The extreme weight roller coaster that binds me.

[markprivinius]

I don't think there's such thing as "too little calories" for guys our size. As long as your blood sugars can handle it(no diabetes) and your energy isn't affected, I'd say keep running those deficits. I've been doing 1500-2k calories most days for the past month and feel amazing. All my lifts continue to increase, I have more energy, and the mental clarity is amazing. Keep up the good work bro, and remember not to let minor set-backs ruin your overall progress

True, but there is such a things as too little protein. Be careful on that, try to get at least 125g/day.

[skelooth]

After not smoking and eating cleanish for 23 days, I've gotta say, the fast food my coworkers bring in smells a LOT like sweaty balls. I had to stick my hand down in my pants and make sure it wasn't me.

[Strobe57]

True, but there is such a things as too little protein. Be careful on that, try to get at least 125g/day.

I really don't buy into "125g/day" tbh. Most days I know I'm NOT getting that much protein just because I quite honestly can't afford it, yet all my lifts keep increasing. Now I guess if lifts can be increasing without building muscle than maybe I'm wrong? Not sure ><

[markprivinius]

I really don't buy into "125g/day" tbh. Most days I know I'm NOT getting that much protein just because I quite honestly can't afford it, yet all my lifts keep increasing. Now I guess if lifts can be increasing without building muscle than maybe I'm wrong? Not sure ><

Cheaper than you think:
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein Powder : $57.00 for 5 lbs, ends up being 60 cents a scoop (24 g protein)
Chicken Breast ~$5/lb, 4 oz is ~$1.25 (21 g protein)

Being a larger guy, you have more muscle, I'd say you're probably at least 50% BF, which even then brings you to a LBM of 165 lbs. This means to prevent muscle loss at minimum of 132g should be consumed on non-lifting days to keep LBM. If lifting recommendations are 1.5g/LBM lb. but its been proven that isn't necessary. Check out some of Lyle McDonald's stuff, he's got it down to almost an exact science:

Lyle Mcdonald - Protein Intake While Dieting – Q&A

Though some LBM is to be expected from larger guys like us, its not preferable and is really hard to get back. Lifts can increase purely based on comfort-ability with the exercise and pushing your limits or even supplements, it does not mean that you have gained muscle per se.

[CHOOSE]

Hey man, just wanted to post to wish you luck. You've been lean before, and you can do it again. Life can beat you to your knees, and you are doing what you can to get up. I do take inspiration from you. Stick with it.

[Gen1GT]

I really don't buy into "125g/day" tbh. Most days I know I'm NOT getting that much protein just because I quite honestly can't afford it, yet all my lifts keep increasing. Now I guess if lifts can be increasing without building muscle than maybe I'm wrong? Not sure ><

You're completely right. You can still gain strength and hypertrophy without "optimal" protein intake, but it's slower. If you're doing IF, PSMF etc, then you DEFINITELY need the extra protein.

I have this to say, however. I've worked out plenty of times and gained size and strength, in spite of my best friend's advice (he's a personal trainer) to take huge amounts of protein. THIS time, I've been putting in over 200g protein/day, and my strength gains are exponential. I've been lifting for two months, and I'm already up to 220 lbs on the bench. My previous 1 RM when I've worked out previously (and after six months of training) was 190 lbs.

So yeah, if you're going to eat calories, might as well be protein. It digests slowly and makes you feel full.

[Strobe57]

Though some LBM is to be expected from larger guys like us, its not preferable and is really hard to get back. Lifts can increase purely based on comfort-ability with the exercise and pushing your limits or even supplements, it does not mean that you have gained muscle per se.

Yeah that makes sense. I've heard of "training the CNS," so I guess that's possibly what I'm doing, but at the same time I don't think you see a bench go from 195->255 in two months if you aren't making real gains. I guess there's no harm in eating the extra protein, but I tend to go more off personal experience than studies.

[markprivinius]

Yeah that makes sense. I've heard of "training the CNS," so I guess that's possibly what I'm doing, but at the same time I don't think you see a bench go from 195->255 in two months if you aren't making real gains. I guess there's no harm in eating the extra protein, but I tend to go more off personal experience than studies.

