2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

[Rules]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

2012 was a downer for me weight gain wise.

I'm 51 years old and finding more difficult to lose the weight, ie slower metabolism.l

Height- 5 ft 8
Weight- 300 lbs.

Goals for 2013

After this week, I'll start working out 6 days/week, 4 days a week HIIT, 2 days a week cardio. Tomorrow, I'll start cardio to get into the flow for next week.

I'd like to be down to 230 lbs by the end of the year next year.

I'll start off with around 1800 calories.

If I can offer a suggestion..........focus more on what and how often you are eating and don't worry about the calorie intake to start. Your metabolism is like a fire, feed it steady every 3 hours or so and it will burn better. Dropping too low too quick will actually slow your metabolism down further. Focus on the basics:

Example:

1) Protein like a 20-30 gram protein drink immediately upon waking up.
2) Breakfast: Eggs with 2-3 slices of turkey bacon and a small bowl of non sugared oatmeal like steel cut oats about an hour later.

3) Lunch: Tuna on a salad or turkey/ chicken. Grapes or an apple.
4) Two hours later: Couple of boiled eggs or another protein.
5) Dinner: Salmon / chicken or a lean protein with a sweet potato and as much salad as you want just stick to olive oil / vinegar as a light dressing.
6) Two hours: cottage cheese or some non sugar yogurt with blueberries.
7) Prior to bed a Casein Protein drink to supply protein while you sleep.

ALWAYS drink water all day long and have 1-2 glasses prior to eating! Slice some cucumbers and add them to a pitcher of water for some clean flavor if you get tired of plain water.

[bigbob]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

General
22 years old
6'4
360lbs

Goals
1. Drop 60lbs by March (before I sign for my first amature boxing match)
2. Get accepted back to college (Penn State or Pitt) and walk-on

In 2012, I cut 40lbs from February to May, but I wasn't actually trying to lose weight. I was just lifting. I cut 60lbs in 2 1/2 months my sophomore year of high school during my first year of football, where I went from 340lbs to 280lbs.

[24]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

General Info

Height 5-11
Weight 168

Goals

1. Continue to get my body fat % down
2. Hit the gym more often
3. Avoid most dairy
4. Cut soda completely from my diet

[cubsfan203]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

General
23 years old
6'5"
175 lbs

Goals
1. Bulk up to around 190-195 (hopefully by around May/June)
2. Cut down the fat I put on during the summer.
3. Depending on how I do, probably rinse and repeat.

The ultimate goal for me is to put on around 15-20 lbs of muscle so that I can be at around 10-12% body fat when weighing in that 190-195 range. Don't want to be huge, more like a lean body type similar to a swimmer.

[mattsb84]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

2012 was a downer for me weight gain wise.

I'm 51 years old and finding more difficult to lose the weight, ie slower metabolism.l

Height- 5 ft 8
Weight- 300 lbs.

Goals for 2013

After this week, I'll start working out 6 days/week, 4 days a week HIIT, 2 days a week cardio. Tomorrow, I'll start cardio to get into the flow for next week.

I'd like to be down to 230 lbs by the end of the year next year.

I'll start off with around 1800 calories.

Assuming you're sedentary, you should be consuming around 2950k calories based on your age/height/weight to maintain 300lbs. Assuming that you stay sedentary, if you wanted to lose 1lb a week, you should be consuming 2450k calories. That changes based on your activity level in the gym though. Do not cut your calories to some arbitrary amount, as mentioned, it will grossly impact your metabolism..use the below site and figure out what it should be. It wont be exact, but it's going to be a lot closer then just guessing.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

I wouldn't recommend that much cardio or that much HIIT. My guess would be you'd be burned out after a month of that. I would recommend three days of lifting and two days of cardio. If you're dead set on that much cardio, run after lifting for a mile or two. Look at starting strength (or a variation of it) for ideas for a routine. If you're not well versed or confident in doing compound movements..it cant hurt to find a friend or trainer that can teach you. Or find alternatives that you are comfortable doing.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

I agree with Matt. You want to bump up your calories for the metabolism reason and also your body will start to think you are starving yourself and it will hold onto your fat instead of burning it.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

General
22 years old
6'4
360lbs

Goals
1. Drop 60lbs by March (before I sign for my first amature boxing match)
2. Get accepted back to college (Penn State or Pitt) and walk-on

In 2012, I cut 40lbs from February to May, but I wasn't actually trying to lose weight. I was just lifting. I cut 60lbs in 2 1/2 months my sophomore year of high school during my first year of football, where I went from 340lbs to 280lbs.

