Drop Weight, Get Swole, Make My Wife Swoon & Kick Butt on the Bike.

Discussion in 'Health' started by kazlx, Nov 5, 2019.


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  1. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    TL;DR, I didn't want to be fat, so I started making better choices, holding myself accountable and working out. No surprise, it's been worth it. Extended version below. Started at close, if not at, 260. Breaking 228-230 and would like to get down to 210ish. Feelin' swole and kicking ass on the bike, along with feeling awesome.

    Ok, well, I might be exaggerating, but I thought it would be a good time to expound a little on my personal fitness that I touched on in the IF thread for those that are interested. My tipping point was getting my ass just handed to me on the Oakridge, OR trip that I did with a few buddies. One of my dudes turned 40 and he wanted to do a trip, so we worked all this out (Trans-Cascadia was freakin' awesome if anyone is interested, would highly recommend).

    I've known for a while I've been slowly packing it on and I hated myself for it, but hadn't done anything about it. I feel like I looked like crap, I felt like crap and it was such a slow slide that the current day never seemed any worse than the previous day. Side note, I was never really depressed or anything like that, it just was never a good time to eat better and felt like small things wouldn't matter. But they do. Two kids, wife, family, work, machining on the side, etc. I rode my bike on and off, but never really felt great. But I think it really did help me from completely falling off the wagon. Lots of bike park days, occasional pedaling, etc kept me somewhat in check fitness-wise, even though it wasn't enough to offset weight gain.

    I'm sure in the weeks prior to Oregon, I was pushing 260. I'm 6'1" and I've always been pretty solid. In probably my fittest times, I'm still usually around 210-215. I lifted quite a bit through college, fell off the wagon for a while after and then went pretty hard when I was living with roommates in my mid/late 20s. We pretty much just worked, came home and lifted 6 days a week and went out for dinner or to chill. Makes it easy when you can go to the gym for 1-2 hours every day and with friends and no responsibilities.

    So fast forward to now, Oregon was it. I had a blast, but I felt terrible the whole time, was out gunned by guys older than me and just hated how I looked in pics. I needed to do something. I saw a random thing about intermittent fasting on another bike forum and figured what the hell. So I gave it a shot. Aug 19 was my target to fast for 24 hours. I ended up going about 40 before eating and it wasn't terrible. I ate dinner that following day and then did another 40ish hour fast. I stuck to the IF thing on and off for a few weeks and dropped a good amount of pounds. In reality, (while not really bad), most of it was just water weight and whatever else, I'm sure some easy fat. But, what it did do what sort of get me to check back in to feeling what it was like to be hungry and not just eat to eat. I also started to lose cravings for just junk.

    So I felt way better, dropped prob 10lbs right off the bat and that made me want to get my plan together and decide I needed to get back in the gym. I started off with a basic full body split 3 days a week roughly a month after the initial IF start. I went to the gym MWF and then to stay consistent, I still went TTh and would just ride the stationary bike for 30-45 minutes. I had my alarm set for 4:45 and would be at the gym at 5. I start work at 7, so that's what I had to do to make it work. I've switched up routines, tried some other stuff, moved my wake-up time to 4:30 (at the gym at 4:45 made a big difference in timing) and various other things.

    It's not even been 3 months yet since jumping off and not even 2 months in the gym. But I feel like it's a habit I want to keep already. I pretty much do all of the cooking anyway, so it's been pretty easy to adjust what I make and my wife says she still likes all my food. I track my calories with MyFitnessPal and my workouts with an app called Strong, mainly to maintain consistency and keep myself accountable. I weaned myself off crap I knew I shouldn't be eating or eating very much of and really been seeking out stuff that's 'healthier' and tasty. My goal is sustainability. Nobody wants kale and quinoa every day. I still eat good food, I just don't have pop-tarts for a snack and giant bowls of cereal in the morning. I stopped with burgers and fries for lunch and have a salad or something reasonable. I just realized that it's simple, but not easy. I have to make decisions, pick and choose what to eat and have some discipline. It's no different than a family budget.

