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

epazia · May 2014

your beautiful can I keep you?

MzOnree · May 2014

You sexy hot beast! You've done fantastic! Hey, I used to live in Springfield Township...right outside of Akron. Born and raised there and lived there a total of probably (on and off) 30 years. I miss it. Your neck of the woods is great. I used to date a guy from Jackson Township area.

Thanks for sharing! You are a true success story! ;o)

totaldetermination · May 2014

I just read 19 pages (!!) because I felt I was getting so much out of your answers.

Thanks for taking the time to answer everyone's questions and congratulations on your extraordinary transformation.

I read a few pages back that you didn't think 1200 calories per day was a good idea.

I have been on MFP for 8 weeks and have lost 17 lbs. I have about another 50 lbs to lose. I am 41, female, 5 foot 8 and 192 lb(currently).

My daily goal is 1200 calories net. I have a fitbit and an HRM and eat back any extra calories. I read your points about not trusting these gadgets, but my days and weeks are very inconsistent so I couldn't take the approach that you mention.

Since I am losing at a reasonable rate, do you think this is a reasonable approach ?

PS - I'm going to try Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 - thanks for the tip !

Thanks

ksy1969 · May 2014

Awesome Read!!!

I have been struggling the last few months and this post has made me rethink how I have been doing things. I am a 45 year old male, 5' 10" and weight about 220lbs. I haven't weighed myself in a few weeks so could be higher. I have been limiting myself to 1600 calories for so long and also been limiting foods. The last few months I have been binging a lot and I attribute it to the restrictions I have placed on myself as well as the low calorie intake.I have subscribed to your YouTube as well as Facebook page. I have also watched the video on calculating calories and macros. I am going to start following your methods to a tee. Although, going from 1600 to 2200 calories may be a challenge. I know I have been eating more than that when I binge but when tracking there is always that "diet" mentality that kicks in saying you have to starve yourself.

I will be lifting 3 times a week but won't be doing the 5x5 though. I have looked into that, but I am leaning towards New Rules of Lifting for Life. It is geared towards those of us that are a little bit up the age scale. The other days I will either do some form of cardio or nothing. I used to run a lot but have had lower back and hip issues that have made that hard the last several months. Now I have kind of lost the love for it.

Look forward to reading more and watching more of your videos.

Nonamepayne · May 2014

Hey i just wanted to say your success and information is motivating me more than ever . I am currently 23 years old, weigh about 285, just started counting calories 2 weeks ago. I currently have a set calorie to 1680 ( 200 calories below what MFP set because i thought it was to high ) . I try to workout 4 times a week ,but usually only burn 200-400 calories on a elliptical ( cardio is just to boring for me, no cardio is fun to me in the gym ) i have a sit down job, and im slightly active afterwards. Do you think with this regiment i have a chance on meeting my goal of about 200lbs. Or should i really push myself to do a 1 hour workout lol. My goal is to lose about 2lbs per week maybe more if it allows.

cebreisch · May 2014

Just wanted to say: YOU HAVE DONE AWESOME!!!

I started in about May 2011 at 376...had a rough year last year, and am now back on track. Sucks that if I hadn't gotten off track, I could be closer to where you look!! JEALOUS!!

Very inspirational!! YOU ROCK!!

Caper88 · May 2014

First off let me say you made an amazing transformation. Can I ask you for help on making a basic home gym routine? or know of a site that can help me build one? Someone has given me access to the equipment listed below. I'm new to lifting weights and building strength. I am on day 8 of 30day shred. I am looking for something to build on to the fitness I gain from the dvd or willing to stop it if there is a better way of doing this. I also go out for a walk or do the biggest loser power walk video every day. My over all fitness goal is to loose a large amount of fat and build endurance, not bruit force. I do have the money to buy a few more hand weights but I don't really have the money for barbells or other expensive equipments.

Equipment: Vibration machine platform (t-zone without handles), weider home gym(like the one in the link below), a reflex punching bag, exercise wheel, 1lb to 5lb ankle weights, 2-3lb 1-5lb and 2-10lb dumbbell.

http://www.ourfernie.com/images/weider-home-gym

healthkick88 · May 2014

Thanks for answering my AMA

mary_xo · May 2014

I need help!

