April 2012 TSM: FatLenny

[John Stone]

For the April 2012 Transformation Spotlight I've selected forum member "FatLenny" (Terry). At just 35 years old, Terry was morbidly obese, extremely unhealthy and facing what was certain to be a very short and unhealthy life. When Terry began his transformation he weighed in at a scale-busting 336 pounds. Now, just 1.5 years later, Terry has lost more than 125 pounds of fat, clearly added muscle and is a completely changed man. Now when Terry holds his young daughter he can smile knowing he'll be around to see her grow up and start a family of her own. This is truly a life-changing transformation, and proof that you're never too far gone to change your life.


BEFORE STATS (July 15, 2010):
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 336 pounds
Age 36 years
BMI: 47.5
Estimated BF (based soley on BMI): 49%
Pant size (worn at the hips with a hyooge overhang): 46W 30L


CURRENT STATS:
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 210 pounds
Age: 37 years
BMI: 30.1
Estimated BF: 20-21%
Pant size (worn at the waist(!)): 32W 30L



BEFORE/CURRENT PICTURES:











Why did you decide to make a transformation?
The trigger was an online longevity test I took on http://www.bluezones.com/ that told me I would likely make it to 40 alive, but not much further. My wife had just given me our first child and I was 35 years old. I didn't like the idea of not even getting to see my daughter in kindergarten, much less missing the rest of her life (and mine). I had already quit smoking (2 packs/day), so it just seemed like the right progression.



What sort of planning did you do before you started?
I didn't really do a lot of planning. I've never been great at that end of things. I am better at getting an idea and throwing myself at it full force. After some trial and error, I usually formulate a plan based on what is working and what isn't. There wasn't anything different about losing weight to me.



What were your initial goals?
I started with a simple number. I wanted to weight less than 200 pounds. I didn't factor in anything else. Body fat levels were something I hadn't even considered and didn't think about for months to come. I just knew that the last time I felt physically capable was in college and I remembered being about 200 pounds. Body weight below 200 was high school and earlier for me, so of course I figured that would be where I needed to aim if I was going to get anywhere.



What was your diet and supplement intake like?
My diet has been and still is a work in progress. I've experimented with a lot of different ideas and some things stuck with me others were just fun to try. I started with a pseudo paleo style diet that is outlined in a book. The diet was called the Slow Carb Diet and was centered around lean meats, cruciferous veggies and legumes (hence the pseudo). I've done bodybuilding style diets with 6 meals per day and the classic 40/40/20 macro split. I've tried high fat, high protein macro distributions and have been using Lyle McDonald's ideas of flexible dieting through a lot of those other programs. Right now I'm toying with Intermittent Fasting and considering moving into carb and calorie cycling at some point this year.

The thing that has worked the best for me is logging my food. I don't think any of the programs got much different results than another up to this point, but I do know that weighing, tracking and analyzing the things I eat has given me power over food instead of the reverse.

As far as supplements are concerned, I have enjoyed much success with whole foods. I am taking 2g of fish oil, 5000 I.U. of Vitamin D and a multivitamin right now and occasionally take a magnesium, calcium and zinc supplement for better sleep and recovery. I've done the protein shake thing before, but I tend to overdo liquid calories, and even protein will reverse weight loss if you drink enough of it.



What was your training like?
Haphazard at best. Like everything else, I dive in headfirst without checking if there is water in the pool first. There have only been two well known programs that I've followed to a degree. Stronglifts 5x5 and 5/3/1 interested me, but I tweaked them to my liking every time.

The biggest thing that has stayed the same in my training throughout the entire transformation is compound and multi-compound movements. Those lifts are the core of every routine I've done, pardon the pun (and the rhyme). I deadlift, squat, press, clean, snatch, row, walk and throw at every opportunity. My favorites are probably the loaded carries. I can't really explain what it feels like to hug 100 pounds or heave it above your head and walk a few hundred feet with it. It really is something everyone should at least try.



