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theraven
Member
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Posted: 26 Aug 2011 08:35 am |
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Well, my first post so a little background.
Started my journey 4 months ago at an unhealthy 235 pounds and have gradually worked my way down to a current 191 pounds by strict diet management and exercise (cardio and resistance). Nothing special about the diet, just the usual lean protein sources, proper carbs, adequate calories, adhered to on a religious basis.
Exercise consists of 4 days a week weight training and 4 days a week bicycling at moderate intensity for 45 minutes to an hour.
Resting heartrate started at a relatively fast 80-85BPM but is now down to a 55-60BPM range. In addition, my cardiovascular conditioning has never been better.
Thats the positive however I'm not sure I am on the right track to reach my goals.
Below is a picture I took today and was hoping to get some input on. Although I am thoroughly enjoying the health benefits of having lost weight I'm not sure if I am going to achieve my goal. As many people do, I chose a body model for motivation and settled upon Brad Pitts build from Fight club (I know, every guy wants that build  ) and thought with hard work it would be achievable. Now I'm not so sure.
According to online stats he is the same height as me and weighed 155 pounds at the time of filming. Somehow when I look at my picture I just don't see myself looking like that even if I lose another 45 pounds to match his weight. My wife thinks I'm nuts but I've gotten to the point where no matter how much I lose I still see myself in the mirror as obese.
Thanks in advance for any help or tips that you can give!
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 26 Aug 2011 10:25 am |
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Obviously you are not obese. In your picture you are either high-normal or low-overweight. So your wife may have a point. 45lb made a huge difference to me (starting from more overweight than your current picture).
That said, you ask if you're on the right track and I don't know the details of what you are doing. Height? Age? How many calories are you eating? What you do for weight training (how often you hit the same body part, how much volume (sets and reps) per body part etc)
bicycling - you are working at an intensity that you can maintain for 45 minutes to an hour. When I do a cardio class like 'Body Step' and 'Body Attack' we are pushed to 'peak' (high intensity) and then allowed to recover. You will find the idea of 'interval training' pretty much anywhere these days. It is more effective at conditioning your body (for pretty much anything except for a long distance event...)
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theraven
Member
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Posted: 26 Aug 2011 12:17 pm |
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Thanks for the reply!
Sorry I left out some pertinent information so I hope this helps.
Height - 5ft 11in
Weight - 191
Age - 40
Workout schedule:
Monday - Flat Bench (4sets of 8-12)
DB Lateral Raise (4 sets 8-12)
Squats (4 sets of 3-8)
Machine Chins (4 sets of 8-12)
Wednesday - Incline Bench (4 sets of 8-12)
Wide Grip Pulldown (4 sets of 8-12)
Leg Extensions (4 sets of 8-12)
DB Front Raise (4 sets of 8-12)
Friday - Decline Bench (4 sets of 8-12)
DB Military Press (4 sets of 8-12)
Weighted Calf Raise (4 sets of 8-12)
DB Rows (4 sets of 8-12)
Saturday - Seated DB Bicep Curl (4 sets of 8-12)
DB Skullcrushers (4 sets of 8-12)
DB Concentration Curls (4 sets of 8-12)
Machine Tricep Pushdown (4 sets of 8-12)
Abs are worked on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday by alternating hanging leg raises, weighted crunches, and oblique twists.
Cardio is done on one weight training day and the rest on off days. Consists of 45 minutes to 1 hour of hill climbing intervals. Basically starting at the bottom of a steep incline, powering up, and repeating. Typically equalling less than 5 miles in that timeframe due to the slow and brutal effort to climb.
Very strenuous but has given me better benefits than less intense long distance rides.
Diet
Proteins consist of chickenbreast, fish, and very lean cuts of beef along with daily Whey protein.
Carbs consist of Brown Rice, Red Potatoes, Pinto Beans, and various veggies such as broccoli, green beans, etc.
Healthy Fats come from nuts and fish oil supplement.
Total daily caloric intake varies between 1750-2000 calories per day depending on if its a weight training day or cardio day (less carbs on cardio day).
Fluids consist of water only. Typically 2 gallons (checked with my Dr. and the quantity is fine).
Hopefully this will help you give me some ide of what I can do to maximize my chances of obtaining close to my goal. The weight loss is not a problem since I am still consistantly losing 1-2 pounds a week and experiencing strength gains (as determined by lifts continueously improving). For the past week I have felt somewhat depressed despite my obvious positive results due to feeling like I set the bar too high.
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Bamagirly
Senior Member
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Posted: 26 Aug 2011 03:32 pm |
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Dude, are you looking for attention? You've lost 40 something pounds in 4 months. That's more than 10 pounds a month. You're eating the right things and exercising. What else do you think we can really tell you? Is 10 pounds a month not good enough for you? You just wanted to come here and post a pic of your half naked self for what?
