2019 Body Transformation Thread

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

I've decided that I'm just not built to get below about 190 with some pudge no matter how hard I try, and just being careful will keep me around 195. I think I'm destined to just be slightly diet lazy and slighty fat. 

I really do feel a ton better cutting carbs, though. I was the first person to say just eat less of whatever and exercise a little more if you want to lose weight and quit looking for a magic solution. And low carb, low fat, low whatever was stupid and mainly marketing shit. But the difference of how I feel when I really cut down on carbs is significant, so I am a believer that it does something good. 

Plus I have liver issues and cutting carbs is supposed to be good for that, so I have another incentive for that type of diet. My problem is, when I cheat, I go off the fucking rails and order pizza 5 days in a row and grab a snickers bar everytime I walk by one.  I'm still trying to figure out how to just have 1 or 2 shitty (great) cheat meals or days and then get back on track quickly. 

[bluto 4,997]

Oh I gotcha. I've never measured that way. 

Hell of a shock when I realized vanity sizing exists on men’s waist sizes for pants.

[El Diablo 4,232]

On ‎10‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 9:31 AM, BBQ2Bayou said:

I've decided that I'm just not built to get below about 190 with some pudge no matter how hard I try, and just being careful will keep me around 195. I think I'm destined to just be slightly diet lazy and slighty fat. 

I really do feel a ton better cutting carbs, though. I was the first person to say just eat less of whatever and exercise a little more if you want to lose weight and quit looking for a magic solution. And low carb, low fat, low whatever was stupid and mainly marketing shit. But the difference of how I feel when I really cut down on carbs is significant, so I am a believer that it does something good. 

Plus I have liver issues and cutting carbs is supposed to be good for that, so I have another incentive for that type of diet. My problem is, when I cheat, I go off the fucking rails and order pizza 5 days in a row and grab a snickers bar everytime I walk by one.  I'm still trying to figure out how to just have 1 or 2 shitty (great) cheat meals or days and then get back on track quickly. 

I've been doing Keto for over a year and a half and pretty much sticking to it. I've had cheat meals and let myself have a candy bar or piece of cake or whatever when I felt like it, no biggie, I'm the only person I have to answer to. But this last month or so the craving for carbs has really been strong. I slid off the rails a month or more ago and corrected that in the last few weeks but the cravings remain. I had not had that issue previously. I still think it's somehow related to the time of year, that the human body evolved to pack on weight when the days get shorter and that's what I'm experiencing but damned if it isn't difficult to ignore.

[Goofyboy 3,434]

Hell of a shock when I realized vanity sizing exists on men’s waist sizes for pants.

Same. I measured and measured again... damn it, pants lie.

[Richter 2,415]

Checking back in....  I’ve been weighing in at 178.5-182 ish lately... 6’2”, 41 years old...  11.5% body fat

lost ~30 lbs and like >10% body fat since May.  I have abs for the first time in my life... Also, went up in all my major lifts (squats, deadlift, bench, military press, pull-ups, etc) and my lean body mass is up 6-7lbs.  Almost done cutting and ready to bulk.

[cabowabo 4,690]

I've decided I need to drop a few pounds, and have decided on the Keto diet which I've never done before.  I did Atkins years ago with pretty good results.  Anyone have any tips on a website or app that can provide me meals and sort of a roadmap to get started.  I don't want to spend hours and hours reading and learning, just a plan to tell me what to eat, when to eat it, and what not to eat.  Gracias.

[Richter 2,415]

For Keto, you just go really low carb for extended periods of time.  You can eat most meats, unless they're glazed with a sugary sauce or fried with a batter.  Most veggies are fine, but nothing that grows below the ground (potatoes, carrots, etc) and most beans are out.  Most fruits are out, except a reasonable portion of berries. Starches like bread, rice, and other grains are out.  No sugar or alcohol.  Read more:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101#foods-to-avoid

Keto isn't hard to do compared to other diets like Whole 30 and you can usually eat out at most places.  The problem is that the philosophy is built around sticking to it for long periods of time so that your body goes into ketosis and burns fat quickly.  It can take up to several days for you to get into ketosis, so if you have a cheat day, it sets you back.  Also, some people get symptoms (keto flu) that take them a while to adjust to.  

