The GBAtemp Fitness club

[J-Machine]

I suppose my description was a bit more hyperbolous than I intended it to be. To put it another way, I had to plan my path around campus based on how I can avoid stairs for the next week. Surprisingly going down stairs was worse than going up. If you do an intense leg work out after such a long time not working them out, they'll suffer from Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, which is nothing to be worried about. It's rather expected. Hell, I was a hockey player before I started going to the gym, so my legs were hardly inactive leading up to the gym, but that didn't prevent the DOMS. Kept getting back to it each week, and in no time DOMS was no longer an issue. Even my second time working out my legs after the initial resulted in a much milder and shorter-lived case of it.

Now he's already got the big one out of the way, he should be fine moving forward from here.

this is a dangerous assessment. yes micro-tearing allows for bulking and greater muscle mass and DOMS is indeed an indicator of that process occurring BUT When a man is limping 48 hours after the exercise and that is considered an improvement, he is not exhibiting healthy muscle development, he has been given an injury. if the reaction is this intense you've guaranteed the opposite effects you wanted from working out (ever wonder why some people have muscles that bulge out like bubbles and are not uniform to the body's overall frame? it's because somebody was too intense with a workout and permanently damaged the muscle,)

a body can't magically adapt to something beyond it's capabilities by sheer determination alone. slow and steady wins this race and showing humility towards your strength will always make your efforts fruitful.

It's not magical adaptation. A sedentary body is not used to the stress of working out and has poor recovery. Our bodies adapt to many things, and it's not magic. You yourself even mentioned the concept of plateauing from continuing the same workout for an extended period of time. Your body adapts to the workout routine you have set up and you have to change things up to something it's not accustomed to.

“Although DOMS is associated with something negative, it’s actually a physiologically positive reaction,” says Dr. Szymanski. “Once your body is exposed to whatever made you sore, the next time your body will say, ‘I got it, I’ll protect you.’ It’s actually a beautiful thing.” http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/why-delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-good-thing

yes but not to these extremes. Doms is simply a reaction and isn't actually making you stronger, rather it allows your body to realize it needs to "unlock" it's potential so next time it's better prepared. it's muscle memory for specific stressors. just because you can lift 50 pounds with poor form, you shouldn't keep doing it for example. you should hit around 65-80% of your max abilities at low reps (no more than 5-7) for safe results and that's for strength training. Dentetsu is doing endurance training in a body that thinks it's strength training instead. I'm telling him to do the parts he can do without pain and make substitutes for those that do hurt him because being sore and being in pain are two different animals.

Pain is an indicator of a problem. The body is rejecting further stressors to protect itself when it is in pain; not adjusting to stressors so it can be more prepared for next time. I seriously believe you don't understand that or you didn't fully grasp Dentetsu's situation.

 

[Densetsu]

While I'm no stranger to sports conditioning, I'll admit it has been several years since I did anything this strenuous. I was very athletic for a good period of my life (played soccer in junior high, American football for 4 years in high school, and on top of that I did tae kwon do and karate for a few years as a university undergrad).

When I think of the word "hurt," I think of "injury." Just to clarify, I didn't injure myself, I just cramped up. I definitely feel the burn during the workouts, which, for anyone who hasn't worked out for a long time, will always be felt over the next few days. It's completely normal for me to feel that burn. Whenever I don't lift weights for a long time and then suddenly start going again, I feel the same burn in my arms and chest after the first day of lifting (I'm a junkie for bench press, curls and triceps extension). After a long gym hiatus, the soreness gets so bad that the next morning I have to leave my arms at 90-degree angles because straightening them burns, and I can barely lift my hand to my mouth to eat. But once that initial burn goes away, it doesn't come back as long as I keep going to the gym to lift every few days. My legs are feeling a lot better now, but I just have to take it easy for a few more days. Insanity rotates through different workouts every day, so as long as I follow the program, I won't have to do plyo for another 3 days.

Fortunately each Insanity workout features at least one person doing a modified low-impact, "easier" version of the exercises. I was a bit overconfident in my abilities going into this program, so I've been powering through the "normal" version of each exercise. For now I'm going to try the easy version until I'm at 100%, but the important thing for me is to stick to the routine and not skip days because I'm trying to develop a habit out of this. Knowing my body, I don't think I'll feel the same cramping after the second round of plyo. If I do, then I'll just stick to the modified exercises until I lose some weight/develop more leg strength.

