I went from morbidly obese to 6 pack abs! Ask me Anything
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Wow what an amazing transformation!
Thanks for the advice and tips!! xx0 -
Okay, I have a question for you: When you were progressing on your journey, was it hard to VISUALIZE what your body would look like FIT? Meaning, did you ever wonder if you would still look like yourself, or ever feel AFRAID that u would look weird or different fit? Strange question, I know, but I was raised to think that lean muscular women are "hideous" (I am a woman), and I find that it is a challenge for me as I get stronger and fitter...the fear that fit people all "look the same", or that being fit will make me less attractive or "less interesting". I know it is irrational, but I wonder if any one, especially a man, has felt the same way?0
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It's absolutely amazing what you've done; you're a real inspiration!
Can you explain a bit more about your supplements and why you've chosen to go with what you've gone with. In particular, are you taking the vitamin D and fish oil for purely health reasons, or is there a weight loss or muscle building reason that you take them? Also, do you take the creatine as a pill or a powder, and is there a particular reason for doing so or is it just preference/convenience? Lastly, do you take these supplements the same regardless of whether you are bulking or cutting (particularly the creatine) or do you alter them depending on what you're trying to do?0 -
I would but almost no faith in those devices for measuring body fat %. Regardless, body fat percentage is just a number, it doesn't change the way you look in the mirror which is really what people care about. Personally I think 6'1 150 would be absolute skin and bones. I would not get that lean. Again, for reference, I am the same height as you are and in all my progress pictures, I am never less then 195 lbs. I realize people have different structures and you can't outright compare two people based on height and weight alone, but that is a 45-50 lb difference, and I am relatively lean in all the pictures. Sometimes it's easier to just get to a reasonable body fat percentage, then do a bulk even though you aren't 6 pack lean, just to build up a muscular base. It will prevent you from looking too skinny when you get lean. Its a matter of opinion but I feel that 6'1, 150 lbs would just look far to skinny. I'd much rather build a muscular base even if it means carrying some extra fat.
Firstly, thank you for the advice. I got my BF measured at my gym, they used a device that you hold in your hands. I have been thinking about upping my calories, but as I said in my post on weekends I tend to overeat so that's why I keep it low. Also, 1500 is what MFP said to loose 1.5/week. I am at a 34-36 waist now, my lowest point I was 150 with a 32 waist. I wanted to get back to that point then maybe do a bulk. My first goal is to get to that waist size again. That is do able for me because I was at that point before...the bulking part will be harder for me.
That being said, I might change my goals to 1 lbs per week. Then I just have to learn control myself on weekends. I think that will bring me around 1700-1800.
I have bought a food scale and now I have started measuring, so I hope that helps my accuracy.
Does this goal seem in line with what you are saying--"getting lean enough to be comfortable to do a lean bulk"?
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I had no idea what I would look like lean, but I never thought that it would make me look less aesthetic. As a man, I'll let you know that most men do not find lean, muscular, women hideous. Far from it really. I also feel strong is rapidly becoming the new sexy. I may be bias but I don't think the "model skinny" look is superior to the "fit" look. I would doubt that losing weight would make most women less desirable. I'm sure there are plenty of guys who do not like muscular looking women but again, I think they are quickly becoming the minority. Also, health needs to be considered. Aesthetics are not everything and to me, my overall health is FAR more important and the facts are that fat isn't healthy.ThriftyChica12 wrote: »Okay, I have a question for you: When you were progressing on your journey, was it hard to VISUALIZE what your body would look like FIT? Meaning, did you ever wonder if you would still look like yourself, or ever feel AFRAID that u would look weird or different fit? Strange question, I know, but I was raised to think that lean muscular women are "hideous" (I am a woman), and I find that it is a challenge for me as I get stronger and fitter...the fear that fit people all "look the same", or that being fit will make me less attractive or "less interesting". I know it is irrational, but I wonder if any one, especially a man, has felt the same way?
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Fish oil is mostly for general health. Plenty of data supports this. Vitamin D has some anabolic properties and can aid in muscle building if you are deficient in it. Creatine I take year round. I take monohydrate powder because it's cheap. Pills are fine too. There is no reason to not take creatine during a cut. Any weight gain associated with creatine is water weight, therefore has nothing to do with fat loss. There is no reason to stop taking it on a cut unless you need to cut water to make weight for some kind of a competition (bodybulder or powerlifting).It's absolutely amazing what you've done; you're a real inspiration!
