Lettuce - 40 pounds in 4 months
- Thread starter Lettuce
- Start date
Here's to dropping 40 pounds by the 26th birthday! Sure will.
Enjoying a few last bad meals before I start the routine. Besides I'm broke already so I can't afford real food. Tomorrow = $$$ so I'll be able to stock up on oatmeal to keep me full and with my GFs help I'll be eating more veggies for lunch. BLAH! veggies.... YUCK!
I don't foresee having a problem following a new diet. I think my biggest hurdle will be overcoming the stress. :speechless: School and work is killing me. lol.
Enjoying a few last bad meals before I start the routine. Besides I'm broke already so I can't afford real food. Tomorrow = $$$ so I'll be able to stock up on oatmeal to keep me full and with my GFs help I'll be eating more veggies for lunch. BLAH! veggies.... YUCK!
I don't foresee having a problem following a new diet. I think my biggest hurdle will be overcoming the stress. :speechless: School and work is killing me. lol.
How tall are you? Because 160 is getting to be pretty light for a lot of guys of average height, IMO. Also losing 40 lbs in 4 months is going to be difficult to do healthy. I admire the high goals, but they may be unrealistic and that may ruin your will to continue working out past the date of your goal.
5'9" 200 pounds, according to my Dr. I should be about 160, but then again, I've got quite a bit of muscle mass, the bulk of which being in my thighs and tush.
I don't expect to drop all 40 pounds and wouldn't be surprised to "drop" 20 and make up some more in muscle mass. I'm setting the bar high so if I fall short I still do well. I'm thinking I've got maybe 30 to lose off my abdomen.
As far as continuing to work out, that won't be an issue. I love going hiking and biking with my GF, we just haven't had a gym membership for a while. The last one we went to was costing us about $56 a month each and we wouldn't always go because of school and we'd prefer to walk on nice days rather then sit in the gym. Now we're with retro I'm paying 40 a month for both of us to go.I know after I lose the weight I will be able to (and want to) continue going to the gym and biking and running. I know it's more then just: go work out till you lose the weight. It's not a diet/weight loss program. It's a new way of life. I have to continue to do this every week, day in and day out.
When I met my GF, I was about 145. Now I've gained a bit of muscle and a lot of fat weight. My main goal is to take off the belly fat and tone up. Again, we'll see how it goes as time goes by as far as my total weight loss. If I lose 10 pounds and have a stomach again, I'll stop losing there. If I have to go to 20 or even 30, I'll go that far. I prefer to set the bar higher because if something doesn't present a big enough challenge I tire and become bored with it and stop.
Bottom line is, I'm stretching the button off my work pants, I'm tired of my belt buckle digging into my belly when I sit at my desk and I'm tired of "sucking in" all day long. I want to take my GF to the shore for vacation this summer and I want to look good for her when I do.
I don't expect to drop all 40 pounds and wouldn't be surprised to "drop" 20 and make up some more in muscle mass. I'm setting the bar high so if I fall short I still do well. I'm thinking I've got maybe 30 to lose off my abdomen.
As far as continuing to work out, that won't be an issue. I love going hiking and biking with my GF, we just haven't had a gym membership for a while. The last one we went to was costing us about $56 a month each and we wouldn't always go because of school and we'd prefer to walk on nice days rather then sit in the gym. Now we're with retro I'm paying 40 a month for both of us to go.I know after I lose the weight I will be able to (and want to) continue going to the gym and biking and running. I know it's more then just: go work out till you lose the weight. It's not a diet/weight loss program. It's a new way of life. I have to continue to do this every week, day in and day out.
When I met my GF, I was about 145. Now I've gained a bit of muscle and a lot of fat weight. My main goal is to take off the belly fat and tone up. Again, we'll see how it goes as time goes by as far as my total weight loss. If I lose 10 pounds and have a stomach again, I'll stop losing there. If I have to go to 20 or even 30, I'll go that far. I prefer to set the bar higher because if something doesn't present a big enough challenge I tire and become bored with it and stop.
Bottom line is, I'm stretching the button off my work pants, I'm tired of my belt buckle digging into my belly when I sit at my desk and I'm tired of "sucking in" all day long. I want to take my GF to the shore for vacation this summer and I want to look good for her when I do.
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Yeah cardio and changing the foods I eat are my top priorities. Maybe I'll even quit smoking while I'm at it. :jumping:
Well, yesterday was my first official work out day. Didn't do much. Did 30 minutes on the elliptical with a 5 minute cool down. Hit 2.25 miles, roughly 320 calories burned (according to the machine) with average HR at about 160 (goal 156). Had 2 packets of oatmeal and 2 dinner rolls (I know, I know!) for breakfast then a salad from Saladworks and about 1/3 pound of pasta for dinner. Funds being low, my actual health food consumption is hindered for a while.
