My weight loss transformation (A work in progress)

damn I gained 4 lbs....bodyfat is still 9% on normal mode and 10% on athlete.

Must be sodium intake...was 160 yesterday, was 159.5 the day before. Parents bought pizza....2 whole pizza's of thai chicken pizza (spicy pepper) from papa murphys, ahd 2 slices, pita bread with small amount of feta cheese, another small pita with a little feta, and some whole wheat naan bread, 2 muffins were the main contributers. I had checked the claories it wasn't that out of line...I'm guessing 2500..while bodyfat has stayed the same.

Must be sodium. I have to get back on track. It's difficult sometimes when everytime I open the fridge I see 2 pizza's....ugh....
 
I hate this new video but, oh well.(stupid loose skin! makes me look fat in the beginning) Here's a collaboration of videos I made from 16% bodyfat, down to 9%. Each one is at a different bodyfat %. If you look at the first one (4 months ago), and the latest one (today), I think there is a noticable difference.

Can see all of them here if you feel like it:
 
Spark, your transformation is just really incredible :]

I hope to look half as good as you in the coming months. All the exercise in the world won't fix the loose skin issues I'm seeing on myself already though. It just plain sucks and I know how you feel.

I don't believe I've read what your plans are regarding your loose skin, but I think you're on a pretty good path to avoid any kind of surgery. It certainly seems that way just by judging from your pics and videos.

You really shouldn't hate anything about your video updates - you look friggin' awesome man :D
 
Iain1974 said:
Looking good. May I ask what device you use to measure your bodyfat? I use a handheld by Omron which gives 11-14% or bathroom scales which gives 18%.
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I use an omron as well. I've heard different opinions on them, but i think they are one of the most accurate ways commercially available . I talked to my doctor about them being accurate and she told me they are, along with the gym I go to uses them, as well as from what I've heard on reviews. The bathroom scales I don't think are as accurate. I've heard skin calipers are more accurate, I've been wanting to use these, but with the amount of loose skin I have, I do not think they would be that accurate.

There are other methods, x ray spectrometry, underwater, much more accurate but very expensive.

The most important thing is to be consistent. I bought an OMRON 306 and I use it first thing when I wake up. It's always consistent. When I was at 16%, it was consistent too. Gradually, I've seen it go down. Take it at the same time every day and you should get the most consistent results.
 
Hey Spark the last couple of days I've been feeling pretty depressed because even though I'm losing weight I still look fat In the mirror =(

I think It could be due to loose skin but I'm not sure =( I still have 13lb to go until i hit my goal of 140lb.

I'm hoping that in a few months after i have gained a little more lean mass from the gym I will look better and be happier.

Do you ever have days when you still feel and look fat? If so how do you deal with them?
 
I assure you, at that weight, for your height, you're very thin. It's skin my friend. How much have you lost total? And, I always feel fat. People tell me I'm not, but I do. It's because of the stupid loose skin. Judging from your last picture on your back, you have no love handles. You should test your bodyfat. I bet its pretty darn low.

It's a terrible feeling. I have to constantly remind myself I'm not fat, and I look good, and that seems to sometimes help. But it's soemthing I struggle with daily. You're not alone my friend. Don't get depressed. When I get depressed, I imagine myself after surgery or when the skin tightens up, looking even better.
 
SparkErosion said:
I assure you, at that weight, for your height, you're very thin. It's skin my friend. How much have you lost total? And, I always feel fat. People tell me I'm not, but I do. It's because of the stupid loose skin. Judging from your last picture on your back, you have no love handles. You should test your bodyfat. I bet its pretty darn low.

It's a terrible feeling. I have to constantly remind myself I'm not fat, and I look good, and that seems to sometimes help. But it's soemthing I struggle with daily. You're not alone my friend. Don't get depressed. When I get depressed, I imagine myself after surgery or when the skin tightens up, looking even better.
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Over all I have lost around 99lb I still think I have quite a bit of body fat left but I'm hoping that starts to go once i gain lean mass in the gym. In the mirror this morning i didn't look to bad so i might have just been a bit bloated.

Even though you're a little bit bigger than me i think you're looking much better because of the amount of lean mass you have.
 
@The_Fat_Gamer,

Can I now call you The Slim Gamer? The US army recommended weight for 5'7'' (ideal weight) is 169. This is most likely with some muscle mass too. But, your BMI is normal, even if you had no muscle mass (which you do have a good amount), your weight is well within the healthy range. So, you shouldn't have much fat, very little. I know I still feel fat, because of the loose skin. It really looks and mimicks fats, and its dangerous because it can make you think you're fat when you're not. So becareful.

What's your weight at now?

If you go to the gym, ask to see if they have an body fat analyzer. Hopefully it's a good brand like Omron. Tanika isn't as good...but it doesn't hurt to try.
 
Today I was 159.0 lbs...and it said 8.5% on normal mode. So, I'm not sure why bodyfat is dropping. First time it's been consistently below 9%. I'll keep testing it and see if it stays there.

Here's a photo from the front. I'm always so afraid to take photo's from the front, I feel I look terrible due to the loose skin. It's not the best angle. anyway.

21745690.jpg
 
SparkErosion said:
@The_Fat_Gamer,

Can I now call you The Slim Gamer? The US army recommended weight for 5'7'' (ideal weight) is 169. This is most likely with some muscle mass too. But, your BMI is normal, even if you had no muscle mass (which you do have a good amount), your weight is well within the healthy range. So, you shouldn't have much fat, very little. I know I still feel fat, because of the loose skin. It really looks and mimicks fats, and its dangerous because it can make you think you're fat when you're not. So becareful.

What's your weight at now?

