Some Things You Might Want To Know IF You Want To Lose Weight.

[Unoriginal]

Background: One year ago I was obese, 290 pounds obese; i was fat, depressed, lonely. I was AT rock bottom, i was a horrible introvert. My life was literal shit. After so many years of being overweight and broken i decided to change my life.

Now it's been a year in my journey, i weigh 219 pounds (6'3 20 y/o); I have made leaps and bounds since november 2011 when I first started exercising.
2013 was a progression year, and it 2014 i'm finally breaking those plateaus that have been holding me back for a long time.

I'm here to share what I have learned in order to break my plateaus and move forward with my fitness.

The first thing I realized: Mind Set, Even though I THOUGHT I had the correct mind set; i was full of shit. I got to about 230 pounds and became stagnant again. I trained with a PT for 5 months, and got a skillset that could carry me forward. Even equipped with that I still didn't make progress beyond that point. I wasn't serious, yet. Not until recently did I realize that I needed to buckle down, I found the drive and power to finish what i started.

Second: Will Power: This is one thing alot of people lack, it's common sense now that I think about it. I work for dominos, as someone who wanted to make a change, working here wasn't any help. I'd make the excuse to have a slice of pizza now and then, my will power would shatter everytime I saw free pizza on the rack.
It takes a strong will to resist free food, especially tasty food. I LOVE eating, it's my favorite thing in the world. I was chubby/fat all my life, all i would want to do is lay around and eat.
Your key to success is knowledge, FIND what works for your macros, It doesn't need to taste like garbage in order to be healthy. Part of why I stayed at 230+ was because my lack of will power. Id break and have junk food because my taste buds weren't satisfied. I HATED eggwhites for breakfast, i HATED salad or other greens for lunch, Fuck dinner. A single chicken breast with no salt and a side of broccoli or plain rice? FUCK THAT.
I found what fit into my macros, and ignored what some of the trainers at the gym said. You know what happened? I'm making all kinds of gains.

Lastly: Diligence, Keep at it. You won't change unless you put forth the effort. No supplement is going to make you drop that fat or gain that muscle, they may help but it's only a minor assistance.
Stay clean, find what works for you, and keep at it.

I found my resolve to be happy, healthy, and to like who I am. I came into fitness with the wrong mindset, after going through some shit this year, i found the drive to go forward.

I hope this helps at least one person.

[Deleted]

Well, I started from 180lbs and am now near my ideal weight.. 125 lbs and to be honest, it wasn't difficult and didn't require much willpower at all.

The things that really helped me were skipping breakfast. I wasn't hungry in the mornings anyway and was just as hungry by lunch so that was like 300 calories off the menu without even trying. Then all the sodas, tea with sugar. Didn't fill me, didn't really taste that good anyway.. gone.

And then I slowly sunk into a huge 1250-1400 calorie lunch and 100-200 calories before going to bed or for dinner mostly fruit and a couple of glasses of mineral water or plain water routine. Oh and I also got myself one of those no-stick pans so stopped using oil for cooking. Other than that I still eat what I always eat. I just mark down the calories since if you don't take more of them in, you cant get fat.. doesnt matter what you eat otherwise. Eating healthy is another topic entirely.

Oh and I never bothered with gym. Why should I pay to exercise in some sweaty, smelly room with a bunch of other people when I can just go jogging

So yea you can lose weight if youre a complete slob and have no willpower to speak of too.. you just have to know what youre doing and know how it works. But the bottom line is, eat less calories than you spend and you lose weight, even if you sit behind your computer all day and pick your nose and only eat greasy food after 10pm, you still lose it. It's just harder and you need more distractions.

[Spectral]

We sure have come up with a lot of ways to tell people, "eat less than you burn". All someone should need is a basic estimate of their BMR and some sort of app for counting the calories they're consuming over the course of a day. Anyone that has those two things that fails at losing weight just doesn't care very much or has an eating disorder.

[Deleted]

We sure have come up with a lot of ways to tell people, "eat less than you burn". All someone should need is a basic estimate of their BMR and some sort of app for counting the calories they're consuming over the course of a day. Anyone that has those two things that fails at losing weight just doesn't care very much or has an eating disorder.

