2019 Body Transformation Thread

[South Austin 52456]

Still managing to workout at home with a set of dumbbells I borrowed from a trainer friend, and running about once a week. Haven’t really lost any significant muscle mass, but getting a tad softer around the middle, probably because of increased booze consumption and sitting around most of the day working from home. But still eating pretty healthy, probably healthier because I’m not eating at restaurants.

[RockyMountainHighHorn 890]

Time for a plug- I know this may not be aimed at the surly demographic but my brother and his wife just opened their brand new Barre 3 studio in cedar park. It’s a different way to get back into shape that’s not just the typical gym. I know this is probably aimed more at the surly wives but please help spread the word. Yes, I tried it and once class kicked my ass as well as lots of the other men that were there. Have some free starter classes and “beginners” packages. Help support a local business...most importantly started by a fellow longhorn! https://barre3.com/studio-locations/cedar-park

[Halohal 498]

Hey, just saw the same barre3 segment on kvue this morning. Was reading about them. Cool place.

[YChang 3443]

I’ve never been in better shape. I’ve had to buy new clothes recently.

 

Being able to and then not wanting to break my streak (140+ days) of working out every day has been about the only positive thing about the whole screwed up shelter in and wfh for the foreseeable future situation.

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

i've added back ~8-10 lbs.  and now weighing in at ~220lbs, (@6'7'').  relaxing my diet big time over the last month and straying from 'super low carb' to 'meh, i will pass on straight up bread but eat most anything else'.  It shows.  if i don't reel it in, i'll probably keep gaining.

still doing light dumbbell work and pushups, but no cardio happening.

[Buzzrock 14903]

How does one convince their wife to get on board?

Mine keeps the house absolutely stacked to the rafters with junk food of every persuasion. Couple that with my pathetic willpower as well as booze and occasional weed and it’s a diet disaster. She and I are both at all time fat (I’ve been overweight by at least a little my entire adult life, but she has really packed it on in the last year) and when I asked her about it recently she said wtte “Who really gives a shit?” seemingly using the pandemic to justify throwing in the towel.

The worst part is my kids eat it all the time too. The 14 year old girl is still pretty much a beanpole but the 11 year old boy has put on a little pudge. She doesn’t see that as an issue either.

[pearlandhorn 3269]

She “doesn’t give a shit” because you don’t give a shit. Well, you might, but you aren’t leading by example. Once you start getting looks from younger, hot women, she’ll get on board.

[Parliament 14247]

Tell her she needs to be more like the hot lady who just moved next door. That and lead by example. Work out, add healthy stuff to the grocery list and cook healthy meals when it's your turn.

[Parliament 14247]

Tapadouble

 

 

[Parliament 14247]

Tapadouble

 

 

[Parliament 14247]

Tell her she needs to be more like the hot lady who just moved next door. That and lead by example. Work out, add healthy stuff to the grocery list and cook healthy meals when it's your turn.

[Errestaurants 2570]

Haven't checked in awhile. Good job to everyone still getting after it. I'm on a rad and cardarine cylcle with a test base. Up to low 190s. Holding a little water but overall feeling pretty good. I do PPL 6 days a week and walk around 12 miles a week. Diet is very good other than my steak dinners at the ranch and fried crappie. Lol

[pearlandhorn 3269]

If she won’t buy the healthy stuff at the grocery store, do the shopping yourself. Only you can help your situation.

[South Austin 52456]

I watched the documentary "Fat Fiction" earlier this week.  Many of the folks on this board already know about the false myth of the low-fat high-carbohydrate diet perpetuated since the 1950s and 60s, and the growing body of literature about the science-backed health benefits of a diet higher in saturated fats and lower in carbohydrates.  But it was interesting and affirmed how relatively simply dietary changes can drastically improve your health.

 

[YChang 3443]

4 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

How does one convince their wife to get on board?

Mine keeps the house absolutely stacked to the rafters with junk food of every persuasion.

For example.. say the behavior is to "eat healthier."

I would begin with very small steps for the behavior change. I mean it could be as small as buying 1 less junk food item. Eating 1 piece of fruit each day. If we're going really basic... eat the junk food but eat it in a smaller quantity. Or you have to pair it with something healthy. 

Make the negative behavior harder. Put the junk food further in the back of the pantry to make it annoying to get.  Use an app as a tool or for coaching purposes. Get the kids on board too. Make it a family deal. 

