Theorycrafting Real Life: Making my body what I want it to be
History
Once upon a time I was a 320 pound whale of a man, I did nothing but eat garbage, sit around, and play video games at the expense of my life. Once before I've been down this weight loss road, that time I achieved it through forceful starvation (1400 calorie diet + 10-12 miles of walking per day = bye bye muscles!) and while it did bring me down to around 205 pounds, it wasn't sustainable.
March 2, 2010 was the day I began my new march towards physical health - I weighed in then at 259 pounds. That was the first day of my program, which includes the following daily dietary goals:
In addition, this food must be spread into 5 meals per day at the least, I must not eat fat sources after the gym, and I must have protein 1 hour before and after the gym.
My goal is to be between 10-12% body fat, and have a strength level that is appropriate for a man of my size/age. Those things in mind, I should weigh around 200 pounds when I am done with this initial cut.
Meal plan
Meal 1 (9:00 AM): 2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 52.5 grams of Peanut Butter (3 tbsp roughly), 1st Protein Shake
Meal 2 (1:00 PM): 2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 35 grams of Peanut Butter (2 tbsp roughly), 2nd Protein Shake
Meal 3 (5:00 PM): 8 oz of Chicken Breast, 1 Slice of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 Slices of Fat-free Turkey
Meal 4 (8:30 PM): 3rd Protein Shake
Meal 5 (11:00 PM): 2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 Slices of Fat-Free Turkey
Calories: 1953
Protein: 207g
Carbs: 121g
Fat: 74g
Which puts my caloric ratios at:
Protein: 42%
Carbs: 24%
Fat: 33%
Weight Lifting Plan as of 3/23
Tuesday (3/23):
Flat Bench: 3x8 @ 105
Incline Bench: 3x8 @ 85
Bar Curls: 3x8 @ 35
Flat Flys: 3x8 @ 20
Wrist Curls: 3x8 @ 10
Reverse Wrist Curls: 3x8 25
Wednesday (3/24):
Calf Raises: 3x8 @ 90
Incline Situp: 6x5x4
Squats: 3x8 @ 95
Hamstring Curl: 3x8 @ 65
Reverse Crunch: 3x8 @ 5
Leg Press: 3x8 @ 165
Friday (3/26):
Standing Press: 3x8 @ 70
Hammer Curl: 3x8 @25
Reverse Wrist Curl: 3x8 @ 25
Sitting Row: 3x8 @ 70
Reverse Barbell Curl: 3x8 @ 25
Lateral Dumbell Raise: 8x8x4 @ 15
Saturday (3/27):
Deadlift: 2x8 @ 140
Pull Ups: 3x8 @ 80 Assisted
Dips: 3x8
Rows: 3x6 @ 80
Skullcrushers: 3x8 30
Updates
I will update the thread once every two weeks, starting today, with pictures and my current Body Fat %, Waist/Hip Measurement, Weight, and current exercises.
I would say wish me luck, but I don't plan on faltering - I've already lost 8 pounds in these first few weeks! In 3 weeks I've gone from 259 to 251, and from 32.31% body fat to 30.30% body fat.
Time to grind this out, its going to be a fun ride.
Correction: Wish me luck in that I don't get sick like Thrax and have to skip gym days as a result.
Once upon a time I was a 320 pound whale of a man, I did nothing but eat garbage, sit around, and play video games at the expense of my life. Once before I've been down this weight loss road, that time I achieved it through forceful starvation (1400 calorie diet + 10-12 miles of walking per day = bye bye muscles!) and while it did bring me down to around 205 pounds, it wasn't sustainable.
March 2, 2010 was the day I began my new march towards physical health - I weighed in then at 259 pounds. That was the first day of my program, which includes the following daily dietary goals:
- 1950 Calories
- 65 grams of fat
- 145 grams of carbs
- 200 grams of protein
- 1 Gallon of Water
In addition, this food must be spread into 5 meals per day at the least, I must not eat fat sources after the gym, and I must have protein 1 hour before and after the gym.
My goal is to be between 10-12% body fat, and have a strength level that is appropriate for a man of my size/age. Those things in mind, I should weigh around 200 pounds when I am done with this initial cut.
