Post: #1901

(04-07-2017 04:20 PM)Hoser Wrote:  

(04-07-2017 04:00 PM)W_J Wrote:  I lost 50# in two months.
I know, I know, "eeew, thats tooo fast, you're gona die" and on and on. Fatties always have an excuse and I didn't have time to wait for 1.5# per week. Fuck that.
I started with a one week fast where I ate no solid food and only had a glass of milk or Guinness (low calorie beer) for "dinner."
After that one week fast I got used to, and began to like the feeling of a little hunger; its the feeling of losing weight, despite what everyone says, hunger is GOOD FOR YOU. 80% of the world is hungry most of the day and in America we treat a twinge of hunger as a fucking crisis.
The people who say that low calorie diets will make you gain weight are FAT LIARS. If not eating made you GAIN weight concentration camps would be full of fatties.
After the week long fast I ate a diet of 1,200-1,800 calories per day, almost exclusively meat, nuts, eggs and salads with oil/vinegar dressing. No fucking chips or other shit food. I started running 2 or 4 miles per day three times per week. I lift for only 30 minutes two or three times per week but did NO lifting as I cut weight. I went a year without a hamburger or pizza. If I start gaining weight I just do an intermittent fast; I only eat between 6-9pm.
Now rice, potatoes, etc put me RIGHT to sleep and I feel great.
Ya, I looked skinny after losing weight but lifting made the muscle come right back. I'm a mesomorph so gaining muscle is easy for me.
If you REALLY want it, you will get over the hunger and you'll figure out ways to trick your hunger or you can just buck up and ignore it. Your body and its cravings are designed for making you fat, punish it and make it obey you.
You can do it.

You have no idea how much you sound like a book I read called The Real You Is Skinny. It's written by a chick, and focused mostly on a chick audience, but it contains the same hard-hitting truths you just shared. Many male reviewers have found it helpful. If nothing else, the author wins respect for getting banned on social media for saying "big is NOT beautiful!" and refusing to yield to the Trigglypuff Mafia.

Bonus: the book cover is rather easy on the eyes, so long as you don't mind small boobs.

Post: #1902

I have cut my heart open in this thread in the past, and I am now tracking my progress in this thread to help new members, or other older guys, who have similar goals. Any encouragement or suggestions will help.

By July 1st(80 Days);

1) Have a 34" waist - Current 37.5 measured at Belly Button. I have developed a pot belly. At 41 I dont think I have a great body. I am strong, and have a high lean body mass, but I have the body type like Mark Rippetoe. Not the look I am going for, especially for work. I dont know how I am this body type, I eat fairly well, can do some decent cardio, lift well. I am currently about 192# at 5'10". I feel and look too heavy. I just want to be around 15% BF. My solution: The Zone Diet, strict, weighing and measuring my food. Along with 6-8 workouts a week, morning cardio, lifts and met con. Plus hiking and swimming. I will stay active but my main focus is the Zone Diet.

2) Live at least $2000 under budget in April, May and June. This will take buying no clothes, books/media, eating out, drinking, dating, and be "gazelle intense" about my finances. I dont want to spend any extra money on women, or anything for that matter. Over the last two weeks I have lived on $200. At first when I tried it, I became really stressed, not that I have done it, its like a game, and I want to keep going with it.

3) Launch one of my side businesses, a book.. I launched it a while ago, took it down, and wanted to reedit it to re-release it on Amazon. I have three chapters left to reedit, then format to Kindle. I have had a block to finish and release it. To also to grow my other side businesses audiences.

4) Significantly reduce fapping. As of right now, I fap about 14x a week. Twice a day, once in the morning when I wake up, once in the evening as I go to bed. I am a highly sexual guy. My Test level always test over 750, at 41 years old. I have multiple orgasms with women with no refractory period. I have banged 8 women so far this year, and I quit going after it a few weeks ago. I have a few FB's I am seeing, girls I like a lot and understand our relationship. If I kept going at the pace I was headed, I could easily hit 40+ bangs this year. But I have decided not to. I want to reduce my time and energy spent on women, and sex. I want to get to only fapping on average once per day, and then only a few times a week, and then once a week. I have used fapping as a stress reliever from significant work stress lately. Something happened at work and I think I fapped like 6 times in one night after it happened. The next day I had what I believe was my first ever panic attack. I actually went to the hospital to get checked out because my dad has heart disease, and I am ok, just stress. So now I have concluded; fapping DOES NOT lead to stress relief. I am not addicted to porn, or even sex, unless I am in an LTR. This is a habit I want to change for good.

