BSL's BS-Lounge, please come again!

[tsilcyc]

At present, I'm 5' 8" and weighing-in at 229.25 but I'm only about 10 pounds away from having a 6-pack so you know it's just a lot of muscle. Looking around the spin-class, my upper-body & chest is just so thick & wide compared to the mortals, I mean...other people.

That's hysterical. So basically, at 219.25 -- you're at your target. I'm 5'8 and I couldn't even imagine what I'd do with all that extra weight... being mortal and all. Good job and welcome back!

 

[i_love_muscle]

Welcome back!!

I can't believe how much cardio you can do carrying that much muscle mass, BSL.

Pretty impressive stuff!

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

That's hysterical. So basically, at 219.25 -- you're at your target. I'm 5'8 and I couldn't even imagine what I'd do with all that extra weight...

I know....it's more then frustrating. I really want to compete in an triathlon and no matter how much I run on the treadmill, it just doesn't seem to be coming to me. Geee.....I wonder if that 50+ extra pounds isn't a hinderance????. I dunno, I've seen heavy guys running...so who knows.

I'm not entirely certain why I weigh so much. My arms & legs are pretty cut & lean and my abdomen is really starting to dial-in as well. My nutritionist & trainer say I'm just carrying a lot of muscle. FWIW, my trainer is a pretty hot female and she's a big-time man-watcher....she says I'm honestly about 10-pounds away from, her term, "delicious". Let's call it 20 just to be safe....so that'd put me at 210 and at 5' 8" we're still talking dense/thick/heavy. How often do we see guys come on here that are 5' 8" and weigh about 175 and they talk about needing to lose 30 pounds. It really throws-off my perspective.

How do I look in the mirror? Well...with today's trends, all shorts are stupid-baggy-large and come down to my knees and unless I wear a semi-snug shirt, I just look at pictures of myself and don't like what I see. I don't have a gut or anything, I just look like a cylinder. The only time I like what I see and my trainer says I look really good....is when I'm wearing my cycling shorts or some small running shorts and a fairly snug muscle shirt...THEN I look really strong, cut and powerful....but in regular clothing, very disappointing. Svelt, lean or "normal" I'll never be.....

But F-it....I'm married, have kids and at this point it's all (or mostly) about health and just wanting to be as distant from being "overweight" as possible. I deeply regret waiting this long in life to lose weight and get in shape...but it is what it is and I'm making the most of it.

 

[tsilcyc]

I've seen some pretty muscular dudes competing in triathlon. I wouldn't let that stop you.

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

I've seen some pretty muscular dudes competing in triathlon. I wouldn't let that stop you.

Hey now...nobody appreciates an optimist!


80-cal yogurt

4 egg whites & 2 yolks + 150 cal's of lean turkey (scrambled eggs w/meat)

210 cal zone bar
5 prunes & some peanuts

240 cal protein shake

1/2 spin-class
1.5 hrs racquetball

Tuna salad (6 ounces lean tuna, 2 pieces wheat toast, 2 Tbl dressing)
2 pieces dark chocolate 80

Calories in: 1,630
Exercise 1,480
BMR 2000

Deficit: 1,850 53%

The low calories yesterday, combined with low calories today....REALLY SUCKED...I was laboring in spin with a slightly elevated heart-rate and my racquetball royally sucked because I had no energy! I need to eat more, but I really REALLY want to make some serious progress with weight/fat loss.

I'm taking a nice cigar and hitting the jacuzzi

BSL -out!

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

Well....today was a freakin' catastrophe!!!

After the TK-weekend I felt a bit heavy and off-routine...so for the last 4 days I've been really cutting the calories AND taking many people's advice, I've been avoiding carbs and pushing lean protein. Oh, it works....quite rapidly I felt leaner & lighter.

Today I did my first spin-class just fine, good power. Then I got on the treadmill and ran...after a mile I felt a bit weak, but I remember how FF says you have to push past the pain....so I kept running at 6mph and covered 2.25 miles before having to stop for my 2nd spin-class. When I got off the T-mill, I didn't feel very good. It's normal to feel a bit disoriented: you go from running on a stationary machine to walking on a floor actually moving...but I soon realized "something" wasn't right.

I walked over to some friends anticipating that if something should happen, they'd be there. I felt light-headed, weak and a bit like I was going to pass-out. I went into the spin-room and drank some protein shake and ate a protein bar (200 cals). Drank some water too.

