AFF Weight Gain/Loss Program

[Rev28K]

Originally Posted by MWTB

Anyone familiar with the 1000 steps in Ferntree Gully? It's a series of 1000 steps up a massive hill designed to replicate the Kokoda trail. Attempted it tonight.

Yup, it's a great place and it's free and easy to get to from the city. You can go walking on the trails afterwards having D & M's with your mates. The air is pretty clean and we've seen wombats, lyrebirds, kangaroos (wallabies?), echidnas, etc.

The first time I went up there with some friends I thought that I was reasonably fit and still had to stop 2 times on the way up. The galling thing was that one of my friends was a few kilos heavier than me and a heavy smoker. She just steamed past me.

You see everyone up there using it; Army reservists in kit doing a few circuits, health freaks running up and down it, footy teams, normal people like us and if you're lucky a few hotties are in front of you.

Other Stuff 1 - I wouldn't get hung up on the weight numbers. I'm up and down by about 4 kilos during the week (comparing "wet" and "dry" weights?) and muscle puts on weight as well. See how a rugby player has an overweight BMI for example. You're getting healthier, you'll hopefully live a longer and healthier life and you can feel it.

Other Stuff 2 - When you hit your target weight you could give Bikram Yoga a go http://www.bikramyogagw.com.au/home.htm . It's the hardest stuff I do all week and it kicks the **** out of me. 90 minutes at 38 degrees wearing just shorts and doing hellishly contorted (to me) poses with sweat pouring off you. But I find that it's great for posture, sleeping, flexibility, stamina and mental focus. At first you feel like a dill, but the clients are good, no one cares about looks, it's friendlier than most gyms, the staff are great and a good session makes you grin for days afterwards. It took me about 5 goes to get in to it.

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by Rev28K

Yup, it's a great place and it's free and easy to get to from the city. You can go walking on the trails afterwards having D & M's with your mates. The air is pretty clean and we've seen wombats, lyrebirds, kangaroos (wallabies?), echidnas, etc.

The first time I went up there with some friends I thought that I was reasonably fit and still had to stop 2 times on the way up. The galling thing was that one of my friends was a few kilos heavier than me and a heavy smoker. She just steamed past me.

You see everyone up there using it; Army reservists in kit doing a few circuits, health freaks running up and down it, footy teams, normal people like us and if you're lucky a few hotties are in front of you.

Other Stuff 1 - I wouldn't get hung up on the weight numbers. I'm up and down by about 4 kilos during the week (comparing "wet" and "dry" weights?) and muscle puts on weight as well. See how a rugby player has an overweight BMI for example. You're getting healthier, you'll hopefully live a longer and healthier life and you can feel it.

Other Stuff 2 - When you hit your target weight you could give Bikram Yoga a go http://www.bikramyogagw.com.au/home.htm . It's the hardest stuff I do all week and it kicks the **** out of me. 90 minutes at 38 degrees wearing just shorts and doing hellishly contorted (to me) poses with sweat pouring off you. But I find that it's great for posture, sleeping, flexibility, stamina and mental focus. At first you feel like a dill, but the clients are good, no one cares about looks, it's friendlier than most gyms, the staff are great and a good session makes you grin for days afterwards. It took me about 5 goes to get in to it.

I definitely enjoyed the view (the young hotties). I did stop twice as well. I used the plaques on the side of the track as an excuse :3

I'm not too worried about the KGs, I'm more looking at my waistline. I've been lifting a lot of weights over cardio recently so my weight has gone up from 121 to 125 but I know that isn't 4KG of fat because my eating habits are still the same and my pants are still getting looser.

That yoga stuff looks decent, I might give it a go. I'm also looking into taking up Muay Thai once I quit smoking in the new year.

[pundit]

Great thread, and great progress MWTB...

I have been going to the gym for the past 2 weeks and been put on a high protein diet. Been seeing a personal trainer aswell. When I first went to I weighed in at 121kg, that was 2 weeks ago, at the moment I am at 115-116 so thats not too bad... Ideal weight for me is 85Kg, as I'm only 168cm...

