Battling obesity and changing fate through fitness.
Patrick Longo’s family has a history of obesity. While he himself has been relatively active and healthy throughout life, he decided to step it up and compete in bodybuilding to push his own body and set an example for his children.
The professor has been seriously training for the past 6 years and plans to compete in August. His current split is: chest and biceps, back and triceps, legs, and shoulders. The fifth day is rest day- then the cycle repeats. He also does HIIT cardio three days a week for about twenty minutes.
He told his local newspaper Linden Link:
“The biggest changes I have experienced while prepping for a show is the amount of food I eat. I’m eating seven times a day, which is way more than I’m used to.”
He said in preparation for a show, he has increased repetitions.
“I’m used to doing five sets of five as heavy as I can go and work out seven days a week, and now I do five sets of eight to 12 reps still as heavy as I can go, but now I get rest days, which I’ve never had before.”
Longo’s wife Kelly said his new dedication is rubbing off on the whole family.
“His example is changing the way our family thinks and eats food as well as ending a legacy of obesity in our family.”
Longo has been a full-time college professor for the past three years, as well as a husband and father to five children.
“The hardest part is making sure I can balance everything else that is going on in my life.”
He wants not only to reverse the course of obesity in his family, but spread health throughout the community by coaching several local sports teams.“It’s a great example for my kids to show them to be healthy. I want to be able to play and do things with them. When they have kids, I want to be able to play with my grandkids and maybe even coach them.
“I want to leave my legacy and I want it to be a great one. I have kids and I want to be able to say that I can set goals and achieve them. I also want to inspire others to chase after their goals.”
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