I went from morbidly obese to 6 pack abs! Ask me Anything
Replies
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Hello. Your weight loss journey is very inspiring. I have always been in shape and became more interested in fitness upon entering college. Somewhere down the line I aquired bad habits, and now I'm trying to get back into shape. I wanted to know if you ever took supplements to assist with your weight loss goals as well as how many "cheat days" did you have?0
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Vismal, Hi. I can't tell you how many times I've come back to this thread and read all your awesome advice. Thank you so much for what you are doing, the time and effort you put into this is just astonishing.0
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Hi Visnal - Thanks for your time in answering all of these questions. I read all 50+ pages and have a few questions/follow-ups:
1) 5x5 set counts while CUTTING. The ICF author recommends 3x5 while cutting. So 3 sets. Strong lifts recommends 5 sets. What do you recommend and why?
2) 5x5 weight progression while CUTTING. ICF author says to progress weight every OTHER workout. Strong lifts says to increase weight every time. What do you recommend and why?
3) IF - you mentioned you did this majority of your weight loss I believe. How crucial is it to do this? For those that workout in the morning - say 7am - it makes doing a 5x5 routine on an empty stomach pretty hard with a high probability of lightheartedness.
4) creatine - I know you said it's not controversial. But other sources would beg to differ. How crucial is this in your view.
5) if I'm doing the ICF 5x5 for the first cut. What do you recommend for the bulk phase?
6) what do you think should be the goal of a bulk phase? Duration and daily surplus?
I appreciate your time in helping with these. Thanks very much!
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slimbettie wrote: »Vismal, Hi. I can't tell you how many times I've come back to this thread and read all your awesome advice. Thank you so much for what you are doing, the time and effort you put into this is just astonishing.
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Answers in boldBrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Hi Visnal - Thanks for your time in answering all of these questions. I read all 50+ pages and have a few questions/follow-ups:
1) 5x5 set counts while CUTTING. The ICF author recommends 3x5 while cutting. So 3 sets. Strong lifts recommends 5 sets. What do you recommend and why? For a complete novice to lifting, you can 5x5 even while cutting for at least a few months. Once you are out of the complete novice phase, a 3x5 is more appropriate.
2) 5x5 weight progression while CUTTING. ICF author says to progress weight every OTHER workout. Strong lifts says to increase weight every time. What do you recommend and why? Probably every other because stalls will come much quicker when cutting
3) IF - you mentioned you did this majority of your weight loss I believe. How crucial is it to do this? For those that workout in the morning - say 7am - it makes doing a 5x5 routine on an empty stomach pretty hard with a high probability of lightheartedness. Fasting isn't necessary at all. It fits some folks lifestyles and can help some with satiation. It does not cause faster, or increased fat loss. No matter when you eat or how often you eat, calories in vs calories out determine weight loss. I preferred fasting because it fit my lifestyle very well and I prefer to have 2 big meals vs several small ones. As for training fasted, I would hardly say it creates a "high probability of lightheadedness". I have trained fasted for years and never had a problem. Again, this is a preference thing. It's not necessary but worth a try if you want to try it.
4) creatine - I know you said it's not controversial. But other sources would beg to differ. How crucial is this in your view. What sources? It's probably the most studied supplement since the advent of exercise supplementation. No study has ever proven it unsafe in any way. There simply exists no data to support that 3-5 grams daily has any negative effects. Is it crucial? No. Does it help? More so than probably any other supplement available.
5) if I'm doing the ICF 5x5 for the first cut. What do you recommend for the bulk phase? stay on the 5x5
6) what do you think should be the goal of a bulk phase? Duration and daily surplus? The surplus should be small. Maybe 10%. You want to gain about 2 lbs a month. As for length of time, that depends on how lean you are at the start, and how lean you want to maintain throughout the process.
I appreciate your time in helping with these. Thanks very much!0 -
Answers in boldBrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Hi Visnal - Thanks for your time in answering all of these questions. I read all 50+ pages and have a few questions/follow-ups:
1) 5x5 set counts while CUTTING. The ICF author recommends 3x5 while cutting. So 3 sets. Strong lifts recommends 5 sets. What do you recommend and why? For a complete novice to lifting, you can 5x5 even while cutting for at least a few months. Once you are out of the complete novice phase, a 3x5 is more appropriate.
