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

spider06c

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srmchan

As far as the diet, the nutritionist only has you at a 500 calorie deficit? That surprises me. I would think they would be comfortable with you losing weight a bit faster since you have so much weight to lose. They are the experts though, my degree is in healthcare but not in nutrition so I defer to them. It might be something I mention to them though.

It surprised me too. I asked if I could eat back exercise calories and he said "not yet", ergo my actual deficit would be greater than 500 per day since I exercise almost daily.

Thanks again for the great thread.

Sam

Beautiful_Pain

Your a guy boo!!! lol you look awesome and happy!!!

Weight loss is very similar for men in women. The mechanics behind it are very similar. I will concede that due to their smaller size and accompanying smaller TDEE women has a rougher time as they have to really reduce calories to see weight loss. I can lose weight eating 2700 calories a day, most women need far less the that to lose weight.

Aha yes far less, thats where my "boo" comes in...but i did say you look Great!

pJohanna

I'm 5'1 163 and began walking two weeks ago. I joined a gym last week. I've been wondering if pre-workout and post-workout supplements are needed?

Yagisama

This is amazing stuff. Very inspiring !

GreatDepression

Has the new appearance made you arrogant and stuck up?

rdkstar

Did you have periods of time where your loss was frustrating, slow, or even plateau?

jd952

Hi there, I'd like to say your an inspiration for people like us, you're awesome man!

I'm currently obese at 259 pounds (the profile says more because I'm sticking to inaccurate scales) I'm currently on 1500 cals/day which for me is about a 1750 deficit, I know it's quite steep but I feel fine so far.

My question is do you think it would e alright to have a once a week pigout on a Sunday? I can't always exactly log what we do but roughly 3000-3500 for the one day?

And also, I'd like to try and add some weight training but I have very limited equipment, only dumbells, not even a pull up bar, how can I make the most of what I've got?

minireeree

Looking great!!!

I've not long started using MFP (2weeks) and just getting used to the way it all works.
I've been on a diet and fitness journey for the last 8 weeks. I've done many things in the past to try lose weight, not eating, raspberry ketones, detox etc etc. Its always taken me a while to lose any weight.

I've been given 1200cals to eat every day by MFP. I'm doing at least 3 exercise days per week, this is mixed up by normal cardio, circuits, hill climbing, spinning, some weights, aerobics classes, and walking, as I thought this would give my body a challenge. I have noticed a huge improvement in my fitness, and loving it. But the lack of weight loss is a tad frustrating.

In the 8 weeks of watching what I'm eating and exercising I've actually put ON 5lbs ((
So last week I changed my macros so the protein was the higher one.

Do you have any suggestions how I can get the scales moving in the right direction?
My problem areas are my thighs, hips, and *kitten*. lol, but ideally I want to tone all over.
My exercise buddy has been doing the same as me, shes taller, but she has lost over a stone. I just don't know where I'm going wrong.
What exercises should I be focusing on?
Should I be eating back my exercise calories?
Does it matter what the macros are set at?
Should I be focusing on just diet, until i get to goal weight and then tone?

Just really needing help to get me going in the right direction............
Any advice would be much appreciated

minireeree

Sorry to be asking again, I sat last night and worked out my TDEE and BMR (had no idea what these were)
Taking these in mind, what do you suggest to get the scales moving based on my previous questions?
I had originally thought I was only to have 1200cals per day,
I'm currently 175lbs, so my TDEE 2,100
I then worked out my BMR based on my weight of 79.38kg, height 157.48 my age 33, and that I work out 3times per week.
That then works out at 1,676. This is obviously a lot more than I have been consuming. Could this be affecting my weight loss?
I'm new to all this, the terms used within fitness and nutrition.
Hope this all makes sense?

Please can someone help.

Original post is just above^^

VanillaBeanSeed

Did you have periods of time where your loss was frustrating, slow, or even plateau?

This!

After 100+ weight loss, Ive been stuck for the past year at the same 150-155 range! Cant seem to drop below 150 and its so frustrating! >.<

BigT555

awesome transformation dude, mad inspiring. my question is did you find it hard to transition into maintenance once you got dem abs?

i feel like im going to have a really tough time eating maintenance since ive been eating at a deficit for so long now, its going to be hard to accomplish without constantly worrying about gaining weight back

BigT555

Congratulations, that's an amazing transformation. What do you think are the top 5 things that led to your success?

