Hey there everyone!!! :)

First time posting here, been lurking and reading for a while. Great place with a lot of great knowledge...I ran across John Stone a couple of years ago while reading on Bodybuilding.com and was completely blown away by his transformation. :tucool::tucool::tucool:Truely an inspiration to me and many many others. Well done bro!!!

I've tried a few times over the years to kick my butt in gear and get in shape only to fall off the routine. After a recent trip to the doctors office I learned that my weight was 235, the heaviest I've ever been.... Right then and there I decided it was finally time to change my life in many ways...

I've always been an athletic person, but many years of bad eating habits ie: not eating till 12 -1pm, fast food, sodas, late night pizza and monster sized midnight bowls of cereal, has left me feeling DISGUSTED with myself:doh:

About me:
33 yr old male
6'2" medium frame
I was 235lbs ***Now 227lbs 11 days later
Estimated BF is 25-27% * I did an online measurement with a myotape.
Target BF is 8-10%

GOAL IS; To lose the spare tire, back and chest fat, love handles, etc, all while packing on lean muscle mass. I figure that at my height with a medium frame, I'd like to be a RIPPED 195lbs... I'm committed to this new way of living, not only for me, but for my wife and 2 children.

QUESTION IS???
What flaws do you see in my program? I'm eleven days in and I'm feeling great. I feel like the fat is starting to melt off of me.

I picked up the Abs Diet book after seeing a friend of mine lose about 30lbs in 4 months, so my daily eating plan is based somewhat on that with some variation.

Here is 5 days out of the 11 so far: I have been eating like this for 11 days now, but didn't see the need to post all 11 days.
Please feel free to point any problems that you see:)

Day 1:***am- 30 minute circuit
8:45am whey protein shake post workout
9:00 am 1 egg w/ 4 egg whites w/ 1 cup sauted spinach
11:00am 1oz almonds and 1/4 cup blueberries
1:00pm tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread, 1 cup strawberries
3:00pm 2 tsp natural peanut butter, 1 cup carrots
5:00pm 6oz grilld chicken w/ 1/2 cup sauteed spinach, 1 cup steamed broccoli
7:30pm 10 oz smoothie * skim milk, fat free vanilla yogurt, whey protein, flax seeds, strawberries/bananas


Day 2: ***am-25 minute interval on bike
8:30am whey protein shake post workout
9:00 am 1egg and 4 egg whites scrambled w/ 1cup cooked spinach and 1/2 whole wheat english muffin
11:00am 1/4 cup almonds and 1 apple
1:00pm low sodium turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread w/spicy mustard, 1/2 cup cantaloupe and handful of strawberries
3:00pm 1 1/2 cups carrots and 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
5:30pm 6oz grilled citrus pork tenderloin, 1/2 cup sautéed spinach w/ almonds, 1 cup steamed broccoli/sugar snaps
8:00pm smoothie *skim milk, fat free vanilla yogurt, flax seeds, whey protein, strawberries and blueberries

Day 3: ***am- 30 minute circuit ***pm-abs workout
8:45am whey protein shake post workout
9:00am 1 cup Kashi lean w/ 1 cup skim milk
11:30am 1/4 cup almonds, 1apple, 1/2 cup carrots
1:15pm 4-5oz grilled citrus pork tenderloin, 1cup sugar snaps and broccoli
2:00pm Whey protein shake post workout *** 30 minutes circuit
3:30pm 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 cup strawberries & cantaloupe
6:00pm 6oz grilled flank steak, 1/2 cup sautéed spinach, 1/2 cup broccoli and 1/4 cup baked beans
8:30pm smoothie * skim milk, whey protein, flax seeds, strawberries/banana

Day 4: *** am-30 minute cadio , pm -30 minute aerodyne 12mph
9:00am 1 egg and 4 egg whites w/ sautéed spinach, 1/2 whole wheat english muffin, 1 cup strawberries/blueberries
11:30am (2) whey protein shake post workout
1:30pm grilled chicken, salad w/balsamic vinegar
3:30pm 1oz beef jerky, 1 orange
6:00pm blackened mahi-mahi, sauteed spinach, 1/2 sweet potato
8:00pm smoothie* skim milk, fat free vanilla yogurt, whey protein, strawberries

Day 5: *** am-30 minute circuit
9:30am 1egg/3ew w/ sautéed spinach, 1/2 whole wheat english muffin, 1/4 cup blueberries
11:30am (2) whey protein shake post workout
2:00pm low sodium turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, 1 apple
4:00pm 1oz beef jerky, 10z almonds
7:00pm Baked chicken w/ squash/zucchini, small sweet potato
9:30pm 1/2 cup oatmeal w/ 1 cup skim milk

I really look forward to all of your input on anything i might be doing wrong...