2) 5x5 weight progression while CUTTING. ICF author says to progress weight every OTHER workout. Strong lifts says to increase weight every time. What do you recommend and why? Probably every other because stalls will come much quicker when cutting
3) IF - you mentioned you did this majority of your weight loss I believe. How crucial is it to do this? For those that workout in the morning - say 7am - it makes doing a 5x5 routine on an empty stomach pretty hard with a high probability of lightheartedness. Fasting isn't necessary at all. It fits some folks lifestyles and can help some with satiation. It does not cause faster, or increased fat loss. No matter when you eat or how often you eat, calories in vs calories out determine weight loss. I preferred fasting because it fit my lifestyle very well and I prefer to have 2 big meals vs several small ones. As for training fasted, I would hardly say it creates a "high probability of lightheadedness". I have trained fasted for years and never had a problem. Again, this is a preference thing. It's not necessary but worth a try if you want to try it.
4) creatine - I know you said it's not controversial. But other sources would beg to differ. How crucial is this in your view. What sources? It's probably the most studied supplement since the advent of exercise supplementation. No study has ever proven it unsafe in any way. There simply exists no data to support that 3-5 grams daily has any negative effects. Is it crucial? No. Does it help? More so than probably any other supplement available.
5) if I'm doing the ICF 5x5 for the first cut. What do you recommend for the bulk phase? stay on the 5x5
6) what do you think should be the goal of a bulk phase? Duration and daily surplus? The surplus should be small. Maybe 10%. You want to gain about 2 lbs a month. As for length of time, that depends on how lean you are at the start, and how lean you want to maintain throughout the process.
I appreciate your time in helping with these. Thanks very much!
Much appreciated. Three quick follow-ups:
If I don't need to do IF from a work/time perspective, do you see any benefits of doing so?
Likewise, do you see any benefits to working out while fasting? Again, totally not necessary?
What do you see as the benefit of doing 3-5g of creatine a day vs. not - while on a cut?
Thanks!
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BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »
Answers in boldBrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Hi Visnal - Thanks for your time in answering all of these questions. I read all 50+ pages and have a few questions/follow-ups:
1) 5x5 set counts while CUTTING. The ICF author recommends 3x5 while cutting. So 3 sets. Strong lifts recommends 5 sets. What do you recommend and why? For a complete novice to lifting, you can 5x5 even while cutting for at least a few months. Once you are out of the complete novice phase, a 3x5 is more appropriate.
2) 5x5 weight progression while CUTTING. ICF author says to progress weight every OTHER workout. Strong lifts says to increase weight every time. What do you recommend and why? Probably every other because stalls will come much quicker when cutting
3) IF - you mentioned you did this majority of your weight loss I believe. How crucial is it to do this? For those that workout in the morning - say 7am - it makes doing a 5x5 routine on an empty stomach pretty hard with a high probability of lightheartedness. Fasting isn't necessary at all. It fits some folks lifestyles and can help some with satiation. It does not cause faster, or increased fat loss. No matter when you eat or how often you eat, calories in vs calories out determine weight loss. I preferred fasting because it fit my lifestyle very well and I prefer to have 2 big meals vs several small ones. As for training fasted, I would hardly say it creates a "high probability of lightheadedness". I have trained fasted for years and never had a problem. Again, this is a preference thing. It's not necessary but worth a try if you want to try it.
4) creatine - I know you said it's not controversial. But other sources would beg to differ. How crucial is this in your view. What sources? It's probably the most studied supplement since the advent of exercise supplementation. No study has ever proven it unsafe in any way. There simply exists no data to support that 3-5 grams daily has any negative effects. Is it crucial? No. Does it help? More so than probably any other supplement available.
5) if I'm doing the ICF 5x5 for the first cut. What do you recommend for the bulk phase? stay on the 5x5
6) what do you think should be the goal of a bulk phase? Duration and daily surplus? The surplus should be small. Maybe 10%. You want to gain about 2 lbs a month. As for length of time, that depends on how lean you are at the start, and how lean you want to maintain throughout the process.
I appreciate your time in helping with these. Thanks very much!
Much appreciated. Three quick follow-ups:
If I don't need to do IF from a work/time perspective, do you see any benefits of doing so? It's all about personal preference. If you prefer it, do it, if you do not, do not.
