Well, actually I tried to weigh on the scales at the gym at work about a week ago and I topped the damned things out!
They top at 350lbs and I hit the limit plus some so I still didn't know how much I weighed. I figured maybe 300-325 lbs max, but 350+...
I've never been so embarassed by anything in my entire life!
Well, I didn't bother the scales again until today. I knew I was losin' but just couldn't bare to see it hit the limit again. This mornin' when I went in to do my leg workout I decided to step on and see if maybe I could get a weight. Was still worried that I'd hit the limit but was in a kind of mood that I thought I could handle it, sooooooo...
I'm proud to say, I didn't max it out this time!
I still weigh 345lbs and as terrible as that feels, sounds, IS, it still hurts less than hittin' the upper limit of the scale. I can't put into words how depressin' it was for me to hit the scale's limit. I knew I was/am a fat ass, but I had no idea I'd let myself go THAT bad...
To update everyone, I'm still hittin' the weights Mon-Wed-Fri and the treadmill Tues-Thurs-Sat. I had to change my diet though. I've been doin' a lot of readin' about Metabolic Typing and the associated diets. While readin' them, fillin' out the questionaires, and studyin' the different types of metabolism I found that I'm apparently a Protein Type, meaning that I need more protein and fat than carbs to thrive.
In fact, I pretty much fall into a classification called Syndrome X according to the readin' I've done. Apparently, my body has started to build up an insulin resistance. I had all the symptoms of Syndrome X that I read and I experience the outlined reactions to certain foods just like I've read about. The bad thing is that Syndrome X is referred to as "no man's land" between normal insulin function and TYPE II DIABETES! Scares the shid outta me!
On a positive note I've adjusted my diet according to the recommendations of the books I've read and my body is responding very positively! I have more energy and it stays even more consistent than when I started Body For Life this time. In fact, since my last motivational post I hit a slump. Seemed that my energy level started peakin' right after I ate and dumpin' shortly after. I learned from my readin' that this was apparently from the amounts and types of carbs I was eatin' on the BFL program. I guess my initial improvement came from the reduction in pure junk foods and soft drinks.
I guess change is good, but the RIGHT changes are even BETTER. Now that I've learned which meats, vegetables, and oils are right for my individual metabolism I feel even better than when I restarted BFL just over a month ago. My energy level is through the roof most days and great even on bad days. I stay charged all day, from the time I get up until the time I lay down. I even sleep better.
On the BFL note, I also sort of ran into problems followin' the workouts. I could do it, but it got to where I was dead tired and sleepy as fug after every workout. I was startin' to get really burned out because I felt worse after workin' out than I did before. Shouldn't be that way... Couldn't figure out why until I got the metabolic typing books and learned about Syndrome X.
According to my reading, people in the Syndrome X category really need plenty of moderate exercise to control and reverse the insulin resistance issue that their body has, but it should NOT be really strenuous exercise. I was workin out HARD, tryin' to hit those level 10 intensity high points. Turns out that due to my body's condition (Syn X) my adrenal gland and thyroid are beat down just by dealin' with the carbohydrates I take in. According to what I've read, very strenuous exercise and excess stress further stresses these two organs and unquestionably works against me.
With that in mind, I've scaled back to doin' three sets of 12 reps with whatever weight I can do twelve reps with for each body part. I still get the burn. Still get the pump. Still get wobble knee'd after the squats. Still get a little sore. What I'm NOT gettin' is sleepy as hell after I work out. Just the opposite actually. I feel pumped! I've taken ephedra based fat burnin' pills before and know how they jack me up. Now, after a good workout I get that same jacked up feelin' but without the side effects of ephedra (cold sweats, goose bumps, cotton mouth, jitters, dry mouth/sinuses, occasional light headedness, etc...) I'm honestly gettin' the natural high that I should be gettin' from boostin' my metabolism with the right type and intensity exercises. I'm again excited about gettin' up and workin' out every morning!