Yeah, this. It's actually pretty easy if you just go back to basics. Cut the calories. Feeling really hungry and losing the will to live.. eat more filling food that contains less calories and exercise more. The problem is all those fat and sugar packed calorie bombs. Soft drinks, snacks, junk food. They just aren't very filling. But if you want, you can lose wight and eat those too, you just have to deal with the constant hunger then and probably have some sort of vitamin deficiency. Still, you do lose weight even when only heating bacon and burgers at night.

[Deleted]

Good job m8 keep going strong. Went from 205 to 163 in 3.5 months myself with 0 cardio trainng. Only lifting and a slight change in diet.

[Anakso]

I was actually just looking through my logs. I was on a diet for 7 months keeping detailed logs on this calorie count site and during that time I went from 122kg to 99kg, I stopped keeping logs after that but I have a couple of weight entries there the lowest being 93.5 on the 19th June 2013 about 9 months after I stopped keeping proper logs.

My memory of it was it was actually not hard and I'm trying to get back on my diet while I still have the time to do so but getting back on has been extremely hard. I'm currently 103.5kg. Looking through my logs has helped me actually because my memory was just eating the healthy stuff like fish which I've been trying to do unsuccessfully, but looking at my food logs I ate all kinds of things I didn't think I had on my diet like Pork Chops are there and sushi and even Vindaloo, but I think the big difference would be portion size. The main thing there is a complete lack of is unhealthy snacks, all my snacks while I was on my diet were fruit so going to try and get back into eating fruit.

For me I never used a PT though, I used an exercise bike which I'd use for 1 hour a day 4 days a week, the other three I'd do 15 minutes of push ups/situps/crunches to an app that was basically a PT in an app. I've been trying to use the bike again but not managed an hour yet. I did 15 minutes yesterday and just did 25 minutes today, hoping to do over 30 tomorrow. (shooting for 40 minutes, the approximate length of one episode of the show I'm watching. 1 hour was the length of the show I watched when I was first using the bike)

I think like you said, any successful attempt at weight loss requires the person to find what works for them not just what other people say will work for them.

[gcsmith]

I definetly found, that if you're someone like me who drinks a lot of fizzy drinks. Pepsi and store brand cola's. Then cut it out if you want to lose weight. Going from that to water makes such a big void of calories that you cut so much weight off. I lost like a stone in two weeks doing that.

[Velaniz]

Good job m8 keep going strong. Went from 205 to 163 in 3.5 months myself with 0 cardio trainng. Only lifting and a slight change in diet.

Twenty kilos in less than 4 months? If I remember correctly, you gained a crap tonne of strength during this period too right? Because shit, that's pretty fucking amazing dude.

[-aiko-]

I feel bad for replying to this thread, since I've never been overweight. I think my highest weight was around ~140. I'm a 5"5 female who currently hovers around 110-120 lbs. However, I just wanted to mention that on top of all of the above, it is okay to reward yourself for your good behavior. A lot of people are afraid of being healthy because they don't want to change their entire eating habits. It's okay to have the occasional burger or shake. It's not worth losing weight if you aren't happy...I, for one, would never get through life without having my comfort food. What is not okay is to abuse those foods. So what I do is get a single treat every paycheck (I get paid twice a month). Just make sure you don't eat more than you need to and it fits into your caloric intake for the day.

[Deleted]

Twenty kilos in less than 4 months? If I remember correctly, you gained a crap tonne of strength during this period too right? Because shit, that's pretty fucking amazing dude.

Yeah was around 17kg in 4 months. Diet was pretty strict during that time though and 0 alcohol. Did a 1 rep max DL 160kg in 4 months. But I also train by powerlifting principles, not bodybuilding. Lots of big heavy compounds, very few isolation excersices, low reps high weight. Constant progressive overload on DL.

Been following people like Jonnie Candito, Elliot Hulse and Omar Isuf for tips and tricks. Candito is like 5.7 180lbs and can DL 606lbs and dunk a basket ball.

[Anakso]

Twenty kilos in less than 4 months? If I remember correctly, you gained a crap tonne of strength during this period too right? Because shit, that's pretty fucking amazing dude.

I'd assume he was talking lbs when someone says as high as 200 because someone weighting 200kgs I think might be too far gone for regular exercise and diet to work. I don't think I've ever met anyone who looked over 200kgs.

