I went from morbidly obese to 6 pack abs! Ask me Anything
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Kimgreen27 wrote: »Sunshine...how much have u lost thus far and how long has it taken you? If u don't mind me asking
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The amount lost and time it took is all in the very first post of this treadKimgreen27 wrote: »Kimgreen27 wrote: »Sunshine...how much have u lost thus far and how long has it taken you? If u don't mind me asking
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Fell off track and just getting refocused the last few weeks. Sorry if I missed the answer to this somewhere but are you still doing your Feeding Fitness channel? Just getting caught up and notice there hasn't been any recent videos.0
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I lost 100lbs last year without being very smart about such things, so I ended up very "skinny-fat". What is your opinion on lifting three days a week and increasing calories those three days (as opposed to long bulk and cut cycles)? Honestly, bulking freaks me out because I can really see myself picking up old habits.0
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Kudos to you on an amazing transformation! Thank you for sharing and giving your advice to so many!!!0
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I'm pretty new in my weight loss journey. I'm a 39 year old female, 5'5", & 269 pounds.
With a clean diet, what would you suggest I start with as an exercise regimen? I have stiff knees (one of those lovely symptoms of being morbidly obese) but I'm pretty active most days as I work outdoors....
Thanks for your time!!! Your success helps so many of us!0 -
Having a hard time just getting started. I think it's because the whole process seems overwhelming. What do I set my weekly weight loss goal to? Do I need to eat certain types of food (i.e. low carb, clean food etc)? How often do I work out? Can I just do cardio as I'm not terribly comfortable with weights and don't want to spend money on a trainer? Do I eat those calories back? I need to loss approximately 70-80 pounds. I don't like calculating my TDEE since my workouts are so inconsistent.0
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It's hard to say. In this picture your midsection doesn't look like it's in need of flattening. Simply looking at you height and weight either a little bit more fat loss would be okay but recomp would certainly be appropriate too. It basically depends on what you want more. What's your ultimate goal and what is your training like?
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Under my navel (lower abs) I can grab around 2-3 inches of fat
I do a lifting class (Body Pump) once a week, lift two more days on my own as heavy as I can (upper/lower body) 1 hr spin once a week and running or elliptical or walking 45 minutes 2-3 days 10k+ steps 6 days a week, one day of rest....I really love my carbs and I hope I don't have to cut them from my diet, my macros are 50 carbs/25 protein/25fat @ 1,500 cals...
Thank you!!!
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wow amazing ~0
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I'm taking a break from YouTube for now. I am currently finishing up my graduate degree which includes class and clinical time, plus I am still working, plus my wife and I have a 1-year-old so there simply wasn't time. I will hopefully be back after I graduate in November but being realistic it probably won't be until early 2018 because I will be taking boards and job hunting once I graduate.BklynFitGuy wrote: »Fell off track and just getting refocused the last few weeks. Sorry if I missed the answer to this somewhere but are you still doing your Feeding Fitness channel? Just getting caught up and notice there hasn't been any recent videos.
Increasing calories only on the days you work out is likely not going to be enough to put on mass efficiently. Bulking is not a free for all where you eat whatever you want and fall back into old habits. If you are currently eating at maintenance, bulking is really only adding about 300 calories a day. That's not much room to make major changes your diet. The prospect of intentionally gaining weight is always difficult for "big losers" and I struggled with the same fears. What's important to remember is that this time your weight gain will be very structured and controlled. It will have and end point (you set a target weight to reach and switch back to fat loss after hitting the target). You also have proven that you know how to successfully lose fat so once you reach the end point you'll know exactly what is needed to lose the added fat. Keeping the surplus modest at 300 calories helps because it prevents adding much more fat than is necessary. Just know there isn't really an effective way to put on muscle without putting on fat. It's just part of the process but also know that you've lost 100 lbs in the past, losing the 15 you gain during a long bulk will be much, much easier!I lost 100lbs last year without being very smart about such things, so I ended up very "skinny-fat". What is your opinion on lifting three days a week and increasing calories those three days (as opposed to long bulk and cut cycles)? Honestly, bulking freaks me out because I can really see myself picking up old habits.
