I've hit a brick wall (WITH PHOTO's)

[iEKOS]

Hello family.. I need some guidance please. I've read too much and now totally confused.

I think I've hit a brick wall. I'm being brave and posting some photo's. Don't laugh too much:

Age: 37
Weight: 176 pounds / 80 kg
Height: 5,5
Workout: 5-6 days a week for estimated 1hr intense weights. Started hard on Cardio today as well (30-40min) then weights.
Gym since: 10 months.
Body Fat: 24%
Diet: I'd say I'm eating well. I don't eat crap hence the weight loss.










I now want to keep loosing weight and continue my transformation by building muscle. My diet needs to be checked hence why I'm here. I also want find out what my body likes and what times I need to eat to ensure I loose fat and gain muscle. Someone mentioned working out my TDe's or something. How do I work that out etc. Grrrr I''m lost.

Thank you.

PS. oh and I'm getting bored of eating the same things

[Khazima]

Great job so far man! massive difference between those photos.

Slow and steady wins the race, your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure and you can find this out by using a TDEE calculator from google. I personally like this one TDEE Calculator

Once you get your estimated TDEE track you calories (i like to use the app 'myfitnesspal' to do this' and eat at your recommended TDEE for a few weeks to see if it's your real maintenance (maintenance is gaining no weight and losing no weight) then eat 300-500 calories less, the slower the cut the more chance you'll have to hold onto muscle, but generally speaking building muscle is a losing battle while trying to lose fat at the same time.

Don't worry about eating times and what foods, just eat clean, train hard and hit your macros. (1-1.5g protein per pound of LBM (lean body mass, your weight minus your bodyfat %) .4-.6g fat per pound of LBM and the rest of your macros carbs).

Hope this helps.

[iEKOS]

Don't worry about eating times and what foods, just eat clean, train hard and hit your macros. (1-1.5g protein per pound of LBM (lean body mass, your weight minus your bodyfat %) .4-.6g fat per pound of LBM and the rest of your macros carbs).

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your reply but you lost me totally on macros? What is this? Where can I find out more unless someone wants to explain?

[Khazima]

Thank you for your reply but you lost me totally on macros? What is this? Where can I find out more unless someone wants to explain?

Macros are your macronutrient requirements/your protein, carbs and fats. These will make up your total calories;

Protein - 4 calories
Carbohydrates - 4 calories
Fats - 9 calories

If you just get the app myfitnesspal and plug in your details it'll basically give you a good macro ratio. Once you've done that report back here and i can let you know if anything needs tweaking.

[iEKOS]

Hey again.

I've been using myfitnesspal for a few days now. What do you want to know on there. I have yesterday's daily complete. Its shows the following:





This is from my Vivosmart with Heart Rate Monitor during my workout (Cross Training and Weights):

[kelkel]

Great progress! Imagine how you'll look in another year!

[iEKOS]

Great progress! Imagine how you'll look in another year!

As good as you I hope, so i can take a photo with you and not be embarrassed

[probuild42]

Nice work. I have been where you are/were at my self. Good advice above. I remember feeling stuck. I lost weight and put on size quick in my first year. Then I hit a wall. Was tired and my strength stopped increasing. My problem was I was starving myself. So I started counting my macros, weighing my food and dialing in my calorie input. It took time but has been well worth the results. Take it one day at a time. Track your results over weeks and months, not daily. Are bodys (at least mine) adjust slowly to change the further I progress.

This last year has been amazing. I find myself struggling to eat enough food to grow. Haha never thought I would have that problem.

Again great job and keep pushing forward!

[iEKOS]

Nice work. I have been where you are/were at my self. Good advice above. I remember feeling stuck. I lost weight and put on size quick in my first year. Then I hit a wall. Was tired and my strength stopped increasing. My problem was I was starving myself. So I started counting my macros, weighing my food and dialing in my calorie input. It took time but has been well worth the results. Take it one day at a time. Track your results over weeks and months, not daily. Are bodys (at least mine) adjust slowly to change the further I progress.

This last year has been amazing. I find myself struggling to eat enough food to grow. Haha never thought I would have that problem.

Again great job and keep pushing forward!