I still need to tighten up on my diet alot! Gotta get the other half use to what I can and can't eat the issue I come across is when I feel like a snack...

At the moment however I am doing good, Only drinking water I use to drink 2L of chocolate milk, or coke a day. Also smokes 20 - 25 darts a day and gave that up cold turkey...

My goal is to be down to 100 by late January, which should be perfectly achievable spesh with what my PT is getting me doing on courses at the gym..

[pundit]

Bit of a useless fact here, I saw mt PT today, and lost 5cm off my waist in 2 weeks. I know its not alot but its progress.

[XR6_661]

Originally Posted by pundit

Bit of a useless fact here, I saw mt PT today, and lost 5cm off my waist in 2 weeks. I know its not alot but its progress.

Not a useless fact at all mate. 5cm is an achievement. Good stuff, keep it up!

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by pundit

Bit of a useless fact here, I saw mt PT today, and lost 5cm off my waist in 2 weeks. I know its not alot but its progress.

christ, that's a good effort dude! What sort of exercise are you doing and what are your meals like?

[pundit]

Originally Posted by MWTB

christ, that's a good effort dude! What sort of exercise are you doing and what are your meals like?

My PT has me on a high protein diet, and has me doing a couple of circuts...

I have something like this atleast one a day...

which is.. Lettuce, cheese, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, celery, carrot, mayo, and a little bit of ham. Sure the ham and mayo probably isn't that good but I need meet for lunch and skipped lunch today.

Otherwise I have a bowl of special k or similar in the morning, something random if I feel like it between breaky and lunch.. Lunch will be meat from the night before and some veg, in the arvo I'll have a "nice & natural nut bar", dinner is mean and veg.. mean is about the size of the plam of my hand..

Not actually a bad weight loss considering most people put on weight when they get off the durrys..

I can inbox ya one of the circuts his got me doing if you wanna give it a crack... He got me on a new one today I'll get a copy of what that is tonight or tomorrow...

[pundit]

I have slipped in the last week, eating and drinking what I shouldn't so I've climbed back up on the wagon and will see what my waste line says next fortnight

[XR6_661]

Salad, Delicious!

Here you blokes are minimizing cals, while I'm stuffing my face with over 3200 a day.

[MWTB]

@pundit,

I wouldn't worry too much about the ham. I haven't been TOO strict on what I can and can't eat, I'm just being smart about it.

I still eat roast chicken. It's not as good for you as boiled chicken, but it tastes better and it's still a lot better than take away. It also has a ******** of protein. I still drink beer and soft now and again and I still eat a lot of things many wouldn't. But I'm still losing weight because I'm exercising it off and I'm eating often to keep my metabolism going.

I've found that if I were to do the whole salad and nothing else thing then I'd get bored of it and give up because I just can't live like that and I don't think that's maintainable for me but I'm not by any means saying that's not maintainable for YOU. If that's whats working for you then dude keep going.

But long story short, don't feel guilty about having the ham, or the chicken, or the steak. It's all good for you in some way, be it protein or whatever. Sticking to things with one ingredient makes it easier to metabolise and get rid of, so maccas etc is still out of the question.

Tuna is a good friend of mine at the moment, as are bananas and strawberries. And I would very much like to see these circuits!

Also, this weeks weigh in is 122.9. Down from 142. My first 20kg. Looking for another 25 or 30 to be gone so I'm about half way

[pundit]

I have been getting a little lazy and slack latley. Had a PT sesh last tuesday and I didnt lose anything, that being said i also didnt put on anything from the previous week which is always a good thing. Ate a bit of xrap tho too abd drank a bit of soft drink.

Any luck i can lose atleast a kg this week, my next PT seshvis on boxing day which is going ti be some what intrestibg being derictly after christmas. But i have lost a couple of hundred grams which ia better than nothing i guess.

Been looking into pre workout supplaments, might try them to see how I go.