The next class began and I just didn't feel the energy...after 15 minutes I started having weak spells with more light headedness...at a few instances I was really worried...so I unloaded the bike and figured, not wanting to quit, I'd just cruise at 115-125 heart-rate and finish-out the class...but that intent didn't last long: I could tell, if I didn't stop, my body would. Seriously guys, it's scary....feels like someone is jiggling your life switch.

I got off the bike...first time EVER quitting a class early. Ate a zone bar (210 calories, has some carbs) and finished my protein shake. I waited 10 minutes but continued feeling weird....not wanting to face potential embarrassment I just walked away from the spin-room and went to the shower to cool down. Like a stubborn jackass, I still got in the pool and slowly, taking 3-4 breaks, swam my mile...but it was weak and hampered. Part of me wanted to work past it, another part figured I was burning a lot of fat at this point and still another part just didn't want to think I had to quit.

Went home, ate 2 pieces wheat bread, a banana, 3 tablespoons low-fat peanut butter, 2 chicken thighs and 2 pieces dark chocolate....trying to give my body some food, ya know.

Yesterday was very lean calories and I did weights prior to that. Dinner last night was 1/2 a yam and 3 pieces of chicken...breakfast this morning was a medium apple and a low-carb tortilla with 1 piece melted cheese.

I dunno, I'm still getting over a respiratory thing, but I think I'm just pushing too hard and not eating enough. If I do 3.75 hours of cardio, I need carbs...but when I eat carbs, everyone tells me my fat-loss/weight-loss is hampered. It's frustrating....I just want to burn this fat off my body and I enjoy doing all this cardio as a means to do it....I'm just having trouble finding that happy medium-ground.

 

[Chillen]

Well....today was a freakin' catastrophe!!!

After the TK-weekend I felt a bit heavy and off-routine...so for the last 4 days I've been really cutting the calories AND taking many people's advice, I've been avoiding carbs and pushing lean protein. Oh, it works....quite rapidly I felt leaner & lighter.

Today I did my first spin-class just fine, good power. Then I got on the treadmill and ran...after a mile I felt a bit weak, but I remember how FF says you have to push past the pain....so I kept running at 6mph and covered 2.25 miles before having to stop for my 2nd spin-class. When I got off the T-mill, I didn't feel very good. It's normal to feel a bit disoriented: you go from running on a stationary machine to walking on a floor actually moving...but I soon realized "something" wasn't right.

I walked over to some friends anticipating that if something should happen, they'd be there. I felt light-headed, weak and a bit like I was going to pass-out. I went into the spin-room and drank some protein shake and ate a protein bar (200 cals). Drank some water too.

The next class began and I just didn't feel the energy...after 15 minutes I started having weak spells with more light headedness...at a few instances I was really worried...so I unloaded the bike and figured, not wanting to quit, I'd just cruise at 115-125 heart-rate and finish-out the class...but that intent didn't last long: I could tell, if I didn't stop, my body would. Seriously guys, it's scary....feels like someone is jiggling your life switch.

I got off the bike...first time EVER quitting a class early. Ate a zone bar (210 calories, has some carbs) and finished my protein shake. I waited 10 minutes but continued feeling weird....not wanting to face potential embarrassment I just walked away from the spin-room and went to the shower to cool down. Like a stubborn jackass, I still got in the pool and slowly, taking 3-4 breaks, swam my mile...but it was weak and hampered. Part of me wanted to work past it, another part figured I was burning a lot of fat at this point and still another part just didn't want to think I had to quit.

Went home, ate 2 pieces wheat bread, a banana, 3 tablespoons low-fat peanut butter, 2 chicken thighs and 2 pieces dark chocolate....trying to give my body some food, ya know.

Yesterday was very lean calories and I did weights prior to that. Dinner last night was 1/2 a yam and 3 pieces of chicken...breakfast this morning was a medium apple and a low-carb tortilla with 1 piece melted cheese.

I dunno, I'm still getting over a respiratory thing, but I think I'm just pushing too hard and not eating enough. If I do 3.75 hours of cardio, I need carbs...but when I eat carbs, everyone tells me my fat-loss/weight-loss is hampered. It's frustrating....I just want to burn this fat off my body and I enjoy doing all this cardio as a means to do it....I'm just having trouble finding that happy medium-ground.