Too often we set aspirational goals but give up because it seems so far away to achieve. Start small, repeat it, celebrate those successes and then scale it up. You're also on different levels as far as motivation. You're willing to put in harder work, being more motivated and she's not. So to have any chance of success, you have to make the task much smaller for her. 

 

Edited August 13, 2020 by YChang

[pearlandhorn 3269]

19 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I watched the documentary "Fat Fiction" earlier this week.  Many of the folks on this board already know about the false myth of the low-fat high-carbohydrate diet perpetuated since the 1950s and 60s, and the growing body of literature about the science-backed health benefits of a diet higher in saturated fats and lower in carbohydrates.  But it was interesting and affirmed how relatively simply dietary changes can drastically improve your health.

 

Very interesting. Definitely going to watch this. In my opinion, the problem with the US obesity issue is that people just eat too damn much. Honestly. People get bored and eat. They don’t exercise because they “don’t have time”.

Being stuck at home in quarantine is the perfect time to get your diet in check, cook different foods and just avoid the shit that you can get at a drive thru. My rule of thumb is if you can get it at a drive thru, it’s shitty food that is bad for you.

Fat intake is not bad. Too much fat intake is not good as the caloric density of fats are very high in comparison to carbs and protein. A healthy balance of fat and carbs is necessary for general health. If you exercise regularly, you can get away with eating more carbs. Just eat less fat if you want to lose weight. Eat healthy fats (nuts, avocados, etc.) Eat good carbs (sweet potatoes). Just stop eating shitty processed foods!

This turned in to a rant. Sorry. 

[South Austin 52456]

21 hours ago, pearlandhorn said:

Very interesting. Definitely going to watch this. In my opinion, the problem with the US obesity issue is that people just eat too damn much. Honestly. People get bored and eat. They don’t exercise because they “don’t have time”.

This is simplistic, but you do expound upon it more later in your post.

Yes, Americans are fat because they eat too much, but not because they eat too much salad.  They eat too many high-glycemic and processed carbohydrates, and often heavy on the sugar.  Much of this is due to the shift 50 or so years ago from saturated fats to high carbohydrate diets, backed by prominent health groups but based on very little credible science.  Food companies pounced on that (and also funded said prominent health groups), and as a result, processed high-carb high-sugar foods became a staple of the Western diet.  Only recently is the myth around saturated fats and the truth about carbs and their affect on the body getting wider spread acceptance by not only the general public but also the same health groups that had been reluctant to acknowledge this for so long.   

Exercise does play a part.  But exercise as we know it today is a relatively new phenomenon.  Look at your average American 50 years ago.  He or she likely wasn't engaging in basic exercise like walking, jogging and rudimentary weight training.  That typical American isn't obese.  Look at that same average American today.  The difference is largely diet.

Yes, fats are more calorie-dense than carbohydrates.  But not all calories are created equal.  A diet higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates results in lower and more stable glucose levels.  And fats tend to satiate the body and curb the appetite.  Carbohydrates on the other hand can result in insulin spikes, followed by a crash, and two hours after a meal you're hungry again. 

I'll end my rant by saying that I can still slam some beer and pizza every once in a while.  'Cause it's so good.

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

my wife, who was always fairly thin, switched over to keto-ish after about 6 months of me doing it and after i lost about 20 lbs.  She was very strict about eating a low fat diet before and ate healthy, but now that carbs are cut out, she can eat more things she would avoid before and has had an easier time keeping at the weight she wants.  Now she buys all sorts of keto-friendly food (she does 99% of shopping during C19 lockdown) for both of us.

and yes, keeping the carb laden junk food out of the house helps a ton in not saying eff it and binge-ing.  

a week with no chinese food take out has me down ~4 lbs, lol.

[South Austin 52456]

50 minutes ago, gyroprotagonist said:

my wife, who was always fairly thin, switched over to keto-ish after about 6 months of me doing it and after i lost about 20 lbs.  She was very strict about eating a low fat diet before and ate healthy, but now that carbs are cut out, she can eat more things she would avoid before and has had an easier time keeping at the weight she wants.  Now she buys all sorts of keto-friendly food (she does 99% of shopping during C19 lockdown) for both of us.

and yes, keeping the carb laden junk food out of the house helps a ton in not saying eff it and binge-ing.  

a week with no chinese food take out has me down ~4 lbs, lol.

