Tips from bodybuilders on obtaining optimal health and appearance

BODYBUILDING IS A SERIOUS AND COMPLEX BUSINESS. You can't just pick up the dumbbells, do a few lifts, and in a couple months metamorphose into a super-heroic action figure. Hey, if it were that easy, you'd be there already, and we personal trainers would be stuck in Iraq. No, it's much more than that: It's practically a science. This is why you won't find any specifics in this article and why a personal trainer is your best bet, to get you started, at least. And make sure you choose a trainer who looks the part; you know, one who looks like the After and not the Before. (Duh!)
Many people associate bodybuilding with gym rats determined to spend their life pumping iron with no particular end result except to get bigger and more muscularly defined. But with a properly designed training routine, diet and willpower, weight training can enable you safely and successfully to sculpt your body without dedicating your life to the gym.
And therein lies the problem. How can you research, develop and carry out an evolving and responsive training, eating and supplement plan in addition to everything else in your life - girlfriend, wife, family, kids, dog, life, work, beer? You may start down this path and try hard, but you have too much going on already to devote yourself to this rigorous task. Well, you know what? I'll respectfully submit that when you don't have the time to work out is when you really need to work out - for both your mental and physical well-being.
If you are serious about changing your body shape, losing weight and defining those muscles, then serious motivation, determination and concentration are prerequisite. Indeed, the real challenge takes place not in the gym... but between your ears! A lot of your success in completing the challenge will be due to clearly defined goals, a determination to succeed in your objectives, and the right attitude.
Your attitude should be that of the warrior. Going into the gym for a meaningful workout must be likened to going into battle. You're there to pit the mounting strength of your body against the heartless weight of iron and to face without whimper divers infernal, albeit upholstered, implements of torture. And all the while you'll maintain form and grace. Indeed, if you don't perform each exercise with proper form, you may pull, break or tear something important; so there's even some actual danger involved. Again, the right attitude is paramount: pleasantly macho in the gym and a sense of humor inside the gym and outside the gym.
(Actually, research has shown that the right attitude, the attitude of a winner, raises testosterone levels, which encourages muscle growth. Unfortunately, you can't fake that kind of attitude; however, as the little successes snowball, the attitude will come automatically. But don't let those successes go to your head; nobody likes a well-proportioned meathead!)
FUN FACT: Handling a gun raises your testosterone levels, according to an article in WebMD.
Finally, encouragement from your trainer or from friends who work out with you will play a great part in the successful completion of your challenge.
By following these guidelines and assuming you're a healthy person, you are virtually guaranteed (not legally binding) that you will succeed in sculpting your body into a thing of classical beauty, more or less.
And always remember: The best exercise for your heart is to bend over and lift someone up.