I'm 5"6 and around 14 stone. I don't have a very high calorie intake normally, and I want to lose 3 stone by november. I don't know how to reach this goal as I don't know how I can restrict my calories further. I also dance 2 days a week and walk for a bit daily.
I eat lots of fruit and vegetables.

Any help would be greatly appriciated!

- I'm a student therefore I can't afford to attend the gym, and I attend college daily.

smn76237 · May 2014

Just popped in to say that you turned yourself into a freakin' stud. Well done!
Thanks for passing along good info in a sea of crap.

RedRider230 · May 2014

You look great! :happy:

Did you have any times when you didn't feel like working out or exercising? Was it hard in the beginning to make the habit of working out on a regular basis?

jen076 · May 2014

You have done so well. You truly are an inspiration.

jimbmc · May 2014

Hi there, just been reading through your amazing journey. Congratulations, I would love to acheive this one day. Currently I am trying to go through the same thing, Lift for Mass/Shape AND lose body Fat at the same time, something I know is very difficult.

My lifting is getting better and I train 4-5 times a week, mixing all body parts, and focusing on Compund/Super-sets.

I am 5'11'', 45yrs old, with a fairly good build (Ex rugby player). My legs are fine, my arms are ok, could be bigger but they are strong enough, but I still carry a considerable amount of body fat around my torso, especially the lower part, and my lower sides, the bits just above the hips. I dont have the big beer belly anymore, and I look good in cloths, but with a shirt off, you can still see that i am carrying weight around my midriff.

I think my body fat is around the 23-25% mark. When I started 2 years ago i weighed in at 19 Stones, I am now 13 st 9lbs, so I think ive done well so far, but I would really like to focus on ridding myself of that little bit thats left.

What process did you use to lose the body fat, thats the real stickler for me?

Any advice or tips you could pass on would be great. Thankyou in advance for your time on this

James

nrida · May 2014

Great! Lifestyle change?

susanwair · May 2014

You look AMAZING...thanks for sharing your story.
I know I need to try lifting... it bores me though and I feel like I am not doing it correctly.
But I know if I do it and start to see results I will see lifting in a whole new light...
I am gonna check out the Ice Cream 5x5 - you are such an inspiration.
Here's to your fantastic new life....:drinker:

jgsimon1 · May 2014

Great story!! I'm a former Stark County resident. Now Cuyahoga.

I wish my abs looked a tenth as good as yours!!! I'll have to take some time and read through this entire post to find some tips on how to tone up my own mid section!! Thanks for sharing!!!

vismal · May 2014

Another question for you, do you believe in fat cells memory? Or is it the same that happens to addicts (in a brain level) when after a long abstinence time they are exposed again to their specific drug and the risk of falling again for it is high?

You are kind of asking 2 different things. Fat cells are not destroyed through weight loss, just shrunk. They don't have a "memory" but they still function the same. Give them excess full and they will expand, eat in a deficit and they will shrink. I don't believe the number of fat cells you have has much to do with staying at a proper weight, or gaining weight quicker then other people. A lb of fat comes from a 3500 calorie surplus. Whether you have been thin all your life or previously obese thermodynamics doesn't change. You eat more then you burn, you store the excess energy. You eat less then you burn, you use up energy stores for fuel.

As for the psychological component of overeating, that's an entirely different story. I could see how a former binge eater like myself could easily fall back into the pattern of binge eating if care is not taken to avoid past behaviors. I do think I have reached a point in my own journey that nothing short of an extreme, life altering, event could cause me to return to those past behaviors.

A bit off topic, but I have been concentrating on lowering my body fat percentage. As we are approaching winter here, it now seems to me that I am a lot less tolerant of the cold, is this normal?

I'm freezing cold most of the time. My hands are ice! Only the hottest summer months is this not true. Even if I have the air conditioning running in my house I'm cold. As I type this my house is 76 degrees and my hands are cold. Many people report this as happening when in a caloric deficit or when the body reaches low body fat %. Just one of the many ways the body begins to fight back.

First of all congratulations, you've done an awesome job, you must be very proud of yourself and especially the way that you answer people's questions in a polite and caring manner is very commendable, as if you were talking to a friend. You certainly are an inspiration to many people out there.

