Bodybuilding After 40
Most of us think that as we age, our body function decreases, and we will never be what we used to be. But as we learned from P90X and many other popular workout programs, it is possible to get into shape after 40? In fact, some P90X users consider themselves to be in the best shape of their life!
I have also seen some 50, 60, or even 70 year old bodybuilders. But most of those bodybuilders have made it a lifelong goal, spending hours in the gym starting some time in their teens or twenties. When you dedicate 20, 30, or even 40 years to any one endeavor, chances are you know what you're doing. But now, a growing number of people are proving that anything is possible, even if you get a late start.
Take for example Paul Bigley, a 51 year old Toronto man who, in November 2009, decided that it was time to make a change. He started hitting the gym, and now, this particular 51 year old considers himself to be "in the best shape of my life."
Yes, Paul Bigley has more energy. Yes, Mr. Bigley has more muscle, and he has dropped fat while lowering his cholesterol and blood pressure. But Paul Bigley has taken it a little bit further than the average adult making a life change. Paul Bigley won third prize in the 2010 Milky Whey Western Ontario Championship bodybuilding competition. So how did he do it?
I could tell you about his growing health problems, I could tell you about his dedication, and I could tell you about the sacrifices made by Bigley and other adults who typically don't make quite the transformation that Bigley did. But I'll let him speak for himself.
"I was on various medications and worried about diabetes and I thought I needed to do something about it and the first thing I needed to do was find a coach. So I went looking for a bodybuilding coach.
I went to his office and I was really impressed. He had this beautiful photograph of this bodybuilder, a really impressive specimen, and I asked him who he was and he said that is you in 12 months and I knew I had found my coach."
Obviously, this provided the motivation Bigley felt he needed to turn his life around. But what about the actual process?
"I gave up everything. Some things were really difficult to give up. I really love Guinness. Some of the things were difficult to give up but it was a complete lifestyle change - not only a physical change but a change in the way you think. Your diet has to change completely when it comes to bodybuilding. There are three important ingredients - training, rest, and diet."
Bodybuilding after 40 is not for everyone. But Paul Bigley makes a few good points even for people who do not want to be extreme bodybuilders. In order to change your body, you need to adjust your lifestyle and your everyday choices. And one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get a well trained coach.
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