I went from morbidly obese to 6 pack abs! Ask me Anything

ShaunaNeuman2008

No questions, just wanted to say awesome job!!

cmasongreen

Epic story my man. You did a great job!

I have a quick question if you are still answering them! I am 6' 6''currently 213 lbs and would like to build some muscle while losing some fat. I just got a gym membership at a new gym in my city in Michigan. I have just been running on the treadmill because I am not really sure what else to do, however yesterday I started using workout machines. I would like to start doing free weights, but don't really know where to start? I used to lift a few years back, but I have NO idea where I am at now with my lifting.

So I guess my question is. How do I know where to start at regarding lifting weight? I could use some guidance haha.

vismal

cmasongreen wrote: »

Epic story my man. You did a great job!

I have a quick question if you are still answering them! I am 6' 6''currently 213 lbs and would like to build some muscle while losing some fat. I just got a gym membership at a new gym in my city in Michigan. I have just been running on the treadmill because I am not really sure what else to do, however yesterday I started using workout machines. I would like to start doing free weights, but don't really know where to start? I used to lift a few years back, but I have NO idea where I am at now with my lifting.

So I guess my question is. How do I know where to start at regarding lifting weight? I could use some guidance haha.

You won't really lose fat while gaining any appreciable muscle mass. The body just really doesn't work that way. You need to focus on either fat loss, or muscle gain. To lose fat you should eat less calories per day then you burn, and you should lift weights to help maintain muscle mass. This way, the majority of the weight you lose will be fat, not muscle. If you want to gain muscle you need to eat slightly more calories per day then you burn. You will still need to lift weights. This way, some of the weight you gain will be muscle, and some will be fat. What most people do, myself included, is to pick one goal, fat loss or muscle gain. Work towards that goal for a period of 3-6 months, then switch goals. The idea is each time you do a cycle your net result will be slightly leaner with slightly more muscle mass. After the course of several years, you will be much leaner with much more muscle mass.

As for a way to get started in the gym, my favorite beginners program is the Ice cream fitness 5x5. You can google it! It's a great beginners program.

DerekVTX

vismal wrote: »

cmasongreen wrote: »

Epic story my man. You did a great job!

I have a quick question if you are still answering them! I am 6' 6''currently 213 lbs and would like to build some muscle while losing some fat. I just got a gym membership at a new gym in my city in Michigan. I have just been running on the treadmill because I am not really sure what else to do, however yesterday I started using workout machines. I would like to start doing free weights, but don't really know where to start? I used to lift a few years back, but I have NO idea where I am at now with my lifting.

So I guess my question is. How do I know where to start at regarding lifting weight? I could use some guidance haha.

You won't really lose fat while gaining any appreciable muscle mass. The body just really doesn't work that way. You need to focus on either fat loss, or muscle gain. To lose fat you should eat less calories per day then you burn, and you should lift weights to help maintain muscle mass. This way, the majority of the weight you lose will be fat, not muscle. If you want to gain muscle you need to eat slightly more calories per day then you burn. You will still need to lift weights. This way, some of the weight you gain will be muscle, and some will be fat. What most people do, myself included, is to pick one goal, fat loss or muscle gain. Work towards that goal for a period of 3-6 months, then switch goals. The idea is each time you do a cycle your net result will be slightly leaner with slightly more muscle mass. After the course of several years, you will be much leaner with much more muscle mass.

As for a way to get started in the gym, my favorite beginners program is the Ice cream fitness 5x5. You can google it! It's a great beginners program.

Some guy basically called me an idiot on here today for deciding to work primarily on weight loss first for a year, then to focus on the bulking. I didn't even respond to him. Like so many other people on here I was able to get tons of awesome advice from you and a couple of others guys. It's guys like you that I have to thank for helping me come so far. You my friend are an inspiration to many.....you are a good guy.

I have taken a similar approach and have actually helped some other people as well but directing them to this site and offering the best advice that I have to offer.....just paying it forward.

cmasongreen

vismal wrote: »

cmasongreen wrote: »

Epic story my man. You did a great job!

I have a quick question if you are still answering them! I am 6' 6''currently 213 lbs and would like to build some muscle while losing some fat. I just got a gym membership at a new gym in my city in Michigan. I have just been running on the treadmill because I am not really sure what else to do, however yesterday I started using workout machines. I would like to start doing free weights, but don't really know where to start? I used to lift a few years back, but I have NO idea where I am at now with my lifting.

