Great news!!

Howlinghound · 03-12-2009, 12:39 PM

After two months of reading BB.com everyday, wonderful people helping me with questions, kicking ass in the gym...

I have now lost 20lbs!! I've gone from 208 when I started to 188. I still have a bit to go but I never thought I would go back to where I was over a year ago.

To the people who are starting right now, here's some tips that helped me as a noob...

1) Ignore the people in the forums who don't add anything but criticize your questions, this discouraged me and kept me from coming on the forums for awhile.

2) If at all possible, DONT look in the mirror everyday. It's my 60th day and when I look in the mirror I still see what I saw 2 months ago even though my waistline, my chest circumference, and tone of muscles say otherwise.

3) Get on the scale only ONCE a week. Every week I felt that I didn't lose anything. I still felt fat, I still felt overweight. So every Wednesday (my weighing day) was more than just a pleasant surprise. It was motivation to look forward to next week even though next week still didnt feel any skinnier. Its a vicious cycle, I know.

4) Talk to a regular at your gym. Especially the big guys. I went up to him and asked him straight out "How do you keep your bodyfat so low?" His answer was a bummer "Genetics." But in his appreciation of my forwardness he now mentors me when he sees I need it. Plus, he introduces me to other regulars by inviting me into conversations. It feels great going to a gym where people in between their sets wave hi to you and you wave back. It makes your gym feel like a home where you're welcomed and makes it easier to shed that insecurity that I know alot of you have. I used to come into the gym with my head hanging down making no eye contact. Now, guys will come up to me with their headphones on, give me a nod, shake my hand, and go back to their workout. I now walk in with my head up. Like someone once said in another thread a few days ago, the regulars gain that respect for you when they see how bad you want this.

In conclusion...

I don't consider myself the kind of guy that finishes what he starts but this lifestyle change has also changed many other things in my life. Its like everything fell into place. My finances are much better, my house is much cleaner, my friendships feel more positive. If you stick with it, everything else will fall into place.

Thanks so much BB community. I'll come back after another 10 pounds with some pictures. I appreciate all of you who helped me out. Cheers.

ReedT · 03-12-2009, 12:43 PM

Good job dude! That's great progress!

dkemano42 · 03-12-2009, 12:44 PM

Congrats man. Keep up the good work.

DK

nick1990 · 03-12-2009, 12:47 PM

good work and good advice as well.
Keep it up brotha!!!!

gbone74 · 03-12-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howlinghound

my house is much cleaner,
.

.

Since losing weight I cant keep still ,cleaning is my new hobby I am always hovering round our house with a duster I am on every bit of mess like a hawk,I'm like Mr Sheen

k3n12ock · 03-12-2009, 01:26 PM

Congrats on the loss. Could you tell me what sort of things you do at the gym including excersizes and diets tips, etc.

Howlinghound · 03-12-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3n12ock

Congrats on the loss. Could you tell me what sort of things you do at the gym including excersizes and diets tips, etc.

I'm glad you asked. I might get flamed for this but I hardly counted calories for one thing, I just watched what I ate. I stuck to organic stuff rather than processed and rounded up on calories. For breakfast I had my shakes and maybe a thing of oatmeal. For lunch I'd load up on carbs (not too much) with a sandwhich or some rice/chicken at work. Then after my workout I'd eat anything but carbs. My fat that I needed came in the shakes that I took three times a day. I had one cheat meal a week and even for that cheat meal I did an extra 20 minutes of cardio for it.

lol, I hate micro-managing my diet so I didn't. I just did some math from an article I found as to how many calories I burn in a day including working out and made sure I ate below that. Again, I didn't count calories per se, I just watched what I ate and controlled my portions. If a package said 1/2 cup is 120 calories, I ate a handful and pretended it was 200 calories. So it was really just over-guesstimating. If I got hungry I snacked on some nuts or cinnamon apple slices. I NEVER drank any juice cause most of that crap has sugar in it and stuck to drinking water all day. Was it a gallon? I dunno, I just drank all day.

Every two weeks I'd shock my system with 2 cycles of the same workouts. For two weeks I worked out 5 days a week, one muscle group a day with four workouts and 30 minutes of cardio afterwards. I will say HIIT does work now but when you're starting out I personally think its a bad idea cause its hell on your joints even if it is the Elliptical.

After those two weeks I'd follow up with the next two weeks of only working out 3 times a week. On Monday I would do Monday and Tuesdays workout. On Wed I would do Wed and Thurs workout. And on Friday I would do Fridays workout and 45 minutes of cardio. But then on the following Monday I would do Monday's workout with 45 minutes of Cardio. On Wednesday I would do Wed and Tues workout. And Fri I would do Thurs and Fri workout.

After that was done, its back to going 5 days a week. Some people dont think its good for me doing it 5 days a week but I cant spend too much time at the gym since I have a doggie waiting to be fed at home.

The thread "Fat Loss for Noobs" is a great freaking thread. It helped me a lot and I'm still learning a lot right now as well. But in the end, its what you eat that is the biggest factor.

Dammit, they were right. The cake IS a lie.

Howlinghound · 03-12-2009, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbone74

.

Since losing weight I cant keep still ,cleaning is my new hobby I am always hovering round our house with a duster I am on every bit of mess like a hawk,I'm like Mr Sheen

lol its so funny isn't it? I don't even play video games as much anymore because I have to keep moving. My dog no longer thinks I'm a lazy ass as I'm the one wearing her out now.

cfh1973 · 03-12-2009, 02:00 PM

If I could give anymore reps out today, you would get them. Great story and your enthusiasm is inspiring. Great job man and keep up the awesome work. Where about in Houston are you? I am in Pasadena and work at Reliant Stadium. Peace...

trance__dreamer · 03-12-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howlinghound

I'm glad you asked. I might get flamed for this but I hardly counted calories for one thing, I just watched what I ate. I stuck to organic stuff rather than processed and rounded up on calories. For breakfast I had my shakes and maybe a thing of oatmeal. For lunch I'd load up on carbs (not too much) with a sandwhich or some rice/chicken at work. Then after my workout I'd eat anything but carbs. My fat that I needed came in the shakes that I took three times a day. I had one cheat meal a week and even for that cheat meal I did an extra 20 minutes of cardio for it.

lol, I hate micro-managing my diet so I didn't. I just did some math from an article I found as to how many calories I burn in a day including working out and made sure I ate below that. Again, I didn't count calories per se, I just watched what I ate and controlled my portions. If a package said 1/2 cup is 120 calories, I ate a handful and pretended it was 200 calories. So it was really just over-guesstimating. If I got hungry I snacked on some nuts or cinnamon apple slices. I NEVER drank any juice cause most of that crap has sugar in it and stuck to drinking water all day. Was it a gallon? I dunno, I just drank all day.

Every two weeks I'd shock my system with 2 cycles of the same workouts. For two weeks I worked out 5 days a week, one muscle group a day with four workouts and 30 minutes of cardio afterwards. I will say HIIT does work now but when you're starting out I personally think its a bad idea cause its hell on your joints even if it is the Elliptical.

After those two weeks I'd follow up with the next two weeks of only working out 3 times a week. On Monday I would do Monday and Tuesdays workout. On Wed I would do Wed and Thurs workout. And on Friday I would do Fridays workout and 45 minutes of cardio. But then on the following Monday I would do Monday's workout with 45 minutes of Cardio. On Wednesday I would do Wed and Tues workout. And Fri I would do Thurs and Fri workout.

After that was done, its back to going 5 days a week. Some people dont think its good for me doing it 5 days a week but I cant spend too much time at the gym since I have a doggie waiting to be fed at home.

The thread "Fat Loss for Noobs" is a great freaking thread. It helped me a lot and I'm still learning a lot right now as well. But in the end, its what you eat that is the biggest factor.

Dammit, they were right. The cake IS a lie.

congratulations! your story even inspires me! & i don't even need the slightest inspring. =P oh man. wicked stuff! =) you're on FIYAH! =O

i've never counted calories or dilligently counted macros, although i know generally. however, i've been in a plateau now for a while. & i'm still dilligently refusing to count calories. =P so, i'm just incorporating more intensity. it's working alright. but i'm thinkin' that if i start to get REALLY frusterated, i'll have no choice but to start counting. however, i'm not THAT pissed off right now. =P

anyway. keep us updated; eh?

Howlinghound · 03-12-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfh1973

If I could give anymore reps out today, you would get them. Great story and your enthusiasm is inspiring. Great job man and keep up the awesome work. Where about in Houston are you? I am in Pasadena and work at Reliant Stadium. Peace...

Well thanks for the props man! I live over by Dixie Farm and work in Clear Lake. I used to go to the 24 hour on Fairmont but missed the small community feeling of a smaller gym so I now go to the one in Clear Lake. When I DO go the gym in the mornings, because of evening appointments, I'll go to the Fairmont one. If you go there you got yourself a spotter for sure brutha.

Trance, I hope you work through your plateau! I've been dreading mine should I ever get to it. Have you done cycles to change it up and still not worked? Thats partly the reason why I do. But if my body gets used to that Im going to have to develop a Plan C.