5M17H

Right On!

name: Benjammin
age: 16
height: 6'2"
weight: 170lbs
bf%: I would say upper 12%, I'm not sure though.


I along with kastro (I assume, since he reccomended this to me) will be following a very strict diet that can be found at www.fatlosstips.com.

Diet

7:00 am Workout
8:30 am All the Whey protien shake, creatine
10:30 am Meal [egg white omlette]
1:30 pm Meal 3 [5oz chicken breast, 1 cup of brown rice, small salad]
4:30 pm Meal 4 [snack] (not sure what to eat here, I would be open to suggestions)
7:30 pm Meal 5 [6oz of tuna, 1 cup of vegetables]
10:30 pm Whey protein powder

If some people have some input here, maybe some changes here and there, I would love to hear them. Anything to help right!

Lifting Routine

I will be following the exact weight program that SCHTEEVIE explained in his Bulking article, which can be found here SCHTEEVIE's Bulking Article (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=51)

Cardio

As for cardio, I will run the local wetland trail in the morning before I eat anything. This will be done on the days that I wont be lifting. On the days that I lift in the morning, I will run at night, the same trail. The trail is about 6 miles long.

Good Idea???

Im not sure that the bf% is right, but maybe you can judge, I get a solid pinch of fat on my stomach, love handles, and man boobs. So thats me, any suggestions would be great!


http://apotheosis.tv/files/MVC-007X1.JPG

age:24
height: 6'
weight:159.8lb
bf: 12.6%

goals: get to 8% by october 8th without screwing up my shoulder. Maintain muscle. Maintain focus on goals while beginning a new job and moving to a new apartment. And of course win this contest.


My Diet will be based around whole foods. I'll be eating a good assortment of vegetables, nuts, fruits, unrefined carbs, dairy and lean meat/fish. I'm shooting for three meals and three snacks a day.

My training plan will go something like this:
2-3 days a week of lifting.
a couple days of core training.
1 or 2 days cardio and or yoga.
extra rest if I need it.

I've got the longest way to go of any of you, but that leaves more room for improvement! :D

Age: 20
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 205 lb
BF: 20-25%?

Goal: Get down to the mid-lower teens (or lower if possible) in BF%, get "in shape", maintain muscle.

I did start this on the 8th, here is a picture of me then.

http://www.laynepink.com/aug8_04.jpg

pablo bro you should pack pounds on dude, not get smaller 6 feet and 160lbs so at 8% you would be what like 140lbs thats kinda rough dont you think

Hey Bigdog9801,

Interesting point. There are a couple of reasons why I’m cutting. Some of these may contradict each other a little bit, oh well.

1. I think a low level of body fat is a good place to start from. It’s not an end. It leaves you with a blank canvas and a good idea of what you are working with.

2. I have a shoulder that will get crabby if I become overly enthusiastic about heavy lifting. Heavy lifting seems like a prerequisite for “packing on the pounds”. So right now, lowering my body-fat seems like a safer and more attainable goal.

3. In general I don’t think in terms of bulking and cutting. Even though this is a “cutting” contest my approach is fairly laid back. I’m not lowering my caloric intake very much. I’ll probably be consuming around 2200-2400 a day with larger days here and there. I’m hoping I may be able to gain a little muscle while simultaneously getting rid of some body fat.

4. I do prefer the feeling of being light and essential to the feeling of being muscular but heavy. So I guess that’s why I’m more inclined to enter a cutting contest than a bulking one. Ideally I want to feel strong and muscular while simultaneously light and essential.

pablo bro you should pack pounds on dude, not get smaller 6 feet and 160lbs so at 8% you would be what like 140lbs thats kinda rough dont you think

One-week update here. I'm down to 197 from 205 lb, but I'm assuming most of that is water weight. Here is a photo taken just now:

http://www.laynepink.com/aug15_04.jpg

Layne: Weight is weight, good job in a short period of time. Keep it up!

Hey Layne, great progress so far. Keep at it!

Here's my first weeks progress
age:24
height: 6'
weight:160lbs this morning, up from 159.8lb last week
bf: 11.9% this morning, down from 12.6% last week

I feel fairly happy with my progress so far though my shoulder has been acting up. I've decided to take at least a week off from any lifting, possibly two or how ever many it takes to feel 100%. I looked back through my traing log and realized I've been lifting since mid may until now without any proper breaks (3 monthes). That seems like enough time to warrant a break. I'm a bit upset but feel some what resolved that I'm wise enough to take the time off to let the joints recuperate. I've been icing the baby like mad.

