Off Season Dura: Insulated and winterized.

[Mike Dura]

It takes a lot of balls to post your self in this condition. Within a few months, however, I will shred up as my follow-up picture will document. This is my "before" picture. I weigh 215 and I plan to going down to about 180-185.

[steve0]

is that not u in you avatar?

[SwoleCat]

is that not u in you avatar?

I was wondering the same thing?

~SC~

[SwoleCat]

They don't look the same face wise to me.....

The avatar pic also has arms much bigger and other parts as well, and it's actually bigger not just appearing bigger because of cuts.

I would think his arms were bigger now all bulked up.

~SC~

[Mike Dura]

yeah, both pictures are me. In the avatar I weigh 175. In the recent pic, I weigh 215. My arms in the leaner pic were about 15.5. In the off season pic they are 17". My face bloats off season but I swear to you brother, both are of my face. It's funny that I actually look larger when I'm leaner. That's the big illusion. You'll see again when I send you my lean pics in a few months.

[NickHex81]

At least keep shaving in the off season.

[Mike Dura]

Why would I keep shaving off season? Too show off fat and bloat? Shaving is a pain in the ass anyway.

At least keep shaving in the off season.

[PLAYA4LIFE]

you look like a werewolf, jk.

[smokethedays]

damn, i almost said , wt a difference

[Mike Dura]

I know it's quite a difference. I get fat off season. In the tradition reminiscent of Lee Priest, I eat what ever I want. My midsection baloons up off season. It's got to be unhealthy. I'm a wopping 38" waist right now. I diet down to a 31" with a stringent very low carb diet and 1 to 2 hours of cardio seven days a week. As I diet down and start losing weight, it's not uncommon to be told that I look like I'm "getting bigger." I tell them that I've lost twenty pounds and I get this confused look of disbelief. The vascularity and the striations give the illusion of size. On top of that, losing the kangaroo pouch makes my upper body look much bigger. Right now my gut ecclipses the rest of my body. I look like a block. My girlfriend (oh yeh, ex girlfriend) laments every year, "how can you let yourself get like that." I tell her it's part of the process and I show her pictures of Lee Priest off season. She still doesn''t approve.

damn, i almost said , wt a difference

[Mike Dura]

Lol. Wolfman Jack is my alter ego.

you look like a werewolf, jk.

[*Narkissos*]

is that not u in you avatar?

Looks like the same person to me

Good luck cutting Mike.

You competing this year?

~Nark

[chest6]

They don't look the same face wise to me.....

The avatar pic also has arms much bigger and other parts as well, and it's actually bigger not just appearing bigger because of cuts.

I would think his arms were bigger now all bulked up.

~SC~

this is exactly what I was thinking I have the avatar question as well?? Confused. Its not just me then, your arms look like they have better size in the cut pic, ditto to what sc said.

[steve0]

hahah well then, i stand corrected, you gotta love the off season, i rarly shave o tan in the winter, you gotta be lazy sometimes man !!!!!!

[Mike Dura]

Thanks bro. I'm going to look into competing this year. In years past I never managed my water. I just got my bodyfat low. I think it would be interesting to carb up and dehydrate to see how radical it will look. I'm going to try that with the water contest or not this year. I'll do a professional photo shoot this time and I'll post the results.

Looks like the same person to me

Good luck cutting Mike.

You competing this year?

~Nark

[WHOADY4SHOADY]

Props for posting your off season pics.

[Mike Dura]

You gotta swallow pride to let it all hang out in the offseason. But the potential value of doing it is to show what is possible in all but 12-15 weeks. Sometimes a "diamond in the rough" is hard to detect so maybe if they can see my transformation someone out there will realize their own. That would be cool.

Props for posting your off season pics.

