Hey everyone,

I started this transformation on August 24, 2004 at 6'3" 275lbs.

I am now 205lbs give or take (don't weigh myself that often right now) and I guess its time for me to share my pictures with you all, besides... I'd really like some BF estimates so I know how far I need to cut and can therefore adjust my goals accordingly. (mybodycomp puts me at like 19%, calipers at 15.2%).

Anyhow, here are the pictures :)

Me last summer:
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/postedorig_small.jpg (http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/postedorig.jpg)

Damn those love handles, this shot is completely relaxed:
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/posted1_small.jpg (http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/posted1.jpg)

This shot is relaxed except for my abs are flexed.
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/posted2_small.jpg (http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/posted2.jpg)

This shot is relaxed (just kidding :spaz: ), I don't know what this pose is called, I just did it.
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/posted3_small.jpg (http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/posted3.jpg)

Anyhow, thanks for reading the thread, maybe I'll gain the courage to post face-shots here in the coming months? I'm not sure, but this is a start (the first time I've ever posted pics of any of me on the web).

Matt

Wow.. what an amazing job for such a small amount of time! Great progress! Keep us up to date. I would guess your BF to be about that of the calipers

I imagine it'd be hard to recognize you now cause that's such a huge change, and in less than a year too.
I would guess your bf to be lower than the 15% caliper, maybe 13%?
How did you go about with your routine?

Well, at first I started with a very strict HIIT and lifting routine (MWF lift, off days HIIT) with a flawless no-cheat diet. I lost 5lbs in the first week of water weight and then my weight remained at 270 for the following 5 weeks. Because I couldn't tell a difference and was becoming discouraged I changed my diet to a mixture of the flawless diet and one where I just ate less of most normal foods (i.e. I had cereal sometimes for breakfast or as a snack, I put ketchup on lean meat, etc) I also stopped lifting (I wasn't sure if noob gains were making the scale not move) and cut back on cardio. I then lost about 15lbs in the next month and a half (it's mid october at this point). The problem then was that I could tell I was losing muscle, so I changed my diet up to one that was completely clean, but I was eating far below maintenance everyday (around 1500 total kcal according to fitday) and doing fasted morning cardio (45 minutes on a bicycle as hard as I could go). This went on for another month and a half and I lost another 10lbs. I went home and visited my family over Thanksgiving and they all commented on how great I looked being 30lbs lighter at 245. I told them I wasn't done and that I'd be back at Christmas lighter. I went back to school in December and kicked major ass on my diet and exercise and dropped another 10-15lbs between december 1st and december 22nd.

I went home for Christmas weighing in around 230-235 and tried to maintain my diet when it was convenient and just ate small portions of most of the good foods, but my weight went up by a few pounds, leveled off and dropped back down in early January. What I was beginning to realize was that that month or two where I was busting my ass losing quickly I had really slowed my metabolism so much so that I would gain weight just by eating normal foods in small portions and that if I continued at that pace I might have real problems when I reached my goal of 200lbs. Regardless, at this point I slowed it down a bit especially since I really wasn't looking too bad at 235 and it was slowing coming off again anyhow. I now just try to just eat healthy foods in normal or slightly less than normal amounts and make sure I get plenty of protein so I don't lose muscle.

I also started lifting again a couple weeks ago when I hit 205. My weightloss has leveled off again which is what I wanted it to do as I don't want to get much below 200, I want the fat to come off at whatever pace it wants to come off at but I want to build up muscle at the same time and really just hover around 200lbs while changing my body composition.

Anyhow, I'm sure that wasn't the easiest read since I really need to go to bed. I'll check it over in the next day or two and clean it up if it is required.

Thanks for the support guys

Oh, and pseudoblock, are you good at estimating bodyfat... cause I'd be blown away and absolutely ecstatic to hear that I am below 15%... I'm not doubting you, just surprised :D.

Oh, and I did some checking, it has been 36 weeks since I started and I am down 70lbs, thats just a smidge under 2lbs a week which is a nice rate of loss for someone disciplined... and I am most definitely disciplined :).

Anyhow, there are like 300 views and only two people have commented... doesn't anyone else have anything to say? Pretty please? :d_tongue:

I'll say! :jumping:

That's a GREAT transformation!!!! Even though you blurred the faces There was still an obvious change in your face - your jaw was showing :D
and you generally look muscullar and great! Keep up, and don't forget to post progress photos... :whistle:

Absolutely fabulous progress.

I'd put you at 13.% , probably no more, since your intercostals are coming out nicely.

