Don’t bother to actually rate my physique - it’s a zero compared to you guys, but I need advice!
Here’s my story, and my “before” photos (“now” photos in next post). I was an obese couch potato for the better part of 20 years. By the age of 39 (photos), I was 6’2", 260 lbs, and wearing size 44 pants. I decided I needed to change my life before I turned 40, so I stopped the hours of pigging out on the couch and started a lot of aerobic exercise (mostly rowing), and dropped 75 lbs in 7 months. I did no lifting. This put me at 185# by my 40th birthday, and I stayed at that weight for about a year. It felt great to be in shape, and I got lots of comments from those around me. But, although I was getting quite fit, I still had a little spare tire, and no muscle to speak of.
I’ve read Chris Shugart’s fantastic article on here about the FFB, but it has one contradiction in it. One place it says the FFB needs to get ripped before he bulks, otherwise the old fat cells will explode up like a balloon in the Macy’s parade. But on the other hand he says that having been obese, it is unlikely to get rid of every last fat deposit without a trip to the plastic surgeon. In fact, when I pushed myself down to 180#, I still had a little tire, but could see my ribs!
3 months ago, although I was 185# and about 16% BF, I decided that I had to start lifting. I bought NROL and started attacking the hypertrophy programs. I increased my food intake just a touch (300-400 cals/day). I’ve noticed some increase in muscle size (in the “now” photos, if you squint just right you can make out what might someday be pecs - trust me, as sad as they are now, they’re a whole lot better than 3 months ago). I’m up to 195#. Despite the 10 lb gain, I’m still in the same 34" pants, the belt is on the same notch, and the bathing suit fits, so I’m encouraged that the whole 10 lbs didn’t go to my gut. My lifts are about twice what they were 3 months ago (mind you, I was starting from VERY low numbers).
So here are the questions:
Does anyone think that I’ll be able to get rid of that tire without a surgeon? Or should I figure I’ve done so much already, that nothing but lipo can take it the rest of the way?
Where should I be targeting my weight, say 6 months from now. Ideally I could lose 20 lbs of fat and put on 20 lbs of muscle simultaneously - leaving me at 195# but 8% instead of 18% BF. But if we’re going to focus on one or the other (since everyone says you can’t ride two horses at the same time), should I concentrate on shedding 20 lbs of fat while trying to keep muscle steady, bringing me to 175#, or should I work on adding 20 GOOD pounds while trying not to add fat, leaving me with the same total body fat but enough muscle to bring me up to 215#? If I alternate, what’s a good time/weight amount for each part (i.e. lift to gain 5# in a month then row to lose 2# in two weeks? Bigger/longer phases?)
Is any of this affected by the fact that I’m 40, and the ol’ cajones aren’t pumping out “T” the way they used to?
Do I need to get over my psychological hangup about going over 200# again?
Should I be happy that I notice improvement in my lifts over 3 months, and seem to feel more muscle mass over 3 months, and should just keep at it for another 9 months to see where I get?
Great job so far…I was in the same boat a year ago when dropping near 50lbs myself. First off though, the only important thing that I can personaly say is "DONT get caught up thinking too much about it and being TOO obsessed with your goals. I remember the days that I was so obsessed, I was weighing myself 3-4 times throughout the day and going crazy starving myself. A year ago, I got serious about my goals, writing everything down in a training log, and daily diet log (still do), and reading everything I could get my hands on concerning supplements and routines and nutrition (most from this site!).
Also be carfull not to set “out of this world” goals, that seem imposible to reach. Thinking that you can loose 20 pounds of fat and turn it into 20 lbs of lean muscle is kinda out there realisticly, esp at your age (Im not too far behind…that will play some factor). I set up short time goals for me and just chipped away at them, like month to month basis, and hit cardio quite hard with heavy weights, as well as cutting my calories down a bit, but still making sure I had good protein intake and using Glutamine and BCAA supps to counter act any muscle catabolism. You can see from my profile photos, I got pretty good results compared to the days I was “obsessed” with it. Set some short goals, and lean down a bit without loosing your lean mass you have already, as Christians article you mention has a bit of truth to it as far as it is easier to STAY lean, when you are lean…but of course at our age, it take alot more work when you get to the 12-14 % BF range. I seem to hit a plateu myself now at around 13%…I just have to tighten up my diet (I eat about 90% clean as it is now), and do alittle more cardio.
Just dont sweat it too much and let it get inside your head…Youve done great so far and should be proud you want to treat your body better at your age, and your familly and the ppl around you will applaud that as well. Start reading up more in here, if anything it will give you alittle more direction, and like ive found, members in here for the most part might be kinda hard on ya sometimes, but that is great motivation to drive you in the right direction just when you need it!! (I know its worked for me personally)… I hope that helps alittle dude
Good progress. It’s all in the mind. Keep at it. Don’t worry about the ones and zeros :P.
More people should be like you and strive to better themselves.
Good luck.
Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. If nothing else, this was the first time I took honest photos of myself - prior to this I’d be looking in the mirror, but it is hard to tell if there’s progress day to day and you can make yourself believe anything you want looking in the mirror I guess. Maybe I just need to stick with the lifting - pushing it every workout - watch what I eat and how fast I gain weight (making sure it is consistent with good weight gain, i.e. not 3 pounds per week), and repeat the photos in 3-6 months and see what happens.
I’m a little scared that if I put on too much bad weight, I won’t be able to take it back off like I did the first time. That’s part of why going over 200# is frightening. But then, I suppose this is where the psychological part of fitness comes into play over the physiological part.
Fantastic job, you have a good attitude and i wish you the best of luck with your goals.
Dont let the fact you are 40 put you off getting in shape. Sure, T levels wont be in the same legue as your early 20’s, but i think you’ve proved you have enough with your transformation.
Dont stress about going over 200, as long as you keep your BF low enough it’ll look good. Keep up the good work.
You’ve been there done that, and the t-shirt fits a lot better now.
I haven’t got any diet or training tips for you except that a small nap after training is really good.
One thing that I would suggest is that You work on your posture as your head seems to sag a little (visible in your first photos plus the side after photo)
Rowing is a nice exercise, and by changing teq a little You can activate the upper back more.
A thing I enjoy in rowing btw. is setting an interval at 20 secs with paceboat speed just below my 500m best, then setting rest interval at 10 secs.
[quote]blazindave wrote:
Good progress. It’s all in the mind. Keep at it. Don’t worry about the ones and zeros :P.
More people should be like you and strive to better themselves.
Good luck.[/quote]
x2
Good going on losing unwanted weight and extending your life span. Now start eating lots of healthy food and lifting some heavy shit until your eyeballs feel like they are going to pop out of your head.
[quote]DanErickson wrote:
Now start eating lots of healthy food and lifting some heavy shit until your eyeballs feel like they are going to pop out of your head.[/quote]
Thanks Dan!
I started to do this about 3 months ago. I think there’s been some change. You’re doing a great job encouraging me to go on. I’m using NROL - cycling through the hypertrophy programs, and making sure that I’m not quite able to finish that last rep or two of the last set - going to failure in each lift each day. The in-between days I’ve just started adding HIIT on my rower. The last thing I’ve just done is to read Chris’s article on the 4 stages of mental mastery, and it’s gotten me to quit cold-turkey the sneak of a cookie or two or some ice cream here and there - trying to get from stage 3 on my eating to stage 4. Hopefully all this combined brings me the rest of the way.
Y’all on here are great, and visiting this site is making a huge change in my life. Thanks!!!
[quote]tbartman wrote:
DanErickson wrote:
Now start eating lots of healthy food and lifting some heavy shit until your eyeballs feel like they are going to pop out of your head.
Thanks Dan!
I started to do this about 3 months ago. I think there’s been some change. You’re doing a great job encouraging me to go on. I’m using NROL - cycling through the hypertrophy programs, and making sure that I’m not quite able to finish that last rep or two of the last set - going to failure in each lift each day.
The in-between days I’ve just started adding HIIT on my rower. The last thing I’ve just done is to read Chris’s article on the 4 stages of mental mastery, and it’s gotten me to quit cold-turkey the sneak of a cookie or two or some ice cream here and there - trying to get from stage 3 on my eating to stage 4. Hopefully all this combined brings me the rest of the way.
Y’all on here are great, and visiting this site is making a huge change in my life. Thanks!!![/quote]
Hehe, cookies are my downfall too. I am in the stages of a true transformation and I am 100% certian that defeating my last and final craving for sweets will totally chagne the way I look.
Right now my meals are solid all day long until night time when sometimes I get a very intense craving for sweets. Even with cheating a few times per week I am losing body fat. My meals are consisting mainly of Rice, Oatmeal, fruit, steak, and chicken.
I’ve read the title of this thread 3 times and just now I’ve realized it says “fat” boy not “frat” boy.
I agree with Eddie, Bartman deserves a low rating now but with his attitude and determination in a few months/years he could be real bodybuilding material.
I think he deserves a 10 for the attitude and determination he has shown alone.
Why would we want to give a <5 if we KNOW it will dent his postive outlook.
Keep up the fantastic work OP and report back with progress.
p.s. I think you’re a long way off needing surgery for the subcutaneous fat deposits. Skin is very elastic and with correct Oils and Vitamins, it will revert back to it’s youthly tightness.