What obstacles did you encounter, and how did you overcome them?
The toughest obstacle for me was people... especially the people closest to me. It seems like the closer they were, the harder they fought against the changes I was making. Change is hard for everybody, and I understand that. I think people are afraid that if you achieve something good, you might decide you deserve a better place in life and might disappear from theirs. To me, the changes I made were made to make my place in life better, not to allow me to find a better place.

I can't say how I overcame that obstacle for sure. I still struggle with it. Some days I feel like it would be easier to just sit down and stuff myself... and it would. It isn't what I want, and I have to remind myself that I am NOT doing this for anybody, but me. If they won't get behind me, to hell with them. They'll have to deal with it. I'm not going anywhere (but I am getting smaller).





How has your life changed?
Uhhh..

Wow.

How hasn't it? I can see my knees without sitting down. I can tie my shoes without holding my breathe or stopping to take a breather after tightening the laces and before I tied them. I can go up at least 1 flight of stairs without breathing hard. I can chase my almost 2 year old around the house for hours... and do it some more when she looks at me and says. "one more time?"

For crying out loud, everything is different.



How did John Stone Fitness and/or the JSF Forums help you?
Resources. There are so many good sticky threads here and so many amazing, supportive and informative people here... I can't begin to say how much experience and knowledge I've gained and been able to share with others from what I've found on JSF. There really is a lot of information out there (especially on the web), but what we have here is human. That is 100% essential in the process.

If you don't have a few good humans that can root for your or share the experience, everything becomes incrementally more difficult.



What advice would you offer to others?
Don't be afraid to try things. If you are unsure of what you should do, be sure that you should do something. Put your whole heart and soul into it and when you look back, think about your results and make some changes to get the results you want. Listen to your body. Surprisingly enough, it will tell you and show you what works if you pay attention.



What are your future plans?
I am going to take over the world and cure cancer.

Seriously? Plans? What did I say about that earlier?

Maybe I'll go for 10% BF or try to find a way to lose the dang loose skin on my abdomen...



Any closing thoughts?
Get up off your duff and do something!

why are you still reading? I mean it... go...



Congratulations on your incredible, life-changing transformation, Terry! You're an inspiration to us all. Welcome to the "100 Club"!

Reminder: I’m always looking for TSM nominations. If you, or someone you know, has made a successful transformation, please contact me and let me know about it!

[paulo_drummer]

What can I say? The word AMAZING seems so small in the context...

As already pointed out in your journal, you need to get a new member name.

Thanks for sharing, you really inspire me!

[scohen158]

Congrats you help keep me motivated that maybe this time next year I can be a TSM here.

[douglasstclair]

Originally Posted by John Stone

To me, the changes I made were made to make my place in life better, not to allow me to find a better place.

Originally Posted by John Stone

It isn't what I want, and I have to remind myself that I am NOT doing this for anybody, but me. If they won't get behind me, to hell with them. They'll have to deal with it.

Well said.

Fantastic results. Only look back when you need to remind yourself why you're continuing to push forward. Congrats!

[Euphonicus]

Congratulations, man. Your transformation is extremely inspiring. Your legs have also gotten simply massive... good work!

[Laneage]

Congrats! Well deservered!

And thanks for the inspiration these recent few months!

[Seltzer]

Terry, congratulations! Extremely well deserved and I'm looking forward to continuing to follow your progress.

On a lighter note I always thought your name really was Lenny.

[Shamie]

Congtatulations. That is an amazing transformation.

[Terps01fan2006]

Wow, thats awesome man. Congrats!

[jmike]

greats man

amazing results

[carguy]

Truly great job you're doing there Terry. What a wonderful gift to yourself and your family. Stay focused!

[rjobel]

Congrats Terry!!!

I´ve been reading the Transformation of the Month for several months now, and now I´m about to start my own transformation. It is inspiring to read this kind of successfull stories.