Meal plan
Meal 1 (9:00 AM): 2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 52.5 grams of Peanut Butter (3 tbsp roughly), 1st Protein Shake
Meal 2 (1:00 PM): 2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 35 grams of Peanut Butter (2 tbsp roughly), 2nd Protein Shake
Meal 3 (5:00 PM): 8 oz of Chicken Breast, 1 Slice of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 Slices of Fat-free Turkey
Meal 4 (8:30 PM): 3rd Protein Shake
Meal 5 (11:00 PM): 2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread, 2 Slices of Fat-Free Turkey
Calories: 1953
Protein: 207g
Carbs: 121g
Fat: 74g
Which puts my caloric ratios at:
Protein: 42%
Carbs: 24%
Fat: 33%
Weight Lifting Plan as of 3/23
Tuesday (3/23):
Flat Bench: 3x8 @ 105
Incline Bench: 3x8 @ 85
Bar Curls: 3x8 @ 35
Flat Flys: 3x8 @ 20
Wrist Curls: 3x8 @ 10
Reverse Wrist Curls: 3x8 25
Wednesday (3/24):
Calf Raises: 3x8 @ 90
Incline Situp: 6x5x4
Squats: 3x8 @ 95
Hamstring Curl: 3x8 @ 65
Reverse Crunch: 3x8 @ 5
Leg Press: 3x8 @ 165
Friday (3/26):
Standing Press: 3x8 @ 70
Hammer Curl: 3x8 @25
Reverse Wrist Curl: 3x8 @ 25
Sitting Row: 3x8 @ 70
Reverse Barbell Curl: 3x8 @ 25
Lateral Dumbell Raise: 8x8x4 @ 15
Saturday (3/27):
Deadlift: 2x8 @ 140
Pull Ups: 3x8 @ 80 Assisted
Dips: 3x8
Rows: 3x6 @ 80
Skullcrushers: 3x8 30
Updates
I will update the thread once every two weeks, starting today, with pictures and my current Body Fat %, Waist/Hip Measurement, Weight, and current exercises.
I would say wish me luck, but I don't plan on faltering - I've already lost 8 pounds in these first few weeks! In 3 weeks I've gone from 259 to 251, and from 32.31% body fat to 30.30% body fat.
Time to grind this out, its going to be a fun ride.
Correction: Wish me luck in that I don't get sick like Thrax and have to skip gym days as a result.
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Comments
Kick the tires, don't you dare give up. Push yourself when you need to, but don't burn out or hurt yourself. Always remind yourself of the end goal.
Keep us updated man, get to it!
I made the following adjustments to my meal plan:
2 Servings (70g) of Peanut Butter daily instead of 2.5 (87.5g)
3 Servings (6xSlices) of Fat Free Turkey instead of 2 Servings (4xSlices)
8 Servings (8xSlices) of Whole Wheat Bread instead of 7 Servings (7xSlices)
This brings my total daily values to the following
Calories: 1973
Protein: 215 (43%)
Carbs: 133 (26%)
Fat: 68 (30%)
Normally I'll post these updates on Tuesdays, this was just a little late as I had to figure out a solution to getting the pictures onto my PC.
Weight: 251
Body Fat %: 30.31
Waist Size: 47"
I'm down 13 pounds in four weeks. There is only one thing you can do to get in better shape, eat better, and move more.
If I can add a few things that are helping me?
Oatmeal, it loves you in the morning. 220 calories of low sugar oatmeal gets me through my morning routine. I know you want to pack more protein then me, but on a day where your not looking to work out and you want to shift some of that fiber you get from the processed bread, I totally recommend it. Oatmeal defeats hunger like nothing else I have found.
Also, fruit and vegetables, they are your friend. Often you can eat a very large portion and barely pack any calories, and I swear, since I have been eating my recommended allotment, I just feel more energetic so I can power through my exercise. Try eating a raw apple an hour before you work out, that good natural sugar really makes you more efficient at the gym. Dipping apple slices in peanut butter is actually pretty damn delicious, I highly recommend it, that could be another more effective fiber replacement for the processed bread on the menu.
And don't totally refuse things you love. Love Pizza? Have a slice once a week, portion it out, figure out what it costs you in calories and just eat it less often. I remember reading this thing about Tony Little gaining all this weight, mostly eating giant chocolate chip cookies, and to this day, as good a shape as he is in, he says he has to treat himself to one of those a week, but he accounts for it, he knows what it costs him in other more healthy foods, or time at the gym and he does what he needs to do to get it in. Treat yourself here and there so you don't go insane eating the same stuff each and every day. Nutritional information for just about anything you want can be found online these days. I need that Chik Fil A sandwich once a week, instead of waffle fries I get the fruit cup. I like ice cream, summer is coming, I'm going to have some here and there. The shop across the street makes amazing soft serve, a kid sized portion once a week in place of some boiled chicken is going to keep me sane. Eating is one of the most important things you do for your mental health. Sure, you can eat the same thing every day figuring its efficient, it keeps it simple, but honestly, thats not sustainable long term. Your going to have to learn to eat better on the fly if you want to be successful long term. You have lost allot of weight before (as have I) we have the will power to do it, we know we do, but we need to make that lifetime commitment to be better at nutrition and exercise, and not just look at it as a short term A to B goal. We are men, we see problem, we fix problem, well, our health and fitness does not work that way, what it takes is us re wiring how we think about food and exercise for life, in other words, its a problem you cant just put the Q&A stamp on and say, FIXED, nope, you have to keep at it every single day for the rest of your life. Many days we will be outstanding, others in between, a few less so, but ultimately its a problem that we will live with until the grave. Thats not to say you should not have short/long term goals, just keep in mind, if you want it to stick, you are going to be at this forever, and I doubt your going to eat nothing but peanut butter, bread and turkey for the rest of your life.
