I went from morbidly obese to 6 pack abs! Ask me Anything
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How long was your journey?
It's never ending...
How long before abs appeared?
2 years until they were really noticeable
How do you know when to rest?
I rest when I'm tired...not sure I totally understand what you're asking
How much protein are you eating?
depends on if I am gaining or losing weight. When gaining usually 1 gram per lb I weigh, when dieting a little more than that.
Are you eating carbs?
absolutely. I do very poorly on low carb
Do you bulk?
Yup! Only way that I can reliably gain muscle and strength at this point12Sarah2015 wrote: »I've got six pounds to go. How did you lose the last little bit?
That last few lbs can be troublesome. You just have to keep consistent and maintain reasonable expectations. 1-2 lbs a week of weight loss is reasonable when you have a lot to lose. When you are already lean trying to get very lean it can be 0.5 lbs per week or sometimes even less.marcuswilkens wrote: »Thats awesome! and good work!
My question is how to get enough protein while still in deficit, using the formula in the video you've linked put me in a protein goal of 560 calories, thats 32% of my total daily calorie allotment, did you aim for your protein goal when you started lifting and do you have to chug proteindrinks? I find it hard to meet my protein goals every day.
I don't drink many protein shakes. Whole foods rich in protein are all that's usually needed. 12 ounces of chicken breast get you about 75 grams. Greek yogurt or cottage cheese are easy ways to get a bunch of protein in as well. Lean meats, dairy, eggs/egg whites, and occasionally protein supplements if necessary to hit your goal.6 -
You rocked it out!1
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Many thanks Vismal!! I'm feeling a little stumped. I'm carefully counting calories and exercise regularly, but my weight loss has stalled. It was moving along fine for the first 20lbs, then I started feeling terrible and had less and less energy (started feeling very tired and cold all the time too). So I increased my calories by 250/day and immediately started feeling better, but now my weight loss stalled and I just fluctuate up and down 1lb (for 5 weeks now)! Any ideas? TIA1
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Do you find that certain muscle groups, groups that would have gotten a lot of work when you were heavier, had meteoric rise in functional strength, and some take a lot of time? I started at 265 at my heaviest, 255 in December. I'm at 205 now. I started lifting in February and I can lift an extraordinary amount with my legs, and can really do a lot of weighted work on core, more than expected. My back is surprisingly strong as well, but my chest and arms have been a much slower, methodical progression.1
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Also... Moobs. At what point close to goal weight did they go away?0
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So no surgeries?2
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Very inspirational sir, your dedication is really motivating!0
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sdancer2017 wrote: »Hi! I was happy to see you were still answering our many questions in your thread. Thank you for your video you posted in June. Very honest & in terms I can understand.
When you think about what is realistic/long term (mainly related to measurements). Are there any ways you feel are reliable for measuring body fat? Between my home scale, the hand held one at my former gym & a hand held attached to the scale at my current gym I'm getting a little anxious about that number. I'd love to have accurate measurements, but I'm just not sure how.You keep mentioning about lifting early. So is it bs that you can't build muscle and lose weight at the same time? Besides noob gains at the beginning.
From someone who is morbidly obese all I hear is lose weight first then work on muscles. It's kinda disheartening
To the bolded, A-freaking-MEN!2 -
How much muscle would I be able to gain in a deficit? I’m 130lbs, 5’1” and have a BF% of about 30. I’m also breastfeeding (which I know can mess with hormone levels). My goal is to lose between .5-1lb/week right now (eating ~1650 calories per day right now, with 1 day per week of maintenance). I haven’t exercised in 5+ years, and lost a significant amount of muscle since being pregnant.0
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brittneyalley wrote: »How much muscle would I be able to gain in a deficit? I’m 130lbs, 5’1” and have a BF% of about 30. I’m also breastfeeding (which I know can mess with hormone levels). My goal is to lose between .5-1lb/week right now (eating ~1650 calories per day right now, with 1 day per week of maintenance). I haven’t exercised in 5+ years, and lost a significant amount of muscle since being pregnant.
Since you are breastfeeding, you should be eating more. The lower calories that you are aiming for can compromise your milk supply. I have heard that breastfeeding will burn an additional 500 calories per day, so you should be able to eat at least 2000 and still lose some weight without risking milk supply.
I realize this isn't what you asked about, but it is what jumped out at me.3 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »brittneyalley wrote: »How much muscle would I be able to gain in a deficit? I’m 130lbs, 5’1” and have a BF% of about 30. I’m also breastfeeding (which I know can mess with hormone levels). My goal is to lose between .5-1lb/week right now (eating ~1650 calories per day right now, with 1 day per week of maintenance). I haven’t exercised in 5+ years, and lost a significant amount of muscle since being pregnant.
Since you are breastfeeding, you should be eating more. The lower calories that you are aiming for can compromise your milk supply. I have heard that breastfeeding will burn an additional 500 calories per day, so you should be able to eat at least 2000 and still lose some weight without risking milk supply.
I realize this isn't what you asked about, but it is what jumped out at me.