How are things going since you posted this?




Best wishes

Chillen

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

Oh hey...thanks for asking.

Well, the culprits were:

1) Very low calories
2) LOTS of exercise every day, not enough recovery....wearing myself down
3) taking a long/hot jacuzzi the night before

But most of all....

4) I was apparently not done with being sick and the jacuzzi, low calories and heavy toll from exercise just dragged me down.

It was too much and when my blood-sugars crashed I just...well, crashed too. I'm back and working hard again, but taking it a bit easier and really trying to eat a bit more to appropriately fuel my needs YET maintain a calorie deficit. I'm getting to the point where it's getting tough....you just can't be a 3.5-hour exercising triathlete AND at the same time cutting steep calories to lose weight, I gotta choose or modify. So I'm eating a bit more using nutrient timing and cutting down a bit on the exercise.

I'm still not 100% healthy, but I'm not pushing at ridiculously hard. I'm also putting more emphasis as a calorie deficit and not as much trying to exercise the weight off....as you say Chillen: diet is just about EVERYTHING!

Thanks for asking Bro!

 

[Chillen]

Oh hey...thanks for asking.

Well, the culprits were:

1) Very low calories
2) LOTS of exercise every day, not enough recovery....wearing myself down
3) taking a long/hot jacuzzi the night before

But most of all....

4) I was apparently not done with being sick and the jacuzzi, low calories and heavy toll from exercise just dragged me down.

It was too much and when my blood-sugars crashed I just...well, crashed too. I'm back and working hard again, but taking it a bit easier and really trying to eat a bit more to appropriately fuel my needs YET maintain a calorie deficit. I'm getting to the point where it's getting tough....you just can't be a 3.5-hour exercising triathlete AND at the same time cutting steep calories to lose weight, I gotta choose or modify. So I'm eating a bit more using nutrient timing and cutting down a bit on the exercise.

I'm still not 100% healthy, but I'm not pushing at ridiculously hard. I'm also putting more emphasis as a calorie deficit and not as much trying to exercise the weight off....as you say Chillen: diet is just about EVERYTHING!

Thanks for asking Bro!

Your welcome, and I have a suggestion. So you can get another set of eyeballs looking at your fitness situation--when or if you need it.

I recommend VERY HIGHLY you seek out: Stroutman81 (on this forum), and Steve (on the our sister Weight loss forum), he has a journal he posts to (once in a while, here), and you could post questions on in there if your wish, just to get another opinion (I know you have or have had some good people working with you, but it wouldn't hurt, when you think the chips are down or something).

He is very knowledgeable, gives A LOT OF TIME to many people, is trainer, and a damn fine young man, with a great spirit and attitude. When I have a question, he is the FIRST person, I seek.


Just a thought, bro!


Best wishes

Chillen

 

[i_love_muscle]

Your welcome, and I have a suggestion. So you can get another set of eyeballs looking at your fitness situation--when or of you need it.

I recommend VERY HIGHLY you seek out: Stroutman81 (on this forum), and Steve (on the our sister Weight loss forum), he has a journal he posts to (once in a while, here), and you could post questions on in there if your wish, just to get another opinion (I know you have or have had some good people working with you, but it wouldn't hurt, when you think the chips are down or something).

He is very knowledgeable, gives A LOT OF TIME to many people, is trainer, and a damn fine young man, with a great spirit and attitude. When I have a question, he is the FIRST person, I seek.


Just a thought, bro!


Best wishes

Chillen

I second that. Steve Troutman is A-1. The amount of knowledge he has accumulated is nothing less than stellar. He is one of the few people I trust when it comes to fitness, nutrition, and exercise. I have nothing but the utmost of respect for him. I can't say anything bad about Steve, so that'll tell you just how much respect I do have for him.

BSL, he knows a hell of a lot more than Matt or I put together. So in my books, that means he's pretty damned well-informed and knowledgeable

 

[Chillen]

I second that. Steve Troutman is A-1. The amount of knowledge he has accumulated is nothing less than stellar. He is one of the few people I trust when it comes to fitness, nutrition, and exercise. I have nothing but the utmost of respect for him. I can't say anything bad about Steve, so that'll tell you just how much respect I do have for him.

