The Minotaur's Challenge and Progress.

[Minotaur]

Since I've been piping up with questions and comments about my keto endeavor, I didn't want to clog the Senior's Keto Thread with my comments and questions, and turn it into the Minotaur Show, lest I become a pain in the ass. Hence, this catch-all little dumpster for my beginnings, progress, goals, etc. So, I'll be a pain in the ass in my own thread. (note to audience... The Minotaur does not take himself seriously).

I found a spreadsheet I made back in the day. It's from1997; I really started working out around 1993-1994. I posted those pics in the pics, thread, but I'll just throw them in here for consolidation's sake.

I did have measurements from 1993-94, but they're on an old *** PC-XT in my storage locker... best extrapolation for size is that I wore a 14.5" shirt collar, 38 jacket, and Small for pullovers, polos, T-shirts, etc.

(D'oh! I forgot to add that I'm 5'5" and currently 45 years old, 46 in July. In 1994 I was 37, etc.)

Summer 1994...



My measurements in Nov. 1997...
Weight... 170
Neck... 15.5
Chest... 42
Biceps/Triceps... 13.75
Forearm... 11.5
Waist... 36
Hips/butt... 37
Thigh... 23
Calf... 15.25

Summer 1997...



Summer 2002...



The quality of the next few pix is not good.

December 2002...
(I really hate this shot! I've seen pix of kangaroos with less of a pouch )



April 2003...

Weight... 210
Neck... 17
Chest... 47
Biceps/Triceps...16.5
Forearm... 13
Waist... 40
Hips/butt... 43
Thigh... 26
Calf... 16.25





Just a few months ago my arms measured a shade over 16. Then a few weeks ago they were 16 3/8. Today, they measured 16.5, cold flexed! This was after my weekend carb refeed, but even after last weekend, or even a few weeks ago when I was eating carbs, they never measured 16.5. This is a first. Now I'm greedy and want 17"

Even after my dietary debauchery this weekend, when I used my keto strip ths morning, it still turned color. So I guess I was still in ketosis.

As far as goals, I don't care what the scale weight is, but I want to lose 4-5 inches from my waist. That would put me at about 10-12% bodyfat. Achieving that will make everything else fall in line... like being able to strut around in a speedo or butt floss at the beach. That's really it.

[little lats]

Damn boy you got some shoulders.. keep it up!

[edster951]

your a solid looking fella.....keep it up.

[TwoWalks]

Originally posted by Minotaur
hate this shot! I've seen pix of kangaroos with less of a pouch )

Greed can be a good thing - go for the 17". But watch the kangaroo pouch remarks - that pouch looks a lot like the one on a fellow I am really close too

I say work hard and train hard while doing the keto and get them speedo's ready - but if going for the butt floss look stay off the California beaches ok.

You should be extremely proud of the mass gain and I agree dang those are some delts.

[tracyb555]

Looking good Minotaur! Keep up the good work.

[Minotaur]

Thanks for the feedback, especially about the delts... you know, the ones I complained about not growing a while back. I've noticed lately that they are growing, along with my arms. The primary reason why I am having a hard time finding a suit jacket that fits right (another complaint... um, I mean thread). Once I lose some fat, the definition will be better.

[IPR]

Good move Mino in having your own thread

I can see a real shrinking of the waist between Dec and April, definite progress.....and those delts and arms look real good.

Like you I rarely drop out of ketosis on my carb-ups, probably because I also workout during the weekend. You don't need to stay in ketosis, so you may want to experiment and see how many carb grams you can take.

Good luck

[Gator]

Nice work Min..
Keep it up..People kill for thickness like that...Seems to come naturally for ya..

Congrats on all yer gains

Gator

[Minotaur]

Thanks again. One of the big reasons I love this board is because everyone is so civil and 'mature'. Peoples' goals are realistic and encouraged.

You know, IPR, I saw the same thing. And it really knocked me out. The Buddha Belly really is shrinking.

