Welcome
24 Years old, Embedded Software Engineer. Always been a fatty, don't wanna be 'that guy' but I genuinely think I am genetically pre-disposed to be a bit chunky. Hate on.
Anyway, around halfway through my industrial placement year I thought I might aswell sort my **** out. That was honestly it, there was no eureka moment or some scare that made me drop the weight. I just felt like I might aswell do it while I had a year 'off' from the temptations of Uni and had a vague routine with work times etc.
I'd never been that bothered by it, I don't think it held me back socially or professionally. That's not to say I don't much prefer my current state though!
Part 1 - Weightloss
You can actually see my Original Weightloss Help Thread here. That was November 2009.
My ROUGH weightloss timeline was something like this.
'Started' Nov 2009 @ 133kg
Lost motivation around July 2010 @ 113kg (Didn't really know what I was doing then looking back, and had just moved house so could no longer walk to the gym)
Picked it up again around Oct 2010 @ 116kg. I felt for sure I'd dreamer bulk more in that time but it wasn't too bad.
Carried on good and proper until June 2011, when I finished Uni (First Class
. For everyone that whinges they don't have the time around uni etc) @ 94kg.Had a brief break around a month where I monged out then started my first real job, got back on it August 2011 @ 94kg.
Kept going until around April 2012 @ 74kg. Felt a bit small and icky to be honest, though far from low BF%.
Since April/May I've been recomping with a look to gaining a little weight, and now sit around 79-80kg. I feel 'comfortable' at this weight, but recognise I need to cut down to 70kg really to be nearer a 'normal' weight and intend to this probably in the 2nd quarter of 2013.
I was never 110% focused on losing the weight. Slow and steady wins the race, social life (beers & food with my homies) would always come first. And it was done through the final year of a Computer Systems Engineering degree & my first year in a 'real job'. No excuses fellow fatties
.I'm not really one for pics, but here's a couple.
2009/2010 Ish
2011
Now
May 2013 @ 75kg
As you may have guessed, there aren't many to pick from.
2011
Now
May 2013 @ 75kg
As you may have guessed, there aren't many to pick from
.How I Did It
For the first ~6 months or so I did about half an hour cardio & half hour weight machines. I feel ashamed of myself thinking back to that now! No surprise progress was slow and inconsistent. When I got going again I was free weights all the way. I've done zero cardio since Oct 2010 (lol, y u mad tho?). I've done mostly a 3-day split, a short burst of 4-day split to make sure I hit 80kg by Christmas 2011 and then a stint of Stronglifts at the end.
Started calorie counting properly for the 94-74 drop aswell. It helps. I generally cut on 1800kcals, though it did dip to 1600 for a while. feelsbadmang.jpg. Always a 40/40/20 split p/c/f, or thereabouts. Had a cheat MEAL at least once a week, sometimes weekends would turn into drunken cheat days but that's life
. Oh I also started IF Leangains style from July 2011 onwards. Eating 12-8, training 0830-0930 fasted before work. I like it, and will always eat like it from now on I think.Noobs, read these....
How to lose fat for Noobs - Wavelength BB guide <- Read this first tbh.
The Hierarchy of Fat Loss by Alwyn Cosgrove <- GOAT Article
Harsh's Worksheet (4chan /fit/) <- Some bro'ness about this one but overall very good.
These along with Steedie's nutrition sticky and GordyR's bodybuilding sticky and you will be armed with more than enough knowledge to drop the weight and do it right
.Part 2 - Lifting
I can't be bothered to write so much about this one.
Although I lifted for most of my weightloss, being at a deficit meant not a lot of progress was made.
So as soon as I stopped cutting weight, I started Stronglifts.
Did it for 3 months and finished about
Bench 75kg 5x5, estimated 1RM 90kg ish. I train early o'clock so no spotters, did 85 un spotted and it wasn't a real grinder.
Squat 117.5kg 5x5, estimated 1RM 130+. As above, no catchers on squat rack, did 125 un spotted.
Deadlift 140 for 1. Crap at deadlifts tbh, never quite cracked the code.
BOR 62.5 5x5
OHP 47.5 5x5
After this I missed the pump and feeling of higher rep workouts, so went to a 3-Day Split that looked like this.
Chest/Bis
Flat BB
Incline BB / Decline BB (alternated weekly)
Cable X-Over
EZ Bar Curls
Incline Hammer Curls
Back/Tris
Deadlifts (just 1x5)
BOR
Chins supersetted Seated Pulldown machine
Seated Row machine
CGBP
Lying Tricep Extension (Rippetoe style) alternated with Cable push down
Legs/Shoulders
Squats
Lunges
Calf Press on Leg Press machine
Seated DB Press
Lateral Raises
Facepulls
Sometimes would go mad on the Leg Press just for jakes. Had strong legs from carrying round my fatass for years, remember on my gym induction day I max'd out the machine at 550lbs. Trainer bertstared hard.
Flat BB
Incline BB / Decline BB (alternated weekly)
Cable X-Over
EZ Bar Curls
Incline Hammer Curls
Back/Tris
Deadlifts (just 1x5)
BOR
Chins supersetted Seated Pulldown machine
Seated Row machine
CGBP
Lying Tricep Extension (Rippetoe style) alternated with Cable push down
Legs/Shoulders
Squats
Lunges
Calf Press on Leg Press machine
Seated DB Press
Lateral Raises
Facepulls
Sometimes would go mad on the Leg Press just for jakes. Had strong legs from carrying round my fatass for years, remember on my gym induction day I max'd out the machine at 550lbs. Trainer bertstared hard.
Changed to this but kept the strict logging and progression of Stronglifts, only applied to 3x10. Was good, except I really neglected squats. I just can't squat unless I'm doing it 3x a week, sitting at a desk all day it takes too long to get my hips back into a good mood for squatting.
Did this for 3 months again and ended up somewhere around....
Bench 75kg 3x8
Squat 95kg 3x10 (As I say, neglected hard. Sometimes would make day 3 a shoulders + core fest, for my sins
)BOR 57.5 3x10
Seated DB Press 27.5's 3x10
CGBP 57.5 3x10
Now I've gone back to Stronglifts until at least Christmas. Gonna actually go for true 1RMs this time.
So really this first post is a retrospective for those looking to lose weight really, and how I did it. From now It'll turn into an actual log hopefully. Anyone with specific questions please ask I'm happy to help, I almost feel like a personal trainer/nutritionist compared most of the numpties out there trying to give weight loss advice.
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