Strong as bull or ripped to shreds - Page 5

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 09:50 AM

thanks, now I am HUNGRY....

**threenorns** · 13-Sep-05, 10:00 AM

want the recipe? <evil grin>

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:01 AM

here's my take on it,. for what it's worth. I think the mental aspecs of getting to a low bodyfat level are more of a psychological game than anything else. For me, the problem seems to be balancing the point where you can eat enough food to "feed" your muscles and make them either continue to grow or to maintain them, and not put on excess pounds as fat storage. I never purposely ever went on a cut or a bulk, but over the last few years, I have seen periods of time where I have gone from 185lbs down to 175lbs doing absolutely nothing different, then suddenly back up to 185lbs then up to 190, now to 200lbs where I am now, and I honestly don't recall really changing anything significant. Only thing I do now is I am more consciously aware of my protein intake, almost to a fault, lol, but that's another story.

right now I estimate to be between 13-15% BF and the sucky thing is that it seems to be all in my midsection, not that I have a gut, I am solid, but I can't see my abs yet. But then I have veins sticking out all over the place on my forearms and biceps and sometimes my shoulders, so it's a wierd distribution--all in one place it seems.

Obviously I am not eating "too much" right now, cause my weight has been stable now for a good 6-10 months, I fluctuate by a pound here or a pound there, but I am hovering at around 200 for that time. So the trick would be for me, how much can I cut out so that I don't lose any muscle but begin to lose the stomach area fat? Of course, right now, I am NOT doing any cardio type stuff, which is probably the answer right there--keep eating the same way, but add in the cardio, and I plan on doing this as soon as I purchase my home elliptical machine, which unfortunately I have no idea when that will happen since it costs $4000, lol. So maybe when I get this thing, just using it 4 days a week for 20-30 minutes may be all I need.

but to summarize, i think diet is important to control body fat percentages and maximize muscle mass, but I think some of us forget the activity aspect of things. We just do our weight training and that's it, but in reality, maybe all we need to do is move our asses for a few minutes more every day and we will be where we want to be, and it doesn't have to be traditional cardio...we can play sports, shoot some hoops, play some hockey, go for bike rides....all this stuff we forget about because the weight training is so important to us.

**Firehawk** · 13-Sep-05, 10:02 AM

I'll go so far as to agree that if you've worked hard enough to go from 30% or more down to 10% or less, then you've obviously made something a lifestyle and you've learned to eat much better. However, your body never really changes as far as being predisposed to gaining fat easy. Meaning, if you ever revert to your old ways, you'll start adding fat faster than Maverick can complete a superset.

Body types are different and I just don't think it can be changed through anything that WE DO. Certainly age can alter things, slowing down metabolisms in people that were once raging, etc. But that's another issue. I'm always going to struggle with my weight, whether i'm at 10% (struggle more there) or at 35%.

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threenorns

want the recipe? <evil grin>

Hellz yeah!

here's one for you if you want some variety---brown some ground turkey meat, then add worcheshire(sp?) sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and honey (yes honey) in any amounts you desire, mix and simmer for about 10 minutes, then serve over brown rice and broccoli if you desire, and mix all together for a very tasty meal! And since the turkey is light, you won't feel disgustingly full when you eat a full pound and a half of meat like I do cause it's so good

:

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehawk

I'll go so far as to agree that if you've worked hard enough to go from 30% or more down to 10% or less, then you've obviously made something a lifestyle and you've learned to eat much better. However, your body never really changes as far as being predisposed to gaining fat easy. Meaning, if you ever revert to your old ways, you'll start adding fat faster than Maverick can complete a superset.

Body types are different and I just don't think it can be changed through anything that WE DO. Certainly age can alter things, slowing down metabolisms in people that were once raging, etc. But that's another issue. I'm always going to struggle with my weight, whether i'm at 10% (struggle more there) or at 35%.

i don't know if we ever talked about it, but how active are you in addition to your gym activities?