    Ultimately, I wasn't even 40, I want to be around this Earth for as long as I can, enjoy being as fit as I can to lead by example for my kids and my wife and being able to do quality activities with them and I was at a point where I didn't like the road I was going down. I can say I already feel so much better. I'm sleeping better, making gains in the gym and just crushing a lot of personal goals on the bike. It all feels so good and makes it worth it. I just need to remind myself, this is how I need to be and to not go back.

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  2. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Bravo! Good on you for making it happen. :thumbsup:
     
  3. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
    FAK YEAH!!!!! Keep it up!

    Great read and good for you! Thanks for sharing your story. YOU KICK ASS!
     
    Mikie, bvader, MrGreedom and 10 others like this.
  4. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    Awesome accomplishment! Similar to you I was tired of being overweight. I got on my road bike one day and I swear my belly was folded over the top tube! You would think with all the riding I do and my job I wouldn't be 50lbs overweight. I knew as I got older my metabolism was slowing down so I figured I had to do something to change that. That's when I changed my diet and started running. Nothing crazy just cut out sodas and as much sugar as I could, no beer during the week and no seconds at dinner. The more progress I made the easier it became. I started at 237 and my goal was to get under 200. By the time I hit my goal I was climbing a lot more than I used to and was enjoying it. Suddenly I wanted to lose as much as possible. Within 6 months from when I started I got down to 185. That was 3 years ago. I just turned 55 and I'm in the best shape I've been in since I got out of basic training in '83. It's a lifestyle change but definitely worth it in the end. Kudos to you for making the change.
     
    Mikie, MrGreedom, Luis and 11 others like this.
  5. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Thanks guys! I got on the train for a good amount when I was dating and was in pretty awesome shape when I met my wife in 2010. 2013ish is when most of my Strava PRs were, my lowest weight just all around great fitness. Even though it's not an excuse, many things fell by the wayside after having kids, the stress, along with not sleeping as well and as much, among a million other things that just sort of 'happen'. Then you get to that point where it seems to not matter and you don't care. I would just think that my wife and kids love me no matter what, I never plan on dating again or having to really put myself out there anymore, my friends know me, so it doesn't really matter if I have some extra pounds. Looking back, part of me wishes I had just stayed with it, because I would have been better for it and farther along, but at the same time, I realize the mistakes I made and how easily I fell into not being consistent and not caring and a lot of hard work went down the drain. This is my checkpoint to make sure that doesn't happen again. I wake up every day and feel good. It can definitely be hard to get up, but once I have feet on the ground, I'm in it. Once I get rolling in the gym, it feels awesome. I'm getting addicted to being able to come home and have some time to eat breakfast, relax, take a nice shower and have a routine instead of laying in bed until the last possible minute and just making it. I see pics of myself from a few months ago and I cringe. We have a pool and I hated swimming in my own pool at my own house with my own kids, just because of my own self-consciousness and knowing I was just being lazy and giving up and not doing anything about it.

    To follow up with the whole 'Intermittent Fasting' thing, it's not really as much of a thing for me. It's become a tool in the tool box of skipping breakfast or lunch knowing I'm having a big dinner or I'm just busy and not worrying about it. I've really been trying to maximize my strength and fitness gains, along with fat loss, so I've really focused on nutrition, just the basics. Good food, tasty food and target calories and macros (to a point, not that obsessively. Mainly trying to intake enough protein). I've always enjoyed the gym, so it hasn't been that hard to get back into the routine. Seeing gains, crushing personal times/cues on the bike is just that more motivating. Perfect example is that I rode Aliso on Sunday with a buddy that usually demolishes me (even though he's 10+ years older than me). He has been off the bike for a little bit, but it just felt good to put the hurt on him for a change. My times on Cholla have always been in the 10 minute range. I was at 7:30 yesterday and only stopped because of poor line choice at the top rock garden. That's huge for me. I've never been that awesome of a climber and just try to get there, but just raising the bar like that for myself is so motivational. We got to the end of a 12ish, 2k' ride and I could have easily kept going, where months ago I'd be huffing and crying for mercy. I'm really looking forward to pushing my limits this coming year, both on the bike and in the gym.