You know, maybe thats what it is? I'm scared of putting the weight back on and not eating enough calories. My strength has been crap of late and i kept moaning about it to my gym partner. My daily intake is by average 1000 cals less then what my fitness pal claims.

Emmm.. something I need to investigate on. But I'm worried I'm gona pile it back on ???

[Coco C.]

You know, maybe thats what it is? I'm scared of putting the weight back on and not eating enough calories. My strength has been crap of late and i kept moaning about it to my gym partner. My daily intake is by average 1000 cals less then what my fitness pal claims. Emmm.. something I need to investigate on. But I'm worried I'm gona pile it back on ???

I had this exact conversation with my trainer yesterday. I don't eat enough. I need more carbs in my diet to help my muscles grow, he says.
This idea is sooo beyond my level of understanding cause I've always known carbs to increase fat!
We tweaked my meal plan and I will admit I'm having a hard time eating all that is required. It's just too much food.

It's all a learning process. I'm just glad I found a site where I can read and share with folks that have "been there, done that".

And I must say...Ah-Mazing transformation my friend! I will have to share your pics with my husband, in an effort to get him off the sofa!
I'm rooting for you! I am Team iEKOS!!

[Lifted1]

congrats on your progress brotha you've come a long way already!

just eat something every 2~3 hours...meal, healthy snack, protien, etc, keep working hard in the gym 5~6 days per week and over time the results will show. think about how long it took to get where you were and know it will take time to burn it all off.

look in the "what are you eating now" thread for some healthy food/snack ideas.

[Khazima]

Hey again.

I've been using myfitnesspal for a few days now. What do you want to know on there. I have yesterday's daily complete. Its shows the following:





This is from my Vivosmart with Heart Rate Monitor during my workout (Cross Training and Weights):

So the vivosmart device had an estimated 3800 calories burnt for the day?

If 1500 was your total calories that's far to little, i cut from 160lb with 2300. Start to slowly introduce some calories back into your diet. I need to see what your macros are as well, if you go to the nutrition option in the menu bar it has a page where it lists all your macro and micronutrients, the important ones are you protein, carbs and fats.

Your fats seem way too low at only 10% of your diet, 15g of fat could be absolutely critical to your hormones and effect your weight loss negatively. Never go below 60g of fat IMO (just a cookie cutter number) especially for a larger man.

Try slowly adding calories, 100 every 4 days for starters, and start with 10g of fat every 4-5 days (90 calories) then once you're at 60g of fats a day slowly add in carbs, 20g every 3-4 days. Protein looks fine. It's a slow and tedious process but will be worth it for the end result. remember, it's a marathon not a sprint.

[iEKOS]

So the vivosmart device had an estimated 3800 calories burnt for the day?

If 1500 was your total calories that's far to little, i cut from 160lb with 2300. Start to slowly introduce some calories back into your diet. I need to see what your macros are as well, if you go to the nutrition option in the menu bar it has a page where it lists all your macro and micronutrients, the important ones are you protein, carbs and fats.

Your fats seem way too low at only 10% of your diet, 15g of fat could be absolutely critical to your hormones and effect your weight loss negatively. Never go below 60g of fat IMO (just a cookie cutter number) especially for a larger man.

Try slowly adding calories, 100 every 4 days for starters, and start with 10g of fat every 4-5 days (90 calories) then once you're at 60g of fats a day slowly add in carbs, 20g every 3-4 days. Protein looks fine. It's a slow and tedious process but will be worth it for the end result. remember, it's a marathon not a sprint.

OK, got it. Will start that tomorrow. Thank you.
I was scared of adding fats to my diet but I will follow what your asking and take it slow. Yes I do seem to have lost strength when lifting and someone simply said: 'your not eating enough or not eating right'. I'm desperate to get my diet right. I'm sick of worrying what to eat and what not too with a constant panic of 'ohh can't eat too much'. This fitnesspal seems to be helping though I still panic.