I lost my first ten pounds in a month using Keto.  I did it on a month that I was already planning on not drinking for.  Keto will be more effective if you also don't go crazy with the "good" foods (consume ridiculous calories of meat for example).  Also, if you intermittently fast, you will lose weight faster.  I'd recommend it as a good diet to do for a month or two, but I don't think its a great long term answer.

After one month of Keto, I switched to macro-counting which I find to be much easier to use consistently.  I log all my calories and try to eat within a certain range of total calories and protein M-Th and a more relaxed range F-Su.  I also lift heavy and run maybe once a week.  There is really nothing I won't eat or drink, as long as I have the budget for it calorie-wise that day.  If you are interested in that type of diet, start here:  https://legionathletics.com/macronutrient-calculator/

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

Weighed in at 188 today which is my lowest in 18 months. My highest ever has only been around 220, so it's not a huge thing, but it feels good still. 

I'm on my 3rd go around with keto. My first one was good. Felt great and dropped from 215 to 190. The second time I didn't lose much and I didn't feel good like the first time. Was stuck between 195-200 and couldn't budge it. This time I feel great again and am dropping a couple pounds a week. The only difference in the second time was artificial sweetners, mainly diet soda and sugar free gum. 

I didn't think it would make that much of a difference, but there's nothing else I can think of that was different. The more you know.....

[El Diablo 4,232]

Had to see the doc yesterday and get a flu shot. Got weighed while I was in there and came in at 207. That's down 5 lbs from this time in August. Still losing roughly 2 lbs a month. If that holds up I'll be somewhat close to a goal weight this time next year. Perseverance and patience.

[pearlandhorn 3,343]

 

15 hours ago, BBQ2Bayou said:

Weighed in at 188 today which is my lowest in 18 months. My highest ever has only been around 220, so it's not a huge thing, but it feels good still. 

I'm on my 3rd go around with keto. My first one was good. Felt great and dropped from 215 to 190. The second time I didn't lose much and I didn't feel good like the first time. Was stuck between 195-200 and couldn't budge it. This time I feel great again and am dropping a couple pounds a week. The only difference in the second time was artificial sweetners, mainly diet soda and sugar free gum. 

I didn't think it would make that much of a difference, but there's nothing else I can think of that was different. The more you know.....

One thing I learned while on Keto was when I got to around 200 lbs, I was consuming too much fat and therefore, eating too many calories to lose weight.  I had to decrease my total overall food consumption in order to continue losing weight which left me feeling still hungry.  I finally was fed up with feeling hungry and binged on carbs and didn't gain any weight.  Fell off Keto shortly thereafter.  Keto is good for losing weight if you have a lot of fat storage.  IMO, it's not great for sustained weight loss as the calories you're eating are very dense (9 calories per gram of fat - 4 calories per gram of protein/carb).  But it definitely helped me lose 100+ pounds.

[El Diablo 4,232]

On ‎10‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 9:11 AM, pearlandhorn said:

 

One thing I learned while on Keto was when I got to around 200 lbs, I was consuming too much fat and therefore, eating too many calories to lose weight.  I had to decrease my total overall food consumption in order to continue losing weight which left me feeling still hungry.  I finally was fed up with feeling hungry and binged on carbs and didn't gain any weight.  Fell off Keto shortly thereafter.  Keto is good for losing weight if you have a lot of fat storage.  IMO, it's not great for sustained weight loss as the calories you're eating are very dense (9 calories per gram of fat - 4 calories per gram of protein/carb).  But it definitely helped me lose 100+ pounds.

I'm still losing at the same rate on Keto but I suspect that within the next year I am going to have to modify my diet because of what you're talking about. We'll see how it goes but I've got a suspicion that as I approach a weight I'm happy with that it is going to take a long, hard stall.

[pearlandhorn 3,343]

1 hour ago, El Diablo said:

I'm still losing at the same rate on Keto but I suspect that within the next year I am going to have to modify my diet because of what you're talking about. We'll see how it goes but I've got a suspicion that as I approach a weight I'm happy with that it is going to take a long, hard stall.

Yep.  I've officially stalled at 186-188.  I guess that means that's my ideal weight?  At 6'2", 188, I'll take it.

[El Diablo 4,232]

10 minutes ago, pearlandhorn said:

Yep.  I've officially stalled at 186-188.  I guess that means that's my ideal weight?  At 6'2", 188, I'll take it.

Long way from where you started, congratulations!