I am a 5'1", 45 yrs and currently weigh 128lbs. I weigh and measure everything (I'm from the UK so don't know what serving size a 'cup' is), even if means going over my cals allowance of 1200, though this is mainly on a Friday or Saturday night (I like my wine) - but not every week.

I sincerely apologise if you have answered these before or maybe even half of them, but I was wondering if you could give me some advice?

Anyway, 12+ months ago I weighed 14lbs less than I do now, did no exercise, and didn't eat as healthily as I do now. Unfortunately the weight gradually crept up due to a lot of stressful situations which caused me to comfort eat, not on chocolate, crisps etc, just larger portion sizes of everything, still with no exercise. I re-joined MFP a month or so ago, started eating healthier and exercising, just about to start 4th week of T25 (tried Insanity but didn't last a week!).

One of my questions is - my weight has stayed the same for 6 wks now, despite eating healthier (and recording it accurately), nearly every day I'm in deficit (sometimes might go over on the odd weekend), drinking more water and exercising (cardio) 5/6 days a week. However despite this I haven't lost a lb and I don't understand why. Some people say up your cals, some say eat back your exercise cals, some say don't etc, etc. What's your opinion of where I could be going wrong?

The other question is - I have lots of loose skin everywhere from previous weight loss/gains which obviously I want to get rid of (I'm aware that you can't spot reduce) and I want to start using weights to help with this. I don't live anywhere near a gym but have at home a kettlebell, 3lb and 2kg dumbells that could help with this, but I don't know what sort of programme I should follow. From what I've read from previous posts, it's seems to be a case of which do you prefer - to lose weight or gain muscle? I've now decided that it's now really the inches I'm more bothered with. Is there any programme you could advise me to follow and which would be more beneficial - dumbells or kettlebell?

Oh and I wish I had your calves - you said yours are 17.5inches - mine are 22inches!

Thanks in advance and apologies for going on a bit - just wasn't sure how much info to give you.

First things first, at 128 lbs you simply cannot have 22 inch calves. Maybe we're getting lost in the conversion but 22 inches is 55.9 centimeters. As to your questions, eating more rarely causes weight loss to increase in the long run. Generally eating less is the key to dropping more weight. If you are eating at or around 1200 calories consistently, and weighing you food on a scale to the gram, I would think you would see weight loss. You are petite so you have a lower calorie requirement, but again, 1200 should be low enough. How much weight are you looking to lose? You can't have all that much fat on you. Sometimes losing the last couple of lbs takes what seems like an eternity. On the days you do go over, by how much do you think you go over?

As far as a kettle bell workout I cannot really recommend one. I've never really used them and I don't generally like to recommend anything I haven't at least tried for myself. If one of the other people following along wants to chime in on this one that would be wonderful!

vismal · May 2014

Did you drink originally and did you while dieting? If so what/how much?

I used to drink once or twice a week while dieting. Drinking in no way prevents weight loss. Simply track the calories from alcohol + mixers just as you'd track anything else. The calories in alcohol aren't usually what causes an issue either. A vodka + diet coke only has 70-100 calories (depending on how heavy handed the bartender is). Light beer is usually around 110 calories. Craft beers and fruity concoctions can add up but if you stick to liquor + zero calorie mixers you should be fine. The problem most people have is they lose control once they become inebriated. It's easy to pass on taco bell when you are sober. You can remind yourself that it doesn't taste all that great and it's certainly not worth ruining your goals over. Tell that to your drunk brain! I rarely drink now but that has little to do with my fitness goals and more to do with changes in my lifestyle. I'm older now and don't party or hit the bars like I used to. The main reason I don't have much alcohol is I'd simply rather use my calories for food!

Let me say Well done first

I love the fact that you KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT - From experience and because you have background knowledge. I am sure that being a health care professional has helped you understand many things. For example I am just in my second year of university but I am starting to understand and read actual studies, whereas before I would just read articles written by some random people without any knowledge on the subject, simply expressing their opinions without knowing people might actually read that and believe it !

