OcUK Health Seekers: Post your progress pics

[Vegeta]

It's all relative, what you think is you eating big is probably nothing compared to what others eat. When I hear others say they eat loads and have a high metabolic rate I laugh because their diets are tiny and I eat more by 12pm than they do in a day (by then i've had 3 full meals lol).

 

[TheCenturion]

I hear you lads.

I've been through this quite a few times on these forums

Basically, while I might not be eating that much compared to you, I am only 7stone, so I'd need to eat less to gain weight. However I do appreciate that even at this point I'm not eating enough to gain more than a half a stone or a stone a year. But I really am trying, believe me

 

[BennyC]

I know you're trying

Obviously if you are (not saying you are) mal-nourished, throwing a load of food down will have a negative effect.

I'm not sure what your target weight is for your height & age? Ideally find this out and figure out how many calories you'd need to eat to maintain this. Then eat a little more 3-400calories more per day to get you there.

 

[TheCenturion]

erm, well I'm a shortie too. 5'4, I'll still grow another 2 or 3 inches though.

So I reckon at the moment my target weight would be 8.5 - 9 stone. I'm not worried at the moment, but when I start getting close to my target, won't I have a bit of excess fat?

Also, I don't think I'm malnourished, apart from my weigh, I'm healthy in all other ways. Indians are just skinny peepz

 

[Freefaller]

The fact is that most people on average have a similar metabolic rate. Have hyper or hypo metabolism is rare. Your rate of metabolism increases with your LBM - that's just normal/fact. However genetic conditions are rare, and not normal. I'm not saying this is not the case, I'm just saying it's unlikely. So basically there's not really such a thing as quick or slow metabolism - it's an excuse people use who eat **** and don't exercise or live a healthy lifestyle.

 

[Cristian]

agree with that, however I do know people that eat tons of junk food and still got a bloody six pack, while others starve themselves daily and remain overweight.

that being said I'm still losing a bit of weight while on aprox 3500 calories a day, never had eating problems lol.

 

[dun]

Metabolisms are different, no doubt about that. But extreme ends of the spectrum are much rarer than many fat/ skinny people would lead you to believe.

 

[Amakuma]

agree with that, however I do know people that eat tons of junk food and still got a bloody six pack, while others starve themselves daily and remain overweight.

that being said I'm still losing a bit of weight while on aprox 3500 calories a day, never had eating problems lol.

Hormones, sleep habits and insulin sensitivity play a huge role, the examples you gave are the sharp ends of the spectrum, most people fall in to a middle ground where years of bad habits accumilate

 

[ben90]

agree with that, however I do know people that eat tons of junk food and still got a bloody six pack, while others starve themselves daily and remain overweight.

that being said I'm still losing a bit of weight while on aprox 3500 calories a day, never had eating problems lol.

It doesnt matter what you eat, if your not meeting your calorie maintenance its impossible to get fat.

Thats why theres no reason not to eat carbs "past 7 PM" or before bed, aslong as your calories are about right you wont see any difference to eating it earlier.

Also, this is why your breakfast is not considered a breakfast anant;

http://just-making-noise.blogspot.com/2009/10/dirty-secrets-of-processed-cereal-make.html

In 1960 researchers at Ann Arbor University performed an interesting
experiment on laboratory rats. Eighteen rats were divided into three
groups. One group received cornflakes and water; a second group was
given the cardboard box that the cornflakes came in and water; and the
control group received rat chow and water. The rats in the control
group remained in good health throughout the experiment. The rats
receiving the box became lethargic and eventually died of malnutrition.
But the rats receiving the cornflakes and water died before the rats who
were given the box - the last cornflake rat died the day the first box
rat died. Before death the cornflake rats developed schizophrenic
behavior, threw fits, bit each other, and finally went into
convulsions. Autopsy revealed dysfunction of the pancreas, liver and
kidneys and degeneration of the nerves in the spine- all signs of
"insulin shock". The startling conclusion of this study is that there
is more nourishment in the box that cold breakfast cereals come in that
in the cereals themselves. Loren Zanier, designer of the experiment,
actually proposed the protocol as a joke. But the results are far from
funny. They were never published and similar studies have not been
repeated. If consumers knew the truth about breakfast cereals, vast
fortunes would be jeopardized.

 

[dun]

No way is that study right nowadays.

 

[ben90]

No way is that study right nowadays.

Still, its a freaky thought though right? And it really wouldnt surprise me, most cereals have next to nothing in terms of nutrition and are just full of sugar. Even corn flakes has a GI of 81!!

 

[dun]

Ye its a freaky thought that cardboard is more nutritious than weetabix, the problem is it just isn't true Don't worry about any advanced macro nutrient aspects, just eat a lot. If you gain a little fat that's fine, start gaining a lot and cut down. Its not hard.