Can you explain a bit more about your supplements and why you've chosen to go with what you've gone with. In particular, are you taking the vitamin D and fish oil for purely health reasons, or is there a weight loss or muscle building reason that you take them? Also, do you take the creatine as a pill or a powder, and is there a particular reason for doing so or is it just preference/convenience? Lastly, do you take these supplements the same regardless of whether you are bulking or cutting (particularly the creatine) or do you alter them depending on what you're trying to do?
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Did you experience a rebound - your body reacting to weight loss by demanding you overeat? Why do you think so many dieters relapse? And why didn't you?0
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I stumbled on this post today during a really anxious time waiting for lab results and an hour before going for an ultrasound for a possible hernia. I was full of self pity, I read through as many pages as I could. I want to thank you and congratulate you. You completely turned around my day with your inspiration and the patience to still answer questions months after the OP.
If you get time I looked for info on warm-up sets for ICF 5x5 and didn't see anything. I did stronglifts for 8 months should I just warm up for the big 3 the same way as SL? Also at your heaviest what was your caloric intake at the start of your weight loss.2 -
Wow. Dedication is such a powerful thing. Congrats.
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Fish oil is mostly for general health. Plenty of data supports this. Vitamin D has some anabolic properties and can aid in muscle building if you are deficient in it. Creatine I take year round. I take monohydrate powder because it's cheap. Pills are fine too. There is no reason to not take creatine during a cut. Any weight gain associated with creatine is water weight, therefore has nothing to do with fat loss. There is no reason to stop taking it on a cut unless you need to cut water to make weight for some kind of a competition (bodybulder or powerlifting).It's absolutely amazing what you've done; you're a real inspiration!
Can you explain a bit more about your supplements and why you've chosen to go with what you've gone with. In particular, are you taking the vitamin D and fish oil for purely health reasons, or is there a weight loss or muscle building reason that you take them? Also, do you take the creatine as a pill or a powder, and is there a particular reason for doing so or is it just preference/convenience? Lastly, do you take these supplements the same regardless of whether you are bulking or cutting (particularly the creatine) or do you alter them depending on what you're trying to do?
Awesome. Thanks.0 -
wow...you are amazing and an inspiration :-)0
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I would but almost no faith in those devices for measuring body fat %. Regardless, body fat percentage is just a number, it doesn't change the way you look in the mirror which is really what people care about. Personally I think 6'1 150 would be absolute skin and bones. I would not get that lean. Again, for reference, I am the same height as you are and in all my progress pictures, I am never less then 195 lbs. I realize people have different structures and you can't outright compare two people based on height and weight alone, but that is a 45-50 lb difference, and I am relatively lean in all the pictures. Sometimes it's easier to just get to a reasonable body fat percentage, then do a bulk even though you aren't 6 pack lean, just to build up a muscular base. It will prevent you from looking too skinny when you get lean. Its a matter of opinion but I feel that 6'1, 150 lbs would just look far to skinny. I'd much rather build a muscular base even if it means carrying some extra fat.
Firstly, thank you for the advice. I got my BF measured at my gym, they used a device that you hold in your hands. I have been thinking about upping my calories, but as I said in my post on weekends I tend to overeat so that's why I keep it low. Also, 1500 is what MFP said to loose 1.5/week. I am at a 34-36 waist now, my lowest point I was 150 with a 32 waist. I wanted to get back to that point then maybe do a bulk. My first goal is to get to that waist size again. That is do able for me because I was at that point before...the bulking part will be harder for me.
That being said, I might change my goals to 1 lbs per week. Then I just have to learn control myself on weekends. I think that will bring me around 1700-1800.
I have bought a food scale and now I have started measuring, so I hope that helps my accuracy.
Does this goal seem in line with what you are saying--"getting lean enough to be comfortable to do a lean bulk"?
Thank you this is very interesting. Really appreciate all your advice on this and congrats on all the success you have had.0 -
Hi Vismal, first of all thanks for taking the time to answer so many questions, I've learned a lot from this thread.
