As a childhood scholar, I was taught that many living species go through what is known as "metamorphosis" or physical changes that help them grow or adapt to their habitat.  My personal journey through bodybuilding has taken that concept to whole new level.  I now know and accept that every day of my life brings an opportunity for change and adaptation … for the better or worse depends mostly on what I do in response.  How?  As an aspiring amateur bodybuilder, I trained hard and went through two metamorphic phases before I molded a physique that was deemed pro status.  Although it seems like a blink of an eye in retrospect, my rise to the top of the NPC happened in a little over two years time.  Right after the 2004 NPC Nationals in Dallas, TX, I recall thinking to myself, "What the heck am I going to do now?"  What am I going to do now that I have nothing to prove as an amateur?  I have never thought about wanting to become Mr. Olympia, so I decided on the next best thing … I wanted to become the best professional bodybuilder that I could believe in.  What does that mean?  I have never been one to aspire to become a walking and talking freak-show.  I have always wanted to keep my physique in perspective so as to inspire my peers and others to respect their bodies and inspire the masses towards genuine health and wellness.  

Each an every day that I step into the gym, I look at it as an opportunity to change my overall health for the better.  It was very difficult for me to "take my foot off the pedal" and accept that I don't have to lift as heavy or as intensely to induce a positive net change in myself.  Today, I lift because I want to give my body a reason to continue to evolve, which is key to longevity.  How?  Every day, our cells die and are replaced by new cells … and when we exercise, this process happens at an even faster rate.  Therefore, we must help our bodies replenish dying cells through proper nutrition and adequate rest.  I know this sounds really easy and simply, but I would guess that the average gym rat does not implement both variables on a consistent basis long enough to induce net positive change.  I know this is true because of the fact that supplement companies are making millions of dollars selling products that promise options to such variables.  

Stop going through the motions and train with purpose.  Not only will you keep yourself interested, but you may even notice greater changes in your physique in the process.  I am willing to bet that if you take the time to visualize yourself the way you would like to be before your next training session and keep that focus for future training sessions, you will achieve a much bigger, stronger, and/or better you.  I can mope about not being able to lift as heavy as I once did prior to my injury and subsequent surgery, but I won't.  I will seize every training opportunity as a means of keeping myself literally hungry for life.  Every day that I hit the trail for 3.5 miles or drive some heavy iron for 2's and 3's for reps, I know that I am inducing a net positive change in my longevity.  You have one life to live … why not  live it to the fullest?  One of my favorite sayings is, "If it doesn't make you a little nervous before you attempt it, then it's sure as hell not going to make you any better than you were before!"