What do you guys think a decent ammount if weght to lose would be a week? My PT said i should be 100 by the ebd of march, currently 114. Sorta thought i should be able to do it before then.

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2

[XR6_661]

Originally Posted by pundit

Been looking into pre workout supplaments, might try them to see how I go.

Water with a teaspoon of creatine powder.

All you need. Just make sure you eat an hour or so before your workout.

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

Water with a teaspoon of creatine powder.

All you need. Just make sure you eat an hour or so before your workout.

A teaspoon is probably too much. Measure out 5 grams on a scale and then remember approx how much that is each time you make your shake.

Hit up some preworkout stims like ACG3, Jack3d Micro, Mesomorph, Craze etc for intense workouts that just go forever because you're that psyched up.

Creatine and Glutamine are good. Creatine will hold off the lactic acid for a few extra reps so you can get a bit more work in than usual. Glutamine aids in muscle recovery. It also makes you sleep REALLY well.

Post workout you'll want to use some good whey protein, low carb if you're trying to lose weight. Before bed you can also take some Micellar Casein protein which is a sustained release protein which releases over 6-8 hours (while you sleep).

[XR6_661]

Originally Posted by MWTB

A teaspoon is probably too much. Measure out 5 grams on a scale and then remember approx how much that is each time you make your shake.

Hit up some preworkout stims like ACG3, Jack3d Micro, Mesomorph, Craze etc for intense workouts that just go forever because you're that psyched up.

Creatine and Glutamine are good. Creatine will hold off the lactic acid for a few extra reps so you can get a bit more work in than usual. Glutamine aids in muscle recovery. It also makes you sleep REALLY well.

Post workout you'll want to use some good whey protein, low carb if you're trying to lose weight. Before bed you can also take some Micellar Casein protein which is a sustained release protein which releases over 6-8 hours (while you sleep).

I work off a teaspoon...roughly 5 grams.

Also, creatine may make you bloated, I don't have issues with it personally...

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

I work off a teaspoon...roughly 5 grams.

Also, creatine may make you bloated, I don't have issues with it personally...

Ah rightio. There's too many spoon sizes for me to wrap my head around...cake spoon, dessert spoon

Creatine doesn't bloat me at all and I don't cycle it as often as I should either. The only side affects I get from creatine is that I get stomach aches and diarrhea if I take too much, especially if it doesn't dissolve in the shake properly.

[MWTB]

If you want a good preworkout supp, get on ACG3. It's much better than original Jack3d in my experiences because it doesn't give me tremors, increased heartrate or tingles. ACG3 just puts me in the best mood and makes me want to do nothing but exercise.

[XR6_661]

I find if I have it with any less that 600ml of water, I feel like crap.

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

I find if I have it with any less that 600ml of water, I feel like crap.

That's rough man. What brand are you using and is it flavoured or unflavoured?

My preworkout shake =

350ml water
3 scoops of ACG3
5g Creatine
5g Glutamine (if I'm still sore from the day before)

Post workout shake =
2 scoops (65 grams protein) Iso Sensation whey protein
5g Creatine
5g Glutamine.

2 multivitamins per day as well, as well as 3 litres of water absolute minimum. Usually 4 litres at least.

On big lifting days I also have 2 scoops of myocell-sr protein before bed.

[Mechan1k]

So ... have been putting this off for a bit now ... more so a lack of motivation more than anything.

Cut a long story short ... I have managed to get to about 98-99kg at the moment.
I'm a whisker under 5 foot 11 inches (179 cm) to go with it.

I also suffer from a hereditary Cholesterol condition where adjusting diet does not lower cholesterol ... and have been on medication since age of 12 (35 now)

I need to move more than anything ... my diet is fairly good with the odd bad day I guess. I have adjusting coffee and soft drink intake and swapped it mainly for water more than anything and this I do feel better for.

One thing that does make it hard is that I do shift work and a lot of nightshift. I have a 3yo boy ... and another on the way.

This year I want to do something about it ... as I know that if i don't keep it in check I'll end up going the way of my Father .... who died at 40 (due to the fact that he had the condition unbeknown to him).

