real time body transformation with daily updates on my progress, my workouts, my nutrition plan and my thoughts.

In order to hold myself totally accountable I will also publish daily pictures of my progress along with the occasional video. This is an ongoing process not an exact science. Put simply, I’m a regular guy using 100% natural methods to try and get into shape!

Like anything else you read on the web these days take everything I say with a grain of salt. With that said, if I am successful in transforming my body I do hope you may be able to learn a thing or two that you can use yourself to transform your body. All in all, my mission here is two-fold.

Firstly, I want to hold myself accountable to my program by forcing myself to post daily updates and pictures (except for rest days).

Secondly, I hope to inspire anyone out there reading my posts that a physique transformation is possible within 12 weeks if you follow a few simple guidelines. Thats right you can use me as your guinea pig as I discover what works and what doesn’t!

My Body For Life Experience

So who am I? Well, my name is Adam Waters. I am a 32 year old Aussie living and working in Japan, who is quite frankly fed up with not being in shape.

In a “previous life” 6 years ago I was in great shape reaching a bodyfat of 8% down from 17% after doing Body For Life, an intense 12-week body transformation program created by the legendary Bill Phillips. I still remember reading this book for the first time and being blown away by sheer number of stunning body transformations.

What sealed the deal for me was his documentary “Body of Work.” This videotape came free with the Body For Life book and chronicled the first transformation contest held where the top prize was Bill Phillips’ red Lamborghini! The stories of the finalists completely captivated me, especially Porter Freeman and Jeff Seidman.

I watched that video so often I think I wore the tape out! In hindsight, this video and his book were also replete with EAS product placement (Bill’s supplement company) and actually had the desired effect as I went out and bought a lot of EAS Myoplex for my own 12-week challenge. I have since come to realise that these supplements are really not necessary, whole food will get 99% of the way there.

Even though I was proud of my achievement I still didn’t really know much about fitness. I just followed the same program 6 days a week for a whole ten months, it never even occurred to me that I could (or should) mix up my program. In spite of all that, I still hold Body For Life in high regard.

This book introduced me to the world of fitness and physique transformation and redefined what I thought was possible. Perhaps my biggest mistake was taking the BFL “cheat day” to new and longer extremes (like starting my off-plan meals at midnight and drinking alcohol on my “days off”!).

A Slow Downward Spiral

In retrospect, I went on a slow downward spiral the day after I finished my initial 12 Body For Life challenge. Even though I continued to train relatively hard I partied way too much in the night-time for someone who claimed health and fitness in the daytime! It wasn’t long before I began to pay the price.

My workouts soon suffered until boredom and tiredness set in to the point where one morning I just said “stuff it!” and decided to sleep in. That little sleep-in turned into days, then weeks and then months.

By the time I had woken from my slumber I was back up to 20% bodyfat. You know what happens next…apathy, self-pity and guilt takes over. “After all that hard work, how could I just let myself go like that!” I am so sick of living in the past. It’s time for me to get real.

So, for the past couple of months I have immersed myself into fitness books other than Body For Life to try and get a better understanding of what it takes to achieve long-term health and fitness. I also got off my butt and went to the gym to prepare and fine-tune my approach.

2003: My Lowest Point

Let me tell you a secret…right now my bodyfat is again at 20% which I am actually happy with because I really “blew out” to proportions so huge that it makes me physically ill just looking at it.

Right this minute I have decided to upload the pictures I am talking about. These “before” pictures were taken in July 2003 on another one of my failed attempts to get back into shape.

If you look into my eyes you can actually see sadness and depression written all over my face!

It is still hard for me to look at these pictures now. However, I want this blog to be about truth from the word go. In time I believe it will be cathartic for me to release all the skeletons in my closet.

Let’s face it, none of us are perfect, we all screw up now and again. I’m no different to you, or anybody else in that respect.

Ok, that’s enough negative energy. Right now it’s time for me to “pull the trigger” and dial it in for the next 12 weeks. I’m talking about the whole package: cardio, weight training, nutrition and mind power. A full blown physique transformation!

That’s right baby! It’s time to make a comeback!

Adam Waters