    If I can do it, anyone can. I don't want to sound preachy, but it hasn't been all that 'hard'. It just takes some planning. It's simple, but it's not easy. You do have to want it and have to have a reason, whatever that might be. I know my wife and kids deserved better. My kids deserve a good example and a dad that can keep up. My wife always looks great and she deserves the same from me. Ultimately, I owe it to myself. I feel like I'm not even where I want to be, but even so, it's so easy to see that I don't want to be where I was and I realize how terrible I felt.
     
    Mikie, MrGreedom, mike and 9 others like this.
  6. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    This hits home man. So much sounds like me. Slightly different methods, but overall, right there. I still hate running haha. I do drink Diet Coke, which is probably my one vice, although I drink a ton of water now through the day. I've never really been into beer or alcohol except on occasion, so that's really easy for me. It's crazy how much just portion size and 'finishing your kids meals that you paid $10 each for and damn them you aren't letting it go to waste' start to add up. I'm at the point now where I'm really starting to like the challenge of climbs and feeling like I want to push myself instead of just making it...
     
    Mikie, MrGreedom, mike and 8 others like this.
  7. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    That quote about finishing your kid's meals cracks me up. Jennifer used to tell me to eat for quality not quantity. But it's two for one!
     
    Mikie, MrGreedom, kazlx and 5 others like this.
  8. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I love hearing these stories... :thumbsup: And I've been following all of the advice in the IF thread.

    I've shared mine before, but the highlights are: 300 pounds, bought a bike in 2011 and rode it up Live Oak in O'Neill once or twice a week. Sometimes only halfway and with many stops. Eventually I made it to the towers at the top. I can do that climb in 10 minutes now on the single speed, but I still remember every spot that I used to stop and take rests. July 1, 2012 a lightbulb went off and I started eating better and recording everything with MyFitnessPal. I got tired of being the dad who couldn't run around with the kids at my son's baseball practices. I ran a calorie deficit every single day for over a year, and didn't cheat once. At the end I bottomed out at 190, but I wasn't very smart and lost a ton of muscle along with all of the fat. My weight still fluctuates, but I try to stay around 210-215. I'd probably be faster closer to 200, but I'm good where I am as long as I can put in the miles that I enjoy.
     
    Mikie, Fijirob, MrGreedom and 9 others like this.
  9. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Congrats! And might I just add...

    Raaaawwwwrrr! Hawt! :eek: :inlove: :oops::oops: :stop:
     
  10. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Yea, my boss and I always chat about stuff like this, as we've worked together for over 10 years. He asked me, 'are you going to remember saving that money or being healthy?'. That really hit home. It's a choice. If there's really that much food from the kids left, I just make the effort to pack it up and take it home for them (or even me) later. But there's no reason to slam it down there for no reason and just pack on needless calories.

    That's awesome man. I was definitely on my way to that route. I can for sure say that biking kept me in check as that was the main reason I started riding in 2006ish. I was out of school, wasn't doing anything besides working and coming home and eating garbage. I got my first mtb and then that's when my roommate and I really started just cranking at the gym. I've fluctuated a bit and had periods of gaining weight, but even at the worst times, I've still loved riding and I think it's helped keep me semi in control. Your Live Oak is my B's in Oaks. I remember when I was heavier when I first started riding mtbs and just crazy out of shape not having done anything the previous 10 years besides work on and race cars. I remember continuing to climb the B's, stopping, huffing and puffing and questioning my life choices and why I bought a bike and how miserable it was. That was also back before the B's had been re-routed and the middle was a freakin' straight shot up. I hated it. Eventually I got more into riding, met my crew and it's been easier to stay on track.