I can't see from the picture, but you don't appear to have any excess skin or ab fat right at the botton of your abs. Count yourself lucky... you have good genes, as that area plagues me.

Mark

I'd agree and say around 13. Nice job.

:claphigh:

I seriously feel really excited right now, you guys made my night. I have been fat since I was a child... this will be the first summer in as long as I can remember where I will feel good about the way I look.

I'm going to still hit it hard for the next month or two (my next goal date is to see abs by July 4th) and see if I can increase my strength while losing fat.

Thanks for the great comments everyone :tu:.

Matt

edit: marked, I indeed have no loose skin.

Absolutely fabulous progress.

I'd put you at 13.% , probably no more, since your intercostals are coming out nicely.

I can't see from the picture, but you don't appear to have any excess skin or ab fat right at the botton of your abs. Count yourself lucky... you have good genes, as that area plagues me.

Mark


what are intercoastals?

what are intercoastals?
Intercostals are the muscles between your ribs.

Wow. All I can say is that you have completely changed. I applaud not only the fact that you managed to lose the pounds, but that you have to dedication to keep going. Keeping at it is, mentally pushing yourself where the real work is. The rest will do itself. Congrats on the huge change, enjoy the new you.

Well, I just wanted to post an update. From May 1st (the day I posted this) to May 7th I maintained my normal diet of trying to just eat 95% clean & healthy in a calorie deficit (maybe 3 times a week I'd grab a cookie or something if it looked good). and not monitoring my carb/protein/fat ratios or calories.

Beginning on May 7th I got back on the wagon harder than I ever have before. I have been shooting for (and achieving almost perfectly without exception) a 40/40/20 split at 2200-2400 calories a day.

On around May 12th I started stacking E+C (50-75mg a day) and taking a SAN TIGHT pill in the morning.

On May 17th (yesterday) I added two applications (of 5-6 squirts) of ab-solved to the line-up.

I have also been on a three day split of:

Chest/Tri/Shoulder M/TH
Back/Bis T/F
Legs W/Sat

I actually injured my shoulder last week though and that has kept me basically off lifting on M/TH and weaker lifting on the other days.

The results:

Two days after starting I have begun to see visible abs, they have become increasingly clear every day since then.

Before the shoulder injury my lifts had actually improved a little bit.

The BF calipers read 11.5% when I'm making sure there is no way they could be "under-reading".

The scale reads 200lbs.

I'm guessing I'm at 12% bodyfat, so if I lost 6-7lbs I would hopefully be in the 9-10% area.

Lastly, sorry to keep you all waiting, but I'm going to take and post pictures on Saturday May 21st as that will be three weeks with two serious weeks where the changes mostly occurred.

Anyhow, I just wanted to share that since I'm a bit excited about it.

Matt

Wow ! Great job! It takes some discipline to get those results.

I think I see some ribs...I'm gonna say 14-15 .

Wow ! Great job! It takes some discipline to get those results.

I think I see some ribs...I'm gonna say 14-15 .


Matthew

Finally saw your pics.....

I'm not even close to an expert but judging by the pics compared to what I looked like at around that body fat % I'd put you at about 15-15.5% BF

Here's the good news.. (at least this held true for me and my workout parnter) From 15-14% I started to drastically lose fat in my stomach. If you are anything like me you will start to see noticeable difference from this point on. I lost a few inches in my waist on the way down to the 11% Went from 38inches to 34inches Keep up the great work Looking forward to the new pics

Welp, its picture time :)

I weighed in at 199 this morning.

Front again, abs flexed:
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/IMG_4069.jpg

side/front - flexing abs:
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/IMG_4070.jpg

side/front - relaxed:
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/IMG_4071.jpg

side - same pose as before:
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/IMG_4072.jpg

Let me know what you think :)

I'll get some screenies up from fitday so you can see what I've been eating.

Matt

Holy crap. I'm comparing your starting pic to you now. You're half the man you were! Couple more weeks and your abs will start showing up. Nice work and dedication.

Holy crap. I'm comparing your starting pic to you now. You're half the man you were! Couple more weeks and your abs will start showing up. Nice work and dedication.
Thanks man, they abs are definitely visible already but the lighting in the room is just terrible (had to flood it with light so I could get the pictures). You can see them if you look closely though.

Anyhow, here are a couple days of my diet; the reason it goes from 5-16 to yesterday is because I have partial or no entries on the days in between :\. I guess I need to make sure I'm getting every morsel of food listed in there. Here they are:

http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/5-16-05_diet.gif

http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/5-20-05_diet.gif

lookn' good!!
are you going to bulk now?