[pearlandhorn 3,343]

5 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

Long way from where you started, congratulations!

Thank you!  Cheers and congrats on your progress as well.

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

1 hour ago, pearlandhorn said:

Yep.  I've officially stalled at 186-188.  I guess that means that's my ideal weight?  At 6'2", 188, I'll take it.

i'll take that at 5' 10",  if I could maintain it with the occasional cheesecake on top of a pizza. Fried. 

[South Austin 53,224]

2 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

Yep.  I've officially stalled at 186-188.  I guess that means that's my ideal weight?  At 6'2", 188, I'll take it.

Shit, most guys at 6'2" would kill to be 188.  Nice work!

[4th&Five 42,005]

I’m 6’3” and stay between 182-185. Any lower than that and I look like an AIDS patient. 

[Storm the Field 5,366]

For a third straight year, Astros being in the post-season kicked my ass. Had at least 3 drinks probably 20/25 nights between Game 1 of ALDS and Game 7 of WS. And it's not like you tend to eat right or get a lot of exercise when you're living like that.

After a particularly indulgent 3-day weekend, stepped on the scale at 198.5 (6'0) yesterday morning. Actually surprised it was below 205 considering how tight my clothes felt. Obviously, holiday season isn't the best time to start trying lose weight, but better to get at least half-ass going now and not wait until January. Cut out the weeknight booze, bring healthy lunches to work instead of going out every day, get back to the gym 4-5 days a week...etc.

[4th&Five 42,005]

No idea how but I lost 4 lbs this week. I’ll take it.  

[El Diablo 4,232]

I think I'm going to have to make some changes in my Keto-ish diet plan because I think my gall bladder is revolting. Doc is still got some more tests scheduled but a few weeks back I had some pain in my gut and the gall bladder seems the likely suspect. I've already cut back on the amount of fatty animal protein and it seems to have helped. Outside of that I'm stuck at around 207 for the better part of 2 months. I can live with that, for now. Wintertime is being a bitch for me to get some exercise though.

[Mole 4,339]

I guess it’s time to check in here: I’m down 60+ pounds since the spring, down to my post basic training wait when I was much younger. All I’ve done really is track my calories in an app and keep it in the lose 1-2 pounds per week range. I eat whatever I want as long as the numbers stay below my goals and I don’t worry about exercise (I get about 3 miles per day during the work day though). A few things have happened over the last 9 months:

1. I find it easier to be hungry during the day than at night, so generally skip breakfast and push my first meal back as late as possible. I know I’ll be just as hungry at lunch whether or not I have breakfast, so skipping saves a lot of calories. 

2. I’d rather be full when I eat, so I’ve gravitated towards low calorie foods I can eat in large quantities. A bag of frozen broccoli is only 120 calories, so I’ve eat lots of broccoli. 

3. I haven’t worried about exercise. For me it’s just an excuse to eat more, so whatever exercise I get, I get. I might try adding some planned workouts in the new year to see how that goes. 

4. I weigh myself everyday. I’ve learned the rhythms of my weight loss - nothing through the week then a sudden drop on the weekends, but the numbers keep me motivated. 

5. The more complicated strategies - counting macros, avoiding certain things, etc - seem excessively complicated to me. I find that demotivating in the long term. The simplicity of keeping my calories below what the app says is easy to maintain.

6. I think of my calories on a weekly rather than daily basis, so a day or few over isn’t a big deal.

7. That said, I only occasionally go over my daily limit.

8. I’ve made peace with being hungry. It stands to reason that if you’re losing weight, you’ll spend some time hungry, so being ok with that helps.

[El Diablo 4,232]

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with being hungry. As a lardass I rarely stayed hungry for very long, lol. Now? I get hungry and allow myself to be hungry. I still avoid carbs when I eat but that's just me. No calorie counting here but whatever works is a good thing if it's sustainable. Keep up the work.

[ChickenSandwich 9,959]

Thanks as always to the Surl. This thread always brings the motivation. 
 

Need to drop 10 for Christmas. Cut out beer and just started the Murph challenge for a workout plan, trying to do it 5 times a week. 2 complete (sans weight vest) in two days and it feels like death will be here soon. 
 

Good vibes and good luck to all those sticking with it. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by ChickenSandwich

[South Austin 53,224]

4 hours ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Need to drop 10 for Christmas. Cut out beer

Just to be clear, are you intending to cut out beer as part of your plans to drop 10 pounds before Christmas, and then proceed to drink beer during Christmas?