So I guess my question is. How do I know where to start at regarding lifting weight? I could use some guidance haha.

You won't really lose fat while gaining any appreciable muscle mass. The body just really doesn't work that way. You need to focus on either fat loss, or muscle gain. To lose fat you should eat less calories per day then you burn, and you should lift weights to help maintain muscle mass. This way, the majority of the weight you lose will be fat, not muscle. If you want to gain muscle you need to eat slightly more calories per day then you burn. You will still need to lift weights. This way, some of the weight you gain will be muscle, and some will be fat. What most people do, myself included, is to pick one goal, fat loss or muscle gain. Work towards that goal for a period of 3-6 months, then switch goals. The idea is each time you do a cycle your net result will be slightly leaner with slightly more muscle mass. After the course of several years, you will be much leaner with much more muscle mass.

As for a way to get started in the gym, my favorite beginners program is the Ice cream fitness 5x5. You can google it! It's a great beginners program.

Thank you kind sir.

You are a gentleman and a scholar

cmasongreen

Also I am 6' 2" not 6' 6". I wouldn't need to lose weight if I was that tall I don't think...

mariaoutlook

Again, I am speechless. Well done and thanks for sharing. Nothing is impossible if one is determined to achieve it!

ErinK09

Looking awesome, congratulations

Unknown

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vismal

BFDeal wrote: »

Did you find you had to cut your calories below what IIFYM or other calorie calculators recommended for losing weight?

I began counting calories again at the end of May and lost steadily until 226lbs. Then my losses simply randomly stopped even though I was eating 2300 calories like the calculators recommended. I cut them to 2200 and still didn't lose. A break from dieting was recommended to me which sounded better than the prospect of trying to eat 1800 calories a day like it seems like I may need to to actually lose more weight. Basically, I just feel like people always say you don't have to starve yourself or have an extreme deficit but I'm betting the people getting really lean are going way lower than the TDEE-20% they're recommending.

I maintain fairly easily on 31-3300 calories depending on the season (more active in spring/summer, less in winter). I rarely cut below 2500 which is right about at 20%. I think 9 times out of 10 people who can't lose fat at a 20% "deficit" are simply not counting calories correctly, or they have overestimated their TDEE. I don't use or recommend the calculators. People sometimes treat them as gospel but they are nothing more then guesses at starting points. I know my maintenance from actual trial and error. If I use the iifym calculator it has me maintaining at 2800 calories which is considerably less then what I actually maintain on. Best to only use the calculator for a starting point and to alter your calories based on actual results.

becky4m

Congrats!

city_southernbelle

Awesome job on your weight loss! You are such an inspiration and I don't know if this has been asked previously but I know many people say slow and steady wins the race but is there such a thing as losing too slowly?

In the past five months I have only managed to lose 25-30 pounds. Its also my second time around of trying to lose the weight and the first time I lost between 40-45 lbs within five months. I know they say if you're a yo yo dieter, its harder each time you try to lose weight again. Is that why I am losing slower this time?

vismal

city_southernbelle wrote: »

Awesome job on your weight loss! You are such an inspiration and I don't know if this has been asked previously but I know many people say slow and steady wins the race but is there such a thing as losing too slowly?

In the past five months I have only managed to lose 25-30 pounds. Its also my second time around of trying to lose the weight and the first time I lost between 40-45 lbs within five months. I know they say if you're a yo yo dieter, its harder each time you try to lose weight again. Is that why I am losing slower this time?

Deciding on an optimal rate of weight loss is a debated issue. Some people feel slow and steady wins the race. Others point to some new research showing people who lost lots of weight quickly have a better chance of keeping it off. I would not consider 30 lbs in 5 months to be slow. That's over a lb a week. At your current rate you will lose about 70 in a years time. As to why you are losing slower, this probably has a little to do with how much water weight you initially lost and how many total calories you are eating/burning now compared to before.

nickperry35380

dude well done on your goal u look great. how did you achieve this just calorie counting or macro counting aswell ie low carb ?? also how much cardio did you do ontop of your weights what was your normal week schedile for training?

luluinca

You're so kind to keep coming back here and answering questions. I'm struggling with the last 15 lbs of the 70 I wanted to lose. Not because I'm not sticking to my calories but because I like how I feel when I eat more and lose weight really slowly. My workouts are much better and I just generally feel better eating more. I feel as though I've discovered the fountain of youth or something.