I was wondering are there any foods you'd recommend that have helped you feel fuller for longer? I'm on 2200kcal a day, which is a reasonably high calorie allowance (6ft, 201lb M), but I still find myself hungry a lot of the time, even straight after meals sometimes. Do you think this is avoidable, or simply an unpleasant fact of cutting?
I do tend to wolf down my food pretty quickly a lot of the time, which probably isn't helping!0 -
Your body cannot demand that you overeat. You can get hungry, sure. Everyone gets hungry from time to time. Some people get hungry all the time. You personally have to choose to overeat. I think many dieters relapse because they lose weight in a manner not sustainable in the long run either because it is too restrictive or time consuming, or mentally taxing, or whatever. They are able to stick with it for however long because the motivation from the results make all the restriction, or time commitment, or hunger pains worth it. They ultimately crack. It either becomes too hard to restrict foods they enjoy, or results slow/stop and they lose motivation. This is why I always recommend a sustainable strategy for losing weight, combined with maintenance breaks every 8-12 weeks of dieting.onelentilatatime wrote: »Did you experience a rebound - your body reacting to weight loss by demanding you overeat? Why do you think so many dieters relapse? And why didn't you?0 -
You can warm up however you want for ICF. I usually only warm up on squats, deadlifts, and bench. I didn't count calories when I first started losing weight so I'm not sure. I would guess some days as low as 1500-2000 and other days as high as 3000. I didn't really know what I was doing and looking back I was rather inconsistent and did weekly "cheat" days where I'd eat a ton. Luckily for me, with so much weight to lose, I was able to get away with being inconsistent for at least a short time.I stumbled on this post today during a really anxious time waiting for lab results and an hour before going for an ultrasound for a possible hernia. I was full of self pity, I read through as many pages as I could. I want to thank you and congratulate you. You completely turned around my day with your inspiration and the patience to still answer questions months after the OP.
If you get time I looked for info on warm-up sets for ICF 5x5 and didn't see anything. I did stronglifts for 8 months should I just warm up for the big 3 the same way as SL? Also at your heaviest what was your caloric intake at the start of your weight loss.
First off, hunger will almost always be a component of dieting from time to time. Depending on the person, it can happen frequently and intensely or not happen much at all. I still get hungry when cutting weight, especially towards the end of a cut. I just have a different relationship with hunger then I did in the past. Hunger does not drive my caloric intake. If I am hungry but have reached my macros for the day, then I'm hungry. It's just a feeling, it won't kill me, I move on. I have learned that for me (and I suspect a great many others) hunger is an absolutely horrible indicator on whether or not you should eat. If you are uncomfortably hungry all the time, then you must look at why that may be. Food choices are a big part of this. Foods with high volume for low calories should be used to control hunger. Vegetables are the best choice, followed by lean meats. From there it's again going to be a person to person thing as to what keeps you full. Some find fruit satiating, others do not. Same with fats. Some people derive great satiation from something like cheese while others simply do not. Again, the better the calorie to volume ratio a food has, the higher likelihood it will keep you full.seamaspeineas wrote: »Hi Vismal, first of all thanks for taking the time to answer so many questions, I've learned a lot from this thread.
I was wondering are there any foods you'd recommend that have helped you feel fuller for longer? I'm on 2200kcal a day, which is a reasonably high calorie allowance (6ft, 201lb M), but I still find myself hungry a lot of the time, even straight after meals sometimes. Do you think this is avoidable, or simply an unpleasant fact of cutting?
I do tend to wolf down my food pretty quickly a lot of the time, which probably isn't helping!2 -
Wow well done. You look really good (hot) btw. I've just started my journey a month ago. What diet and/or exercise program have you been on?
Pearl0 -
hey Vismal great transformation! Thank you for sharing your process into the fat loss. I went from 115kg to 79kg through constant running and like you i really wish i lifted from the start. Once i started lifting i gained alot of strength and bit more muscle mass.
On your youtube channel you mentioned you had disc problem after doing deadlift.
I had the very same problem about 4, 5 months ago and haven't really managed to bounce back from it. This struggle made me put on almost 7kg as i stopped counting my calories and sat indoors with self pity.
I want to get back to the gym and start lifting, i will stay away from deadlift, leg press, squats and bent row for a year or so.
Anyway, my question is, how have you adapted the ice cream 5x5 with your disc pain?
Most the workout there is to do with deadlift, squats and bent row.
