P.S. Yes I know I look sad in the pictures. I promise I am not!
Some pics of me before I lost weight. This was the summer of 2016: https://imgur.com/a/QvjU0Pk
Exactly 2 years ago, at age 20 and 263 lbs, I looked like this: https://imgur.com/a/LDIWA3P
This was also my first day in the gym, the first day I decided I was sick and tired of being fat. I didn’t really know what I was doing, however, the good thing about not knowing what I was doing, was that there was a whole heap load of stuff to learn, and there is a limitless amount of resources out there to help. I knew nothing about nutrition, and, hell, didn’t even change my nutrition for the first 8 months or so.
For the first month of so, I was strictly using machines, since I was unfamiliar with free weights. It was simple to use the machines, since every single one of them had directions. The gym I started out at was a small community gym, with about 10 or so machines. I could go through all of them in about an hour or so and call it a day. In the meantime, I didn’t do a lick of cardio. I hated anything about it. Running, biking, rowing, you name it, I hated it. Except boxing, I loved to hit shit. Unfortunately, I had no stamina, so anytime I would box, it didn’t last long at all. Also, my gym was strict with using the boxing bag, and only personal trainers were allowed to use it with clients.
As I got more comfortable at the gym, as well as stronger, I decided to try out free weights. YouTube, bodybuilding.com, r/fitness, etc. were my best friends. It was a way to teach me new exercises, as well as work on form (which was terrible for most of the time).
I didn’t take another picture of myself until that following February of 2017. I’d lost a decent amount of weight, more than I ever really lost. I was at 245 lbs. An 18-pound difference. I can credit this to 100% working out, as my diet was virtually unchanged. In the end, I personally didn’t see a huge difference. This is what I looked like: https://imgur.com/a/7ncvASB
I was able to get out of work in the middle of the day and take a break. and kept grinding and grinding and was going about 4 days a week. I started working out on “days” (shoulder, back, chest, etc). Still no cardio, but at least I was getting a routine. By the time is was late April, I was cut down to about 225 lbs. I lost a little less than 40 pounds in 6 months. This was how I looked: https://imgur.com/a/PXnani2
Now, the old company I worked at, the first floor was a HIIT gym. Since we were paying rent upstairs, and the gym owner (a former NFL linebacker) was a business partner, he allowed my coworkers and I to work out for free. I didn’t realize the opportunity I had in front of me until months down the road. I still credit the man to this day for really changing my life.
On a Friday they told me to come downstairs and workout. I told them I was going to lift with one of my buddies after work, but I would be there that following Monday, ready to go. That Monday just happened to be the start of the month. Over that weekend, I did my research on dieting, and how it is the main part of losing weight. I gave myself one last cheat day, eating whatever garbage I wanted to, and starting that week, I cut my calorie count down to 1500 daily. I didn’t really count macros at all. For breakfast, it was 2 eggs. Pretty much every day for lunch I would eat a Thai Chicken Salad and a Lemon Garlic Chicken breast from Wegmans. Dinner was a little more relaxed, since over the course of the date I ate about 500-600 calories. Now, I wouldn’t eat a dish all greased up in butter, but that’s not saying I didn’t eat chick fila or taco bell from time to time.
I showed up the following Monday wearing an Elevation Mask (for those unfamiliar, it “simulates” training at higher altitudes, restricting airflow and supposedly helps to build stamina). They looked at me as if I was crazy. Well, I was crazy, because after the warm up, I already had it off. This was easily one of the most difficult workouts I’ve ever experienced. It was nonstop for an hour. Suicides, jumping on boxes, lifting, it was your typical HIIT workout that I was so not used to. I was already to quit after the first one, but, in my mind, I knew I couldn’t. I continued to go, for months and months. Another thing to note, it was a little intimidating for a former LB coaching you through this, even though outside of the class, he had a heart of gold. In one month, I went from 225 lbs to 212 lbs, and went from 22% Body Fat to 20% Body Fat. It was incredible progress. After all, said and done, here are some progress pictures: https://imgur.com/a/qyJwAop
Then, the prime time of summer came along. I just turned 21, and my parents took a friend and I to Las Vegas for a week. Even though we did an insane amount of walking, I still ate like a complete piece of shit. I wasn’t counting calories, and gorging on alcohol, pizza, burgers, and everything in between. A couple weeks after Vegas, I went to Cape Cod/Boston for a week. While seafood is (well, can be) a lot healthier than burgers, pizza, etc, when it comes fried, or in rolls, it really increases the calorie count. I didn’t care though, I was on vacation, and knew I would be back in no time. I probably gained 6 pounds between Las Vegas and Cape Cod.