I'm shifting my focus to cardio and core training. I still plan on out-shredding my fellow challengers so don't slack off. ;)

What else, I hope to improve my diet this week. i.e. less blueberry pie more blueberries.

Here's this weeks photo:

Two-week update here. I'm down to 195 lb, which is exactly where I wanted to be after losing a bit too much (IMO) last week. 2 pounds is perfect. All my lifts have gone up by 5 lb as well. Transformation is a slow process but I'm excited about what I've done and what I'm gonna accomplish in the coming weeks.

5M17H, you are working from a good base. It probably won't take you long to see the definition you want. Based on your activity levels and weight and height, I think your daily calorie intake level is too low. Why did you choose 1800?? I believe you could cut well on mid-2000's per day and lessen the risk of losing muscle mass.

Good job on the weightloss, Layne. You have a good shot at making the most dramatic changes.

I lost 3 lb this week. I'm down to 192.

I'm wondering when the fat is gonna start leaving my gut! I can tell it's left my legs and upper shoulders, but I've seen 0 change to the gut and love handles. Guess it's genetics. The only thing I can do is to keep plugging away.

Exactly!!! Keep it up and itll come off... there isnt a magically formula for how is comes off... it has a mind of its own. Great work!

The last couple weeks have been crazy. I've moved to a new apartment and am still waiting to get an internet connection there. My exercise schedule and diet have both been all over the place. Also my shoulder is still hurting. I need to make things work with what I have available right now. I want to focus on cardio and core training neither of which hurt my shoulder.

I have been getting in a lot of bicycling, about an hour a day. I'll post some pics once I make some progress. I'm still in the upper 11% range.

-Pablo

age:24
height: 6'
weight:159.8lb
bf: 12.6%

goals: get to 8% by october 8th without screwing up my shoulder. Maintain muscle. Maintain focus on goals while beginning a new job and moving to a new apartment. And of course win this contest.


My Diet will be based around whole foods. I'll be eating a good assortment of vegetables, nuts, fruits, unrefined carbs, dairy and lean meat/fish. I'm shooting for three meals and three snacks a day.

My training plan will go something like this:
2-3 days a week of lifting.
a couple days of core training.
1 or 2 days cardio and or yoga.
extra rest if I need it.

You look way lower than 12% bf

Hey 5M17H,

Thanks for the motivation. John's progress is always amazing to see. And I really enjoyed the link to the Clarence Bass website. I have a couple of his books (challenge yourself and ripped 3) both of which have excellent information and are very motivational. I think he's got a really sensible approach to fitness and health. I'm interested to check out his videos.

The only core training or ab training I've been doing is Paul Chek's swiss ball ball video for "better abs, backs and buns". I've been trying to do it 2-3 times a week. It's excellent. I always feel more balanced afterwards. He really know his stuff. I eventually want to move on to the swiss ball training for athletes tape. http://www.chekinstitute.com/product_subcat.cfm?SubClassID=5

Interesting update for me. I weighed 192 on Aug 29, then on the next Sunday (Sept 5) I weighed 193. I'd been strictly following my diet, so I wondered what was going on. I decided to up my calories a bit, and go figure, I lost 3 pounds this week. Down to 190. I'm having computer problems so I'll have a picture next week.

5M17H - hey, that's not a bad breakfast! keep up the good work, you can totally see the 6 pack just waiting to rip out! you've only got 1/2 a month or so until your goal date, so keep up the great work. :bow:

i've tried anthony ellis' gain mass workout for 2 weeks or so. but i couldn't keep it up. i need to gain some more bulk now, but i just can't seem to eat that much anymore. usually, i take in about 2000-2400 calories a day, but trying to eat 3000 just wasn't in me.

keep the pictures posted! your progress looks great.