1. Myfitnesspal of course. It wasn't until I began tracking my intake that my success really started to take off
2. Understanding that "eating clean" is meaningless and that in order to have true life long success I had to eat foods I enjoyed (ice cream, cookies, etc) on a regular basis but in moderation
3. Lifting heavy weights
4. Not listening when people say "you lost enough already" or "you are getting too skinny"
5. Learning as much about the science behind nutrition and dieting as possible. There is more pseudoscience and myths in this field then any other on earth! So much BS to cut through to find the truth.

just read this and #4 hit home. have to hear this crap at least once a week, and i still have alot to lose. i dont understand why people think its okay to say this yet nobody says a thing when someone is gaining weight

BigT555

also one last question, how important do you find it to reach your macro goals, and not just a calorie count? currently i just focus on total calorie intake and protein, but carbs and fats i dont track at all. i figure that if i get the proper amount of protein then its reasonable to assume that even if my carbs outweigh my fats or vice versa then im still in good shape nutrient wise.

is this correct or should i start puttin more emphasis into getting a proper carb/fat ratio?

belgerian

bump

Rays_Wife

bump for info later

EvgeniZyntx

Impressive results and commitment, OP. Congrat!

missdibs1

When you got to "that point" where only dropping BF% was going to show off all that hard work... what changes did you make?

I am looking to drop BF% and show off my "hard work" too!

WarriorReady

Awesome work and amazing transformation!

Thanks for the great feedback, most of the questions I would have asked have been answered. I started with New Rules of Lifting but am actually switching to Stronglifts 5x5 after having a lazy winter. :laugh:

icydish

Thanks for accepting my friend request. I've cruised your diary and got a few ideas - especially salmon patties and babybel cheese. I've been cooking salmon the hard way - cedar plank on the grill. It's tasty that way, but I'm not always up for that sort of cook. Salmon patties will be a great alternative, especially if I can cook them sous vide.

I started dieting 3 weeks ago. Low carb for about a week and a half, then switched to a balanced diet after consulting with a nutritionist and having a resting metabolic assessment done. The goal is to eat at a 500 calorie deficit (30% carbs, 30% fats, 40% proteins) but am typically at a deficit of 500-900 calories on a given day. Still working on balancing the macros. I'm very overweight (~40% BMI), so my trainer feels I'm better off doing body weight exercises for now. My regiment is squats, bridge on floor, squat with rotation, cobra, two-arm row with squat, plank, lateral lunge to balance, supine lowering, step-up to balance, and side-lying iso abs. Right now, my goal is 3 sets of 15 reps per exercise except the plank and side-lying abs which are 15 seconds each. A couple of these exercises (supine lowering, step-up to balance) I cannot do to completion due to weakness or lack of coordination. Others, like squats and 2 arm rows with squats, I can do with capacity for more reps. When I'm done with 2-3 sets, I'm drenched with sweat so I feel I'm getting a good workout.

In your opinion, should I press my trainer to add lifting to this regiment?

I appreciate your sharing your experiences.

Sam

I would say if your BMI is that high, what you are doing is okay to start. I would eventually transition in to more traditional lifting once you build a little bit of conditioning. As far as the diet, the nutritionist only has you at a 500 calorie deficit? That surprises me. I would think they would be comfortable with you losing weight a bit faster since you have so much weight to lose. They are the experts though, my degree is in healthcare but not in nutrition so I defer to them. It might be something I mention to them though.

Hey m a girl
I want to loose 40 lbs... I m beginner with this app. I am 19 yrs old n currently I weigh 170lbs. I can't go to gym
But usually.for my exercise I either play 1 hour badminton or 1 hour walk
With 1200 calories a day and this much exercise can I achieve my goal?
If no then plz suggest something

You can do anything you put your mind too. Your current regime is certainly a good starting place. Whether or not you will have to make alterations, time will tell. I would try and find some way to incorporate some lifting. Does your school have a workout room? If not I would at least do some body weight exercises 3 times a week (squats, pushups, sit ups, planks, etc).

Mo I dont have gym at my college...currently I am on 1200 calories pr day. Is it good?
And I am thinking of joining some dance or zumba classes..as I am not into exercise and all.

vismal

Item 3: "lifting heavy weights" -- more details about this please. I find that my overall strength in my upper body is on the weaker side and need to get the muscles growing without injury.

Item 4: "Not listening when people say "you lost enough already" or "you are getting too skinny" -- /ignore others, but ignoring your own thoughts are another matter entirely. "I'm not seeing any progress." "what does it matter if no matter what I do, the weight doesn't come off?" The self-talk is harder than what others have to say.

