*** The 2014 Gym Rats Thread ***

[wozza2k]

You've lost a lot in a short time due to it being a shock to the system, but soon your metabolic rate will adjust and you'll have little to cut back on. My explanation is a bit turd as my science isn't up there like the other guys here but I do believe someone else have written a good post on working out how much cals you need for cut/bulk/maintenance.

 

[tom_e]

Delvis - I'm 5' 8" and currently weigh 12 st exactly having lost 8 lb on the last 6 weeks. I've increased the load on a bunch of the standard compound exercises in this time and consequently firmed up all over.

Probably just as importantly I've cut down dramatically the amount of empty cals through beer and wine which is strictly Friday and Sat nights and less than 10 units overall.

You're experiencing noob gains/losses, soon you'll hit a wall and good luck trying to adjust your intake down from that little.

 

[BennyC]

By drastically reducing your calorie intake you'll have created a larger negative metabolic adaption than you would want. Some adaptation is inevitable as our bodies aim to survive as long as possible however the larger the 'shock' or decrease then the greater the adaption and reduction in metabolism.

You then find yourself in a position where you are on a low calorie intake and that when stagnation occurs, which it will, you have no buffer to cut calories further from to promote further weight loss without having to eat an even more pitiful amount of calories.

What you really want to do is reduce calories by just enough to nudge the body in to losing weight (a calorie amount is arbitrary as it depends on the size of your surplus) and when weight loss stalls nudge it again by a further 50-100 calories to get things moving again.

By this method you get a good 10 weeks + of weight loss and a 1000 calorie reduction overall. Taking someone like myself on circa 3,200 calories down to 2,200 which is still a healthy/safe amount. but if you create this decrease overnight then you might see two weeks worth of progress if you're lucky, a considerable amount of muscle loss and a miserable experience.

 

[uv]

Doing Clean and Press this morning, and at the top of a lift I get Deadlift Dizziness.

When it happens during deadlifts I just put the weights down and sit down for a mo. When it happened at the top of a clean and press, the weight's about 9 foot in the air and my arms turned to jelly.

Today I learned why Olympic lifters use bumper plates

 

[Quinnaay]

Started a new plan Bulking now summers over and my cuts been over a short while currently weight 60KG and my goal is to get some strength back again build abit more muscle and cut back down early next year. Currently Benching 80KG and would love to get close to the 100KG mark, also trying to drive my Squats and Deads up as there lacking.

 

[jernau_gergeh]

By drastically reducing your calorie intake you'll have created a larger negative metabolic adaption than you would want. Some adaptation is inevitable as our bodies aim to survive as long as possible however the larger the 'shock' or decrease then the greater the adaption and reduction in metabolism.

You then find yourself in a position where you are on a low calorie intake and that when stagnation occurs, which it will, you have no buffer to cut calories further from to promote further weight loss without having to eat an even more pitiful amount of calories.

What you really want to do is reduce calories by just enough to nudge the body in to losing weight (a calorie amount is arbitrary as it depends on the size of your surplus) and when weight loss stalls nudge it again by a further 50-100 calories to get things moving again.

By this method you get a good 10 weeks + of weight loss and a 1000 calorie reduction overall. Taking someone like myself on circa 3,200 calories down to 2,200 which is still a healthy/safe amount. but if you create this decrease overnight then you might see two weeks worth of progress if you're lucky, a considerable amount of muscle loss and a miserable experience.

Thanks for replies and particularly this one which is really helpful.

I've never had to lose weight before as most of my adult life I have been very fortunate to have had low bodyfat despite eating everything I laid eyes on! However now in my early 40s its not quite the same as it used to be and a decade and a bit of sedentary professional life and drinking too much has left with a problem I've never had to face before. Therefore its hardly surprising I don't really know the best way of going about it.

The idea of nudging the body with incremental cal deficit rather than the shock of a big drop makes sense to me. I'm going to creep it back up to about 2400 and then drop in a more controlled manner.

Quick question, does it make sense to have a consistent 7 day per week cal level (and macros) or do people have one level for a training day and another level for a 'rest' day?

