Operation: Ninja stud

mertesnmertesn I am Bobby MillerYukon, OK Icrontian
For about 14 years now I've had a major fight with my weight, and until this year it's been a losing battle. Here and there I've been able to drop small amounts in short periods, but it keeps coming back, often with reinforcements.

I've been participating in a karate class with coworkers for almost 2.5 years now, and despite some intense workouts the weight wasn't coming off, nor was any appreciable muscle mass being gained. I've been trying to prepare for my brown belt test (a 3-4 hour test of strength, skill, and endurance) and wasn't at all confident I'd make it to the end of the test in my (then) current shape.

Then in early March I talked to a nutritionist friend who looked at what I was eating, and with a slight adjustment of calories per day, swapping out one protein supplement for another, and a higher meal frequency I went from this (Disneyland in October of last year (220+ lbs)):
image

To this (same clothes, two weeks ago (208 lbs)):
image

Once I started the current eating plan, my energy levels skyrocketed, the weight started coming off, and I started gaining muscle. It's been quite surprising how quickly things have worked. Karate is no problem now, and I should be testing for brown belt at month's end without fear of exhaustion.

For extra incentive 28 days ago, I joined in on @MomOfRose's dietbet challenge plus two other games and actually hit my goal weight late in the second week.

If the weight loss continues at its current pace, I'm on track to be around 200lbs at Expo.
CBTushonAnnesardichokeStraight_ManmidgacolaUPSLynxRyderBuddyJJBoogalooBlackHawkkimono54sharkydartMomOfRoseGHoosdumRyanFodderGargWagsFTWChooch
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Comments

  • JBoogalooJBoogaloo This too shall pass... Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    Yeah, I'd do ya ;D

    Seriously, that's awesome progress, man! WOOOO! Glad to hear it and good luck on your upcoming brown belt test!
  • CantiCanti =/= smalltime http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9K18CGEeiI&feature=related Icrontian
    U=Q+W or in this case Mertesn=Beard-Weight.

    Don't mess with me on thermo bro.

    Final exam is tomorrow morning.
    midgaThraxprimesuspect
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    That is frigging awesome dude, great job!

    I'm curious about your caloric adjustment - more or less calories than what you were eating before? Are you doing 5 meals a day?

    Keep it up dude, that is excellent.
  • midgamidga "There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi (> ^.(> O_o)> Icrontian
    Dude...that's some hotness there. Very nice. mind divulging your diet a bit?
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    UPSLynx said:

    I'm curious about your caloric adjustment - more or less calories than what you were eating before? Are you doing 5 meals a day?

    It's more like snacking throughout the day.

    My target is 1720 calories per day, with a breakdown of about 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fats. I try to avoid as much gluten as possible.
    5:00am Protein shake w/12 oz milk: 285 cal
    7:00am Apple + yogurt: 217 cal
    9:00am Protein bar (Quest Nutrition if anyone is interested...these things are awesome): 170 cal
    11:30am Banana plus leftovers from the previous night
    3:00pm Protein shake w/water: 90 cal
    Dinner: some sort of meat & vegetable plus whatever is needed to make the calorie target

    One meal per week I have a cheat meal and eat/drink something I otherwise wouldn't.
    midga
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    203.8 this morning and can comfortably wear my 36 waist jeans. I might actually hit 200 by Expo :D.

    My belt test got delayed due to the Moore, OK and El Reno/Yukon, OK tornadoes. Unless something else happens I'll test June 12. I'm well prepared for it and ready for the whole new level of awkward that comes with a new belt.

    Regarding the beard: The last time I shaved was at ICSP. When I started losing weight I didn't want to use my face as the determination whether things were working - that has contributed to failure in the past...I'd stop seeing progress there and on the scale and quit. The beard obscures that progress. It's weird, but it's helped. @PurpleMonkeyGirl hates it, so it'll probably go away soon.

    DietBet seems to be a pretty good motivator for me. The first round was profitable, so I jumped in for a second round of games using the winnings from the first round. The last game of that round ends the day before I leave for Expo. Protip: I did some analysis on bet size vs final winnings on around 50 games, and games with higher stakes ($50+ bets) don't pay out as well for the winners. I guess in the lower stakes games ($35 max) people aren't as concerned about losing their money. That's not to say they aren't giving it an honest effort - there just isn't quite as much urgency as the top bet amounts (who the hell bets $500 on weight loss anyway?).
    UPSLynx
  • d3k0yd3k0y Loveland, OH Icrontian
    Nicely done
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    mertesn said:

    it'll probably go away soon

    There's your next 3.8 pounds, right there.
    mertesn
  • BandrikBandrik Elkhart, IN Icrontian
    Congrats on your success! You made your goal for expo, AND kept it going.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    189
    PirateNinjaUPSLynxBobbyDigiprimesuspect
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    I seem to have gotten stuck at 187 for the last two weeks.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    You're not stuck. Your body is likely retaining enough water to mask your progress.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    Thrax said:

    You're not stuck. Your body is likely retaining enough water to mask your progress.