Gator, about the thickness... I may have mentioned elsewhere that the doctor at the chiropractor's office commented about my bone structure... that I have short thick bones. So I guess it stands to reason that I have short thick muscles. All together it makes me look... well, short and thick. Hence the bull references. I've come to accept, and even appreciate my structure. It's a challenge buying clothes sometimes, but on the whole it's not too bad.

[mainer001]

Holy crap Minotaur. You are definitely piling on the mass. Great job. You are looking good. Keep it up.

[MagicMel]

Excellent job Minotaur!

As I recall from a previous thread from long ago, I mentioned that your starting stats were very similar to my own from last summer,
170lbs @ 5'5". I went on a weight loss regimen at that point, though, and only until last October did I start "bulking" when I reached 142lbs.

Just out of curiosity, do you remember what your stats were after 1 and 2 years of training?

[Minotaur]

Originally posted by MagicMel
Excellent job Minotaur!

...

Just out of curiosity, do you remember what your stats were after 1 and 2 years of training?

Thanks Mel.

Yeah, I kind of remember. That would be around the time of the 1994 cruise pics above. I didn't post stats, but they were sort of like this...

Age 37.
Weight 137.
Neck 14.5, from shirt size.
Chest 38-39, jacket size actually. So chest was probably a tad smaller.
Waist 31-32, from pants size.

I'm assuming I was about 13-14% body fat. That's a real rough guess based on remembering that I had some belly flab, and I did have a calipers test done; however, I was pretty skinny muscle-wise.

So at the time being 137 lbs and 14% bf, and currently being 210 and about 18% body fat, in 9 years I've gained 73 lbs total; 54 lbs muscle and 19 lbs of fat gained. Not scientific, but as near as I can figure. Need to lose 20 lbs or so. That's my goal.

It wasn't a steady 6 lbs muscle gain per year; in the beginning I was doing aerobics (Step Reebok) and very extremely light weights. More like toning It was really only around April 1999, when I joined the Y that I started squatting, deadlifting and benching. Even though I did gain some muscle before that, it was then that I started to pack it on.

[Gator]

Well Min, I too enjoy being short n thick..LOL
It is hard to buy clothes as well....I got fitted for a wedding and they had to put a 54 jacket on me, Im 5'6" !! LOL
The pants were haayuuuugge !!!
Accept and embrace it Bro..Like I said, people would die for the thickness aspect of what u have...

Keep up the good work..

Gator

Originally posted by Minotaur
Thanks again. :) One of the big reasons I love this board is because everyone is so civil and 'mature'. Peoples' goals are realistic and encouraged.

You know, IPR, I saw the same thing. And it really knocked me out. The Buddha Belly really is shrinking.

Gator, about the thickness... I may have mentioned elsewhere that the doctor at the chiropractor's office commented about my bone structure... that I have short thick bones. So I guess it stands to reason that I have short thick muscles. All together it makes me look... well, short and thick. Hence the bull references. I've come to accept, and even appreciate my structure. It's a challenge buying clothes sometimes, but on the whole it's not too bad.

[Minotaur]

Originally posted by Gator
I got fitted for a wedding and they had to put a 54 jacket on me, Im 5'6" !! LOL
The pants were haayuuuugge !!!

54 jacket @ 5'6"!? Oh, you are my hero! And I call myself a bull!? I've been trying on 48. The shoulders and arms are OK, but the misection is too big. I should probably go up a notch to 50 for the arms and shoulders, then have the sides taken in.

[TwoWalks]

Originally posted by Minotaur
54 jacket @ 5'6"!? Oh, you are my hero! And I call myself a bull!? I've been trying on 48. The shoulders and arms are OK, but the misection is too big. I should probably go up a notch to 50 for the arms and shoulders, then have the sides taken in.

So now we each begin to notice something about the clothing industry for men ... they design clothes for pears Even in my youth I could not buy a suit ... wore a 46 coat and they came with 42 pants, I wore a 29. Can only imagine what the model they build clothes on looks like.