THanks, but no. I've still got fat to lose around my mid-section. My current diet is such that I think I can maintain or build muscle while losing fat. I have a feeling i won't ever go on a bulk. I'll look to add about 10lbs or more of muscle when I'm done cutting, but I want the physique of an athlete, not a bodybuilder.

You do realize that you can bulk and not end up looking like a body builder, right?

Yessir, my plan exactly. I just don't want to bulk at a fast pace and put on fat with it. I want to add some muscle, I just don't really care how long it takes to get there... I really just want a more "toned" (i hate that word, but it basically describes it pretty well) look, which means cutting more fat off and adding just a bit more muscle.

Anyhow, I figured I'd add a back shot since I wanted to see what my back looks like...
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/IMG_4083.jpg

To look like an athlete you'll need to bulk, though maybe you can just not be as aggressive as others have. Anyway, good job!

To look like an athlete you'll need to bulk, though maybe you can just not be as aggressive as others have. Anyway, good job!

ding ding ding ding :)

woah woah big difference and great progress...then I scroll down and see even more good progress, congrats! 1 of the pic looks like your square dancing :lol: anyway gj man keep it up.

Thanks everyone, its been another two weeks and its time for more progress pics. It's been one month now since I started and once again I'd like your opinions; do you think I've added/lost muscle? I've obviously lost fat, and I think I've added some muscle though its hard to tell. My bicep measurement is a bit larger than it was before and my bicep is leaner, so thats a good indication of at least maintaining muscle.

Anyhow, enjoy some animations :)

Original pics taken on 5/1/05, new pics taken on 6/3/05.

http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/back.gif
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/front.gif
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/front-dbl-bi.gif
http://67.19.114.98/~beast/ul2/most-muscle.gif

Please share with me your thoughts on what my goals should be or if you have ANY suggestions at all please make them. I am debating upping my calories to around 3000 (basically the least I think I would need to maintain) and continuing to lift heavy. Maybe SLOWLY add muscle and burn fat.

Two short-term goals:

July 26: trip to Keystone Colorado, might see some old friends I haven't seen in quite some time (8ish months).

August 26th: trip to Hilton Head Island, SC. The beach, the babes, the pool, etc... I would DEFINITELY like to be lean for this ;).

Thanks everyone :D.

Matt

Great insperation! I'm 6'3, about 285, and built a lot like what you looked like in your first pic. Makes me realize what is capable. I've always said I'd be 6 months dead before I saw the other side of 200lbs, but you showed that doesn't have to be the case.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks :).

I'm probably weighing in just under 200lbs and have about 5lbs of fat to lose. If I lose that 5lbs of fat and gain 5lbs of muscle I think my physique will be pretty damn acceptable. I'm focusing on my chest right now as I think it is the most lacking and now my tris are finally becoming strong enough that I can actually work my chest :).

wanted to add that a 3 point caliper test put me at 7%, a 7 point caliper test put me at just over 9% (9.11% I think it was). I don't believe either of them, but at least it means pretty much undeniably that my BF% is going down, especially if I tested at 12+ % at the beginning of this with a 3 point :).

Wow! You look awesome!

Anyhow, there are like 300 views and only two people have commented... doesn't anyone else have anything to say? Pretty please? :d_tongue:

Alright fine, I will say something:

:claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh: Freaking way to go!!! :claphigh: :claphigh: :claphigh:

Gosh you are such an inspiration. Thankyouthankyouthankyou :tucool:



oh, edited to add,

that avatar is way off... :lol:

I'd reply with something nice and encouraging, but I'm too jealous right now. That is incredible progress.. and you have no loose skin! Dude.. you had some huge cankles in the first photo (I've been big all my life too hehe).. you look like you're in great shape now; no one seeing you with your shirt off will ever have a clue that you were once 'the big guy.'

:tucool:

Excellent work. You're making outstanding progress.

Great work, I'm jealous too. :)

Wow, you're just zooming along ---- your body is obviously very responsive! Have a nice body frame too.

Looks like you'll be there before you know it.

Keep up the good work :)

You are definitely beach-worthy :D Keep up the good work and enjoy your summer!

hey great work keep it up, you will reach your targets in no time.

Matt:

Some absolutely amazing progress man... I am really impressed with your back development! Keep up the good work...

Yet another amazing transformation revealed on JSF!

freddy