It has been a learning experience. Last time I used BFL apparently I hadn't yet built up a resistance to insulin and could go all out. Until I re-balance my body with the right diet and exercises, I'll go with what works for me. It's not what I'm used to, but if it works, then it works. What I'm used to was definitely not workin'.
Anyway, if you're into nutrition, health and fitness I highly recommend gettin' the two books I'll list below. I can't tell you how many times I stopped while readin' 'em and said, "So THAT'S why I feel a certain way after eatin' (insert whatever here)!". I've learned more about my body, or more specifically my own individual metabolism and personalized dietary requirements from these two books than from the PILES of other books and magazines I've read over the years. Based on my initial results and the results seen by the guy who recommended the books to me, I really believe I've finally found a source of information that arms me with what I need to fine tune my diet to ME.
Metabolic Typing is the first "system" (for lack of a better term) that is not one size fits all. Using the information in these books and maybe the right physician you can almost infinitely fine tune your dietary intake for YOUR body, unlike BFL where everyone gets the same diet with the same protein/carb/fat ratios obtained from the same types of meats, fruits, and veggies. I'm tellin' ya, the changes I've seen after my initial diet changes PROVE that the one size fits all doesn't always work for everybody.
I'm still fine tunin' and figurin' out which foods don't do well for me, but my feeling of well being, both physically and mentally, have dramatically improved. I suspect my overall health has improved as well. Hard to quantitatively measure that in such a short time, but I just know I'm on the right path.
Ok, the books are:
The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey
The Nutrition Solution: A Guide to Your Metabolic Type by Harold J. Kristal and James M. Haig
By the way, if you're really interested in learning from these books and reapin' full benefit from them, throw out EVERYTHING you've ever read about diet and nutrition and the health impact of this food or that food before you start readin'. A lion's share of what I thought I knew about eatin' "right" and "healthy foods" got shot right out of the water. I'm not talkin' about some quacks that are recommendin' some off the wall miracle plan here. You'll really have to read the books and understand them to truly understand what I mean.
I'll end with a paraphrase from the books. Both constantly drive home the same message that just like no two humans have the same finger prints, no two humans have exactly the same biochemistry...
<span style='font-size:15pt;line-height:100%'>One man's food can be another man's poison.</span>
<!--EDIT|BulletTrain
Reason for Edit: None given...|1084411191 -->
Well, I didn't bother the scales again until today. I knew I was losin' but just couldn't bare to see it hit the limit again. This mornin' when I went in to do my leg workout I decided to step on and see if maybe I could get a weight. Was still worried that I'd hit the limit but was in a kind of mood that I thought I could handle it, sooooooo...
I'm proud to say, I didn't max it out this time!
To update everyone, I'm still hittin' the weights Mon-Wed-Fri and the treadmill Tues-Thurs-Sat. I had to change my diet though. I've been doin' a lot of readin' about Metabolic Typing and the associated diets. While readin' them, fillin' out the questionaires, and studyin' the different types of metabolism I found that I'm apparently a Protein Type, meaning that I need more protein and fat than carbs to thrive.
In fact, I pretty much fall into a classification called Syndrome X according to the readin' I've done. Apparently, my body has started to build up an insulin resistance. I had all the symptoms of Syndrome X that I read and I experience the outlined reactions to certain foods just like I've read about. The bad thing is that Syndrome X is referred to as "no man's land" between normal insulin function and TYPE II DIABETES! Scares the shid outta me!
On a positive note I've adjusted my diet according to the recommendations of the books I've read and my body is responding very positively! I have more energy and it stays even more consistent than when I started Body For Life this time. In fact, since my last motivational post I hit a slump. Seemed that my energy level started peakin' right after I ate and dumpin' shortly after. I learned from my readin' that this was apparently from the amounts and types of carbs I was eatin' on the BFL program. I guess my initial improvement came from the reduction in pure junk foods and soft drinks.