[ChickenSandwich 9,959]

Exactly 

[SEC 1,174]

Achievement unlocked:

[El Diablo 4,232]

I haven't checked in lately so here's the scoop. I went on the tamale transport over Thanksgiving. 2 years ago that was what put me over the top as far as weight gain. Nov-Dec of 2017 I put on 13 lbs, primarily from living on an unregulated diet of tamales. So after 2 years of behaving myself I decided I could once again enjoy a few dozen. Surprisingly I did not blow up this time. My biggest concern was with the way I have been losing weight, that is very slowly, that packing on a bunch of dead calories would set me back a good bit and would instantly show up on the scale. That didn't happen thankfully. I avoided the scale for a couple of weeks but did decide to check on my weight this morning and I'm at 207.0. Started in January at 233. Most of my weight loss has come between March and August for whatever reason so I figure if I can just maintain my current weight or close to it then come Spring 2020 I'll be in a good position to make a run at sub-200. 

Happy Holidays, ladies and gents. 

[Jerry Callo 8,960]

Getting back on the weight loss plan after packing on about 50 pounds in the last year.  I want to get back to a reasonable weight (225) before my 50th birthday on 6/15. 

Going with 16/8 because cutting out the breakfasts I was eating will eliminate lots of daily calories.  Ketoish diet - no sugar, breads, pasta, starchy vegs, etc.  Regular exercise has been missing for the last 4 years so I'm going to start with moderate walking, cycling, and maybe swimming.  Weekly updates on this thread to stay accountable.

Started the week at 275.  

 

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

Any of you tried cutting dairy with good results? I'm mostly doing lazy keto because it has worked for me, but I've hit a weight that won't seem to budge. A friend suggested cutting out dairy because I eat a shit ton of cheese and quite a bit of ranch dressing on salads. So I really don't know if it's the dairy part or the fact that those have a bunch of calories, or some of both. Think I should try to just cut down on those, or try to give up dairy for a while? I'm terrible at moderation, though. 

[pearlandhorn 3,343]

2 hours ago, BBQ2Bayou said:

Any of you tried cutting dairy with good results? I'm mostly doing lazy keto because it has worked for me, but I've hit a weight that won't seem to budge. A friend suggested cutting out dairy because I eat a shit ton of cheese and quite a bit of ranch dressing on salads. So I really don't know if it's the dairy part or the fact that those have a bunch of calories, or some of both. Think I should try to just cut down on those, or try to give up dairy for a while? I'm terrible at moderation, though. 

Keto means high fat.  Dairy has a ton of fat in it (unless you do fat free ranch which has more carbs which means no more Keto).  Thought about moving away from Keto?

[4th&Five 42,005]

i eat very little dairy (a handful of yogurt covered raisins every night) but i'm on a low sodium diet.  the last 15 lbs i lost fell off when i gave it up though.

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

2 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

Keto means high fat.  Dairy has a ton of fat in it (unless you do fat free ranch which has more carbs which means no more Keto).  Thought about moving away from Keto?

I have. Just not sure which direction to go. I'm sick of keto, I know that. But it has worked for me. 

[El Diablo 4,232]

I dropped below 205 earlier this week and have stayed there so I'm claiming it. Think I'll give up posting here until after New Years. Started the year at 233 so 28 pounds lost. That plus the 27 from the previous year for a total of 55. If the trend continues that gets me in the 180 zone this coming year. Keep at it, nothing good happens fast (insert sex joke here). 

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

5 hours ago, El Diablo said:

I dropped below 205 earlier this week and have stayed there so I'm claiming it. Think I'll give up posting here until after New Years. Started the year at 233 so 28 pounds lost. That plus the 27 from the previous year for a total of 55. If the trend continues that gets me in the 180 zone this coming year. Keep at it, nothing good happens fast (insert sex joke here). 

Good work, devilman. I got to my lowest weight in probably 20 years this week and then thought to myself, "fuck me, it's the time to eat like crap for 2 weeks." I'm out of town hanging out with family for a while, so meals are a big part of it. Plus my gym is a thousand miles away. Not sure how I'm going to manage it yet, but I'll prly just worry about it when the year turns. 

[Goofyboy 3,434]

I’m sitting at 204. I’m on coasting mode till Jan and then I’m going strict on the nutrition plan again and shoot for a 6 pack by June. Good work this year folks!!