Anyway ... want to get my life back on track really ... and want to live longer than 40 as well.

Going to ease myself into some cardio ... I know from prior experience of going all out to start with ... I ended up in pain which made it harder to persist with it.

Will try and track my course over the next coming months and see if i can keep up with it ... or fail miserably.

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

So ... have been putting this off for a bit now ... more so a lack of motivation more than anything.

Cut a long story short ... I have managed to get to about 98-99kg at the moment.
I'm a whisker under 5 foot 11 inches (179 cm) to go with it.

I also suffer from a hereditary Cholesterol condition where adjusting diet does not lower cholesterol ... and have been on medication since age of 12 (35 now)

I need to move more than anything ... my diet is fairly good with the odd bad day I guess. I have adjusting coffee and soft drink intake and swapped it mainly for water more than anything and this I do feel better for.

One thing that does make it hard is that I do shift work and a lot of nightshift. I have a 3yo boy ... and another on the way.

This year I want to do something about it ... as I know that if i don't keep it in check I'll end up going the way of my Father .... who died at 40 (due to the fact that he had the condition unbeknown to him).

Anyway ... want to get my life back on track really ... and want to live longer than 40 as well.

Going to ease myself into some cardio ... I know from prior experience of going all out to start with ... I ended up in pain which made it harder to persist with it.

Will try and track my course over the next coming months and see if i can keep up with it ... or fail miserably.

Good work man! Slowly ease into some easy cardio like an exercise bike. I have bad knees so I stick with the bike for my cardio work anyway, but it's nice and easy to do, and a lot more fun (IMO) than running.

My progress has hit a bit of a plateau which means I'm going to have to change my exercise routine up a little bit. I've started lifting weights over cardio at the gym and because of this my weight has gone up, as I said a few posts back. My stomach is still getting flatter though and my love handles are still slowly disappearing.

I have also been smoke free since NYE.

Here is a photo update from last night at my cousin's 21st. My brothers mate, then me, then my cousin, then my brother pictured left to right. Compare this image with the one I posted earlier in the thread... I am very happy even though I still have a way to go.

Now (note that I am crouching down as well):


Then:

[Mechan1k]

I have flat feet ... like .... no arch at all ... so running really kills my feet ... but I can maintain a brisk walk for ages for cardio at least .... have a walking machine at home that i really should dust off. hee hee

Giving up the smokes makes a difference ... although i found i ate more after i gave up several years ago .... cos the food just tasted so much better.

I was too tired yesterday to do anything (in the middle of nightshifts) ... but will ease into it today as it's my last nightshift for a few days.

I really need to tone down more than anything ... yeah i have some bulges here and there ... but if i can get back to mid to low 80's I'll be happy really .... I used to be 70kg about 10 years ago (way too thin for my frame really)

[XR6_661]

Take before pictures. And then start taking progress pics....It's addictive and will motivate you more!

Also, a person of the female species commented on my arms looking good. See boys, it all pays off in the end!

I've also switched to a hypertrophy routine, basically less weight/more reps (8-12)...Supposedly this will help with muscle size. I know my strength standards are decent now, so I'm gonna give the new routine a crack for a while. If anything it'll be good to get the muscles thinking again.

[raised by monkeys]

Originally Posted by XR6_661

Take before pictures. And then start taking progress pics....It's addictive and will motivate you more!

Also, a person of the female species commented on my arms looking good. See boys, it all pays off in the end!

I've also switched to a hypertrophy routine, basically less weight/more reps (8-12)...Supposedly this will help with muscle size. I know my strength standards are decent now, so I'm gonna give the new routine a crack for a while. If anything it'll be good to get the muscles thinking again.

8-12 reps of heaviest weight will build muscle
15+ (I prefer last set as a strip set, but not on leg days lol) will burn more fat and help retain muscle and strength

Ive just bought some gen-tec ultimate thermo fuel. Coupled with higher reps, lower weight, more cardio and clean diet, attempting to lose body fat. Also taking amino acids, although from what I understand, I should be taking fat metabolisers to help shift stored fat cells. Any suggestions?