As for my diet, I think I've been managing it pretty well. I really don't think of it as a "diet," but more of a lifestyle change. It hasn't been too much of a shock to my system. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually love veggie burgers! And grilled chicken is so versatile to work with, not to mention satisfying. I really think I could stick with this long-term, as long as I don't overdo it and try to go vegetarian or vegan.

 

[Ethevion]

As for my diet, I think I've been managing it pretty well. I really don't think of it as a "diet," but more of a lifestyle change.

That put the biggest smile on my face. Well done.

As for the soreness, especially in the legs, eventually it'll stop bothering you. After enough workouts, you'll start to enjoy it. But the rest is still important. I'm not sure if it was mentioned or if I missed it, but it doesn't look like there was a comment on sleeping habits. As a part of recovery and growing, 7-8 hours of sleep each night is very important.

Keep up the good work Den.

 

[J-Machine]

While I'm no stranger to sports conditioning, I'll admit it has been several years since I did anything this strenuous. I was very athletic for a good period of my life (played soccer in junior high, American football for 4 years in high school, and on top of that I did tae kwon do and karate for a few years as a university undergrad).

When I think of the word "hurt," I think of "injury." Just to clarify, I didn't injure myself, I just cramped up. I definitely feel the burn during the workouts, which, for anyone who hasn't worked out for a long time, will always be felt over the next few days. It's completely normal for me to feel that burn. Whenever I don't lift weights for a long time and then suddenly start going again, I feel the same burn in my arms and chest after the first day of lifting (I'm a junkie for bench press, curls and triceps extension). After a long gym hiatus, the soreness gets so bad that the next morning I have to leave my arms at 90-degree angles because straightening them burns, and I can barely lift my hand to my mouth to eat. But once that initial burn goes away, it doesn't come back as long as I keep going to the gym to lift every few days. My legs are feeling a lot better now, but I just have to take it easy for a few more days. Insanity rotates through different workouts every day, so as long as I follow the program, I won't have to do plyo for another 3 days.

Fortunately each Insanity workout features at least one person doing a modified low-impact, "easier" version of the exercises. I was a bit overconfident in my abilities going into this program, so I've been powering through the "normal" version of each exercise. For now I'm going to try the easy version until I'm at 100%, but the important thing for me is to stick to the routine and not skip days because I'm trying to develop a habit out of this. Knowing my body, I don't think I'll feel the same cramping after the second round of plyo. If I do, then I'll just stick to the modified exercises until I lose some weight/develop more leg strength.

As for my diet, I think I've been managing it pretty well. I really don't think of it as a "diet," but more of a lifestyle change. It hasn't been too much of a shock to my system. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually love veggie burgers! And grilled chicken is so versatile to work with, not to mention satisfying. I really think I could stick with this long-term, as long as I don't overdo it and try to go vegetarian or vegan.

Perhaps I have erred on the far side of caution in my earlier replies but at no time during my time taking courses in fitness and nutrition (I'm actually trying to get into rehabilitation since I found out the education sector in my area is flooded for a good decade so I would be wasting my money going into spec ed.) have I ever heard of using such extreme cases of conditioning as a positive. My books and instructors have all told me while it's ok to have a body protest mobility of a muscle group, it should never get to the point of pain or actually limiting mobility as that has the dangers of permanent muscle damage. sure the muscles not affected can be much stronger than before but more favourable results can be easily achieved with patience and an understanding of your bodies limits and working within them (this is where the low rep 80% max sets come into play) Diet rest, and not stagnating in your routine are far more important than pushing your limits at their maximum constantly.

That is why I've been advocating a "slow and steady" approach to results. Not only does it work, but it helps build routine in a way that won't discourage early adopters of a fitness routine and thus morale (very important) has less of a chance of being impacted negatively. Yes this can feel like I'm treating everyone like beginners but when I can't be there to ensure someone can do their best in a safe and encouraging environment, I feel better as a reactor to each individual rather than straight out instructing someone with a full blown regiment I can't be sure is capable of being done correctly or even at all.