 

[Freefaller]

Hormones, sleep habits and insulin sensitivity play a huge role, the examples you gave are the sharp ends of the spectrum, most people fall in to a middle ground where years of bad habits accumilate

Absolutely. Diet is not just food, but your whole life's regime and activity. Eating the wrong foods, and not doing the right things affects your hormonal balances.

Those that "don't get fat" or "get fat" in most cases are just not eating enough or too much vs what their bodies can cope with and what their lifestyle dictates.

No way is that study right nowadays.

I'm wary of it too. However I will say that carbs before bed aren't really a problem sure, but purely on how your body works the insulin responses you get from carbs before bed aren't so good - certainly if you're keen on optimising and maximising the effect from the GH releases when you fall asleep you're just taxing your body for the wrong reasons. You are far more likely to store fat with lots of carbs at night that you are with high protein and fibre at night.

Most people stay thin or fat not for what they do, but for what they don't do.


A bowl of cereal is NOT breakfast. Cereals are part of a breakfast maybe.

Another thing that you're going to struggle with as a vegetarian is getting the right nutrition. There are a handful of big bodybuilders, who are veggie, but they have to supplement the hell out of their diets because they just will not be getting the nutrition into their bodies naturally. To get enough nutrients in they have to supplement - you have a rather limited amount of choice for protien and iron as well as creatine intake through a veggie diet (just to name 3 basic nutrients).

The reasons why the Roman and Greek armies were so feared and why they were so powerful (and remember, look at the Greek and Roman statues, they were chiselled figures of men (pun intended)), is because they had rich protein and fatty diets full of meat and fish, (nuts and berries too). So they were leaner, stronger and more resilient than the rest of their succumbing nations. It's just a small historical article and example that I read about - a small extract of a big history book, but one of the things they focused on were the diets of those people.

We were designed to eat protein and fats - carbs as well, but as a filler, not a constituent part of the diet. Our bodies still haven't adapted to the processed crap we shove down our throats - most carbs we buy are processed to a certain extent. That's just a fact of modern life. I still buy and eat them but I make a conscious effort to avoid them if I can.

Diet takes a LOT of effort, discipline and time to get right. You're going to have to put a LOT of effort in - it's not easy but if you want help we're happy to help.

 

[Shivji]

Hi Guys I thought I would throw up a few before and after pics I used to be 9 stone, now I am sitting at about 12 stone /76kg.
I was lucky enough to find a hardcore gym close to work and where I live I find that really helps, the guys there inspire me and they have a huge selection of weights.

Good luck to everyone with your goals and training!

 

[Freefaller]

Fantastic work dude! What are your goals/aspirations?

 

[Delvis]

Sorry mate, but that's an appalling breakfast. A bowl of cereal is not breakfast.

Its better than nothing though, as long as it isn't coco pops or something anyway

It's a pretty big bowl, + the weetabix. I usually eat a banana as well.

Wouldn't let it put you off, not everybody has the means to have scrambled eggs every morning

You'll still grow, you'll just need to add in the extra elsewhere matey

Need to remember everyone here is pretty 'hardcore' so to speak, not literally though

 

[Delvis]

A bowl of cereal is NOT breakfast. Cereals are part of a breakfast maybe.

Another thing that you're going to struggle with as a vegetarian is getting the right nutrition. There are a handful of big bodybuilders, who are veggie, but they have to supplement the hell out of their diets because they just will not be getting the nutrition into their bodies naturally. To get enough nutrients in they have to supplement - you have a rather limited amount of choice for protien and iron as well as creatine intake through a veggie diet (just to name 3 basic nutrients).

Your talking about full on body builders here though, not someone who is starting out, he may not want to be 22 stone of pure muscle, he might prefer the more (I know you hate the word ) 'Toned' look, when I mean toned I mean that they have muscle but are not 'over big'.

Take yourself for example, I'd class you as going onto 'big' size, just purely how you've trained and want to train. Wheras some of the other guys here are a lot more 'toned down' yet still have muscle and decent definition.

You can still do weights and not have to have 12 eggs and a bag of Whey every morning

Naturally though it depends on each person.

I'm hoping to get into weights properly when I move out, because at the moment I just can't do it due to various personal reasons and joint / health issues, which is really annoying me actually.

But anyway, pretty much all advice here is brilliant, and its helped me no end of time

And to the above post, that a great change! Well done

 

[Paramount]

Looking good shivji, how tall are you?

 

[TheCenturion]

Thanks guys, gotten a lot of useful info from this thread

 

[Makunouchi]

not everybody has the means to have scrambled eggs every morning

Don't know where to start with this really. If you can't make the time for yourself to eat decent meals then I don't believe you'll have the dedication required to make serious changes to your body. An extra ten minutes in the morning is nothing compared to the time you spend watching tv/on your computer/dossing around over the course of a day.