[Parliament 14,597]

I dropped below 205 earlier this week and have stayed there so I'm claiming it. Think I'll give up posting here until after New Years. Started the year at 233 so 28 pounds lost. That plus the 27 from the previous year for a total of 55. If the trend continues that gets me in the 180 zone this coming year. Keep at it, nothing good happens fast (insert sex joke here). 

Losing it slower like that makes it more likely you'll keep it off. Imho anyway.

[crash_davis 23,470]

i started the 30 day burpees challenge on sunday.  been doing them everyday. i'm already in pretty good shape so curious to see if there are any gainz, bro.

yesterday i completed 100 burpees in 7 mins 20 secs. i guess my goal is sub 6 mins by day 30.

Edited December 20, 2019 by crash_davis

[Laxtonto 13,299]

7 hours ago, El Diablo said:

I dropped below 205 earlier this week and have stayed there so I'm claiming it. Think I'll give up posting here until after New Years. Started the year at 233 so 28 pounds lost. That plus the 27 from the previous year for a total of 55. If the trend continues that gets me in the 180 zone this coming year. Keep at it, nothing good happens fast (insert sex joke here). 

In the same boat. Started at 242 in July, at 214 now and will maintain simple healthy eating until January and will go from there. 

[4th&Five 42,005]

My wife and I have our own small company. Only 2 or 3 of us in the office at a time and this week our manufacturers have sent enough sweets for 20 people. So far I’ve avoided diving into TIFF’s Treats, multiple popcorn buckets, a basket of cakes and a loaf of banana bread that looks pretty good. 
 

Trying to stay on my diet until Xmas eve. 

[Patches 12]

Hopping on the workout train this year. Been doing core strength 3-4 times per week for a couple years. Getting older and wanting to get in better shape with a little one around. Trying to stop pointless drinking sessions and smoking cigarettes when I drink too. We just got a Peloton so I am going to work that in as well. Thanks to all on this thread for the motivation and advice.

[Patches 12]

Hopping on the workout train this year. Been doing core strength 3-4 times per week for a couple years. Getting older and wanting to get in better shape with a little one around. Trying to stop pointless drinking sessions and smoking cigarettes when I drink too. We just got a Peloton so I am going to work that in as well. Thanks to all on this thread for the motivation and advice.

[HiggyBaby 2,617]

Any tips or products to help get rid of stubborn turkey neck?

I workout 4-5 times a week, eat right, incorporate a lot of cardio. Overall happy with my fitness level, just can’t seem to shake the excess fat under my jaw.

[Storm the Field 5,366]

Gonna enjoy one last weekend of food and drink before I start my annual January slim-down. Lost a solid 15 lbs last January by going dry, eating right and working out. Booze will be off limits starting 1/2 through 2/1 (with likely exception of National Championship game). Pretty disgusted with how chubby I've looked in some pictures taken the past 2 months. Fortunately, I've already resumed a pretty decent gym schedule the past few weeks, so won't have to drag my ass in there on January 2nd and start from scratch.

[Knoxtnhorn 6,307]

Stupid question...

How effective are resistance bands?  I've never lifted weights in my life; however, with my current lifestyle, I can see having quite a bit of time to do some version of resistance band exercise throughout the day.  Anyone else use these items frequently?

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,779]

They are great when attached to the ends of barbells.

[Parliament 14,597]

Mostly worthless

[Knoxtnhorn 6,307]

10 hours ago, Parliament said:

Mostly worthless

That's what I figured.  Slightly better than doing nothing.  I'm all about running/cycling.  I just absolutely abhor lifting weights.  I think it's an ADHD thing.  

[Goofyboy 3,434]

Bands are great if used in place of cables or attached to weights. The constant tension is good.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,730]

On 12/26/2019 at 10:24 AM, HiggyBaby said:

Any tips or products to help get rid of stubborn turkey neck?

I workout 4-5 times a week, eat right, incorporate a lot of cardio. Overall happy with my fitness level, just can’t seem to shake the excess fat under my jaw.

I believe there are zero methods to spot reduce except for medical procedures.  The only diet/exercise option is overall weight loss.

go kick your parents for giving you the generic disposition to gaining weight in your neck. 

[HiggyBaby 2,617]

Yep, definitely a strong genetic component.