Agreed, studies don't necessarily apply to all. The first time I lost a good amount of weight, I went from 330 to 275 in 2.5 months by eating an average of 137g, 52g fat, 137g protein daily and exercising 2 hours a day. I lived alone, no pets, and was miserable most of the time, but damn them some results. I then slowly went back to my old eating habits and got back to 300 in about 6 months. As you can see, during that time I did not get the "minimum" of the 150g I was supposed to have, but I saw an increase in strength (i was doing heavy lifting 3-4 days a week). I don't know if I lost muscles, gained it, or whathaveyou, but I know that I don't want to be that miserable with family/friends around and at work.

You could workout 2 hours a day and eat 2500 calories and still lose weight
You could sit around all day and eat 1000 calories and day and still lose weight.
You could do a combination.

It all comes down to this:
What works for you = a calorie deficit = longer term results

[Strobe57]

Agreed Privinius->I guess what I was getting at by saying "don't need X amount of protein" is that nobody really knows exactly what the protein threshold is. We obviously need some protein, but I've never seen a conclusive study saying that for "x" amount of body weight you need "y" amount of protein. Obviously there's many studies linking higher protein consumption to better muscle gains, so once I can afford it I'll definitely load up on more protein(BEEF BABY) Graduate in 2 weeks so almost there.

[skelooth]

It's a little insane and extreme, but I'm already down a full 20lbs since I quit smoking and started dieting 24 days ago. Of all the times I've lost weight I don't think I've ever lost it quite this fast and I'm on course to literally lose 25-30lbs in my first month. My first day I weighed in at 302.3, today I am 282.5, pretty incredible!

Unfortunately, my focus is shot, my energy levels are shot, and I've been in an over all very lousy and volatile mood. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's not. But I'll tell you what I miss. I miss smoking a cigarette more than I miss eating. Not smoking literally feels aweful. I sometimes forget that I'm battling that as well. Cigarettes are bad.

When I'm down and out I just have no energy for exercise. I know this is technically the wrong thing to do, but I made up for it by just not eating my full day's calories. Eating very little calories has a nice appetite suppressant effect for a little while fortunately.

I'm using personal trainer food for my meals. I saw an ad for a similar service on bb.com but I didn't click the banner before the page loaded. There's also bistroMD but it's craaaazy expensive. personal trainer food is only like $14 a day, and much cheaper with a coupon (which is less than I used to spend anyway).

Does anyone have any experience with other food services?

[Gen1GT]

Skel, it sounds like you need to refeed.

[kureransu]

Don't rage at me for asking, why so few calories? Like honestly, what's the rush? I don't want to come of mean or anything like that, but to me, it looks like you're treating this as a means to an end, going from one extreme to the next. I don't think you need to be under 2000 calories right now.

[skelooth]

Don't rage at me for asking, why so few calories? Like honestly, what's the rush? I don't want to come of mean or anything like that, but to me, it looks like you're treating this as a means to an end, going from one extreme to the next. I don't think you need to be under 2000 calories right now.

Mostly because I'm out of my mind. I have a very difficult time with moderation. I've been stressed out really bad lately and have been a miserable angry ****tard. I have issues. In my head I think losing weight is going to fix all of my lifes problems, so I again find myself obsessing and "racing to the bottom". I'm almost 34 with few friends and no girlfriend. All of those dreams of having a family feel like they get crushed every morning I wake up and see my fat self in the mirror.

Alas, I broke last night and had a 660 calorie "snack" of two eggwhites with spinace and two maple sausage patties. Keeping my calories low makes those breaches of will power a lot less damaging and even gives me a little bit of leeway to not feel guilty about them (which is huge for me, I beat myself up about everything).

It also helps with situations like last

No rage for honest questions. :3

[skelooth]

Skel, it sounds like you need to refeed.

I am going to try to eat like this for as long as possible without ever cheating or having a refeed. I've entertained the idea of going out for mexican food on my 1 monthaversary, but I know my eating habits, I would eat too much, gain 10lbs in water, and hate myself to the extent of diminishing returns until it was gone. I'd rather be weak and miserable than fat at this point, because there is nothing more miserable than being this fat. I really swore to not get this big again and I'm on hell bent on changing it by any means.