Um....attention? So here it is. Way to go. You get a gold star. Now, go lift some more weights.
P.S. Welcome to the forum. We're really happy you're here. I'll enjoy talking to another lifter. Oh, and the whey protein is my secret too. Of course you're on the right track. Keep it up!  Last edited on 26 Aug 2011 03:41 pm by Bamagirly
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 26 Aug 2011 07:01 pm |
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Recently read an article by Lyle McDonald where he concludes optimal time between hitting the same muscle group (for growth and recovery) is between 5 days and twice a week (which would be 3-4 days). By comparison you're hitting chest and back 3 times a week or every 2 days. (At this point I would be a hypocrite if I didn't point out I do 'Body Pump' 3 times a week so I'm also flouting those same recommendations.) The point stands though.
One concept you may wish to play with is PERIODISATION. You're doing 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions. The length of the set determines the type of muscle being recruited so doing some of your work at a different range would stimulate muscle fibres that are currently not fully working for you. For example you could alternate 1 week of what you are currently doing with another week at 5x5 (5 sets of 5 repetitions - therefore with heavier weights). (inspiraton frmo the 'Adonis Index' workout which has heavy, medium and light workout days at 5x5, 4x8 and 3x13)
Cardio and diet seem appropriate.
As far as 'setting the bar too high' there is something to be said for focusing on 'process goals' (the things we can control) and letting go of 'outcome goals' (the results we're hoping for)
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theraven
Member
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Posted: 26 Aug 2011 10:18 pm |
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Hmm, not sure how to take this one but I think you're post was meant as a tough love type thing.
I came with a serious question regarding my ultimate goal. Yes I have lost weight and yes I am working out, but have a legitimate concern about either ending up "skinny fat" at the end of my journey or being just plain emaciated.
By posting the picture I was hoping to give anyone who might respond the ability to gauge whether or not my current build has the potential to produce anywhere near the desired results at the end of my journey.
I do apologize if the photo offended in any way as that was certainly not my intention.
I do appreciate the input though and look forward to sharing my progress with you and the other users.
Nir
Thanks again for taking time to reply.
I honestly feel like perhaps I have become mentally detached from myself. I find myself staring in any mirror I pass and being disgusted with myself. I constantly "pinch" my areas of fatty deposits without even realizing I'm doing it, and I have convinced myself my family just tells me what I want to hear when I ask for an objective opinion. I need to figure out some way to implement your suggestion of letting go of what I can't control but for now can't quite figure out how to do that.
Hopefully, as the months go by I will see some sort of improvement that finally triggers my mind to stop being so negative.
Thanks again to all and have a great evening!
Bamagirly wrote:
Dude, are you looking for attention??é?á You've lost 40 something pounds in 4 months.?é?á That's more than 10 pounds a month.?é?á You're eating the right things and exercising.?é?á What else do you think we can really tell you??é?á Is 10 pounds a month not good enough for you??é?áYou just wanted to come here and?é?ápost a pic of your half naked self for what?
Um....attention??é?á So here it is.?é?á Way to go.?é?á You get a gold star.?é?á Now, go lift some more weights.?é?á
?é?á
P.S.?é?á Welcome to the forum.?é?á We're really happy you're here.?é?á I'll enjoy talking to another lifter.?é?á Oh, and the whey protein is my secret too.?é?á Of course you're on the right track.?é?á Keep it up!
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Nir
Senior Administrator
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Posted: 27 Aug 2011 11:25 am |
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I found my own subjective opinion to be an unhelpful indicator of thinness. I kept pinching myself and finding things I needed to lose. If there is something that is even less helpful than the mirror then it is looking at my body with my eyes directly. My starting point was a BMI of 27.5. When did I stop? I got down (very briefly) to BMI 18.2. I can tell you that I had lost muscle as well (because my weights have gone down for squats, deadlifts, clean-presses and bench press). I used the BMI as an objective indicator to tell me that I was "in trouble". I found that I needed more calories to gain because at that point on 2200-2500 calories I was just standing still at barely above underweight for ages (but scared to gain any weight). Well that was 2 years ago, I have a much more respectable BMI of 21.3 and have gone back up in my workouts. I know I am not fat. I am not trying to be any particular movie star either. I am just me.
I cannot tell you what would help you to "short cut" the silliness in your mind and where it might take you. In my case attending Overeaters Anonymous meetings helps me with perspective. (at the point when I started attending I was already of normal weight and had not yet had this 'underweight' episode). I also had some counselling.
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