Fat to Fit

Ashley Natoli has been overweight his whole life. After losing a little weight, he decided to go all out and enter the 12-Week BodyBlitz Challenge. Now in the best shape of his life, he can put that physique behind him, and enjoy life with his new body.

Ashley’s story...

Ashley, 1st August, 2007: D.O.B: TODAY! Having completed my 12 week challenge, I’m able to write this with absolute honesty, and the most amazing feeling of satisfaction I could ever hope to feel.

I will attempt to explain here, to the best of my ability, the old me, my turning point, my inspirations/motivator/mentor, the intensity derived from absolute hunger and passion that allowed me to train to my full potential, and the person I am today — a new person — the best man I can be, the best friend I can be, and the best husband I can be.

I’ve lived much of my 29 years hiding behind the excuse that I was just a ‘big’ boy — solid, big boned, and generally withdrawn due to low self-esteem. I attended an all-boys high school that heavily promoted physical activity and inter-school competition, but I would never participate because I didn’t feel as though I was good enough to stand alongside my fitter, athletic friends. I would have loved to.

Socially, after turning 18, I did manage to have female friends, but none of which I ever thought would see me as anything more, simply because of the way I looked. I did meet my now wife, Stefanie, at the age of 23, and was married at the age of 27, which was the greatest year of my life thus far.

Alarm bells started ringing when my weight reached 99 kg. I was one kilogram off 100. I was unfit, unhealthy, unmotivated in everyday life, a couch potato, and sticking to my childhood excuses for being that way. Previous to this, my friend Nick Selek (once a ‘fat boy’, who also completed a 12-week challenge) was working at a gym, and would say to me, “Ash, please, just give me 90 days, eat what I tell you to eat, train how I tell you to train, and I will help you change your life”. The challenge changed his life. Today he owns his own gymnasium, Natural Muscle in Melbourne, and has achieved great success in the sport of natural bodybuilding in Australia, which includes the INBA 2005 Mr Australia victory.

It was now my turn to change my life, my turn to achieve greatness. It was time for my own story. I had hit my turning point. I had my friend and real life inspiration ready to mentor me, and I was ready for what was not to be Day 1.

I attempted to start the challenge on 15 January, 2007, but was dealt a blow when I had to have my wisdom teeth out early on in the piece. This took me away from training and eating correctly for three weeks, and presented me with a mental hurdle to overcome. I felt as though I was being stopped by a greater force from being able to make the changes I wanted so badly.

This was a blessing in disguise. I learned to channel anything that could be seen as a negative, into something so positive, that would give me the hunger and determination to break though any barriers placed before me, be it physical or psychological.

When I trained, either with weights or cardio, I would tell myself (and believed too) that I was training harder than anyone around me. When people looked at me training, they must have thought I was crazy, and yes, although I’m hugely focused when I train, I do see some weird looks come my way. When people are eating the foods I used to eat all around me, I gained energy from seeing them eat what I couldn’t, knowing that I had a goal before me, that I would achieve no matter what. Setbacks aside, a very informal weight loss period that saw my weight drop to a healthier 86.7 kg’s, and a huge mental weapon gained, I was officially ready for Day 1!

Starting on 9 May, my 90 days of training, which included four weights sessions with Nick and three cardio sessions, were extremely focused, intense, and fuelled by the sheer desire to change my life. Muscle soreness and initial feelings of hunger, were aspects that I was able to quickly come to grips with, because I was focused, and determined to overcome them.

Nick has taught me to break through my mental limits, and to train with intensity and purpose at all times. This stems from the passion he has for his work, and his desire to help people, in turn, achieve their goals.
I’m now able to train with that same intensity and passion for life, and can proudly say, I have helped motivate some of my close friends and co-workers, to set and achieve their own personal life and fitness goals. I receive compliments on my appearance, which is still a very strange concept for me (but I must say I am enjoying it), and have been told on numerous occasions that I’m a different person, in the best possible way.

I would like to recognise and thank my wife Stef, and my friend Nick Selek, for the commitment they have made to me, and for being my inspiration every day I trained. Together with my desire to change, their constant guidance, and motivation, has transformed me into a healthier, stronger, self-confident man. By surrounding myself with people I aspire to be like, I too am now able to fulfill my aspirations in life, and be like the people I admire. I’ll be 30 on 27 November and will be in the best physical condition of my life, but more importantly, the best psychological condition of my life. Mentally, I have gained Herculean strength, which I know will now empower me to achieve anything I set my mind to. Now it’s your turn! IM

Ashley's Daily Diet Monday-Saturday Breakfast — 6 egg whites, 1 yolk, oats and water Mid Morning — Protein shake + Raw Almonds Lunch — Sweet Potato, spinach, chicken/fish/beef Mid afternoon — Shake + Raw Almonds Dinner — Chicken/fish/beef + salad/spinach Bedtime — Shake Sunday Free Day Ashley's Training Split Monday — Chest/Triceps Tuesday — Cardio (50 mins; bike, treadmill, X-trainer) Wednesday — Back/ Biceps Thursday — Cardio (45-50 mins; as above) Friday — Shoulders/Abs Saturday — Legs/Cardio Sunday — Rest