New Phase & New Goals

Bovus2017

I've been a gym rat for much of my adult life, transforming my body from 145 lb swimmers build to a 220 lb bodybuilder. I loved loved loved bodybuilding and seeing the change in my physique - putting on size gave me a confidence I had never felt before. I had a great trainer and even won the very first bodybuilding show I entered. It was euphoric. Ironically, it's also probably the least healthy I had ever been in my life.

Now, with aching joints and staving off injuries, I've reassessed my training goals and am on a new path - a path toward shedding the extra muscle mass and settling into a fit, athletic physique. In my head, this will happen at around 175 lbs. I know it will take a while (it's surprisingly challenging to reduce muscle mass while still training hard and eating healthy: the alternative is not training and letting simple atrophy take over but that doesn't fit with my passion for working out).

About a month ago I discovered MFP and am finding it to be a great tool for focusing my efforts and keeping myself honest, especially with diet. It'd be shockingly easy to exceed my daily calorie goals if I weren't tracking everything I eat.

Being new to the community here I'm wondering if anyone else has endeavored to go from "bodybuilder" to "athletic" and any feedback about the experience. I'm also seeing that, though our individual journeys may be different, the daily challenges and pitfalls are largely similar. So, truly, hearing from anyone, regardless of goals or where you may be on the whole fitness spectrum, would be valuable and appreciated.

Thanks, and much success to all.