[spound]

Yea man, this is soo true, I don't look anything in the offseason like I do while stayin lean in the summer. Except when you are with me in real life b/c you can see my real size, but when the shirt is off, you can't see the lines very well. I ain't postin my offseason pics, I am a fatass lol

[Mike Dura]

Yeah and there's something about going from fat to jacked that makes it all fun.
I get bored after a few months of being lean - even with all the attention I get. It's really about the pursuit isn't it? By the way, that pic in the avatar - you look great man.

Yea man, this is soo true, I don't look anything in the offseason like I do while stayin lean in the summer. Except when you are with me in real life b/c you can see my real size, but when the shirt is off, you can't see the lines very well. I ain't postin my offseason pics, I am a fatass lol

[helium3]

you look very good mate and some respect for posting real pics that show you looking great(your avatar) and then not so great no insult intended,i dont know how guys on here cope with weight gain and weight loss like that,i moan about having to shed 3-5 pounds takes me ages(at least a month or two of running)i guess its all relative.

[Mike Dura]

I think I know what it is. Bodybuilding, for me, is a "doing" thing and not a "being" thing. That is, I don't identify myself as "a bodybuilder" but I like to bodybuild. Moreso, I romantasize the script that involves seeing where you are (vs. knowing where you're going). I don't feel bad about where I am when I can see with clarity where I'm going. I think if you dwell too much on the current (e.g., being fat or someother discouraging state) you can become discouraged about effecting change in your life. And as a part of a larger community of people (e.g., this site) I want to be that exemplar of that possibility for positive change in order that I inspire someone to take their own action just as I'm inspired by some of those here that present themselves this way with the same intentions. This notion that we've got to encourage each other goes against the ethos of "rugged individualism" or "competition" of a capitalistic culture such as ours. I think competition is unhealthy as it puts us against (vs. for) each other. I know this all may sound like highfalutin talk but it's about values for me.

you look very good mate and some respect for posting real pics that show you looking great(your avatar) and then not so great no insult intended,i dont know how guys on here cope with weight gain and weight loss like that,i moan about having to shed 3-5 pounds takes me ages(at least a month or two of running)i guess its all relative.

[DSM4Life]

You gotta swallow pride to let it all hang out in the offseason. .

I know, that's why i am in the off season all year round (Don't compete)

[Mike Dura]

With a 38" waist, I think I beat you already.

I know, that's why i am in the off season all year round (Don't compete)

[spound]

Yeah and there's something about going from fat to jacked that makes it all fun.
I get bored after a few months of being lean - even with all the attention I get. It's really about the pursuit isn't it? By the way, that pic in the avatar - you look great man.

Thanks man! I agree though, going form soft to jacked is great! You see people at the pool in the sumer who you havent seen since early spring and who last saw you at a higher bf% and then they see you all shreaded up and they are like DAMN!! LOL, you get a lot bigger reaction when you make drastic changes like that that is you jsut stay lean year around. Sure, when I am in fat offseason mode (don't compete yet, first comp. this july) I get kinda discouraged looking in the mirror and saying damn I look like shit lol, but I don't let it botehr me bc I KNOW i will get lean again, i knwo how to do it, and I have done it before.

[Mike Dura]

I can totally relate. It's like making the great annual comeback but from summer to summer you're still progressing. That's a real trip. Good luck if you compete. I'm considering that this year as well just for the fun of it. You gotta post some pics too. I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Thanks man! I agree though, going form soft to jacked is great! You see people at the pool in the sumer who you havent seen since early spring and who last saw you at a higher bf% and then they see you all shreaded up and they are like DAMN!! LOL, you get a lot bigger reaction when you make drastic changes like that that is you jsut stay lean year around. Sure, when I am in fat offseason mode (don't compete yet, first comp. this july) I get kinda discouraged looking in the mirror and saying damn I look like shit lol, but I don't let it botehr me bc I KNOW i will get lean again, i knwo how to do it, and I have done it before.

[Mike Dura]

Maybe this year I'll keep leaner. Than again, maybe not. I miss the beer and the big macs off season. Anyone else have any fat pics to share? Post here for the shitz and giggles.