Item 5: "Learning as much about the science behind nutrition and dieting as possible. There is more pseudoscience and myths in this field then any other on earth! So much BS to cut through to find the truth."

So... what IS the TRUTH about the science behind nutrition and dieting for weight loss? No BS please.

You are an inspiration.

As far as getting into lifting. When I use the term "heavy lifting" it's relative. I consider heavy lifting to be lifting in a lower rep range like a 5x5. The number on the bar to start isn't important so long as that number increases over time. Don't try and lift more than you can, but lift enough that you are sufficiently worked.

Ignoring self talk is hard. There were many times when I felt I didn't look like I wanted too, or that I hadn't made any progress. I find monthly progress pictures to help here. They give you a concrete visual comparison. Try and take the same poses, in the same mirror, from the same distance for objectivity.

The truth behind the science of weight loss, I could literally type for hours about things people think are important that really are not. I'll just name a few of the bigger fitness:

Myth 1: Eating multiple small meals a day rev's the metabolism and helps burn fat. NOT TRUE! There is no scientific data to support this notion at all. In fact, there is plenty of data to disprove this. Total calories for the day/week make the difference, not total number of meals.

Myth 2: You must eat clean in order to lose weight: Again totally false. First off "clean" is a very subjective term. One cannot even adequately define it. Total calories and macro nutrients determine results, not cleanliness of diet. I eat cookies, ice cream, bacon, etc EVERY DAY! Now I'm not saying eat nothing but potarts and meet your calorie goal, you must still get in adequate micro nutrients and fiber from things like fruits and vegetables but restricting foods is not a good idea, especially if you love that food. You must learn to eat what you love in moderation.

Myth 3: Don't eat in or around bedtime. Total net caloric intake for the day is what matters, not timing. Nutrient timing is of VERY LITTLE IMPORTANCE

Myth 4: Skipping breakfast causes weight gain. Again it's totals for the day not timing! Eat when you want.

I could go on for ever...

vasairiah

Incredible! You look terrific. Congrats on your success! :happy:

vismal

Thank you for helping us fellow MFP users!

My current workout routine includes running, the elliptical, interval running, stairs, squats, burpees, and a weight machine circuit. Obviously, I don't do ALL of these everyday--my typical workout is an hour to an hour fifteen, and I do 2 or 3 activities per session. I'm good with cardio, but not so much with strength training. Right now, I'm trying to do 30 mins of cardio and 30 of strength (either the machine circuit or squats/burpees, but I definitely can't do a half hour of squats/burpees yet!) Am I doing enough of both? Can you recommend other strength training activities? Should I switch to something like Insanity?

Thank you!

For strength training I really don't think there is a great replacement for barbell training. If you absolutely can't gain access to that type of equipment then something like insanity is okay but it's not going to be as optimal as training with barbells/dumbbells.

I'm 5'1 163 and began walking two weeks ago. I joined a gym last week. I've been wondering if pre-workout and post-workout supplements are needed?

I knew the supplementation question would eventually arrive. Here's my take on it. Most supps are expensive garbage! I take a cheap multivitamin, an additional 5000 units of vitamin D, 1 triple strength fish oil tab, and creatine monohydrate. That is all you need. I do not consider protein bars/powders to be supplements. I treat them as food. That's all they are. The protein in powders and bars is no better or worse then the protein in chicken, beef, dairy, etc. Dollar per gram whey is probably the cheapest way to get in protein. If you have trouble eating enough protein in your diet, whey is a good option. If you can hit your protein goals without it, that's fine too. Don't spend tons of money on supplements! They account for <1% of total results!

vismal

Has the new appearance made you arrogant and stuck up?

No

Did you have periods of time where your loss was frustrating, slow, or even plateau?

Not a true stall, no. I don't consider a stall to be a true plateau until 3 weeks have gone by with no change on the scale. Water retention can really mess with scale numbers. If a stall does occur 9 times out of ten it's because you are eating too much. This could be because your calories are set to high, your not burning as much from exercise as you think, you are making errors in your tracking, you are having cheat days/meals that you are not accounting for, you maintenance calories are lower because you have lost a good deal of weight. If you lose 50 lbs you can better believe you need less food to maintain weight then you did before!

Hi there, I'd like to say your an inspiration for people like us, you're awesome man!

I'm currently obese at 259 pounds (the profile says more because I'm sticking to inaccurate scales) I'm currently on 1500 cals/day which for me is about a 1750 deficit, I know it's quite steep but I feel fine so far.

