18mo/3mo update...63lbs/20lbs (pics)

McCloud33

So it's been a total of 18 months since this whole weight loss process really started for me. I changed jobs and started biking to work in October of 2013. I was 31, 5'-8" and 235lbs. I dropped approximately 12 lbs just by eating at home everyday for lunch (since I was now only a 3 min bike ride away) and biking to and from work. In January I set out to get down to 185 by my birthday at the end of May. I found MFP, started logging food and got back to running 3-4 times a week putting in 10-20 miles. In March I joined a gym, but didn't really know what I was doing so I went from machine to machine and did the circuit for a couple of months. I made my "goal" of 185 around mid-May and was ecstatic with the results. I had dropped 50 lbs in 8 months and was the lightest I had been in over a decade.

In June I found the Stronglifts 5x5 program through all of the recommendations here on MFP. I had never lifted weights in my life...not really. I had gone through p90x a few years back, but the heaviest weights I had/used were 10lb dumbbells and resistance bands. I didn't quite start with the bar for all the lifts, but I was close. My starting #s were 60lb squat, 135lb bench, 175lb deadlift, 85lb OH press and 85lb row. I went through the first 12 weeks of this on a maintenance/slight deficit diet and finished with 1RM's of 365# squat, 235# bench and #385lb deadlift at a body weight of about 182-183. I went through another 12 week cycle, but this time on a calorie surplus and broke into the "1000# club" with a 405# squat, 245# bench and 405# deadlift. I had also gotten back up to 192lbs.

I didn't want to break 200lb body weight again as I had worked so hard to get down under that, so starting in January I went back on a calorie restriction with a goal of 160lbs by May this time. 3 months are gone now and I'm down 20lbs. I'm still lifting trying to keep as much muscle as I can and look forward to bulking again come June to start putting on some more muscle, but I took my 3mo pictures this weekend and wanted to share with everyone. So here they are...




These are 192lbs to 172 lbs



And here's my whole journey to date.

Let me know what you think, ask questions...I'm pretty much an open book.

Thanks everyone!

deannaaaaaaaaa

this is great! congratulations on all your hard work!

boxfish100

Fantastic progress and results

urloved33

Yay

cds_momto3

Congrats!! Great transformation!

danelutza19

Congratulations on a job well done!!!!
I'm doing Stronglifts myself since last July. Are you doing any accessory lifts other than Stronglifts????

McCloud33

@danelutza19 I was doing weighted pull-ups at the end of the "B" workouts until I was starting to run out of time. I go early in the morning before work and so I'm limited to an hour. Gym opens at 6am and I have to be out by 7 so that I can get home and shower and get to work by 7:30. I'll also do some sit-ups and push-ups sometimes if I'm at home and just sitting and watch TV. I'll alternate them during commercials.

annaheyoolay

Well done!

ameirah20

amazeballs!

giannigreco83

AMAZING results...

What are you thoughts about Stronglifts 5x5....? do you suggest it?? What has it done for you, more muscle, more strength, more fat loss of all of the above lol?

McCloud33

@giannigreco83 I can't speak highly enough of it. Like I had said, I wasn't a weight room guy mostly because I had misconceptions about it . As far as what it's done for me, mostly just strength at fat loss as I've been on a deficit 90% of the time that I've been on it. You're not going to gain muscle while on a deficit. I look forward to June through December of this year though, because I plan on doing my first true "bulk" with excess calories and SL5x5 to see how much muscle I can build.

The biggest thing it's done for me though is confidence. It's hard not to be confident when you just lifted more weight than you've ever lifted and more that 90% of people would even attempt.

giannigreco83

McCloud33 wrote: »

@giannigreco83 I can't speak highly enough of it. Like I had said, I wasn't a weight room guy mostly because I had misconceptions about it . As far as what it's done for me, mostly just strength at fat loss as I've been on a deficit 90% of the time that I've been on it. You're not going to gain muscle while on a deficit. I look forward to June through December of this year though, because I plan on doing my first true "bulk" with excess calories and SL5x5 to see how much muscle I can build.

The biggest thing it's done for me though is confidence. It's hard not to be confident when you just lifted more weight than you've ever lifted and more that 90% of people would even attempt.

thank you very much for your answer.....so you kept going with the 3 exercises per workout that the app gives you right? or did you add any exercise?

I am starting Stronglifts today and yes I am in a deficit as I am right in the middle of my weight loss journey yet...

wackyncrazy1

you look amazing what an awesome job.