5M17H

man, that's some awesome progress... you gained weight, and you still look the same from those pictures!

seriously, i used to weigh myself all the time -- i eventually became a slave to the scale. even though the mirror would tell another story, i became obsessed with my weight.

after a while, i realized, you're going to go up and down about 5-10 lbs (no joke! i can go up 10 lbs in a single day! then i probably #2 and #1 it all out! hahaha), so i stopped weighing myself everyday. i just started weighing myself every once in a while, to check on my progress. it's more about how i feel now, more than how much i weigh. i realize you're supposed to weigh yourself at the same time daily, but u know how it is!

i mean, people say you have to eat/cut 3500 calories to gain/lose 1 lbs.
i can eat 2000 calories, but if 1000 of them are from 3 lbs of food, then guess what, i might be 3 - 5 lbs heavier the next day... it makes sense, because it's used as fuel, but at the same time, the scale doesn't lie... so where are the calories really going?

anyway, great work! maybe you and me should get a challenge going :eek:

here's me 2 weeks ago:

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTU1NjYwNnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

my workout consists of running (different courses, sometimes flat, sometimes a mixture of up/downhill, etc) 2-3 miles 6x a week, 240 (8 sets of 30) pushups/400 crunches a day...

:tucool: thanks dude!

i'm 5'9, 140 lbs...

in the bulking phase right now... consuming about 3500 calories a day! i'd like to be about 155 with 9-10% bodyfat...

i'm not too concerned about the 6 pack look, but would rather be overall fit. being overly ripped is not too much of a concern of mine, but being healthy is. that's why i don't hit the gym as much as i should, but i've been doing lots of curls recently, and using freeweights.

we could start a ripped challenge thread! we could see how many people want to get in on it. it'd be fun!

but you're already getting ripped... i dunno if i'd be much of a challenge for you... i think you're more cut than me ;

Thanks Smith!

btw, who is in your avatar?

i think i can stop bulking anytime and start cutting if you want to make a challenge. i agree with you, that for me, cutting is a lot easier than bulking. bulking makes me feel so full the next day, i don't want to do anything except eat some fruit or salad with 0 protein... no eggs, no meat, no nuts, just vegetables and fruit to cleanse the system... dunno why i feel like that, but it's difficult for me to not do what my body tells me to do.

since your cutting challenge is almost up, i guess i could join in with you on it for the next 2.5 weeks! although, i highly doubt i would change much, i'd be willing to help yah out however you want.

i'm not a huge meat eater, although there are times where i will eat like 3lbs of meat in a single meal (usually on weekends). normally during the week, i watch what i eat, eat healthy fruits+vegetables, powerbars, and low-fat items... then come friday evening-sunday, it's eat whatever i can get my hands on... it's sort of a reward for being "good" during the week.

how's your diet like? i like chicken, but i prefer fish.

Smith

I don't mind the inconsistancy! bulking/cutting/maintaining is pretty much all a nice change of pace for me... doesn't really matter what I do, because as long as I stay healthy and fit, I don't care what I do.

Your diet is pretty choke-loaded with chicken/chicken and more chicken! I don't know if i could eat so much chicken at one time! but then again, I eat lots of fish, so maybe our roles are reversed...

Usually, I wake up to 2 slices of toast... workout for an hour (run, pushups, then crunches, or reverse the order), then eat a powerbar. around noon, I'll eat a salad (cabbage/lettuce/spring mix/spinach or whatever's on sale! + canned corn + tuna + some dressing). around 2 hours later, I'll have an apple, grapes, watermelon, or whatever else is in season. Then another 2 hours later, i'll eat some more fruit. Then dinner, which is usually a salad like before or some rice+curry. 2 hours later, you guessed it -- more fruit. Probably a beer or two (or sake or 2 shots of hard liquor) in between my before-bed meal. Then before I go to sleep, i'll eat some more fruit or a powerbar.

Pretty much all day long, i'm eating eating eating. I don't eat lots of meat during the week, but then again, it's probably why I'm not The Rock. I'm not into looking great as I am keeping fit. It's more important to me to be able to run 2 miles in 12:10 than to be able to bench 300 lbs.

You don't even want to see my weekend eating schedule, lol.

I usually have plenty of energy to do whatever workout I need to do with lots of intensity.

I'll try to cut this week and over the next few weeks to keep your inspitation up! Good luck, Good job already, and should we set a schedule in which to post pictures?

Smith-

How do you only eat 1 chicken breast a day?! THat's so puny! :) I can devour an entire rotisserie chicken in one sitting on my 'off day.' of course, I'll be so darn full, I probably won't eat for the rest of the day! hahaha! Yes, it's unhealthy to do that, but it's good to mix it up a little and never give your body a chance to adapt.