On paper, this plan looks great. But whether it will be effective is a different question.

I've tried a few times over the years to kick my butt in gear and get in shape only to fall off the routine.
You need to design your plan in mind with enough benefits to keep you on it.

Does this routine include the activities you love? The foods you love? Will you allow small treats at a certain regular point in your diet?

Will you hold yourself accountable by regularly updating your photos and stats? Do you have specific measurable targets by a certain date?

Depending on the portion size, that might be a bit low on calories for your current weight, so make sure you are eating enough. If I were you, I'd start at at least 2500 calories and work my way down.

Another tweak you might consider would be moving your last meal of they day earlier in the day, and putting a more protein/fat combo there at the end. Right before bed is even fine. Most don't like a bunch of carbs before bed in this type of plan. Protein is good. If you are using a powder, get something with casein in it...it digests slower over the long fast. And by adding in fats, you'll make that slow digesting protein digest even slower to keep your muscles fed overnight.

Good start, though. I'm not a huge fan of the Abs Diet, although I like some of the ideas in Men's Health's new TNT Diet book. However, I'm sure the Abs Diet has worked for many and it can probably work well if you have a friend that you can discuss how he did it with that plan. Kinda social support in the real world :)

thanks Guava for the reply...

I actually love everything that I have been eating, the six times a day is that hard as I work from home most of the time. It only took about 4-5 days for my body to notice the change in food supply and respond. I don't go to bed hungry, BUT I do wake up HUNGRY and eating is the first thing on my mind when I roll out of bed. There are many cons for me working out: better health, shape, more time on this earth with my family, hopefully I'll be the first male in my family not to have a heart attack...

I will have a "not so clean meal" here and there, otherwise I'd go crazy. Maybe once a week I have 1 meal where I'll have something I shouldn't. ie deep fried and greezy, JK...I'm just going to eat clean 95% of the time instead of 25% of the time.

I'm addicted to working out and so is my wife, so we have each other for motivation.

I took my first pictures last Sunday, which was at the end of week #1 and will be taking pics every Sunday morning. In a few more weeks at my 1 month point I should have the confidence to post them...

The family and I are going to upstate NY in July for some fun in the adirondacks, and I'd like to be able to take my shirt off and feel comfortable.

??? Is it possible for me to get to 10% by then???

I also kind of felt like I might be under eating a little?

thanks Guava for the reply...

I actually love everything that I have been eating

..I'm just going to eat clean 95% of the time instead of 25% of the time.

I'm addicted to working out and so is my wife, so we have each other for motivation.

I took my first pictures last Sunday, which was at the end of week #1 and will be taking pics every Sunday morning. In a few more weeks at my 1 month point I should have the confidence to post them...

I also kind of felt like I might be under eating a little?Hey, sounds great! Everything looks in line.

I wasn't looking at the calories in your plan; I was just really impressed with the variety you've chosen in your foods. They sound very well balanced and really, really delicious. :drool: Did you get them from a book or website, or build them yourself?

Did you check your BMR/TDEE (formula in the stickies) and compare that with a sample day in your diet?

Depending on the portion size, that might be a bit low on calories for your current weight, so make sure you are eating enough. If I were you, I'd start at at least 2500 calories and work my way down.



I was wondering that mannish. My dinner basically covers a smaller plate completely. My snacks are roughly 250-300 cals.I figured that i am getting roughly 2000 -2100cals a day. My BMR is about 2180 so I'm only in a slight deficit. but with the working out 3 times a week and cardio 3 days a week, sometimes twice a day, am I losing muscle mass?

Hey, sounds great! Everything looks in line.

I wasn't looking at the calories in your plan; I was just really impressed with the variety you've chosen in your foods. They sound very well balanced and really, really delicious. :drool: Did you get them from a book or website, or build them yourself?

Did you check your BMR/TDEE (formula in the stickies) and compare that with a sample day in your diet?

The ideas for my nutritional plan came from "The Abs Diet" book which was written by the editor of Men's Health magazine.

It's not diet, just a healthier way of eating. One which promotes weight loss when accompanied with exercise...

I was wondering that mannish. My dinner basically covers a smaller plate completely. My snacks are roughly 250-300 cals.I figured that i am getting roughly 2000 -2100cals a day. My BMR is about 2180 so I'm only in a slight deficit. but with the working out 3 times a week and cardio 3 days a week, sometimes twice a day, am I losing muscle mass?

