My introduction and confessions.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! It's so tough to get going. What great results!!!!!






"Paladin" wrote in message
om...
First I want to be honest, I have been reading these boards for the
last few years (not everyday, but at least once every two weeks). I
myself am considered "obese". As of today July 18th, 2004 I weight 297
pounds, I did weight 352 pounds when I decided I wanted to change back
on February 20, 2004. I have lost 54 pounds in four and a half months.
It feels good that many who have not seen me since Christmas say I
look much different and can tell that I lost some weight, which means
progress . I have been big most of my life yet in high school there
was a time when I was really fit and had little fat, I played football
and ran track, after high school is when I put on the weight slowly
over the period of eight years, I have gained 165 pounds. I really
want to be in better shape then I was in high school just to prove to
myself that I can achieve such a goal. Here is another weird thing
about me, I just graduated this May of 2004 with a BS degree in
Kinesiology, and when I tell many people about what I majored in they
look at me as if I'm suppose to have a body that goes along with the
degree. I did learn about myself and how the body works during the
period of 5 years that it took me to get that degree, but at the same
time I didn't put any of the knowledge I gained in college about
fitness, muscles and the human body to use until I was about to
graduate.

First I did a self evaluation, I went over to the Kinesiology lab
where I worked as a tech for two years, and had my roommate mate do a
full analysis. Everything from the Bruce Treadmill test, to the under
water body fat test. We looked at my flexibility, my body fat
percentage, my muscle endurance and muscle strength. We then did an
EKG to see if I had any heart abnormality and proceeded to do a Bruce
treadmill test. We also took measurements from my calves, thighs,
hips, waist, chest, arms, wrist, neck, fingers, and head.
Weighting in at 352 I had 52 percent body fat, weak muscular strength
and endurance, my lung capacity was horrible. Now that I knew where I
stood I needed a plan. Here is where my knowledge shines, I have done
so many case studies on how to develop a program from anyone who wants
to lose weight, gain muscle, and have done athletic profiles on how to
increase performance in certain sports or events. Now I'm the subject.

I had to ask myself, what do I really want. What I want is to be less
then 10% body fat, and have the cardiovascular endurance to run 5
miles in 50 minutes, and have the muscular strength to bench 150% of
my goal weight of 185-195, and squat 200% of my goal weight. I
developed a program for myself that would work in stages, Stage 1-8,
and each stage would last six weeks. I knew everything on how to plan
such a program, but I didn't have the in depth knowledge of nutrition,
so I went to a friend who was majoring in Nutrition (a type of Health
Degree). I personally took a few classes in Health such as health
management, and Nutrition, but two classes was not going to give me
expert knowledge on how to do it right. I sat down with her and
explained what my goal was and asked her if she could come up with a
menu that helps me through each stage, of my program. The fat loss
stages 1-4, endurance stage 5 & 6, and the muscle phase 7 & 8, and a
broad suggestion for the maintence phase with minor goals of
improvements that will go on for the rest of my life.

Two weeks later I had a beautiful report that was organized and binded
from Kinko's. It was 250 pages in length and had all my pre program
evaluation data in it, even my blood test results from my doctor that
showed my lipid count, cholesterol, glucose level and so on. It also
contained pictures from all angles (front, back, both sides, legs, and
face). In the front was a six page story about myself and how I felt,
what my dreams are, and how being unhealthy has robbed me of enjoying
a life that God gave me. Right now I'm in my third stage of my
program. And I'm really surprised at the results I have made with my
program, I can honestly say I have yet to cheat or miss a day, I have
had little injury and almost no sick days since I started the program
four months ago.

When I started I was 183 pounds of fat, and had 163
muscle/bones/fluid.
Yesterday I did another evaluation at the Kinesiology lab and the
results are phenomenal, even my Biomechanics teacher was surprised
with the results.

Befo 352 with 52% body fat/ 183 pounds of fat/ 163
muscle/bones/fluid.
After: 297 with 34% body fat/ 101 pounds of fat/ 196
muscle/bones/fluid.
Difference: Lost 82 pounds of pure fat, and have gained 33 in
muscle/bones/fluid. I asked my former Exercise physiology processor
that the lean gain seemed high, he explained that with exercise your
bone density grows, and if you have a large frame, and are above
average height, it can add pounds to your weight.

I wish I could post all my data here, and programs here, but Google
doesn't allow such large posts. Maybe I could host it on a web site or
something when I get some extra money. But for a quick glance, my
stage three looks like this.

