Lost 96lbs and made top 10 in physique contest...

YES, and BEFORE anyone mentions I got more tan...:laugh:

Amazing Job

thank you.

Wow, now that is truly amazing. You should be so proud of yourself! You look fabulous!

thanks.

Amazing photos and progress. I just can't phantom how you do it with work and amly. I'm just it's hard work and it shows congrats.

between the working out and nutrition. HANDS DOWN THE NUTRITION IS THE HARDEST PART...

HANDS DOWN THE NUTRITION IS THE HARDEST PART.....

Wait, wait... HANDS DOWN THE NUTRITION IS THE HARDEST PART.

That being said three times, the working out part was always easy for me. I've been lifting for 19-20 years. But there was a 6-8 year period where it was more off and on and that translated to me gaining the most fat mass. But once things started it just kinda snowballed into place.

Working out is actually easy for me. Spend anywhere from 1-3 hours working out there's really no preparation, just get your *kitten* up and out to the gym. Be it a real gym if you go to one OR in my case, my garage.

The food prepping is the hardest part, and cooking enough, for you and the family and trying to blend and make it all work. Cooking in large batches helps and vacuum sealing helps even more so.

What is the time frame from 271 > 175 > 185?

It's in page 1 of this thread but long story short:

271-240lbs about 2 years of half-assing it.
240-200 from Nov 2010 to April/May 2011
200-175 from May 2011 to August 2011
175-185 from August to just this past Wednesday

But again, I've been lifting since I was 14-15 years old and I'm 34 now, so I'm not a newb when it comes to "picking things up and putting them back down." What was the hardest part is indeed the nutrition and nailing down the optimal macronutrients my body will respond too.

Layne Norton's my coach and has guided me from the 185 to 175 back to 185. I can't say enough about how great it is to work with him. When I posted the photos of my sides I realized that I would have to 165 at contest to be sufficiently lean to compete in natural bb'ing and not "physique"

His response was priceless and I quote, "dude, you are letting the low number on the scale mess with your head." Enough said. So now I am putting in the work to get back up to ~200 in this level of lean condition so the next time I diet down I should be, hopefully, maybe, sorta, come close to 175lbs at contest at a very dry, shredded weight.

So we will see how much muscle I can pack on in the next 2 years or so.

I actually have a photo of me when I was 15 and have been lifting weights for about 6-8 months. OR, instead of lifting weights---->"moving heavy objects" if you prefer...:laugh:

zipnguyen... amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazzinnnng job!!!! love love the pics!!!!!!

thank you...

I actually couldn't wait to get back to 185 so I can do the comparison. Now, I actually have ab definition at 200lbs the last time I was 200lbs. So when I get back to 200lbs if I can make it there. We can compare again...But that post comparing both 200lbs, will take awhile to post as I will be putting in work in the mean time.

So we will see.......

Fantastic! I need that ice cream! LOL! Amazing how those little treats can boost your morale so much.

You're so right - the nutrition is the hardest part. I'm a cardio junkie, have been for years. Strength training... eh. Off and on at best. It really helped my running when I was serious about it. However, now I'm really pressed for time between 2+ hours a day commuting, work, school, and playing roller derby... but I am more focused on the nutrition aspect this time around. When I graduate and have more free time, I'll get back with the weights.

What is your normal cardio routine?

Cardio? What's cardio? J/k

During my contest I did cardio 5x per week for about 30mins. After the contest I am in mass gaining mode so my cardio has been minimized to 2x per week at no more than 30mins per session. I can get away with it though. Layne has prescribed things that work for me and not necessarily anyone else. I know some guys who don't do cardio, those are the lucky ones...

Prior to working with Layne I would kill myself with cardio. But forgot what it was like in high school and college, where the more muscle you carry the more you get to eat to maintain that mass and the faster your metabolism. This is an oversimplification but you get the idea.

so for me cardio and lifting was never the issue. It was the nutrition. And planning all the meals. If you don't plan meals you end up just picking up some McDonalds or KFC on the way home from work (everyday for some people). And it's costly to eat out everyday... I mean oatmeal when bought at Costco works out to be less than $0.05 per serving.

ehi zip.there is my 3d http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/442940-find-myself-lost-51-lbs

Nice work...So where's the before-before. Just kidding I don't have a before-before photo either. Just the one in the water with my son. Best to forget that part of myself.