Likewise, do you see any benefits to working out while fasting? Again, totally not necessary? See previous answer. Some people, myself included, find it to be more satiating then eating throughout the day
What do you see as the benefit of doing 3-5g of creatine a day vs. not - while on a cut? Creatine allows you to lift more by increasing power output. There are literally no reasons not to take it unless you cannot afford it (it's one of the cheapest supplements available). The only known side effects are GI upset and that's at high doses. There is no need to do a "loading dose" so you should conceivably never take a high dose.
Thanks!0 -
My starting waist circumference as measured around navel is 45". I'm 5' 8" tall. 200 lbs start. 31 years old. What do you believe to be a reasonable rate of inches off the waist, per month?0
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I don't feel like tracking inches per month is the best way to assess progress. I have no idea what an acceptable rate of inches of abdominal girth lost per month even is. I typically track scale weight and use progress photos to assess progress. When you have a fair bit of weight to lose, the scale is pretty honest. If you are losing fat, you should in turn be losing weight. Measurements move much slower and can be affected by how consistent the person measuring you is. Fluid balance can also affect measurements.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »My starting waist circumference as measured around navel is 45". I'm 5' 8" tall. 200 lbs start. 31 years old. What do you believe to be a reasonable rate of inches off the waist, per month?
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Thanks -
What do you think of this?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm
Does none of this matter in your view?0 -
It matters very, very little. I'll quote Alan Aragon here: "The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Thanks -
What do you think of this?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm
Does none of this matter in your view?
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing."
Totals for the day/week is all you need for basic weight loss, muscle gain, and the like. Nutrient timing matters more to endurance athletes or those who play sports, but even then, totals for the day are the number 1 factor that drives results.0 -
It matters very, very little. I'll quote Alan Aragon here: "The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Thanks -
What do you think of this?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm
Does none of this matter in your view?
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing."
Totals for the day/week is all you need for basic weight loss, muscle gain, and the like. Nutrient timing matters more to endurance athletes or those who play sports, but even then, totals for the day are the number 1 factor that drives results.
Thanks
If I go over my calorie budget for the day, should I am compensate by eating less the next day so that I'm in line with my weekly goal?
Also, when you're still hungry and hit your goal for the day, what tactics did you do so that tiy wouldn't eat more.
You said that once you hit your goal, you simply would t eat more. How can we help ourselves to have that kind of discipline?0 -
So what was the biggest thing you changed that seems to help you?0
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Going over on a day can be made up for in the next few days. The issue is doing this too often can lead to inconsistency. 95% of the time I hit my calorie total. If I know there is a high likelihood of going over calories on a particular day (party, family event, etc) I prefer create the extra deficit BEFORE that day rather than afterwards. If I am getting low on calories and still hungry I eat things that provide the most bang for their caloric buck. Lean meats and vegetables are a good choice as they can provide a fair amount of satiation for relatively low calories. As to not eating once you are out of calories, don't make it a choice. You just simply don't for no other reason then you can't. We are all capable of that level of discipline. If someone told you "I'll give you a million bucks if you stop eating for the rest of the day", you'd do it without thinking twice. Substitute the million bucks reward for the reward of becoming healthier and reaching your goals.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »
It matters very, very little. I'll quote Alan Aragon here: "The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Thanks -
What do you think of this?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm
Does none of this matter in your view?
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing."
Totals for the day/week is all you need for basic weight loss, muscle gain, and the like. Nutrient timing matters more to endurance athletes or those who play sports, but even then, totals for the day are the number 1 factor that drives results.
Thanks
If I go over my calorie budget for the day, should I am compensate by eating less the next day so that I'm in line with my weekly goal?
Also, when you're still hungry and hit your goal for the day, what tactics did you do so that tiy wouldn't eat more.
You said that once you hit your goal, you simply would t eat more. How can we help ourselves to have that kind of discipline?0 -
Hi Vismal,
I am very impressed with your change, but even more impressed with your consistent and long running willingness to help people in this thread.