I guess change is good, but the RIGHT changes are even BETTER. Now that I've learned which meats, vegetables, and oils are right for my individual metabolism I feel even better than when I restarted BFL just over a month ago. My energy level is through the roof most days and great even on bad days. I stay charged all day, from the time I get up until the time I lay down. I even sleep better.
On the BFL note, I also sort of ran into problems followin' the workouts. I could do it, but it got to where I was dead tired and sleepy as fug after every workout. I was startin' to get really burned out because I felt worse after workin' out than I did before. Shouldn't be that way... Couldn't figure out why until I got the metabolic typing books and learned about Syndrome X.
According to my reading, people in the Syndrome X category really need plenty of moderate exercise to control and reverse the insulin resistance issue that their body has, but it should NOT be really strenuous exercise. I was workin out HARD, tryin' to hit those level 10 intensity high points. Turns out that due to my body's condition (Syn X) my adrenal gland and thyroid are beat down just by dealin' with the carbohydrates I take in. According to what I've read, very strenuous exercise and excess stress further stresses these two organs and unquestionably works against me.
With that in mind, I've scaled back to doin' three sets of 12 reps with whatever weight I can do twelve reps with for each body part. I still get the burn. Still get the pump. Still get wobble knee'd after the squats. Still get a little sore. What I'm NOT gettin' is sleepy as hell after I work out. Just the opposite actually. I feel pumped! I've taken ephedra based fat burnin' pills before and know how they jack me up. Now, after a good workout I get that same jacked up feelin' but without the side effects of ephedra (cold sweats, goose bumps, cotton mouth, jitters, dry mouth/sinuses, occasional light headedness, etc...) I'm honestly gettin' the natural high that I should be gettin' from boostin' my metabolism with the right type and intensity exercises. I'm again excited about gettin' up and workin' out every morning!
It has been a learning experience. Last time I used BFL apparently I hadn't yet built up a resistance to insulin and could go all out. Until I re-balance my body with the right diet and exercises, I'll go with what works for me. It's not what I'm used to, but if it works, then it works. What I'm used to was definitely not workin'.
Anyway, if you're into nutrition, health and fitness I highly recommend gettin' the two books I'll list below. I can't tell you how many times I stopped while readin' 'em and said, "So THAT'S why I feel a certain way after eatin' (insert whatever here)!". I've learned more about my body, or more specifically my own individual metabolism and personalized dietary requirements from these two books than from the PILES of other books and magazines I've read over the years. Based on my initial results and the results seen by the guy who recommended the books to me, I really believe I've finally found a source of information that arms me with what I need to fine tune my diet to ME.
Metabolic Typing is the first "system" (for lack of a better term) that is not one size fits all. Using the information in these books and maybe the right physician you can almost infinitely fine tune your dietary intake for YOUR body, unlike BFL where everyone gets the same diet with the same protein/carb/fat ratios obtained from the same types of meats, fruits, and veggies. I'm tellin' ya, the changes I've seen after my initial diet changes PROVE that the one size fits all doesn't always work for everybody.
Ok, the books are:
The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey
The Nutrition Solution: A Guide to Your Metabolic Type by Harold J. Kristal and James M. Haig
By the way, if you're really interested in learning from these books and reapin' full benefit from them, throw out EVERYTHING you've ever read about diet and nutrition and the health impact of this food or that food before you start readin'. A lion's share of what I thought I knew about eatin' "right" and "healthy foods" got shot right out of the water. I'm not talkin' about some quacks that are recommendin' some off the wall miracle plan here. You'll really have to read the books and understand them to truly understand what I mean.
I'll end with a paraphrase from the books. Both constantly drive home the same message that just like no two humans have the same finger prints, no two humans have exactly the same biochemistry...
<span style='font-size:15pt;line-height:100%'>One man's food can be another man's poison.</span>
<!--EDIT|BulletTrain
Reason for Edit: None given...|1084411191 -->