On another note... Calories burn seems high cause I'm pushing hard on Cardio since yesterday (30min estimated) and continuing pushing heavy weights as much as I can (45min to 1hr). I'm in pain but I want to continue. To burn off the fat ready to bulk, I assume its ok for me to continue this? I'm also scared of buring what I've gained (muscle), so shall I change to cross train and steep walk on treadmill long and slow burn or run as much as I can (though I do find that hard, panting / hard breathing ex smoker)? Sorry, soo many question I have boiling in my head (gulp).

PS. Happy New Year to you all

[Khazima]

OK, got it. Will start that tomorrow. Thank you.
I was scared of adding fats to my diet but I will follow what your asking and take it slow. Yes I do seem to have lost strength when lifting and someone simply said: 'your not eating enough or not eating right'. I'm desperate to get my diet right. I'm sick of worrying what to eat and what not too with a constant panic of 'ohh can't eat too much'. This fitnesspal seems to be helping though I still panic.

On another note... Calories burn seems high cause I'm pushing hard on Cardio since yesterday (30min estimated) and continuing pushing heavy weights as much as I can (45min to 1hr). I'm in pain but I want to continue. To burn off the fat ready to bulk, I assume its ok for me to continue this? I'm also scared of buring what I've gained (muscle), so shall I change to cross train and steep walk on treadmill long and slow burn or run as much as I can (though I do find that hard, panting / hard breathing ex smoker)? Sorry, soo many question I have boiling in my head (gulp).

PS. Happy New Year to you all

Happy new year to you too

I'd say do cardio every other day after your weight sessions. Too much work will lead to you burning out, you need to let your body rest and recover. So cardio every other day and weights 4-5x a week.

HIIT is my favorite for cardio, but tbh on my cut i just did 20 mins on the stationary bike EOD (every other day) or so at 160bpm (80% max heart rate) to burn 200 or so calories which would add to the 300 calorie deficit i was using.

I'm happy to answer any questions you have and i'm sure others are too because you're happy to learn and take advice, that's why a lot of us are here to learn and share knowledge, only time lots of questions gets annoying is when people don't want to take advice.

[iEKOS]

Macros as requested:



To complete this conversation, I'd like an idea of what my diet should look like. I mean the types of food. I don't eat crap but I eat the same nearly every day and I'm getting fed up. This is what i eat realistic:

Breakfast
Special K cereal with semi skimmed milk (green) around 60g to 100g.
3/4 eggs boiled with yalk.

Lunch
2x medium jacket potato with cottage cheese and tuna
or
1x chicken tortilla wrap & 1x beef tortilla wrap

Pre-workout - 1hrs or 2hrs before the gym - around 4pm
Special K cereal with semi skimmed milk (green) around 60g to 100g.
Banana - sometimes
Spoon of peanut butter (no added sugar).
Black coffee.

Post workout
Amino acid tablets x2 1500mg
USN hardcore whey protein

Dinner - After the gym around 8pm/10pm
Steamed chicken and veggies
or
1x chicken tortilla wrap & 1x beef tortilla wrap
or a full grilled chicken.


Yep, I still feel hungry after the gym and I end up eating more cereal and peanut butter. I also have IGF Titan protein anytime shake, which I try to take instead.

I know this diet aint right. I just feel it. But I don't know what else to do. I feel soooo frustrated!!!

Being totally honest, after loosing all this weight, I'm sooo scared of putting it back on, I end up going hungry. I'm scared of eating too many carbs and fats but I can't also help eating cereal that tends to fill me up for a short time but I certainly feel bloated and hate the idea of too many carbs. I want to try brown rice with chicken but isn't them carbs going to make my belly stick out again? Grrrrrr I hate this soo much. I want to eat right soooo bad.

Please tell me what I should eat. Just an idea would be great. I will follow a given guide any day. Just need you to tell me and help me work out what I should eat. Something new to eat too lol.

Thanks again and apologies for my rant.

[Khazima]

Macros as requested:



To complete this conversation, I'd like an idea of what my diet should look like. I mean the types of food. I don't eat crap but I eat the same nearly every day and I'm getting fed up. This is what i eat realistic:

Breakfast
Special K cereal with semi skimmed milk (green) around 60g to 100g.
3/4 eggs boiled with yalk.