Today, there was no gym, I had a double quarter pounder with cheese and a large fry (yeah, go ahead and say it...) around 2 and just finished a large coffee from DD. Will prolly have 2 packets of oatmeal for "dinner" when I get home from school.
Will re-weigh myself at home with my home scale and use that to record my weight so there are no calabration issues from one scale to another.
I enjoyed my run on the machine and I was actually surprised I was not winded at all and could have gone faster, but the machine was bugging out about my heart rate. I don't want to blow my heart up, but it sucks wanting to do more and not being able to.
Tomorrow I will be going again and might add some weights after my initial 30 minutes of cardio. I have to keep my cardio and, well, all of my exercizing low impact. I have an appointment in a week and a half to see a specialist about my knees. From my x-rays 9 years ago, I have worn the medial meniscus from both of my knees. Back then, they wanted to break both legs and re-set them with wedges so they are straight or cut out a piece of the tendon on the inner side of the knee. I thought the latter was a poor choice as they would degrade on their own as I aged.
We'll soon see how bad they are now, almost 10 years later, and what this specialist thinks. Upside, if I do need a total knee replacement, the technology has come by strides since then. The replacement joints now last, on average, twice as long, 20 years compared to 10.
Side note, I was distracted this whole time by this rather disturbing smiley: :love2: so please forgive me if there are a ton of typos and such.....
Today, there was no gym, I had a double quarter pounder with cheese and a large fry (yeah, go ahead and say it...) around 2 and just finished a large coffee from DD. Will prolly have 2 packets of oatmeal for "dinner" when I get home from school.
Will re-weigh myself at home with my home scale and use that to record my weight so there are no calabration issues from one scale to another.
I enjoyed my run on the machine and I was actually surprised I was not winded at all and could have gone faster, but the machine was bugging out about my heart rate. I don't want to blow my heart up, but it sucks wanting to do more and not being able to.
Tomorrow I will be going again and might add some weights after my initial 30 minutes of cardio. I have to keep my cardio and, well, all of my exercizing low impact. I have an appointment in a week and a half to see a specialist about my knees. From my x-rays 9 years ago, I have worn the medial meniscus from both of my knees. Back then, they wanted to break both legs and re-set them with wedges so they are straight or cut out a piece of the tendon on the inner side of the knee. I thought the latter was a poor choice as they would degrade on their own as I aged.
We'll soon see how bad they are now, almost 10 years later, and what this specialist thinks. Upside, if I do need a total knee replacement, the technology has come by strides since then. The replacement joints now last, on average, twice as long, 20 years compared to 10.
Side note, I was distracted this whole time by this rather disturbing smiley: :love2: so please forgive me if there are a ton of typos and such.....
Down 3 pounds, but still eating poorly. Hopefully when they give me the rest of my check tomorrow I'll be able to buy real food again.
Note to self: after 16 months away from the gym, it's not a good idea to get right on the squat rack and do 400 pounds like you used to..... God my quads BURN!
So far, so good tho. Moving smoothly along towards my goal. Still working on my biggest vice, being hungry and snacking on the wrong stuff. As mentioned, my check got screwed up so I'm strapped for cash to buy real food with for another day. Gonna rely on the GF to bring good lunches for me at work for now and she's kicking my ass and making sure I go to the gym.
Friday did 30 mins cardio followed by 400#x12x3 on the squat rack and some core work.
Saturday did some more core work, no cardio.
Sunday 30 mins cardio and then a lot of upper body work.
Monday I wanted to go but was far too sore.
Will probably do 30 mins cardio and then full body workout after work today.
Have to go to the specialist tomorrow to get my knees checked. A little worried about this, but hopefully everything will go okay.
Note to self: after 16 months away from the gym, it's not a good idea to get right on the squat rack and do 400 pounds like you used to..... God my quads BURN!
So far, so good tho. Moving smoothly along towards my goal. Still working on my biggest vice, being hungry and snacking on the wrong stuff. As mentioned, my check got screwed up so I'm strapped for cash to buy real food with for another day. Gonna rely on the GF to bring good lunches for me at work for now and she's kicking my ass and making sure I go to the gym.
Friday did 30 mins cardio followed by 400#x12x3 on the squat rack and some core work.
Saturday did some more core work, no cardio.
Sunday 30 mins cardio and then a lot of upper body work.
Monday I wanted to go but was far too sore.
Will probably do 30 mins cardio and then full body workout after work today.
