I went from morbidly obese to 6 pack abs! Ask me Anything
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Big fan of this thread, I actually created a word document to save the big points to refer back to later on. If anyone is interested, feel free to see the below summary of Vismal's answers.
Toning: Toning doesn't exist. You cannot tone a muscle. Muscles can do 2 things, get bigger or get smaller. The toned look is achieved by having a moderate muscular base with low body fat. Having a dumbbell/barbell routine is recommended.
Loose Skin As for loose skin, sometimes there's no way to prevent it. It will get better with time. Its 10x better/healthier to have loose skin and be fit then be fat IMO. The 2 biggest things that help with lose skin are lifting to preserve/gain lean mass, and time. Vismal from MFP noted that his skin is almost completely recovered at this point in his weight loss with some noted loose skin noticeable when doing push-ups.
Eating Clean Myth 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 pop tarts 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.
Eating Multiple Smaller Meals Myth: 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.
Working Out and Slow Gains: You just have to get used to the idea of making very slow gains. I know it's not super thrilling to spend a month adding 5lbs to your squat. Sometimes in a cut I have to be happy with simply not losing strength. I look at lifting as an ends to a means. As long as I look and feel great, the number on the bar is basically irrelevant.
Weight Lifting Halt weight Loss Myth: No. Weight lifting does not halt weight loss. That's kind a rumor. People think they start gaining muscle rapidly when they lift and it's why the scale stalls. That's not true at all. Gaining muscle is hard and takes time. If you stop losing weight, 9 times out of 10 it's because you are eating too much.
Maintain Muscles: If your goal is to lose fat you simply need to track everything you eat, and reduce calories when weight loss stalls. I would lift heavy weights to help maintain muscle as you lose the weight. That's all you need to do!
Spot Reduction Myth: Nothing you can do to spot reduce. You must just keep losing fat and it will eventually come off from your stomach.
Starvation Mode: Starvation mode is basically pseudoscience. There is very little scientific research to support it. It takes eating an extremely low amount of calories for an extremely long amount of time for the adaptations you are talking about to occur.
Gaining Muscle and losing fat (at the same time): To answer all the people asking about gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time. First lets start by saying fat will not be lost unless a caloric deficit is present (eat less then you burn in a day). Muscle generally isn't built without a caloric surplus (eat more then you burn in a day). For most people you simply will not be able to do both. Some select groups of people can gain a little bit of muscle while losing fat but it's not massive and its not for a long period of time. Newbies to weight lifting will do it for a short while, the obese can do it as well, but know that not a ton of mass will be gained. Teenagers can accomplish better then most people. People who take PEDs can do it as well.
All that being said, no matter what you goal is, YOU SHOULD LIFT! When in a caloric deficit the body must burn something for fuel. It can burn fat, glycogen, muscle, etc. If you lift weights and get in adequate protein, you give the body much less of a reason to burn muscle. This is why the obese should lift. When you are losing all the weight, some of it will be lean mass. If you lift, much less of it will be lean mass then if you don't. You will look better when the weight is off if you lifted throughout the process. Trust me on this.
Heavy Lifting: 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.
Don't eat in or around bedtime Myth: Total net caloric intake for the day is what matters, not timing. Nutrient timing is of VERY LITTLE IMPORTANCE
Skipping breakfast causes weight gain Myth: Skipping breakfast causes weight gain. Again it's totals for the day not timing! Eat when you want.
Supplements: 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 than 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
Thoughts on diet pills: I have tried several in the past (Hydroxycut, ephedrine, VPX meltdown, etc). Here's my theory on them. They don't actually burn fat. They blunt appetite and give you energy. If taking the pill allows you to eat less then I guess it "works". I have reached a point where hunger is no longer relevant to me. Hunger does not sway me or cause me to break. It's just a feeling, it's temporary, and if your goals are big, its sometimes necessary. Because these pills are mostly unregulated by the fda I will not recommend any of them, and I'd speak with a doctor before taking one.5 -
Vis, you may possibly be able to modify your first post and add this info to the bottom. Beats answering the same question over and over0
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What exercise were you doing when you injured yourself, and how much weight was it out of your comfort zone?1 -
Deadlift of course. I can't believe I let it happen. I was doing my normal routine when a bunch of the high school kids who lift at the YMCA asked if I could pull 5 plates for 1. I could do 405 x 5 so I figured I was in the neighborhood of this. In retrospect I was more around 450 not 495. I let my ego take over and got peer pressured by teenager. It's embarrassing really. I'll be paying for it for quite some time too! This is one of the reasons I rarely 1rep maxes for anything. You can blow you shoulder out doing a bad bench press, yo can hurt your back or knees doing a bad squat. The potential for injury sores when you try to do a 1 rep max. If you do not have power lifting ambitions a 1rm is essentially just a number to brag with. It has little to do with your overall results. I know plenty of guys who are physically stronger then me but don't look as "big" or "cut" as me. Strength is only important when compared to yourself.
