AFF Weight Gain/Loss Program

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

So ... have been putting this off for a bit now ... more so a lack of motivation more than anything.

Cut a long story short ... I have managed to get to about 98-99kg at the moment.
I'm a whisker under 5 foot 11 inches (179 cm) to go with it.

I also suffer from a hereditary Cholesterol condition where adjusting diet does not lower cholesterol ... and have been on medication since age of 12 (35 now)

I need to move more than anything ... my diet is fairly good with the odd bad day I guess. I have adjusting coffee and soft drink intake and swapped it mainly for water more than anything and this I do feel better for.

One thing that does make it hard is that I do shift work and a lot of nightshift. I have a 3yo boy ... and another on the way.

This year I want to do something about it ... as I know that if i don't keep it in check I'll end up going the way of my Father .... who died at 40 (due to the fact that he had the condition unbeknown to him).

Anyway ... want to get my life back on track really ... and want to live longer than 40 as well.

Going to ease myself into some cardio ... I know from prior experience of going all out to start with ... I ended up in pain which made it harder to persist with it.

Will try and track my course over the next coming months and see if i can keep up with it ... or fail miserably.

Good work man! Slowly ease into some easy cardio like an exercise bike. I have bad knees so I stick with the bike for my cardio work anyway, but it's nice and easy to do, and a lot more fun (IMO) than running.

My progress has hit a bit of a plateau which means I'm going to have to change my exercise routine up a little bit. I've started lifting weights over cardio at the gym and because of this my weight has gone up, as I said a few posts back. My stomach is still getting flatter though and my love handles are still slowly disappearing.

I have also been smoke free since NYE.

Here is a photo update from last night at my cousin's 21st. My brothers mate, then me, then my cousin, then my brother pictured left to right. Compare this image with the one I posted earlier in the thread... I am very happy even though I still have a way to go.

Now (note that I am crouching down as well):


Then:

[Mechan1k]

I have flat feet ... like .... no arch at all ... so running really kills my feet ... but I can maintain a brisk walk for ages for cardio at least .... have a walking machine at home that i really should dust off. hee hee

Giving up the smokes makes a difference ... although i found i ate more after i gave up several years ago .... cos the food just tasted so much better.

I was too tired yesterday to do anything (in the middle of nightshifts) ... but will ease into it today as it's my last nightshift for a few days.

I really need to tone down more than anything ... yeah i have some bulges here and there ... but if i can get back to mid to low 80's I'll be happy really .... I used to be 70kg about 10 years ago (way too thin for my frame really)

[XR6_661]

Take before pictures. And then start taking progress pics....It's addictive and will motivate you more!

Also, a person of the female species commented on my arms looking good. See boys, it all pays off in the end!

I've also switched to a hypertrophy routine, basically less weight/more reps (8-12)...Supposedly this will help with muscle size. I know my strength standards are decent now, so I'm gonna give the new routine a crack for a while. If anything it'll be good to get the muscles thinking again.

[raised by monkeys]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

Take before pictures. And then start taking progress pics....It's addictive and will motivate you more!

Also, a person of the female species commented on my arms looking good. See boys, it all pays off in the end!

I've also switched to a hypertrophy routine, basically less weight/more reps (8-12)...Supposedly this will help with muscle size. I know my strength standards are decent now, so I'm gonna give the new routine a crack for a while. If anything it'll be good to get the muscles thinking again.

8-12 reps of heaviest weight will build muscle
15+ (I prefer last set as a strip set, but not on leg days lol) will burn more fat and help retain muscle and strength

Ive just bought some gen-tec ultimate thermo fuel. Coupled with higher reps, lower weight, more cardio and clean diet, attempting to lose body fat. Also taking amino acids, although from what I understand, I should be taking fat metabolisers to help shift stored fat cells. Any suggestions?

[MFP508]

Im not into weights etc,,well not yet..my story is a tad different..

After attending my partners Birthday lunch on Sunday April 30 2012 and guttsing myself on steak and ice cream (not together) I ended up with an extreme case of indegestion
(surprise surprise)
Whilst experiencing "heart attack" like symptoms and seeing the "I wish i had my heart attack again" tv ad, i logged onto heartattck.org, studied said symptoms, contacted my
employer that i wouldnt be coming to work on the Monday and shuffled off to Hospital.
However before getting there the pain and symptoms stopped, so i went back home and decided to attend my doctor the following day as my friends & family have been at me to have an "over 40" check up (something I, as a male, dont do, as 'us men' dont frequent our Drs coz.."she'll be right mate"..famous last words in most cases)..nothing to lose and it would clafify any thoughts of heart issues