Well, after 5 weeks off HIIT, and little lifting in between, I got back to the gym, and it was almost as if I restarted all over again. I was slow, tired, and pissed off, and only had myself to blame. What I looked like on August 9, 2017 (I apologize for the darkness): https://imgur.com/a/GHfUL7P
Things at my job weren’t going well. One of the managers quit, and not too much longer, another one did as well. I was put in a position where my pay wasn’t increased, but my responsibilities were, as I was the only one running the show. But, I said fuck that. I was determined to not let it discourage me. I kept doing these workouts EVERY SINGLE DAY. I did it for 2 weeks, then gave them my 1-month notice that I would be leaving my company. I told myself there is absolutely nothing stopping me at this point except myself. I continued to give it my all through the month. And sure enough, I did. By the time Labor Day of 2017 came around, I was at 206 pounds. I didn’t eat any greasy food. Lots of vegetables, protein shakes, and sure enough, the Thai Chicken Salad and Lemon Garlic Chicken Breast from Wegmans. This was me 2 weeks after Labor Day: https://imgur.com/a/nfCwDFx
After that Labor Day, I took a hit. I just started a new job and didn’t have lots of time to workout or eat healthier. It was much quicker to run through a McDonalds drive-thru than to spend time prepping a salad. Our busy season is the Late Fall/Winter time. Lots of money was to be made, but lots of time was sacrificed, including a ton of time from the gym. Sure, I went occasionally, but not as frequently as I did. Eventually, I gained a ton of my weight back, and got all the way back up to a whopping 220 lbs. I reversed virtually everything that I had worked so hard for. I didn’t let that affect me though. It took me until January 21 to get some free time, and that’s when I went out and got a gym membership, AKA the best decision of my life. As the season slowed down, I found more free time to go in the middle of the day. I started lifting much more consistently, able to go again 3-4 times a week, while establishing a routine. Months and months went by, then in April of 2018, I discovered I had a lot more benefits to my gym membership than I thought. I was able to get a body scan every month where it checked my Body Fat %. I’m not sure how accurate it was, but I did it at the end of April, and it said I was 206 lbs, and 23% body fat. I was at my lowest weight since I quit my previous job, and even though a little higher body fat %, much better than where I was before.
In May of 2018, I decided to try the Keto Diet for a month (high fat, low carb diet). I did this because I was going on vacation in early June and wanted to look my best. It worked great. I lost 10 pounds, and “2% body fat” over the month. I started loving cardio. I would start slowly, run a mile here and there. Eventually I kicked it up to 2 miles. Then 3 miles, then 4. One day I got a runners high, and ran 10 miles in 100 minutes! There isn’t a huge difference, but the scale noticed it.
My first day on Keto: https://imgur.com/a/ZWEGvJ7 at 205.6 lbs
Last day of keto: https://imgur.com/a/f2McCsC 196 lbs
I went on vacation and hopped back on Keto. I’m still following it to this day.
My Current Macros (keep in mind this is Keto adapted):
- 20 Grams of Net Carbs
- 100+ Grams of Protein
- 120+ Gram of Fat
Granted, I’ve been on a few vacations and have been fluctuating here and there, but here I am, today, September 20, weighing in at 182.4 lbs. The scan says I’m 14% body fat, however, I’d argue that I’m probably closer to the 18% range. Maybe someone here can estimate it? Here are some pics of me now: https://imgur.com/a/UaarwFq
My current routine is:
Monday – Cardio only, 1 hour, 6+ miles.
Tuesday – Cardio only, 1 hour, 6+ miles.
Wednesday – Cardio only, 1 hour, 6+ miles.
Thursday – Cardio, 1 hour, 6 + miles. Back Day
- 3 x 10 Barbell Rows
- 3 x 10 Lateral Pull Downs
- 3 X 10 v-Bar Pull Downs
- 5 x 10 Seated Cable Rows
- 3 x 10 Dumbbell Rows
- 3x 10 Straight Arm Pull Downs
Friday – Cardio, 1 hour, 6+ miles. Shoulders Day
- 3 x 10 Dumbbell Press
- 3 x 5 Overhead Press Front-To-Back
- Super Set – 2x20 Side Lateral Raise, 2x20 Front Dumbbell Raise
- Smith Machine Shoulder Shrugs 3x10. I do a set standing both in front and behind the bar.
Saturday – Cardio, 1 hour, 6+ miles. Chest Day.
- 3 x 10 Bench Press
- 3 x 10 Incline Bench Press
- 3 x 10 Dumbbell Incline Press
- 3 x 10 Incline Dumbbell Fly
- 3 x 10 High Cable Chest Fly
- 3 x 10 Low Cable Chest Fly
Sunday – Cardio, 1 hour, 6+ Miles. Arms and Legs Day.
- 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 Squats, increasing weight each time.
- 3 x 10 Leg Press
- 3 x 10 Leg Curls
- 3 x 10 Dumbbell Curls
- 3 x 10 Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curls
- 3 x 10 Tricep Pull Down w/Rope
- 3 x 10 Tricep Push Down (machine)
- 3 x 10 Overhead Tricep Cable Extension
Side Note: I try and incorporate abs at least 3 times a week, however, it depends on timing. I use the app 6 pack in 30 days, or something built in to my FitBit.
TL;DR: Former Fat Boy was clueless, worked out, got a routine, did HIIT, ate 1500 calories, went on vacation, came back, did more HIIT, took a 5 month break, gained his weight back, lost it back, did Keto, still on Keto, now weighs 182.4 pounds.
Progress pics and time line:
Summer of 2016: https://imgur.com/a/QvjU0Pk
September 20, 2016: https://imgur.com/a/LDIWA3P
February of 2017: https://imgur.com/a/7ncvASB
April of 2017: https://imgur.com/a/PXnani2
May/June of 2017: https://imgur.com/a/qyJwAop
August 9, 2017: https://imgur.com/a/GHfUL7P
September 17, 2017: https://imgur.com/a/nfCwDFx
May 1, 2018: https://imgur.com/a/ZWEGvJ7
June 7, 2018: https://imgur.com/a/f2McCsC
September 20, 2018: https://imgur.com/a/UaarwFq
Side by Side: https://imgur.com/a/bRapGYX
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