Starting my journey to lose weight and get active-with pictures(updated daily)

DUE TO THE AMMOUNT OF PEOPLE TELLING ME TO CHANGE UP MY ROUTINE IM GONNA READ OVER THE 5X5 BILL STARR ROUTINE AND THE 2DAY SPLIT PUSH PULL ROUTINE, WHAT WOULD BE BETTER??????!?!?

Post any inspiring videos or pump music.

I have long procrasinated over trying to lose weight. I have told myself, and have been told, I need to get active. I have had enough and I am going to start tommorow, Monday, May 5, 2008. I am around 5 11 or 6 feet, and roughly 280 pounds, but I will get my official measurements tommorow. I have been going to the gym on and off for quite awhile, so I am not entirely new. I have read up on training and have contructed a program based on weight-training, and cardio. I want to get in some sort of shape before I start training in bjj and muay thai this summer. I understand nutrisystem is not the best, but I already ordered it and know people who have used it with great success. I will try it untill it runs out, but if it works well, I will continue to use it. My weight training program consists of a range of reps, with some heavy days with lows reps, and some days with high reps and low weight. I also am mainly doing HIIT cardio to lose weight, but am also going to do some long, excruciating cardio as well. I bought a yoga for beginners video that I am going to use to increase my flexability. My goal is to get to the 190-205 range. I am going to post my workouts each day, along with the total number of reps and the ammount of weight. I will also post my pictures,weight,and measurements weekly. Please do not try and get me down, I need all the motivation I can get. Post any constructive criticism, words of wisdom, motivation or anything else. Much appreciated and I will answer any questions to the best of my ability. Once again, thanks for taking the time to read my post.
day 5-may 9
back and traps(heavy/low reps)

back
t-bar row sets/3 reps/8,6,4 weight/95,105,115
lat pulldown sets/4 reps/8,8,4,4 weight/120,120,130,140
dumbbell row sets/3 reps/10,6,6 weight/45,55,55
dead lifts sets/4 reps/8,6,6,4 weight/95,115,135,155

traps
dumbbell shrugs sets/4 reps/10,10,10,6 weight/50,55,60,70
barbell shrugs sets/3 reps/6,6,6 weight/135,185,185

cardio-HIIT
10 minutes on cross trainer
Level 10
0-1:30 on a speed of 30-40 rpm
1:30-2:00 on a speed of 90-100 rpm
2:00-3:30 on a speed of 30-40 rpm
3:30-4:00 on a speed of 90-100 rpm
4:00-5:30 on a speed of 30-40 rpm
5:30-6:00 on a speed of 90-100 rpm
6:00-7:30 on a speed of 30-40 rpm
7:30-8:00 on a speed of 90-100 rpm
level 4-cool down
8:00-10:00 on a speed of 25-35 rpm

notes
today i used my i-pod when i worked out and it worked like a charm. It got me pumped, but I still didn't push much weight. Dead lifts are one of my weaker excersizes, so i gotta work on them. Cardio felt easier, but i sweated more than usual. Week 1 is almost over and i feel great.

weekly weigh in and picture-may 5
weight-286 lbs
height-6 feet
chest-50 inches
stomach-50 inches
waist-47 inches
butt-48 inches

 

Start slow and go steady. Often the brain is "faster" than the body. Don't burn yourself out.


Ease into it and make it a lifestyle change. Only then will you succeed.

 

Find something you like. If you enjoy the gym stick to it, if you like sports find one you enjoy, if you want to train combat again search.

I am 6' and lost 50 pounds in 5 months and it took a total life change overhaul. What i ate, how i ate, obvously training 4-5 days a week, but in the end as long as you enjoy what your doing you can get threw the hard days.

I find people that do things that work for other people dont really make it too long, you need to find a way to get your exercise while doing something you enjoy, so the bad days you can say "you know what even though i dont feel great i kinda enjoy doing XXXXX so im going to get off my ass and work threw this exercise".

GL

 

One more thing, you need to be mentaly strong. Anyone can get in shape its up to YOU. If you get anyone saying that you cant do something, use that so when your working out and feel like stopping you think of that person saying you cant reach your goal and it will give you the power needed to get you threw it.

For a long time i used the fact people were mentioning to me that i looked like i was "gaining weight in my face", "doubted i could do something competitive again". Those negative comments that make weak minded people want to give up and belive what they are saying. You need to decide for yourself that you can and WILL do this and in no time you will be seeing results and then it becomes a lot of fun.

Sorry this is all long winded, but just trying to give you the right modivation to follow threw with you post!

 

hey thanks alot for the post and taking the time to check it out. I think im mentally strong, its just i would much rather see words of wisdom than hatred, because I want this post to be a motivational tool for anyone trying to lose weight. But thanks for the advice, and I do enjoy going to the gym, but I sometimes slack off.

 

Just be consistent. Don't work your ass off one day and then be too sore to workout for the next 3 days. The best way to make progress is to work out reasonably hard every day.

 

I agree. I think I know enough about training to know when I am over-training or under-training. I am going to do weight-training 6 days a week, and have an active rest on sunday.

 

"Weight-training"? I hope you mean tailored for weight-loss. If I were you, I wouldn't build muscle until I lost ~80 pounds.

