The scale doesn't mean everything...Fat to Fit

Options
200ripped
200ripped Posts: 41 Member
edited August 2016 in Success Stories
Even at 6'2", I would have considered myself FAT at 246 lbs. I was lazy and did little to nothing in the way of exercise. I was very unfit and mostly comprised of fat. Its now a few years later, and I have logged in a lot of time at the gym lifting weights, and admittedly probably not as much cardio as I would like...but I do cardio. My weight has only dropped 26 lbs on the scale...but oh what a difference the gym has made! My pant size went from 40-42" down to 34". My strength has literally gone up 10 fold. I can now spend an hour on the elliptical machine at 7.5 mph, and my heart rate never goes over 135. At my fattest 246, I got winded going up one flight of stairs. I believe that while the scale has only moved 26 lbs, I probably have lost closer to 50 lbs of fat, and replaced 24 lbs of it with lean muscle mass. When I created this account long ago...I chose the name 200ripped, thinking I needed to be 200 lbs or less. Well, I have learned that actual weight on the scale means less than being FIT does. I'm just posting this because if you are doing everything in your power to lose weight by eating right and working your butt off in the gym...the scale results will be slower than hell (and its tough to stay motivated) however, there are changes occurring outside the scale that you can't put a price on.
rwaq9orlw34s.jpg
«1

Replies

  • Pinklacroix
    Pinklacroix Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    You look great! Just goes to show how little the scale actually tells you.
  • Laviegurl25
    Laviegurl25 Posts: 121 Member
    Options
    Great job!!!
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    Options
    LOVE this. Thank you so much for sharing. So much truth.
  • thereshegoesagain
    thereshegoesagain Posts: 1,056 Member
    Options
    You have done an amazing job! Thank you for the inspiration, it'll help me keep doing what I'm doing.
  • Madux1818
    Madux1818 Posts: 307 Member
    Options
    That's it , I'm ditching my scale! From now on I'm using my clothes to measure progress. I've been weighing myself weekly and get easily discouraged when the number has not moved especially when I know I've put in the work. So thanks for being an inspiration.
  • smkondy
    smkondy Posts: 583 Member
    Options
    That is incredible!! Thanks for sharing-very motivating!!
  • bizygirl1
    bizygirl1 Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    Congratulations! You look amazing. I'm trying so hard to get back into great physical shape. I get impatient and expect immediate results and then get down on myself. But I don't give up.
  • blizzardsmom
    blizzardsmom Posts: 63 Member
    Options
    wow you look amazing! your timing of this post is perfect. my scale hasn't been moving. thanks for the inspiration :-)
  • jbirdy76
    jbirdy76 Posts: 161 Member
    Options
    Thanks for this post! It is a great reminder.
  • 200ripped
    200ripped Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    :) Thank you everyone for your kind words. I'm glad to be an inspiration or help in any way. :)
  • jun4Me
    jun4Me Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    Great Job! Insprirational to all of us.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Options
    Good job, dude. What are your goals moving forward.
  • 200ripped
    200ripped Posts: 41 Member
    edited August 2016
    Options
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Good job, dude. What are your goals moving forward.

    My goal moving forward is to shred the remaining fat that I have while maintaining or even adding to my muscle mass. I think I can achieve a lot more definition with about 10-15 lbs more fat loss. If the scale only moves 5 lbs because of muscle gains....all the better.

    Just FYI....I'm currently lifting weights 3 days a week: day1 (Mon)= chest/triceps day2 (Wed)=back/biceps day3 (Fri)=legs/shoulders.

    I do try to lift heavy, increasing weight each set, 3 sets per exercise. My 3rd set is typically the most weight I can complete 10 reps with. I try to do 4 exercises for each body part.

    I know the final fat loss needs to come from my nutrition, and while I am eating somewhat healthy...I am not near strict enough to achieve the results I want. I really need to get motivated to be able to cross my finish line.
  • Madux1818
    Madux1818 Posts: 307 Member
    Options
    200ripped wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Good job, dude. What are your goals moving forward.

    My goal moving forward is to shred the remaining fat that I have while maintaining or even adding to my muscle mass. I think I can achieve a lot more definition with about 10-15 lbs more fat loss. If the scale only moves 5 lbs because of muscle gains....all the better.

    Just FYI....I'm currently lifting weights 3 days a week: day1 (Mon)= chest/triceps day2 (Wed)=back/biceps day3 (Fri)=legs/shoulders.

    I do try to lift heavy, increasing weight each set, 3 sets per exercise. My 3rd set is typically the most weight I can complete 10 reps with. I try to do 4 exercises for each body part.

    I know the final fat loss needs to come from my nutrition, and while I am eating somewhat healthy...I am not near strict enough to achieve the results I want. I really need to get motivated to be able to cross my finish line.



    I
    I was about to ask you about nutrition, again congratulations. How heavy do you lift?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Options
    200ripped wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Good job, dude. What are your goals moving forward.

    My goal moving forward is to shred the remaining fat that I have while maintaining or even adding to my muscle mass. I think I can achieve a lot more definition with about 10-15 lbs more fat loss. If the scale only moves 5 lbs because of muscle gains....all the better.