That being said I applaud your determination and your comfort in how your body is reacting to your workouts. Above all else I want you to succeed with your goals so If you need anything let me know and i'll try my best to help you. Be safe, work hard, eat well, and above all else have fun. I'm rooting for ya buddy.

 

[Densetsu]

That being said I applaud your determination and your comfort in how your body is reacting to your workouts. Above all else I want you to succeed with your goals so If you need anything let me know and i'll try my best to help you. Be safe, work hard, eat well, and above all else have fun. I'm rooting for ya buddy.

I understand and appreciate your advice and concern, and it's always better to err on the side of caution. Having spoken with you before, both here and in PMs, and knowing your professional background it's clear that you know exactly what you're talking about, and I will always defer to expert advice. I'm sure you know that everyone's body is different and each body reacts differently to exercise and pain. I have never pushed myself to the point of injury; I know to stop well before I ever reach that point. I know the difference between "good" pain and "bad" pain (I'm one of those guys who says "it hurts so good" ) and I'm quite comfortable with "good" pain. I just listen to my body and I stop as soon as I feel light-headed or as soon as my muscles give out. But whenever I reach the point of fatigue, I always tell myself "Just one more time...one more time..." and push through.

Thanks for your support everyone and I'll definitely be checking in here with my progress and for more advice
J-Machine
Ethevion
Phoenix Goddess
Gahars
grossaffe
wrettcaughn
EZ-Megaman
et al.

 

[ShadowSoldier]

I just got back from the Gym.

I got checked out harsh by 3 different girls. I'm starting to think people are right, and even though I weigh more, I'm not fat, and that I just have a lot of muscle.

I did stomach crunches/abs at 160 pounds. I did flies at 150 pounds. I upped it up and pushed it harder. Gonna try it again tomorrow. Feels good.

Fuck sakes, I might have to take it easy on the stomach exercises, I'm getting abs, I don't want abs.

 

[J-Machine]

I just got back from the Gym.

I got checked out harsh by 3 different girls. I'm starting to think people are right, and even though I weigh more, I'm not fat, and that I just have a lot of muscle.

I did stomach crunches/abs at 160 pounds. I did flies at 150 pounds. I upped it up and pushed it harder. Gonna try it again tomorrow. Feels good.

Fuck sakes, I might have to take it easy on the stomach exercises, I'm getting abs, I don't want abs.

cut the weight down till you can easily do 12 reps of it. you should maintain what you have without getting more definition that way. though the better option would be just to eat more. those strong men competitions on tv? they all have fat layers to protect their muscles and is why they have hard, less defined torsos.

 

[Deleted_171835]

Was playing Dream Team and noticed this.

Let us pay our respects to Muscle Lord Biceptus.

 

[Densetsu]

So it's been a little over a month since I started Insanity. I'm still doing it, and I've only skipped a few days since I started (but I'd try to make up for it the following day by doubling up on the workouts). This entire time I've been able to stick to my eating plan with no problems, except for the few times last month I went out to dinner with friends.

To be honest, I haven't lost as much weight as I thought I would in the first month. I started out at 250 lbs (114 kg), and now I weigh 241 lbs (109 kg). I've lost 2 inches off my waistline. Prior to starting Insanity, I lost 20 lbs just through watching my calories alone for a month (not exceeding 1600 Calories per day). I thought that throwing an intense exercise regimen on top of that would accelerate the results. Granted, I've upped my caloric intake to around around 2200-2400 Calories a day since starting Insanity. I don't plan on going back down to 1600 while on Insanity otherwise I'd feel like I'm starving all the time. With my current workout schedule and current caloric intake, my stomach always feels comfortable. At any given moment in the day it's about 50-80% full, as opposed to my old eating habit of going from starving to "I-can't-eat-another-bite-or-I'll-explode."