5) In 80 days I want to read 12 Books; on leadership and finance.

6) Meditate at least 5 days per week.

7) Live on this schedule: 6am wake > workout > 9am work > 5pm workout 2 > 6:30pm Dinner

8) All correspondence has no typos, and proper formatting.

9) See Friends 2-3x p week.

10) Approach 100 women, to practice the follow up. Getting numbers is easy. In this round I will be practicing the follow up; the point from which you get the number, to the second meeting. I want to perfect this, because this is always the hardest part to master. I will also be practicing the same day date. I am approaching to find an LTR. Not with that sole purpose, but that is ultimately my intent.

Nice to haves: start playing guitar in a jazz ensemble or in a rock band again, learn a new language daily.

This is my life plan for the next 80 days. I will be checking in every few days with progress. As an older guy, I would like to use my habit experiment as an example to other men, that is why its in this thread, and why I didnt start my own thread. Any thoughts or encouragement is welcome. Thanks!

Post: #1903

Vaun, impressive list of goals - I salute you.

My comment is that some of those are easy to do at the same time, but sometimes trying to do 10 things at the same time is difficult. Everyone is different, but you may have better long term success if you prioritizing a couple, and after you have 2-3 weeks of doing them consistently, add another from your list of 10. Also, if you reframe some of them they might be easier: instead of 12 books in 80 days make it 1 book a week, and create the sub-goal of finishing the first book a week from today, a subgoal of finding 60 minutes to read part of it today, and a subgoal of identifying the list of 12 books and buying copies. It can be discouraging to look at a stack of 12 books, but if you break it down into steps mentally its easier and harder to put off. Also, long time frames invite your brain to procrastinate.

Post: #1904

Good stuff Vaun, identifying what you want to improve is a big step especially to the level of specificity you have. I think I agree with Hypno about not over-doing it, don't want you beating yourself up if you get "only" 6 or 8 of the 10 points accomplished, that's an impressive list.

Post: #1905

(04-10-2017 11:09 AM)RunsWithScissors Wrote:  Good stuff Vaun, identifying what you want to improve is a big step especially to the level of specificity you have. I think I agree with Hypno about not over-doing it, don't want you beating yourself up if you get "only" 6 or 8 of the 10 points accomplished, that's an impressive list.

go for all 10, but start with a couple for now to create momentum. Don't try to do all 10 at one time or else you may end up accomplishing zero.

Also, thank you for publishing your goals - it gives us all an opportunity to think.

One last thing about goals - Scott Adams in his book about success and failure encourages you to think about systems rather than specific goals. Its hard to explain, but instead of having a narrow, specific goal of "lose 10 pounds" you could have a goal of being healthier, eating healthier, going a month without missing your scheduled gym days, etc. You may end up adding muscle and not ever losing any weight, but you might lose inches off your waist and add them to your chest. Adam's examples are more about career and entrepreneurship, but his point is to be fluid I think.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Fail-Almost-E...B00COOFBA4

Adams' view is different from some other coaches who say goals need to be specific, measurable, etc. I don't know who is right. I do know for me I tend to set goals and not make them and feel frustrated. I do better by setting an easy goal like maybe read a half hour every night before I go to bed instead of read 12 books within 80 days. You end up creating a reading habit which goes on autopilot instead of a chore to read x books. Also, when I read, I often end up becoming inspired to read something else, and I often end up with a half dozen half read books. To me this is good thing, but depending on how you frame your goal it might be a bad thing. I guess the point is be prepared for your priorities to shift and frame your goals flexibly.

Post: #1906

(04-07-2017 02:43 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  meat

I am eating less meat.... Why?

