Kurt 3.0: What I Accomplished This Year

I must say 2012 was quite a prolific year for me, and no, it wasn't because I thought the world was going to end. It all began on December 31, 2011/January 1, 2012, when I decided that instead of making resolutions for the new year, I would SET GOALS instead. The first one was easy: NO CAKE OR ICE CREAM UNLESS IT'S A SPECIAL OCCASION!!! One year later, I've stayed true to it!

An even bigger goal was to pursue a secondary career in the fitness industry. I love the gym; I love working out; I love living a healthy lifestyle, so it made sense to try and turn that into a job. I started trying to find ways to make it happen. In June, I became a Schwinn-certified cycling instructor, and in August, I received a personal trainer certification. Those are just the first two of many certs I hope to attain (I'm setting new goals for 2013!).

I also wanted to start a blog on health/fitness/nutrition issues and before I ever began, I spent months brainstorming and trying to figure out how to make my blog stand out from all the others floating around in cyberspace. After years of hitting plateaus and going back-and-forth in the body size department, I became frustrated over my inability (it seemed) to gain and maintain "good weight." I decided to try and pack on muscle and document it over the course of a year. That's when Kurt 3.0 was born!! (Don't you just love him? :)

I also created the "Kurt 3.0" Facebook page, so that when I slacked on the blog (which I have), there would be enough posting on the "K3.0" page and my other Facebook page to keep everyone up to date on where I was, what I was doing, how it was going, etc. The blog posts may have dwindled, but my dedication has not, which anyone who knows me in my personal life will attest to.

In November, I took things a step further and started the Body Beast program from Beachbody and was so blown away and inspired by the workouts and the results that I became a Beachbody Independent Coach later that month.

Beachbody is a phenomenal company that has taken the world by storm. There are more than 20 great workout programs to choose from, and I would love for some of my friends to choose one and let me coach them through it! Maybe that can be one of my goals for 2013??

My Beachbody workout of choice at the present time is Body Beast, a mass-building program that comes straight from a bodybuilding professional who shuns the "steroid approach" and other performance-enhancing drugs, when it comes to gaining size and muscle mass.

Here is a look at what I've accomplished in the four months since "Kurt 3.0" kicked off in early September. I've gained five-and-a-half pounds in skeletal muscle mass. THREE of those pounds were gained after I started Body Beast on November 6th. I can tell by the way my clothes fit that I've gained size (in a good way). I've also raised my basal (resting) metabolic rate by 100 calories.

That's what I've managed to do as 2012 draws to a close. I take care of myself first, so that I can take care of others later. That said, I hope I can do something to help someone in 2013!

Happy New Year, everybody!! :)