On the outside I don't look much different from when I started (I do look a little thinner), but I feel much better on the inside. Just a few examples of internal changes: I feel like I'm taking in much more air with each breath I take. It kind of makes me feel more alert. My lower back doesn't feel strained anymore when I stand at the kitchen sink for 20 minutes washing dishes. When I wake up in the morning 15-30 minutes before my alarm, I don't feel the need to close my eyes and sleep until the alarm goes off anymore--I just jump out of bed and get on with my day. Another thing I've noticed is that I sweat more now. Even when I'm just sitting down, my whole body just feels warmer and my palms start sweating for no reason. It's neither a good nor a bad thing, just...different.

The second month of Insanity is supposed to ramp up the intensity, so I'm looking forward to seeing more improvement. I may have to do a few rounds (one round being 60 days) before I reach my fitness goals, though.

 

[Sop]

Perhaps I have erred on the far side of caution in my earlier replies but at no time during my time taking courses in fitness and nutrition (I'm actually trying to get into rehabilitation since I found out the education sector in my area is flooded for a good decade so I would be wasting my money going into spec ed.) have I ever heard of using such extreme cases of conditioning as a positive. My books and instructors have all told me while it's ok to have a body protest mobility of a muscle group, it should never get to the point of pain or actually limiting mobility as that has the dangers of permanent muscle damage. sure the muscles not affected can be much stronger than before but more favourable results can be easily achieved with patience and an understanding of your bodies limits and working within them (this is where the low rep 80% max sets come into play) Diet rest, and not stagnating in your routine are far more important than pushing your limits at their maximum constantly.

That is why I've been advocating a "slow and steady" approach to results. Not only does it work, but it helps build routine in a way that won't discourage early adopters of a fitness routine and thus morale (very important) has less of a chance of being impacted negatively. Yes this can feel like I'm treating everyone like beginners but when I can't be there to ensure someone can do their best in a safe and encouraging environment, I feel better as a reactor to each individual rather than straight out instructing someone with a full blown regiment I can't be sure is capable of being done correctly or even at all.

That being said I applaud your determination and your comfort in how your body is reacting to your workouts. Above all else I want you to succeed with your goals so If you need anything let me know and i'll try my best to help you. Be safe, work hard, eat well, and above all else have fun. I'm rooting for ya buddy.

Since you stated you took courses in fitness and nutrition, can you (or anybody else who wants to) give me some advice on working out a training schedule for my sport: outrigging/outrigger canoeing. It mainly uses legs and core and back. although upper body helps too. I need help with diet (actually, just eat a lot of food while trying to get as much protein as possible right? idk correct me if I'm wrong), training and what ever the fuck a fitness goal is.

 

[J-Machine]

Since you stated you took courses in fitness and nutrition, can you (or anybody else who wants to) give me some advice on working out a training schedule for my sport: outrigging/outrigger canoeing. It mainly uses legs and core and back. although upper body helps too. I need help with diet (actually, just eat a lot of food while trying to get as much protein as possible right? idk correct me if I'm wrong), training and what ever the fuck a fitness goal is.

give me about a week to figure a plan of sorts out. In the meantime It wouldn't to let me know what kind of excercise equipment you have as well as the kind of landscape/type of property you live on. uphill biking, for example is an unorthodox but great cardio/lower body exercise or if you are in a farm you can do a lot of stuff with hay bales and rope like i used to.

as far as diet you have a good idea. on non competition days you want high protein/fat low carbs with multivitamin chaser. by fat I mean good fats like olive and coconut or lean meat fats. protein from non beef sources are great but loving eggs and pulses (chickpeas other lentils) can be cheaper and easier to come by. eggs also have everything needed for a body to actually absorb what it gives you and is the best option. carbs I'd limit to after workouts, and pre competition, and whenever the other foods can't be had but try to stay away from gluten sources. of course if you are still growing however don't take what I say religiously as your body can handle the sugary goodness breads will throw at you. Also have a cheat day to support any diet choices you make. (I for one binge on foods I deny myself eventually so this really helps)

again i'll help out more once i got a better idea of what you are working with. OH! no nitrate treated foods like bacon if possible it doesn't do your muscle development any favours

 

[J-Machine]

give me about a week to figure a plan of sorts out. In the meantime It wouldn't to let me know what kind of excercise equipment you have as well as the kind of landscape/type of property you live on. uphill biking, for example is an unorthodox but great cardio/lower body exercise or if you are in a farm you can do a lot of stuff with hay bales and rope like i used to.

