Its really helpful and helped me lose weight. So many plans in the back of the book. Weight loss plan. Beach body plan. Quick workouts if at a crowded gym. Etc..
Anyways, keep up the GREAT work! Wish you the best of luck!!!
*if you haven't noticed, I'm new to this forum... so I'm trying to get the emoticons out of my system haha*
Thanks I love the vibe here! Filled with supportive people who are open to each other!
The book has tons of good reviews, so I might order it. Do you highly recommend it? Or is it just a "good" book?
If you want to lift with free weights and build a good foundation of strength I know of no better book. The main benefit of owning the book besides supporting the author is to get his multi page description of how to do each exercise correctly. The book is really designed for coaches.
You don't need the book to do the workout. There is a wiki that has a huge amount of information and you can learn to do the lifts by watching youtube videos and reading the many articles about how to properly squat and deadlift.
If you're only concerned with how you look naked I'd reccomend the basic body building routine. If you'd like to get as strong as possible as fast as possible I'd suggest Starting Strength.
Regardless - the key is starting with very light weights and focusing on learning technique. Yes - you feel like a loser lifting weights lighter than a 13 year old girl but because you're a novice you'll be increasing weight every workout and in only 2-3 months you'll no longer be the gym weakling. In only 5-6 months you'll be stronger than you ever thought possible. Time and consistancy. You're also the ideal height for lifting weights and will enjoy good leverage on most lifts. If you're a young guy you'll probably be stronger than me in 6 months.
Let your body fat fuel your gains. You're in an ideal position to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time as an obese beginner. Yes, finally your fat is going to be working in your favor! Eat at a deficit and eat a high protein diet. Take pictures every month and you'll be shock and awe your friends and family by Christmas.
You convinced me to get the book! I'll search for it, otherwise I'll just order it on amazon.
Yes I'm 18 years old, which I think is the perfect age to start fixing up my body.
I honestly don't want to "shock and awe" anyone but myself. I used to care about others, but now I'm just worried about my health and aiming to be fit. I'm from Kuwait, and if you haven't heard, 3 in every 4 people have diabetes. This motivated me to get my *** moving! But I understand what you mean, the results will be more significant.
I'm heading back home soon, so I'll get the book here and start it during the summer vacation. I'l update you on how it goes and how I like it
hastily threw those images together. basically my concern is my belly is still super flabby. i should definitely do more low impact stuff and maybe invest in moisturizer to tighten up my skin. it's one of those things that nobody really told me would happen, but it's gross.
weight currently ~251. i have taken a bit of a vacation from dieting lately, and i sporadically exercise. i notice my endurance has gone up since i stopped dieting, and i have more energy for exercise. i don't do structured exercises at all anymore, because now i can go to the driving range, the batting cage, throw a baseball around, play football, soccer, etc which, thank god, i have the crowd around to do those things with.
Dieting does sap your energy levels however you can get around this by structuring your diet correctly.
You can also train your body to utilize fat as fuel more efficiently. Here is what I mean. You're dieting, feeling lethargic. That is your body telling you it doesn't want to lose weight. You go out and push your body anyways. Repeat 3-4 times a week and pretty soon those fat burning pathways will be open and firing. Structured exercise or unstructured the key is consistancy. It's not uncommon for obese people to have difficulty oxidizing fat. This is why you'll often hear of fat folks saying they feel like they have more energy after several weeks of constant exercise. Adaptation.
At your size I don't know that you need to worry about "dieting" just lay off the super high calorie foods except occasionally.
I think adaptation is a common bane of later-stage dieters. Your body does the "sensible" thing by adapting to the new food source, operates more efficiently... and tries to retain that "useful" fat. After all, our physical machinery does not understand that it isn't 20,000 years ago anymore, conditions such as a famine that could occur within few months, for which that fat is "needed".
I started out at 2 pounds a week, but lately it's dwindling down to a pound or maybe half a pound a week. It is what it is, so I don't let that frustrate me. The main thing is the trajectory is going where I want.
