Genetic Limitations vs Lifestyle Limitations

Here’s a picture of me the day after the WBFF Fitness Atlantic Championships August 16, 2011. I’ve been getting a lot of questions from guys asking me, “How did you transform your body from 227 to 195 in only 14 weeks?” Simple. I executed my plan to near perfection. The biggest challenge was overcoming many lifestyle limitations and I felt those presented a more significant challenge than genetic limitations.Simple. I executed my plan to near perfection. The biggest challenge was overcoming many lifestyle limitations and I felt those presented a more significant challenge than genetic limitations. Today’s blog post is designed to show you that you don’t have the body of your dreams because of your lifestyle, not because of your genetics. It’s your lifestyle choices that are the major limiting factor in whether or not you build bigger and stronger muscles and attain that chiseled look.

Do you think my wife and I have done a better job at overcoming our genetic limitations or our lifestyle limitations to achieve our bodies?

The good news is that you CAN control your lifestyle. You can’t control your genetics. All your energy should be put towards overcoming and improving the lifestyle factors below. You’ll shortly see why it’s so important to only compare yourself to yourself.

There is no point in comparing your body to my body and you should not try to look like any model, movie star, celebrity, athlete or bodybuilder because you have no idea if you can emulate their same lifestyle.

Consider the following factors about my training:

Social Environment & Upbringing

You may not have parents, like mine, who drive me to be the best I can be. I doubt you have brothers who are high level performance athletes. I’m surrounded by champions. My network of friends consists of highly motivated and driven people. I’m always around positivity. I have a very supportive wife who diets and trains just as hard as I do so it’s easy to stay dialed in.

Finances

I have a unlimited budget towards massage and therapy so I recover very fast. I would be surprised if you were willing to spend as much as I do on groceries. I am able to hire high end trainers and coaches to take me through my workouts and assess my technique. I have no budget when it comes to supplements so can experiment with higher dosages to ensure I stay healthy.

Stress Levels & Recovery Ability

I run a online fitness business that depends on me to stay in shape so I have some serious motivation. Your body may not be as durable as mine. Your body may not be able to take a lot of punishment. I’m a pretty laid back guy. I don’t get stressed easily so probably have lower cortisol levels than you. I work from home full time so have very little outside stress in my life.

Your Level Of Seriousness

I have over ten years of long distance running under my belt. My pain threshold is HIGH so I can train hard. Who knows if you can push as hard as me on those last reps in the gym… I ll stand in a cold shower for ten minutes, to promote recovery, and it won’t phase me. My goals are ultra important to me so I am prepared to dedicate 2-4 hours a day to my goals. Are you? I have a superior ability to focus and not get side tracked during my workouts. Do you?

Okay, I hope you’re starting to realize these are just a few reasons you cannot compare yourself to anyone else besides you. None of this info is shared to discourage you or put me on a pedestal. I simply want to reveal the importance of focusing on YOUR GOALS, YOUR BODY and YOUR LIFESTYLE CHOICES.

YOU ARE IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF WHAT YOUR BODY LOOKS LIKE BY FOCUSING ON YOUR LIFESTYLE LIMITATIONS AND OVERCOMING THEM AND IMPROVING ON THEM.

I have no problem using images of models, movie stars, celebrities, athletes or bodybuilders as a form of inspiration (I do that myself) but you can’t think you’ll ever look like them because of all the unknown lifestyle factors they do not reveal to you.

I strongly believe that you probably have the same “genetic” limitations as I do and the same “genetic” limitations as all the images you look up to. But I guarantee that your lifestyle limitations are completely different.

Take Home Message: Figure out what lifestyle factors are preventing you from taking your physique to the next level and work on one of them at a time. The more lifestyle limitations you can overcome, the bigger and more ripped your muscles will become!

Is It Impossible To Grow Beyond Your Genetic Potential?

My question for you to ponder and discuss today, “Is it impossible to grow beyond your genetic potential?”

Even the “gurus” say, “It’s impossible to grow beyond your genetic potential…”

Well, I’m In The Business Of Doing The Impossible!

I’ve been in the transformation business for eight years and helped over 20,000 people in 120 different countries go from scrawny-to-brawny, regular-to-ripped and flabby-to-firm.

My most successful students were always told that a jaw-dropping physique was impossible for them. Don’t believe me? Click here to look a look at a small handful of success stories to see how some of them turned after sticking with me and following my advice.

Today’s email was inspired by an email I get over-and-over and my response will reveal why I’ve been successful at being in the business of doing the impossible.

“Vince, there are a lot genetic factors that hold people back, stuff that’s beyond training and nutrition. Things like recovery capacity, anatomy (muscle attachments), muscle fiber type makeup, circulation, nervous system, bone structure, hormonal capacity, insulin sensitivity, mental factors, that kind of thing. What’s your mindset and philosophy to the entire genetic limit debate?”

First off, I don’t debate. I learn from doing. Now to your question…

Many muscle “gurus” would actually entertain and analyze each of the genetic factors just listed but since I’m a no nonsense guy you’re not going to get a scientific reply from me.

Not because I don’t know the science but because I don’t see the point!

I believe that you get what you focus on. If you focus on your limitations than you find more limitations. How is focusing on something we don’t have going to help us get something we want?

