210 to 170 and 13% body fat..

ndj1979

I told myself I would not do this, but what the hell. I guess my journey is a little different then most on MFP because by the time I joined MFP I had already been dieting/working on for about six years....but wanted to use this to take me to next level...

So the first pic of me in blue cut off is seven years ago about a month after having done six months of chemo and a month of radiation from having Hodgkin's lymphoma. Having cancer will make you realize that you need to make serious life style changes. So that is me seven years ago ..chunky out of shape kid ...Ughhhhhhhhh LOL



Sooo I started eating right and working out with weights three days a week and running about three miles on non weight days. I dropped down to about 180-185# and probably 18 to 20% body fat...see below...



Not bad, right? Then I really got serious, and actually joined a gym, and built a program around squats, deadlifting, weighted pull ups and chinups, overhead press, etc. Starting counting calories and keeping track of macros. Also starting doing IF (this was about five months ago).

And tada am now about 173# and 13% bodyfat.



My next goal is to get down to 10% body fat for beach season. Once I accomplish that I am going to put a slab of muscle on top of that!

Things that I have learned over the past seven years. Don't worry about six small meals a day, or meal timing or any of that. Eat when you are hungry and make sure that you get right amount of carbs/fats/protein.

If you want to lose weight eat in a deficit and work out. If you are going to work out build a program around deadlifts, bench press, squatting, overhead press, chinups/pull ups etc....Cardio is good when you are fist losing weight but once you get your body fat% down, I would almost ditch it entirely. I probably do about one HIIT session a week sometimes two but that is about it on cardio. For beginners a total body workout three days a week with cardio on off days should really work well for first six months.

Remember for any change that you make, it takes your body four to six weeks to adapt to it.

Final two points and I believe these are most important...It is a marathon not a sprint. It took a while for that out of shape fat kid in the first picture to get t o the last picture..so don't get discouraged. AND it is not a diet it is a lifestyle change. You want to change your lifestyle so that when you put in all that hard work to melt the fat off that you keep it off and can reach different goals from there....

Oh and at last DR check I am cancer free for eight years now!

Good Luck to all you of you out there....!

oh hopefully I posted the pictures right LOL

FitandFab33

You are amazing.. congratulations for all of your very hard work and dedication! I'm sure you'll hit that 10% mark in no time :-)

brandon17013

Congrats on all ur successes! I have really gotten to enjoy connecting w/you here on MFP. I look forward to seeing how ur workout went, and how ur meals went for the day. I'm very excited to see you progress, and hit all your goals!

FitzyFitzpatrick

Amazing success. Physically and mentally.

Good work!

karenragusa

you look great...good advice

mackreid3

Wow, man...great job!

ladypenel

Excellent, inspirational on many levels. Good luck

meglet175

Well done! You look like the picture of health. How wonderful that you have committed to taking care of yourself at an early age - you can avoid so many health issues that would otherwise crop up in your 40s and 50s.

pushyourself14

Absolutely amazing!!! Congratulations on being cancer-free for eight years - I could not even begin to imagine how you are feeling right now.

And you look great awesome job!

Crazy4Healthy

Incredible transformation and what an inspirational story and words of wisdom. Thanks for sharing.

Sarauk2sf

Huge congratulations for taking what must have been a terrible thing to go through, the chemo and radiation, and taking the action to improve yourself. Kudos to you and great progress.

mockchoc

You're looking fantastic! Well done!

ndj1979

thanks all! It has been a long road and one that I am still traveling...

ShenanigansOHoolihan

Congratulations on your weight loss, fitness accomplishments, and most importantly kicking cancer's *kitten*

2013sk

Thanks for sharing your story, incredible .......congratulations ......!!

ninerbuff

Oh and at last DR check I am cancer free for eight years now!

Out of everything, this was what caught my eye the most. Congrats.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

2013sk

Thanks for sharing your story, incredible .......congratulations ......!!

maryannelk

Congrats! Look great!

Caged_Heat

Well done! You look like the picture of health. How wonderful that you have committed to taking care of yourself at an early age - you can avoid so many health issues that would otherwise crop up in your 40s and 50s.

What she said!

Those were my "lost years" being overweight and feeling like a "shlub." I'm a work in progress now and feeling better (and more like a man) every day!

