My upcoming goals with respect to bodyweight...

As I stood this morning, fasted, I weighed 247 lbs. My goal is to weigh 235 or less by March 18th, 2009. That date will be 10 days before my next planned powerlifting competition. I intend to lift in the 242 lb weight class and by getting my weight down to 235 in advance of the meet, I will be able to creatine load and still end up under the weight class limit after the inevitable and strength-giving water retention.

Twelve pounds minimum in 8 weeks shouldn't be very challenging but to ensure I hit my goal, I will be initiating a 20-30 minute cardio/kettlebell session in the morning. It's not a lot but it will be enough to jump start my daily metabolism, defer any fat-loss plateaus and give me the calorie deficit cushion I'll need to offset the required high-calorie days for proper recuperation in the final weeks before the meet.

After I complete that meet, my next fat-loss goal is to hit 215 or less by June 24, 2009. That day will be 10 days prior to the 8th Annual Fern's Gym Strongman Competition in Temiskaming Shores. I competed in this contest last summer as a heavyweight class competitor but this summer my goal is to compete in the middleweight class (176-220 lbs). This goal will be challenging because to get to 215 lbs or less will mean my bodyfat percentage will be approximately 9-11%. In my lifetime, I've only had a bodyfat percentage that low two times. Once when I first started powerlifting and cut down to the 181 lb weight class in 1988 and for a brief period in 1996 when I trimmed down from 250 to 198 lbs. In both of those prior situations, I did not maintain that degree of leanness for a very significant period of time.

When I achieve that level in July 2009, my goal will be to maintain, within a reasonable margin, that body weight for the rest of my healthy life. At that time I will be nearing my 43rd birthday and I will be making my long-term health a full-time priority. As it stands, many years of carrying 250+ pounds has no doubt put many extra miles on my joints--especially in my knees and back. In order to ensure ongoing years of vitality, I will need to be cognizant of lightening the load on my skeletal structure.

Some "Before" and "During" pics

The "before" pics are from the 299 lb phase of my life and the "during" pics were taken tonight at 250 lbs. I'm not quite at my "fighting weight" but I wanted to record my progress before I donate my "fat clothes" to a local drop-off station. The time period between the pics is approximately 14 months.