On May 2nd 2012, my blood test results stated
" theres no issue with my heart, everythings good.."
However, My Triglycerides are high.
(In the human body, high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream have been linked to the risk of heart disease and stroke.)
Blood glucose is 16.4 mmol (should be between 4.0 & 8.0 mmol--millimole--one thousandth (10−3) of a mole-- the base SI unit of amount of matter)
Cholesterol is 9.7, extremely high is 5.5, should be no higher than 2.5 and...
Im a Diabetic"

Doc says "Diabetes is no longer a death sentence..however, if i do nothing, Dr cant guarantee ill reach my 46th birthday, but CAN guarantee ill be dead before 50 !!
According to L&E BMI calculator, at this time (May 4 2012)
Based on your Height (197 cm) and your Weight (117 kg) your BMI is 30.2
This means you step in the High health risk range

As a result of not eating healthy, balanced, regular meals (breakfast, morn tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner) my Metabolism had slowed to almost nothing, and the excerise i did with work (courier at Toll Ipec Brisbane) made little difference to loosing any weight, instead i was gaining!
My weight at the time of diagnosis was 117 kgs and Im 6'5", i knew i was obese,even though everyone says i "carried it well, because of my height, its a healthy BMI" a huge misnomer (as Im sure most males go to their graves wondering why,if everyone whom isnt a Dr keeps telling them theyre fit and healthy????)

Without a working metabolism, my pancreas slowed down to almost nothing, (its damage IS irrepairable) so it wasnt producing enough insulin to carry glucose into my muscles to burn off, Blood glucose would in turn, convert to fat, and was filling my blood with fat. My Liver in turn, almost shut down and when its not working properly, it pumps huge amounts of BAD Cholesterol into the blood, thus a high Triglyceride reading

With medical assistance (Metformin to help low level of insulin to do its job and Crestor to combat cholesterol) L&E 1800cal 7 meals/ day per week, reduced my 117kg to 102 within 14days.

(incredible & to this day, i dont know where it went )

Within approx 8 weeks my weight had reduced to and leveled at 92kgs..approx 2 weeks after that, with the aid of a toothache and not being able to eat, given my metabolism was now working at 100% i lost a further 4 kgs and have after 5 months accordining to L&E :
Based on your Height (197 cm) and your Weight (87 kg) your BMI is 22.4
This means you step in the Healthy Weight Range

After my 2nd quarterly blood test,(1 every 3 mths)
1. my Blood mmol had reduced and leveled out at 5.8...target was 7.0
2. my Cholesterol which was 9.7 had staggeringly reduced to 1.9, and my doc and I, contribute the majority of that to a healthier diet as he never expected the medication to have had that much of a dramatic effect on my cholesterol in such a short time.
He told me now that,
"As long as you keep doing what youre doing, theres no reason why you cant live into your 80s & 90s"
A massive change in opinion, given his original statement declared an early death before my 50th and Im 45 at the moment :P

Im NOT selling anything, other than cut down on your sugar and fat intake as the amounts of diagnosed diabetics is estimated to explode into the millions in just Australia alone in the next 2 years

[MWTB]

Inspiring story mate! And yep, it really is amazing just how much simply cutting out sugar can do for you.

[MFP508]

and more importantly FAT...Diabetes is about fat, not sugar :[

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by MFP508

and more importantly FAT...Diabetes is about fat, not sugar :[

Pretty sure it's the other way around isn't it?

[MFP508]

no...years of the term 'sugar diabetes' have inadvertantly convinced everyone that diabetes is bought on by sugar. its not. it relates to how insulin disposes of glucose (blood sugar)before its converted into fat and stored elsewhere.

Everything you eat is converted into 2 forms of material...glucose first, fat 2nd.

Glucose is taken from your bloodstream by insulin and deposited into your muscles to be burnt up when you move
Whatever glucose thats left is converted to fat cells and stored and can also fill up your blood. if you dont eat healthy balanced food, your metabolism slows down, with that so does your pancreas and in turn your liver,,all 3 work together.

If your pancreas slows down it becomes damaged and never recovers, therefore it doesnt produce enuff insulin to cope with its job, which doesnt help when you eat fatty sugary food, insulin doesnt touch fat and becomes overwhelmed with the glucose it cant get rid of and soon becomes fat

[Rev28K]

Be careful with the generalisations about T2 or adult onset diabetes.

Yes, diet, fat content and lifestyle contribute to the risk factors. However I've also known some type 2's who are skinny, never been overweight, always active & healthy. Just one of those weird things where genetics and environment combine to trip you up.

There are also some early warning tests that are being trialled that let docs recognise the antibodies in the really early stages before you have readily apparent symptoms. This lets you extend the "honeymoon" period where things are a lot easier to handle.

