Body Transformation: Jeremy Bell Body Transformation
Lifestyle Prior To Change
I played college football for a small private school in Kansas, so I had always been into training. However, after I graduated from college, like most folks I took that dreaded desk job. To be honest I really just let myself go. Training and nutrition just weren’t a priority for me. I was just eating whatever I wanted, going out for lunch daily with co-workers, and training was absolutely the last thing from my mind.
What was your turning point?
About 7 years passed by with terrible eating, not training, and just letting life pass me buy in general. I decided that it was time to “lose some weight, get back in shape”. You know the stuff that the New Years Resolutionarys talk about. So, I had the bright idea that training for, and running a marathon would do the trick. I figured with that much running there was no way I could continue to be fat. So, a buddy of mine and I ran, and ran, and ran just like Forest Gump. We get to the race day in Chicago, I’m still fat by the way, it’s like 90+ degrees on race day, people are dropping like flies, and they actually ran out of ambulances. The race got called off before I could finish, and I wasn’t the least bit upset.
Enter year two of Marathon training, this time I had made up my mind that I’d finish. On race day, I showed up at 268 lbs. I did finish, but collapsed both arches in my feet and had to be wheeled around in a wheel chair by my wife at the airport. I got back to town and immediately went to see my doctor. I love my family doc, he sat me down and actually asked me if he could pray for me. You know your health is in the gutter when your doc does this! He was blunt and to the point. Change or die early.
What Was Your Exercise Plan?
I use a training protocol which some would call DC or Doggcrapp Training. I don’t call it that, because technically I don’t follow that protocol to a T. I do however use the rest pause template as a mainstay, however my rep ranges are different, and I tend to hit weak area’s with some volume at the end of a body part. A sample of the workout:
What Was Your Diet Plan?
Here I was, broke down arches, no clue about nutrition, and faced with a tough decision. I was fortunate enough to come across a guy who specializes in transformations and contest prep. His name is Shelby Starnes with Troponin Nutrition. We sat down and talked about goals and the challenge that I had in front of me. He took over my diet and pointed me in the right direction concerning a training protocol that would best optimize his diet plan.
We had 11 months to prepare for the bodybuilding show I had set as a goal. In the beginning we used a carb cycling approach, and as we got into the prep, we got rid of all carbs and went with a keto diet, coupled with some serious time doing cardio.
Here is a sample of my carb cycling diet. (Note, this diet is specific to me, and changed frequently in terms of cycling the carbs.)
- Meal 1: 90g carbs, 35g protein
- Meal 2: 80g carbs, 35g protein
- Meal 3: 90g carbs, 35g protein (switch this with any meal to make it your post-workout meal)
- Meal 4: 80g carbs, 35g protein
- Meal 5: 80g carbs, 35g protein
- Meal 6: 80g carbs, 35g protein
- Meal 7: 35g protein, unlimited veggies
Medium day, 6 meals:
- Meal 1: 60g carbs, 50g protein
- Meal 2: 30g carbs, 50g protein
- Meal 3: 60g carbs, 50g protein (switch this with any meal to make it your post-workout meal)
- Meal 4: 50g protein, 2 cups veggies, 7 grams fish oil, 3 grams primrose oil
- Meal 5: Same as meal 4
- Meal 6: 50g protein, 5g primrose oil
Low day, 6 meals:
- Meal 1: 30g carbs, 50g protein, 5 grams fish oil
- Meal 2: same as meal 1
- Meal 3: 50g protein, 2 cups veggies, 7 grams fish oil, 3 grams primrose
- Meal 4: same as meal 3
- Meal 5: same as meal 3
- Meal 6: 50g protein, 5g fish oil, 5 g primrose
Sample of Keto diet used. (This also changed considerably over time, but you get the general idea.)
- Meal 1: 5 whole omega 3 eggs, 4 additional egg whites
- Meal 2: 45g protein from whey protein isolate (must be isolate, i.e. no fat or carbs) and 1.5 tbsp all natural peanut butter
- Meal 3: 45g protein from lean meat (chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna) and 1/3 cup almonds or walnuts
- Meal 4: Same as meal 2
- Meal 5: 45g protein from a fatty protein source like salmon or swordfish or top round steak, and a small salad with 1 tbsp of either extra virgin olive oil OR macadamia nut oil. 1 tbsp vinegar too, for taste if you'd like.
- Meal 6: 5 whole omega 3 eggs
What supplements did you use?
This won’t be popular, but kids save your money! Hire a top notch diet coach that can TEACH you how important nutrition is. The supplements I used were creatine, BCAAs, and a quality whey protein.
What Is Your Life Like Now?
I’m in a place where I really enjoy the bodybuilding lifestyle, and I’m currently training for my next show in late October of 2010. It’s been amazing to have people I haven’t seen in years not recognize me. I’m much more confident in the business world, and my number #1 fans, my little girl and wife are still my #1 fans!
Advice for others?
It’s more of a question I guess. Why not you? Why shouldn’t you be able to strive for the body of your dreams? There is only one thing we’re born into this world in, and one thing we’ll go out in, and that is our body. If you change your mind, your body will follow.