Not a true plateau, no. I feel like most people don't, they either get impatient and call a temporary stall a plateau or they are looking at random weigh ins throughout a given period of time and don't realize they are actually losing weight. To me a real plateau is when you've weigh daily, track those weights for a month, and then input those weigh ins to something like trendweight.com which conducts a rolling average and tells you your actual rate of loss. If your trend is zero after a month then you are eating maintenance. When this occurs there is only one way to fix it, create a deficit. You either need to reduce intake or increase output (or a combination of both). That's all a plateau is, eating maintenance.TeinyWinehouse wrote: »Really inspirational! Did you experience a plateau at any point? How did you deal with that (if you did)?
People end up in maintenance for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they lose a lot of weight and simply require less calories per day. Obviously my maintenance was significantly lower at 250 lbs compared to 315, and at 200 lbs it was significantly lower than at 250. Another reason is poor tracking of intake. Calorie counting is hard to do well. I made a whole post about doing it well: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101. Finally, when you have been eating in a deficit for a while many people subconsciously start moving less. Non exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) decreases. NEAT is the unintentional exercise of the day. Walking around, tapping your foot, etc. A way to monitor some of your NEAT is to wear a step counter. I was very surprised to see how much less I moved when dieting compared to when I was in a bulking phase. Setting a consistent step goal helps reduce the variability of the "calories out" side of the equation and lets you focus more on calories in which is generally the variable most in need of manipulation if you aren't losing weight.4 -
I'm pretty new in my weight loss journey. I'm a 39 year old female, 5'5", & 269 pounds.
With a clean diet, what would you suggest I start with as an exercise regimen? I have stiff knees (one of those lovely symptoms of being morbidly obese) but I'm pretty active most days as I work outdoors....
Thanks for your time!!! Your success helps so many of us!
I usually recommend doing some kind of weight training routine. Any proven beginners program is fine (stronglifts, greyskull, starting strength). Start with low weights that you can accomplish easily and work your way up. As far as cardio, just do whatever you enjoy or in my case, hate the least!
I like to take all the complication out of the process. I don't use much of what MFP offers as I feel it's not necessary and can sometimes work against you. I do not set a weight loss goal with MFP nor do I log my exercise. I simply use it as a device to count calories and macronutrients. I eat a set number of calories each day and if I'm not losing weight after several weeks, I reduce calories. Plain and simple. I also do not use MFP's recommendations for calories or macronutrients. I calculate this all myself based on the principles in this video: . I know you said you don't like calculating by TDEE but I really feel it's the absolute best way to do it. The numbers given for calories burned by MFP or a fitness device are very much estimates and IMO overestimates for most people (especially the overweight and obese). I advise weights to most everyone as I feel they are hands down more effective at achieving changes in body composition in comparison to cardio. Doing cardio in addition is fine too but I had to pick one or the other it would be weights and it wouldn't even be a close call. You don't necessarily need a training to do basic barbell and dumbbell movements. The key is to start with the weights so light that injury isn't a concern and you can focus on your form. There is no shame whatsoever in using an empty barbell when first starting. Add weight as you become more comfortable. As for cardio, do whatever you enjoy or tolerate the most. Diet will always be the most important factor in weight loss which is why I place so much of the emphasis on that. Once you know how to accurately count your calories it's simply a matter of staying compliant and trusting the process.Megmakesithappen wrote: »Having a hard time just getting started. I think it's because the whole process seems overwhelming. What do I set my weekly weight loss goal to? Do I need to eat certain types of food (i.e. low carb, clean food etc)? How often do I work out? Can I just do cardio as I'm not terribly comfortable with weights and don't want to spend money on a trainer? Do I eat those calories back? I need to loss approximately 70-80 pounds. I don't like calculating my TDEE since my workouts are so inconsistent.
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I'm taking a break from YouTube for now. I am currently finishing up my graduate degree which includes class and clinical time, plus I am still working, plus my wife and I have a 1-year-old so there simply wasn't time. I will hopefully be back after I graduate in November but being realistic it probably won't be until early 2018 because I will be taking boards and job hunting once I graduate.BklynFitGuy wrote: »Fell off track and just getting refocused the last few weeks. Sorry if I missed the answer to this somewhere but are you still doing your Feeding Fitness channel? Just getting caught up and notice there hasn't been any recent videos.