 

[FrenchTart]

Thanks for replies and particularly this one which is really helpful.

I've never had to lose weight before as most of my adult life I have been very fortunate to have had low bodyfat despite eating everything I laid eyes on! However now in my early 40s its not quite the same as it used to be and a decade and a bit of sedentary professional life and drinking too much has left with a problem I've never had to face before. Therefore its hardly surprising I don't really know the best way of going about it.

The idea of nudging the body with incremental cal deficit rather than the shock of a big drop makes sense to me. I'm going to creep it back up to about 2400 and then drop in a more controlled manner.

Quick question, does it make sense to have a consistent 7 day per week cal level (and macros) or do people have one level for a training day and another level for a 'rest' day?

Sounds like you've got the right idea

Personally I would eat *slightly* more kcal on a training day. Mostly to ensure that you have as much energy as possible to push yourself on that day.

 

[Ayahuasca]

When you first started lifting how much could you guys bench, squat and deadlift?

Colleague at work telling me he could squat 140kg with no previous leg training when he first started. When I first started out I think I was around 60kg with ass to grass.

 

[wozza2k]

Quick question, does it make sense to have a consistent 7 day per week cal level (and macros) or do people have one level for a training day and another level for a 'rest' day?

I know some people have higher/lower days, personally I keep it the same all week as it's easier to be consistent rather than have to plan for the highs/lows. Just work out what works best for you

 

[FrenchTart]

When you first started lifting how much could you guys bench, squat and deadlift?

Colleague at work telling me he could squat 140kg with no previous leg training when he first started. When I first started out I think I was around 60kg with ass to grass.

They probably mean 140lbs

With terrible form lots of people can squat improbable weights badly.

 

[grudas]

When you first started lifting how much could you guys bench, squat and deadlift?

Colleague at work telling me he could squat 140kg with no previous leg training when he first started. When I first started out I think I was around 60kg with ass to grass.

on a smith, squating 5" like a lot of nobbers who put massive amounts of weight and find it difficult to even walk out with the bar.. dont mind the squat, if you can call it that.

 

[Freefaller]

When you first started lifting how much could you guys bench, squat and deadlift?

Colleague at work telling me he could squat 140kg with no previous leg training when he first started. When I first started out I think I was around 60kg with ass to grass.

Probably partial squat.

When I first started squatting my form was absolute rubbish.

In fact I only really started squatting properly in the last 3-4 years when I reset my lifting to basics. Literally starting at 60kg. And I'm now back up to 200kg with depth. It took a big effort to reset and dial myself back in, but long term it was very much worth it.

 

[mrthingyx]

Doing Clean and Press this morning, and at the top of a lift I get Deadlift Dizziness.

When it happens during deadlifts I just put the weights down and sit down for a mo. When it happened at the top of a clean and press, the weight's about 9 foot in the air and my arms turned to jelly.

Today I learned why Olympic lifters use bumper plates

Ouch.

Although the dizziness doesn't sound good.

 

[tom_e]

I'm full of the cold at the minute, I was fine until I was push pressing last night then boom dizziness kicks in just as I hit lock out.
The threat of splitting your skull with an olympic bar definitely makes you pull it together sharpish!

 

[reiyushin]

Not sure why the 105s squat record was so low but it's mine now. Hope to push it up to something monsterous in 2015.

 

[Freefaller]

Nice work!

 

[Delvis]

Cracking effort

 

[Ayahuasca]

Awesome, those weights are around my current goals but will take me a while to reach.

 

[Scon]

Any recommendations for a foam roller? Or is it just a case of finding a cheap one as they're all similar?

 

[mrthingyx]

Not sure why the 105s squat record was so low but it's mine now. Hope to push it up to something monsterous in 2015.

*FIST PUMP* AWESOME!!!

Well done!

Any recommendations for a foam roller? Or is it just a case of finding a cheap one as they're all similar?

Just get a really thick rolling pin. Cheaper, and will last longer.

Deadly serious.