My question is do you think it would e alright to have a once a week pigout on a Sunday? I can't always exactly log what we do but roughly 3000-3500 for the one day?

And also, I'd like to try and add some weight training but I have very limited equipment, only dumbells, not even a pull up bar, how can I make the most of what I've got?

I would not have a pig out day. That is a crutch too many people rely on. Think of it this way, you could eat 1500 calories a day (which is too low in my opinion) and have the one 3500 cal cheat day, or you could eat 1800 calories every day and end up in the same weekly deficit. The problem with the pigout day is that it can easily get out of control and spiral into a 5 or 6000 calorie day!
With no access to a full set of gym equipment I would maybe google a beginner total body dumbbell routine and see if you find one you like.

vismal

Sorry to be asking again, I sat last night and worked out my TDEE and BMR (had no idea what these were)
Taking these in mind, what do you suggest to get the scales moving based on my previous questions?
I had originally thought I was only to have 1200cals per day,
I'm currently 175lbs, so my TDEE 2,100
I then worked out my BMR based on my weight of 79.38kg, height 157.48 my age 33, and that I work out 3times per week.
That then works out at 1,676. This is obviously a lot more than I have been consuming. Could this be affecting my weight loss?
I'm new to all this, the terms used within fitness and nutrition.
Hope this all makes sense?

Please can someone help.

Original post is just above^^

TDEE will always just be an estimate. It's a starting point. If your TDEE is 2100 and you want to lose around a lb a week, set your calories to 1600 (do not eat back exercise calories as they are taken into consideration already in determining your tdee). If after a few weeks you do not lose weight first make sure your tracking is accurate, you are weighing out food not estimate portion sizes, not having cheat days/meals, etc. If you are confident in your tracking and you are still not losing weight, drop down to 1500 then see what happens. Keep slowly reducing calories until weight loss occurs. More often then not stalls are from poor tracking of intake, not too high of a caloric goal.

After 100+ weight loss, Ive been stuck for the past year at the same 150-155 range! Cant seem to drop below 150 and its so frustrating! >.<

How tall are you? Sometimes you simply need a break from dieting. I usually suggest a 1-2 month "diet break" where you eat to maintenance calories and focus more on strength. After the break you can reduce calories back to a deficit and see if that sparks weight loss.

vismal

awesome transformation dude, mad inspiring. my question is did you find it hard to transition into maintenance once you got dem abs?

i feel like im going to have a really tough time eating maintenance since ive been eating at a deficit for so long now, its going to be hard to accomplish without constantly worrying about gaining weight back

I never just maintain. I'm either trying to build muscle or lose fat. That's the idea of bulk/cut cycling. Get as lean as possible while maintaining as much mass as possible. Slowly gain weight trying to build as much muscle as you can whilst keeping fat gains minimal (you can never keep them at zero). When you have gained enough fat along with your muscle that you no longer are as lean as you would like to be, you go back to the cutting phase and repeat this process forever really... After about 5-7 years of doing it you approach your genetic muscular potential and things change. But that's another topic all together.

also one last question, how important do you find it to reach your macro goals, and not just a calorie count? currently i just focus on total calorie intake and protein, but carbs and fats i dont track at all. i figure that if i get the proper amount of protein then its reasonable to assume that even if my carbs outweigh my fats or vice versa then im still in good shape nutrient wise.

is this correct or should i start puttin more emphasis into getting a proper carb/fat ratio?

I hit my protein target, my fat target, then just keep under my calorie goal. Going low fat is not a good idea when dieting. I try to at minimum hit 0.35 grams of fat for lb of bodyweight. If you are obese however, then number will likely need to be lower.

When you got to "that point" where only dropping BF% was going to show off all that hard work... what changes did you make?

I am looking to drop BF% and show off my "hard work" too!

When at the end of a muscle building phase, when I need to reduce body fat to show what I've built I make a fundamental change both to my mental attitude towards both diet and training. When you eat in a deficit strength gains become slow to non existent. The goal now is too maintain muscle, not build it. Training frequency reduces. I go from 4 days lifting down to three with less overall sets per muscle group. Diet becomes more strict. I eat out much less often. I prepare for the inevitable low energy/run down feeling the accompanies dieting and achieving low levels of body fat.

vismal

Thanks for accepting my friend request. I've cruised your diary and got a few ideas - especially salmon patties and babybel cheese. I've been cooking salmon the hard way - cedar plank on the grill. It's tasty that way, but I'm not always up for that sort of cook. Salmon patties will be a great alternative, especially if I can cook them sous vide.

