In reply to bagger05

bagger05 said:

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The key is making sure that special occasions and rare exceptions are actually special and rare.

I have a great talent for convincing myself that I deserve a treat for the dumbest of reasons.

Big part of my success so far this year has been not doing that.

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For me, it's similar: finding the balance between "cutting" and living. I allow myself one cheat meal per week. It can be any meal of any size. One soda per week (up to 20oz) as well. I haven't had any alcohol since early November, although that's more of me not being a big drinker than anything else.

I also make exceptions. If I'm seeing a movie, I'm definitely going in on the popcorn. For the Super Bowl on Sunday, all bets are off (although I've planned it as my cheat).

In reply to CFTXAG10 I have a basic Rogue one, but saw an ad for this and it looked intriguing at the price point:

The Zero Sled The Nordstick

I want to get one that I can push, but it's a little pricey relative to the use I'd get out of it at this point in my training. And they're bigger so storage becomes an issue.

My 7-day average weight has dropped by 3.60 lbs compared to last week despite not hitting on all cylinders. My shoulder needs rest and I used that as an excuse to not go to the gym. Diet I was pretty good. Had some celebrations for my wife's birthday this weekend but kept things in check.

7 Day Average weight - 219.31 (down 3.60 from 1/29, down 8.77 lbs since 1/11)
Raw weight - 218.4 (down 6.4 from 1/29, down 11.6 since 1/6)
Steps last week - 10,583 avg (BELOW TARGET OF 12,000)
Workouts last week - 1 (Changing this to allow for HIIT as well -- going to get back on track with two lifts and two HIIT this week)

Calories last week - 13,984 (1998 avg)
Protein last week - 1,133 g (162 avg) (BELOW TARGET OF 170)

In reply to CC09LawAg

CC09LawAg said:

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I have a basic Rogue one, but saw an ad for this and it looked intriguing at the price point:

The Zero Sled The Nordstick

I want to get one that I can push, but it's a little pricey relative to the use I'd get out of it at this point in my training. And they're bigger so storage becomes an issue.

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Thats what I am looking for too. Something I can push and pull. I have a little room in the garage too for some artificial turf if I want to get real legit

In reply to bagger05

bagger05 said:

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My 7-day average weight has dropped by 3.60 lbs compared to last week despite not hitting on all cylinders. My shoulder needs rest and I used that as an excuse to not go to the gym. Diet I was pretty good. Had some celebrations for my wife's birthday this weekend but kept things in check.

7 Day Average weight - 219.31 (down 3.60 from 1/29, down 8.77 lbs since 1/11)
Raw weight - 218.4 (down 6.4 from 1/29, down 11.6 since 1/6)
Steps last week - 10,583 avg (BELOW TARGET OF 12,000)
Workouts last week - 1 (Changing this to allow for HIIT as well -- going to get back on track with two lifts and two HIIT this week)

Calories last week - 13,984 (1998 avg)
Protein last week - 1,133 g (162 avg) (BELOW TARGET OF 170)

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I've always been blessed with zero leg injuries. My knees, ankles, and hips have never had problems. On the other hand, my lower back and shoulders feel like those of an 80-year-old at times from the beatings I took during my years playing football.

I've separated and dislocated shoulders numerous times and have had multiple cortisone injections into the shoulders. This has basically eliminated me from doing any compound movements where the elbows travel above the collarbone. (Above shoulder pulling, aka pullups, have not been an issue)

When I got back into the moderate/heavy routine in November, I started slowly ramping up the overhead lifts. Everything was going well until a couple of weeks ago, when one morning I woke up with pretty terrific AC joint pain. it was a different type of AC pain than I'm used to. The top of the shoulder was tender and the pain radiated pretty good. I then dumped the above shoulder lifts and have been working on modifications for the time being. It's either a bursa issue or early-onset arthritis, which would suck. So far, the workarounds have been fine. Pain has lessened, but I'm still wary.

In reply to BassCowboy33 I'm almost the opposite. My feet are flat like a duck and it's always caused a lot of ankle, shin, and knee issues. Shoulders have always been okay but I am naturally a pretty good presser, so I can fly too high too fast sometimes. I think that's all that's going on here.

Probably just a little bursitis and need to rest and up the weights more slowly.

It's not a race. No reason to go up too fast.

7-day average weight is down 10.0 lbs since 1/11.

Argh ... I'm totally into the plateau zone. Must ... stay ... the ... course ...

In reply to Ryan the Temp Hang in there dude. In the long run it's arithmetic. Stay the course.

In reply to High Functioning Moron Well I haven't done anything towards my goal until today. I am great at getting analysis paralysis and finding some workout routine and then doing it once and quitting. I figure running is pretty straightforward and would be hard for me to get in my own way so I went to a real shoe store and got some Brooks running shoes. Downloaded Couch to 5K and did my first workout tonight and it went well. Hoping I can stick with this and make some progress.

In reply to High Functioning Moron Never too late to start.

In reply to BassCowboy33

BassCowboy33 said:

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BassCowboy33 said:

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BassCowboy33 said:

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12/15/23
Age: 36
Ht: 5'05"
Wt: 174
nFFMI: 25.02
BF%: ~17%

I weighed 174 in mid December when I started my goal to be down to about 160 by mid-March. I have floated between 170-180 since about 2014. I'm built like a tank with a mesomorph body, so BMI and Navy standards always have a problem with me (Was always sent to the "fat" line for weigh-ins).

My progress has been stunning, and I'm crashing through what I thought possible.

1/22/24
Wt: 163
nFFMI: 24.04
BF%: ~15%

80% of this is clean eating. I started ordering daily meals from Factor, which usually are chicken/pork and a vegetable, ranging from 400-900 Calories. For snacks, it's either a fruit (cherries/peaches/apple sauce), a slice of prosciutto, or a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter. The goal is to hit between 1600-2200 Calories six days per week. I do take creatine, using the HCl dosage. It's what we used to take playing football in college, and I got away from it after an emergency surgery in 2014 when my appendix staged a coup. Dinner is usually about 4 oz of steak or a few scrambled eggs with Tabasco, coupled with the aforementioned snacks.

I have a cheat meal each week, where I eat whatever I want, but I usually plan that. For example, Sunday was a Large Wing Combo from Wingstop with +5 wings on the side. A week ago, it was 2 Chipotle burritos plus chips and guac. I've found this keeps me on track and keeps cravings away.

The workouts have become essential as well. It's divided into three parts upper/lower/run, one per day with a rest day. I do each twice per week. I am also a walking fiend. I aim to hit 10,000 steps/day but routinely crush through 15,000/day. I was a walking dude before any of this weight loss started, so I'm on about a 70-day streak of breaking 10,000 steps. I've also lowered my mile time by about 1:15/mile, which is huge for a slow a guy like me. Resting heart rate has dropped from about 65bpm to 57 bpm.

Last week at the office, I had multiple people ask me if I'd lost weight and told me I looked younger. Midsection definition has returned, but abs are not fully formed yet. Upper chest definition has returned as well. Now, that I'm smashing through the original goal, I'm aiming for 150. I ran a marathon in 2012 at about 145.

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01/31/24
Wt: 160.4 lbs

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02/05/24
Wt: 158.8 lbs

Had a couple of superfluous days. I smashed a large popcorn and Coke Zero at the movies the other day and did a story at a sports bar, where I downed some delicious wings. Still dropped for the week, so we're good.

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2/11/24
Wt: 155.8 lbs

Checking in a day early, because Super Bowl Cheat Day. Had to order a new belt this week.

In reply to High Functioning Moron

High Functioning Moron said:

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Well I haven't done anything towards my goal until today. I am great at getting analysis paralysis and finding some workout routine and then doing it once and quitting. I figure running is pretty straightforward and would be hard for me to get in my own way so I went to a real shoe store and got some Brooks running shoes. Downloaded Couch to 5K and did my first workout tonight and it went well. Hoping I can stick with this and make some progress.

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The key is getting into a routine. "They" say it takes five weeks of doing something to form a habit. I got myself into a mindset that fitness wasn't something I did in my spare time but was part of my job description (I work in news, so that connection is easier). I'm often getting up at 4:30-5:00 am to get a workout in on lifting weekdays.

If it helps, map out the daily workout schedule a week or two in advance, which is what apps can help do.

In reply to High Functioning Moron Something that seems to make a difference for me is having goals when it comes to whatever exercise I'm engaging in. When I first started down this path 10-ish years ago, my goal was to run. I'd never run a mile in my life, and I eventually worked up to 7 miles.

I've since moved on to other forms of exercise, but I still have goals. With cardio, it's continually increasing the number of classes (I go to a studio, and there are always class challenges to participate in, as well as the camaraderie with the other members in class).

With lifting, it's weight or rep goals. I'm working on new PRs in hip thrusts as well as increasing weight for dead lifts and bench press. And then there's the pull-up goal.

I feel like having a purpose or goal makes it easier to get to the gym on those days when I'm feeling less motivated and might be inclined to blow it off. The purpose or goal doesn't have to be anything big at all…just something to work toward. I always feel really good about myself when I hit whatever it is I'm reaching for, and that just feeds on itself and keeps me going.

I put in a nice 1.5 hour workout after church so I can feast on my superbowl spread

In reply to BassCowboy33

BassCowboy33 said:

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CFTXAG10 said:

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I put in a nice 1.5 hour workout after church so I can feast on my superbowl spread

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I skipped dinner last night, small breakfast this morning, and no breakfast tomorrow. I expect to down 4,000-5,000 calories tonight and needed to hedge.

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My man!

I've lost 6 lbs (184 to 178) and a little over 1% bodyfat (19 to 18) in 4 weeks. Lean muscle mass stayed the same. Hoped for a little bit of muscle add, but oh well.

This pace won't get me to my June goal, but nice seeing progress.

In reply to Sweep4-2 1.5 lbs/wk at under 20% body fat is a very nice pace.

Full check in coming later, but very good results last week.

7-day average weight down 3.46 lbs which makes it 12.23 lbs since 1/11. 2.8 lbs/wk.

Goal was 1% per week. Closer to 1.5% per week so far.

In reply to BassCowboy33 By having an account of what you ate you are miles ahead of the curve.

Most Super Bowl Mondays I wouldn't be able to tell you more than "a lot."


Funny - I was #10 on the waitlist for Orange Theory at kickoff and by the third quarter I'd made it in.

In reply to bagger05

bagger05 said:

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Had my first "these jeans feel a little loose" moment yesterday.

Raw weight down 15.8 lbs since 1/6.

Today will be my 33rd day in a row of tracking what I eat.

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What a feeling!!

In reply to JAW3336

JAW3336 said:

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JAW3336 said:

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Age: 46
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 315 on Dec 27th
Goal: 235

Current: 289

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One month check in

Current: 278

Down 37lbs for Jan

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Boring Super Bowl for me but this morning I am at 269 lbs.

In reply to JAW3336 Awesome!

Officially back to pre-Super Bowl weight.

Making a lot of good progress. Another new low weight today.

Starting to think about what sneakers I'm going to buy to celebrate getting to sub-200.

Checking in.

Today was 165.4. Basically hit my January goal of losing 4 lbs (lost closer to 6). Feb has been sort of a stall so far.

I did just get back from a 5 day trip. I ate/drank much better than I normally would have on vacation but still far worse from what I've been doing most of this year.

I hope to still hit my goal of 162 by end of this month. Think it's doable if I stay diligent

In reply to The Grinder (99) User name checks out

In reply to BassCowboy33

BassCowboy33 said:

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BassCowboy33 said:

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BassCowboy33 said:

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BassCowboy33 said:

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12/15/23
Age: 36
Ht: 5'05"
Wt: 174
nFFMI: 25.02
BF%: ~17%

I weighed 174 in mid December when I started my goal to be down to about 160 by mid-March. I have floated between 170-180 since about 2014. I'm built like a tank with a mesomorph body, so BMI and Navy standards always have a problem with me (Was always sent to the "fat" line for weigh-ins).

My progress has been stunning, and I'm crashing through what I thought possible.

1/22/24
Wt: 163
nFFMI: 24.04
BF%: ~15%

80% of this is clean eating. I started ordering daily meals from Factor, which usually are chicken/pork and a vegetable, ranging from 400-900 Calories. For snacks, it's either a fruit (cherries/peaches/apple sauce), a slice of prosciutto, or a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter. The goal is to hit between 1600-2200 Calories six days per week. I do take creatine, using the HCl dosage. It's what we used to take playing football in college, and I got away from it after an emergency surgery in 2014 when my appendix staged a coup. Dinner is usually about 4 oz of steak or a few scrambled eggs with Tabasco, coupled with the aforementioned snacks.

I have a cheat meal each week, where I eat whatever I want, but I usually plan that. For example, Sunday was a Large Wing Combo from Wingstop with +5 wings on the side. A week ago, it was 2 Chipotle burritos plus chips and guac. I've found this keeps me on track and keeps cravings away.

The workouts have become essential as well. It's divided into three parts upper/lower/run, one per day with a rest day. I do each twice per week. I am also a walking fiend. I aim to hit 10,000 steps/day but routinely crush through 15,000/day. I was a walking dude before any of this weight loss started, so I'm on about a 70-day streak of breaking 10,000 steps. I've also lowered my mile time by about 1:15/mile, which is huge for a slow a guy like me. Resting heart rate has dropped from about 65bpm to 57 bpm.

Last week at the office, I had multiple people ask me if I'd lost weight and told me I looked younger. Midsection definition has returned, but abs are not fully formed yet. Upper chest definition has returned as well. Now, that I'm smashing through the original goal, I'm aiming for 150. I ran a marathon in 2012 at about 145.

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01/31/24
Wt: 160.4 lbs

---

02/05/24
Wt: 158.8 lbs

Had a couple of superfluous days. I smashed a large popcorn and Coke Zero at the movies the other day and did a story at a sports bar, where I downed some delicious wings. Still dropped for the week, so we're good.

---

2/11/24
Wt: 155.8 lbs

Checking in a day early, because Super Bowl Cheat Day. Had to order a new belt this week.

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2/18/24
Wt: 155.0 lbs

I did an Inbody Scan at my local Nutrition Shop on 2/04 and 2/17. It shows I lost 1.5lbs of fat and .5lbs of muscle. My total body fat % went down .5%.

I'm going to keep doing this and see how those numbers change. Aiming for total body % in the high teens and visceral fat below 10%.