Increasing calories only on the days you work out is likely not going to be enough to put on mass efficiently. Bulking is not a free for all where you eat whatever you want and fall back into old habits. If you are currently eating at maintenance, bulking is really only adding about 300 calories a day. That's not much room to make major changes your diet. The prospect of intentionally gaining weight is always difficult for "big losers" and I struggled with the same fears. What's important to remember is that this time your weight gain will be very structured and controlled. It will have and end point (you set a target weight to reach and switch back to fat loss after hitting the target). You also have proven that you know how to successfully lose fat so once you reach the end point you'll know exactly what is needed to lose the added fat. Keeping the surplus modest at 300 calories helps because it prevents adding much more fat than is necessary. Just know there isn't really an effective way to put on muscle without putting on fat. It's just part of the process but also know that you've lost 100 lbs in the past, losing the 15 you gain during a long bulk will be much, much easier!I lost 100lbs last year without being very smart about such things, so I ended up very "skinny-fat". What is your opinion on lifting three days a week and increasing calories those three days (as opposed to long bulk and cut cycles)? Honestly, bulking freaks me out because I can really see myself picking up old habits.
Not a true plateau, no. I feel like most people don't, they either get impatient and call a temporary stall a plateau or they are looking at random weigh ins throughout a given period of time and don't realize they are actually losing weight. To me a real plateau is when you've weigh daily, track those weights for a month, and then input those weigh ins to something like trendweight.com which conducts a rolling average and tells you your actual rate of loss. If your trend is zero after a month then you are eating maintenance. When this occurs there is only one way to fix it, create a deficit. You either need to reduce intake or increase output (or a combination of both). That's all a plateau is, eating maintenance.TeinyWinehouse wrote: »Really inspirational! Did you experience a plateau at any point? How did you deal with that (if you did)?
People end up in maintenance for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they lose a lot of weight and simply require less calories per day. Obviously my maintenance was significantly lower at 250 lbs compared to 315, and at 200 lbs it was significantly lower than at 250. Another reason is poor tracking of intake. Calorie counting is hard to do well. I made a whole post about doing it well: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101. Finally, when you have been eating in a deficit for a while many people subconsciously start moving less. Non exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) decreases. NEAT is the unintentional exercise of the day. Walking around, tapping your foot, etc. A way to monitor some of your NEAT is to wear a step counter. I was very surprised to see how much less I moved when dieting compared to when I was in a bulking phase. Setting a consistent step goal helps reduce the variability of the "calories out" side of the equation and lets you focus more on calories in which is generally the variable most in need of manipulation if you aren't losing weight.
I'm so happy for all your goals and studying that you're doing for you and your family. I also miss the videos, but what you're doing is most important so keep on ! I'm very proud of you Vismal and at least you still active here to respond to people and give your wise advice in all related fitness. Oh! By the way Vismal, I'm really enjoying Jason Blaha's Workout that you suggested. Thank you. I'm enjoying the whole body workout in contrast to splits and am seeing results indeed. Thank you for that too. Blessings to you and your wife and baby from me.1 -
No questions, but Amazing transformation! Congrats! Very inspiring0
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Awesome transformation!
I have a one. How did you stay motivated during your journey? I started like a month ago for the six pack. But the resulted is not there yet! I train and eat clean, only this Easter weekend I really messed it up
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It's hard to say. In this picture your midsection doesn't look like it's in need of flattening. Simply looking at you height and weight either a little bit more fat loss would be okay but recomp would certainly be appropriate too. It basically depends on what you want more. What's your ultimate goal and what is your training like?
Under my navel (lower abs) I can grab around 2-3 inches of fat I do a lifting class (Body Pump) once a week, lift two more days on my own as heavy as I can (upper/lower body) 1 hr spin once a week and running or elliptical or walking 45 minutes 2-3 days 10k+ steps 6 days a week, one day of rest....I really love my carbs and I hope I don't have to cut them from my diet, my macros are 50 carbs/25 protein/25fat @ 1,500 cals...
Thank you!!!
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The lower abdomen is among one of the last places fat usually leaves the body. The only way to make it happen is to just keep eating at a deficit and keep losing weight. You may find that you have to get too lean for your liking in order to make it happen. If this begins to happen the better approach IMO is to actually spend some time lean bulking where you gain weight very slowly in an attempt to alter your body composition. For women you ideally only want to gain about a lb a month on average. After a 6-9 month span of doing this you can cut weight again and may find you are able to get lean enough to expose your abs without having to make yourself miserable.3 -
How long did it take to see results0
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Just wondering how it's going for you years later in the maintenance phase. I am nearing the end of my weight loss and approaching maintenance myself. Please feel free to friend me.1
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I'm taking a break from YouTube for now. I am currently finishing up my graduate degree which includes class and clinical time, plus I am still working, plus my wife and I have a 1-year-old so there simply wasn't time. I will hopefully be back after I graduate in November but being realistic it probably won't be until early 2018 because I will be taking boards and job hunting once I graduate.BklynFitGuy wrote: »Fell off track and just getting refocused the last few weeks. Sorry if I missed the answer to this somewhere but are you still doing your Feeding Fitness channel? Just getting caught up and notice there hasn't been any recent videos.