I love your youtube videos. So informational

Yes, being in health care helps you weed out some of the BS the fitness industry try's to cram down your throat. Sometimes you read a dieting tip and can just say to yourself, "That can't be true, the body doesn't work that way". Also, the profession of nursing is based on evidence based practice. That means as nurses we do what we do the way we do it because clinical research has proven that it's the best way to do it. We don't pack a wound with a certain bandage, or administer and IV medication over a specific time frame because "It just makes sense" or because "some other nurse did it that way and their patient did fine". That's not nearly good enough. We need clinical research to prove what we are doing is right. I don't know why that isn't demanded of the fitness industry. I can't count how many times I've asked someone why their routine is a certain way or their diet is a certain way and they reply "This guy at the gym does it this way and he's ripped", or "I read in a magazine that" insert actor or body builders name here "does it this way". Those reasons aren't acceptable when you are being treated for being sick so why are they acceptable when trying to obtain fitness goals?

well done, great job!!. can i ask your how much water you drink a day??

I don't really track it. I drink when I'm thirsty. I would guess around a gallon with some days being more and other days being less. Obviously if I do 12 hours of yard work on a hot summer day I'll drink nearly double then if I spend 12 hours playing video games in the middle of winter.

vismal · May 2014

I just read 19 pages (!!) because I felt I was getting so much out of your answers.

Thanks for taking the time to answer everyone's questions and congratulations on your extraordinary transformation.

I read a few pages back that you didn't think 1200 calories per day was a good idea.

I have been on MFP for 8 weeks and have lost 17 lbs. I have about another 50 lbs to lose. I am 41, female, 5 foot 8 and 192 lb(currently).

My daily goal is 1200 calories net. I have a fitbit and an HRM and eat back any extra calories. I read your points about not trusting these gadgets, but my days and weeks are very inconsistent so I couldn't take the approach that you mention.

Since I am losing at a reasonable rate, do you think this is a reasonable approach ?

PS - I'm going to try Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 - thanks for the tip !

Thanks

Anytime someone is doing something that is working I tend to take a "don't fix it if it ain't broken" approach unless what the person is doing is inherently dangerous. If your exercise is inconsistent then your approach is fine. 1200 calories is usually too low for most people (petite women sometimes being the exception) but that is taking into account not eating back exercise calories. The only thing I might add to your approach if prolonged weight loss stalls occur is to maybe only eat back 3/4th of your estimated exercise calories to account for any inconsistencies in tracking. Again, I wouldn't do that until you need to. If you are losing weight fine right now, don't change anything.

Awesome Read!!!

I have been struggling the last few months and this post has made me rethink how I have been doing things. I am a 45 year old male, 5' 10" and weight about 220lbs. I haven't weighed myself in a few weeks so could be higher. I have been limiting myself to 1600 calories for so long and also been limiting foods. The last few months I have been binging a lot and I attribute it to the restrictions I have placed on myself as well as the low calorie intake.I have subscribed to your YouTube as well as Facebook page. I have also watched the video on calculating calories and macros. I am going to start following your methods to a tee. Although, going from 1600 to 2200 calories may be a challenge. I know I have been eating more than that when I binge but when tracking there is always that "diet" mentality that kicks in saying you have to starve yourself.

I will be lifting 3 times a week but won't be doing the 5x5 though. I have looked into that, but I am leaning towards New Rules of Lifting for Life. It is geared towards those of us that are a little bit up the age scale. The other days I will either do some form of cardio or nothing. I used to run a lot but have had lower back and hip issues that have made that hard the last several months. Now I have kind of lost the love for it.

Look forward to reading more and watching more of your videos.

I think upping the calories should help with the binges a lot. It is much better to eat more, lose weight a little slower, and develop a strategy that can be adhered to long term vs. going for a large deficit, losing weight quickly, then ultimately burning out or succumbing to a binge. If running currently bothers you, walking is a good alternative. Running 3 miles doesn't burn all that many more calories then walking it. It simply takes a lot longer to do it via walking.