BMR before you add activity factors? You probably want a multiplier of 1.4 if you work out 6x a week but have a relatively sedentary job otherwise.

Also, a lot of people don't get portions right after they've been trained by huge restaurant portions. If you aren't weighing your food, you might be eating more than you think anyway. Cups and spoons are also notoriously inaccurate.

So whatever calorie level you start with, just reevaluate ever couple of weeks and see how your progress is going. More than a couple of lbs down a week and you are probably too low, no loss for a couple of weeks and you are probably too high.

Hey mannish,

When I multiplied my BMR x 1.55 it comes out around 3500cals. Holy s*&%, that would be alot more food going in. I already feel like I'm eating like a horse, trying to figure out where I can get approximately 1500 more cals a day? Thats basically 250cals more per meal....

Hmmm, sounds like you may have calculated that wrong. Go with 2500-2600 cals a day and see.

You can get easily get ripped by July if that's your goal. Set some target weights to hit along the way. For awhile you should be able to lose 2.5 lbs a week, if you stick with it.

Only other advice I'd give is to spread out your protein evenly across all your meals/snacks..

Hmmm, sounds like you may have calculated that wrong. Go with 2500-2600 cals a day and see.

You can get easily get ripped by July if that's your goal. Set some target weights to hit along the way. For awhile you should be able to lose 2.5 lbs a week, if you stick with it.

Only other advice I'd give is to spread out your protein evenly across all your meals/snacks..


Thanks for the reply NCNBilly,

When I did the math, I took my BMR 2180 and multiplied it by 1.55 (based on my activity level) and came up with= 3379 cals a day.

It's just hard to believe that I could eat that much and still lose weight.

In 12 days, I'm down almost 10lbs. Just weighed myself, came in at 225lbs even.

Now I know the scale is a bad thing to go by, but I still like seeing the #'s. I can tell you that my wife bought me a pair of Carhartt pants for xmas, 38" waist, and I was finally able to put them on and not cut the circulation off in my gut...lol:lol:

?? Is it common for people to lose a large amount up front due to the massive change in daily routine ie: better nutrition and vigorous exercise? And then it sort of evens off?

I have a good 4 1/2 months before our vacation, and I'm more motivated than ever, so I should be able to drop roughly 8lbs a month and then just maintain from there.

??? AM I hurting things by doubling up on the cardio a few times a week?

Thanks again for your help:tu:

A lot of initial loss is water which your body has been retaining. Depending on your calorie defecit along with activity, you can probably expect to lose between 1 and 2 lbs per week.

There's no harm in doing more cardio, as long as you are getting plenty of food and rest. It's best to listen to what your body is telling you - you'll soon find out if you are doing too much.

Thanks for the reply NCNBilly,

When I did the math, I took my BMR 2180 and multiplied it by 1.55 (based on my activity level) and came up with= 3379 cals a day.

Use 1.4. That's about right for a sedentary job and the workouts you plan. Doing that will end up giving you right around 2500 if you subtract 500 calories a day for a cut.

In 12 days, I'm down almost 10lbs. Just weighed myself, came in at 225lbs even.

Now I know the scale is a bad thing to go by, but I still like seeing the #'s. I can tell you that my wife bought me a pair of Carhartt pants for xmas, 38" waist, and I was finally able to put them on and not cut the circulation off in my gut...lol:lol:

?? Is it common for people to lose a large amount up front due to the massive change in daily routine ie: better nutrition and vigorous exercise? And then it sort of evens off?

I have a good 4 1/2 months before our vacation, and I'm more motivated than ever, so I should be able to drop roughly 8lbs a month and then just maintain from there.

??? AM I hurting things by doubling up on the cardio a few times a week?

Thanks again for your help:tu:

You will often see a big drop initially just in water alone if you reduce carb levels. However, dropping weight too fast is not a good thing. It means your body is probably also giving up some metabolically expensive muscle along with the fat. You don't want to do that, or you'll end up what we call "skinny fat". Smaller numbers on the scale, but still looking soft and out of shape. You are much better off holding on to the muscle and seeing the scale move slower (maybe 2-3 lbs a week at the first, slowing down as you get leaner to maybe 1 - 1.5 lbs a week).

If you burn through the muscle along the way, you are much more likely to rebound if you return to eating normal caloric levels, because with the muscle goes a good chunk of what keeps the metabolism running. That's the reason people yo-yo with their weight. They starve themselves, do no weight training, excessive cardio, and the body just turns loose of the muscle that it thinks it doesn't need to maintain.