Increasing calories only on the days you work out is likely not going to be enough to put on mass efficiently. Bulking is not a free for all where you eat whatever you want and fall back into old habits. If you are currently eating at maintenance, bulking is really only adding about 300 calories a day. That's not much room to make major changes your diet. The prospect of intentionally gaining weight is always difficult for "big losers" and I struggled with the same fears. What's important to remember is that this time your weight gain will be very structured and controlled. It will have and end point (you set a target weight to reach and switch back to fat loss after hitting the target). You also have proven that you know how to successfully lose fat so once you reach the end point you'll know exactly what is needed to lose the added fat. Keeping the surplus modest at 300 calories helps because it prevents adding much more fat than is necessary. Just know there isn't really an effective way to put on muscle without putting on fat. It's just part of the process but also know that you've lost 100 lbs in the past, losing the 15 you gain during a long bulk will be much, much easier!I lost 100lbs last year without being very smart about such things, so I ended up very "skinny-fat". What is your opinion on lifting three days a week and increasing calories those three days (as opposed to long bulk and cut cycles)? Honestly, bulking freaks me out because I can really see myself picking up old habits.
Not a true plateau, no. I feel like most people don't, they either get impatient and call a temporary stall a plateau or they are looking at random weigh ins throughout a given period of time and don't realize they are actually losing weight. To me a real plateau is when you've weigh daily, track those weights for a month, and then input those weigh ins to something like trendweight.com which conducts a rolling average and tells you your actual rate of loss. If your trend is zero after a month then you are eating maintenance. When this occurs there is only one way to fix it, create a deficit. You either need to reduce intake or increase output (or a combination of both). That's all a plateau is, eating maintenance.TeinyWinehouse wrote: »Really inspirational! Did you experience a plateau at any point? How did you deal with that (if you did)?
People end up in maintenance for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they lose a lot of weight and simply require less calories per day. Obviously my maintenance was significantly lower at 250 lbs compared to 315, and at 200 lbs it was significantly lower than at 250. Another reason is poor tracking of intake. Calorie counting is hard to do well. I made a whole post about doing it well: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101. Finally, when you have been eating in a deficit for a while many people subconsciously start moving less. Non exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) decreases. NEAT is the unintentional exercise of the day. Walking around, tapping your foot, etc. A way to monitor some of your NEAT is to wear a step counter. I was very surprised to see how much less I moved when dieting compared to when I was in a bulking phase. Setting a consistent step goal helps reduce the variability of the "calories out" side of the equation and lets you focus more on calories in which is generally the variable most in need of manipulation if you aren't losing weight.
I'm so happy for all your goals and studying that you're doing for you and your family. I also miss the videos, but what you're doing is most important so keep on ! I'm very proud of you Vismal and at least you still active here to respond to people and give your wise advice in all related fitness. Oh! By the way Vismal, I'm really enjoying Jason Blaha's Workout that you suggested. Thank you. I'm enjoying the whole body workout in contrast to splits and am seeing results indeed. Thank you for that too. Blessings to you and your wife and baby from me.
Thank you for the kind words!amiraammora wrote: »Awesome transformation!
I have a one. How did you stay motivated during your journey? I started like a month ago for the six pack. But the resulted is not there yet! I train and eat clean, only this Easter weekend I really messed it up
You have to set goals both short term and long. Getting a six pack is very difficult, especially for a female. IMO that's a good long term goal. Unfortunately goals that can take many months or even years can sometimes feel as though they are never going to be completed. This is why short term goals are equally as important. If your long term goal is a six pack, a short term goal might be to lose X amount of weight in a given time frame. For short term goals I like to use between 2-3 months usually. Make it something reasonable and obtainable. If you complete the short term goal you can set a slightly more ambitious one next time. If you fail, examine why. Was the goal too aggressive for the given amount of time? Did you struggle with compliance? Is something about diet or training off? Answering these questions will help you with your next goal. Using both short and long term goals helps you keep motivated even if your ultimate goal seems very far off.0 -
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