Hey i just wanted to say your success and information is motivating me more than ever . I am currently 23 years old, weigh about 285, just started counting calories 2 weeks ago. I currently have a set calorie to 1680 ( 200 calories below what MFP set because i thought it was to high ) . I try to workout 4 times a week ,but usually only burn 200-400 calories on a elliptical ( cardio is just to boring for me, no cardio is fun to me in the gym ) i have a sit down job, and im slightly active afterwards. Do you think with this regiment i have a chance on meeting my goal of about 200lbs. Or should i really push myself to do a 1 hour workout lol. My goal is to lose about 2lbs per week maybe more if it allows.

Your calories are way to low. At 285 you should easily be losing weight eating around 2500 calories. Going so low so soon is a very bad idea. Several problems can occur. First, while it might not be an issue now, eventually you will struggle sticking to this number. It's just too low. The likelihood of a binge or just plain giving up is much higher then if you eat at a more manageable number. Also, if you stall on weight loss and need to reduce calories you're kind of stuck. You have left yourself zero room to go down. 2 lbs a week is basically the max you should try to be losing. I would not attempt to lose weight any faster. Do you do any type of strength training? You really ought to do at least a 3 day a week total body strength routine in order to maintain muscle mass while you lose the weight. Your end physique will thank you for it!

vismal · May 2014

Just wanted to say: YOU HAVE DONE AWESOME!!!

I started in about May 2011 at 376...had a rough year last year, and am now back on track. Sucks that if I hadn't gotten off track, I could be closer to where you look!! JEALOUS!!

Very inspirational!! YOU ROCK!!

I'm glad that you are back on track. We all get distracted from our goals, but the important thing is to refocus and keep moving forward!

First off let me say you made an amazing transformation. Can I ask you for help on making a basic home gym routine? or know of a site that can help me build one? Someone has given me access to the equipment listed below. I'm new to lifting weights and building strength. I am on day 8 of 30day shred. I am looking for something to build on to the fitness I gain from the dvd or willing to stop it if there is a better way of doing this. I also go out for a walk or do the biggest loser power walk video every day. My over all fitness goal is to loose a large amount of fat and build endurance, not bruit force. I do have the money to buy a few more hand weights but I don't really have the money for barbells or other expensive equipments.

Equipment: Vibration machine platform (t-zone without handles), weider home gym(like the one in the link below), a reflex punching bag, exercise wheel, 1lb to 5lb ankle weights, 2-3lb 1-5lb and 2-10lb dumbbell.

http://www.ourfernie.com/images/weider-home-gym

I don't really have a workout for that particular machine. The key to a total body workout is to hit every major muscle group at least once. You want to do something for traps, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, back, abs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Compound exercises allow you to hit several of those groups in 1 move. I would see if the manufacturer of the home gym also has some kind of total body workout.

I need help!

I'm 5"6 and around 14 stone. I don't have a very high calorie intake normally, and I want to lose 3 stone by november. I don't know how to reach this goal as I don't know how I can restrict my calories further. I also dance 2 days a week and walk for a bit daily.
I eat lots of fruit and vegetables.

Any help would be greatly appriciated!

- I'm a student therefore I can't afford to attend the gym, and I attend college daily.

I would need a bit more information. I can't see your diary so how many calories are you getting in a day and for how long? Have you been losing any weight at all? Does your college have a gym or fitness facility that you can access?

vismal · May 2014

Hi there, just been reading through your amazing journey. Congratulations, I would love to acheive this one day. Currently I am trying to go through the same thing, Lift for Mass/Shape AND lose body Fat at the same time, something I know is very difficult.

My lifting is getting better and I train 4-5 times a week, mixing all body parts, and focusing on Compund/Super-sets.

I am 5'11'', 45yrs old, with a fairly good build (Ex rugby player). My legs are fine, my arms are ok, could be bigger but they are strong enough, but I still carry a considerable amount of body fat around my torso, especially the lower part, and my lower sides, the bits just above the hips. I dont have the big beer belly anymore, and I look good in cloths, but with a shirt off, you can still see that i am carrying weight around my midriff.

I think my body fat is around the 23-25% mark. When I started 2 years ago i weighed in at 19 Stones, I am now 13 st 9lbs, so I think ive done well so far, but I would really like to focus on ridding myself of that little bit thats left.

What process did you use to lose the body fat, thats the real stickler for me?

