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

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  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    ashleydv70 wrote: »
    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! ;)
    When you have a lot of weight to lose, you actually can eat below your BMR without the negative side effects that usually occur from doing that. I usually recommend people with lots to lose to simply pick a nice round number, eat that many calories for a few weeks, see how they do with it, then adjust based on results. For you, anywhere from the 1700 MFP suggests to the 2100 bmr would be fine. Maybe just start at 2000 and see how that goes.

  • misstmarie__x
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    You look amazing! Well done to you!
  • redheadedbandit
    redheadedbandit Posts: 1 Member
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    What did u do to loose the fat mid section..... I'm 25 and 186 lbs and I'm pretty physically fit but can't seem to loose my stomach or love handels?
  • scupit
    scupit Posts: 32 Member
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    Wow...just wow! Great job. Your after picture really motivates me. And believe me, I really needed some motivation tonight. I'm trying the eating clean route with one free day a week, but now I'm wondering if I should incorporate a treat every now and then. I've been on this site for a while now, but just now starting to get serious about tracking.
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
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    As everyone has said, what a fantastic transformation and you're sharing great information.

    I've got a question!

    I'm already in OK shape, but would like to get stronger and lose a wee bit of fat. I eat pretty healthily and within my range most of the time, but I'm never too stringent with calorie counting as I had an eating disorder in the past. I can run 5-10k, do some fitness classes like Cx, pilates, and yoga, and also did some pole fitness before a shoulder injury caused me to give it up. The shoulder is much better, but if I try to do stuff with my entire body weight, like shimmy up a pole, it acts up again (shame, as I found the classes really fun). It means I think I'd have to start carefully with lifting as I don't want to irritate/re-injure.

    I'm 6 feet tall and around 150-155 pounds. Would I be better to bulk and build some muscle or cut fat first? I figure it's probably better to bulk first?

    Here is a recentish photo of me dressed as Princess Leia:
    kqx9w0xzt6et.jpg
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    What did u do to loose the fat mid section..... I'm 25 and 186 lbs and I'm pretty physically fit but can't seem to loose my stomach or love handels?
    There is nothing you can do to spot reduce fat. It simply doesn't work that way. To get a lean stomach you must keep losing fat until it eventually leaves that area. Where you lose fat at what point is largely a function of genetics. For most men, the abdomen and lower back are the places fat leaves last.
    scupit wrote: »
    Wow...just wow! Great job. Your after picture really motivates me. And believe me, I really needed some motivation tonight. I'm trying the eating clean route with one free day a week, but now I'm wondering if I should incorporate a treat every now and then. I've been on this site for a while now, but just now starting to get serious about tracking.
    I really advise to get dedicated to tracking. Whether you eat "clean" or not, tracking is important. No matter what foods you eat, if you aren't in a caloric deficit, you will not lose weight. This goes for a weekly average as well. If you end up in a deficit most days but your free day is out of control, you may end up not being in a deficit for the week and thus no fat will be lost.

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    As everyone has said, what a fantastic transformation and you're sharing great information.

    I've got a question!

    I'm already in OK shape, but would like to get stronger and lose a wee bit of fat. I eat pretty healthily and within my range most of the time, but I'm never too stringent with calorie counting as I had an eating disorder in the past. I can run 5-10k, do some fitness classes like Cx, pilates, and yoga, and also did some pole fitness before a shoulder injury caused me to give it up. The shoulder is much better, but if I try to do stuff with my entire body weight, like shimmy up a pole, it acts up again (shame, as I found the classes really fun). It means I think I'd have to start carefully with lifting as I don't want to irritate/re-injure.

    I'm 6 feet tall and around 150-155 pounds. Would I be better to bulk and build some muscle or cut fat first? I figure it's probably better to bulk first?