I am slowly but surely seeing more and more definition as the fat leaves my body.
My stomach is now loose and jiggly where the fat used to be so dense it felt tight dispite being all fat. I can actually pinch for a good skin fold measurement and the fat is FINALLY beginning to exit this area of my body.
I had hoped to have a beach ready body by July 4th but it doesn't look like that is going to be a reality.
I became impatient and dropped calories too low last week which I suspect affected my lifts a little. Patience is key with these final 5-10 lbs.
Done losing for a while. Going to try and put on some muscle which unfortunately means some fat as well. Never got close to a four pack let alone a six.
Darway, I find that as you approach your goal it gets much tougher to lose. If I lose a pound a week I am happy, any more and I know that I am at risk of losing muscle.
@JohnP good work! I am working on achieving a new goal, my goal was 185 but I am now 184. My new goal is the top of the healthy BMI range for me, which is 175. I hit a real plateau 3 months ago, and didn't lose for weeks. I finally got past it by really watching my diet and making sure I got at least 20 minutes of cardio in a day.
From the diet perspective I am loosely following the South Beach Diet, I was successful with it before and believe it is a nutritionally sound program. I am also following some advice I regularly see on bodybuilding sites.
As I mentioned I am trying to get at least 20 minutes of cardio a day. Right now I am working on 3 different activities. 1) I am trying to cycle at least 100 Km a week. I try to ride to work 2 days a week, do one long ride and one decent trail ride. 2) My goal is to jog 2 - 3 times a week, in the morning on days that I don't cycle to work. 3) Finally I am trying to swim twice a week. During the winter my activities will change, I spend a lot of time reffing and playing hockey although it doesn't fit the definition of cardio (elevated heart rate for at least 20 minutes). I also plan to take spin classes, continue swimming, and running on a treadmill.
I also try to hit the weights 3 -4 times a week, mostly free weights. I tend to mix up my routines. Right now I am following a 12 week plan I found at bodybuilding.com http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hugo_newyear10.htm . It's not so much that I endorse that or any other program, just happens to be the one I am on now.
@JohnP good work! I am working on achieving a new goal, my goal was 185 but I am now 184. My new goal is the top of the healthy BMI range for me, which is 175. I hit a real plateau 3 months ago, and didn't lose for weeks. I finally got past it by really watching my diet and making sure I got at least 20 minutes of cardio in a day.
From the diet perspective I am loosely following the South Beach Diet, I was successful with it before and believe it is a nutritionally sound program. I am also following some advice I regularly see on bodybuilding sites.
As I mentioned I am trying to get at least 20 minutes of cardio a day. Right now I am working on 3 different activities. 1) I am trying to cycle at least 100 Km a week. I try to ride to work 2 days a week, do one long ride and one decent trail ride. 2) My goal is to jog 2 - 3 times a week, in the morning on days that I don't cycle to work. 3) Finally I am trying to swim twice a week. During the winter my activities will change, I spend a lot of time reffing and playing hockey although it doesn't fit the definition of cardio (elevated heart rate for at least 20 minutes). I also plan to take spin classes, continue swimming, and running on a treadmill.
I also try to hit the weights 3 -4 times a week, mostly free weights. I tend to mix up my routines. Right now I am following a 12 week plan I found at bodybuilding.com http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hugo_newyear10.htm . It's not so much that I endorse that or any other program, just happens to be the one I am on now.
I would offer some advice....I did Ideal Protein with alternative products. My Dr. focuses on BMI too much as do others. I am 5'11" and my BMI should be around 175-180. When I stoped doing IP I was 192#'s and had my body fat checked. I was 12% and I think the range for a healthy male 30-35 was between 11-19%. I was there and feeling great. My BMI would still say I am over weight. I do have a large frame and good muscle mass. I would focus on your actual body fat % and not a number that comes from a chart of "average" people. Just some thoughts. I used the caliper method at various spots on my body. Impedence method gave me a number of 14% which is still good.
I love the vibe here! Filled with supportive people who are open to each other!
