great success story there soulsteeler =) was very warming to read
On January 30 2011 21:22 matko5 wrote: I've been dieting for a month now, i'm down around 6-7 pounds. 226 and counting. IMHO, too much in such a short period, but since my strength is the same and I'm not losing any muscles I'll keep at it. Also, haven't had any alcohol in 30 days, fuck yeah.
depending on your bodyfat %, you can drop it off pretty fast if you have a lot. it's when you start getting leaner that you want to slow down rate so you don't lose any muscles. extremely lean people will aim to lose half a pound every other week sometimes at the final stages.
Got a stomach infection monday ;< felt like crap for 3 days, wasn't able to eat anything. Started eating normally Friday or so. Felt good today (Sunday), so went to the gym and did a grueling CrossFit workout. Felt like crap afterwards - but the good kind of crap :-D yay
Awesome story steeler! That is some motivation right there. I remember when I started to do SS everything seemed so hard, and as you said, as long as you are respectful to others, same criteria applies to you, and you can maybe make acquaintances in the process.
At beginning everything weights a shiton. You think "how is people able to do this with weight OMG!". but after a while you start to get to know your body better. Your muscles feel sore and you have soreness in places you didn't even knew you could be! And it happens just like that! Your form is good, you feel energetic, explosive and your body composition changes really quick! Take it from a guy who was 55kg-60 and in 3 months I went to 72.5kg, and I'm possibly in the best shape I've ever been in my entire life.
And yes, girls do notice when a guy has put a lot of work into his body and health. Social skills are good, but believing in yourself and having some self-confidence is always a plus !
This is a reminder to everyone doing weights, let it be SS, Madcows or anything, just get to like your routine, spice it up every once in a while, and always keep your gym time fun! Enjoy it! Not a lot of people can brag about squatting 1.5/2 bw or doing crazy explosive stuff that looks awesome and feels even better.
btw decaf u can snatch 100, then u can def throw around 30 midgets :D
Believe me, i was tempted T_T. I have never shown so much self restraint in my life, full rage mode without throwing a punch. I probably would have gotten curb stomped by the swarm of other non-midget roided out guidos and black kids though. I think i'm still in shock that someone i had to look down at to talk to had the nerve to hit me. Literally half my size. sigh...
On January 30 2011 18:32 Nokarot wrote: Today I begin my own journey in to all of this. Been overweight for a while now for no good reason, and also some say that exercise aids in depression (if anything, self esteem.) People say that I don't look too overweight, but I'm shaped like a football lineman without the muscle.
Ordered a ~$600 elliptical to get started, because running right now becomes painful after only ~3 minutes. Here's hoping that it doesn't turn in to a clothes hanger. Focusing on cardio and healthy eating just to drop a lot of weight- I may branch in to other things if things go well.
Age: 22 || Height: 5'11" || Weight: 280 lbs Starting Date: 01/30/11 || Goal Date: 01/01/12 or earlier Weight goals -- Shed off a lot of fat. Not too concerned about muscle yet. Training goals -- Exercise at least an hour a day, maybe two as I progress. Nutrition goals -- None specific, but I'm hoping to cut cokes and eat less sweets, as well as smaller, more balanced portions. I'll probably start small to shrink my stomach as opposed to starve myself. Misc goals -- Be happier and healthier.
Maybe before/after pictures later, if I become a success story.
On January 30 2011 20:13 Duckvillelol wrote: Wow I am almost in the exact same situation as above poster Nokarot.
Slightly different machinery though - I'm going to try out some exercise bands and a bike, see how that goes.
Age: 23 || Height: 182cm (6'0") || Weight: 110kg (242 lbs (I think that's the correct conversion)) Starting Date: 01/02/11 || Goal Date: 01/01/12 or earlier Weight goals -- Need to pull a lot off my gut, and get my lower abdominal region stronger - perhaps begin a little toning on the arms when I get to that part. Probably going to look at something like 95kg(209lbs) after 6 months. Then maybe 85kg(187lbs) by next year, depending on any muscle gain. Training goals -- Do at least a 30 minute ride every day, and use the bands at least for 10-15 minute a day starting off. Nutrition goals -- I've already cut coke/soft drinks, looking to cut down on cheese, and also actually have some more hardy meals instead of simple junk that I eat. I don't eat badly in terms of "junk food every night" - but I don't eat healthy food every night either.
I'm having specific issues with my lower abdomen and groin region - is there some specific exercise I can do there? I have had a hernia in my groinal/abdominal wall previously (just weak muscle wall, nothing too serious) which was operated on about 3 years ago - I still get a feeling I'm quite weak in the area. Any suggestions appreciated.
Edit: Holy CRAP that F.Lux thing is awesome, my eyes feel a lot less strain already!