    I really would like to shed weight, but my two main goals are fitness on and off the bike and strength/looks. I want to look good with my shirt off over every last ounce of performance on the bike, so I'd rather have a some extra pounds of muscle mass. So I've been pushing even harder to keep and build muscle. Plus, I've been hitting legs hard and it definitely helps with gains on the bike. I can 100% say that a body re-composition is possible. There's all this talk about bulking and cutting and all that. You can do both. It's been 3 weeks since I went to Vegas with my wife for our anniversary and I am definitely in a caloric deficit, not huge, but probably 3-400 calories. My weight has gone down very little, but I've definitely put on mass, my love handles are quite a bit smaller and my waist has got smaller. My wife badgered me to get new board shorts before we went since my old pair were ancient and pretty loose already. I got new shorts and they fit pretty well before we left. I tried them on yesterday out of curiosity and can take them off tied. They are probably a size too big now. I also tried my one and only really nice suit I own. Fit like a glove with room to spare in the pants. I told the wife we're going to get dressed up and go out to dinner soon just because.

    My main goal is to not forget how being more fit makes me feel. There's literally no downsides besides putting in a few hours of work every week, having some discipline and making smarter choices. And it's a small price to pay for how I feel lately. I don't want to go back. Plus, I told the wife I have a six pack goal by next summer :cool:
     
    Mikie, Faust29, MrGreedom and 5 others like this.
  11. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Hit Sender One climbing gym with my bro-in-law yesterday. Damn, that is a butt kicker, but I had a lot of fun. Although I'm sore today in muscles I didn't know existed. I feel like I've been in perfect fat burning mode lately. I'm never really starving, but I'm ready to eat when meals come around. I've been staying consistent with the gym and taking little breaks here and there (like this morning after getting worked over last night). I'm getting a way better idea of what I'm eating through tracking calories and realizing what I need to take in and really realizing how much excess I was taking in. I basically shoot for my calorie goal for weight loss and then gym/bike/exercise are just extra burned calories are extra on top of that. I don't account for them and eat more to compensate. I'm solidly hovering under 230 now (which I was only hitting after coming home from long rides before). I'm definitely losing inches off my waist. Overall...just feeling pretty damn good.
     
    Mikie, Faust29, herzalot and 6 others like this.
  12. hill^billy

    hill^billy iMTB Rockstah

    “having a little discipline” (side note) I’m sure you would agree, it takes a lot more than just a little? Oh and good job for now. Gotta make commitment a staple also, as much as you would family.
     
    Mikie, Faust29, kazlx and 2 others like this.
  13. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    I think it takes more discipline in the beginning, at least for me. I find the everything is just easier for me lately. I do know that a lot of it is mental and being able to visually see semi-constant results really does help. So, I really am trying to prepare mentally for that time where my weight/fat loss tapers off quite a bit more. I can say that it has slowed quite a bit for me. It was exciting in the beginning to see the scale drop quite a bit. I know a lot of it was just bloating and water retention and other factors that came off pretty easily. The last month has been significantly slower and I know that it's just going to be this slower, more calculated, progress. A big thing for me has been my clothing. Even though I've lost maybe 2-3lbs (based on average scale readings) in the last few weeks, I've lost a significant amount off my waist. I look thinner, my pants are significantly looser and I need to snug up my belt just to keep my shorts from falling off. I have old shorts that I put away years ago that I've busted back out and wearing those and even they are looser than I remember. So, even though I'm technically heavier, I think I've been putting on a good amount of lean mass. I feel very comparatively thin to where I was 6 years ago, except I'm about 10-15 lbs heavier. So I think I've still got a bit of extra fat, but have definitely put on muscle. My shoulders and chest are noticeably wider.

    Another note on the discipline, I don't really find myself wanting to binge on junk any more. I'm sort of indifferent. I have my foods I like and have no problem eating them. Eating 'healthy' foods that are tasty to me makes it not as much of a chore. I've noticed that eating quite a bit more protein (roughly 200g a day) really keeps me feeling full, even though calorie intake isn't super high. Before I went climbing last night, I had 3 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, a cup of plain Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries and a bowl (1/2C) of oatmeal with some cinnamon and pumpkin puree. The whole thing was under 600 calories and I felt satisfied the whole night. I just don't get the cravings to feeling hungry again like I would before. I could easily eat 1000-1500 calories of pasta or whatever and then still be hungry again at 8-9pm. Then, this morning I slept in a bit after being so sort from last night, skipped the gym and just had a protein shake before leaving for work and was fine until lunch time.

    I very much feel like I'm making good, sustainable habits out of this at basically 3 months in. None of it really feels like a chore to me. I'm going to bed earlier, sleeping more, getting up earlier and feeling fresh in the morning. In fact, I feel like trying to sleep in a bit today and not going to the gym made me feel a little groggier than normal. So that's motivation to get in tomorrow.
     
    Mikie, Faust29, hill^billy and 3 others like this.
  14. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    I got derailed with the McDonalds 40th Anniversary Happy Meal toy fiasco and never recovered. I need to ride more but won’t, so screw it, I’m going to be slow again until next October.

    Congratulations!
     
    Mikie, CBone, Faust29 and 6 others like this.
  15. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    What's special about next October?
     
  16. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    There is a real monetary benefit to losing weight when biking! (Not to mention all the other benefits) To save a pound of weight off your bike can cost $100's of extra cash. Losing ONE POUND of weight off your waist is usually not a big deal. Even five pounds of weight loss can make a dramatic difference in how hard you have to work to get up a long climb.
     
  17. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    This is 100%. I'm almost scared to say it, but I'm actually almost starting to enjoy climbing. Almost :whistling:
     
    Mikie, Faust29, Redman and 6 others like this.
  18. bvader

    bvader iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    HB
    Name:
    Mr. Brown
    Mikie, kazlx and mountaingirl sara like this.
  19. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    I’ll get to ride my bike all day.
     
  20. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    You'll get there and you'll love it.
     
  21. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    I did a no-stop Luge loop the other day. That was huge for me. Usually I'm pretty winded after the road climb and on the steep section of the dirt climb (Little Mustard? I think)
     
  22. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Back to back rides. Aliso this morn and some Oaks tomorrow!

    034C9217-3E84-439D-8DD6-87E420B35D2B.png
     
  23. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    Mine wasn't so much about weight but about just getting into decent aerobic shape. I quit smoking and started riding; pounds melted off. Then we started eating healthier (fish 3x/week, skinless chicken the other, steak once in a great while). Portion control is where it's at.
     
    Mikie, BonsaiNut, scan and 5 others like this.
  24. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Portion control (along with just trying to cut out the complete crap junk food) has been the biggest piece of the puzzle for me.
     
  25. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Crazy talk!

    Although I have heard that riding a bike with only one gear will let you burn twice as many calories. :whistling:
     
    SS Barby, Mikie, kazlx and 2 others like this.
  26. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Was that Meadows or Mentally Sensitive on the south end? Clearly Rock-It on the north end.
     
    Mikie and mountaingirl sara like this.
  27. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Mentally, took some guys that have never ridden it. Started on the back road and climbed up road to top of Cholla. Then all the way across to MS, back to Cholla and up, down Rock-It, then guys went back up the road by the park and I went back up Cholla and down to the car. Should be riding similar stat ride at Oaks tomorrow. Riding with some slower new guys so might try to get in some repeats while they climb.
     
  28. UPSed

    UPSed iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Simi Valley
    Name:
    Ed
    Current Bike:
    Niner Jet 9 RDO
    No. You're thinking of running. :whistling:
     
    Mikie, Faust29 and Runs with Scissors like this.
  29. kazlx

    kazlx Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Tustin, CA
    Name:
    Joe
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5.5
    Got after it on Oaks as well this morn...

    885E46CA-FA2F-4439-ACA7-3B0581EDE6D7.png
     
  30. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    It's an addiction, right up there with junk food. :laugh: Only better.:cool:
     
    Mikie, kazlx, Faust29 and 1 other person like this.
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