    Yeah, I'm still changing for the better. I'm not getting too worried about it. Probably doesn't help that one of our leads at work (a former Marine, I might add) put a pull-up bar in his office about three weeks ago. In a short time I've gone from doing barely one at the start to two sets of four and a set of two now (all from a dead hang).
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    Grease the wheel! The tried-and-true tactic for pullup domination.
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    Thrax said:

    Grease the wheel! The tried-and-true tactic for pullup domination.

    Yeah, my lead is matching me 2-for-1. That's the lowest of anyone in the office.

    And now that I think about it, I took about six weeks off from karate due to Expo and IRL stuff. Started back two weeks ago, so I guess the water retention makes sense.
  • RyanMMRyanMM Ferndale, MI Icrontian
    mertesn said:

    and with a slight adjustment of calories per day, swapping out one protein supplement for another

    Out of curiosity, what was the calorie adjustment, and what's the story with the protein supplements?
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    RyanMM said:

    mertesn said:

    and with a slight adjustment of calories per day, swapping out one protein supplement for another

    Out of curiosity, what was the calorie adjustment, and what's the story with the protein supplements?
    I dropped my target from 1720 to 1600 calories per day due to the lower requirements at my new weight.

    The protein supplements is to increase my protein intake (for muscle maintenance) while reducing my calorie intake (for weight loss). The supplement I'm using (Visalus) is the best combination of protein (25g with milk) and flavor (omg awesome).
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    185
    BobbyDigiprimesuspectWagsFTW
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    edited September 2013
    184. I was at 183 just over a week ago but the state fair was in town the last 11 days...and I enjoyed the food there quite a bit. A one pound gain was a lot better than I expected.
    midgaGHoosdum
  • HumerusMegHumerusMeg Something, something medical professional, Fitness bitch, Sexy chef Austin Icrontian
    Congrats Nick! You are making fabulous progress. You have to have cheats once in awhile, they make getting back on the horse again very easy. Keep up the great work <3
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian
    edited November 2013
    I've finally hit my original goal weight this week: 180lbs for the first time in seven years. This was what my nutritionist friend thought would be an ideal weight earlier this year. Based on my current build, I think somewhere in the 160-170 range is entirely maintainable in a healthy manner. Pics later if I remember to take them.

    The most easily I can describe the progress is in my clothing sizes. In the original before/after pictures, I was wearing an XL shirt and 38" shorts. Right now I can wear a large t-shirt (my under-gi shirts are a medium) and my 36" pants (and belt) are too big. I'm very close to comfortably wearing 34" pants.

    As for the previously mentioned pullups, I'm up to five in a set. Our latest office "manly challenge" has added in sets of pushups using the "Perfect Pushup". A set involves five each of regular, wide, close, and decline (feet on a chair) pushups.
    midgaBuddyJGHoosdum
  • mertesnmertesn I am Bobby Miller Yukon, OK Icrontian

    Six months later I weigh 185lbs, and I've been 'stuck' here for months. It's a bit discouraging because I've been unable to make any significant progress. Still, there are some facts that make it a bit better: First, that 185lbs isn't any higher. Second, that weight is fully hydrated and maintaining my exercise schedule (more on that in a moment). Third, I'm wearing 34" jeans and medium shirts now. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, my strength has increased significantly. I'm able to do eight pullups in a single set, followed by smaller sets in the biweekly office group. Decline pushups are now with feet on desk for added insanity.

    Karate just hasn't been cutting it for a workout anymore. I've tried increasing intensity and speed, but I seem to have reached a plateau. There's a CrossFit place that opened up near my house a few months ago. A few e-mails back and forth with the owner, and I have a couple of intro classes to see if it's right for me. My first session was today. One hour of intense exercise has never gone by so quickly. The most surprising thing was pushing past my 'limits' and how quickly I cooled down afterwards. I may be hooked. The owners and customers are pretty cool - no dudebros asking if I even lift, the staff are more concerned about form than repetitions, and everyone was encouraging each other. In my mind it's like what an IC fitness center would be.

    In other news, I'm in the final prep stages for my next belt test (delayed significantly due to surgery and being sick a lot last year). This time I'll try not to block punches with my face.

    oni_dels
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