My stomach looks better and is MUCH EASIER TO CONTROL when I limit my meat intake.

Instead of meat everyday... I have learned to get protein from:

Eggs (with avocados and corn tortillas)
Beans/lentils (Mexican style beans or Indian style lentils)
Quinoa (stir fried with vegetables and tofu)
Tofu (grilled or stir fried in spicy chili paste)
Almonds (raw or blended into smoothies)
Garbanzo beans (hummus or fried)

+

Falafel
Nuts
Fish
Chicken

Green beans, spinach, carrots

I do enjoy a steak occasionally.

I don't think its necessary to eat meat everyday. I think its much healthier to limit our meat intake.

--

What made me limit my meat was 2 things:

1) My stomach/6 pack is easier to control

2) Meat makes my body odor and bowel movements smell terrible!

My body smells much better when I don't eat a lot of meat.

(04-07-2017 02:43 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  By biggest problem now is that I am starting to get these late night cravings, my body screams for something before I go to bed.

I used to have the same issue.

What helped me was:

Eating a filling and satiating meal about 2 hours before bed time. What worked for me was:

-rice and beans + banana/peanut butter smoothie

-oatmeal with berries + protein shake

-brown rice and sauteed vegetables + protein shake

-hard boiled eggs mixed into rice/veges + protein shake

Basically, I try to fill my stomach with quality food about 90-120 minutes before bed. This kept the late night cravings away!

Post: #1907

^There is a lot of hype about meat, which I don't buy.

I experimented with the Vegan lifestyle over a decade ago, I noticed changes right away. My face cleared up and like you said the bowel movements had no smell and looked different.

Meat also stays in your stomach for weeks, so that would explain why you have a more defined 6 pack from cutting back.

Yes, it has a lot of protein. It also has a lot of fat.

I don't want to preach, I do like a steak once in awhile on the bbq.

Post: #1908

(04-10-2017 02:31 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  ^There is a lot of hype about meat, which I don't buy.

I experimented with the Vegan lifestyle over a decade ago, I noticed changes right away. My face cleared up and like you said the bowel movements had no smell and looked different.

Meat also stays in your stomach for weeks, so that would explain why you have a more defined 6 pack from cutting back.

Yes, it has a lot of protein. It also has a lot of fat.

I don't want to preach, I do like a steak once in awhile on the bbq.

I did the vegetarian thing for 7 years (4 years vegan) and am back to fish and fowl only. Haven't had any mammal in over 20 years....Not preaching either...this just works for me.

There's some that believe that your ideal diet is dictated by blood type. . Again I'm not preaching it but it turns out the A type (mostly vegetarian) diet works for me when it comes to health, weight, how I feel. I learned that before I ever heard of Blood Type Diet (and I think everyone should discover what works for them) . I'm -A

Excerpt

Quote:Could eating a diet based on your blood type -- O, A, B, or AB -- help you trim down and get healthier? That's the idea behind the Blood Type Diet, created by naturopath Peter J. D'Adamo.

D'Adamo claims that the foods you eat react chemically with your blood type. If you follow a diet designed for your blood type, your body will digest food more efficiently. You'll lose weight, have more energy, and help prevent disease.

What You Can Eat

That depends on your blood type. Here's what D'Adamo recommends for each type:

Type O blood: A high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, and light on grains, beans, and dairy. D'Adamo also recommends various supplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with type O tend to have.

Type A blood: A meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains -- ideally, organic and fresh, because D'Adamo says people with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.

Type B blood: Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Chicken is also problematic, D'Adamo says. He encourages eating green vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy.

Type AB blood: Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables. He says people with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats.

Post: #1909

Part of the problem with meat these days is that a lot of it is really poor in quality, pumped up with antibiotics and other chemicals. I would imagine that if we ate meat like our ancestors did, ie. going out into the wild and hunting the day's meal, the issues people have with meat would be far less. I've done the gamut between vegetarianism, full out meat eater, pescatarian diet and so on and I've found that keeping fish and eggs in your diet along with lots of vegetables works the best for me (pescatarian). Lately though, I've added organic, free range chicken occasionally and even some bison meat once in a while (bison is not farmed and is caught in the wild) and it works very well for me.