as far as diet you have a good idea. on non competition days you want high protein/fat low carbs with multivitamin chaser. by fat I mean good fats like olive and coconut or lean meat fats. protein from non beef sources are great but loving eggs and pulses (chickpeas other lentils) can be cheaper and easier to come by. eggs also have everything needed for a body to actually absorb what it gives you and is the best option. carbs I'd limit to after workouts, and pre competition, and whenever the other foods can't be had but try to stay away from gluten sources. of course if you are still growing however don't take what I say religiously as your body can handle the sugary goodness breads will throw at you. Also have a cheat day to support any diet choices you make. (I for one binge on foods I deny myself eventually so this really helps)

again i'll help out more once i got a better idea of what you are working with. OH! no nitrate treated foods like bacon if possible it doesn't do your muscle development any favours

oh forgot to ask what your role on the canoe is. exercises that mimic your movements you need to make would help out.

 

[J-Machine]

So it's been a little over a month since I started Insanity. I'm still doing it, and I've only skipped a few days since I started (but I'd try to make up for it the following day by doubling up on the workouts). This entire time I've been able to stick to my eating plan with no problems, except for the few times last month I went out to dinner with friends.

To be honest, I haven't lost as much weight as I thought I would in the first month. I started out at 250 lbs (114 kg), and now I weigh 241 lbs (109 kg). I've lost 2 inches off my waistline. Prior to starting Insanity, I lost 20 lbs just through watching my calories alone for a month (not exceeding 1600 Calories per day). I thought that throwing an intense exercise regimen on top of that would accelerate the results. Granted, I've upped my caloric intake to around around 2200-2400 Calories a day since starting Insanity. I don't plan on going back down to 1600 while on Insanity otherwise I'd feel like I'm starving all the time. With my current workout schedule and current caloric intake, my stomach always feels comfortable. At any given moment in the day it's about 50-80% full, as opposed to my old eating habit of going from starving to "I-can't-eat-another-bite-or-I'll-explode."

On the outside I don't look much different from when I started (I do look a little thinner), but I feel much better on the inside. Just a few examples of internal changes: I feel like I'm taking in much more air with each breath I take. It kind of makes me feel more alert. My lower back doesn't feel strained anymore when I stand at the kitchen sink for 20 minutes washing dishes. When I wake up in the morning 15-30 minutes before my alarm, I don't feel the need to close my eyes and sleep until the alarm goes off anymore--I just jump out of bed and get on with my day. Another thing I've noticed is that I sweat more now. Even when I'm just sitting down, my whole body just feels warmer and my palms start sweating for no reason. It's neither a good nor a bad thing, just...different.

The second month of Insanity is supposed to ramp up the intensity, so I'm looking forward to seeing more improvement. I may have to do a few rounds (one round being 60 days) before I reach my fitness goals, though.

Since you are also building muscle mass that amount of weight loss sounds normal for the time frame given. remember muscle weighs a lot more than fat and that muscle weight can seem to mask the loss of fat mass but in reality it is showing off just how successful you are so far. I remember being 137, going down to 116, and then rising to 132 in the span of one semester. I was a little smaller but I weighed about the same and felt far better than I had before starting said semester. I'd say keep up the good work. You are doing great!

lemmie know how things go I love hearing success stories and It sounds like you are well on your way to having one.

 

[Sop]

give me about a week to figure a plan of sorts out. In the meantime It wouldn't to let me know what kind of excercise equipment you have as well as the kind of landscape/type of property you live on. uphill biking, for example is an unorthodox but great cardio/lower body exercise or if you are in a farm you can do a lot of stuff with hay bales and rope like i used to.

as far as diet you have a good idea. on non competition days you want high protein/fat low carbs with multivitamin chaser. by fat I mean good fats like olive and coconut or lean meat fats. protein from non beef sources are great but loving eggs and pulses (chickpeas other lentils) can be cheaper and easier to come by. eggs also have everything needed for a body to actually absorb what it gives you and is the best option. carbs I'd limit to after workouts, and pre competition, and whenever the other foods can't be had but try to stay away from gluten sources. of course if you are still growing however don't take what I say religiously as your body can handle the sugary goodness breads will throw at you. Also have a cheat day to support any diet choices you make. (I for one binge on foods I deny myself eventually so this really helps)

again i'll help out more once i got a better idea of what you are working with. OH! no nitrate treated foods like bacon if possible it doesn't do your muscle development any favours

I have a bench/leg press in my garage and some freestanding weights and a skipping rope. I also live within walking distance of a gym and I have a bike. I can't practice outrigging everyday as they are the clubs canoes and I can't buy one myself because they are to expensive for me. (15 y/o)

oh forgot to ask what your role on the canoe is. exercises that mimic your movements you need to make would help out.