If you go to the gym, ask to see if they have an body fat analyzer. Hopefully it's a good brand like Omron. Tanika isn't as good...but it doesn't hurt to try.
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You can call me that if you like :blush5:
I'm going to the gym around 10am tomorrow I am currently 153lb and am losing on average 2lb a week. I have been thinking about maybe upping my calorie in take a bit now that I'm working out. This might help in developing lean mass. What is your opinion on this?
 
The_Fat_Gamer said:
You can call me that if you like :blush5:
I'm going to the gym around 10am tomorrow I am currently 153lb and am losing on average 2lb a week. I have been thinking about maybe upping my calorie in take a bit now that I'm working out. This might help in developing lean mass. What is your opinion on this?
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153 lbs...damn. Remember you're 5'7'' and a guy, most places I went to/people I talked to recommended 160. When I went to the gym, they told me to get down to 170 when I was thinking of personal training sign up. They figured 160 + 10 lbs of muscle mass. Of course, I doubt they're experts or anything, but it gives you something to think about.

I don't think you should lose anymore weight. Certainly what you have left is loose skin. I think you should increase your calorie intake and bulk up to 163.

If you can do this, by eating right (this is very important), with calorie surplus, you will GAIN lean muscle mass, while reducing your bodyfat. This is the "bulk" cycle. After this, you can lose the weight again to 153. This will lower your bodyfat more (as far as I know) but remain/keep more of the muscle.

It's not going to be easy. In fact, I haven't done it myself, even though I'd like to look better and fill out my chest and abs more from the loose skin, because I'm not sure I want to gain weight - I'm afraid I may gain it all back. Also, that's not the real concern for me. The real concern for me is losing it again. It took me forever to lose the last 10 lbs. Losing it again will take some SERIOUS work and I'm not sure if it's worth it for me.

It's a risk, but it will pay off incredibly if you can do it.

This is how bodybuilders get to such low body fat. It's important to do as much free weights as possible, and to increase the weight per set each time.

Also, can you update your picture in the thread? I want to see :)
 
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How often did you do cardio when you weighed 172 pounds?

I have reached another weight loss plateau at 172 pounds. My goal is 160 pounds. I have upped my calorie intake in last couple of weeks. I think that I am overdoing the cardio.

Like last week, I did 3 continuous days, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, of burning around 840 calories by doing an hour on the stationary bike and 30 mins on the elliptical. On Wednesday, I did a 15 min jog @ 5mph. I did an hour of stationary bike on friday burning around 500 calories and 30 mins of elliptical yesterday.

I am doing weight lifting again for last 2 weeks and think that I might be over doing the cardio part.

What was your cardio frequency when you weighed 172 pounds?
 
monterey01 said:
I have reached another weight loss plateau at 172 pounds. My goal is 160 pounds. I have upped my calorie intake in last couple of weeks. I think that I am overdoing the cardio.

Like last week, I did 3 continuous days, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, of burning around 840 calories by doing an hour on the stationary bike and 30 mins on the elliptical. On Wednesday, I did a 15 min jog @ 5mph. I did an hour of stationary bike on friday burning around 500 calories and 30 mins of elliptical yesterday.

I am doing weight lifting again for last 2 weeks and think that I might be over doing the cardio part.

What was your cardio frequency when you weighed 172 pounds?
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When I was around that weight, I also hit a pleatau. Main thing first is to change your eating 100%. Lots of veggies, fruit, nuts, legumes, fish, lean meat, limit red meat if you can.

I usually had 1 cheat day. Where as, I'd eat one meal of junk food. Not go crazy, (still stayed within reason of calories), but wasn't nearly as strict.

I did extremely high intensity, but short, cardio. Whenever I needed to drop weight fast this did it again and again. You do extreme cardio, get your heartrate up to 85-95% of your max heart rate. The other day I did this and my heart rate was 99%. I think that is too high. But, try and get around 90%.

You can do different things. I usually run since it gives me a better workout than biking . (Since I'm used to biking, its alot easier). Run as FAST as you can for 1 minute, give it your all. Everything you got. Then walk for 1 minute, then do it AGAIN as fast as you possibly can, like you're running for your life, for 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 15 mins with 5 minute cool down. This sometimes gave me such a workout I almost threw up.


Combine that with your diet, and it'll work wonders.

Oh, if you haven't done so already, change your weight lifting routine a bit too, that may help as well. Change things up every now and then.
 
SparkErosion said:
When I was around that weight, I also hit a pleatau. Main thing first is to change your eating 100%. Lots of veggies, fruit, nuts, legumes, fish, lean meat, limit red meat if you can.

I usually had 1 cheat day. Where as, I'd eat one meal of junk food. Not go crazy, (still stayed within reason of calories), but wasn't nearly as strict.

I did extremely high intensity, but short, cardio. Whenever I needed to drop weight fast this did it again and again. You do extreme cardio, get your heartrate up to 85-95% of your max heart rate. The other day I did this and my heart rate was 99%. I think that is too high. But, try and get around 90%.

You can do different things. I usually run since it gives me a better workout than biking . (Since I'm used to biking, its alot easier). Run as FAST as you can for 1 minute, give it your all. Everything you got. Then walk for 1 minute, then do it AGAIN as fast as you possibly can, like you're running for your life, for 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 15 mins with 5 minute cool down. This sometimes gave me such a workout I almost threw up.


Combine that with your diet, and it'll work wonders.

Oh, if you haven't done so already, change your weight lifting routine a bit too, that may help as well. Change things up every now and then.
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Thanks Sparks for the comments. I will attempt HIIT. My diet is pretty clean. Lean meats ,lot of veggies and usually brown bread. Have white bread for falaffel or chicken shawarma sometimes.

Hopefully at 160 pounds my double chin chin. I still have a double chin and belly is pretty pronounced.

I really like not to have the double chin but I will see. The last 15 pounds is pretty hard to lose.
 
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