Thanks for sharing. Good points about ego and the 1 rep max.0 -
Holy hell! You are amazing. Great answers on the first couple of pages too! Hopefully it will inspire some noobs to pick up the iron or even just stick to their weight loss plan. I sure wish I had started SL when I first started losing too, but maybe it was easier for me to add one thing at a time.
The steps I took over the last 2 years to get where I am now (~18% body fat, 100lb bench, etc):
1. Started walking more and cut my calories and alcohol consumption
2. Started StrongLifts 5x5
3. Cut alcohol to weekends and special occasions only
4. Did a bulk/cut cycle
5. Started running 5ks
6. Started doing martial arts (Krav maga)
7. Now I'm adding in some new weightlifting accessories, looking forward to my next qualifier, looking forward to the spartan sprint, and looking forward to my next bulk Sept 1st.
Pizza, ice cream, candy, wine etc are all part of my diet.
Friend me if you aren't overwhelmed by a deluge of new friends :-p0 -
Hi there, I'm really impressed with the level of success you acheived and how quickly!
I began working out (5 days a week) 6 weeks ago - and for the last 3 weeks I've added weight training - using the machines though (because I'm not sure of form with free weights - and suspect that I will be a work in progress for a really long time to come.
I do upper body 2x's a week, and lower body 2x's a week. with 2 rest days between each ... (example - upper body - Tues, Friday. Lower body Monday, Thursday) and with one hour of cardio - Elliptical on wednesday.
I feel really good - and am noticing some great strength gains every week, even though I'm still very much a weakling. I'm finding there's motivation just from raising my max # from 35lbs to 40lbs ... and, I look forward to every workout.
I gather that eventually there will be a plateau when I won't increase in strength and I worry about how that will affect my motivation level.
I currently practice a 5 set of 10 reps - and try to work at my max weight. I find that my weakest muscle groups are - shoulders and chest. and I struggle to build strength in both of these.
I'm only beginning to learn how to track food and I think I'm still making mistakes with it. I know I need protein - and I try to have either a protein shake or bar, pre-workout - but it sure is hard to be intaking food at 4:30 am...
This website has told me to take 2000 calories - and, for the most part I am able to keep to this number. I don't know if this is enough calories to build lean muscle though. I'm about 250 lbs (although I never weigh in so I'm just estimating this from how my clothes fit.)
I measured 2 weeks ago, measuring tape seems more honest about results that I'd want to track than a number... and a week later. I'd like to be fitter, toned, and strong - but, have not been thinking much about the cardio side of the equation since I've started using weights... Am I doing the wrong thing by focusing my workouts on weights and less on cardio?
The tape measure showed an inch difference in my waist, and neck - but an inch increase in my calves... I'm not arguing the leg growth if this means there's muscle building underneath ... will the fat above it dissapate with the increased metabolism of having more muscle? Or should I be concerned and find a way to add more cardio?
any advice would be most appreciated.
thanks,
Rose0 -
Weight Lifting Halt weight Loss Myth: No. Weight lifting does not halt weight loss. That's kind a rumor. People think they start gaining muscle rapidly when they lift and it's why the scale stalls. That's not true at all. Gaining muscle is hard and takes time. If you stop losing weight, 9 times out of 10 it's because you are eating too much.
I agree with all of the facts states above, except for this one in the short term. Changing your exercise routine, particularly by starting weight lifting, will cause your muscles to retain water and glycogen causing a temporary bump in water weight (1-3lbs). This weight should disappear after 2 weeks or so, though there is a smaller spike the day after each lifting session (in the .5lb range) in my experience.
You have not gained muscle, and if the weight sticks around or if your measurements (a much better tool than the scale) are going up, then you are eating too much.0 -
That is amazing
you look really good
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hi im new to the site and i have been working out for three weeks now and bout thr third week is when i always quit because i dont see any results and then i beat my self up about because i really need to lose the weight. you see i have a heart condition that has been with me since i was born.Do you have any advice as to what i can do to help me lose weight a little bit more just message me . thanks0
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WOW! Fantastic transformation..... Was gonna ask about loose skin but you answered already so I'll just say WTG! You look HOT!0
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Holy Wow!!!
I mean, congratulations on your success0 -
bump0
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So I'm still not sure I understand, I started with 122 lbs to lose. I have 99 left. should I stay in a deficit of 1000 cal a day (which is what I need to loose 2 lbs per wk) and still start lifting, or should I add calories if I start lifting and if so, how many should I add. I don't really get the part about cutting vs. adding fat and muscle.0
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To answer all the people asking about gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time. First lets start by saying fat will not be lost unless a caloric deficit is present (eat less then you burn in a day). Muscle generally isn't built without a caloric surplus (eat more then you burn in a day). For most people you simply will not be able to do both. Some select groups of people can gain a little bit of muscle while losing fat but it's not massive and its not for a long period of time. Newbies to weight lifting will do it for a short while, the obese can do it as well, but know that not a ton of mass will be gained. Teenagers can accomplish better then most people. People who take PEDs can do it as well.