    Just FYI....I'm currently lifting weights 3 days a week: day1 (Mon)= chest/triceps day2 (Wed)=back/biceps day3 (Fri)=legs/shoulders.

    I do try to lift heavy, increasing weight each set, 3 sets per exercise. My 3rd set is typically the most weight I can complete 10 reps with. I try to do 4 exercises for each body part.

    I know the final fat loss needs to come from my nutrition, and while I am eating somewhat healthy...I am not near strict enough to achieve the results I want. I really need to get motivated to be able to cross my finish line.

    Just eat at a slight deficit, get enough protein and lift some heavy stuff!! You'll get there. Great progress so far!
  • 200ripped
    200ripped Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    maddux1818 wrote:
    I
    I was about to ask you about nutrition, again congratulations. How heavy do you lift?



    It differs depending on how I feel some days. Now I wouldn't say I was very strong compared to others at the gym, but my 3rd set (10 reps) of a couple popular exercises would be:
    Bench = 225
    individual arm bicep curls = 55
    I go to planet fitness, so many of the weights I use are with machines where I can select weight by the weight stack. It is very convenient.
    My legs are very strong from my tennis days (I was competitive in my 20's) however my knees took their toll from beating the hard courts for 15 years. I am careful not to use the amount of weight that I can with legs because my knees hurt if I do, so those numbers would seem very small.


    Thank you Hornsby. You are looking quite ripped there yourself...
  • rebeccaEsmith
    rebeccaEsmith Posts: 1,136 Member
    Options
    Love ya work
  • Goddesskat
    Goddesskat Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    200ripped wrote: »
    Even at 6'2", I would have considered myself FAT at 246 lbs. I was lazy and did little to nothing in the way of exercise. I was very unfit and mostly comprised of fat. Its now a few years later, and I have logged in a lot of time at the gym lifting weights, and admittedly probably not as much cardio as I would like...but I do cardio. My weight has only dropped 26 lbs on the scale...but oh what a difference the gym has made! My pant size went from 40-42" down to 34". My strength has literally gone up 10 fold. I can now spend an hour on the elliptical machine at 7.5 mph, and my heart rate never goes over 135. At my fattest 246, I got winded going up one flight of stairs. I believe that while the scale has only moved 26 lbs, I probably have lost closer to 50 lbs of fat, and replaced 24 lbs of it with lean muscle mass. When I created this account long ago...I chose the name 200ripped, thinking I needed to be 200 lbs or less. Well, I have learned that actual weight on the scale means less than being FIT does. I'm just posting this because if you are doing everything in your power to lose weight by eating right and working your butt off in the gym...the scale results will be slower than hell (and its tough to stay motivated) however, there are changes occurring outside the scale that you can't put a price on.
    rwaq9orlw34s.jpg

  • Goddesskat
    Goddesskat Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    I read your caption today which prompted me to read your story. Thank you for the confirmation I needed to not worry about what the scale says because I too am overweight and I have in my mind that I need to lose close to 90 lbs. I started a regime on June 22nd of this year with watching what I eat and Walking. I talk to my walking partner about how the scale doesn't seem to be moving, but my clothes are feeling a lot different already. She said to just keep it up and eventually I will see the results. So far, I've lost 12 inches off my body and only 9 lbs. It's really a slow process and I guess that's the way it is supposed to be. I was 262 lbs. when I made this decision. I had hurt myself and was not able to move for a year which put me up to 276 lbs. Short of breath and getting depressed about my body image, I didn't think there was much hope of getting some of this off. I did try and watch what I ate so I lost 20 lbs. from that till I got here to MFP which I know I'm going to have to do regularily from now on to keep track of myself and where I'm at. I weigh 253.6lbs. now. So, I guess when I look at how I've been guided to right where I am, I see the progress. Thank you once again for Inspiring Me today. I am very grateful for people like you who share their magificent stories. :)
  • Madux1818
    Madux1818 Posts: 307 Member
    Options
    Hornsby wrote: »
    200ripped wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Good job, dude. What are your goals moving forward.

    My goal moving forward is to shred the remaining fat that I have while maintaining or even adding to my muscle mass. I think I can achieve a lot more definition with about 10-15 lbs more fat loss. If the scale only moves 5 lbs because of muscle gains....all the better.

    Just FYI....I'm currently lifting weights 3 days a week: day1 (Mon)= chest/triceps day2 (Wed)=back/biceps day3 (Fri)=legs/shoulders.

    I do try to lift heavy, increasing weight each set, 3 sets per exercise. My 3rd set is typically the most weight I can complete 10 reps with. I try to do 4 exercises for each body part.

    I know the final fat loss needs to come from my nutrition, and while I am eating somewhat healthy...I am not near strict enough to achieve the results I want. I really need to get motivated to be able to cross my finish line.

    Just eat at a slight deficit, get enough protein and lift some heavy stuff!! You'll get there. Great progress so far!



    Me again, what exercises are you doing for your core, seems that's where you lost the most?

Do you Love MyFitnessPal? Have you crushed a goal or improved your life through better nutrition using MyFitnessPal?
Share your success and inspire others. Leave us a review on Apple Or Google Play stores!