I feel bad for replying to this thread, since I've never been overweight. I think my highest weight was around ~140. I'm a 5"5 female who currently hovers around 110-120 lbs. However, I just wanted to mention that on top of all of the above, it is okay to reward yourself for your good behavior. A lot of people are afraid of being healthy because they don't want to change their entire eating habits. It's okay to have the occasional burger or shake. It's not worth losing weight if you aren't happy...I, for one, would never get through life without having my comfort food. What is not okay is to abuse those foods. So what I do is get a single treat every paycheck (I get paid twice a month). Just make sure you don't eat more than you need to and it fits into your caloric intake for the day.

Yea pretty much, I think for long term success it's almost a necessity to have a cheat day every so often, as long as you don't go to over board. Like before I started my diet I would have this giant ass burger from Hungry Jacks I can't even remember the name now it was like ultimate double whopper or something (officially named the least healthy fast food option in Australia), it was about my entire daily energy intake in one meal and 10x the fat. When I had a cheat day on my diet I would not have that burger, if it was going to be a burger I'd make it a regular whopper but more often it would be a pizza or something. I'd have a cheat day either once a week or later on every second week.

I did have it once more after I stopped being on my diet so strictly, and was pleased to find out I could no longer finish it.

[Deleted]

Yeah pounds lol.. From 91-92kg to 74kg. i´m 178cm tall.


On the 200kg.. I saw a program about extreme obesity. Now most of these guys ofcourse got a gastric bypass. But one of them did it the natural way from 275kg to 90kg and had just finished his first marathon.. I can´t even fathom the willpower it took to pull that of.

[Velaniz]

Yeah was around 17kg in 4 months. Diet was pretty strict during that time though and 0 alcohol. Did a 1 rep max DL 160kg in 4 months. But I also train by powerlifting principles, not bodybuilding. Lots of big heavy compounds, very few isolation excersices, low reps high weight. Constant progressive overload on DL.

Been following people like Jonnie Candito, Elliot Hulse and Omar Isuf for tips and tricks. Candito is like 5.7 180lbs and can DL 606lbs and dunk a basket ball.

Did you have a sports background of any sort? Or some kind of prior lifting history? Because otherwise, that would probably have to be one of the greatest strength improvements in such a short period that I've ever heard of. Did you do other powerlifting movements like squatting/benching? How much did those go up?

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I'd assume he was talking lbs when someone says as high as 200 because someone weighting 200kgs I think might be too far gone for regular exercise and diet to work. I don't think I've ever met anyone who looked over 200kgs.

Yep, he did. Just converted it to kilos when addressing him because lol imperial units.

[Deleted]

Did you have a sports background of any sort? Or some kind of prior lifting history? Because otherwise, that would probably have to be one of the greatest strength improvements in such a short period that I've ever heard of. Did you do other powerlifting movements like squatting/benching? How much did those go up?

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Yep, he did. Just converted it to kilos when addressing him because lol imperial units.

I had done some lifting on the bro science level about 2 years earlier. Done sports and been active most of my life. But the past 2 years before starting again I did nothing but drink beer and smoke weed. Hence the 92kg

My squat is 4x6 reps 80kg full ATG

Bench is 72.5kg 4x6 reps

Bent over barbell rows 75kg 4x6 reps

Unassisted pullups -> moving to weighted 4x6 reps

Decline dumbbell bench 25kg dumbbells 4x6 reps

Closed grip benchpress 60kg 4x6 reps

If I did DL just 4x6 reps it would be 120-130kg

These are current numbers, about 6 months of training

Also do sitting shoulder press, cable rows, calf raises, side lat raises, weighted crunches (15kg disc behind the head), standing weighted oblique crunches (30kg kettlebell), bicep curls

But DL is really the only one where I have done progressive overload every session... Could be something like 8x60kg, 6x90kg, 6x100kg, 4x110kg, 2x120kg, 1x130kg etc.... Wasn´t doing reps with more than 110 when i pulled the 160 max DL (form was probably shite).. That 3xbodyweight DL is kind of an obsession. Will be trying 2.5 soon (185kg)

Work A

Benchpress
Decline dumbbell press
Sitting shoulder press
Side lat raises
Close grip bench
Standing weighted oblique crunches
weighted crunches

Work B
Squat
Deadlift
Calf raise
Bent over barbell row
Pullups
cable rows
bicep curls

Everything 4x6 reps. When you can do 4x8 reps put on weight so you do 4x6 again, rinse and repeat. Very simple, very basic. Work A on Monday and thursday. Work B on tuesday and friday.. Usually swim a mile on wednessday. Weekends of.



ohh and all hail coconut

And ofcourse the one thing everyone needs to lift some heavy ass iron

[Velaniz]

Hmm, that really is some solid progress considering the duration you managed that in. Your deadlift, especially, is downright unbelievable. That must be one solid posterior chain you have on you.