All that being said, no matter what you goal is, YOU SHOULD LIFT! When in a caloric deficit the body must burn something for fuel. It can burn fat, glycogen, muscle, etc. If you lift weights and get in adequate protein, you give the body much less of a reason to burn muscle. This is why the obese should lift. When you are losing all the weight, some of it will be lean mass. If you lift, much less of it will be lean mass then if you don't. You will look better when the weight is off if you lifted throughout the process. Trust me on this.0 -
Vis, you may possibly be able to modify your first post and add this info to the bottom. Beats answering the same question over and overHoly hell! You are amazing. Great answers on the first couple of pages too! Hopefully it will inspire some noobs to pick up the iron or even just stick to their weight loss plan. I sure wish I had started SL when I first started losing too, but maybe it was easier for me to add one thing at a time.
The steps I took over the last 2 years to get where I am now (~18% body fat, 100lb bench, etc):
1. Started walking more and cut my calories and alcohol consumption
2. Started StrongLifts 5x5
3. Cut alcohol to weekends and special occasions only
4. Did a bulk/cut cycle
5. Started running 5ks
6. Started doing martial arts (Krav maga)
7. Now I'm adding in some new weightlifting accessories, looking forward to my next qualifier, looking forward to the spartan sprint, and looking forward to my next bulk Sept 1st.
Pizza, ice cream, candy, wine etc are all part of my diet.
Friend me if you aren't overwhelmed by a deluge of new friends :-pHi there, I'm really impressed with the level of success you acheived and how quickly!
I began working out (5 days a week) 6 weeks ago - and for the last 3 weeks I've added weight training - using the machines though (because I'm not sure of form with free weights - and suspect that I will be a work in progress for a really long time to come.
I do upper body 2x's a week, and lower body 2x's a week. with 2 rest days between each ... (example - upper body - Tues, Friday. Lower body Monday, Thursday) and with one hour of cardio - Elliptical on wednesday.
I feel really good - and am noticing some great strength gains every week, even though I'm still very much a weakling. I'm finding there's motivation just from raising my max # from 35lbs to 40lbs ... and, I look forward to every workout.
I gather that eventually there will be a plateau when I won't increase in strength and I worry about how that will affect my motivation level.
I currently practice a 5 set of 10 reps - and try to work at my max weight. I find that my weakest muscle groups are - shoulders and chest. and I struggle to build strength in both of these.
I'm only beginning to learn how to track food and I think I'm still making mistakes with it. I know I need protein - and I try to have either a protein shake or bar, pre-workout - but it sure is hard to be intaking food at 4:30 am...
This website has told me to take 2000 calories - and, for the most part I am able to keep to this number. I don't know if this is enough calories to build lean muscle though. I'm about 250 lbs (although I never weigh in so I'm just estimating this from how my clothes fit.)
I measured 2 weeks ago, measuring tape seems more honest about results that I'd want to track than a number... and a week later. I'd like to be fitter, toned, and strong - but, have not been thinking much about the cardio side of the equation since I've started using weights... Am I doing the wrong thing by focusing my workouts on weights and less on cardio?
The tape measure showed an inch difference in my waist, and neck - but an inch increase in my calves... I'm not arguing the leg growth if this means there's muscle building underneath ... will the fat above it dissapate with the increased metabolism of having more muscle? Or should I be concerned and find a way to add more cardio?
any advice would be most appreciated.
thanks,
Rose0 -
That is amazing
you look really good
hi im new to the site and i have been working out for three weeks now and bout thr third week is when i always quit because i dont see any results and then i beat my self up about because i really need to lose the weight. you see i have a heart condition that has been with me since i was born.Do you have any advice as to what i can do to help me lose weight a little bit more just message me . thanksWOW! Fantastic transformation..... Was gonna ask about loose skin but you answered already so I'll just say WTG! You look HOT!0 -
P4L0
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Must be nice to be able to sit down and not have your pants digging into your fat stomach underneath.
I sometimes have that problem and I'm not even that fat lol0 -
I've changed my workout focus recently from weightlifting and cardio, to mostly weightlifting and body weight exercises, but have trouble accurately adding calories expended into MFP for the weightlifting exercises/reps. How did you track this? I was thinking maybe I shouldn't be so concerned about tracking calories expended during workouts, but instead alter the MFP profile to something like moderately active. Right now I'm just kind of doing a guessing game. I seem to be losing inches still, and am satisfied/full with calories consumed, but I'm wanting a more organized, consistent way to track this. Thanks for all the great advice, and all the time you're taking answering our questions. Much appreciated.0
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Your amazing!!! You inspire me0
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