MFP508 sounds like you dodged a bullet. You should feel heaps better than before with less mass to move and more energy to do it with.

[XR6_661]

Originally Posted by raised by monkeys

8-12 reps of heaviest weight will build muscle
15+ (I prefer last set as a strip set, but not on leg days lol) will burn more fat and help retain muscle and strength

Ive just bought some gen-tec ultimate thermo fuel. Coupled with higher reps, lower weight, more cardio and clean diet, attempting to lose body fat. Also taking amino acids, although from what I understand, I should be taking fat metabolisers to help shift stored fat cells. Any suggestions?

Strip set, I assume that's the same as a drop set? i.e. drop the weight and smash out a few more reps?

As for fat metabolisers, I'm not sure mate.

If anyone wants a good fitness resource/discussion board I recommend you go to www.reddit.com/r/fitness

They have a really good discussion on Mondays called: Moronic Mondays...it's good for going in and asking a whole bunch of questions!

I've also started doing a side routine, 100 calve raises a day, found it on T-Nation....So far it seems to be working. Basically you start by doing 50 (or as many) unweighted calve raises you can do, working your way up to 100. Of course using correct form. I recommend it to anyone who wants to build their calves. I'm also thinking of doing something similar for shrugs.

[MFP508]

Originally Posted by Rev28K

Be careful with the generalisations about T2 or adult onset diabetes.
MFP508 sounds like you dodged a bullet. You should feel heaps better than before with less mass to move and more energy to do it with.

i do, thanks, but im unclear what you mean by generalisations? i havent made any comment that doesnt relate to just me and my experience??

[Rev28K]

Originally Posted by MFP508

i do, thanks, but im unclear what you mean by generalisations? i havent made any comment that doesnt relate to just me and my experience??

Sorry, I was talking about the "Diabetes is related to fat" post.

A lot of people smarter than me reckon that there are other factors that are affecting it. And as I said i've known always skinny, healthy diet, active lifestyle people that have been diagnosed with T2D. They aren't the majority of T2D's but they are out there. And if they had a dollar for everytime someone like me looked them up and down then said/thought "you've lost weight and you've still got it?" they would be very rich.

Having said that if It was me, I had a history of T2D in the family and was carrying some extra kilos I'd be trying reasonably hard to change things.

The thread is now slightly side tracked. Wanna get back to where we are, what we're doing, what works and doesn't work for us, how this year is going to be better, etc?

[MWTB]

Another picture update from me...sorry to bombard but it's keeping me motivated!

4 months ago this hoodie was a perfect fit. Today, this is how it sits on me.

[XR6_661]

Awesome. That's some motivating shiz right there man. Keep it up!

[MFP508]

[QUOTE=Rev28K;4581127]Sorry, I was talking about the "Diabetes is related to fat" post.
And if they had a dollar for everytime someone like me looked them up and down then said/thought "you've lost weight and you've still got it?" they would be very rich.

QUOTE]
aha ok, related to fat meant fat you eat and fat cell deposits in your blood...and ive lost 30kgs and will always have diabetes (cant get rid of it) til the boffins can figure out how to regenerate a damaged Pancreas, youll never eradicate Diabetes.

however, i thought this topic was about weight loss and all things associated, otherwise i wouldve opened a seperate topic.

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by MFP508

However, My Triglycerides are high.
(In the human body, high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream have been linked to the risk of heart disease and stroke.)
Blood glucose is 16.4 mmol (should be between 4.0 & 8.0 mmol--millimole--one thousandth (10−3) of a mole-- the base SI unit of amount of matter)
Cholesterol is 9.7, extremely high is 5.5, should be no higher than 2.5 and...

And over the years ... the level of what your Cholesterol should be keeps dropping .... i know when I was diagnosed with my familial hypercholesteraemia ..... my levels 9.88 .... i was 12 years old ... played sport ... and skinny as a rake.

Back then I was told that 5 was excellent and to bring it back down to that .... now they are saying that it needs to be below 2.5 as you mentioned.

Back in 1990 .... there was no information out there about cholesterol treatment .. I was literally a guinea pig myself then ... and was changed from medication to medication as years progressed ... I have been on medication for 24 years now ... will be 36 this year.

I am back on a previous medication that I used to be on ... as going through my results over the years ... it worked the best for me. So I am back on that now.

I have been bad though ... and skipped my medication here and there ... and for some long periods ... undoing all the prior good work that I did though.

And as for courier work .... i used to do it as a 2nd job ... thinking this would be decent for my fitness ... but it really wasn't ... there were some larger hand unload and lifting work ... but mostly fork on/fork off stuff and little to no work from me ... that and combined shiftwork as well ... not good for diet and a healthy lifestyle.