Pics of wife not coming through.  Please re-post.  Thank you very much.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2732]

As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate front squats much more than back. However, no matter how much I try to stretch my wrists, it kills by the lasts 2-3 sets.

[South Austin 52456]

15 hours ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate front squats much more than back. However, no matter how much I try to stretch my wrists, it kills by the lasts 2-3 sets.

Squats are a necessary evil. I hate them. But I haven’t done squats since COVID hit and I stopped going to the gym, so I do lunges with dumbbells as part of my home workout.

[Goofyboy 3269]

As I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate front squats much more than back. However, no matter how much I try to stretch my wrists, it kills by the lasts 2-3 sets.

I use the arm cross. I am not flexible enough to properly rack the weight with my hands bent back.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2732]

I’ve tried the crossed arms before but it doesn’t seem to place the load along the spine and upper back as well.

[Parliament 14247]

Get you some straps.

https://www.t-nation.com/training/how-to-front-squat-with-straps

[BrazilHorn 6586]

Putting in a plug for the SmartWod Wod Generator App.

You put in what equipment you have available to you. For me in backyard it is:

Pull up bar

Battle ropes

Dumbbells

Kettlebell

Slam Ball

and it builds a WOD for you to do. You can also build your own and save them.

Cool little app, let's you do multi rounds and track your splits etc between rounds.

 

[gmr548 16576]

This is simplistic, but you do expound upon it more later in your post.
Yes, Americans are fat because they eat too much, but not because they eat too much salad.  They eat too many high-glycemic and processed carbohydrates, and often heavy on the sugar.  Much of this is due to the shift 50 or so years ago from saturated fats to high carbohydrate diets, backed by prominent health groups but based on very little credible science.  Food companies pounced on that (and also funded said prominent health groups), and as a result, processed high-carb high-sugar foods became a staple of the Western diet.  Only recently is the myth around saturated fats and the truth about carbs and their affect on the body getting wider spread acceptance by not only the general public but also the same health groups that had been reluctant to acknowledge this for so long.   
Exercise does play a part.  But exercise as we know it today is a relatively new phenomenon.  Look at your average American 50 years ago.  He or she likely wasn't engaging in basic exercise like walking, jogging and rudimentary weight training.  That typical American isn't obese.  Look at that same average American today.  The difference is largely diet.
Yes, fats are more calorie-dense than carbohydrates.  But not all calories are created equal.  A diet higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates results in lower and more stable glucose levels.  And fats tend to satiate the body and curb the appetite.  Carbohydrates on the other hand can result in insulin spikes, followed by a crash, and two hours after a meal you're hungry again. 
I'll end my rant by saying that I can still slam some beer and pizza every once in a while.  'Cause it's so good.

my wife, who was always fairly thin, switched over to keto-ish after about 6 months of me doing it and after i lost about 20 lbs.  She was very strict about eating a low fat diet before and ate healthy, but now that carbs are cut out, she can eat more things she would avoid before and has had an easier time keeping at the weight she wants.  Now she buys all sorts of keto-friendly food (she does 99% of shopping during C19 lockdown) for both of us.
and yes, keeping the carb laden junk food out of the house helps a ton in not saying eff it and binge-ing.  
a week with no chinese food take out has me down ~4 lbs, lol.

Vegan, keto, paleo, whatever... What everyone's success story has in common is elimination of garbage processed/refined foods. Be it added sugar or refined carbs, shitty processed oils, whatever it may be. That's the common denominator in all of these.

[Chips O'Toole 1322]

This is a long shot, but does anybody have a lead on where to get dumbbells right now?  They are basically non-existent at stores and people are selling them for like $100 for the individual weights on craigslist.  

Not going to a gym has been weird, as I have been regularly using a gym at least 2x a week for 12 years or so.  I have had to cut sugar and flour out of my diet completely since I gained a good amount of weight between March and June.  I'm doing pretty good right now with jogging and insanity/HIIT indoors, but I am still missing some strength training I don't get with just pull-ups or pushups.  Just a set of 20 or 25 lb dumbbells would allow me to do some weighted squats and lunges.  I have resistance bands but those are pretty limited.

 

[4th&Five 41519]

I sold some golf gear at play it again sports a few weeks ago and they had plenty of dumbbells and kettlebells. 

