FROM 240+ POUNDS TO THE BODYBUILDING STAGE.

NOT AN OVERNIGHT TRANSFORMATION.

These comparisons capture a stage of my progress along the way—not my final competition condition. I wanted to show the in-between, because that's where most of the work happens.

IT STARTED WITH MY GRANDKIDS.

On an earlier Disneyland trip, I couldn't make it through a full day of walking with my grandkids and needed a mobility scooter. That experience stayed with me. I wanted to enjoy those days with my family without my physical condition getting in the way.

So I started working out at home and paying attention to what I ate. I didn't have a grand plan. I just knew something needed to change.

FIRST, CHATGPT HELPED ME COUNT CALORIES.

Almost as soon as I decided to get in shape, I started using ChatGPT to estimate how many calories I was eating and how many I was burning through exercise. It was a simple way to understand my daily calorie balance.

Over time, those conversations grew. I used ChatGPT to help organize training, track food and protein, review progress, and think through adjustments. It became a useful coaching-style resource alongside my own judgment, effort, and consistency—not a magic shortcut.

See how I use ChatGPT for tracking and coaching—and copy my starter instructions ↗

THE OLD SHORTS TELL THE STORY.

Sometimes the scale doesn't tell the whole story. Clothes that once fit became dramatically oversized. This image from one of my YouTube videos is a reminder of how far things had changed.

FROM THE GARAGE TO THE STAGE.

By the time my first natural bodybuilding competition approached, my goal had grown far beyond losing weight. I was training, practicing poses, and learning what it takes to present a physique onstage—all while continuing to work out at home.

THEN I DECIDED TO COMPETE.

As the transformation continued, I began thinking about what my experience might mean to someone else. If I could make such a dramatic change in my 50s, maybe my story could encourage someone else to take a first step—whether that means losing a little weight, building strength, or simply feeling better.

That idea eventually led me to natural bodybuilding. On October 16, 2026, at age 52, I competed at the NPC Idaho Cup Natural in Boise and placed second in Classic Physique Masters 50+. It wasn't a perfect finish, and I learned how much more I can improve. But I made it onto that stage.

During the final months of preparation, DEXA scans measured my body fat at 17.4% and later 9.3%. Those numbers are just part of the story; the more important change is what I'm able to do now.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A BODYBUILDER.

I'm not suggesting everyone needs to prepare for a bodybuilding show. The point is that you can start wherever you are, at whatever age, with whatever equipment and resources you have. I train in my garage. I learn as I go. I make mistakes, deal with setbacks, and keep showing up.

Garage Gym Grandpa is where I'm documenting all of it: the training, the food, the AI experiments, the wins, and the lessons that didn't come easily.