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

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  • mowree
    mowree Posts: 74 Member
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    Thanks for the "skinny fat" lesson. And you are correct, I'm NOT skinny fat like I thought
  • camocutie12
    camocutie12 Posts: 3
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    Please add me I don't know how n need help
  • hcdawgs
    hcdawgs Posts: 45 Member
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    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.
  • HaVoc452
    HaVoc452 Posts: 1 Member
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    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!!
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    orangbatak wrote: »
    For the first 3 months, how many calories were you consuming a day?

    During the same time for fitness, did you focus more on cardio or resistance?

    Any issue with loose skin? Did you get surgery done?

    One of the things that caused me to back slide was the skin thing. This time around it seems to be better, though I still have a very long way to go. Some things I think probably helped: Making sure that I get enough Vitamins D and E via supplements. A is important too, but best to get that from veggies. Also I tried this stuff and it really seems to be making a difference. That and an astringent that has CQ10. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N4UXI6G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    11
    It says that it helps with cellulite as well, but I don't know about that and the only bit I really care about is keeping the skin taut. It has also helped the appearance of my face and neck and the turkey wobble triceps thing. Lifting heavy really does help as well.
  • mycurvesandlashes
    mycurvesandlashes Posts: 40
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    amazing results! Keep up the good work
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    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
    leedavies53 Posts: 1
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    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
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    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.

  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
    edited March 2015
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    OP, I'm really enjoying following this thread. You seem very knowledgable. After struggling with my weight yo-yoing for the past 10 years or so, I decided this year is the year I am getting serious about implementing a lifestyle change. Ultimately my goal is to transform/lean out- I would estimate that I have around 15 lb to go, but the number really isn't important to me. I am currently in week 10 of 12 of Livefit Trainer, which is a circuit training style strength program, pretty intense, lifting 6 days a week/HIIT sprints 4 x week in the current phase. I am seeing great strength results (probably mostly newbie gains) but I am not experiencing the fat loss I had hoped for. I am starting to look "fat-strong" if that makes any sense. I think I am learning that I need to focus primarily on fat loss for a while, and then go back to strength as the primary focus. What would be a good direction to go from here to maintain some of what I have gained? Stronglifts in conjunction with HIIT and steady state cardio? Do you think IIFYM is worth trying in favor of CICO? I would so appreciate any insight you might have!
  • jee_nee_us
    jee_nee_us Posts: 107 Member
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    Wow

    Looks like you lost like 120 pound in you first 1 and a half year ?
    Is it true?
  • muxia
    muxia Posts: 2
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    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
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    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.

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    @mapes84 You are actually in a pretty decent place right now. You what appears to be a decent muscular base that just needs a little fat loss to be revealed. I would certainly advise tracking macros as well as calories if you have physique or strength goals. I would attempt to lose 10 lbs, then see how things look. You might need to lose another 5-10 after that depending on how lean you want to be. I'd drop the circuit training and do a 5x5 for sure. HIIT I'd limit to once or twice a week as it can interfere with recovery. How many calories are you currently eating and how accurate is your tracking? Are you weighing all you foods?
  • megganjeninngs69
    megganjeninngs69 Posts: 51 Member
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    5x5 program 4th week lost an inch in my legs i feel stronger and my husband looked at my boobs this morning and said (Are those new!)lmao i actually blushed :p ladys listen to the man!!!!!
  • Mapes84
    Mapes84 Posts: 60 Member
    edited March 2015
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    vismal wrote: »
    @mapes84 You are actually in a pretty decent place right now. You what appears to be a decent muscular base that just needs a little fat loss to be revealed. I would certainly advise tracking macros as well as calories if you have physique or strength goals. I would attempt to lose 10 lbs, then see how things look. You might need to lose another 5-10 after that depending on how lean you want to be. I'd drop the circuit training and do a 5x5 for sure. HIIT I'd limit to once or twice a week as it can interfere with recovery. How many calories are you currently eating and how accurate is your tracking? Are you weighing all you foods?

    Thanks so much for the response! Generally I am shooting for a 500 calorie deficit- I got the fitbit that does HR monitoring last month, so I have been using TDEE to work those numbers out. Generally it ends up being 1500-1800 depending on my activity level that day (with the exception of the last two weeks, which have been laughably bad- birthdays and out of town guests, man). I recently got a digital scale, so I have shifted from sloppy measuring (cups/spoons) to something more precise. I'm think maybe if I start adhering to IIFYM, it might be better if I just shoot for the recommended calories from the IIFYM calculator (which was 1512), and not eat back exercise calories? Thoughts? In addition to HIIT 1-2 week and 5 x 5, should I be doing steady state cardio a few times a week? I am an on-again off-again runner- off right now, but before too long it will be on-again, because I am registered for a half later this year. So that could be a curveball with the whole how many calories is ideal thing. Thanks again!
  • kerryp4648
    kerryp4648 Posts: 4
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    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?
  • wetwookie1988
    wetwookie1988 Posts: 149
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    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?
  • sealyjay
    sealyjay Posts: 5 Member
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    Congratulations
  • holybell
    holybell Posts: 69 Member
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    bump for questions after class :)

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