[XR6_661]

Originally Posted by raised by monkeys

8-12 reps of heaviest weight will build muscle
15+ (I prefer last set as a strip set, but not on leg days lol) will burn more fat and help retain muscle and strength

Ive just bought some gen-tec ultimate thermo fuel. Coupled with higher reps, lower weight, more cardio and clean diet, attempting to lose body fat. Also taking amino acids, although from what I understand, I should be taking fat metabolisers to help shift stored fat cells. Any suggestions?

Strip set, I assume that's the same as a drop set? i.e. drop the weight and smash out a few more reps?

As for fat metabolisers, I'm not sure mate.

If anyone wants a good fitness resource/discussion board I recommend you go to www.reddit.com/r/fitness

They have a really good discussion on Mondays called: Moronic Mondays...it's good for going in and asking a whole bunch of questions!

I've also started doing a side routine, 100 calve raises a day, found it on T-Nation....So far it seems to be working. Basically you start by doing 50 (or as many) unweighted calve raises you can do, working your way up to 100. Of course using correct form. I recommend it to anyone who wants to build their calves. I'm also thinking of doing something similar for shrugs.

[MFP508]

Im not into weights etc,,well not yet..my story is a tad different..

After attending my partners Birthday lunch on Sunday April 30 2012 and guttsing myself on steak and ice cream (not together) I ended up with an extreme case of indegestion
(surprise surprise)
Whilst experiencing "heart attack" like symptoms and seeing the "I wish i had my heart attack again" tv ad, i logged onto heartattck.org, studied said symptoms, contacted my
employer that i wouldnt be coming to work on the Monday and shuffled off to Hospital.
However before getting there the pain and symptoms stopped, so i went back home and decided to attend my doctor the following day as my friends & family have been at me to have an "over 40" check up (something I, as a male, dont do, as 'us men' dont frequent our Drs coz.."she'll be right mate"..famous last words in most cases)..nothing to lose and it would clafify any thoughts of heart issues

On May 2nd 2012, my blood test results stated
" theres no issue with my heart, everythings good.."
However, My Triglycerides are high.
(In the human body, high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream have been linked to the risk of heart disease and stroke.)
Blood glucose is 16.4 mmol (should be between 4.0 & 8.0 mmol--millimole--one thousandth (10−3) of a mole-- the base SI unit of amount of matter)
Cholesterol is 9.7, extremely high is 5.5, should be no higher than 2.5 and...
Im a Diabetic"

Doc says "Diabetes is no longer a death sentence..however, if i do nothing, Dr cant guarantee ill reach my 46th birthday, but CAN guarantee ill be dead before 50 !!
According to L&E BMI calculator, at this time (May 4 2012)
Based on your Height (197 cm) and your Weight (117 kg) your BMI is 30.2
This means you step in the High health risk range

As a result of not eating healthy, balanced, regular meals (breakfast, morn tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner) my Metabolism had slowed to almost nothing, and the excerise i did with work (courier at Toll Ipec Brisbane) made little difference to loosing any weight, instead i was gaining!
My weight at the time of diagnosis was 117 kgs and Im 6'5", i knew i was obese,even though everyone says i "carried it well, because of my height, its a healthy BMI" a huge misnomer (as Im sure most males go to their graves wondering why,if everyone whom isnt a Dr keeps telling them theyre fit and healthy????)

Without a working metabolism, my pancreas slowed down to almost nothing, (its damage IS irrepairable) so it wasnt producing enough insulin to carry glucose into my muscles to burn off, Blood glucose would in turn, convert to fat, and was filling my blood with fat. My Liver in turn, almost shut down and when its not working properly, it pumps huge amounts of BAD Cholesterol into the blood, thus a high Triglyceride reading

With medical assistance (Metformin to help low level of insulin to do its job and Crestor to combat cholesterol) L&E 1800cal 7 meals/ day per week, reduced my 117kg to 102 within 14days.

