Name: Dan
Age: 25
Family Status: Single
Occupation: Engineer and Fitness Model
Hometown: Bucharest, Romania
Starting Weight: 128 pounds
Current Weight: 172 pounds
Dan’s Muscle Building Interview!
How many pounds or inches did you gain?
I gained 44 pounds of pure muscle and added 4 inches to my arms. I’m currently 172 pounds and in contest ready shape!
When did you become unhappy with your physique?
I started bodybuilding when I was around 17 years old, but it wasn’t because I was unhappy with my physique. I did it for the amazing feeling every workout gave me and for the satisfaction I received by improving myself.
What made you decide to transform your body?
The constant drive to improve and become better and better.
What were the most important changes you made to build muscle?
Working hard in the gym and eating more food. Doing these things consistently was the key.
What was most challenging about building muscle?
Eating more food was difficult. Working out is the fun part, but eating enough food every 2-3 hours throughout the day with enough protein, carbs and fat was the hardest part.
How long did it take you to start to see results?
It only took a couple of months to see changes.
How long did it take for you to reach your current weight?
It took me about 4-5 years.
How long have you maintained your muscular gains and how do you do it?
I have maintained my weight for about 2-3 years. I’m slowly improving and still workout 3-4 times per week.
How has your life changed now that you’ve gained muscle mass?
I’m much healthier and I’ve been able to earn money from fitness modeling! I also attract women much easier now 🙂
How did ShapeFit help you reach your muscle building goals?
ShapeFit.com has a lot of great information that helped me with my workouts and also taught me to focus on what’s important in order to keep making improvements.
Dan’s Muscle Building Tips!
Muscle Building Tip #1:
Enjoy your workouts! Training in the gym is the fun part and the sensation of getting a pump when lifting heavy weights is priceless!
Muscle Building Tip #2:
Follow a workout regimen (like going to the gym 3-4 times a week) and stick to it. Do not miss your workouts!
Muscle Building Tip #3:
Eat big and eat clean! A meal containing lean protein and a healthy energy source (carbs, fat) every 3 hours is the key to seeing results. Try to eat as healthy as possible and avoid junk food.
Muscle Building Tip #4:
Rest! Get enough sleep each night and don’t overtrain.
Muscle Building Tip #5:
Dedicate yourself to fitness and be consistent. Don’t workout for a month and then take a month off. Make your fitness journey a true lifestyle change. You must enjoy doing it, otherwise you won’t succeed.
Dan’s Muscle Building Eating Plan!
What do you normally eat for breakfast?
Bread, cheese, ham, eggs.
What do you normally eat for lunch?
Meat (steak or chicken) with rice or potatoes.
What do you normally eat for dinner?
Similar to lunch with lean meat (steak or chicken), rice or potatoes. I always try to include a lean protein (meat, eggs, fish), clean carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes) and healthy fats (nuts, oils) with all of my meals.
What do you normally eat for snacks?
Cheese, ham, peanuts, protein bars.
What type of nutritional supplements do you take?
After my workout I take whey protein with dextrose. In the morning I take a multivitamin. Occasionally I will take creatine.
Dan’s Muscle Building Workouts!
What do you do for weight training (exercises, workouts)?
My workouts vary a lot. Some months I train my entire body 3 times a week and other months I do a split program 4 times a week. I try to focus on heavy compound exercises like squats and bench press along with great bodyweight movements like pull ups. Here is an example of my split program:
- Day 1: Chest and Biceps
- Day 2: Legs and Abs
- Day 3: Rest
- Day 4: Back
- Day 5: Shoulders and Triceps
- Day 6: Rest
- Day 7: Rest
What do you do for cardio training (exercises, workouts)?
I usually don’t do cardio. I have a very fast metabolism that helps me burn fat easily and stay lean. I mainly focus on working out with weights since my goal is to add more muscle mass.