I just wanted to say thanks and I appreciate the help you have given others which in turn have also helped me.0 -
Going over on a day can be made up for in the next few days. The issue is doing this too often can lead to inconsistency. 95% of the time I hit my calorie total. If I know there is a high likelihood of going over calories on a particular day (party, family event, etc) I prefer create the extra deficit BEFORE that day rather than afterwards. If I am getting low on calories and still hungry I eat things that provide the most bang for their caloric buck. Lean meats and vegetables are a good choice as they can provide a fair amount of satiation for relatively low calories. As to not eating once you are out of calories, don't make it a choice. You just simply don't for no other reason then you can't. We are all capable of that level of discipline. If someone told you "I'll give you a million bucks if you stop eating for the rest of the day", you'd do it without thinking twice. Substitute the million bucks reward for the reward of becoming healthier and reaching your goals.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »
It matters very, very little. I'll quote Alan Aragon here: "The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Thanks -
What do you think of this?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm
Does none of this matter in your view?
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing."
Totals for the day/week is all you need for basic weight loss, muscle gain, and the like. Nutrient timing matters more to endurance athletes or those who play sports, but even then, totals for the day are the number 1 factor that drives results.
Thanks
If I go over my calorie budget for the day, should I am compensate by eating less the next day so that I'm in line with my weekly goal?
Also, when you're still hungry and hit your goal for the day, what tactics did you do so that tiy wouldn't eat more.
You said that once you hit your goal, you simply would t eat more. How can we help ourselves to have that kind of discipline?
Very helpful. When you were hungry and filled up with veggies and/or lean proteins: what were your go-to'snin rank order of consumed most often (most popular
Also - I've had a history of doing well for 90days+ Then one single event like getting room service or eating a lot of pizza can derail me. While it's easy to say to get back on track, and rational things like that. It hasn't stopped me in the past for completely derailing me and going on like a 1-2 week binge after I screwed up. What advice do you have for that situation
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BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »
Going over on a day can be made up for in the next few days. The issue is doing this too often can lead to inconsistency. 95% of the time I hit my calorie total. If I know there is a high likelihood of going over calories on a particular day (party, family event, etc) I prefer create the extra deficit BEFORE that day rather than afterwards. If I am getting low on calories and still hungry I eat things that provide the most bang for their caloric buck. Lean meats and vegetables are a good choice as they can provide a fair amount of satiation for relatively low calories. As to not eating once you are out of calories, don't make it a choice. You just simply don't for no other reason then you can't. We are all capable of that level of discipline. If someone told you "I'll give you a million bucks if you stop eating for the rest of the day", you'd do it without thinking twice. Substitute the million bucks reward for the reward of becoming healthier and reaching your goals.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »
It matters very, very little. I'll quote Alan Aragon here: "The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Thanks -
What do you think of this?
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm
Does none of this matter in your view?
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing."
Totals for the day/week is all you need for basic weight loss, muscle gain, and the like. Nutrient timing matters more to endurance athletes or those who play sports, but even then, totals for the day are the number 1 factor that drives results.
Thanks
If I go over my calorie budget for the day, should I am compensate by eating less the next day so that I'm in line with my weekly goal?
Also, when you're still hungry and hit your goal for the day, what tactics did you do so that tiy wouldn't eat more.
You said that once you hit your goal, you simply would t eat more. How can we help ourselves to have that kind of discipline?
Very helpful. When you were hungry and filled up with veggies and/or lean proteins: what were your go-to'snin rank order of consumed most often (most popular
Also - I've had a history of doing well for 90days+ Then one single event like getting room service or eating a lot of pizza can derail me. While it's easy to say to get back on track, and rational things like that. It hasn't stopped me in the past for completely derailing me and going on like a 1-2 week binge after I screwed up. What advice do you have for that situation0 -
As a guy that is pretty much where you started right now (6'3'' 330lbs), what advice can you give me in terms of getting started with diet and excercise? I have not been very regular at the gym ( I have a 2 year old son at home, and my wife also works). I have mainly been trying to cut down on added sugars, and cut soda out. I've been tracking food on here as well...
What are your tips as far as dieting and excercise?
Thanks, and keep up the good work, your transformation is very inspiring!0 -
How did you do it?0
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Thanks
What are re-feeds? Never saw that in this thread? Necessary for cutting?0 -
Hey Vismal
I am lifting and cardio and dieting but
I have loose, sagging belly.