Whatever diet you follow, I think the most important thing is to use high quality meat and to cook at home. Eating out all the time is terrible for you and is most people's downfall. But limiting meat intake is probably good for many people, especially as you get older since don't need all that protein unlike younger people who are still growing.

Post: #1910

One of the things I've recently gotten back to is a food intake journal.

Basically, I record what I eat; when I eat it; the environmental situation (rain, cold, sunny, etc) and my mental state (excited, depressed, stressed, etc). I then do an analysis at the end of the day on the effects on my body's state--from both my perspective and that of any friends I've interacted with.

If you weigh yourself at the start and end of the day recording this is not that difficult. Just keep it brief. Otherwise you won't stick to it. And don't worry about recording every last detail. Just the basics are enough. A real good journaling program on your computer makes the process even easier, since most now have an option to record video and audio entries if you're too tired to type.

Over time, you'll learn what foods react best to your body and put you into your best space. Some people are good with meat, others better with salads. Some react good to grains, others to tubers. Everyone is different. So best to find what fuel your body likes best.

Post: #1911

Doc put me on a Testosterone replacement gel. My T level was @ 302. I haven't gotten the Rx filled yet but we'll see what happens. He said he didn't want to do injections first because of the spiking.

Post: #1912

Welp, less than a week away now and my 30's will be history. Hello 40's. I guess that will make me "official" for this thread like the rest of you old timers.

Post: #1913

One you start Testosterone replacement you will know what a restored sports car feels like. That stuff puts the pep back in your step.

Post: #1914

(04-13-2017 03:36 PM)Atlanta Man Wrote:  One you start Testosterone replacement you will know what a restored sports car feels like. That stuff puts the pep back in your step.

Thanks for the info! I was wondering how/if I would be able to tell the difference.

Post: #1915

I think I mentioned a few pages back that I started taking Maca maybe 3 weeks ago. I'd say it's had a minor impact to libido but has almost certainly had a significant impact on the quantity/volume of my loads. I like it and I like watching my girls dealing with it.

Post: #1916

FUCK. YES.

That's an ambitious set of goals and an even more ambitious timeline.

You're motivatin' me, motherfucker! Let's go!

(04-10-2017 09:11 AM)Vaun Wrote:  1) Have a 34" waist - Current 37.5 measured at Belly Button. I have developed a pot belly. At 41 I dont think I have a great body. I am strong, and have a high lean body mass, but I have the body type like Mark Rippetoe. Not the look I am going for, especially for work. I dont know how I am this body type, I eat fairly well, can do some decent cardio, lift well. I am currently about 192# at 5'10". I feel and look too heavy. I just want to be around 15% BF. My solution: The Zone Diet, strict, weighing and measuring my food. Along with 6-8 workouts a week, morning cardio, lifts and met con. Plus hiking and swimming. I will stay active but my main focus is the Zone Diet.

What metrics are you tracking, with what frequency, and how are you measuring scale weight and BF%? (Recommend BF% weekly, scale weight every am & dry, waist weekly, KCALs and macros daily)

Also - have you baseline measured your BF%? If not, strongly recommend. Something in your stats doesn't jibe for me. At 5'10" and 192#, I suspect that you are around 15% already. As a point of reference, I am 6', fit, but not big and at 192# (192# dry; 197# carbed up), I would be around 11%.

(04-10-2017 09:11 AM)Vaun Wrote:  5) In 80 days I want to read 12 Books; on leadership and finance.

Where's your reading list? Have you stack ranked it? Recommend picking the most important book wrt your next 80 days, and reading it first.

(04-10-2017 09:11 AM)Vaun Wrote:  6) Meditate at least 5 days per week.

Not sure of your intent here, but if your goal is to make meditation a new habit, best practices for habit formation (from some habit research I once read) is do it religiously every day for 30ish days to instill it. Can be as short as ten minutes for meditation, as long as it is non-zero.

If you need a starter meditation resource, hit me up.