[markprivinius]

I am going to try to eat like this for as long as possible without ever cheating or having a refeed. I've entertained the idea of going out for mexican food on my 1 monthaversary, but I know my eating habits, I would eat too much, gain 10lbs in water, and hate myself to the extent of diminishing returns until it was gone. I'd rather be weak and miserable than fat at this point, because there is nothing more miserable than being this fat. I really swore to not get this big again and I'm on hell bent on changing it by any means.

Do a Google Search for DEXA scan and find a facility that has the machine in your area, Should cost around $100, what it will give you is your medically accurate LBM AND peace of mind. With knowing your exact LBM, you can find out exactly how much you can eat, and how to make 500-1000 your daily deficit. It was hands down, the best decision I ever made.

[kureransu]

Mostly because I'm out of my mind. I have a very difficult time with moderation. I've been stressed out really bad lately and have been a miserable angry ****tard. I have issues. In my head I think losing weight is going to fix all of my lifes problems, so I again find myself obsessing and "racing to the bottom". I'm almost 34 with few friends and no girlfriend. All of those dreams of having a family feel like they get crushed every morning I wake up and see my fat self in the mirror.

Alas, I broke last night and had a 660 calorie "snack" of two eggwhites with spinace and two maple sausage patties. Keeping my calories low makes those breaches of will power a lot less damaging and even gives me a little bit of leeway to not feel guilty about them (which is huge for me, I beat myself up about everything).

It also helps with situations like last

No rage for honest questions. :3

I'm the same age as you pretty much. Your lack of a gf and friends has nothing to do with your weight and more to do with how you perceive yourself because of your weight. I had a gf when I was 380, she went shopping with me to buy my size 54 pants. The reality is, regardless of your weight you'll still be the same person. If you're not happy now, you won't be happy then. The best advice I could give you is to own who you are now and embrace it. I'm not saying you should be proud to be fat or anything like that, but you should recognize that fat or not, you should always view yourself as an amazing person, who can do amazing things. When you have THAT mindset, then this journey becomes MUCH easier.

Also, this is a journey. The best part about this is that you have the opportunity to do what most people don't take the time to do, learn about their body. Instead of fast tracking it out of self guilt for getting so big. Take the time to learn what triggers what and how your body responds. When you figure all this out, you won't have to cut foods out and such, you'll have a balance and will be aware of what to do to lose if you do in fact gain a little. Look at me. I went from 380 with a 54 inch waist to 200 with a 32, which at my height is not common. But that should tell you how much I've been able to dictate how my body transform over the years. It's nice to have control. That's what you want out of all this, control. Losing fat is cool and all, but if you blindly do it, when you get down you'll be just as ignorant as you were when you were fat and most likely you'll gain it back.

So Take your time. learn your body. My girlfriend has lost 18lbs in 7 weeks on 1530 cals, she's 5' tall and 170 now. Her besides her first week (water weight), she's averaged about 1.7 lbs loss a week. No reason you should be starving yourself.

Do a Google Search for DEXA scan and find a facility that has the machine in your area, Should cost around $100, what it will give you is your medically accurate LBM AND peace of mind. With knowing your exact LBM, you can find out exactly how much you can eat, and how to make 500-1000 your daily deficit. It was hands down, the best decision I ever made.

He doesn't even have to do that. Eat less move more, check results. If results are favorable, keep doing it. If not, adjust to balance until they are. When you're this big, you don't have to be so detailed. If you want to that's fine, but it's not required.

[skelooth]

It's all part of the disease. If you look at my sig, I have been lean before. There was a time in my life in college where I ended up being the "go to guy" for questions on how to build muscle. I've been lean a few times. I've lost overly 300lbs collectively at this stage of my life.

There is one thing I can say with absolute certainty:
When you are lean and healthy people like you
When you are fat, you can go **** yourself, yours truly, society.

At 200lbs people will talk to you and want to be your friend (including women), at 300lbs you are prejudged and consistently treated like a second class citizen. I hate society and people and culture for this. I take a lot of the responsibility but also blame the mass media machine that exists to brainwash us into products and foods that may or may not be good for us.

Every single damn time. Life is good at 200lbs. I get girls, people are friendly, my life goes well. At 300lbs i sit and rot by myself lonely and everything is ****. I realize I want something I may never have at this point (a loving relationship, so ****ing outrageous) but at least the anger is being focused into improving myself instead of the self destructive route I've been taking for the past 2 years since my divorce.

Here's lunch.
Chicken breast, a double serving of veggies, and some oil.