I am lucky though that all other tests I had done came back as normal ... and apparently I am part of the 15% of Australians that have better than sufficiently levels of Vitamin D in their system ... go figure.

[Mont5.0]

Good luck with it simon.

[Mechan1k]

Thanks ... I need to motivation.
Although ... lately I have been in the pool a lot... with my 3yo ... and doing a fair bit of swimming about ... throwing him about ... and running around the house/yard chasing him as well.

I am definitely unfit ... but he is really my motivation to get myself into gear and sort out my health really.

[DJR David]

"with my 3yo ... and doing a fair bit of swimming about ... throwing him about ... and running around the house/yard chasing him as well."

The best exercise you can get!!!!!!

[MWTB]

I'm starting to notice the effects of quitting smoking at gym. My heart rate after an hour on the bike @ 70 rpm on level 7 or 8 would usually be at about 190-200bpm. Tonight I clocked it in at 140bpm.

Still haven't put on any weight since quitting smoking, the only weight I put on was in December when I was smashing the weights and went from 120 to 125. I'm back down to 122 again and feeling better than ever with more muscle than ever, and it's starting to show because it's not hidden under 500kg of fat.

Left picture was at my friend's 21st at the start of October, right picture was taken tonight. I'm so happy with how far I've come in 3 months, I just hope that the next 3 months are half as productive!



Is anyone else having as much luck as I am in their weight loss journey?

[MFP508]

great work mate..ive shed the weight, now just gotta start liftin the weights

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by MFP508

great work mate..ive shed the weight, now just gotta start liftin the weights

I can't wait for that stage! But congratulations on reaching your target weight man! I'm thinking I'm about 3 months away from reaching mine. I'm @ 122 right now, my target is 100. 100 sounds a bit high I know, but I am 6'3 and quite muscular so hopefully 100 is a good weight to aim for. If not, it's still better than 122 and a ******** better than 142

[MFP508]

any is better than none!
im 6'5" and was 117, now 87..a 100 is ok if youre more muscle as most BMI calculators can over estimate height/weight ratio, but i use this one and gives you a good idea..
http://www.liteneasy.com.au/nova/nut...FaRLpgod-FwAvw

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by MFP508

any is better than none!
im 6'5" and was 117, now 87..a 100 is ok if youre more muscle as most BMI calculators can over estimate height/weight ratio, but i use this one and gives you a good idea..
http://www.liteneasy.com.au/nova/nut...FaRLpgod-FwAvw

87 @ 6'5? Jeez! Maybe I was a bit optimistic with setting 100 as my goal then! Spose I'll see soon enough

[MFP508]

given what you were and what you are and your target..i wouldnt worry
my weight loss was a "had to" more than a "want to"
its is a health issue, because if i hadnt found out about the diabetes i wouldve just kept plodding along oblivious to it
My weight loss relates to diet more than exercise anyway..wasnt eating good food, at wrong times of the day, metabolism had slowed to almost nothing..
started eating healthy 1800 cal/day, at right times, metabolism workin at 100% and it chews thru the fat..the only exercise i get anytime is at work and its the same if not a less amount than this time last year

[Robos F6]

Originally Posted by MWTB

87 @ 6'5? Jeez! Maybe I was a bit optimistic with setting 100 as my goal then! Spose I'll see soon enough

Dont let that calculator get to you. It doesnt take into fact bone density, build etc. Leave 100kg as your goal and see how you look.

I'm 6'6 and around 114kg it says im over weight but in reality i have broard shoulders, work out alot and are quite fit. Most elite footballers would be slightly lighter , probably 105kg, so my goal is 110kg. When i was 18, i was 86kg and looked like a rake.

[MFP508]

At 45, i dont look like a rake, and the BMI calculator clearly states
"Remember BMI is only a general guide. There may be reasons to modify the interpretation.

BMI is not suitable for children and may overestimate fat in heavily muscled body types and underestimate fat in the elderly. For some ethnic groups the ranges might need to be modified"

[MWTB]

Oh I've never worried about bmi. My bmi says I'm technically obese which I know that I'm not, at least not anymore.

I do have broad shoulders etc so hopefully 100kg is a good target.

Burned 600cals according to the bike at gym last night. Feels good man.

[Mont5.0]

How tall are you? Im 6'2 and 100kg is ideal for me. I was 85kg all my life-then quit smoking 4 years ago and blew out to 120kg. I started cardio and light weights at home(never lifted until the age of 34) and dropped to 95!(in around 6 months). I then joined the gym 31/2 years ago and am staying steady at 100kg. i fluctuate a bit,can gain a few but can lose a few also, but 100kg suits me to a tea. I now train 4 days a week, and try to do 2 body part per session for around 1 hour 10min per session,i eat well and feel well. For me Diet is the key.