Many thanks bud, you've pushed my motivation back and i have started counting my calories again!0 -
Wow well done. You look really good (hot) btw. I've just started my journey a month ago. What diet and/or exercise program have you been on?
Pearl
It's pretty much all explained earlier in the thread.Wow well done. You look really good (hot) btw. I've just started my journey a month ago. What diet and/or exercise program have you been on?
Pearl
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I have a 3 part series on YouTube about training post disc injury. I ABSOLUTELY recommend you speak to a doctor before running ANY program post injury.kugalojan88 wrote: »hey Vismal great transformation! Thank you for sharing your process into the fat loss. I went from 115kg to 79kg through constant running and like you i really wish i lifted from the start. Once i started lifting i gained alot of strength and bit more muscle mass.
On your youtube channel you mentioned you had disc problem after doing deadlift.
I had the very same problem about 4, 5 months ago and haven't really managed to bounce back from it. This struggle made me put on almost 7kg as i stopped counting my calories and sat indoors with self pity.
I want to get back to the gym and start lifting, i will stay away from deadlift, leg press, squats and bent row for a year or so.
Anyway, my question is, how have you adapted the ice cream 5x5 with your disc pain?
Most the workout there is to do with deadlift, squats and bent row.
Many thanks bud, you've pushed my motivation back and i have started counting my calories again!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p607FvClNgg
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I starting lifting maybe 6 months into my weight loss. Originally it was just diet and running. I wish I would have started lifting from the get go though. That would be what I consider my number 1 mistake. As for the type of lifting, I did it wrong at first by doing a typical "bro split" where you do a body part a day with high reps and low weight. I later switched to 5x5 training which is what I would have started with day 1 if I had to go back and do it again. I currently do a upper/lower 4 day a week split for intermediate lifters.
What do you mean by 5x5 training? I see Ice Cream Training... got it. Why the change in your life? Great job!
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5x5 simply means lifting 5 sets for 5 reps each of the heavy compound lifts. Ice cream fitness is just one of many 5x5's.CheerCoachAmy wrote: »I starting lifting maybe 6 months into my weight loss. Originally it was just diet and running. I wish I would have started lifting from the get go though. That would be what I consider my number 1 mistake. As for the type of lifting, I did it wrong at first by doing a typical "bro split" where you do a body part a day with high reps and low weight. I later switched to 5x5 training which is what I would have started with day 1 if I had to go back and do it again. I currently do a upper/lower 4 day a week split for intermediate lifters.
What do you mean by 5x5 training? I see Ice Cream Training... got it. Why the change in your life? Great job!
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Do you have any ideas or suggestions for women who want to start lifting or any introductory workout plan? I would say I say I need to lose around 28Ibs, possibly 35 - currently 171Ibs, 5ft 5. Any advice gratefully received and btw you look incredible, just shows what hard work and dedication can achieve0
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bump0
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Amazing transformation, you look amazing!!0
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I spent my lunch hour all week reading through your thread, tons of great information and very inspiring. Best thing I've found on MFP and that's saying a lot.0
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wow... you are an inspiration man! way to go!0
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In my opinion, females do not need a specialized plan that differs from what a beginner male should run. As such, any proper beginners program should suffice. I prefer the Ice Cream Fitness 5x5, but stronglifts 5x5 and starting strength are also both good choices.billymacintosh wrote: »Do you have any ideas or suggestions for women who want to start lifting or any introductory workout plan? I would say I say I need to lose around 28Ibs, possibly 35 - currently 171Ibs, 5ft 5. Any advice gratefully received and btw you look incredible, just shows what hard work and dedication can achieve
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How did you keep motivated, did you ever go up and down lot in weight. Did you ever have bad months0
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The only time I went up in weight was when it was done intentionally in the form of bulking or gaining lean mass. Motivation was originally external as motivation tends to be. After seeing my initial results, and actually feeling better both mentally and physically, my motivation shifted to internal motivation. While in the beginning I lost weight so I'd look better to others, be precised as healthier in the eyes of my peers, etc, I now strive to achieve my goals based solely on self motivation. Making that shift from external motivation to internal motivation is critical in my opinion. You will only put up with so much when you are doing things to please others. When you start working for yourself, I feel like things are easier.How did you keep motivated, did you ever go up and down lot in weight. Did you ever have bad months2 -
Amazing Transformation well done!
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