[kureransu]

It's all part of the disease. If you look at my sig, I have been lean before. There was a time in my life in college where I ended up being the "go to guy" for questions on how to build muscle. I've been lean a few times. I've lost overly 300lbs collectively at this stage of my life.

There is one thing I can say with absolute certainty:
When you are lean and healthy people like you
When you are fat, you can go **** yourself, yours truly, society.

At 200lbs people will talk to you and want to be your friend (including women), at 300lbs you are prejudged and consistently treated like a second class citizen. I hate society and people and culture for this. I take a lot of the responsibility but also blame the mass media machine that exists to brainwash us into products and foods that may or may not be good for us.

Every single damn time. Life is good at 200lbs. I get girls, people are friendly, my life goes well. At 300lbs i sit and rot by myself lonely and everything is ****. I realize I want something I may never have at this point (a loving relationship, so ****ing outrageous) but at least the anger is being focused into improving myself instead of the self destructive route I've been taking for the past 2 years since my divorce.

Here's lunch.
Chicken breast, a double serving of veggies, and some oil.

I saw you lost weight a couple times. That's why I'm suggesting you slow down and just learn your body. I feel like you do it as a means to an end. You get that weight bask in the spolight of being slim, and forget what it took to get there and regress. Perhaps you don't know what to do when you get there. Which I think is the case with a lot of people.

As far as society goes. I look at it like this. Most overweight people who feel like you do are their own worse enemy. They lose all confidence in themselves and almost can't stand themselves for being this way, almost as if they are cursed. You may not realize it, but those emotions radiate out of you and it's turn off. No one wants to be around some who finds themselves nothing but an utter disappointment. Despite you're appearance, I'm sure you were much more confident and the like at the smaller weight. Where is that confidence now? you're that same awesome guy taht everyone went to, you just seem to have forgotten. There is no reason for blaming anything or anyone.

If you have drive and confidence, people will respect you. They see the potential in you and will support you. No lie. I came to my gym to lift 5.5 years ago. I told them I wasn't trying to be skinny. I'm going to lift and be fit. I plan on being a nice lean 200lbs. I never said i hope to be or anything. I told them what i was there for. They helped me with my lifts gave me critiques and rooted me on. Now I'm giving these guys tips and showing them new workouts. Same thing with ladies. When I was bigger I lack the confidence to ask a girl out. But I started lifting and started dating when i hit 300lbs. I was going on dates like every other week. 300lbs. When i met my now girl friend i was 250lbs. So the weight isn't an issue. Its about how you view and carry yourself.

Don't get me wrong there are some DBs out there. But I think you got this if you just stop focusing on why and how this happened, and just focus on where you will be the next day and the next. always going forward. Head held high, because you have no reason for it to be low. You messed up, we all do. But what you are doing right now is getting back up and going foward again. Most people don't do that. So be proud of where you at now and where you are going. Because with the right mindset you'll be going to a place where you can hang around permanently.

[Serpentarius]

It's all part of the disease. If you look at my sig, I have been lean before. There was a time in my life in college where I ended up being the "go to guy" for questions on how to build muscle. I've been lean a few times. I've lost overly 300lbs collectively at this stage of my life.

There is one thing I can say with absolute certainty:
When you are lean and healthy people like you
When you are fat, you can go **** yourself, yours truly, society.

At 200lbs people will talk to you and want to be your friend (including women), at 300lbs you are prejudged and consistently treated like a second class citizen. I hate society and people and culture for this. I take a lot of the responsibility but also blame the mass media machine that exists to brainwash us into products and foods that may or may not be good for us.

Every single damn time. Life is good at 200lbs. I get girls, people are friendly, my life goes well. At 300lbs i sit and rot by myself lonely and everything is ****. I realize I want something I may never have at this point (a loving relationship, so ****ing outrageous) but at least the anger is being focused into improving myself instead of the self destructive route I've been taking for the past 2 years since my divorce.

Think about it. Why would people respect a guy who doesnt respect himself enough to not stuff his face 24/7? Its the same mentality that the fat acceptance people have, instead of trying to fix the issue, they would rather try to change the standard of beauty and try to make other people accept them. Its like an alcoholic causing problems telling people they are the problem and they should work around them.

[cunfewzed]

Everyone rationalizes their position. Everyone sheds blame. Blaming society is stupid.