Well, I paddle in a 2-man, 1 man and 6 man canoe. So in the 6 man I sometimes keep time, but apart from that I don't steer other than in the 1 or 2 man, which you have foot pedals for. So basically, paddling.

 

[J-Machine]

I have a bench/leg press in my garage and some freestanding weights and a skipping rope. I also live within walking distance of a gym and I have a bike. I can't practice outrigging everyday as they are the clubs canoes and I can't buy one myself because they are to expensive for me. (15 y/o)



Well, I paddle in a 2-man, 1 man and 6 man canoe. So in the 6 man I sometimes keep time, but apart from that I don't steer other than in the 1 or 2 man, which you have foot pedals for. So basically, paddling.

Sorry for the long wait. inbetween working, and preparing for my new puppy I have had little to no time to prepare an exercise plan for you. It will be coming early next week though as on saturday I have a week off to spend with my puppy and do the mandatory training. For now though I would highly recommend free weights. a rowing motion uses several muscle groups to be performed efficiently. in fact untill I get back to you with a more refined plan I'd concentrate on abs, dorsal, pectoral and shoulders above all other areas.

for example get two weights you can lift up to your collar bone with arms extended fully in front of you 8 times. start with that movement then move each arm, while still in the air, till they look like this: L------B-----R (L= left hand, B=body, R=right hand) then bring them down to your sides so the hand is at hip level. repeat these movements but make sure the movements are slow but steady.

keep these weights and use them while you do crunches for added resistance.

the key here is to do 8-10 reps of the excercise since you are going for endurance. also don't be afraid of carbs when you eat as you'll need em when rowing.

 

[Sop]

Sorry for the long wait. inbetween working, and preparing for my new puppy I have had little to no time to prepare an exercise plan for you. It will be coming early next week though as on saturday I have a week off to spend with my puppy and do the mandatory training. For now though I would highly recommend free weights. a rowing motion uses several muscle groups to be performed efficiently. in fact untill I get back to you with a more refined plan I'd concentrate on abs, dorsal, pectoral and shoulders above all other areas.

for example get two weights you can lift up to your collar bone with arms extended fully in front of you 8 times. start with that movement then move each arm, while still in the air, till they look like this: L------B-----R (L= left hand, B=body, R=right hand) then bring them down to your sides so the hand is at hip level. repeat these movements but make sure the movements are slow but steady.

keep these weights and use them while you do crunches for added resistance.

the key here is to do 8-10 reps of the excercise since you are going for endurance. also don't be afraid of carbs when you eat as you'll need em when rowing.

no problem man, thanks for the help.

i got some help from my brother as he is into fitness and bodybuilding too (he weighs about 240 LB)

 

[Densetsu]

Sorry for the bump, but I've been told that bumping a thread is ok as long as the post is relevant to the topic. I figured this topic is worth reviving anyway.

lemmie know how things go I love hearing success stories and It sounds like you are well on your way to having one.

Since my last post on this thread, I lost 70 lbs (32 kg) and I just wanted to share. Besides, I owe J-Machine a success story

Spoiler

I just started eating cleanly (fewer carbs, more fish and lean meat, more fruits and veggies) and going to the gym consistently (3-5 times/day, working different muscle groups every day), and doing cardio after lifting. Ironically, my caloric intake was much higher (2800-3200 calories/day) when I dropped all this weight.

In the June 2015 pic, I weighed 213 lbs (97 kg). Now I weigh 195 lbs (89 kg). I'm trying to reach my goal of 170 lbs by next summer.