I started dieting 3 weeks ago. Low carb for about a week and a half, then switched to a balanced diet after consulting with a nutritionist and having a resting metabolic assessment done. The goal is to eat at a 500 calorie deficit (30% carbs, 30% fats, 40% proteins) but am typically at a deficit of 500-900 calories on a given day. Still working on balancing the macros. I'm very overweight (~40% BMI), so my trainer feels I'm better off doing body weight exercises for now. My regiment is squats, bridge on floor, squat with rotation, cobra, two-arm row with squat, plank, lateral lunge to balance, supine lowering, step-up to balance, and side-lying iso abs. Right now, my goal is 3 sets of 15 reps per exercise except the plank and side-lying abs which are 15 seconds each. A couple of these exercises (supine lowering, step-up to balance) I cannot do to completion due to weakness or lack of coordination. Others, like squats and 2 arm rows with squats, I can do with capacity for more reps. When I'm done with 2-3 sets, I'm drenched with sweat so I feel I'm getting a good workout.

In your opinion, should I press my trainer to add lifting to this regiment?

I appreciate your sharing your experiences.

Sam

I would say if your BMI is that high, what you are doing is okay to start. I would eventually transition in to more traditional lifting once you build a little bit of conditioning. As far as the diet, the nutritionist only has you at a 500 calorie deficit? That surprises me. I would think they would be comfortable with you losing weight a bit faster since you have so much weight to lose. They are the experts though, my degree is in healthcare but not in nutrition so I defer to them. It might be something I mention to them though.

Hey m a girl
I want to loose 40 lbs... I m beginner with this app. I am 19 yrs old n currently I weigh 170lbs. I can't go to gym
But usually.for my exercise I either play 1 hour badminton or 1 hour walk
With 1200 calories a day and this much exercise can I achieve my goal?
If no then plz suggest something

You can do anything you put your mind too. Your current regime is certainly a good starting place. Whether or not you will have to make alterations, time will tell. I would try and find some way to incorporate some lifting. Does your school have a workout room? If not I would at least do some body weight exercises 3 times a week (squats, pushups, sit ups, planks, etc).

Mo I dont have gym at my college...currently I am on 1200 calories pr day. Is it good?
And I am thinking of joining some dance or zumba classes..as I am not into exercise and all.

I would pick something a little bit more strength based then zumba. Body weight exercises, strength based yoga, or even a p90x type workout is going to be more strength focused then zumba.

lavendy17

Hi again!
I saw that you noted whey as a protein source and a relatively cost effective one.
Can you elaborate on where to buy it, what brands, what to look for on the package, what to do with it?
I've had it in those Naked Protein drinks and really liked it, and it felt great, but those drinks are 400+ calories and $4 a bottle...

Thanks!

dcamell

ive got a question...im finding it very difficult to increase my weight lifted at all during weight loss. been at an 1100 calorie deficit for awhile now, and suspect that may be involved, but i havent been able to increase my weights for a month and a half now. sometimes i even have to scale back a plate or two on machines to finish my last set. my gym does not have. many free weights, mostly machines, so while 5x5 interests me i dint have the equipment to do it.

should i just expect to have to wait until in done losing weight and start eating at or above maint before i can really build strenght?

johnguitarman

Great thread and congrats on all of your success! II started my journey at 290lbs and am currently down to 247. My goal is around 190. I am 42 years old.

My question is in regards to lifting. When I hit my goal of about 190 I want to start trying to put on muscle mass. I currently lift weights but I understand that I cannot build mass while on a deficit and the lifting at this stage is only so my body doesn't burn my muscle mass. I'm of average size right now, slightly muscular but definitely not huge. I lifted weights in my teens and 20's but from there on I didnt do much up until about a year ago when I began my weight loss journey.

When I hit my goal how much should I increase my calorie intake and for how long? weeks or months? I'm currently on a 1000 cal a day deficit and eat about 2600 cals a day. As I get closer to my goal my cal intake should be around 2000 taking in consideration recalculating my TDEE as my weight drops. I dont want to gain too much weight and erase my months of progress. Thats a bit scary to think about happening but I want to get more muscle mass.

I was watching a great new bodybuilding documentary called Generation Iron and some of the bodybuilders said they eat well over 7000 cals a day to bulk up. I understand that a professional bodybuilders diet to gain mass will be different than an ordinary person who wants to make quality mass gains. In your opinion what would be a respectable caloric increase to build mass once I hit my goal? Also should I slowly increase my calories or jump all in at once?

Thanks!