I'm confident we are both going to get there the hard way, one ounce at a time, but it will happen.
And keep writing about it, in a way I find it helps me feel accountable. When I get a little congrats, or how are you doing this week? It goes a long way to keep me on track. In a strange little way, I feel accountable to my online friends, it helps to motivate me.
Congrats on the good start!
Here is to version 2.0, or 5.0 in my case.
Weight: 243.5
Body Fat %: 28.08
Waist Size: 45"
2" off the waist already, thats pretty fantastic. Keep it up.
Weight: 245
Body Fat %: 26.16
Waist Size: 44"
Not saying its specific to your issues, but on my diet I ate a really salty meal one day (a bunch of soy sauce on white rice) and they next day I popped on about three pounds, all retained water weight. A day full of water drinking later, it came back off.
How your body holds water is funny, that much weight, that quickly, its likely water.
You know, you might have something there - I tried a different seasoning on the chicken and I used way too much of it. Could be the extra sodium that I had right before going to bed last night. I'll measure/weigh again Thursday and see if there's a significant difference.
Well right, but I forgot completely that sodium = extra water retention.
Yeah, strangely enough, the best way to get rid of it is by drinking plenty of water.
Yeah, strangely enough, the best way to get rid of it is by drinking plenty of water.
Body Fat %: 22.68
Waist Size: 41.5"
Made some minor adjustments since I finally got through all of my disgusting vanilla protein powder. Less chicken, more shake makes for a happier wallet.
Wow, you have knocked over 5" off your waist already! Thats a fantastic start.
Weightlifting and a nutritionally balanced diet produce very consistent results. And I still live a little :P
Its been remarkably easy to stick to - since there's little prep work involved in getting my meals together, I can fit them in whenever I need to.
I wish I would have measured my waist when I started loosing weight. Lets put it this way, I know 42" pants were barely comfortable, and 40's were way too snug, like cut off my air supply snug. Now my 40's fit fantastic, in fact, they are probably a little too loose, and I can get into an old pair of 38" that I have laying around, but, those are now the cut off my air supply snug, so my best guess is probably 3" or so?
Anyhow, I'm down 25 pounds, or at least I will be when I weigh in officially tomorrow, and I have to say, my arms, not too shabby for about six weeks of work.
A little protein at each meal, eat five small meals a day, count calories, know your approximate resting metabolic rate, do a little cardio to burn calories, weight train every other day, and good stuff happens.
One thing I will say is God I hate having to think about if it is worth drinking a beer at night! I'm so obsessed right now, a few beers in the fridge, I think, yeah, thats exactly what I want, but I deny myself and drink a big cup of water. I'm pretty sure I'll celebrate with one light brew tomorrow night, then back to the program. I don't know about you, but I can't afford to drink calories, I can't waste them on that.
Being responsible sucks, but its so rewarding. Keep it up brother.
People often think its inhuman to eat the same thing all the time - It really isn't. When you start thinking about food in terms of how much it helps or hurts the work you're putting in at the gym, you stop wanting the shitty foods and crave the exercise.
Nothing I'm doing is hard, Thrax showed me the only discipline necessary is setting the odds up in your favor. I only buy what I need at the store, I try not to make plans that interfere with my gym time, I take one or two meals a week and eat a little outside the box.
Its way easier to stick to than I thought it would be.
Humans are creatures of habit. You just have to break bad habits and form good ones. Thats the tough part for most of us as the bad habits are the best habits.
You are doing great sir. Keep it up!
5 Scoops (8 oz shakes) of EAS Protein Powder
2 Slices of whole wheat bread
1 Serving (35g) of Peanut Butter
1 Cup of Brown Rice
1 Small Wendy's Chili (Stuff is amazing)
7 oz of Chicken Breast
3 oz of Ground Beef
Calories: 1914
Protein: 223g
Carbs: 102g
Fat: 68g
New goals are:
Calories: 1939
Protein: 239g
Carbs: 100g
Fat: 65g
Body Fat %: 22.07
Waist Size: 41"
I'll upload pictures when attachments are back up.