McCloud33

@giannigreco83 yep, I did a little bit of accessory work early on when the weight was light, but as it got heavier I dropped that and just stuck with the 3 exercises a day.

larryc0923

Awesome progress!! Great long-term dedication.

rscunu

Wow, congrats on your awesome success!
I'm super excited to have just moved closer to work, and I'm planning on buying a bike with my tax returns I will be biking too and from work which is just over 3 miles. There are some awesome trails near me too at a state park.
You're very inspirational! Thank you for sharing.

ros2will3run

Great..! Thanks for posting!

sjvacca

Awesome, thanks for the encouragement

McCloud33

@rscunu, 6 miles a day will do wonders for you. It doesn't seam like that much, but those calories add up quick. That's going to be close to 500 calories a day which will give you 1lb loss a week if you eat at maintenance without adding that back in.

McCloud33

urloved33 wrote: »

Yay

Thanks for all the encouraging messages

danelutza19

McCloud33 wrote: »

@danelutza19 I was doing weighted pull-ups at the end of the "B" workouts until I was starting to run out of time. I go early in the morning before work and so I'm limited to an hour. Gym opens at 6am and I have to be out by 7 so that I can get home and shower and get to work by 7:30. I'll also do some sit-ups and push-ups sometimes if I'm at home and just sitting and watch TV. I'll alternate them during commercials.

Thanks for your prompt response!!!
Glad we're on the same page. When those weights get heavy you don't have any room for accessory lifts. I really like how well developed your body is, I am happy to hear you didn't have to add much to the original workout to get such results!!!
Job well done!!!
Enjoy the summer and have fun with the bulk!!!
Let us know how it's working and when you hit new PR's!!!

McCloud33

danelutza19 wrote: »

McCloud33 wrote: »

@danelutza19 I was doing weighted pull-ups at the end of the "B" workouts until I was starting to run out of time. I go early in the morning before work and so I'm limited to an hour. Gym opens at 6am and I have to be out by 7 so that I can get home and shower and get to work by 7:30. I'll also do some sit-ups and push-ups sometimes if I'm at home and just sitting and watch TV. I'll alternate them during commercials.

Thanks for your prompt response!!!
Glad we're on the same page. When those weights get heavy you don't have any room for accessory lifts. I really like how well developed your body is, I am happy to hear you didn't have to add much to the original workout to get such results!!!
Job well done!!!
Enjoy the summer and have fun with the bulk!!!
Let us know how it's working and when you hit new PR's!!!

In full disclosure, I'm not just lifting. I also run 10-15 miles a week and play soccer one night a week on top of my 3 days a week lifting regimen. But if you look at the difference in my pictures between 185 and 182, lifting was the only variable that I changed there. In my mind it made a big difference in body shape even though the weight didn't change much.

cmsu64113

Were you eating at 1 or 2lbs a week loss? and did you eat back your exercise calories?

jules6669mfp

McCloud33 wrote: »

danelutza19 wrote: »

McCloud33 wrote: »

@danelutza19 I was doing weighted pull-ups at the end of the "B" workouts until I was starting to run out of time. I go early in the morning before work and so I'm limited to an hour. Gym opens at 6am and I have to be out by 7 so that I can get home and shower and get to work by 7:30. I'll also do some sit-ups and push-ups sometimes if I'm at home and just sitting and watch TV. I'll alternate them during commercials.

Thanks for your prompt response!!!
Glad we're on the same page. When those weights get heavy you don't have any room for accessory lifts. I really like how well developed your body is, I am happy to hear you didn't have to add much to the original workout to get such results!!!
Job well done!!!
Enjoy the summer and have fun with the bulk!!!
Let us know how it's working and when you hit new PR's!!!

In full disclosure, I'm not just lifting. I also run 10-15 miles a week and play soccer one night a week on top of my 3 days a week lifting regimen. But if you look at the difference in my pictures between 185 and 182, lifting was the only variable that I changed there. In my mind it made a big difference in body shape even though the weight didn't change much.

jules6669mfp

Great job!! You look great.

McCloud33

cmsu64113 wrote: »

Were you eating at 1 or 2lbs a week loss? and did you eat back your exercise calories?

@cmsu64113 I've been eating at about a 700 cal deficit and I do eat back most of my exercise calories. The first few weeks I didn't and just felt really weak.

sljohnson1207

Great job, McCloud! Really well done.

McCloud33

sljohnson1207 wrote: »

Great job, McCloud! Really well done.

Thanks, always appreciate your encouragement :-)