[Deleted]

Hmm, that really is some solid progress considering the duration you managed that in. Your deadlift, especially, is downright unbelievable. That must be one solid posterior chain you have on you.

As I said, DL really became an obsession of mine.

I also do hillsprints on some really steep stuff, boxjumps etc once in a while. I might even do some barbell swings.

But I dont think it´s that incredible. I have always played soccer, icehockey etc = good legs.

I would never do roids, and if I did I would be truthfull about it. Don´t mind people roiding as long as they are not going "look at my progress and bazillion pound bench and im natural". Be truthfull about it and i couldn´t care less. I take my 5k fishoil and good multi vitamin every day. Get my protein in (2.5g pr kg BW), get my sleep, never drink alcohol.

And

Eat like a bear
Train like a beast
Sleep like a baby


I will clarify, that 160kg DL almost killed me.

[-aiko-]

I did have it once more after I stopped being on my diet so strictly, and was pleased to find out I could no longer finish it.

Absolutely! You start to condition your appetite and become used to eating a certain amount of food. Anything over that starts to make you feel sick. A solid reason why dieting is so important. I guess in reality it doesn't matter what you eat, if weight is your only concern, as long as you have a calorie deficit. I have a friend that I had to force to the gym. I helped her get down to a healthy weight, but she only cares about weight. xD So she eats terribly now, but counts calories, so she is sticking around that ideal weight.

[Aerodactyl]

Wow, I see a lot of misinformation here...a little background on myself, I was chubby all through my high school years and for a couple years after that. I took Weight Training for 3 years in High school, but I was not strong. I learned technique in that class and it took a while for the lessons to set in, but with knowing how to move weight and PROPER NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION on that internet I was able to sculpt myself into the man I always wanted to be.

1. Don't skip breakfast, most important meal of the day after your body has been fasting for 8 hours.
2. Always get 8 hours of sleep. You will never function 100% otherwise.
3. You MUST do cardio. I can't believe how many people in this world REFUSE to run. Besides the calorie burning, stronger legs and lungs, and how it clears your head, there are so many reasons to MOVE.
4. If you want to get big, you have to eat BIG.
5. You will never reach your goals by making excuses, I have been going to the gym 5 times a week for about 18 months now. Before I became fit, I had the usual excuses. "No gas in car, too tired, too lazy, not enough time etc."

[Blueobelisk]

1. Don't skip breakfast, most important meal of the day after your body has been fasting for 8 hours.
2. Always get 8 hours of sleep. You will never function 100% otherwise.
3. You MUST do cardio. I can't believe how many people in this world REFUSE to run. Besides the calorie burning, stronger legs and lungs, and how it clears your head, there are so many reasons to MOVE.

Jajaja I must say heart avatar's tips are the ones I like the best.

1. I don't like breakfast. :/ I feel like after my first meal I stay hungry throughout the day. (Unless I eat a huge meal of course, but there are no huge meals on diet time.)

2. I just can't have a consistent sleep schedule during school. Some nights I'll sleep 2 hours, some nights 4, on weekends sometimes 8. On those low sleep nights I might nap for 2 hours when I get home.

3. Ya I'm all for cardio. I agree that it gets me hungry but...it is nice activity. I'm curious how no cardio and just lifting weights are though.

[Asphyxiate9]

Jajaja I must say heart avatar's tips are the ones I like the best.

1. I don't like breakfast. :/ I feel like after my first meal I stay hungry throughout the day. (Unless I eat a huge meal of course, but there are no huge meals on diet time.)

2. I just can't have a consistent sleep schedule during school. Some nights I'll sleep 2 hours, some nights 4, on weekends sometimes 8. On those low sleep nights I might nap for 2 hours when I get home.

3. Ya I'm all for cardio. I agree that it gets me hungry but...it is nice activity. I'm curious how no cardio and just lifting weights are though.

Breakfast is important to kick start your metabolism for the day, its probably the most important thing you could do