In December I pretty much managed to maintain with being sick for over two weeks and then the holidays of eating more and exercising less. I'm wondering if going back to my routine of 5 workouts a week and a 15% deficit will get me there more quickly and if I'll still feel strong and healthy while I do it. I do really hard workouts and crave the energy to get through them.

I guess it's not really a question, just a thought process.

Mostly just wanted to say how much I admire your efforts here to help others!

PhatGirl8924

I wish I could have abs lol. Great job!!

janinealderton123

Your story is amazing, thank you for sharing. I am only starting my journey.

pabhijith

Hey I was wondering about this. I am 5'10" and weight around 220 lbs. Lots of bone weight and density with me but that doesnt put me out of the obese section. Anyway, my question is what is your opnion about cycling to lose weight?

SheBeButLittleSheisFierce

Fantastic and inspiring. Thanks for the post

vismal

nickperry35380 wrote: »

dude well done on your goal u look great. how did you achieve this just calorie counting or macro counting aswell ie low carb ?? also how much cardio did you do ontop of your weights what was your normal week schedile for training?

I also track macros but never go low carb. I don't train well on low carbs. I did running when I first started out but I do very little cardio now. My training mostly consists of weights 4-5 times a week.

vismal

pabhijith wrote: »

Hey I was wondering about this. I am 5'10" and weight around 220 lbs. Lots of bone weight and density with me but that doesnt put me out of the obese section. Anyway, my question is what is your opnion about cycling to lose weight?

Cycling burns calories, just like any other form of cardio. When combined with proper diet, it's a great way to boost weight loss. When combined with a poor diet, it might not work at all.

sekhmet13

I'm still in the beginning stages. How soon did you start seeing results? How did you get through the frustration of being stuck (I'm assuming you did at some point in the beginning.) You look awesome!

tazmania95

How did you do it i would like to lose 80-100lbs but have been struggling have you got any tips.
Cheers

vismal

sekhmet13 wrote: »

I'm still in the beginning stages. How soon did you start seeing results? How did you get through the frustration of being stuck (I'm assuming you did at some point in the beginning.) You look awesome!

I started seeing results almost right away. After the first 2 months I was done a fair bit of weight and it was visually noticeable. You shouldn't be getting stuck at all in the early phases of weight loss. If you are, it's 100% because you are eating too much. More often then not, it isn't because your calorie goal is too high, but because you aren't calculating calories accurately (not weighing food, estimating portion sizes, etc) or you are having too many cheat meals/days. If you are far along into your weight loss and are stalling, I generally recommend a 2-4 week maintenance break. This is when you raise calorie to maintenance for a few weeks then return to eating in a deficit.

tazmania95 wrote: »

How did you do it i would like to lose 80-100lbs but have been struggling have you got any tips.
Cheers

Read through the thread. It's got pages and pages of tips.

tbcrocks

awesome job! looking like zac effron!

javierpinedoureno

What were your macros to lose weight? What types of foods were you eating to hit your macros?

Jennatomum

You look incredible! Thank you so much for this post and for the questions you have answered xxx

vismal

javierpinedoureno wrote: »

What were your macros to lose weight? What types of foods were you eating to hit your macros?

The macros changed vastly throughout the entire process. I usually try and eat around 0.8 grams of protein per lb, .35-.45 grams of fat per lb, then the rest of my calories for any macro I want. As far as foods, I ate what I enjoyed. My diary is open so feel free to browse. I also do a full day of eating video every Wednesday on my YouTube page: http://goo.gl/I6Hi6j

csavoy0

Wow you look great! Excellent job

ashleydv70

Hey I had a question because I tend to get a little OCD trying to figure things out.

Currently I'm 300 pounds. I'm a 24 year old female and I'm 5'8"
MFP put my calories at about 1710 per day for 2 lbs a week. However, my TDEE is 3100 or so. My BMR is 2100 about. Should I be eating my BMR amount or lower than that- like 1710 as MFP suggests?? Also, if I eat the amount (1710) that MFP suggests, on days I work out should I eat back my exercised calories?? Or just eat 1710 or 2100 consistently? I usually workout for an hour 4-5 days per week.

Thanks for the help! And you look awesome. Super sexy!