[BrazilHorn 6586]

6 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

I sold some golf gear at play it again sports a few weeks ago and they had plenty of dumbbells and kettlebells. 

This. They have some. Saw from 5 to like 70lb dumbbells.

They get them hit or miss.

Their KB are a little limited (at least location off Anderson Ln) but they had some slam balls (picked up a 25lb one last week)

[4th&Five 41519]

Bump. Ended up putting on 12 lbs over the summer. Finally going back to the gym and already dropped 5 the last few weeks. Feels good to be focused again if nothing else. 

[pearlandhorn 3269]

3 hours ago, 4th&Five said:

Bump. Ended up putting on 12 lbs over the summer. Finally going back to the gym and already dropped 5 the last few weeks. Feels good to be focused again if nothing else. 

I still can’t bring myself to go the gym. Covid scares the shit out of me.

Im still running 5 days a week with one long run on saturdays that’s around 5-6 miles or so. I get in around 18 miles per week. I’m still 185.

Good for you on the weight loss!

[South Austin 52456]

Yeah, I’m also staying away from the gym for a while. Sticking to a dumbbell routine and trying to run once a week. Far from the same workout at my gym, but I was never in this to get huge, and it’s helped me maintain relatively lean muscle mass and keep off the COVID weight.

The key, really, is sticking with a good diet and moderating the alcohol. The latter has been challenging.

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

I bought one of these for 30 bucks. I'm not into lifting, but this and some planking/push ups are enough for me. Well, I'm still a saggy fucker, but whatever. 

I grab that pull up bar probably 5 times a day until I can't do another one and I'll also just hang and bring my legs up and down and burn the shit out of my core. 

[BrazilHorn 6586]

I bought this right when Covid started. Has been great

Pic not showing up for some reason

A-Frame pull up bar you can leave up or close down when not in use.

I am 6'3" and I have no issue with full range of motion via the frame.

Edited November 3, 2020 by BrazilHorn

[Kyle 207]

3 hours ago, BBQ2Bayou said:

I bought one of these for 30 bucks. I'm not into lifting, but this and some planking/push ups are enough for me. Well, I'm still a saggy fucker, but whatever. 

I grab that pull up bar probably 5 times a day until I can't do another one and I'll also just hang and bring my legs up and down and burn the shit out of my core. 

I bought my kiddo one of these earlier this year - I keep fearing my fat butt will rip off the trim ...

I am back on T25.

Diet decent during the week - trying to severely limit calories.

The booze is killing me.

[pearlandhorn 3269]

It’s easy to stay off the booze when you don’t keep it in the house. Never been too much of a drinker anyway.

[Deej 76755]

Decided last week to buy a new bike and quit drinking. Now when I get home every evening, instead of sitting out on the patio with some beers, I'm going for a ride. Feels good to be tired from exercise instead of alcohol. Now I need to figure out how to hook the husky up to the bike to wear her out. 

[El Diablo 4232]

Well, I figured it was time to check in here again. Recap: Started Keto in January of 2018 and weighed 260 at 5'11".  Had some hiccups initially as I adapted but stuck with it. Averaged 25 pounds a year loss without doing anything other than the diet. Hit my goal weight of 185 late summer this year and have relaxed on the diet a good bit since then. I knew I wasn't losing weight and so right before Thanksgiving I stepped on the scale for the first time in a while and clocked in at 189. So I'm back on the train and just got off the scale and I'm still at 189. So at least I've halted the upward trajectory I was on. Keto ain't fancy but it works for me as long as I'm persistent. Maybe I'll get really ambitious this next year and mix in some exercise.  

Keep at it folks!

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

Finally made it to maintenance stage. My high was 220, 2 years ago at 5'10 and a somewhat athletic build. Not scrawny, but always kinda pudgy around the middle. No real plan, but I finally decided that I'd get into the 160's and give myself that 10 pound buffer to go either way. no 150's and no 170's. 

I hit 165, so now I just need to be careful and keep it up. 

But dammit all to hell, I don't know what to do about the loose skin. I'm 43 and didn't lose a ton of weight, but I'm flabby as shit. 

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

i am off the keto train big time.  after using keto and getting down from 237lbs to 207lbs (@ 6'7'') I have clawed my way back up to about 220lbs.  It's been a trade off the whole time.  add battered foods back into diet - live with 3lbs added to your weight.  add an occasional pizza every 2-3 weeks - add another 5lbs in to your weight.  Add in a few beers/wk - add in 3lbs to your weight.  This process took a better part of a year as I added back in those things so it's not like i just ballooned up quickly.

nI am not saying that it's all bad.  I like eating/drinking those things.  During this shitty year, I need some food coping, but if i want to get back to that 210-215lb sweet spot then something has to give.