[Minotaur]

Originally posted by TwoWalks
So now we each begin to notice something about the clothing industry for men ... they design clothes for pears

No joke... this is true. Look at Ralph Lauren's oxford shirt line, or Brooks Bros. oxfords... they are cut for guys with x size neck, and a big belly and no shoulders or chest, apparently. I had a good number of these shirts that when the neck used to fit, the midsection was enormous. Then as I grew, the neck and shoulders were ridiculously tight, but the midsection was still roomy.

[Gator]

I wish I could buy shirts from those places..
I went into Bachrachs in the mall, i was walkin around looking at shirts, the sales girl comes up to me and says, "Theres no way youll fit into anything we have, theres a Big n Tall store I think can help you"..LOLOL
Been there as well, they have some good stuff, but if u want a quality shirt, etc..its hard to find it there..
Where do u guys get yer shirts ???
I find them on racks here and there..It aint easy tho..

Gator

Originally posted by Minotaur
No joke... this is true. Look at Ralph Lauren's oxford shirt line, or Brooks Bros. oxfords... they are cut for guys with x size neck, and a big belly and no shoulders or chest, apparently. I had a good number of these shirts that when the neck used to fit, the midsection was enormous. Then as I grew, the neck and shoulders were ridiculously tight, but the midsection was still roomy.

[Minotaur]

Originally posted by Gator
Where do u guys get yer shirts ???
I find them on racks here and there..It aint easy tho..

Gator

Same here... I don''t have a loyalty to any particular brand or style. I find shirts where I can. And I try not to spend a lot of money on shirts. I know that my size changes, and I'll have to ditch the shirts eventually. I've learned to like what K-Mart and Walmart are showing.

Right now I need XL for the neck, but the body of a L fits fine. XL is just a bit too roomy, but I'll deal with it. As long as the rest of the L shirts fit, it's OK; I rarely wear a tie anyway, and wear my collars open.

Have you seen Rheingold Fashions? Great looking stuff. I'd love to try them. Maybe I will once my physique settles in.

[Eye2_Man]

You look like someone you don't want to mess around with. If you don't mind the question, what would your 3-lift sum at max effort be? Flat Bench + Squat + Deadlift

[Minotaur]

Oh suuure now you're gonna call me out on bullsh--! So I have to put up or shut up.

Seriously, my bench sucks. The best it ever was, was 185x6. My goal is 225. That would make me happy. My squat and deadlift maxes were 315x4, each, so I guess that gives an 815 total. Pretty pathetic. I haven't deadlifted or squatted in a while because I'm nursing my back with the chiropractor. No injury, just muscle tightness and inflammation.

The joke and deception is that for my height, I have the 'size' and thickness (of course there's fat too ) but I'm really not that strong, though I did gain a lot of strength over the past few years, no mistake. I think I may work on that again.

[Gator]

Ill hop in w/ya Min..
Bench...well i tore a pec last year so thats a dead issue, i just use dbells now, it doenst hurt that way..Im doin GVT so I stay in the 85/90 range, I still have a fear of retearing it..Gives me the willies..i wasnt really a big bencher, i hated it..
Dead....got up to 545 when I played the power game..
Squat...495

Back in the day I did the power thing, right now my body is paying for it tho..LOL

Gator

Originally posted by Minotaur
Oh suuure now you're gonna call me out on bullsh--! So I have to put up or shut up. :D

Seriously, my bench sucks. The best it ever was, was 185x6. My goal is 225. That would make me happy. My squat and deadlift maxes were 315x4, each, so I guess that gives an 815 total. Pretty pathetic. :( I haven't deadlifted or squatted in a while because I'm nursing my back with the chiropractor. No injury, just muscle tightness and inflammation.

The joke and deception is that for my height, I have the 'size' and thickness (of course there's fat too :rolleyes: ) but I'm really not that strong, though I did gain a lot of strength over the past few years, no mistake. I think I may work on that again.