I know how it is to not to be able to eat regularly. Believe me, I've been there. But now, i just carry around powerbars and fruits (easy snacking items). I know it's expensive on the college budget, so try to think of or prepare during the night before, what you're going to eat the following day and set aside 10-20 minutes making it before going to bed. Sometimes, I carry around PB&J sandwiches, in case I know I won't be able to eat a regular meal. I usually eat a lot more carbs than protein/fats. My diet is probably 15% protein, 75% carbs, and 10% fat.

I do eat a lot of fruit, however, I do it because it's so simple to carry around and the local supermarket over here sells it for so cheap... like, i can literally buy one week's food for around 10-20 bucks, depending on what fruit I decide to eat and what they have on sale. Right now, I'm going through 2-3 lbs of grapes a day, but I'm almost 'graped out.' Will probably go to oranges next. Fruit also provides a good amount of fiber.

You seem to have the nutritional diet science pretty down! I don't know much about it. All I know is eating fruits/vegetables/meats and not much processed food has helped increase my health significantly. There was a time where I ate nothing but ice cream, meat, junk food, and more junk food -- all fried, of course.

About running -- Some people love it, some people hate it. I just find it relaxing, and there are plenty of scenic places here to run (Bay area, California). If you hate it, don't hurt your joints, just bike or do the rowing machine, eliptical machine, or anything else that's cardio-based. You can even skip rope (something I do 1-2x a week in the place of running to mix it up... 5 3 minute rounds, alternating speeds, and type of skipping for 30 second durations). I tore my ACL/MCL/LCL and busted the meniscus in my right knee a few years back, which contributed to my crummy eating habits, and gaining about 35 lbs in 1.5 years... I totally went from being healthy, to being overweight, lazy, a junk food eater, and totally lethargic. I can tell you the story if you want.

Those freaking mice and that cow... HOLY COW (no pun in tended). I don't know how healthy that is, but I'd rather have my meat with some fat for flavor hahaha, although a 30% reduced mutation gene pill wouldn't be too bad ;)

The Rock is pretty ridiculously huge. For me, I'd rather just look like... I dunno... I'm not too into the physical shape of my body, but rather the overall health function. I used to do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing, and tae kwon do, and I LOVE fighting events. It's right up my alley... Seeing a fat guy have more stamina, power, and win a fight against a roided up muscle head always makes me laugh... Also, look at lance armstrong -- the dude's skinny and weak looking, but his VOX would make most gym rats cry like little girls... To me, that's what being healthy is all about, although being cut is good for confidence, and more importantly, getting the girls ;)

I'll try to post pictures every two weeks, until the deadline is reached.

Good luck with all your progress, and hope you reach your goals!

pic of my bulking progress

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTg2MTU1NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

Well I've been getting my ass kicked by school. Tests for the last two weeks and another one next week. I've achieved maintenance at best. I'm still hittin the weights hard though. I love it. I'm so close (215) to two plates (225) on a parallell squat. I'm sure I could push it out if I did less of the lighter sets, but either way, it feels good to progress. I just wish I could bench my bodyweight now. I usually use (2x65) dumbbells cuz I don't have a spot. Olympic Bar benching and benching dumbbells are completely different animals, in my opinion atleast.

I couldn't access your pic, it says thanks for stealing our bandwidth.

As for the chicken breast thing, I eat only 1 per day by splitting it in half and cutting it up. I use half for a chicken salad sandwich and half with some beans, veges, and rice. I'm still downing 160g minimum of protein per day so I'm I'm not hurting.

What's up! I thought a hurricane got you or something! :) Good luck on them tests... You'll ace them :)

http://images.ofoto.com/photos840/4/44/64/20/90/0/90206444406_0_ALB.jpg

I've been bulking up slowly, but it's strange... Every time I eat 3000+ calories on one day, the next day, I practically have to FORCE myself to eat. I'm just not that hungry, and end up eating about 1800-2000 calories. Then by the third day, I can eat almost 3000 again, but then the process repeats, and basically evens itself out to my maintenence caloric intake of about 2200-2400... Any tips? Also, everytime I stop drinking alcohol, my weight drops dramatically... I don't want to drink everynight! Maybe a myoplex shake or two?

Good luck, and glad you're back.