I understand they’re many people who need to understand the why before they can apply knowledge but I beg you to be partially ignorant on this subject. This statement will make more sense after I reflect on my first body transformation in 2002:

One of the reasons, I believe, I gained 41 lbs of muscle in 6 months is because I’ve always been a little naïve and gullible. Too be honest, the first time someone said to me on a bodybuilding.com forum, “BS… there’s no way you gained that much muscle in 6 months…” I didn’t know how to reply. I figured my results were normal, maybe a bit above average, but nothing to make people skeptical of.

I was always a doer and never a analyzer or reader so the numbers didn’t mean anything to me.

If someone told me you could build 100 lbs of muscle in one month, I would have probably said, “Cool, lets get started.” I was never inclined to read books on limits and what listen to speakers tell me what was realistic.

Even when I was 15 years old I got a knee injury and the doctor told me flat out, “Your body was not born to run.” That was one of the first time my blood boiled because someone was putting limits on me. I didn’t listen to him. The next summer I represented Canada at the World Triathlon Championships.

I was more interested in finding out my own limits by doing, not talking about.

My mentality was to always give 100% with whatever I had in front of me. Sure I was probably missing a lot of tools but I maxed out what I did know and what I did have to my disposal.

Sure, after my transformation I didn’t become the biggest guy in the gym but I definitely wasn’t the smallest anymore.

And over the past eight years (past two years especially), by continuing to be ignorant on the subject of “limits” and “genetics”, I’ve gained another 20 lbs of muscle and have almost 200 lbs of solid muscle on my frame. Not bad for an ex-long distance runner who was nicknamed “Skinny Vinny” eh?!

transformation2And even though I’m not winning bodybuilding competitions, my fiance Flavia doesn’t seem to mind and I’m sure your lucky lady won’t mind either – as long as you’re giving her the best you can be!

Another Reason I Hate Talking About “Genetic Limits”

I refuse to discuss subjects that limit the human will and spirit.

That mentality will not serve you. I would rather be gullible and naive and end up surprising myself (and others) in the process.

By applying this mentality to all areas of my life, even my finances, I earned a $45,000 check at the age of 25, in one day. Check out this story:

When I decided to buy my first house, at the age of 22, I was broke with credit card debt. Instead of thinking, “I can’t afford a house,” I thought, “How can I afford a house?” As soon as you say the word “can’t” your brain turns off and stops searching for a solution. By using the word “can” your brain is forced to stay open and find a solution. Mine did.

By the age of 23, I stuck to my plan and saved $10,000 for a down payment on a home. I rented it out for two years. Flipped it. And at the age of 25 my lawyer cut me a check for $45,000 (after expenses too). That lump of cash gave me a huge head start on life and it all started with my mindset of, “How can I afford it.”

The word “can’t” should not even be apart of your vocabulary.

Show Me Your Friends And I’ll Show You Your Limits

You’ve probably heard of the saying, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

I believe it’s equally true: Show me your friends and I’ll show you your limits. If your top five friends are all afraid of skydiving then I wouldn’t be surprised if you are too. If all your friends are afraid to put their kids in swimming lessons because they are afraid the kids might drown then I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s your fear too.

Grasp the principle I just shared, don’t pick apart the examples. They were just examples. Moving on…

Hang out with certain people too long and their negative beliefs, limits and fears will become yours.

Please: Don’t try this at home! This is one of those areas you want to take my word on. Don’t test this theory out on your own.

Trust me and seek out friends who live with the mentality that anything is possible. It will result in attracting these kind of people in your life. One of the big secrets to blowing beyond your potential, in life, is avoiding people who live in fear and try to pass their negativity into your beliefs.

Most people who are non supportive and tell you to be “realistic” are jealous because you are pursuing something they want and failed at or don’t want to see you succeed at because you’ll prove that their beliefs are false.

Do you want to know why people would prefer you stay in your comfort zone and not push your limits? When you change and grow and become a new person they are unable to control you or maintain the puppet strings they have on your life.

Let me give you an example. My friend Joel is a very generous person. If I called him up last minute to stay with him in Tampa he would gladly welcome me in. I could say I’m only staying three days but what Joel does not know is that I’m broke, have no job, and no plans on leaving. I know Joel will let me eat out of his fridge, extend my visit, not charge me rent and even take me out for fancy dinners.

I am exploiting Joel’s generosity in a selfish way. So when Joel announces he’s going to a personal development conference that teaches you how to stand up for yourself etc I quickly advise him against that idea. If Joel leaves his comfort zone and begins to grow then I will no longer be able to take advantage of him and I don’t like that.

Okay, that’s an extreme and intentional example but I trust you see the point. Take home message is this:

Be careful where you are getting your information from. Often times people who talk about setting realistic goals, knowing your limits and advise against setting goals, are people who are imposing their fears and negative beliefs onto you.

My Question For You:

Now that I got your brain turning, “Is it impossible to blow beyond your genetic limits?” Do you like and/or share my mentality of being ignorant towards limits? And feel free to share a story in any area of your life, like my house example, on how you blew beyond your own genetic limits.

Maybe you did the “impossible” with a career move, relationship, athletic event, a transformation or some sort of obstacle.

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain found at www.VinceDelMonteFitness.comHe specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

For Vince DelMonte’s Complete
No Non-Sense Muscle Building System CLICK HERE!

—————————————————————————
About the Author: