Diet and Workout Routines

[KI4MVP]

I've been debating posting this for a while. Partly because I'm not happy with how heavy I let myself get. Partly because it's not common for us to post pictures of ourselves since so many people like to stay anonymous online.

Over they years I let myself gain way too much weight living a pretty sedentary lifestyle. I kept meaning to work out, kept taking the first steps, but never followed through.

Just about everything I did involved sitting. Sitting working, watching tv, watching movies, eating, even playing cards. All of my activities involved sitting. The result was a lot of weight gain.

So a year ago I took another stab at getting myself out of my chair. I bought a Virtual Reality system. The goal was imply to get out my chair and onto my feed for some amount of time each day. Little did I know then just how good that would be for my health. It turns out you can get fantastic exercise while having fun in VR.

Today I’m 1 week away from one year since I started with VR and I’ve lost nearly 50 lbs!

Progress I made includes

- I was on medicine for type 2 diabetes, now I'm off that and have perfect A1C numbers
- I was on medicine for high triglycerides and it barely kept it out of the high range, now I'm off of that because it was borderline low.
- I was on medicine for high cholesterol which wasn't really containing it, now I'm off of that because it was borderline low.
- before VR, I'd get winded and my heart would race walking up the steps to leave a Cavs game. Now I skip every other step going up flights of stairs like that.
- when I first started VR, I my arm would get tired just holding it up while playing a paintball game, now I can box for 90 minutes with no problems beside dealing with the sweat. It took me almost a year to figure out to get headbands to soak up the sweat instead of letting the headset do it.

I probably have another year to get where I want to get fitness wise, but I fully expect to do it all with VR. Here is my current before and after picture.

 

[David.]

199 @ 4 weeks in., started at 183. I think I'll make it through the whole thing without feeling uncomfortably fat.

Pumps are fucking insane. I get stuck in shirts. I really wish there wasn't water or glycogen in that 16 lbs I've gained so far.

6 weeks left, upped adrol another 25mg. Would be great to get to 210 but I don't think I can.

 

[Phills14]

I've been debating posting this for a while. Partly because I'm not happy with how heavy I let myself get. Partly because it's not common for us to post pictures of ourselves since so many people like to stay anonymous online.

Over they years I let myself gain way too much weight living a pretty sedentary lifestyle. I kept meaning to work out, kept taking the first steps, but never followed through.

Just about everything I did involved sitting. Sitting working, watching tv, watching movies, eating, even playing cards. All of my activities involved sitting. The result was a lot of weight gain.

So a year ago I took another stab at getting myself out of my chair. I bought a Virtual Reality system. The goal was imply to get out my chair and onto my feed for some amount of time each day. Little did I know then just how good that would be for my health. It turns out you can get fantastic exercise while having fun in VR.

Today I’m 1 week away from one year since I started with VR and I’ve lost nearly 50 lbs!

Progress I made includes

- I was on medicine for type 2 diabetes, now I'm off that and have perfect A1C numbers
- I was on medicine for high triglycerides and it barely kept it out of the high range, now I'm off of that because it was borderline low.
- I was on medicine for high cholesterol which wasn't really containing it, now I'm off of that because it was borderline low.
- before VR, I'd get winded and my heart would race walking up the steps to leave a Cavs game. Now I skip every other step going up flights of stairs like that.
- when I first started VR, I my arm would get tired just holding it up while playing a paintball game, now I can box for 90 minutes with no problems beside dealing with the sweat. It took me almost a year to figure out to get headbands to soak up the sweat instead of letting the headset do it.

I probably have another year to get where I want to get fitness wise, but I fully expect to do it all with VR. Here is my current before and after picture.

That is tremendous @KI4MVP ! Did you change your diet as well?

 

[KI4MVP]

That is tremendous @KI4MVP ! Did you change your diet as well?

I basically ate the way I'd been trying to eat for years, but don't go off it nearly as much because I tell myself I worked out way too hard to ruin my hard work eating something unhealthy.

I go with the theory that too many carbs are bad for you, but you need some, fat is okay as long as it's not saturated fat, although some kinds of saturated fat are actually good for you (like coconut, avocado), and protein is important. So each time I eat, I shoot for this - I take the carbs, subtract out things that don't count, like fiber & sugar alcohol, match that total to the portion grams, and have the fat grams be half that total. That works out to roughly 40% fat, 30% protein, 30% carbs. It's hard to hit that exactly, so I just try to be close.

Also part way through the year I eliminated 99% of beef and dairy because my physical showed I have an elevated level of TMAO, something I had never even heard of before. But apparently digesting beef and dairy leads to gut bacterial that produces TMAO. Vegetarians don't get elevated TMAO even though they eat the components (like choline, which is good for you), I like chicken too much to be a vegetarian. It's already hard enough giving up beef and ice cream.

 

[Kbiz]

Need some advice here wise weight folks - I know it's been a minute since I've popped in here but i've gotten back into the swing of things to start the year - hitting the gym 3-4 times a week cycling arms/chest, back, and legs. I've dropped about 15 pounds (6'2'' - started around 204, now hovering right around 190 but seeing significant gains in my back and arms regardless).

I currently do a pretty typical ab routine after arm/chest and back session: bicycles, starfish crunches, Spiderman planks, crunch twist w/ 15 lb ball, scissors, and roll outs with an exercise ball - roughly 3 sets each of anywhere from 8-12 reps depending on what I have left in the tank....but really not feeling much of a "burn" anymore. Still sweating my ass off though during this routine.

I was thinking of changing my 4th gym to a straight core workout consisting of: paloff press, actual ab wheel work (have never used but have only heard good things), cable crunches, single arm & wheelbarrow carries, and then some side bends.

I have one ab beginning to peak through and with my current diet, I don't think getting down to around 180 is an unrealistic accomplishment by April. I know most definition in the mid section is purely diet but was just curious as to everyone's thoughts on the best core workouts and frequency you should do them during the week?

I guess I am asking, if y'all would be so kind, to audit my current routine and let me know your thoughts on my proposed new one and if there are any workouts I am missing...You guys know about this shit way more than I do and I've alway seen results from this thread.

 

[KI4MVP]

Need some advice here wise weight folks - I know it's been a minute since I've popped in here but i've gotten back into the swing of things to start the year - hitting the gym 3-4 times a week cycling arms/chest, back, and legs. I've dropped about 15 pounds (6'2'' - started around 204, now hovering right around 190 but seeing significant gains in my back and arms regardless).

I currently do a pretty typical ab routine after arm/chest and back session: bicycles, starfish crunches, Spiderman planks, crunch twist w/ 15 lb ball, scissors, and roll outs with an exercise ball - roughly 3 sets each of anywhere from 8-12 reps depending on what I have left in the tank....but really not feeling much of a "burn" anymore. Still sweating my ass off though during this routine.

I was thinking of changing my 4th gym to a straight core workout consisting of: paloff press, actual ab wheel work (have never used but have only heard good things), cable crunches, single arm & wheelbarrow carries, and then some side bends.

I have one ab beginning to peak through and with my current diet, I don't think getting down to around 180 is an unrealistic accomplishment by April. I know most definition in the mid section is purely diet but was just curious as to everyone's thoughts on the best core workouts and frequency you should do them during the week?

I guess I am asking, if y'all would be so kind, to audit my current routine and let me know your thoughts on my proposed new one and if there are any workouts I am missing...You guys know about this shit way more than I do and I've alway seen results from this thread.

no advice fro the workout, but advice for the weight goals. Instead of weight goals, get a scale that measures body fat and set percent body fat goals. No need to aim for an arbitrary weight of 180 while you're adding muscle weight.

 

[Kbiz]

no advice fro the workout, but advice for the weight goals. Instead of weight goals, get a scale that measures body fat and set percent body fat goals. No need to aim for an arbitrary weight of 180 while you're adding muscle weight.

I hear ya but I can tell that I am likely around 20-25% body fat so I know that I got to get some weight off regardless and I store it all in my mid-section. I was going to get a an assessment at my gym (they will do one for free) and see if they could give me some insight into what is worth adding to my current routine but figured I would source it here first.

 

[David.]

I hear ya but I can tell that I am likely around 20-25% body fat so I know that I got to get some weight off regardless and I store it all in my mid-section. I was going to get a an assessment at my gym (they will do one for free) and see if they could give me some insight into what is worth adding to my current routine but figured I would source it here first.

You can do abs a few times a week. You're doing plenty to be able to see them once bodyfat gets low enough.

Just an aside but I don't think obliques look good.. They ruin v taper and turn yiu into a box. I just do the other stuff

 

[KI4MVP]

I hear ya but I can tell that I am likely around 20-25% body fat so I know that I got to get some weight off regardless and I store it all in my mid-section. I was going to get a an assessment at my gym (they will do one for free) and see if they could give me some insight into what is worth adding to my current routine but figured I would source it here first.

If you're starting at 190 with 20% body fat now. If you add 5 lbs of muscle and lose 10 lbs of fat, you'll be 185 with 15.1% body fat. If you didn't add muscle and only lost fat, the same 185 would be 17.8% fat. If you just lost 10 lbs of fat to get to 180 without adding any muscle, you'd be 15.6% body fat. That's why I say focus on the body fat percentage instead of the specific weight.

This is the scale I use. I tell myself the same thing I tell you, but it's hard to not look at the weight number first.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001803OS6/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For men the fat percentages are
Essential 3-5%
Athletes 6-13%
Fit 14-17%
Average 18-24%
Obese 25%

After a year of weight loss and exercise, I'm still trying to hit the top end of average as a first goal. The weight goal for that is a moving target since I'm adding some muscle mass. I started with programmer muscles , now I'm getting some VR Boxing muscles - shocked me the first time I glanced in the mirror getting out of the shower and saw some muscles in my shoulders.

 

[Kouki]

I'm going to start this workout thing again. On and then off antidepressants last year (moreso for anxiety), made me gain 20 lbs or so. Turned 30 in Sept. Need to get life back together. Maybe I'll keep a once a week log here for motivation.

Goal: Lose weight maintain muscle get healthy gain strength have more energy.

Back in my early 20's (5x5 rep max):
Overhead Press 135
Bench 185
Squat 225
Deadlift ~300

I'm done squatting. Maybe I'll work back into it but I just don't have the flexibility and my hips and knees are garbage.

I'm just gonna do my own routine that is strength based ("heavy" 3x5) and then throw in some shit afterwards. Spent last two workouts getting a feel for where my strength is. Each workout one of "squat"/deadlift, then a push and a pull, splitting the horizontal and vertical, then whatever kinda supersetting it

Also I play soccer 1-2 times/week and basketball 1-2 times/week but I'd say it's only 15-35 minutes of good cardio each time.

Feb 17
Deadlift 215 3x6 (easy, in fact even when I was in early 20's I feel I never maxed this out)
Horizontal push: Bench Press 115x8, 125 2x5. 125 felt right, will start back there next time.
Vertical pull: Lat pulldown (supine) 120 3x8. Too fat and weak to do chinups.
Etc: Hanging leg raise 2x10, decline crunch 2x15

Feb 23 (traveled for work all week)
Dumbell lunge, 25 lb each x 16 (8 each leg), 35 lb each x 16. This is my squat "replacement" for the time being. Not sure how I feel about these. Tried Bulgarian split squats but I couldn't get it right. My ass is currently on fire. My balance wasn't great on the last reps. Maybe start at lower weight next time.
Vertical push: Overhead press, 85x6 too easy, 95x5, 95x3, oops. Tried doing a superset thing which I failed miserably at, immediately deloaded to 75x3 then 55x6 lmao idk if it's supposed to work that way.
Horizontal pull: Inverted row 2x8 (bodyweight), cable row 2x10 210 (double pulley system)
Etc: Decline crunch 20, +10 lb 15, hanging leg raise 2x10, dumbell bench 2x80x10, dumbell curl 30 lb 20 rep (10 ea arm)

 

[Kouki]

I've been debating posting this for a while. Partly because I'm not happy with how heavy I let myself get. Partly because it's not common for us to post pictures of ourselves since so many people like to stay anonymous online.

Congrats and props on the fortitude for posting pics even if you were embarrassed. I'll follow up with pictures on what i used to look like vs. what I now look like to make you feel better, lol.

It's amazing what working out will do for your health. I ate like shit in order to gain weight in my early 20's - a dirty bulk so to say - and my bloodwork improved massively.

 

[David.]

So goddamn sick of eating

 

[brownindian]

So goddamn sick of eating

Why ? Eating is fun. It is the digestion and beyond where the pain comes. Maybe you are not eating the right food ?

 

[David.]

Why ? Eating is fun. It is the digestion and beyond where the pain comes. Maybe you are not eating the right food ?

Eating 4000 calories a day of healthy food is not fun after 40 days of it.

 

[brownindian]

Eating 4000 calories a day of healthy food is not fun after 40 days of it.

4000 calories ??? what are you eating ?