Silva's Total Body FITNESS Transformation Program

Before and After photos

Before photo

After photo

Statistics

Plan type:

Muscle Gain

Start weight:

163lbs

End weight:

181lbs

Gender:

Male

Age:

Height:

Diet regime:

Raised Calorie

Primary fitness:

Weight lifting

Duration:

6 months - 1 year

Body area:

Whole Body

Build:

Medium set

Body fat % (before):

n/a

Body fat % (after):

n/a

View my profile:

arsilva

My story:

Growing up, I was fairly small and weak. When I entered college, I knew that I wanted to revamp my image and my life. As an initial athletic endeavor, I joined my university’s crew (rowing) team. This cardiovascular- and back strength- oriented sport helped me reach an athletic point I never imagined possible. So, I decided to hit the gym in order to help me become a better rower. As I grew over the first two months or so, I realized the gym was where I wanted to put all my energy. However, through my research, I knew that I could never get the size I wanted as a rower. So, I quit the rowing team in May of ‘07, and went from a 163-pound rower to a 180-pound lifter.

Diet principles:

Eating at least 5 meals a day is essential for gaining muscle, as it keep your metabolism stoked, minimizing fat gain, and also ensures sufficient calorie intake every day. Quality protein sources include chicken, lean beef, turkey, fish (tuna, salmon, tilapia), eggs, and protein powders. Quality carbohydrate sources include brown and white rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain breads and pastas, and bananas. Finally, quality fat sources (essential to any weightlifting program) include almonds and other nuts, olive/flax oil, and nut butters, as well as the fat from eggs and beef, in moderation. Daily vegetables are also important to remain healthy.

Exercise principles:

Compound (multi-joint) lifts are the bread and butter for any lifting program, especially for the novice lifter. Deadlifts, squats, and pressing movements are essential to building serious muscle.
I followed a program that had me working each bodypart once to twice a week.