I flirted with exercising for about 4 months and it's pretty sad how quickly my muscles atrophied after stopping (46 yo) and reverted to non swolejackedyoketastic mode.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13509]

Rep for the Fat Fiction documentary recommendation above. Crazy but makes sense that people can solve many diabetes problems if they’re willing to change their diet.

 I’ve been on keto in the past and became a true believer.  I don’t know if I will go back to hardcore keto again but I’m all on board with keeping carbs low. I actually don’t think you can gain weight by eating too much fat at all. Your body wouldn’t allow it unless you forced yourself.

now when I eat a decent amount of carbs, I can barely stay awake. And if I fall off the wagon back to carbs too much, the weight gain comes back.

[Fastbreak 3984]

The 2020 lockdown/wfh has really kicked my ass.  I feel like shit all the time. 
 

I started 2 years ago at 370, went to a low of 292 and am now back to 340.   I’ve decided to re-engage and get back below 300. I’ve bought a cycleops trainer and started on Rouvy. 
 

The keys for me have always been lots of water and consistent meals. During my 80 lbs loss I would have:

breakfast: nitro coffee + protein bar

(usually Quest)

lunch: salad stop salad (different style each day. They had 5-7 kinds). 

snack: protein bar or protein shake

dinner: protein (sirloin/chicken breast/pork loin + roasted veggies (Brussel Sprouts, broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potato)

we will see if I can do it for 2021. 

 

[pearlandhorn 3269]

I stepped on the scale yesterday morning and was 180.  I can't wait to get the rona shot and get back to the gym.  What's crazy is that I haven't lifted (only been running) since April and still have vascularity in my biceps. 

[Goofyboy 3269]

I’m up 10 pounds to 227. I took two weeks off from the gym and have been eating poorly. No big deal. Goal is 195 by May.

[fakebusiness 129]

On 12/13/2020 at 10:27 AM, BBQ2Bayou said:

Finally made it to maintenance stage. My high was 220, 2 years ago at 5'10 and a somewhat athletic build. Not scrawny, but always kinda pudgy around the middle. No real plan, but I finally decided that I'd get into the 160's and give myself that 10 pound buffer to go either way. no 150's and no 170's. 

I hit 165, so now I just need to be careful and keep it up. 

But dammit all to hell, I don't know what to do about the loose skin. I'm 43 and didn't lose a ton of weight, but I'm flabby as shit. 

5'10" 220 is obese unless you are an elite runningback or something. How'd you get to 165? Did you lose a lot of strength/muscle mass?

[BBQ2Bayou 807]

14 hours ago, fakebusiness said:

5'10" 220 is obese unless you are an elite runningback or something. How'd you get to 165? Did you lose a lot of strength/muscle mass?

Keto and a fair amount of fasting and cardio. The bulk of it was over a year and I wasn't ping ponging too much. Just steady. I don't think I lost any strength. I do a lot of rucking with 35 pounds on my back for 6-10 miles and pull ups and push ups frequently, so I'm probably stronger all around now than I've ever been. Not bulky. 

I've discovered pull ups are the best thing for my upper body and core. THey burn like a sumbitch and are really convenient to do.  

 

[Enchubben 5510]

Searched for this being discussed and didn't find it, so don't kill me if it's already been gone over. Has anyone had personal experience or heard feedback from the Tonal system that I've seen advertised on tv?  Looks like a strength training version of peloton. 

https://www.tonal.com/

 

[fakebusiness 129]

12 hours ago, Enchubben said:

Searched for this being discussed and didn't find it, so don't kill me if it's already been gone over. Has anyone had personal experience or heard feedback from the Tonal system that I've seen advertised on tv?  Looks like a strength training version of peloton. 

https://www.tonal.com/

 

It's $3,500 for 200lbs worth of 'digital weights'. You could build a home gym for that and have money left over for sessions with a personal trainer. Or get a gym membership. Or just burn your money.

[closetohumping 17435]

Any recommendations for prepped meal companies.  Quality, budget, etc. 

Edited September 19, 2023 by closetohumping