(04-10-2017 09:11 AM)Vaun Wrote:  10) Approach 100 women ... I am approaching to find an LTR. Not with that sole purpose, but that is ultimately my intent.

Have you written up your description of your ideal LTR partner?

If not, strongly recommend. Clarity of outcome focus will drive efficiency in your approaches, and more importantly, inform relevant refinements in your screening process.

Post: #1917

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  FUCK. YES.

What metrics are you tracking, with what frequency, and how are you measuring scale weight and BF%? (Recommend BF% weekly, scale weight every am & dry, waist weekly, KCALs and macros daily)


Also - have you baseline measured your BF%? If not, strongly recommend. Something in your stats doesn't jibe for me. At 5'10" and 192#, I suspect that you are around 15% already. As a point of reference, I am 6', fit, but not big and at 192# (192# dry; 197# carbed up), I would be around 11%.

I measured my BF with a pinch test and tape measure, and I am going in to get a professional caliper test this week. I have excess body fat on my chest and gut, which skews any BF test greatly. If you looked at me you cant really tell, but my gut measures 37", and its the only place I really have measurable fat on my body. If I can remove it, I will be pretty lean and it will alter my look dramatically, to look more cut. Would love to have visible abs this summer.

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  Where's your reading list? Have you stack ranked it? Recommend picking the most important book wrt your next 80 days, and reading it first.

I have about 300 unread Kindle books... Last year I read 40.

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  If you need a starter meditation resource, hit me up.

Thanks, I am using Headspace, its a great app that I use time to time. Please share any recommendations if you have them.

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  Have you written up your description of your ideal LTR partner?

Yeah, but I only use that when I am looking for a GF. Truthfully, I haven't actively looked for an LTR for many years, they just happen. For approaching, if I think she looks good, I approach. When I want a GF, I will be more specific. I have my deal breakers and red flags. I dont want to limit myself to the "type". I have dated all types, and want to stay open to that. But if I stick to my deal breakers and red flags, I will be fine, they are universal. If I have a type now its blondes, on the taller side, slim, athletic, European/Russian. Actually dating one, a software developer that likes to bite me but is the sweetest thing. Truthfully, managing myself in a relationship is more important to me. Its easy to dump someone if they are not want you want, but I want to explore how I react to and treat a woman to create something good. After a 10 yr marriage, and 5 LTR's, by this point I am not looking for a "perfect match", but to lead and create the best outcome through my own actions, with a girl I am really into physically and mentally. Getting rid of the mistakes I have made in the past is what I am focused on, and also get back to the game I used in the past to get all of the women I have had.

Post: #1918

(04-15-2017 11:36 PM)Vaun Wrote:  I measured my BF with a pinch test and tape measure, and I am going in to get a professional caliper test this week. I have excess body fat on my chest and gut, which skews any BF test greatly. If you looked at me you cant really tell, but my gut measures 37", and its the only place I really have measurable fat on my body. If I can remove it, I will be pretty lean and it will alter my look dramatically, to look more cut. Would love to have visible abs this summer.

At your level of leanness, you can get a sufficiently accurate measurement with the Accu-Measure to make it worthwhile to track weekly at home. In my experience, it could be very useful for tracking progress with the belly fat you are trying to drop. FWIW, I would baseline the A-M to the "professional" caliper measurement, but I'm an anal fuck.

(04-15-2017 11:36 PM)Vaun Wrote:  

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  Where's your reading list? Have you stack ranked it? Recommend picking the most important book wrt your next 80 days, and reading it first.

I have about 300 unread Kindle books... Last year I read 40.

Heard. And this is my point. Quality/Impact over Quantity. Which ONE book has the potential to most move the needle for you?

(04-15-2017 11:36 PM)Vaun Wrote:  

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  If you need a starter meditation resource, hit me up.

Thanks, I am using Headspace, its a great app that I use time to time. Please share any recommendations if you have them.

That's it. Great starter program. I launched with his Take 10 program.

(04-15-2017 11:36 PM)Vaun Wrote:  

(04-13-2017 06:49 PM)Jack_Smith Wrote:  Have you written up your description of your ideal LTR partner?