If I eat 2000, I pretty much maintain my weight. I’ve been eating 1650-1750 since February and haven’t had supply issues. I just started going to the gym last week and eat back my cardio calories (10 minutes on elliptical). Other than that, I’ve been very sedentary 2-3k steps per day, so I maintain at a lower range than most.1 -
tthickens637 wrote: »Many thanks Vismal!! I'm feeling a little stumped. I'm carefully counting calories and exercise regularly, but my weight loss has stalled. It was moving along fine for the first 20lbs, then I started feeling terrible and had less and less energy (started feeling very tired and cold all the time too). So I increased my calories by 250/day and immediately started feeling better, but now my weight loss stalled and I just fluctuate up and down 1lb (for 5 weeks now)! Any ideas? TIASpadesheart wrote: »Do you find that certain muscle groups, groups that would have gotten a lot of work when you were heavier, had meteoric rise in functional strength, and some take a lot of time? I started at 265 at my heaviest, 255 in December. I'm at 205 now. I started lifting in February and I can lift an extraordinary amount with my legs, and can really do a lot of weighted work on core, more than expected. My back is surprisingly strong as well, but my chest and arms have been a much slower, methodical progression.Spadesheart wrote: »Also... Moobs. At what point close to goal weight did they go away?
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So no surgeries?brittneyalley wrote: »How much muscle would I be able to gain in a deficit? I’m 130lbs, 5’1” and have a BF% of about 30. I’m also breastfeeding (which I know can mess with hormone levels). My goal is to lose between .5-1lb/week right now (eating ~1650 calories per day right now, with 1 day per week of maintenance). I haven’t exercised in 5+ years, and lost a significant amount of muscle since being pregnant.
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tthickens637 wrote: »Many thanks Vismal!! I'm feeling a little stumped. I'm carefully counting calories and exercise regularly, but my weight loss has stalled. It was moving along fine for the first 20lbs, then I started feeling terrible and had less and less energy (started feeling very tired and cold all the time too). So I increased my calories by 250/day and immediately started feeling better, but now my weight loss stalled and I just fluctuate up and down 1lb (for 5 weeks now)! Any ideas? TIASpadesheart wrote: »Do you find that certain muscle groups, groups that would have gotten a lot of work when you were heavier, had meteoric rise in functional strength, and some take a lot of time? I started at 265 at my heaviest, 255 in December. I'm at 205 now. I started lifting in February and I can lift an extraordinary amount with my legs, and can really do a lot of weighted work on core, more than expected. My back is surprisingly strong as well, but my chest and arms have been a much slower, methodical progression.Spadesheart wrote: »Also... Moobs. At what point close to goal weight did they go away?
Thanks for the response... I'm 5'8" and weigh 155 now. Since writing my question on April 14th, I've lost another 10 lbs for total of 30. My goal is 135-140 (BMI ~20%), so I'm getting close. I fine-tuned my food tracking and started body-weight training and that seemed to get things moving again. I'm at another stall point now (5 weeks same weight), but I've slacked on my diet (macros and CICO) - so time to up my game again! Once I get to my goal weight, I'm planning on building some muscle. At 60 y/o I need all the strength and balance I can get! I've been working on my fitness goal for 9 months now - which seems like a long time to only be down 30lbs. What was your rate of loss when you got close to your goal weight?1 -
@vismal One of the finest success stories I've read here. Thanks a million.1
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tthickens637 wrote: »Many thanks Vismal!! I'm feeling a little stumped. I'm carefully counting calories and exercise regularly, but my weight loss has stalled. It was moving along fine for the first 20lbs, then I started feeling terrible and had less and less energy (started feeling very tired and cold all the time too). So I increased my calories by 250/day and immediately started feeling better, but now my weight loss stalled and I just fluctuate up and down 1lb (for 5 weeks now)! Any ideas? TIASpadesheart wrote: »Do you find that certain muscle groups, groups that would have gotten a lot of work when you were heavier, had meteoric rise in functional strength, and some take a lot of time? I started at 265 at my heaviest, 255 in December. I'm at 205 now. I started lifting in February and I can lift an extraordinary amount with my legs, and can really do a lot of weighted work on core, more than expected. My back is surprisingly strong as well, but my chest and arms have been a much slower, methodical progression.Spadesheart wrote: »Also... Moobs. At what point close to goal weight did they go away?
Unfortunately I have confirmation from a doctor that it is indeed gynocomastia. Which is a bummer as it was like the #3 reason for me to lose weight. Sigh.
I've just gotten down to 195 now. Unfortunately my body composition doesn't quite look like yours, which makes sense. You started at a much higher weight so your body likely had a good deal more lean mass to begin with. I still have a bit of a belly and moobs, but the latter isn't quite going away without surgical intervention. I do have a good deal of muscle, but the navy method puts me at about a 20% body fat. Everywhere else is pretty lean.
I'm just reverse dieting into a goal of 190, and hitting the gym even harder moving forward. Here's hoping the extra calories make the recovery quicker.
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Ab question: pregnancy provided loose skin of course, but i really didn't have much trouble with my stomach until after I had an umbilical hernia. Now I have an odd shape around my bellybutton area. Any suggestions on exercises to kind of target/tone this area more? I do cardio and weights 5-6 days a week0
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You look incredible! 👏🏼
I lost 100lbs and am recently dealing with 8lbs of regain. This motivates me to get focused and stop making excuses. 😁0 -
amazing tranformation. Good Job!0
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Your transformation is amazing! And thanks for the offer of your knowledge and insight. Of which I'm going to use right now....
My only exercise ATM is brisk walking 2+ miles a day. (I'm a lazy one ) I'm a 66 yo female, retired, not really any health issues, been overweight all my life but am now about 5 lbs. above my goal weight(due to holidays) of 135. Oh yeh, I'm 5'9".
I'm looking for some other exercise to support my walking and have given lifting weights(or even using resistance bands) some thought. I've got lots of firming up to achieve, phobia of gyms, so with all that information, do you have any suggestions?
Thanks so much and congratulations!!2
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