I Spent A Year Trying To Bulk Up And Get Swole And This Is What Happened
Let’s get real.
Hey, I'm Spencer. Last March I started this cool, intense fitness project where I basically tried to gain as much muscle mass as possible.
I've had body image issues for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school I'd compare myself to the other kids, convincing myself that I was too small and not strong enough. But last year, my self-esteem and confidence were at an all-time low. I seriously questioned the way I looked and felt because I didn't fit the mainstream norm. I did not think I deserved to feel good.
After countless attempts to gain weight and muscle but never really succeeding, I enlisted the help of trainer and registered dietitian Albert Matheny, who's the founder of SoHo Strength Lab and ProMix Nutrition, to see if he could help me change my body.
Be patient, because you probably won't see changes immediately.
Working out can be scary and exhausting and exhilarating and rewarding. Everyone wants to see instant results, but that's just not possible. I had to put in a lot of hard work – I literally drank a thousand protein shakes in a year – and spent countless hours at the gym before seeing any changes with my body.
There's nothing glamorous about sweating or having to watch what you eat. My fitness journey has literally been a lifestyle change, and it took a lot of time for me to see results.
Celebrate the small victories as you're trying to achieve your overall goal.
Focusing solely on the number of pounds I lost or gained was super detrimental to my fitness journey. Instead of trying to hit X number of pounds within X days, I celebrated other types of progress, like outgrowing my jeans, squatting a certain amount, and having to adjust the wristband on my watch because it got too tight. All of these were casual reminders that I was actually making progress.
Spencer Althouse