BSL, he knows a hell of a lot more than Matt or I put together. So in my books, that means he's pretty damned well-informed and knowledgeable

Modesty anyone.......?



LOL........


Best wishes

Chillen

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

Good suggestions!

I'm being rather foolish, I have Alan Aragon at my disposal and I really don't tap his knowledge. He's a trainer, nutritionist, writes for Men's Health and is paid to travel & lecture...so what do I do? Meet with him once a month, get pinched, weighed and we run off to lunch as he breaksdown the numbers. He just keeps telling me I'm doing amazing and to keep up the good work. But he also tells me that my whole physiology, metabolism and everything I'm experiencing is just 100% completely off the charts and very inconsistent with how most people respond.

Every meeting is lower and lower BF% and yet the actual weight-loss is marginal.....he entirely attributes it to muscle-gain. He actually gets to see me in-person and physically evaluate me. You just can't get that kind of evaluation over the internet. I really don't have any questions.

If you work-out super hard while you're still sick....you're body can stop you cold in it's tracks. I just tend to push too hard and wait until something almost goes wrong before re-evaluating. But I'm telling you, I'm getting more and more compliments from people about my weight loss. Just last week I put on a size-medium Nike shirt and it fit. Dude....size MEDIUM! And it wasn't just a fluke, many of the larges are getting a bit baggy on me now. Best of all, they're loose around the waist and snug on the chest. My trainer Roz keeps telling me I'm getting more and more cut and she's watching the muscles blossom-out.

The direction is positive...fat is going, muscle is gaining, clothes sizes are shrinking and more often people are freaking-out when they see me. Probably time for some more pics.

Oh, the stomach is getting leaner, but still not quite any signs of horizontal cuts....just the side verticals are very pronounced, and maybe the first horizonatal line is starting to come in on top. Hard to say, but every day I'm eating lite & lean and really putting-in the time in the gym with both weights & certainly cardio. I'll get there....I'm fighting a headwind, even Alan says he's never seen someone work so hard to make progress, but like I told him....if it takes 1/4-pound per month, it'll just take longer!

Thanks for the support & concern.

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

OMG....I have a journal???

Okay, let's see...it's been about 8 months. Despite what seems like laziness...I've still been pounding away on the iron, spinning away in spin-class, swimming, mountain biking and playing racquetball...all the while keeping the calories down and staying the course.

To date I've continued my monthly appointments with my nutritionist and I've always lost BF% while having marginal losses on the scale. More definition, less fat, more muscle...it's all good.

Most recently I took a spin-instructor from my gym on my favorite long-haul ride: 2.5 hours, 23.4 miles, 3,200-feet of total ascent, grades as steep as 17% and a typical caloric consumption in excess of 2,000...it's a tough ride. This guy is a former European Cycling Champion and halfway there, going up a steep hill...I passed him. On the way back, he lagged behind and totally fell behind on the last portion of the climb. I was, to say the least, surprised. Inspired, I took some pics. I hadn't realized how much progress I'd made until I compared my old pics to current. I think I'm most proud of the last picture, it caught some good cuts in my arms. You don't see that kind of bulk grinding peddles on the trails, or swimming a mile or even flying around the racquetball court.

 

[flyinfree]

you are serioulsy a very funny funny man :laughing2:

BUT, and this is a big BUTT!!! you have really come a long way, but not as far as you can.

your performance is getting very strong man

"push past the pain" <----- not an FF saying-- that is potentially stupid, depending on the pain.

"willing to suffer" <---- IS AN FF saying -- this is advanst in dumb!

You definately have "dumb" in the bag! And with your continued ethic you will soon be advanst in dumb!
SO- STAY SMART! sacrificing comfort for better health is what the mediocre will never do. Sacrificing health for a one time performance is what immature athletes do.

BTW- you Sir, have become an athlete!

you have alot of resources at your disposal, and you seem to be tapping them and using them. Good on ya for that.

FF

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

you have alot of resources at your disposal, and you seem to be tapping them and using them.

Dammit, FF...how many times do I need to tell you NOT to mention my many mistresses on the forum!

Short of that, thanks for the mints....complimints and for conveying on my a "dumb". You know it'll make no sense to anyone visiting my journal, but it means the world to me. Okay, maybe not The World, but certainly a lot.

 

[blueoval]

Hi BSL,

Legendary thread dude. Your work and comments are a good read. Keep up the great work