Oh, and don't expect results right away. I can't stand those people. They throw hissy's and quit the first chance they can because they didn't meet their goals in a day/week/month. Many of my friends are like this with martial arts.

Oh, and one pound is 3500 calories; 20 minutes of running burns approx 250 cal. (More for you because you're heavier). But still, remember that when you're pissed because things aren't happening quick enough.

As for diet, you'll probably have a difficult time cutting things cold turkey - so if you must still satisfy your sweet tooth - go for "healthier" alternatives. Ex: frozen yogurt, low-calorie/no fat pudding, diet coke, etc. This is assuming you don't have enough self control to totally cut everything out, which is understandable for anyone in a situation similar to yours. Just do the things you can (which are reasonably easy for everyone) - switch to skim milk, only drink water, only have whole wheat carbs, lean meats (turkey/chicken/fish), etc., etc.

 

Good luck buddy, remember that rome wasnt built in a day and it will take time but if you put your mind to it and stick to it, it will be done.

Remember to stretch as your body wont be used to all the excercise.

 

likkuid-thanks for the motivation. The reason I am going to post is because I do not want to be like your friends. If I am going to fail, it is open for the whole world to see, but I have the mind set and am ready to prevail.

Divatologist-I know it is going to be very hard and I am prepared for it.

Thanks for the posts everyone

 

I lost ~40 pounds in a year or so. Replaced part of it with muscle. I just started out with a few crunches/push ups and it blew up from there haha. I wasn't flexible at ALL before - not a bit. Now I do full-vertical axe-kick, kick people in the head 7' tall with whole bunch of diff kicks (I'm 6'2, though), etc So don't worry buddy, it's all within grasp!

 

likkuid, is yoga a good starting point for flexability?

 

Good for you, will-million. Just be consistant with your nutrition and weight training. I've seen too many people get all gung ho about losing weight or getting in shape and they last for two or three weeks, they don't think they are making enough progress, they think it's hopeless and they give up. Then 6 or 9 or 12 months after they've given up they are still bitching about being overweight or out of shape. If only they had just been consistant over that period they would have lost the weight or gained the muscle they wanted.

And you shouldn't miss workouts. If you are serious about this then you should make workouts a priority just like going to class or showing up for work. Don't let it be some ancillary thing that you think is all right to skip because some excuse that you use to justify it.

BUT if you do miss a workout don't get all down and out about it as if you completely ruined your progress. Forget about it and move on to the next workout. The same goes for the nutrition. You should be able to stick to your diet but all is not lost if you "relapse" for a meal or two. Just get back on track asap.

Just be consistant, man, and pretty soon you'll see that all those little workouts and all those days of eating right have added up to some pretty serious changes and you'll feel better that you stuck with it.

 

Thanks man, I am definatly going to try my best. As long as i stay consistent i think i will see results,but i dont expect to have an ideal body over night either.

 

LOL i don't kno i'd be too embarrassed to do that it's like taking pilates ahhaha. kenny florian does it, though ha!

what i did to get flexible was this: Tricks Tutorials.com which quite a few people do (martial artists/tricksters/gymnists). more specifically: Tricks Tutorials.com and choose a few. i'm flexible over-all now, though. i still always do crescent kick/front kick (or err axe-kick stretch)/and side kick stretches from those 3x a week (right before karate).

 

hah yeh this has definitely effected my social life! hahaha. every friday night i go to karate. timing is lame and my friends don't like it, but whatever it's the best class of the week!

 

Yoga is a good way to increase your flexibility. (Haven't done it myself but i will be starting it this summer). I train BJJ and have heard nothing but good things about yoga from training partners and others.

O and about it being too embarrassing...maybe its a little embarrassing..but hey its a class full of women...i got no problem being in a room full of stretching women.

 

good luck brother dont look too far ahead, set goals u can achieve, and one meal/one workout at a time. be there before u know it.

 

im not going to a yoga class, i bought a video for beginners haha. Thanks for the replys people

 

I think you're doing a great thing man, and wish you luck. I know how it is to struggle with weight.

However, a couple of things I wanted to add -

1) someone said dont lift because you dont want to put on muscle. Thats utter BS and I think you know this. Lift, and lift hard, because every pound of muscle you put on will be burning that much more fat. Just be careful because initially you will probably gain weight from lifting and you will be frustrated. However the weight will start coming off and will come off faster and more regularly than had you just done cardio.

2) If you really want to do bjj or muay thai, I say just go for it. A lot of people say they want to wait until they are in shape to start. I thought that way too. Really, nothing is going to get you in shape for bjj other than bjj. Plus, its a lot more fun than going to the gym. I was in the worst shape of my life when I started bjj, but managed to lose about 55 lbs in 6 months or so.

3) Be patient. Stick with any given plan for at least a month to 40 days. If you still dont see results, thats when its time to change it up. But just because something isnt miraculously quick dont give up on it.

4) nutrasystem is crap bc basically, from what I understand its just a low calorie plan but everything in it is processed heavily. It is also unsustainable. What you want to focus on is not short term, but developing lifelong eating habits that will keep the weight off. I appreciate that you already bought it, but try to incorporate your own foods into your program. Maybe do nutrasystem meals when you dont have time to cook but make your own meals and get in the habit of knowing what you're eating. Also, that way the nutrasystem will last much longer and you'll get more out of your money.

5) take fish oil.

6) read number 5.