**Firehawk** · 13-Sep-05, 10:09 AM

Well right now i'm trying to walk 2-3 miles 5 days a week. Due to my heart problems i can't really do high intensity stuff. However, when I was cutting before and lost over 70 lbs i was doing HIIT cardio 3 times a week in addition to weight training 4 days a week, then taking the 8th day off.

Doesn't relaly matter though how active I am, my body will always have the will to want to refill the fat stores any chance i give it. I ain't one of the blessed that get to stay under 10% while they bulk. I am quite jealous though

.

**threenorns** · 13-Sep-05, 10:11 AM

well, firehawk's not wrong - there ARE body types that are predisposed to gaining fat just like there are body types predisposed to gaining muscle or predisposed to not gaining either without a struggle. hence "endomorph", "mesomorph", and "ectomorph".

if one is endomorph or endo-something else, fat will always be an issue. the body types are even predisposed to being attracted to different foods: mesos tend to crave protein, endos crave fat, ectos crave carbs.

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:15 AM

well neither am I so join the club, in fact most of us probably can't stay under 10% on a bulk, that's just the way it is.

Hows this for your antithesis of what you're going through....I used to be a skinny little nothing until one summer when I was 24. Over the course of that summer I gained 40 pounds, I went from 145 to 185, but wasn't working out back then, I was just kind of glad that I wasn't a stick figure anymore, lol. But since then, I don't think I have ever been below the same 12-15% BF I am now. So basically, I went from probably 5 or 7% to 15% over the course of a couple of months, and honestly I dont know what happened other than getting older, lol. But what I wouldnt give to have my body from back then, with my workout knowledge I have now, I'll bet you I could easliy have been a solid 165lbs with 5% bodyfat year round...

So it's a struggle for most of us is what I am getting at, not many of us are blessed with that ability, and even though I had it, I lost it, so those of you that have it now, count your blessings, and hope you don't lose it one summer like i did, lol

**threenorns** · 13-Sep-05, 10:35 AM

i hate you. <sticks tongue out rudely>

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threenorns

okay, my two cents - and you know i'm qualified cause i've lost 100lbs twice before and i'm halfway through my third run. granted, it's not as much as you're looking at in total, but i'm a helluva lot shorter than you and i'm female - two places you're ahead of me in the game.

when are you going to give us a progress picture of your "third run"? I am sure a lot of us here would like to see how you're doing...

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threenorns

i hate you. <sticks tongue out rudely>

lol...no need to hate! I'm not like that anymore, it's all a distant memory...

**threenorns** · 13-Sep-05, 10:39 AM

oh, woe - we should all have the problem of automatically maintaining a "normal" body fat level.

grr. hiss. meow.

**threenorns** · 13-Sep-05, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangers97

when are you going to give us a progress picture of your "third run"? I am sure a lot of us here would like to see how you're doing...

i did last month - next set will be in october, no matter what, but if i'm pleased with my progress, i'll post sooner. so october might be a NON-progress picture, lol, but i doubt it. i weighed myself last night at the gym and i was 198 with clothes, shoes, and the pint and a half of water i drank on my way in to the gym, so i think i'm down to about 190.

if so, i'm gonna peak, lol! soon's i hit 189, it's major party time!

**rangers97** · 13-Sep-05, 10:45 AM

you're too much., lol--

ok so right now i maintain "normal" bodyfat levels. but who's to say this isn't from all the time I spend busting my butt in the gym? maybe if i didn't work out, things would be different...maybe with my current eating habits and no working out, my 15% BF goes to 20%? who knows, but i don't plan on finding out either, lol

The people we really need to hate are the ones like my brother who is 27 years old, 6'1" and weighs about 150 lbs soaking wet...doesn't lift anything other than his automatic sander he uses for work and his food. Let's see, he eats bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches regularly for breakfast, mcdonalds or taco bell every day for lunch and after eating a full dinner will have a bag of potato chips and dip as a going to bed snack...

Fool doesn't work out and doesn't gain a pound, it is absolutely amazing...in fact, i would venture to say if he didn't eat all that crap, he would LOSE weight.....

that's the guy you gotta hate, not me