[csb5731]

There is one thing I can say with absolute certainty:
When you are lean and healthy people like you
When you are fat, you can go **** yourself, yours truly, society.

At 200lbs people will talk to you and want to be your friend (including women), at 300lbs you are prejudged and consistently treated like a second class citizen. I hate society and people and culture for this. I take a lot of the responsibility but also blame the mass media machine that exists to brainwash us into products and foods that may or may not be good for us.

Every single damn time. Life is good at 200lbs. I get girls, people are friendly, my life goes well. At 300lbs i sit and rot by myself lonely and everything is ****. I realize I want something I may never have at this point (a loving relationship, so ****ing outrageous) but at least the anger is being focused into improving myself instead of the self destructive route I've been taking for the past 2 years since my divorce.

Horse sh*t. I know and have known many fat people with lots of friends and even female companionship. I know many obese people, and I am as polite to them as I am to any other person, I just am not going to listen to health/fitness advice from them, sit next to them on a plane/bus (if they are REALLY big), ask them to say help me move or go on a hike/climb with me, or if female, want to have sex with them (any more than I'd want to have sex with an anorexic).

Lots of fat people I know are largely isolated because they can't or don't want to do what others enjoy and do frequently. A good friend of mine asks everybody at work to hang out on his boat in the summer, never once does a fat person show up. Hang out at the beach, play volleyball/soccer/softball, hike up a local mountain? If you're obese, it's probably not high on your list.

One of my best friends is 300+ pounds, he comes on camping trips all the time. If we want to do anything besides eating/fishing, say normal camping stuff like hiking/mountain biking, then he won't do it but he doesn't blame us or society.

You blame society for girls not wanting to **** you, if all else failed I am sure you could find a really fat one that would be fine with that, I guarantee it. But if you aren't cool with that, how come it's society's fault? People are fatter than ever, and as so we are MORE tolerant of fat people than ever, not less tolerant.

Playing 'woe is me' and calling everybody haters has never accomplished a thing.

[markprivinius]

Think about it. Why would people respect a guy who doesnt respect himself enough to not stuff his face 24/7? Its the same mentality that the fat acceptance people have, instead of trying to fix the issue, they would rather try to change the standard of beauty and try to make other people accept them. Its like an alcoholic causing problems telling people they are the problem and they should work around them.

^ Been thin his entire life (according to him) = Couldn't possibly understand and has no capacity for empathy = Should stop trolling.

Its difficult to be confident in ones-self when he/she is surrounded by negativity.

[biggoron]

Horse sh*t. I know and have known many fat people with lots of friends and even female companionship. I know many obese people, and I am as polite to them as I am to any other person, I just am not going to listen to health/fitness advice from them, sit next to them on a plane/bus (if they are REALLY big), ask them to say help me move or go on a hike/climb with me, or if female, want to have sex with them (any more than I'd want to have sex with an anorexic).

Lots of fat people I know are largely isolated because they can't or don't want to do what others enjoy and do frequently. A good friend of mine asks everybody at work to hang out on his boat in the summer, never once does a fat person show up. Hang out at the beach, play volleyball/soccer/softball, hike up a local mountain? If you're obese, it's probably not high on your list.

One of my best friends is 300+ pounds, he comes on camping trips all the time. If we want to do anything besides eating/fishing, say normal camping stuff like hiking/mountain biking, then he won't do it but he doesn't blame us or society.

You blame society for girls not wanting to **** you, if all else failed I am sure you could find a really fat one that would be fine with that, I guarantee it. But if you aren't cool with that, how come it's society's fault? People are fatter than ever, and as so we are MORE tolerant of fat people than ever, not less tolerant.

Playing 'woe is me' and calling everybody haters has never accomplished a thing.

I love you

[skelooth]

To those of you chastising me for the difficult place I'm in, different strokes for different folks. Being angry gets me through my day, then so be it. I'd love to be a happy confident social butterfly, but that's not me right now, and I'll take it one day at a time. Maybe losing weight will will fix my problems, maybe it won't, but the things I'm hearing aren't anything I haven't heard before. I have always been an overly angry **** show. All I can do is try to change. Some of us are born a little tweaked in the head.

[MrM27]

Someone told me there was a party in here and that there was cake?????