Not to be a dick, but personally i would return the elliptical and either buy a squat rack or a gym membership if you want to lose weight and look better. Same with the bike and bands. Compound barbell training as found in Starting Strength is what you want if you're goal is to lose fat and look/feel better. Just less than an hour per workout for 3 days a week. Body fat and muscle are intertwined, the more muscle you build the more calories your body will use and the more muscle you have the lower % your bodyfat will be even if you didn't lose any fat. Combine this with better eating (VERY important) by cutting out processed foods and such and you will transform your body.
edit: rofl just weighed myself below 200 for the first time in a while. Key to losing weight? dehydrate yourself with binge drinking while you run out of food T_T Now i need to go put that weight back on lol
On January 30 2011 20:32 Nokarot wrote: I'm less concerned about turning fat in to muscle and more concerned about burning fat. Maybe when I get down to 240-250 I'll start lifting, too, but at 280 I just need to lose pure fat I think.
That's fine, good luck dude! At this stage, as long as you make an honest effort in your diet and exercise, your weight should go down pretty easily.
Also, guys, I don't think we should just scream SS to everyone coming into this thread, it might actually turn a lot of people away. Different people have different goals and paces; the important thing is that they have the motivation to get started, be it treadmill or elliptical machines.
thats true but they should at least know that SS is going to give them better results than cardio
just got back from my skii trip, im sore all over lol. i wiped out at least 23425 times but it was awesome anyway now I have soccer in 2 hours tho...gonna foam roll the shit out of my legs and hope for the best
On January 30 2011 20:32 Nokarot wrote: I'm less concerned about turning fat in to muscle and more concerned about burning fat. Maybe when I get down to 240-250 I'll start lifting, too, but at 280 I just need to lose pure fat I think.
That's fine, good luck dude! At this stage, as long as you make an honest effort in your diet and exercise, your weight should go down pretty easily.
Also, guys, I don't think we should just scream SS to everyone coming into this thread, it might actually turn a lot of people away. Different people have different goals and paces; the important thing is that they have the motivation to get started, be it treadmill or elliptical machines.
while there is some truth in this, I feel it's important for people with fat loss as a goal to understand the importance of strength training combined with cardio for that goal. They complement each other incredibly well, such that 1+1 = 3. Although you'd probably have a similar fat loss rate if you did 4 cardio sessions a week compared to 2 strength and 2 cardio, your body would look very different and long term is where the difference would show due to increased muscle mass increasing metabolism.
when it comes to strength training, you don't have to do SS. but SS teaches you to differentiate good core lifts that will build muscle and get you leaner from excessive bicep curls and isolation machine exercises that will do neither. To anyone overweight and wanting to lose fat, I recommend that you at least do Deadlift, Squats, Benchpress and a form of Chinups (whether this be lat pull downs or assisted chinups to begin with, likely you can't do any with your current bodyweight if you are overweight) and at least twice a week in addition to your cardio, whatever that may be.
If someone wants to run on a treadmill or whatnot and looks for motivations in this thread, we should encourage them. If we all tell them to start lifting instead, odds are, they probably won't do either.
I just don't want us to push these people away. I think it's important that we encourage them to do what they are comfortable doing at first, then convince them why SS is better after a while. SS is great, but the equipment is probably intimidating to someone who's never spent a single minute in the gym; whereas simple cardio machines are much more welcoming and less foreign.
On January 31 2011 05:55 Cambium wrote: Also, guys, I don't think we should just scream SS to everyone coming into this thread, it might actually turn a lot of people away. Different people have different goals and paces; the important thing is that they have the motivation to get started, be it treadmill or elliptical machines.
I think it's exactly what we should do. They need to understand that we, or at least some of us, have been in their position. When I was fat, my goal was to slim down, I didn't care about muscle. That's understandable. Fast-forward a few years, and I'm in a position where I've been on SS for half a year and gained some muscle on my then 14% BF body, and now I feel fucking amazing. Now I only regret there wasn't anyone to preach me about SS when I started to give a crap about my looks. I probably would've ignored the advice initially, but they should've punched me in the face until I took it.
I know I'm coming off as if I was implying everyone's like me, but this is just how I feel.
I think it would be fine if we could physically drag them to the gym and show them how to do the exercises; but at the end of the day, we can't, we can only shout at them through text, it's not effective.
I don't know if this is the best example, but say, if I want to get started playing BW, and just want some training games, and everyone tells me to practise mechanics instead, I'll probably quit after a few times even if I try it, because it's not what I wanted to do.
In any case, I have a lot of respect for everyone posting in this thread, and I love all of you; this is just my opinion, so don't be offended
On January 31 2011 07:27 Cambium wrote: I think it would be fine if we could physically drag them to the gym and show them how to do the exercises; but at the end of the day, we can't, we can only shout at them through text, it's not effective.
I don't know if this is the best example, but say, if I want to get started playing BW, and just want some training games, and everyone tells me to practise mechanics instead, I'll probably quit after a few times even if I try it, because it's not what I wanted to do.
