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

hcdawgs wrote: »

If you haven't lifted in a long time and planning on starting the 5x5 how much weight should you start with? Seems like with adding 5lb per workout that the lifts could get stalled out especially if I am really trying to lose fat first. Thanks.

When starting a 5x5 you should start low enough that you finish all 5 sets of 5 without a ton of struggle. You only increase weight if you are able to lift all 5 sets for all 5 reps. If, after a few weeks, you can only lift 3x5 or 4x5, you do not increase weight. You can attempt the weight and try and get closer to the 5x5. Once you hit the 5x5 you can increase the next session. The program is technically designed to be used with a calorie surplus, but as a beginner you should still be able to make decent gains in a deficit.

HaVoc452 wrote: »

I commend your amazing work and dedication.

I'm starting my journey down a similar path, and I would like to know mainly your dietary restrictions. I'm assuming you've already been asked this, but that's quite a few pages to scroll through!!

Did you avoid all bread and sugars? Did you stop soda cold turkey?

I don't have quite as far as you did to go, but I want to do it right and get the results I'm looking for.

Also, where did you find your motivation to keep going when you weren't seeing results early on.

Thank you!!

I have no dietary restrictions. I eat whatever I want so long as it fits my caloric and macro nutrient goals. Asking questions of this nature clue me in that you should really take the time and read through this thread. It's got a lot about the basics and fundamentals of losing weight that will do you worlds of good

leedavies53 wrote: »

Hi ive been training for about a year now and can't seem to loose my stubborn belly fat, ive been dieting for about 2 months and have lost a fat but still can't seem to loose the belly fat? Any tips Thanks

You cannot spot reduce fat. You must continue to lose fat until it eventually leaves your abdominal region. Unfortunately, the abdomen along with the lower back tend to be the places men store fat the longest.

jee_nee_us wrote: »

Wow

Looks like you lost like 120 pound in you first 1 and a half year ?
Is it true?

It was from Mar 2011 to Aug 2012. So closer to 1 and a half years.

muxia wrote: »

How do you get pass the first 3 months?
I have never managed to go pass that.
Also, I don't like cardio, I just want to get into weight lifting.
I have drastically changed my diet lately but I need serious physical activity added to my routine

I didn't do anything special to get past the first three months. I just focused on my goals. You have to accept that it's a long term process, not a quick fix.

kerryp4648 wrote: »

It's my first week dieting, and here is my progress pic!! I've lost 6lbs this week, have you any tips on a toned stomach? Any stomach routines you have that work well?

The only way to have a toned stomach is to lose fat all over. You cannot spot reduce fat at all. A stomach routine is also unnecessary. You should train your abdominal muscles in the same fashion you train everything else. Train them 2-3 times a week with some kind of progressive overload. People would never do 100 reps of bench press ever single day so I don't know why they ever started doing 100 sit ups every day. Just do something like weighed cable crunches 4x12, or planks 3x a week if you don't have weights/cable machines available. Increase the intensity as time goes on.

wetwookie1988 wrote: »

I just now found this post. AMAZING WORK!!! I guess my question would be this; did you have man boobs when you started? If so, what kind of exercises could I do to lose them and get that "leafy chest" look?

Same kind of thing here, you cannot spot reduce chest fat. Simply get lean all over and your man boobs will shrink. I will say that the only exception with man boobs is if it's not just fat but actual gynocomastia. If you have gynocomastia then you have actual breast tissue that will not go completely away by becoming lean. There isn't much you can do until you figure out if that's what your dealing with so the best bet is to just get lean and see if they go away. As far as exercises, any decent beginners lifting program will have you do plenty of work for your chest. No need to get any fancier then bench press here.

revmorris wrote: »

For cardio should I do HIIT or long slow walks 3-4 miles to burn fat???

Either, both, or none! Both will burn calories. HIIT will burn more calories in a shorter session but can effect recovery. Walking takes longer but you can go for much longer before recovery becomes an issue. You could also completely control calories through diet and just not do cardio. I feel like the best option for most people will be a little of both but it's going to depend on the individual and their goals/recovery.

mattgrenier9 wrote: »

First off amazing transformation! Second off I have been losing weight for about a year I started off at 210 and am now down to 150-155 depending on water weight. My body looks built except for my abs. Only the top part looks developed and I want a 6 pack badly. Did you have this problem anywhere in your weight loss?

This is usually just the difference between being lean, and being very lean. You just need to lose that last bit of fat to expose the lower abs. It's often the hardest part of the weight loss process.