I need to start this post off by declaring this will not become one of those “workout blogs”. You know, one of those blogs where the person only talks about what the frick they’ve eaten that day and how many push-ups they do.

Like anyone cares how many ounces of banana I’ve eaten in a day (and subsequently how many calories were in those ounces of said banana…). Seriously.

However, I’ve decided it’s time to get back into the shape I was back in college when I was rowing and I want to start posting on the progress of my physical growth as I have been chronicling my mental and emotional growth over the past year plus.

There are so many reasons I am doing this, and so many reasons why I’m doing this on my blog.

First and foremost, my 27th birthday is 29 days away. Now, my mother has shown me over the years that age means nothing, it’s how you feel that dictates the quality of life you live. Well, there are two times I look back at where I know I have felt pretty damn good - when things seemed to flow together nicely and I felt physically and mentally “together”. One of those times was in college when I was rowing and one was last summer when I was constantly walking around, waiting tables, kayaking, etc.

Let’s review. Here I am in college - 1999 (click on any picture to see it in my photo album):

Here I am after rowing for a semester:

And here I am last summer:

And so we all have a base of comparison, here I am in high school:

Holy skinny, Batman!

Another reason I am doing this is the desire for me to feel young and healthy for as long as I possibly can. I don’t want diabetes from eating crap food. I don’t want my body to break down from stress. I don’t want pudge to creep over my jeans and remind me I’m going to need that hip replacement in X years. I’m one of those people who are much more afraid of losing functionality - vigor, strength, and mobility - than I am of death. You only have to live with death when it happens to someone else. On the other hand, once incontinence hits, you most likely have to live with it forever! No, thanks!

Yet another reason is simply the fact I like to be in shape. It makes me feel sexy to rub my stomach and feel my manly lumps. I like my lovely manly lumps! haha

One of the main reasons I am doing this on my blog is in order to force me to be more disciplined. If I actually have to take pictures of myself every day, sit down at my computer and look at them, and ALSO show the world, there is much more incentive to stick with it that there would be otherwise. Once I get into a routine I’m sure it won’t seem as daunting of a task. For now I will admit it’s a little overwhelming to put pictures of myself in what I would consider to be “less than great” shape online for everyone to see. I’ve always been a proponent of laying it all out there - the less secrets you have the less people have to hold against you - but my body image has always been a sore spot for me.

Why? Well, I was the small one in a big family. I mean that in many ways. Everyone in my immediate family was overweight growing up - from my grandmother to my mother to my step-father to my sister. It was in the genes. Since my biological father was a skinny-as-a-rail Portuguese guy, I must have inherited his body type and/or metabolism.

All my uncles were big in the muscular way. My uncle Bruce was once a bodybuilder while serving in the military and even had his pictures taken for a weight lifting magazine. My uncle Steve’s back was so strong that when he was pinned by his van after changing the oil and dragged down the street underneath it, he broke it but lived.

Growing up I was caught in between. Skinny and scrawny. I’d hear the, “you look so skinny - here eat this” from various members of my family, which I did and then I’d gain ten pounds. When you grow up in a big family, you become very sensitive to anything to do with weight and therefore I’d always feel that 5 pounds was 50. And for my frame it would look it!!

I love my body - every line and curve - but I’ve been in great shape and I’ve been pudgy. I FEEL better when I’m in shape. And I am not kidding you when I say 5 pounds really does look like 50 on my frame, even today.

I’ve got the potential to gain/lose weight pretty easily and also gain muscle easily as well. Another reason for me to do this - I’d like to try for the sake of trying. To see what I can get my body to look like. A birthday surprise for me!

Long story short, tomorrow I shall start what I have deemed to be The Ryan Reynolds Diet (The RDD). Yes, this Ryan Reynolds:

From Blade 3:

Why The RDD? Well, Ryan Reynolds has what I would consider to be the utmost perfect body a man could every have. Not too big, very defined, and he actually has body hair. Whenever I see his body I think, I could do that if I tried. Now I want to try.

I did a whole bunch of google-ing and found out what Ryan Reynolds had to go through during his preparation for Blade 3. It was intense, but his diet and workout plan seems doable. Especially if I tone it down a bit seeing as I don’t plan on being an action hero any time soon - I just want to get in great shape.

I already spend about 2 hours+ in the gym whenever I go, I just don’t ever focus on what I am doing. I am stuck in performance for sports mode and not in work out for hotness mode. At this point in my life the chance of me needing to run 10 miles out of necessity does not meet the potentiality of me having a cute boy want to do body shots off me. I mean, you can’t convincingly explain to a cute boy who wants to drink alcohol out of your belly button, “but I’m in great cardiovascular shape!”

Anyways, Ryan Reynolds ate real food while getting ready for Blade 3. It’s just different from what I’m used to. Healthier. I will adjust.

I’m starting off with a pretty good base - now it’s time to step it up a bit. Let’s see how far I can go! OK enough of the sappy talk that probably won’t make any sense when I re-read it in the morning.

Well, here is my first round. My base set of pictures. Day 0 of The RDD. And NO, I am not sucking my stomach in!

Please note the single biggest physical flaw I have - back fat. I will take great pleasure when it is gone.

Wish me luck - it’s going to be an interesting experience!!