 

[Hungry Friend]

I've cut sugar out almost completely aside from fruit, cut bread mostly out but I still eat some, but mostly I just count calories and try not to surpass 2000 calories on average per week. Eating tons of protein helps with hunger as does eating green veggies like broccoli(not my favorite thing but oh well), spinach, kale etc because not only do they have fiber and water in them to fill you up but they're incredibly nutritious. I don't know about bodyfat % or anything but I'm a pretty average sized guy: 5'9 150 lbs. Last June I was all the way up to fucking 275 so right now my main goals are to maintain my current weight, drop as much fat as possible and gain a few pounds of muscle.

btw, I have found that if you're cutting weight/at a caloric deficit, a combination of a high protein diet and Creatine supplementation works wonders, but naturally it helps to life weights too. Creatine causes your muscles to hold more water so you need to drink about 2x the water you normally do if you take it, and you do not need to load or cycle it even though some people will say to do so.(bullshit bro science) With Monohydrate, simply take around 5g per day. I don't seem to respond to mono so I use HCL, but I'm rambling. Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin D and fish oil are also very good supplements to take for bone and muscle health along with a multivitamin. Get plenty of calcium too.

I'm WAY too lazy about exercising so my diet is very strict. I lift a little but I need to start swimming again.

EDIT: Congrats Densetsu; that's fucking fantastic. Keeping the weight off is the toughest part so don't take your foot off the gas when you reach your ideal weight, but also make sure you don't starve yourself and make sure to eat plenty of protein to prevent muscle loss.

 

[Densetsu]

EDIT: Congrats Densetsu; that's fucking fantastic. Keeping the weight off is the toughest part so don't take your foot off the gas when you reach your ideal weight, but also make sure you don't starve yourself and make sure to eat plenty of protein to prevent muscle loss.

Thanks! I have no intention of going back to my old eating habits; I've struck a good balance between eating the foods I love and still eating healthy, and it works for me so it's something I can stick with. I never starve myself, I'm constantly eating throughout the day.

...I'm a pretty average sized guy: 5'9 150 lbs. Last June I was all the way up to fucking 275....

I'm 5'8" and I thought 170 would be really skinny for me

How did you go from 275 to 150? And without exercising? That's impressive. How long did it take? And did you end up with loose skin after losing all that weight? I don't want to go down to 150 because I want to be muscular, but if you have any tips for cutting, I'd appreciate them

 

[Hungry Friend]

1 year, and I did exercise a lot for the first 6-7 months but kinda coasted only working out 1-3 times a week after that, and not nearly hard enough. My weird little strategy is to eat one BIG meal a day, allowing myself to stuff myself but I make sure it's no more than 1700-2200 calories depending on whether I work out or not. Sometimes I'll eat, say, 1600 calories for 4-5 days and then have a bit of a pigout day so this diet is very hard to maintain and I need to find a healthy balance. Creatine HCL, protein shakes and minor weight lifting have kept me from losing muscle and strength. I also take a combo of Zinc, Magnesium, vitamin D3 and fish oil(plus a multivitamin) to make sure I get enough nutrients since my diet is so strict. Zinc, Magnesium and D3 also have the added benefit of slightly enhancing testosterone levels although I don't really notice anything since I have never had T issues. I'm 31 so I simply want to keep my levels from dropping without taking roids or anything else that'll fuck with my hormones.

Small to moderate amounts of caffeine(like 2 cups of coffee/day) help with appetite control as well, but I don't use any other stimulants/appetite suppressants. If you start to feel unusually hungry and need to pig out, just make sure the extra calories are mostly protein. I make sure I have no junkfood around and I substitute protein bars for regular junkfood when I do pig out to minimize damage. Just average your calories every week and make sure you don't surpass your intake goal even if you do pig out.

I'm inherently an all or nothing extremist so it's very hard for me to find that delicate balance between eating too little and eating too much, but so far so good. I'm probably gonna eat a little extra today though because I was famished all night & couldn't sleep, although I had 1700 calories yesterday.

Avoid soy as much as you can( a little won't hurt but don't eat large amounts) because it contains chemicals similar to estrogen which are very bad for men; flax seed is even worse in that regard. Green veggies are good at clearing your body of such chemicals, especially broccoli.