Lunch
2x medium jacket potato with cottage cheese and tuna
or
1x chicken tortilla wrap & 1x beef tortilla wrap

Pre-workout - 1hrs or 2hrs before the gym - around 4pm
Special K cereal with semi skimmed milk (green) around 60g to 100g.
Banana - sometimes
Spoon of peanut butter (no added sugar).
Black coffee.

Post workout
Amino acid tablets x2 1500mg
USN hardcore whey protein

Dinner - After the gym around 8pm/10pm
Steamed chicken and veggies
or
1x chicken tortilla wrap & 1x beef tortilla wrap
or a full grilled chicken.


Yep, I still feel hungry after the gym and I end up eating more cereal and peanut butter. I also have IGF Titan protein anytime shake, which I try to take instead.

I know this diet aint right. I just feel it. But I don't know what else to do. I feel soooo frustrated!!!

Being totally honest, after loosing all this weight, I'm sooo scared of putting it back on, I end up going hungry. I'm scared of eating too many carbs and fats but I can't also help eating cereal that tends to fill me up for a short time but I certainly feel bloated and hate the idea of too many carbs. I want to try brown rice with chicken but isn't them carbs going to make my belly stick out again? Grrrrrr I hate this soo much. I want to eat right soooo bad.

Please tell me what I should eat. Just an idea would be great. I will follow a given guide any day. Just need you to tell me and help me work out what I should eat. Something new to eat too lol.

Thanks again and apologies for my rant.

The foods you're eating are good, there's a few threads on here with good recipes and healthy foods. Personally i advocate flexible dieting as long as you're hitting your macros. So 80-90% of my foods will be healthy, whole foods and the other 10-20% is whatever i feel like. Helps keep me sane.

I realize it's a scary though putting the weight back on but in the long term reverse dieting is going to speed up the process and make it more bearable. Slowly start introducing fats then carbs into your diet until you gain a tiny bit of weight, 10-20g of each every 4-5 days. Chances are if you've hit a wall right now that you'll start to lose weight as you start to eat more!

[tarmyg]

The reverse dieting advice is spot on in my opinion. I would recommend this as it is an awesome book on the subject: http://www.biolayne.com/news/new-rev...now-available/

[iEKOS]

Ok, i shall report back in a few month. Thank you for your time. Really appreciated.

[Rida5d]

Sorry to ask and hijacking your thread but have u problems NOW with loose skin after all that weight loss?

Great job , keep up the good work..

[GirlyGymRat]

Ok, i shall report back in a few month. Thank you for your time. Really appreciated.

Would you consider starting a log in this subforum so that you can post more frequently?

[bass]

that's motivating and inspiring! congratulations man, great progress! you got good advice above and like Kel said, you will look much better within a year from now. keep up the good work.

[RaginCajun]

Ok, i shall report back in a few month. Thank you for your time. Really appreciated.

logging in everyday helps me out a bunch.

[Coco C.]

Sorry to ask and hijacking your thread but have u problems NOW with loose skin after all that weight loss? Great job , keep up the good work..

Excellent question.
I've been wondering the same thing.

In the chance that he may have loose skin, would it be possible to tighten the skin through diet and exercise/strength training? Or would it have to be removed by surgery?

I too apologize for hijacking your thread.
Curiosity got the best of me.

[Khazima]

Excellent question.
I've been wondering the same thing.

In the chance that he may have loose skin, would it be possible to tighten the skin through diet and exercise/strength training? Or would it have to be removed by surgery?

I too apologize for hijacking your thread.
Curiosity got the best of me.

Depends on the severity, some peoples can get somewhat better through diet and supplementation as well as skin care products etc but if you've come from say 250lb to 150lb you're going to need surgery.

[iEKOS]

Hi and thank you all.. Yes, I can certainly keep a log and report in. Might not be daily but I will endeavor to try regular, like once a week.

YES, I have loose skin. Around the chest and mainly on the lower belly. It does bug me a little but I'm more focused on packing muscle and loosing more fat (more tone). I could be wrong but I read that the more you loose with good exerciser, the skin will tighten with you. And it also depends on how fast you lost it.

History of why (if anyone is curious), and starting from the beginning 10 month ago: I hope this motivates more people to get off their ass!!