Any advice?0 -
saxnviolin wrote: »Hey Vismal
I am lifting and cardio and dieting but
I have loose, sagging belly.
Any advice?
....... and very saggy arms0 -
Also-
What type of cardio is the most muscle-sparing? SS or HIIT?
How long do you recommend rest is periods to be when lifting heavy (i.e., 5x5)?0 -
The biggest tip is stay consistent with whatever you do. Track calories every single day, even if you will not meet your goals for that day. Exercise on the days you are supposed to exercise. Do not find reasons to skip days. Consistency is the most important factor of all. As far as types of exercises, do ones you enjoy. I would recommend at least some form of resistance training in order to preserve lean mass while dieting, but if you don't at least somewhat enjoy the activities you are doing, you won't likely be able to do them long term.As a guy that is pretty much where you started right now (6'3'' 330lbs), what advice can you give me in terms of getting started with diet and excercise? I have not been very regular at the gym ( I have a 2 year old son at home, and my wife also works). I have mainly been trying to cut down on added sugars, and cut soda out. I've been tracking food on here as well...
What are your tips as far as dieting and excercise?
Thanks, and keep up the good work, your transformation is very inspiring!
Short answer, diet and exercise. Long answer, see the previous 52 pages.How did you do it?
Unneeded for 99% of the people on this message board. Not something to even worry about until you have relatively low body fat and want to try and get to extremely low body fat.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Thanks
What are re-feeds? Never saw that in this thread? Necessary for cutting?saxnviolin wrote: »Hey Vismal
I am lifting and cardio and dieting but
I have loose, sagging belly.
Any advice?
More often then not, what people think is loose skin is actually just subcutaneous fat. If the skin is any thicker then the skin on the back of your hand, it's fat, not true loose skin. The way to fix that is to keep losing fat until it goes away. If you lose enough fat to determine that it is indeed true loose skin, you can't do much about it. Weight training can help, as can staying lean and giving the skin time to regain elasticity (can take years, the younger you are, the quicker it can happen).tiffanyslimdown wrote: »saxnviolin wrote: »Hey Vismal
I am lifting and cardio and dieting but
I have loose, sagging belly.
Any advice?
....... and very saggy arms
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You will hear all sorts of people talking about how hiit is better than liss and vice versa. If you look at the data, they both have their pros and cons and I generally tell people to do whichever one they prefer. If you have a reasonable caloric deficit, lift weights, and get in adequate protein, you don't need to worry to much about muscle loss, especially if you are not already relatively lean.BrianDavidBy32 wrote: »Also-
What type of cardio is the most muscle-sparing? SS or HIIT?
How long do you recommend rest is periods to be when lifting heavy (i.e., 5x5)?
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How often did you have weeks when. your weight didn't change or you may have gained during your regimen?0
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Thanks - a few more:
1) if I weigh a raw burger as 8oz, then it shrinks to 6oz after I cook it, I log 8, not 6?
2) if I do 2 lbs a wk bs 1 lb a week, so I risk more muscle loss - assuming I do everything else right (protein, resistance training, etc)?0 -
Hey Vismal- I just want to thank you so much for this thread!
9 weeks ago I read through this thread from beginning to end and followed your advice to the letter. I got a food scale and weigh EVERYTHING. I'd never done weights before so I got a PT and am now doing heavy weights.
In 9 weeks I've lost over 7 kg (15 lb), I've dropped 2 clothes sizes and am eating enough food so I am never hungry.
I wanted to post a side comparison after my first 8 weeks to show how much you've helped me. It's still a way to go, but this thread showed me how to do things right. Thank you so much, you're awesome!!
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BritBoogaloo wrote: »Hey Vismal- I just want to thank you so much for this thread!
9 weeks ago I read through this thread from beginning to end and followed your advice to the letter. I got a food scale and weigh EVERYTHING. I'd never done weights before so I got a PT and am now doing heavy weights.
In 9 weeks I've lost over 7 kg (15 lb), I've dropped 2 clothes sizes and am eating enough food so I am never hungry.
I wanted to post a side comparison after my first 8 weeks to show how much you've helped me. It's still a way to go, but this thread showed me how to do things right. Thank you so much, you're awesome!!
Nice!0 -
Just giving props for still answering this thread, 14 months later. Very cool.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSbS9cOprgE
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