Thanks for sharing. Well written and inspiring!

skinnyinnotime

Congrats on ALL your success, you look awesome!!

ndj1979

Well done! You look like the picture of health. How wonderful that you have committed to taking care of yourself at an early age - you can avoid so many health issues that would otherwise crop up in your 40s and 50s.

What she said!

Those were my "lost years" being overweight and feeling like a "shlub." I'm a work in progress now and feeling better (and more like a man) every day!

Thanks for sharing. Well written and inspiring!

thanks Slim ...just remember it takes time man...Along my road there was a lot of trial and error until I found what works for me ..hell, I am still trying to find what works for me...but as long as you are progressing it is all good...

Going4Lean

Congrats

sunsnstatheart

Congratulations on being cancer free and for your transformation success! Keep that up!

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Congratulations on 8 years of being cancer free!!!!!!!!!

Oh, you also look fantastic. Congratulations on the success. You're amazing and an inspiration.

Brandon74

Congrats on the success!!!!!

kr1stadee

Amazing!!
You look fantastic!

So happy to hear of your health as well!!

Keep up the determination!

keola64

Very well done! I give u my respect,but I gotta say as one who has been trying to build muscle while under 10%bf it has been a challange but I know u can do it.

keola64

I told myself I would not do this, but what the hell. I guess my journey is a little different then most on MFP because by the time I joined MFP I had already been dieting/working on for about six years....but wanted to use this to take me to next level...

So the first pic of me in blue cut off is seven years ago about a month after having done six months of chemo and a month of radiation from having Hodgkin's lymphoma. Having cancer will make you realize that you need to make serious life style changes. So that is me seven years ago ..chunky out of shape kid ...Ughhhhhhhhh LOL



Sooo I started eating right and working out with weights three days a week and running about three miles on non weight days. I dropped down to about 180-185# and probably 18 to 20% body fat...see below...



Not bad, right? Then I really got serious, and actually joined a gym, and built a program around squats, deadlifting, weighted pull ups and chinups, overhead press, etc. Starting counting calories and keeping track of macros. Also starting doing IF (this was about five months ago).

And tada am now about 173# and 13% bodyfat.



My next goal is to get down to 10% body fat for beach season. Once I accomplish that I am going to put a slab of muscle on top of that!

Things that I have learned over the past seven years. Don't worry about six small meals a day, or meal timing or any of that. Eat when you are hungry and make sure that you get right amount of carbs/fats/protein.

If you want to lose weight eat in a deficit and work out. If you are going to work out build a program around deadlifts, bench press, squatting, overhead press, chinups/pull ups etc....Cardio is good when you are fist losing weight but once you get your body fat% down, I would almost ditch it entirely. I probably do about one HIIT session a week sometimes two but that is about it on cardio. For beginners a total body workout three days a week with cardio on off days should really work well for first six months.

Remember for any change that you make, it takes your body four to six weeks to adapt to it.

Final two points and I believe these are most important...It is a marathon not a sprint. It took a while for that out of shape fat kid in the first picture to get t o the last picture..so don't get discouraged. AND it is not a diet it is a lifestyle change. You want to change your lifestyle so that when you put in all that hard work to melt the fat off that you keep it off and can reach different goals from there....

Oh and at last DR check I am cancer free for eight years now!

Good Luck to all you of you out there....!

oh hopefully I posted the pictures right LOL

ndj1979

Very well done! I give u my respect,but I gotta say as one who has been trying to build muscle while under 10%bf it has been a challange but I know u can do it.

thanks bro..!

well i first need to get to 10% body fat ....then I will go for the muscle...:)

keola64

You should never ditch cardio , you need calories to build muscle but you need cardio days to balance out,with muscle gain and increased calories will come with some fat gain unless you circuit train which incorporates muscle and cardio ,to keep at a 10% or under bf range cardio is essential. I have lost weight and got down to 6%bf and over thaw past few years have learned that while bulking it is a slow process while trying to keep lean. Just start lifting now and incorporate cardio as well just don't rule out cardio assuming that once you've hit you bf% goal that it will stay that low because without some form of cardio you WILL gain fat and have to cut again,some people prefer to bulk dirty and cut but again the cutting process involves CARDIO! lean bulking is a slower process so choose your method wisely and what you think will work best for you mentally and physically. Aloha Keola

Sarauk2sf

*nvmd - success thread...