I stated my journey with a no carbs, full on protein ketogenic diet (zero sugar). It was an extreme measure for two reasons. 1. I went to the doctors complaining of kidney pain, lower back pain, psoriasis getting out of control and generally feeling like shit, always fighting with people at work and home (mood swings) and couldn't be bothered doing anything with the family (day out, meals etc).
The doctor happens to by a good friend and asked me to go through a full blood panel. About three to four days later, he asked me to come in.

I will never forget what he said: Your going to die if you continue you f'in idiot.
A: I was diabetic, more tests needed but he was 99% certain.
B: My back hurt due to kidneys. It had allot of fat surrounding them.
C: Psoriasis was going mad due to the amount of sugar in my diet.
D: I was obviously obese and what comes next was heart disease. (I was 224 pounds)
E: And this is what made me push for a change: He said, at this rate, I don't think your going to see your 3 year old boy grow up see him graduate / get married etc. (That killed me).

I had enough. I was sick and tired of feeling sorry for my self and feeling like I couldn't do it. I finally wanted to feel good. I want to feel like I can run, breath, do things with my kids and also, look awesome. More than anything, I wanted my kids to be proud of me and some day tell their friends or anyone infact "look, that's my dad".

So, I had to deal with it head on. IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD AND IT WAS TIME TO RETRAIN MY BRAIN. So here I am.

Ya know what, I'll start a new thread to log? Or shall I continue here? Opinions please..

[RaginCajun]

Have you had your hormones checked?

[iEKOS]

Have you had your hormones checked?

Not yet. I see where your going with this. I'll make an appointment with the doc. Lets see.

[iEKOS]

Would you consider starting a log in this subforum so that you can post more frequently?

Yep, i don't mind if it helps others. How and where. Not sure what you mean with subforum? Shall I start a new thread?

[Khazima]

Hi and thank you all.. Yes, I can certainly keep a log and report in. Might not be daily but I will endeavor to try regular, like once a week.

YES, I have loose skin. Around the chest and mainly on the lower belly. It does bug me a little but I'm more focused on packing muscle and loosing more fat (more tone). I could be wrong but I read that the more you loose with good exerciser, the skin will tighten with you. And it also depends on how fast you lost it.

History of why (if anyone is curious), and starting from the beginning 10 month ago: I hope this motivates more people to get off their ass!!

I stated my journey with a no carbs, full on protein ketogenic diet (zero sugar). It was an extreme measure for two reasons. 1. I went to the doctors complaining of kidney pain, lower back pain, psoriasis getting out of control and generally feeling like shit, always fighting with people at work and home (mood swings) and couldn't be bothered doing anything with the family (day out, meals etc).
The doctor happens to by a good friend and asked me to go through a full blood panel. About three to four days later, he asked me to come in.

I will never forget what he said: Your going to die if you continue you f'in idiot.
A: I was diabetic, more tests needed but he was 99% certain.
B: My back hurt due to kidneys. It had allot of fat surrounding them.
C: Psoriasis was going mad due to the amount of sugar in my diet.
D: I was obviously obese and what comes next was heart disease. (I was 224 pounds)
E: And this is what made me push for a change: He said, at this rate, I don't think your going to see your 3 year old boy grow up see him graduate / get married etc. (That killed me).

I had enough. I was sick and tired of feeling sorry for my self and feeling like I couldn't do it. I finally wanted to feel good. I want to feel like I can run, breath, do things with my kids and also, look awesome. More than anything, I wanted my kids proud of me and some day tell their friends or anyone infact "look, that's my dad".

So, I had to deal with it head on. IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD AND IT WAS TIME TO RETRAIN MY BRAIN. So here I am.

Ya know what, I'll start a new thread to log? Or shall I continue here? Opinions please..

Truly inspiring man, i got shivers reading that.

Continue here or make another, just depends whether you want a better title for the thread or not :P

[kelkel]

Either way, just keep doing what you're doing.

[fitnesstrainer]

Your story is truly inspiring. Good on you for doing what your doing. Prayers going out your way brother.

[iEKOS]

A new log thread created and I'll try to keep up with posts:

http://forums.steroid.com/diet-nutri...ml#post6983580