Monday:

Weights (I do 10 exercises 3 sets at ten reps, each set remains at the
same weight during the body part exercise, its 60% of my one rep max)

Bench: 3x10, Squat: 3x10, Military Press: 3x10, Preacher Curls: 3x10,
Triceps Pull Downs: 3x10, Leg Curls: 3x10, Leg Extensions: 3x10, Lat
Pull Downs: 3x10, Shoulder Shrugs: 3x10. Abs: Crunches 2x till
failure, Reverse Crunches 2x till failure.

Cardio:
60 minutes (I do a different cardio machine each day, never doing the
same cardio machine the day after. Example: Monday Stair climber,
Tuesday Treadmill, Wednesday Elliptical machine, Thursday bike, I
chose a different one each day.)

Tuesday:

Interval Training: I go to my school track and do two miles; I sprint
the straight away and walk the curves. I put my complete effort in
sprinting.

Cardio: 60 minutes on a cardio machine (I pick a different one from
Monday)

Wednesday: Weights: (same as Monday) Cardio: 60 minutes

Thursday: Interval Training: On Thursday its different from Tuesday,
there is a steep hill near where I live at about a 45 degree angle at
about 50 meters in distance. I sprint up the hill, and walk back down.
Cardio: 60 minutes

Friday: Weights (same as Monday & Wednesday) Cardio: 60 minutes

Saturday: Cardio 60 minutes

Sunday: Rest day and free food day with limits. I personally like to
spend this day walking at sunset with my girl friend.

The Diet portion of this stage is also different, compared to other
two stages; I get to eat a slightly higher percentage of carbs to
allow glycogen to replenish in my muscles for the endurance and
interval training that I do.

I wish I had more space on google to type but this is about the end.
If anyone has any questions that require more detail I would be glad
to answer, and I will post my progress from here on out. I thank many
of you for the support and I'm glad to support everyone as well. This
journey to being fit is probably one of the most difficult in ones
life. It's almost spiritual if you ask me

Paladin wrote:
I really
want to be in better shape then I was in high school just to prove to
myself that I can achieve such a goal. Here is another weird thing
about me, I just graduated this May of 2004 with a BS degree in
Kinesiology, and when I tell many people about what I majored in they
look at me as if I'm suppose to have a body that goes along with the
degree. I did learn about myself and how the body works during the
period of 5 years that it took me to get that degree, but at the same
time I didn't put any of the knowledge I gained in college about
fitness, muscles and the human body to use until I was about to
graduate.

I had to ask myself, what do I really want.

It's not necessarily the knowledge that sets you apart, it's the
clearness with which you decided to do this. Your kinko-bound report
isn't why you're succeeding, it's that you have a plan (of any sort) and
you're implementing it because you're choosing to do this. Congratulations!

Having said that, I want to make a few cautionary comments.

First off, you're having a great "newbie gains" run. That's where
eating a catabolic diet will allow you to add muscle while you lose fat.
It definitely occurs... but only for a while. My guess is that you
have another two or three months of this honeymoon period and then
you're stuck in the land of struggling to keep lean body mass while on a
catabolic diet. My advice is to milk those newbie gains for all you
can, and that leads me to the next point:

No matter how sound your weight routine is, you're going to have to
change it. You clearly seem to understand the principles of
cross-training with regard to your cardio routines, but you're going to
have to do it with your weight-lifting, too. The two programs I like
the best are the Body for Life split-body half-pyramid routines and
Bryon Haycock's Hypertrophy Specific Training. (Google for either of
those and you'll find them.)

My advice is to take a planned week or two off from the gym (to prevent
over-training, get glycogen stores refilled, mend any over-use injuries
and keep the newbie gains going) and then jump back in with a new routine.

I like almost everything else about your plan. A free day teaches you
how to STOP having free days once a week. Planned layoffs from the gym
also make you practice RESTARTING back at the gym, which is a skill
you're sure to need in your life, what with injuries and funerals and
vacations, etc... make sure you know how to climb quickly back on the
wagon. Practice makes perfect.

And that leads to my last comment. Don't get too caught up in plans.
I've seen too many people get ****ed off and quit when things don't go
according to plan. Weight loss is best measured in retrospect. I've
lost nearly 70 pounds in the past two years, going from 42% fat to 26%
fat (I'm female) and I doubt I would have stuck with it if I'd known
that I'd be losing at a rate of 1 pound a month (which I am, these days.)

It's a life-long journey, and adventures happen along the way. Just be
careful that your well-thought-out timeline doesn't work against you
along the way.

Great job. Keep it up. :-)

Dally
244/175.5/169 (down exactly 0 pounds after working out 7 days this week)