The scale isn't a prime concern. Worry more about measurements and progress pics or the mirror.

You are wise to compare how you're accustom to eating to whatever a formula estimates for you (emphasis on the word estimates). There's a lot of guesswork and individual variables that starts coming into play once you get beyond your base BMR estimate (there's that word again). An activity multiplier? Really, what the heck is that? :)

Like the others have mentioned, your 3500 calorie estimate to maintain your weight is probably on the high side, but you probably have a little room with your current diet to eat slightly larger protein servings, a few more nuts, blueberries, and within reason, as high an intake of fibrous vegetables as you care for.

Depends on how your energy levels are doing too. If a little more food means more intensity and productivity in the gym, that can be a good thing. Obviously it's a balancing act here.

A site like this one (http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm#) can make running the numbers easier if it's something you care to look into, but I'd say you're well on your way to being able to start adjusting based on the results you're seeing. This is definitely where you want to be.

For the most part I'd say the only flaw in your plan is that you didn't start things sooner. :) No point in concerning yourself with that though, congratulations on the changes you're making, and the results you're seeing. :tucool:

I've always been an athletic person, but many years of bad eating habits ie: not eating till 12 -1pm, fast food, sodas, late night pizza and monster sized midnight bowls of cereal, has left me feeling DISGUSTED with myself:doh:

About me:
33 yr old male
6'2" medium frame
I was 235lbs ***Now 227lbs 11 days later
Estimated BF is 25-27% * I did an online measurement with a myotape.
Target BF is 8-10%


This is where I was in September....you can get there with consistency!

Do you have access to a gym? Why not lift some weights? (Or is that your circuit...)

Thanks for the kind words guys...mucho gusto:lol:

I have joined the gym right down the steet(1 mi away) before, on 2 seperate occasions, only to stop going after a month or so. The first time i lost my will and the second time i lost my cookies (almost literally). I did a 10 minute warmup HITT session followed by a 35 heavy weight circuit, all on an empty stomach (STUPID I KNOW). Passed out only to wake up to the guys at my gym feeding me crackers....Blood sugar hit rock bottom and after that i got scared and never went back...

THATS all in the past, I'm only looking foward......

I do lift weights, but in my homemade gym in my basement.

My routine is as follows

M: Circuit with dumbells: I do squats, lunges, bi curls, trii ext, bent over rows, upright rows, swiss ball flys and presses, pushups (lots of pushups) etc and some stuff on the bowflex:lol: can't belive I admitted that

T: 20-25 minute cardio, am empty stomach at about 150-170hr, then maybe a 30 minute easy session at night. Done on an aerodyne type machine

w: Circuit again with some variance

th: same as tuesday, may or may not skip the evening cardio

F: Circuit again

S: Cardio when i get up after Breakfast

S:May take the day off, may not. last sunday i didn't, I did 30min on the exercise bike.

I'm spent after the circuits, i take no rest between exercises and maybe only 30-45 seconds between sets. Currently only doing 2-3 sets in my circuit. They usually last about 30-35 minutes and my heart rate will average at about 160bpm.

??Do i need to take it up a notch on the training??

??Do i need to take it up a notch on the training??

Possibly, but not in the way you might be expecting. It doesn't have to be about <1 min rest all the time, everytime. Sometimes it needs to be about a little more rest, so a lot more weight can be moved.

What range of equipment and resistance levels do you have in your basement? Is there a barbell set?

Are you open to joining the gym again? Doesn't have to be today, but somewhere in the not too distant future of your plan?

with the working out 3 times a week and cardio 3 days a week, sometimes twice a day, am I losing muscle mass?
Simple plan - Cut calories, you lose weight. You gain or maintain muscle and burn calories with an effective resistance training program. Cardio burns more calories, it builds little if any muscle. Contemplate those ideas for awhile.

I didn't see where you had posted your weight program, the part that is a very close second to diet. You might review cutting your rest times between sets to 60 sec or less. keep your reps in the "muscle building range" 8-12 reps. :gl:

II did a 10 minute warmup HITT session followed by a 35 heavy weight circuit, all on an empty stomach (STUPID I KNOW). Passed out only to wake up to the guys at my gym feeding me crackers....Blood sugar hit rock bottom and after that i got scared and never went back...



That kind of thing can be a little scary.