[TwoWalks]

Originally posted by Minotaur
The best it ever was, was 185x6.

My squat and deadlift maxes were 315x4, each

815 total.

Minotaur: Good news ... If converted to 1 rep max it would give you a total of 903, stronger than you thought

[mainer001]

TwoWalks,

What is the conversion for one rep max? I know I have read it somewhere but I cannot seem to find it.

Thanks.

[TwoWalks]

Originally posted by mainer001
TwoWalks,

What is the conversion for one rep max? I know I have read it somewhere but I cannot seem to find it.

Thanks.

Mainer, sent you a PM.

[Minotaur]

Before last week I hadn't squatted in a few months. The last time I squatted, I thought 225 would break my back. Understand that I used to do 275-295 for reps and sets.

Anyhoo, I did 225 last week and thought I'd go through the roof on the way up... no resistance. Same this week. I was done with my legs workout before I started it. It's pretty much going the same way for all the other workouts. Strength is on an upturn, it seems. I'm happy about it.

The really exciting this is that my midsection is shrinking to almost nothing (well, relatively speaking). My pants are swimming around my waist. When I turn sideways, I see less and less of a gut bulge. It's about 7 weeks of keto, and this is the first time in yeeears that I'm shrinking this fast.

When I started keto about 6 weeks ago, I was 210 on the gym scale, with workout clothes and boots. With the same clothes and boots tonight I was 203. The funny thing is that this all seemed to happen within the past week or two. I feared that I was losing muscle too, but my other measurements have stayed about the same (arms, legs, chest).

Looks like I'm on my way.

[IPR]

Mino....this is GREAT to hear

I found and many otthers say the same, that keto gets better the longer you are on it. Maybe its just takes a little longer than most diets to see the real results, but when they come......

[Hibiscus09]

That's great, Minotaur! Happy to hear you're doing so well!

[Minotaur]

Originally posted by IPR
Mino....this is GREAT to hear

I found and many otthers say the same, that keto gets better the longer you are on it. Maybe its just takes a little longer than most diets to see the real results, but when they come......

Yes, another testimonial from another satisfied Keto Follower.

In reality I've lost about an inch from my waist, by tape measure and could probably go down one pants size.

The tricky part is eating when you're out and don't really have control. For example, I had to have lunch out yesterday. My lunch companion suggested pizza. I would love pizza, but I said I'd have to pass on that. I felt bad keboshing the idea, but I wasn't going to sabotage the diet. So we agreed to the cafe next door that served a big taco salad... grilled chicken, mixed greens in a fried taco bowl. I opted for blue cheese dressing, and left the taco bowl, though I heard a tiny Guido voice saying "Ay! yo Frankie... eat me." But I was strong.

[TwoWalks]

Originally posted by Minotaur
though I heard a tiny Guido voice saying "Ay! yo Frankie... eat me." But I was strong.

Ah the key to success

Minotaur do fantastic. A person can tell from the way you wrote that you are feeling awsome and excited about the progress and this will only create more determination and make every aspect even easier to maintain. Good Job

[Minotaur]

Originally posted by TwoWalks
Ah the key to success

Minotaur do fantastic. A person can tell from the way you wrote that you are feeling awsome and excited about the progress and this will only create more determination and make every aspect even easier to maintain. Good Job

Oh, you caught that, huh!? I'm about as transparent as Saran Wrap. When I'm really psyched and upbeat it shows even in my writing, when I'm infuriated (like at patmel's doctor) that shows too. I'm so readable.

Seriously, this last week's results are what I have been looking for, for a couple of years (really... years).

My friend is encouraged by his weight loss too. He's not doing a carb refeed since his workouts are not very intense. I even told him this morning that his gut is shrinking (and it is... I never lie to make someone feel better). We've both gotten comments from people about our weight loss.

As you-know-who says, "It's a good thing."