Journey from 189 to 152. Cardio and lifting. PICS!

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Hey, yall. I've been so inspired by the success stories on here I thought I'd go ahead and share my own success story in the making. I'll start off by saying i'm 12 pounds from goal weight but at this point, the number on the scale is only one tool I use to gauge my progress with getting fit. I started my journey at 189.5 pounds on January 14th and dropped 25 pounds throughout the course of 4 months without doing much cardio. I flirted with running but wasn't doing it on a consistent basis. I took a 2 month break from everything and got back up to 170 pounds. Then I decided to get serious about running and started training for my first ever 5k race in October. I dropped down from 170 to about 158 with a routine based heavily on running 10-12 miles per week and eating at a deficit. About two weeks before my 5k, I started incorporating weight training and shifted from cardio to lifting. I've only lost about 5 pounds between the end of September and now but lifting has transformed my body in ways that cardio never could.

The following pics show my progress from the very beginning of my journey until now.

Stats:
Age: 23
Height: 5'3
SW: 189.5
CW: 152.6
GW: 140

April 2012 (no idea how much I weighed. Didn't step on a scale)
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October 2012 (again, no idea how much I weighed. could be as high as 200)
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January 2013 (189 pounds)
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July 2013 (170 pounds)
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July 2013 (165 pounds)
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August 2013 (163 pounds)
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September 9 (160 pounds)
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September 20 (157 pounds)
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The above progress pictures are a result of eating at a deficit and running. Following pics reflect my shift to lifting

October 9 (155 pounds)
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October 24 (156 pounds)
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November 1 (157 pounds)
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November 6 (154 pounds)
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November 9- progress since August (152 pounds)
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November 21 (155.6 pounds)
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November 21 progress on arms (155.6 pounds)
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Hope my journey can shed some light on what lifting can do for body composition. Cardio has its place in fitness but I'm a firm believer that lifting can give results that cardio can't touch. Hopefully I'll be posting my goal weight success story before too long.
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Replies

  • BJC78
    BJC78 Posts: 324 Member
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    Love love love this!!! Great job ????????????
  • adioschubs
    adioschubs Posts: 384 Member
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    You look awesome! :)
  • Searching44
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    :happy: Amazing!!!!:bigsmile:

    Great job!:drinker:
  • togmo
    togmo Posts: 257
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    Great job. It feels great to know you have worked hard and even greater to notice the changes.

    I too am doing something similar, largely burning calories with cardio and changing my body composition and appearnce by lifting. I should be taking more pics though, I don't see the changes as easily in a mirror because they are slow to happen.

    Keep up the great work!
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,754 Member
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    Wow that back picture is textbook material. You are rocking it.
  • hannah_ryann
    hannah_ryann Posts: 259 Member
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    Thanks, yall! I'm so glad I've taken pictures along the way because the changes aren't always reflected in the scale number.

    Butttttt speaking of the scale, I'm down to 152.4 today which is my lowest weight in my adult life lol
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
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    I love seeing your progress, you show exactly what cardio and strength training can do. Great job! As someone else said above, the back picture really has the most impact. Keep rocking it and congrats on hitting your lowest weight so far.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
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    Great success! The difference is amazing, you look awesome :)
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    Great job, you look awesome!!

    Keep it going. :wink:

    The pics are great to have, because you can look back and see where you were at, and where you currently are.....cause looking in the mirror all the time, you don't notice those changes.
  • lknjohnson
    lknjohnson Posts: 351 Member
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    Way to go!! You look Great!!
  • Sphyk1
    Sphyk1 Posts: 85 Member
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    Very nicely done!
  • burninup
    burninup Posts: 5 Member
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    This is SO motivational!! Congrats!!!
  • WillLift4Tats
    WillLift4Tats Posts: 1,699 Member
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    Wow, your progress is amazing! Are you following a specific lifting plan? I just recently order New Rules through Amazon and I'm excited to receive it and get started :)
  • jdaley90
    jdaley90 Posts: 259 Member
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    LOVE LOVE LOVE! great job!!!!! keep it up!
  • hlandry6
    hlandry6 Posts: 230
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    You look amazing. I don't think you even look close to weighing 152. Keep up the great work!
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    You look great! Lifting is my exercise of choice, too ;) Keep up the awesome work!
  • hannah_ryann
    hannah_ryann Posts: 259 Member
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    Wow, your progress is amazing! Are you following a specific lifting plan? I just recently order New Rules through Amazon and I'm excited to receive it and get started :)

    I have the book as well! I need to dig it out and look through it again.

    I'm doing 3-4 days a week of an upper/lower split. Example

    Monday and Thurdsay: legs
    Back Squats
    135x10
    155x7
    175x5
    195x3
    200x1 is my max

    Sumo deadlifts
    135x10
    155x7
    165x5
    175x4
    200x1 is my max

    Walking lunges
    3 sets of 20
    with 45, 50, 55 pound barbell on my back

    Goblet Squats
    50x10
    65x7
    80x5

    Sometimes I'll do barbell hip thrusts
    85x10
    90x10
    90x10

    Wednesday (and sometimes saturday or sunday): Arms and cardio

    Bench Press
    65x10
    75x7
    85x5
    100x3
    115x1 is my max

    Incline Bench press
    45x10
    55x7
    65x5
    75x3
    100x1 is my max. I'm weak on this lift compared to other areas

    Bent over barbell rows
    60x10
    65x7
    70x5
    75x3

    Standing barbell rows
    45x10
    50x7
    55x5
    55x3

    Barbell shoulder press
    45x10
    50x7
    55x5
    60x3

    Dumbell tricep extention
    15x10
    20x10
    25x10

    Dumbell tricep skull crushers
    20x10
    25x10
    30x10

    Incline dumbell fly
    15x10
    20x10
    20x10 again, my chest is weak so this area lacks compared to my overall lifts

    Then I'll do 15-20 minutes of running on arm days because I don't burn as many calories lifting arms as I do legs and I want my burns to be comparable to leg day burns
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    Your August to November side progress photos demonstrate remarkable change in shape and body composition. Keep it up - you look stunning.
  • MstngSammy
    MstngSammy Posts: 436 Member
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    You look amazing. I don't think you even look close to weighing 152. Keep up the great work!

    I absolutely agree. Going by numbers on the scale and what people THINK it should look like....you look as if you weigh a lot less. Amazing results. Congrats!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Your stomach! Just...WOW!!! I just started lifting again and I can't wait to have results like you!
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