Have to go to the specialist tomorrow to get my knees checked. A little worried about this, but hopefully everything will go okay.
No offense, but i call shenanigans on the squats. Unless you are the frickin Hulk, you are not doing full ROM squats at 400# after not touching weights for 16 months. That and your knees hurt? I wonder why...
Thats fine, you don't have to believe me. I know what I did. I used to squat 500 with ease before I stopped lifting.
The reason my knees hurt is genu varum or bowed legs. I've lived with it since birth and when people hear the extent of the damage, they actually ask me how I am still walking, but here I am. I deal with the pain, which is only unbearable after looong car rides or when the weather is horrible. It's not really bad (in my opinion), but it's enough to destroy the medial meniscus. Like I said, you have every right to call shenanigans on me doing that and I have no way to prove it to you as I didn't have anyone taking pics or video. Again, I know what I did and I know I'll do it again until my Dr. says stop or they do surgery.
I know it's probably not the best idea to do that much, but keeping my legs strong now will help after I have surgery to expedite the rehab process. I've always been the opposite of the typical guy you see in the gym who's got a huge upper body and chicken legs. I've prided myself on being a little more "well rounded" in keeping my lower body strong, as well as having a toned upper body.
I'll give you props if you are doing unassisted, free bar, at least thighs parallel squats. Especially considering you say your body frame should be around around the 160lb mark.
That being said, I rarely see people doing full ROM squats, and even more rarely see anyone doing 400 lbs plus.
Im just sayin.
That being said, I rarely see people doing full ROM squats, and even more rarely see anyone doing 400 lbs plus.
Im just sayin.
I used the squat machine where you lay back and push the weights up. My shoulders couldn't handle a 45 pound bar with an extra 400 pounds on it. If there's someone out there that can handle that, kudos, not me tho.
I did say squat rack in the original post. Sorry if I named the wrong machine.
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Its called a leg press
Very Very different than Backsquats. Makes a lot more sense now. I defnitely recommend that if you do try backsquats, dont try anything near 400 lbs because you wont move it. Start very light. Also leg press really isnt good for your body(im many cases) it puts tons of pressure on your lower back and spine, and, with bad form you will do more damage to your knees.
But yes that does clear a lot of things up.
Very Very different than Backsquats. Makes a lot more sense now. I defnitely recommend that if you do try backsquats, dont try anything near 400 lbs because you wont move it. Start very light. Also leg press really isnt good for your body(im many cases) it puts tons of pressure on your lower back and spine, and, with bad form you will do more damage to your knees. But yes that does clear a lot of things up.
I say tomato, you say tomahtoe. A squat is a squat, even when upside down. I've never had a problem with form or with my back and I have always used this machine to work out my legs. I used a pulley machine once in my last gym where you stand up with the padded part on your shoulders and do squats as if you would with a bar standing and *this* machine hurt my back.
Good news and bad news as far as my knees tho. The bad news is the chooch I went to at 16 told a bit of an exaggerated story about my knees. The specialist I saw yesterday says yes my knees are bowed and there is no question that my meniscus is more then likely torn; actually about 24% of "normal" knees have torn meniscus, but he did not agree that it was missing. He said that a more definitive test, such as an MIR or CAT scan, would show the extent of the damage, but wants to "avoid coming at me with needles or sharp objects." He believes I am just susceptible to knee pain for one reason or another and wants me to try some physical therapy and keep my exercising low-impact, which I already do, save for my hiking. He said I also probably have a very common cyst on the back side of at least my right knee, don't remember if he looked for it on the left side.
Well, I don't have to get cut open, but I'll start heating my knees daily now. give me something semi-productive to do while I'm sitting on my tush playing video games. Def think I have a new orthopod tho. This guy is a regular comedian just like my regular doctor.
Good news and bad news as far as my knees tho. The bad news is the chooch I went to at 16 told a bit of an exaggerated story about my knees. The specialist I saw yesterday says yes my knees are bowed and there is no question that my meniscus is more then likely torn; actually about 24% of "normal" knees have torn meniscus, but he did not agree that it was missing. He said that a more definitive test, such as an MIR or CAT scan, would show the extent of the damage, but wants to "avoid coming at me with needles or sharp objects." He believes I am just susceptible to knee pain for one reason or another and wants me to try some physical therapy and keep my exercising low-impact, which I already do, save for my hiking. He said I also probably have a very common cyst on the back side of at least my right knee, don't remember if he looked for it on the left side.
Well, I don't have to get cut open, but I'll start heating my knees daily now. give me something semi-productive to do while I'm sitting on my tush playing video games. Def think I have a new orthopod tho. This guy is a regular comedian just like my regular doctor.