Make sure someone videos your match, would love to check it out.

[bigbob]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Make sure someone videos your match, would love to check it out.

My buddy would probably go and video tape it. I went to his first amateur MMA match and was with his girl friend and she taped it. I know they'd both probably come to my match.

I know I'm looking forward to them going back to the old rules in amateur where headgear is no longer required.

[roadman]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Assuming you're sedentary, you should be consuming around 2950k calories based on your age/height/weight to maintain 300lbs. Assuming that you stay sedentary, if you wanted to lose 1lb a week, you should be consuming 2450k calories. That changes based on your activity level in the gym though. Do not cut your calories to some arbitrary amount, as mentioned, it will grossly impact your metabolism..use the below site and figure out what it should be. It wont be exact, but it's going to be a lot closer then just guessing.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

I wouldn't recommend that much cardio or that much HIIT. My guess would be you'd be burned out after a month of that. I would recommend three days of lifting and two days of cardio. If you're dead set on that much cardio, run after lifting for a mile or two. Look at starting strength (or a variation of it) for ideas for a routine. If you're not well versed or confident in doing compound movements..it cant hurt to find a friend or trainer that can teach you. Or find alternatives that you are comfortable doing.

Actually, I made a few errors.

I'll be doing cardio 2 days a week, not 4 and doing HITT 4 days a week with weights.

I see where I made the error of 1800 calories, too. I subtracted 500 calories twice by mistake, so, I should be having close to 23 to 2400 calories per day.

Thanks for all the advice.

[seasprite]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

General Info
36
Height 6-1
Weight 240 (dropped 45 lbs since my new diet and workouts since Nov 1 2012)

Goals

1. Continue to do what I am doing with my diet and get down to 205
2. Continue to workout 5 days a week
3. Cut the diet soda from my diet
4. 205 is the magic number for me, when I hit that I will make new goals

[seasprite]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Actually, I made a few errors.

I'll be doing cardio 2 days a week, not 4 and doing HITT 4 days a week with weights.

I see where I made the error of 1800 calories, too. I subtracted 500 calories twice by mistake, so, I should be having close to 23 to 2400 calories per day.

Thanks for all the advice.

Ive had much better luck cutting carbs and eliminating sugars than I ever did trying to count calories.

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Currently:
31
6'3" 240

*down 15lbs from this time last year*

Goals:
1) Drop another 15-20lbs
2) Hit the gym a consistent 3-4 days per week
2) Stop the cheat meals and drinking (aka self discipline when we have guests over for games)
3) Impregnate my wife with our second and final child

[AUChase]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

I just had my first workout of the New Year. I skipped the 31st and 1st for obvious reasons. I did something tonight that I have never done before.

I blew through my workout and I went to get in my truck and leave and as I was pulling out of the parking lot, I had the urge to go back in and do a few more sets. I thought about it for a second and then made a U-turn and marched my *** back into the gym and did three more sets of incline dumbell presses and three more sets of tricep extensions (used the machine for that one).

While it may have been just a few more sets, I feel it's important to live up to my promise to myself to not shy away from anything I feel is important to reaching my fitness goals. From this point forward, I will no longer let the clock dictate when It's time to leave.

I felt so much better leaving the second time around.

[RockinDaMike]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

Not looking forward to the resolution jungle at the gym. I'm just hoping for more hot chicks to be there.

I decided to lay off the weights for a couple months to improve on my yoga practice since i'll be tested before i attend the school i'm going to. i'll still do strength training but focus on using my body weight. Push ups, dips, pull ups and focus a lot more on the core. I pretty much ignored that the last two months.

I hope i don't lose too much muscle i built but hoping to gain more lean muscle, get cut and flexible.

[AUChase]

Re: 2013 FITNESS CHALLENGE

I noticed a lot of older people and fully dressed women in my gym, today.

The treadmills were slam packed. I just needed it for a few minutes to get my heart rate up.

I've only been going there about a month (made the switch from a gym across town) and I've enjoyed the hell out of it and I've ran into some guys I used to work out with at the other gym.