Any advice or tips you could pass on would be great. Thankyou in advance for your time on this

James

To get lean enough to the point that love handles and lower abdominal fat starts to go away usually requires losing significantly more weight then one thinks is necessary when first starting out. When a 6 pack became something I might actually be able to obtain (as it was previously just a dream and never a real goal of mine) I thought I'd have one at 215lbs. Then I got to 215 and wasn't close. So I said, 10 more lbs... got to 205, still no six pack. 5 more lbs I though...abs are peaking but still no 6 pack. I got down to 195 and had 4 very visible abs and 2 blurry ones (my profile picture). To get a full on 6 pack I probably still needed to lose 10 more lbs. It wasn't important enough to me at the time and I wanted to focus on muscle building more. The moral of the story is to lose fat in your love handles and lower abdominal, you just need to keep losing fat in general. Your trouble spots are the same as mine and most men. Love handles and lower abs are the place most guys struggle to get lean. Spot reduction doesn't work so you just have to keep cutting until they look like you want them too. I will say that there comes a point where genetics wins out. I will never have zero love handles. It would require me to reach unhealthy, unsustainable, levels of body fat. I could be leaner then in my profile picture but not by much. When you do get fairly lean though, every lb can make a difference.

Great! Lifestyle change?

Total lifestyle change!

You look AMAZING...thanks for sharing your story.
I know I need to try lifting... it bores me though and I feel like I am not doing it correctly.
But I know if I do it and start to see results I will see lifting in a whole new light...
I am gonna check out the Ice Cream 5x5 - you are such an inspiration.
Here's to your fantastic new life....:drinker:

What makes lifting fun for me is always striving to lift more then I did last time. If you constantly lift the same weight for the same number of reps, that would become incredibly tedious. The 5x5 has you doing challenging lifts that should go up in weight over time. Mastering form and increasing weight keeps it fun for me.

Firehawk734 · May 2014

That is simply amazing. I'm trying to do exactly what you're doing. I started at 342lbs and have gotten down to 201.

I would like to know how much you were eating every day (total calories) when you were say, around 15% and also at the shredded level in your pic.

I'm 6'2 and find that if I don't eat 1900 or so at 201lbs I really don't lose anything...and it's getting harder for me to only eat 1900 calories a day. For me it's soo little, and I have a binging problem (why i got so big to begin with).

You are an inspiration man. I hope I get to post the same before/after pic soon.

HanamiDango · May 2014

Just wanted to say you are awesome. Not only for how much you have worked on your body, but for taking the time to help others. I must make a memo to read this all later! :flowerforyou:

34blast · May 2014

Awesome thread! Great work!

I wish I found this thread like 7 or 8 years ago! I was stuck spinning my wheels and have come to the same conclusions. Now I'm the same height and weight as you from 238. But I have more love handles and body fat. Working on a cut right now. I did a Starting Strength 3x5 lift versus 5x5 ice cream until I got to intermediate then went to Madcow. It's amazing the difference made by dieting and focusing on one thing at a time with cut / bulk can do verses eating getting no where with focusing on too many conflicting goals.

I found tracking the calories and macros with MFP the last piece I was missing.

jimbmc · May 2014

Thankyou for the reply and advice

JSE150 · May 2014

I have read every page so far! What a transformation!!

Pmsylvester · May 2014

Read every page, worth every minute! Incredible results. Impressive generosity of spirit. Thanks. :flowerforyou:

AdreaC · May 2014

I have a question:

(I apologize if you already answered this... I will be reading all your pages but have only gotten to the first 6 so far and I also work nights and need to get to bed...)

Did or do you use any supplements of any kind?

(Also, a friend just was telling me that weights are better for cardio and after seeing your advice and results I'm a sudden believer! Thank you for all the wonderful advice and inspiration!!!)

Firehawk734 · May 2014

Bump for answer:
I would like to know how much you were eating every day (total calories) when you were say, around 15% and also at the shredded level in your pic.

yconstante · May 2014

I need to cut 40 lbs. What advice do you have for me nutrition/workout routine. I've started following iifym and am still playing around with my numbers to see what will work for me. I keep gaining and losing and its getting frustrating! PS- NICE WORK! Cheers to a healthier, happier you!

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

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