(incredible & to this day, i dont know where it went )

Within approx 8 weeks my weight had reduced to and leveled at 92kgs..approx 2 weeks after that, with the aid of a toothache and not being able to eat, given my metabolism was now working at 100% i lost a further 4 kgs and have after 5 months accordining to L&E :
Based on your Height (197 cm) and your Weight (87 kg) your BMI is 22.4
This means you step in the Healthy Weight Range

After my 2nd quarterly blood test,(1 every 3 mths)
1. my Blood mmol had reduced and leveled out at 5.8...target was 7.0
2. my Cholesterol which was 9.7 had staggeringly reduced to 1.9, and my doc and I, contribute the majority of that to a healthier diet as he never expected the medication to have had that much of a dramatic effect on my cholesterol in such a short time.
He told me now that,
"As long as you keep doing what youre doing, theres no reason why you cant live into your 80s & 90s"
A massive change in opinion, given his original statement declared an early death before my 50th and Im 45 at the moment :P

Im NOT selling anything, other than cut down on your sugar and fat intake as the amounts of diagnosed diabetics is estimated to explode into the millions in just Australia alone in the next 2 years

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by MFP508

However, My Triglycerides are high.
(In the human body, high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream have been linked to the risk of heart disease and stroke.)
Blood glucose is 16.4 mmol (should be between 4.0 & 8.0 mmol--millimole--one thousandth (10−3) of a mole-- the base SI unit of amount of matter)
Cholesterol is 9.7, extremely high is 5.5, should be no higher than 2.5 and...

And over the years ... the level of what your Cholesterol should be keeps dropping .... i know when I was diagnosed with my familial hypercholesteraemia ..... my levels 9.88 .... i was 12 years old ... played sport ... and skinny as a rake.

Back then I was told that 5 was excellent and to bring it back down to that .... now they are saying that it needs to be below 2.5 as you mentioned.

Back in 1990 .... there was no information out there about cholesterol treatment .. I was literally a guinea pig myself then ... and was changed from medication to medication as years progressed ... I have been on medication for 24 years now ... will be 36 this year.

I am back on a previous medication that I used to be on ... as going through my results over the years ... it worked the best for me. So I am back on that now.

I have been bad though ... and skipped my medication here and there ... and for some long periods ... undoing all the prior good work that I did though.

And as for courier work .... i used to do it as a 2nd job ... thinking this would be decent for my fitness ... but it really wasn't ... there were some larger hand unload and lifting work ... but mostly fork on/fork off stuff and little to no work from me ... that and combined shiftwork as well ... not good for diet and a healthy lifestyle.

I am lucky though that all other tests I had done came back as normal ... and apparently I am part of the 15% of Australians that have better than sufficiently levels of Vitamin D in their system ... go figure.

[MWTB]

Inspiring story mate! And yep, it really is amazing just how much simply cutting out sugar can do for you.

[MFP508]

and more importantly FAT...Diabetes is about fat, not sugar :[

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by MFP508

and more importantly FAT...Diabetes is about fat, not sugar :[

Pretty sure it's the other way around isn't it?

[MFP508]

no...years of the term 'sugar diabetes' have inadvertantly convinced everyone that diabetes is bought on by sugar. its not. it relates to how insulin disposes of glucose (blood sugar)before its converted into fat and stored elsewhere.

Everything you eat is converted into 2 forms of material...glucose first, fat 2nd.

Glucose is taken from your bloodstream by insulin and deposited into your muscles to be burnt up when you move
Whatever glucose thats left is converted to fat cells and stored and can also fill up your blood. if you dont eat healthy balanced food, your metabolism slows down, with that so does your pancreas and in turn your liver,,all 3 work together.

If your pancreas slows down it becomes damaged and never recovers, therefore it doesnt produce enuff insulin to cope with its job, which doesnt help when you eat fatty sugary food, insulin doesnt touch fat and becomes overwhelmed with the glucose it cant get rid of and soon becomes fat