Regards

[FatLenny]

Originally Posted by paulo_drummer

What can I say? The word AMAZING seems so small in the context...

As already pointed out in your journal, you need to get a new member name.

Thanks for sharing, you really inspire me!

Thanks! I hope I can continue to motivate and inspire you.

Originally Posted by scohen158

Congrats you help keep me motivated that maybe this time next year I can be a TSM here.

Thanks! You can do anything you decide to do. Just decide and put in the work. It is that easy.

Originally Posted by douglasstclair

Fantastic results. Only look back when you need to remind yourself why you're continuing to push forward. Congrats!

Thanks! I find myself looking back more and more often as I push closer to my ultimate goal. I also am finding that as I approach the target I need to have a more precise picture of exactly what the target looks like or else even looking back just doesn't motivate anymore.

Originally Posted by Euphonicus

Congratulations, man. Your transformation is extremely inspiring. Your legs have also gotten simply massive... good work!

Thanks! Since the start, I've actually lost about 5 inches off my thighs... I wonder what I would have lost if I wasn't squatting heavy 4 or 5 times each week.

Originally Posted by Laneage

Congrats! Well deservered!

And thanks for the inspiration these recent few months!

Thanks! I'll always support people who push me, man. Nothing gets accomplished in a vacuum. Now go lift!

Originally Posted by Seltzer

Terry, congratulations! Extremely well deserved and I'm looking forward to continuing to follow your progress.

On a lighter note I always thought your name really was Lenny.

Thanks! My name really is Lenny... sort of. The last name is Lenaghan and some people have been know to shorten it to Lenny, so you're kind of correct... not that it matter.

Originally Posted by Shamie

Congtatulations. That is an amazing transformation.

Thanks, Shamie! I've taken a few things away from your journal, too... I do not like running, but I do it more often than I would thanks to you. Some days I do it just so I can log "dreadmill." That term just makes me crack a smile every time.

Originally Posted by Terps01fan2006

Wow, thats awesome man. Congrats!

Thanks, bud!

Originally Posted by jmike

greats man

amazing results

Thanks! What I think is amazing is that after all this time and all that work, I find myself joining a strength challenge against girls... is this why I worked so hard? I don't know, but we're going to beat those chics for sure!!

Originally Posted by carguy

Truly great job you're doing there Terry. What a wonderful gift to yourself and your family. Stay focused!

Thanks! The real gift I've given to myself. The truth of the matter is that gift is my family. By adding time to my life, I've given myself the opportunity to enjoy my time with the people who love me, especially my wife and daughter.

...and once again, I need to thank John for choosing me out of the droves of worthy and deserving folks on this site. The service offered through this website is truly the gift for all of us. Thank you.

[FatLenny]

Originally Posted by rjobel

Congrats Terry!!!

I´ve been reading the Transformation of the Month for several months now, and now I´m about to start my own transformation. It is inspiring to read this kind of successfull stories.

Regards

Thanks! Good luck in your transformation. I'm glad you decided to start. Now go finish the thing.

[jmike]

Originally Posted by FatLenny

Thanks! What I think is amazing is that after all this time and all that work, I find myself joining a strength challenge against girls... is this why I worked so hard? I don't know, but we're going to beat those chics for sure!!

lol

yeah .. but if CC is any indicator of what we are up against .. it won't be easy

[FatLenny]

Originally Posted by jmike

lol

yeah .. but if CC is any indicator of what we are up against .. it won't be easy

Touche.

[jmike]

i still don't know how you did it

if people around me were eating awesome food and i had to abstain .. i would feel like this dog

[T-1 Sella]

Wow dude...just wow!!! good for you!!!

[Bob T]

Congratulations Lenny! Or Terry...

Well deserved...you have been one of my inspirations since I joined JSF a year ago...

Bob

[user786]

When i saw your progess pics a few months ago , i was thinking a TSM is in the making and YOU GOT it .
Congrats and big well done to you ,inspirational. looking great and
Awsome legs .

Freddy