This summer I weighed in at 210 with a 28.5% bodyweight. I decided to really try and increase the intensity in my workouts and to use software to help track my calories. I began this mid-July. I used traineo for lots of things (but under a different name so don't look for my stats) mostly for inspirational stories and tips while I lurked in the background.

I've gotten down to 176 with a 17% body fat reading in just over 3 months. I feel great and thanks for your help (even though I mostly lurked).

wow splint what a transformation!!!!! congrats! thats awesome!!
please share your tips-diet, exercise-cardio, weights (frequency/intensity), supplements etc. excellent job!!

Hey Splint, we'd love to hear the story! Please tell! Cheers!

I really don't have any secret tips or tricks. I didn't cut out any foods. My carb-protein-fat ratio was around 60-25-15. I used DietPower software and FitDay to track my calories.

I switched my workouts from a stale weightlifting routine where I was pretty much going through the motions and started high intensity exercise programs like those SimpleFit and Crossfit. I also rode my bike places instead of driving and I usually make the point of going on a long run on Sunday. I still lift weights but only big exercises like benches, deadlifts, squats, barbell rows and overhead presses. I'm trying not to get into a routine so I have a set program I do three times a week (SimpleFit) and then 3 other days I try to find new exercise or calisthenics to do (like sandbag work) or I hit the heavy bag and jump rope or do yoga. I'll usually rest either Saturday or Sunday.

I was just eating too much so that's what worked for me. I imagine some people are really sensitive to what kinds of food they eat but I don't seem to be apparently. Carbs don't make me sleepy or anything like that.

Oh yeah, I will point out that I did learn a lot about how much calories were in things by logging my food. For example, some trail mix I had was 230 calories per quarter cup. Well, I would sometimes sit down with that and eat about two cups out of the bag. Needless to say, that'll put a dent in weightloss plans when about a 1000 calories sneaks up on you like that.

thanks for the info. did you use supplements? what are your plans now?

As a lurker myself, I take great inspiration from you Splint, and you look great. I've seen lots of before and afters, and awesome stories, but I am drawn to your attitude.. like minded maybe?

I'm currently on the beginning stages of my transformation and your story is another motivational factor for me to take it up a notch. Well done sir, and thanks for your more detailed explanation.

Wow, that transformation looks like what I've gone through, but over a year's time! Congrats, 3 months and you're looking good. I'm starting to up my benching (160lbs, 3x8 reps) and its doing wonders. I haven't been logging calories, I will now cuz of your story.

Inspirational, Splint, in both the common sense of it all and of course, in the execution.

Cheers for sharing.

great work!

later

Fabulous!

Just a protein shake whenever my diet was lacking protein. I tried to keep protein above 110 grams per day. I also take a multivitamin.

As far as plans, One of these day I'm going to start with a muscle building program rather than weight loss. With the weight loss I lost about 30 pounds of fat and about 4.5 pounds of lean body mas. That's actually a pretty acceptable ratio for me. While I don't think I could put on 30 pounds of muscles with only a 5 pound gain in fat, I think if I go very slow and ingest a few hundred extra calories per day while focusing on muscle building exercises I should see results. I haven't figured out exactly what kind of program I'll be incorporating though.

Excellent, Splint! The realistic way you did this (practical diet and well rounded exercise) equaling these visible results is what makes this inspirational.

thanks for info. very realistic and inspiring pics! congrats and keep up the great work!

Thanks, I wish I had some secret awesome tips I could give everyone but I basically just reduced my calories and performed a wide variety of exercises at high intensity.

That is great progress, just wanted to tip my hat!

Kudos Splint, and thanks for sharing the details of your journey. I hope you'll stick around and share your weight lifting experience with us.

Cheers!

I thought you were lifting too though, wouldn't that counteract the loss of lean body mass? That loss of lean body mass in addition to fat puzzles me. I know that cardio burns both fat and muscle, but I'm under the impression that lifting and cardio kind of offset eachother.

I was lifting. I think it's very difficult to actually build lean body mass while losing fat. I mean, a significant portion of that lean body mass was the extra muscle it takes to lug around the extra 30 pounds of fat every day. I just don't see how it would be possible to effectively build muscle while ingesting less calories than my metabolic rate? Where would my body get the extra energy to build muscle? I think I probably would have lost a lot more muscle if I wasn't lifting.

Maybe it is possible and I just wasn't focusing enough on the muscle building. Most of the time I was doing bodyweight workouts as a change of pace. But I did do benches, deadlifts, squats etc. without any real performance drops. I don't know what to tell you other than that's what happened and I really can't complain.

Great job, Splint!



I'm glad you don't have any secret awesome tips, because there are none! The simple fact is the only way to accomplish what you have done is through focus and hard work. Take pride in that!

when you are losing fat you almost always have to lose muscle unfortunately but you can control that amount if you lift weight like splint did

I think that it is possible to gain muscle while losing fat. Granted, you won't be gaining as much muscle/losing as much fat as if you were to do only cardio or only lifting.

I think that I'm building lean body mass while losing fat. For instance, the amount of weight I lift for each exercise are slowly increasing over time while I also am losing fat from running. We'll find out when I have my next body fat test in January.

Are you a beginner weight lifter or have you been doing it for some time. I think it's easier for beginners to do both. But I had been lifting for quite a few years before I focused more on high intensity bodyweight exercises.

I'd be interested to know if your body fat pounds were coming off. Your body fat percentage will drop, obviously, if you're adding muscle. But your body fat percentage can drop while adding fat too, for example, you add 5 pounds of muscle and 1 pound of fat, BF% will drop even though total fat has increased.

actually now that i think about it, i agree that if you are a beginner you can do both

I'm not a beginner; I've been lifting 2-3 times a week over the past year. It probably is because I still have a lot of weight to lose before I'm slim again. I am almost certain that I'm losing fat, because my measurements are getting smaller (i.e. waist) and I am losing weight at about 1 pound per week.

It makes sense that if you're already at a fairly lean build you wouldn't be able to do both at the same time.

Well, bully for you and your genetics I guess.

Here's a nice progression it starts in July, then Sep 01, then Oct 07, then Oct 27, then Nov 12: I think it's about 35 pounds and 12% body fat reduction.

Nice job splint. I'll be like you in another 3 months...

Well...not 176 pounds, but hopefully I'll have lost at least 30 pounds by then.

There you go. In that July 07 picture I just had a huge shock because my BP was like 135 over 80. That might not be so bad but I always had immaculate BP, like 119 over 68 every single time it was tested. When the doc said I should keep an eye on it it was a big shock. My last BP was like 116 over 65. I don't think my problem had anything to do with genetice predisposition for high BP, neither of my parents have it. I was just eating a bunch of crap and too fat.

wow-thanks again for showing those pics! you really start seeing the 6 pack from the oct 7-oct 27 pics. did you do anything different at that time?amazing!

curtis- 30 pounds in 3 months is alot! thats more than 2 pounds a week! try to be realistic with yourself.

Thanks. Yes actually, I started incorporating hanging L-sit as part of an ab routine. These are where you hang from a bar with your arms and then hold your legs out in front of you, making an L shape. I hold for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds. I repeat this 8 times. I couldn't do it when I first started out so I modified it with bent legs, like I was sitting in a chair. They really develop the abs.

Oh, and my 35 pound weight loss was actually over 4 months.