Yeah, but I only use that when I am looking for a GF. Truthfully, I haven't actively looked for an LTR for many years, they just happen. For approaching, if I think she looks good, I approach. When I want a GF, I will be more specific. I have my deal breakers and red flags. I dont want to limit myself to the "type". I have dated all types, and want to stay open to that. But if I stick to my deal breakers and red flags, I will be fine, they are universal. If I have a type now its blondes, on the taller side, slim, athletic, European/Russian. Actually dating one, a software developer that likes to bite me but is the sweetest thing. Truthfully, managing myself in a relationship is more important to me. Its easy to dump someone if they are not want you want, but I want to explore how I react to and treat a woman to create something good. After a 10 yr marriage, and 5 LTR's, by this point I am not looking for a "perfect match", but to lead and create the best outcome through my own actions, with a girl I am really into physically and mentally. Getting rid of the mistakes I have made in the past is what I am focused on, and also get back to the game I used in the past to get all of the women I have had.

Totally heard. Exactly where I am at. My question is -

How is that vision, which you just articulated with such precision and clarity, translated into your goals for the next 80 days?

Post: #1919

To all my guys cutting weight on here I am trying something new-Boxing/kickboxing. There is a class at Equinox and there are a lot of people there simply to lose weight. I am going to the gym and doing 15 minutes on the Stairmaster prior to class and giving it a go. I am still going to lift 5 days a week, and take off only the two days that I do Boxing/Kickboxing and we will see how it goes. I am currently 260(having lost 5 pounds in two weeks going hard as fuck at the gym and radically changing my diet) and I am doing this new set up for a month. I will let you guys know how it goes, today is 4/16/17and I am 260 by 5/15/17 I will be 248-250 with a visible 6 pack(I hope).

Post: #1920

(04-13-2017 03:36 PM)Atlanta Man Wrote:  One you start Testosterone replacement you will know what a restored sports car feels like. That stuff puts the pep back in your step.

TRT is so powerful, you might even want to bang your own wife!

Post: #1921

No need for TRT. Just grind up some zinc, magnesium, and selenium and mix it in with a smoothie.

Post: #1922

^^^Well, insurance is covering it so might as well give it a go, but I will definitely add that to my regiment though!

Post: #1923

(04-16-2017 03:57 PM)Atlanta Man Wrote:  To all my guys cutting weight on here I am trying something new-Boxing/kickboxing.

Props to ya Atlanta Man!

No experience with the kickboxing aspect, but I can tell you this.
Boxing is an awesome, underappreciated way to train. It is probably
my favorite way to work out.

Something primal about wrapping your fists, and then going through
a good session on the heavy bag. Not only will you train differently than
you do with weights, it is the best stress reliever ever. (other than sex maybe)

When you learn the techniques, and then can feel your power. As your
punches come from your core, twisting your hips, and unleashing from
your shoulders.. smashing into what could be an adversaries face? Powerful.

Your confidence will go up guaranteed. (Not saying you can't already) and
your ability to "handle" yourself, now secure. You will hold your head just a bit higher. Knowing if need be, you can bring it. (Think Tyson. Think Foreman)

Report back man.. Kick some ass!!!

Post: #1924

here is my progress update

Weight: 187#, down from 193 last week.
Waist Measure: 36.5", down from 37.5" last week
Budget: Good. Living la vida no cash. Eating only packed lunches, dinner at home. Went to Chipotle and had brunch with friends on Sunday. Those were the only splurges.
Side biz: did very little work on it last week, enough to grow social followings. Cranking up the work this week.
Reading: finished one book; Extreme Ownership. 11 to go.
Fap: still about once a day. Want to reduce even further.
Approaching: Zero. Havent felt up to it, so I am taking a break. Have a solid fb, and another few girls Im dating.
Meditate: Twice last week. Ramping up to 5x this week.
Friends: 3x last week.
Schedule: good but I need to wake up earlier.

Good progress so far, but I want to lose more weight....

Post: #1925

Tomorrow is my first day boxing,it is a 1 hour class- the trainer says I will have trouble just keeping my arms up after 20 minutes. Will report back how it goes.