You Can't Deny Who You Are

My Testimony - Written spring '99

Calling It Quits

At 243 pounds and 27 percent body-fat I was ready to hang-up bodybuilding for good. I had spent the past two years focusing so much on gaining weight that all I ended up doing was increasing my body-fat percentage. My diet consisted mainly of high calorie weight gainers, fast food restaurants, and high fat meals at home.  

Even my training frequency at the gym became less and less as time went on. By my appearance, it was hard to believe that I was once a successful competitive bodybuilder. It was apparent that bodybuilding was an activity of the past for me. For the first time in my life since I started bodybuilding, I was ready to quit for good. I was confident in my decision; I felt it was right for me, yet somehow I had a feeling of emptiness inside. Something was wrong, I was depressed. I had given up the one thing that I felt passionate about in my life. Then again, why should I continue? For the past two years the only gains I made were my body-fat percentages. I was through with this sport for good. 

You Cant Deny Who You Are

Life is funny sometimes how it catches your attention. At the time in my life when I decided bodybuilding was not for me, I ran into an old bodybuilder friend of mine. When I saw the progress he made since the last time I had seen him, my jaw about hit the floor. He too, due to a bad relationship, had gone through some tough times in bodybuilding where his gains seemed minimal in comparison to the efforts he had put into the gym. He on the other hand, did not give up. His persistence, along with breaking away from a negative relationship, allowed him to develop an impressive physique in a short period of time.  

"That's it, if he can turn himself around I can too!" I said. The shock of my friend's gains had lit a fire within me. I knew the only way I was going to get back into the sport was to set very challenging goals for myself. At that point, and still 27 percent body-fat, I decided I would enter a bodybuilding show that was six and a half months down the road. I decided that I would come in at 5 percent body-fat without losing any muscle. Most people thought that I was crazy in my decision. How is a person whose body-fat percentage levels are close to the level of obesity suppose to get down to a body-fat level around 5 percent in only six and a half months without losing any muscle? I can't count how many times someone told me to "Not get my hopes up" or asked, "Do you really think you have enough time to get ready?". Others opinions didn't bother me; I knew I had what it takes. After all, at this point in my life, I already had over 13 years of experience with bodybuilding. 

I was hungry for success. I had a fire within me that made me want to win. I love it when someone tells me that I am not good enough, there is not a better sweet reward then seeing the expression on their face when you prove them wrong. I took all the negative criticism that I received and used it as fuel for my training. I was a man on a mission. 

Final Outcome

I won the show. I won my weight class in the novice division and ended up wining the overall Novice title at the show. I even won the Best Poser award for the contest.  All the hours in the gym and all the weeks and weeks on the diet ended up paying off. Besides meeting my wife and the birth of my daughter, this was the greatest accomplishment I have achieved. I have never worked so hard for anything in my life. In the end, I felt the weight of the world lift off of my shoulders; I had proven to both myself and others that I can achieve my goals. I had achieved my dream of winning and now look forward to making and achieving new challenging goals in the near future.  

Closing Notes

Do not let others determine your self worth. Do not deny yourself a chance to shoot for your dreams. Many people run through life having others tell them they are "too fat" or "not good enough". Many try to reach their goals but have others negativity bring them down. Sometimes we also fail because we do not know how to succeed. If becoming a competitive bodybuilder, better weightlifter, losing weight, or just becoming healthier is one of your goals; then I want to help you succeed. As I said earlier, I have over 13 years of experience in bodybuilding. I have spent the majority of those 13 years receiving negative criticism from various individuals. Too fat, too small, just not good enough, you name it; I have probably heard it over the years. I do not have any hard feelings against those who doubted me; their disbelief has been one of the greatest tools I have used to create my own success. 

With the help of Ironbodies, you too can have the same success. Take a good look into yourself, see that you deserve nothing less than the best and GO FOR THE GOLD! I along with my other companions at Ironbodies will be in your corner cheering for you all the way. 

All the best,
Gerald T. Gore, Jr.