    Here is a recentish photo of me dressed as Princess Leia:
    kqx9w0xzt6et.jpg
    You are actually in perfect condition to do a recomp. Normally I am against recomping for most people but your situation would be the exception. You are a novice to heavy weight training, already a good height for weight, and seem to have a good control over nutrition. I would say for the first 6 months simply eat at maintenance, get in adequate protein (maybe 0.8 grams per lb), start a beginners lifting program like the Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 or stronglifts 5x5, and see what happens. You'll enjoy a good few months where you can lose a little fat and gain a little muscle at the same time. After the initial 6 months go by, you can reevaluate whether a cut or bulk will do you best, as this is usually the period of time that the benefit of being relatively untrained wears off and you must focus on a single goal at a time.
  • JoKnowsJo
    JoKnowsJo Posts: 257 Member
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    Your story is incredible, what a transformation you look great. Thank you for the inspiration!
  • lauraturburville203
    lauraturburville203 Posts: 77 Member
    edited January 2015
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    AMAZING job hun!! I bet you feel much better in yourself now. Bloody Brilliant (*) I know the success feeling & I love it! We ALL ate crappy food @ Christmas so time for me for to get back into shape & loose this 6lbs i've put on!x
  • gohil
    gohil Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi I think you have done a fab job and look great. I hope I have as much success as you.
  • mishelnkiki1
    mishelnkiki1 Posts: 87 Member
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    Truly inspiring! Congrats!
  • trazter31
    trazter31 Posts: 51 Member
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    vismal wrote: »
    I've always wanted to do an AMA so I thought I'd set one up here. The basics about my story are that I went from 315lbs to 195 and have been making small gains in muscles/losses to fat ever since. Ask me anything, anything at all!
    fat+skinny+fit.jpg

    Add me as a friend on here too!

    Wow. Amazing transformation. I'm just starting out and find healthy foods so bland and unsatisfying. Do you eventually get used to them or actually really like them at some point?
  • MelonFlower
    MelonFlower Posts: 37 Member
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    Hubba hubba!

    I mean...AWESOME TRANSFORMATION!


    Yeah.... seriously!!
  • julieager75
    julieager75 Posts: 61 Member
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    Bump
  • kaniecki86
    kaniecki86 Posts: 6 Member
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    You are an inspiration!! So great to see real people like you who actually hit their goal. Thanks for the inspiration!
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    trazter31 wrote: »
    vismal wrote: »
    I've always wanted to do an AMA so I thought I'd set one up here. The basics about my story are that I went from 315lbs to 195 and have been making small gains in muscles/losses to fat ever since. Ask me anything, anything at all!
    fat+skinny+fit.jpg

    Add me as a friend on here too!

    Wow. Amazing transformation. I'm just starting out and find healthy foods so bland and unsatisfying. Do you eventually get used to them or actually really like them at some point?
    If foods are tasting bland, it's probably how you are cooking them. Plain chicken breast with broccoli and white/brown rice will taste very very bland. If you take the chicken and coat it in lemon pepper, add garlic and herbs to the broccoli and season the rice, it's going to taste much better. Also recognize that there really isn't such a thing as a "healthy" food. You can really eat any food you want providing it fits your calorie and macro nutrient goals. This should allow you to have some less nutritious foods in moderation.
  • shana_james
    shana_james Posts: 7 Member
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    vismal wrote: »
    5x5 training is a method of training that has you doing 5 sets of 5 reps for your heavy compounds like bench, squat, rows, etc. There are several programs out there. The "Ice Cream Fitness 5x5" is my favorite. Google it if you want to check it out. Stronglifts 5x5 is another.

    Do you recommend this type of work out for women also? I have a weight loss goal of 35 pounds?
  • hupsii
    hupsii Posts: 258 Member
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    You are awesome !!! I have just one question, after my workout I am absolutely starving and then often overeat. Any advice ? Thanks so much.
  • ashleyletten1
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    Can you tell me what I need to be doing at the gym to start with I don't want to go in and kill myself
  • adamwsmith1981
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    What was your daily calorie intake during your inital weight loss? I started at 291 and set a 1 year goal to hit 220. I am currently eating 2000 calories a day with a breakdown of 45% carbs, 30% protein, and 25% fat.
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