[mavajo]

^ Been thin his entire life (according to him) = Couldn't possibly understand and has no capacity for empathy = Should stop trolling.

Its difficult to be confident in ones-self when he/she is surrounded by negativity.

Take a miserable fat guy and help him lose 200 lbs. You know what you've got now? A miserable thin guy. Happiness/unhappiness can be increased or decreased by external factors, but the state of being happy or unhappy is determined internally. If you're unhappy, changing something external in your life isn't going to make you happy. The change has to come from within. But this is the trap that miserable and unhappy people fall into - they constantly think that if they could just change some external factor, then they'd be happy. No big surprise that unhappy people tend to continue being unhappy their entire life, no matter how much changes around them. Alternatively, happy people tend to continue being happy, no matter how much their world spirals around them.

[skelooth]

Really guys? You gotta come troll some more? Party with cake? Really? You literally have nothing better to do than harass some fat guy trying to journal is fat loss? Really?

I was wrong coming back here.

[Gen1GT]

Skel, I get what these guys are saying, and they're not trolling. They're giving you tough love, man. They/we/I want nothing more than to see you succeed, but we want you to be happy and healthy for the LONG HAUL. I also understand how motivating anger is, but try to spin it as "**** you all, I'll show you what kind of man skeltooth is ... just watch me!"

I've been heavy my whole life, from 270-420 lbs at various points. Never did I feel like I was held back because I was fat. I guess I'm what they call a "high-functioning fatty." LOL The only ways I feel I was held-back, was that I couldn't go on a lot of amusement park rides, and the girls I dated were 7's and 8's instead of 9's and 10's (although I've hooked up with 9's). It's all about confidence.

That being said, I'd be lying if I said my weight loss wasn't because of partially vain reasons. I'd love to wear a tank top and look jacked, or have girls check me out.

Relating to girlfriends: here's something every man should do who is hoping to meet the girl of his dreams and have her fall in love with him (it takes self-awareness). Grab a piece of paper, and write down everything you can think of that you want in a woman. I mean EVERYTHING. How she looks, how she dresses, how she smells, what she reads, what movies she watches, etc etc.

Now, once you fill up that piece of paper, get a new piece of paper. Now, right down all the things THAT woman would look for in a man. How many of those qualities do you possess? If it's few, then you have some work to do. If it's many, then you're all set.

Anyway, keep it up. Regardless of your motivation, you're on the right track. Every single guy here wants you to succeed.

[Gen1GT]

Someone told me there was a party in here and that there was cake?????

Skel, he was trying to lighten the mood. Maybe should have been a non-high-carb joke though. LOL

[Strobe57]

To those of you chastising me for the difficult place I'm in, different strokes for different folks. Being angry gets me through my day, then so be it. I'd love to be a happy confident social butterfly, but that's not me right now, and I'll take it one day at a time. Maybe losing weight will will fix my problems, maybe it won't, but the things I'm hearing aren't anything I haven't heard before. I have always been an overly angry **** show. All I can do is try to change. Some of us are born a little tweaked in the head.

Man don't take these guys personally. I think they had good intentions except Serpentarius, who's just a troll.

They do make a good point about how losing weight won't solve all your problems. Which is true to an extent, but I agree with a lot of what you said about the way society perceives you when you're thin/fat skelooth. But as Kureransu said, it also comes down to how you perceive yourself and the confidence you show. Let me give you an example, non weight-loss/fat, regarding the value of confidence. I started the nursing program I'm in about a year ago. I was completely new to healthcare, scared as ****, and extremely lacking in confidence. And I got a terrible response from many patients. People read you. If they know you aren't confident, it creates feelings of mistrust, doubt, etc. But now, I'm very confident in my abilities. I go into a patient's room and even if I have no ****ing idea how to handle them, I act like I know what I'm doing. And the same goes for when I'm talking to doctors, other nurses, etc. Confidence goes a long way. It obviously doesn't solve every problem, but if others don't believe you're confident in yourself they're going to struggle to believe in you.

Anyway man, keep up the good work. Go back and read Kureransu's posts about making this into a "lifestyle" rather than a sprint. I completely agree with those comments. In the past 2 months my diet has gone from just that, a diet, to a lifestyle. I feel good making the right choices(most of the time), obviously we'll cheat sometimes, but so is life, nobody is perfect.