I don't think I was too far off that during the week myself. I had done 4 very low to practically zero carb days in a row, just really for diet experimentation. Went to gym on Wednesday evening, during the day with it being 4 days into a very low carb thing, I felt weak and could barely concentrate. I guess this is what they call the crash when you're trying a low carb thing. Anyway went to gym in evening with just an apple eaten just a few minutes before gym in terms of carbs. Obviously wasn't enough and perhaps not eaten early enough cos I felt pretty faint in the gym, especially after the bigger exercises like bench and deadlift, after which I felt like kind of weightlifter's headache but combined with a faintness and low blood sugar feeling.

Plus, I wasn't able to do as many reps as usual at all, probably I'm guessing cos my glycogen levels were at rock bottom.

Will never do that again, go to the gym on a low blood sugar crash cos it's obviously just going to restrict your reps. And from what you're saying if you feel faint there's a chance you actually will faint, so dodgy from that perspective.


I think what I need to do now on weightlifting days is carb up earlier in the day about lunchtime with some decent starchy carbs like wholewheat pasta, wholewheat bread, oats, maybe even chips/french fries lol, then have some carbs pre-workout like apple or banana or whatever.

Well I just finished up my second week of eating clean on working out at a pretty intense level. I took my pictures today, as I will be doing every Sunday. I'm kind of thinking that bi-weekly might be the way to go over taking them every week, as you can't really tell that much of difference on a weekly level. I do feel myself getting thinner, but I don't think anyone ever get the results as fast as they would like...

I need to draw some inspiration from somewhere....

I did weigh in today, down to 224 from 235 in 2 weeks. Pants are starting to fall off me!

Well I just finished up my second week of eating clean on working out at a pretty intense level. I took my pictures today, as I will be doing every Sunday. I'm kind of thinking that bi-weekly might be the way to go over taking them every week, as you can't really tell that much of difference on a weekly level. I do feel myself getting thinner, but I don't think anyone ever get the results as fast as they would like...

I need to draw some inspiration from somewhere....

I did weigh in today, down to 224 from 235 in 2 weeks. Pants are starting to fall off me!

Go with the two week pictures. You'd be amazed at how much change occurs especially on a cut. But taking them each week? Well you might get disapointed if you don't see the changes. Pics can help you stay motivated whenever your feeling, well umotivated, take a look at your pics and see the change. Good luck and congrats on starting the new change.

Thanks nowhereman for the support,

I was thinking the same thing. It seems as if weekly pictures are too close as monthly pics are too far. It's hard when you aren't seeing the results that you want. I keep telling myself that i'll be where I want soon, but everytime i look in the mirror I'm reminded where I'm really at. That being said, everytime I get out of the shower and look in the mirror it just motivates me even more to keep on truckin....

I think people often forget that it took years to get fat and it will take a while to get thin!!!

Alright, so I'm 1 month in (well, 1 day short of a month) and I seem to have hit a brick wall.

I started at 235 and now I'm hovering between 219-220. I have been at this weight for about 1 1/2 - 2 weeks. I figure that most of the initial weight loss was water, but it seems as that has leveled off.
I do notice that my 38" pants are starting to fall off me and I seem to be slimming a little. Tommorrow I will take my 1 month pic and see. Bad thing is , I didn't take my first pic until after the first week!

So, from this point, what can I change up to keep the fat burning off?
Did morning cardio this morning on the aerodyne... going to do a circuit later on today.

Should i start double dipping ( circuit and cardio) 3-4 times a week?

Alright, so I'm 1 month in (well, 1 day short of a month) and I seem to have hit a brick wall.

?

Well, you have to expect it. You have been doing great. Where are your calories. You should reduce calories as you lose weight. You require less for maintenance. Redo BMR every 20 days. There is such a thing as too much exercise.:cool:

Eating roughly 2200 cals a day. Maintenance with heavy exercise for me is roughly 2400 cals a day. I'd like to double dip at least 2 times a week, maybe 3. I might do 30 easy minutes on the aerodyne at night, on the 3 days I lift. (lift in the am) after breakfast.

I want to be a shredded 10%bf and 190-195 by mid july. Is this a realistic goal, or am I chasing a dream?

Eating roughly 2200 cals a day. Maintenance with heavy exercise for me is roughly 2400 cals a day. I'd like to double dip at least 2 times a week, maybe 3. I might do 30 easy minutes on the aerodyne at night, on the 3 days I lift. (lift in the am) after breakfast.

I want to be a shredded 10%bf and 190-195 by mid july. Is this a realistic goal, or am I chasing a dream?

You can make the weight, all right. The shredded depends on many factors. Do you think you can get there? Have you seen it before? Take a run for it.:tucool: