Let's drop the weight challenge

Down about 6.5kg(14.3#) so far this trip.
The scale is Chinese.
Might be down 15kg by the time I get home.
Not starving myself.
I just get back from seeing too late to eat anything on swim days.
Eating out at restaurants more this trip than the last 4 years combined.
Just not snacking.
When I get home, I just have to keep the eating habits I developed here.

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Down 20 pounds in 6 weeks on this China trip.
Not starving. Just not snacking.
And eating out at more restaurants this trip than the last 4 years combined.


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Screen cap of something I posted on WeChat.
Once in a while I can't help throwing shade at my colleagues that call me fat behind my back and think I don't hear about it.
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I really started back May 5th ish, right at 300 lbs. I just got a new scale and I am weighing in at 284, so down 16 lbs.

Mom even said something when I was at the hospital Monday night (I have a new niece!!) which made me feel more optimistic, usually the first 20 or so have been the hardest for me in the past.

I'm still pushing, I dropped down to 269, and I had come back up to 282. I have slipped on the diet some, but I never slipped on the gym.

Even with the slip on the diet, I have been noticing the belly shrinking, and fat leaving. I know that I have a long way to go.

My lifts are getting better, and I am adding some conjugate exercises to help push them up as well, and a way to do more to get stronger and burn more fat
 
Boys I got to slacking. This weekend we start to get better about this.
I blame getting home so late most nights during season, eating right before bed is not good. Ive tried to do smaller portions, but it's just been bad for me.
 
Boys I got to slacking. This weekend we start to get better about this.
I blame getting home so late most nights during season, eating right before bed is not good. Ive tried to do smaller portions, but it's just been bad for me.
When I'm in China, I swim after work and don't get back to the apartment until 9pm.
I rarely eat anything at swimming because of that. Maybe a small snack.
This is nearly why I have lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks.
My cargo shorts are bunching up. Ha.
Next trip I'll be able to bring some smaller pants. :D




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I tell my chinese colleagues that the key to losing weight is less rice more swimming.
None of them swim. Ha!
I generally only eat rice at the canteen in swimming days.
I've been running well over a 2000kC deficit on average. Even higher on Saturday when I do the long endurance swims.
As posted, down 20 pounds so far. Might be 25ish by the time i get home. That will be over a 54 day period.
Not snacking. Not eating when i get back from swimming at 9pm.
I haven't lost weight this fast since I was bulimic in my 20's. No binges. Just time to increase my personal endurance challenges.

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The scale in the China apartment reads in kg.
It finally read <100 go today. 99.9kg.
I haven't seen a number that low is probably 4 years.
9.9 to go to get to 2xJade. :D

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I have been totally slacking the last three months due to unforeseen obstacles (oldest daughter stuck in Haiti for almost 3 weeks, then going off to college, then Florence, etc) but luckily I somehow maintained my weight and body fat and increased my cardio according to my last doctor’s appt for work. I have a Spartan Sprint this weekend, so we will see how accurate that appt was. Starting next week, I will be hitting the bicycle hard, along with the weights, to get prepared for the Spartan Beast on Nov 17 (12+ miles, 30+ obstacles).

Goal for my next doctor visit in Feb is to drop a minimum of 10 lbs and 2-3% body fat, so diet and cardio will be my main focus while trying to also continue to hit the weights. May have to switch to some HIIT/CrossFit type workouts if I can’t figure out how to squeeze 26 hrs into a day
 
I'm struggling... Been back on the wagon for a couple weeks after several months of debauchery traveling around the country. Cravings are finally waning but it's going to be some work to get back down to where I was when I fell off..
 
I'm struggling... Been back on the wagon for a couple weeks after several months of debauchery traveling around the country. Cravings are finally waning but it's going to be some work to get back down to where I was when I fell off..
I'm with you on that. I got down to 200#. Then the China travel started. Swimming much less for a few years. Bad eating habits came back in. Got back up to 250.
Back down to just under 220 now after losing 25# during the last China trip. Breaking the junk habits, swimming more again.

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I'm with you on that. I got down to 200#. Then the China travel started. Swimming much less for a few years. Bad eating habits came back in. Got back up to 250.
Back down to just under 220 now after losing 25# during the last China trip. Breaking the junk habits, swimming more again.

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It's easy to put 20# on in a few months if you don't care... Beer and bread and fast food hit me hard. Stupid on my part. I'm back on the right path now though. I just need to commit to the lifestyle and the occasional cheat meal/day, not on again/off again dieting. Very soon my life will be the simplest it's been in 10years. No more excuses...
 
So, finished the Sprint in our best time yet but I was spent after it (which has never happened before, even after my first one when I was 280). Went to the doctor after having yet more blood drawn and found that I am borderline hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). I have given up the intermittent fasting and, due to elevated triglycerides, my bulletproof coffee. Back to eating 6 small meals a day and am going to get a 4th round of blood drawn to see if that corrected my low blood sugar. I already feel like I have more energy and am not in a fog but will find out in a week.

Also getting tested for low t to see if it is contributing to the lack of energy.
 
So, finished the Sprint in our best time yet but I was spent after it (which has never happened before, even after my first one when I was 280). Went to the doctor after having yet more blood drawn and found that I am borderline hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). I have given up the intermittent fasting and, due to elevated triglycerides, my bulletproof coffee. Back to eating 6 small meals a day and am going to get a 4th round of blood drawn to see if that corrected my low blood sugar. I already feel like I have more energy and am not in a fog but will find out in a week.

Also getting tested for low t to see if it is contributing to the lack of energy.
My triglycerides dropped from over 310 to 45 by eating whole eggs, Neese's sausage and bacon and cheese for breakfast, fatty pork, steak, lamb, burgers, basically everything they claim one should not eat. WShat I cut out were more of the grain based carbs, most processed food. Yum. The nurse thought I was listing the foods I stopped eating.
 
Another China trip coming.
Most work days I will be following roughly this:
Breakfast: 1 scoop whey isolate, maybe 2 hard boiled eggs. In between those two, an hour at the gym, either weight room or a 2.2km swim.
Lunch: about 1 cup of steamed rice, a protein, usually chicken or pork. A vegetable or two.
Dinner: 2 scoops of whey isolate an hour before swimming 6.6km.
I get back to the apartment too late to eat dinner.
This will put me at >2000kCal deficit each day. In 58 days I should lose quite a bit. Maybe enough that my clothes will be pretty loose by the end of the trip.
Weekends I do a long swim on Saturday. That is the day I try to set new personal records. This trip I want to hit 20km. For those swims I use EFS that has 96 calories of carbs per scoop. So between 3 and 6 scoops depending on how far I swim. It is the only "processed" glucose source I consume.
 
My triglycerides dropped from over 310 to 45 by eating whole eggs, Neese's sausage and bacon and cheese for breakfast, fatty pork, steak, lamb, burgers, basically everything they claim one should not eat. WShat I cut out were more of the grain based carbs, most processed food. Yum. The nurse thought I was listing the foods I stopped eating.

My diet really hasn’t changed over the last year, other than introducing intermittent fasting and bulletproof coffee, so that is why I am ending those. I have never really eaten “clean” but I do try to keep processed foods and sodas out as much as possible
 
Didn't lose any net weight while at home this time. But I did lose the little bit I gained the first couple days.
Back under 220. Just barely. So I am under 100kg.
If I get to where my torso is proportional to my arms and legs I'd probably weigh about 170, maybe less. [emoji16]

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This was strange. Usually my China colleagues are fat shaming me.
Today a couple of them actually said I was looking good with the weight loss.
Yesterday at the pool a couple of the lifeguards commented too.

Added:
The company CEO usually walks right past me because she always seems to be in a hurry.
Today she stopped and asked me what I'm doing to lose so much weight.
Simple answer: less rice, more swimming.
The thing is I'm only 2 pounds lighter than when I left after the last trip just a month ago. But I'm also dressed differently and that seems to make it more obvious.
I'm figuring I'll lose at least 20 pounds before the end if this trip. (December 21)
But I'm not starving myself. I'm just not eating after I get back from swimming.
A lot of my short term weight gain is water weight. This the first pounds i lose are always that water weight.
I have seen my weight fluctuate now than 5 pounds from one day to the next when I'm home.

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This was strange. Usually my China colleagues are fat shaming me.

Is this a cultural thing? Anyone I've met from there has acted like it is an unforgivable sin for a woman to add any sort of muscle mass. I've noted their gym pics are full of the women that mostly focus on body fat percentage instead adding any athletic potential or actual muscle. I've had a very small sampling but it was almost universal disdain towards female strength athletes as being overweight.
 
Went to the doctor after having yet more blood drawn and found that I am borderline hypoglycemic (low blood sugar). I have given up the intermittent fasting and, due to elevated triglycerides, my bulletproof coffee. Back to eating 6 small meals a day and am going to get a 4th round of blood drawn to see if that corrected my low blood sugar. I already feel like I have more energy and am not in a fog but will find out in a week.

Just got the latest results and my fasting glucose levels are greatly improved (84) as are my triglycerides (167). Eating 6 smaller meals (<400 calories) and much cleaner food. Energy levels are improving, which is great because I have a Spartan Beast in 2.5 weeks.

Still lifting 4 days a week but am riding my bicycle 12-14 miles a day, 3 days a week, as well as some general HIIT exercises for 30 min/day twice a week. Not going to be running the whole 12-14 miles but should be able to keep my times to <25 min/mile
 
Is this a cultural thing? Anyone I've met from there has acted like it is an unforgivable sin for a woman to add any sort of muscle mass. I've noted their gym pics are full of the women that mostly focus on body fat percentage instead adding any athletic potential or actual muscle. I've had a very small sampling but it was almost universal disdain towards female strength athletes as being overweight.
At the gym, in general, the trainers focus on low weight slow reps for men and women. But several women at the gym I go to are very fit abs muscular. Saw a woman at the archery range that looked like she does good squat work. Very powerful looking gluts and quads. Slender waist, muscular arms.
Cut the do tend to be the exception.
Among the men there is the occasional "pants guy." Skinny chicken legs but built upper body. :D

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At the gym, in general, the trainers focus on low weight slow reps for men and women. But several women at the gym I go to are very fit abs muscular. Saw a woman at the archery range that looked like she does good squat work. Very powerful looking gluts and quads. Slender waist, muscular arms.
Cut the do tend to be the exception.
Among the men there is the occasional "pants guy." Skinny chicken legs but built upper body. :D

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It's probably like here. Go into any commercial gym and things are 100 percent different from what you find in smaller strength training gyms. Not to mention our society definitely pushes a certain look for women AND men. I mean as a dude if you don't have a v taper you "don't even look like you lift." And if you're muscular with a thick core, its a sign of steroids lol. However bad their pop society is, ours isn't any better. I've seen it firsthand. Women have it bad, too. My girlfriend actually lost friends when switching from bodybuilding to strength sports. People believe "fit" or an "athlete" has to fit their mold of a perfect physique and you can't change their mind.

I like to drop this link to a picture documentary and remind the judgmental ones that "fit" comes in so many shapes and sizes...hell even body fat percentages. It's ok to train specificity and strength over looks...and it's ok to train physique over performance. In the grand scheme of life it's pretty trivial lol :)

https://bodyrecomposition.com/training/train-like-an-athlete-to-look-like-an-athlete.html/
 
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After several changes at my job, I'm back to slinging bread temproarily. But I've gotten back into a schedule, just a different one. Running 3 miles 2-3 times a week. Have not really changed what I'm eating much. But I've dropped back under 195 again from the more physical stuff at work. I guess cutting a little weight is the up side to getting back to my old job.
 
It's probably like here. Go into any commercial gym and things are 100 percent different from what you find in smaller strength training gyms. Not to mention our society definitely pushes a certain look for women AND men. I mean as a dude if you don't have a v taper you "don't even look like you lift." And if you're muscular with a thick core, its a sign of steroids lol. However bad their pop society is, ours isn't any better. I've seen it firsthand. Women have it bad, too. My girlfriend actually lost friends when switching from bodybuilding to strength sports. People believe "fit" or an "athlete" has to fit their mold of a perfect physique and you can't change their mind.

I like to drop this link to a picture documentary and remind the judgmental ones that "fit" comes in so many shapes and sizes...hell even body fat percentages. It's ok to train specificity and strength over looks...and it's ok to train physique over performance. In the grand scheme of life it's pretty trivial lol :)

https://bodyrecomposition.com/training/train-like-an-athlete-to-look-like-an-athlete.html/
My fitness goal is to simply look like I can swim as far as I do. Ha!
Not looking to bulk up muscle. I'm just not made that way. Between my age and genetics it would require far more effort to build muscle size than building muscle endurance. I have never been able to do a single unassisted pull up. Maybe someday I'll be able to do just one. But I'm not that concerned I'd rather extend my swimming distance record to 12 miles.

Edit:
Finally got to check out the limited article.
For me "looking like I can swim as far as I do" is different from looking like I lift weights. I do use the weight room. But more to balance and work some of the groups I use less while swimming.
Eating too lose the fat. Swimming for aerobic and endurance building. Weights to increase strength to help me get faster pace times. But not focused on increasing muscle size. It may eventually be a byproduct. But it is not a primary goal.
Swimming has certainly hardened my core muscles. Just need to lose more fat to reveal the 6 pack underneath.

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Added note, I have, at least, learned to stop calling myself a "non-athlete" and start fueling like one when I take on personal endurance swimming challenges.
I finally accepted that I am an athlete when I swam 10 miles. I may not yet look like an athlete to most. But I suspect another athlete might see the few visible indicators. Ha!

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Well I weighed myself today. Back down to 222... Only 10lbs to go to get back to where I was this summer when I fell off the wagon for a few months. I took it way too far. Gained back 22lbs of the 50ish I had lost. Can't let that happen again. I'm going to stay strict until I hit 200lbs this time. Don't care how long it takes. Stayed sober all of October and don't plan on drinking until at least Thanksgiving. No beer has been tough... and no tacos. The food part in general is easy though. If I can be consistently under 200 by the time I leave for Spain in May I'll be happy.
 
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This falls under non-scale victory.
Pool was closed for monthly cleaning so I did a second weight room trip last night.
I was doing lateral straight arm reverse pulls. (I have no clue what the correct name is (reverse fly?)) to work the back of the shoulder to the mid back.
One of the Chinese trainers came up behind me and pointed out to his client the muscles that were flexed in my shoulder. Imagine that. My shoulders being lean enough to see muscle detail and flexing.
Now if only my midsection gets to be as lean as my shoulders, arms and legs. :D
The trainer knows how much a I swim because they all talk to each other. They all know the "crazy American that swims for hours."
 
Added note, I have, at least, learned to stop calling myself a "non-athlete" and start fueling like one when I take on personal endurance swimming challenges.
I finally accepted that I am an athlete when I swam 10 miles. I may not yet look like an athlete to most. But I suspect another athlete might see the few visible indicators. Ha!

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It gets giggles. It gets snickers. But it makes a BIG difference to think of yourself and call yourself an athlete. Typically the only people giving you flack about it are non competitors. It sounds kinda snooty to say it lol, but it really does make a trememndous impact on your personal training and nutrition.

I keep coming up with "off season" plans but a torn meniscus sidelined that. I trained through and around it with the help of rehab specialist, sports chiro and a mobility specialist. My squat training actually made progress but my deadlift stalled, my body also responded poorly (along with some minor depression and I jumped up to damn near 210. I signed up for a December competition and I'm sitting on 198 in the mornings and falling so I know I can weigh in the 198 pound class with no water cut or dangerous habits. I want to continue to cut deep into the 190s or even 180s as long as the strength doesn't suffer. One of my favorite gyms will be hosting a 2nd quarter competition in Charlotte so there won't be an off season until MAYBE summer lol. I have about 3 different 12 week plans I'm wanting to try if the magic downtime ever gets here.
 
But I'm not that concerned I'd rather extend my swimming distance record to 12 miles.

In a world where people discourage specificity and competing, I encourage it. If you want to be the best damn swimmer in your age class then do it lol.

A great way to get a pull-up is focus on doing Australian pull ups more so than assisted. Tempo them, stay contracted and tight for a three second decent and a two second ascent. Limits your reps but 4 tight reps are better than 10 flailing about reps :). IMHO.
 
In a world where people discourage specificity and competing, I encourage it. If you want to be the best damn swimmer in your age class then do it lol.

A great way to get a pull-up is focus on doing Australian pull ups more so than assisted. Tempo them, stay contracted and tight for a three second decent and a two second ascent. Limits your reps but 4 tight reps are better than 10 flailing about reps :). IMHO.
I can't even pull myself up unassisted. Hanging isn't really an option.
I ran only do the course in position too. Degenerative osteoarthritis in my left shoulder shows itself in certain movements. Arms wide pull downs and pull ups are two of them.
As far as competing? Not in the near future. Not nearly fast enough and learning the flip turn is too risky for me. I'm satisfied competing against my last pace time and distance.

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Added note, I have, at least, learned to stop calling myself a "non-athlete" and start fueling like one when I take on personal endurance swimming challenges.
I finally accepted that I am an athlete when I swam 10 miles. I may not yet look like an athlete to most. But I suspect another athlete might see the few visible indicators. Ha!

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Dude, stop it. Just stop (said lovingly). You are an athlete. You have more CV endurance than anyone else except marathon runners (statistically) given your time and mileage in a pool.

You want to be a fish? You ARE a fish. Embrace it.
 
I can't even pull myself up unassisted. Hanging isn't really an option.
I ran only do the course in position too. Degenerative osteoarthritis in my left shoulder shows itself in certain movements. Arms wide pull downs and pull ups are two of them.
As far as competing? Not in the near future. Not nearly fast enough and learning the flip turn is too risky for me. I'm satisfied competing against my last pace time and distance.

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Do any mobility work with bands? I can share my warmups and mobility stuff that helped me get my shoulder less angry and work out some scar tissue. No wieghted anything, it's all just band work. Plus it warms the joint up for basically anything you're about to do.
 
Guess it’s time for an update:

I now hit the gym 5 times per week. Had been going between cardio and weights on alternating dates. But I have to go on a pretty extreme cut over the next month for a physical I’m having at work.

My warm ups now are as long as my entire workouts used to be. I run a two mile in under 20 minutes just to get the blood moving. On cardio days I do 80 minutes on the elliptical machines or run on the treadmill for 5 miles. I don’t run often because it is harder on my knees.

I have now completed a Spartan Sprint and a Rugged Maniac (pics below) and am scheduling myself to do a Spartan Sprint, Super; and Beast next year, as well as another Rugged Maniac for the fun of it.

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Me before:

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Dude, stop it. Just stop (said lovingly). You are an athlete. You have more CV endurance than anyone else except marathon runners (statistically) given your time and mileage in a pool.

You want to be a fish? You ARE a fish. Embrace it.
Actually "fishgutzy" comes from my days fishing the pier at Castle Island in South Boston. I'd come home with a bunch blue fish, smelling of fushguts. Ha!

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Do any mobility work with bands? I can share my warmups and mobility stuff that helped me get my shoulder less angry and work out some scar tissue. No wieghted anything, it's all just band work. Plus it warms the joint up for basically anything you're about to do.
Swimming has reduced most of the issues with specific directions. I still have areas with little to no cartilage in my left shoulder. It is the wide pull up/down that seems to be the limit now. Much better than it used to be though.

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