1. INTRODUCTION

I have been working out since 1974 when I was 14 years old. At that time, everything I knew about exercise, primairly weight lifting, I learned from a Joe Wieder program I ordered out of a "Boy's Life" magazine.

I made a lot of mistakes along the way. For most of my early life, I was a member of the "no pain/no gain" generation. I even wrestled in high school and utilized the starvation diet to drop from 175 lbs to 126 lbs in one month (please don't try this at home).

I've always been interested in fitness and nutrition. Over the years, I've read fitness magazines, tried a few diets, worked with personal trainers and attended/listened to a number of self-improvement programs.

This blog is my attempt to pull all of this information together in a forum that will, hopefully, be of use to others and will generate comments and additional wisdom.

I'm going to start with a basic overview as laid out in the Table of Contents. I'm not going to attempt to get into any PhD level discussions, but rather, will highlight the elements that I think should be part of a successful program.

As for my personal situation. I am currently 5'7", weigh 174 lbs and have a body fat of 23%. My goals are to lose 10 lbs of body fat, add 5 lbs of muscle and improve my overall fitness level. I also am planning to complete a sprint triathlon in March of 2006 and a middle distance triathlon by June of 2006.