In any case, I have a lot of respect for everyone posting in this thread, and I love all of you; this is just my opinion, so don't be offended
You're clearly underestimating me...I WILL PHYSICALLY DRAG YOU TO THE GYM TO GET YOU ON SS
Perhaps someone should show why exactly ss and similar workouts are more efficient than cardio, instead of just through anecdotal experience. There are quite a few ripped guys that just got lucky with genetics such that they do bicep curls and all the machines and look great... so why should you listen to some random people on the internet?
Also I think another problem is that many people believe that doing this kind of strength training leads to the bodytype akin to the people at world's strongest man competitions and football linemen- massive, but not really cut. I'd say more people would want to look more like decaf or pro-soccer player body, so perhaps we need to point out that that is more of a function of your eating (and juicing ) and perhaps show some typical results (although I'll admit, don't know what average results of ss look like)
very valid point cambium. you cant force a program on people that they do not want to do.
but on the other hand imagine this: what if they get really hooked on squatting, deadlifting and power cleaning even though they never thought it possible? thats exactly what happened with me. i was fooling around in the gym for like a year, doing curls, lat pulldowns and leg presses... now i have a really hard time to keep myself from squatting my ass off on my recovery days
i dont think we can force people to lift weights (except for decaf of course!). its just very important that everyone who wants to lose weight knows that it is probably THE best solution!
another story: about a year ago me and a buddy, who were both massively overweight, decided to lose all that excess fat on our bones. but we went a different way about it: I went to the gym (even though, as I already mentioned, i was doing it wrong ) and he just went on a strict diet. we both dropped a lot of weight very quickly, but whereas he just lost fat and didnt replace it with anything (resulting in excess skin and skinny arms) I actually put on muscle in the right spots and for the first time in my life I actually like what I see when I look in the mirror (even though I still have a little belly ). now imagine what would have happened if I went on SS right away!
long story short: try starting strength. if its not for you and you dont like it at all, stick with your cardio routine because its still better than doing nothing. but give it a chance!
On January 31 2011 07:27 Cambium wrote: I think it would be fine if we could physically drag them to the gym and show them how to do the exercises; but at the end of the day, we can't, we can only shout at them through text, it's not effective.
I don't know if this is the best example, but say, if I want to get started playing BW, and just want some training games, and everyone tells me to practise mechanics instead, I'll probably quit after a few times even if I try it, because it's not what I wanted to do.
In any case, I have a lot of respect for everyone posting in this thread, and I love all of you; this is just my opinion, so don't be offended
You're clearly underestimating me...I WILL PHYSICALLY DRAG YOU TO THE GYM TO GET YOU ON SS
a workout from a 2 weeks ago. My drive on the dip isnt straight. This causes me to push the bar forward in the jerk. Also I am still throwing my back foot out first instead of my front. Need to get my front out first and farther.
On January 31 2011 07:27 Cambium wrote: I think it would be fine if we could physically drag them to the gym and show them how to do the exercises; but at the end of the day, we can't, we can only shout at them through text, it's not effective.
I don't know if this is the best example, but say, if I want to get started playing BW, and just want some training games, and everyone tells me to practise mechanics instead, I'll probably quit after a few times even if I try it, because it's not what I wanted to do.
In any case, I have a lot of respect for everyone posting in this thread, and I love all of you; this is just my opinion, so don't be offended
You're clearly underestimating me...I WILL PHYSICALLY DRAG YOU TO THE GYM TO GET YOU ON SS
train me over teh interwebz pl0xthx
Dimsum literally did for me lol
On January 31 2011 07:43 vicariouscheese wrote: Perhaps someone should show why exactly ss and similar workouts are more efficient than cardio, instead of just through anecdotal experience. There are quite a few ripped guys that just got lucky with genetics such that they do bicep curls and all the machines and look great... so why should you listen to some random people on the internet?
Also I think another problem is that many people believe that doing this kind of strength training leads to the bodytype akin to the people at world's strongest man competitions and football linemen- massive, but not really cut. I'd say more people would want to look more like decaf or pro-soccer player body, so perhaps we need to point out that that is more of a function of your eating (and juicing ) and perhaps show some typical results (although I'll admit, don't know what average results of ss look like)
Um...i am a result of squatting, deadlifting, benching, and pull ups (more recently olympic lifting) ^_^
So im on day 2 of my diet changes and ive ran across a small nuance. On day 1 i ate fine and everything was ok, but today im running into trouble finishing my meals. Like for breakfast i had scrambled eggs, sausage links, water, and i barely ate 60% of it (i had 3 links and probably a little more than 1 egg worth of scrambled). At lunch i had squash/roasted peppers + chicken salad, and i barely ate 1/3 of it. And not at the fact that im trying to forcefully not eat, but ill eat some of it, then feel full, even though i feel like i should be eating more. Is this normal? or am i just not adjusting to new foods correctly yet? Going to cook dinner here soon, chicken + vegetable stir fry and little bit of white rice, hope its good =D
EPT
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