Before and After Pictures! Bust Them Up!!!

I'll admit that it took me 3 failed tries before I was able to master the technique again. It's tremendous fun, and a great workout just staying up and slicing across the wake of the boat Keeping those legs tight and forward with your back rearward with slight slack in the arms are key.

can you do push ups without pain? they are a great chest exercise that may be lower impact on the ripped muscle. Your approaching the time frame where it ought to be healing now, so don't get too discouraged...

.. just thought, do you think you blew out your rotator cuff? maybe a tendon snapped even.

 

Can't do push-ups. I wouldn't say that my shoulder is in pain, but it feels tight and easily aggravated. I have a feeling it's the rotator cuff. I should really go see a doctor but I don't have a GP and if I go to a clinic, they're just going to prescribe me some pain-killers and send me on my way ('free' health care FTL!).

We'll see...

 

In just a few visits, you can have everything needed on this side of the border (for now)... paying with cash/ check also yields discounts. Hope you can get it sorted soon, Cameron.

 

Here's new pic from my show in Daytona Beach last weekend (with a big fan who drove across the state to catch my set).

RMX
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Looking good. The girl not you.

 

Starting weight
284 lbs
Today:
Just shy of 220 lbs.

I did chest-back today; being that I figured I could whiz through it since that has basically been my forte. And I did... for 34 minutes. The rest of the workout took another 1.5 hours to build up enough endurance to do a fair number of reps. Wow is all I can say. It makes some sense too, as I've been doing approx 115-120 push ups about 4x per week. This first bout was 226 for my "beyond comfort level." I normally only sweat like this when I run on a humid day for 45+ minutes. Wow.

I suppose it's time to read the documentation now; I'm pretty sure my diet is very good 95% of the time.

My weakest form is definitely in my pull up/ chin up... I will stick with this, but I really don't want to be stuck using a chair to aid in pull ups so much.

This is one intense program, and can definitely believe the results.

This photo is roughly 15 lbs down from the previous photo. Still a ways to go; but progress is evident!
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Dude

im speechless...so impressed.

 

Took the words right out of my mouth.

You're going to be ripped come summer (just get a tan haha).

Keep it up!

 

Day 2 is not any easier than day 1! Ha! My "short" running course which I thought was 3x .35 mile loop turns out to be 2.1 miles; with the hills, I decided to increase my pace, and was running approx 9 minute miles... not sure what a flat equivilant would be, but since I don't have flat ground, I don't think it matters. P90x definitely isn't for the person looking for something quick and easy. It's murder! lol.

The pictures definitely show more than I feel I've lost; I'm definitely glad I have them for reference...

It will be an interesting experience; I've never been "ripped" at any time in my life. I know once I've flattened out, than I'm going to have to increase my food intake. I think that is going to be almost as tough as the workouts.

Cameron, have you had your shoulder looked at yet?

 

The best part about working out is the journey... the ups and downs. For me, it's the best thing I've ever done. The best thing I can recommend for you is to make sure you're building muscle mass while you're dropping the fat. The worst thing you can do is wake up one day weighing 180 or 190lbs with no muscle at all. This is what happened to me back in college, when I got down to 160lbs.

Regarding my shoulder, I never went to get it looked at, but it's getting a lot better. I can't do any pressing motions with it (bench press, military/strict press), but I can do lat raises, front raises, face pulls etc no problem. Lately, however, I haven't really been doing any upper body exercises and just focusing on my core and legs. Once I feel they are up to par with the rest of my body, then I'll start lifting heavy again.

 

+1 on the building muscle. I was around 170 three years ago and there was hardly any definition. Now after a year of rock climbing and now swim, bike, run with the sporadic weight lifting throw in I'm around 175 with some vague ab outlines on a good day when I wake up dehydrated. Still have some fat to lose, but I've relaxed a bit too much on my nutrition over the past months for that to happen. Hopefully get back on track within the next couple weeks for marathon training.

 

Great progress Isaac. Although your facial expression in the most recent pic is cracking me up. lol

 

So what do you guys think? How much is exercise and how much is diet?

In the last two months, I've lost 22 pounds... and I'd like to lose another 23 before the end of the year.

If I had to guess, I'd say that my diet is 85% responsible for the wight loss, and my exercise is only 15% responsible. ( I say this because I was exercising 5 days a week when I gained the weight, and I'm still doing the same routine now that I'm losing the weight)

Even though the ratio seems out of balance.... the exercise is very important, because it gives me the mental ability to be strongly committed to my diet. Exercise seems to keep my testosterone high, and that makes me feel more confident that I can do anything (a superman effect). I'd say my diet is 100% mental. Once I am able to wrap my mind around taking the weight off, I do it. But it took me 12 months of "false starts" before I got the right mentality going to get serious about calorie counting. Once I started counting my calories and stuck to my weekly goals... the weight came off.

Just wondered if anyone else has found a similar experience?

So from the physical side... 85% diet and 15% exercise.
But from the mental side... 100% of diet is mental.
And exercise makes me mentally strong to stay with the diet.

 

Congrats on the weight-loss, very impressive. I'd say you're about right... diet is 100% mental, and body recomposition is 75 - 80% diet/20 - 25% exercise. And with both (eating well and body recomposition), once you get the ball rolling, it becomes that much easier.

Does anyone here do Crossfit WOD's? I'm going to the gym in a couple of hours to do the "Chelsea" which is basically 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15bw squats every minute for 30 minutes. I'm interested to see if I can even finish.

 

I briefly thought about taking a picture with a less funny expression, but I knew it would make your day... 'sides, where's the fun in being so serious all the time . (ON FB, a few friends got a kick out of it too )

Losing weight I'd say is likely 75-80% weight loss, and perhaps more... I think exercising just helps your mind stay "right" so you want to be eating right. I don't consider what I'm eating as a diet, as those are temporary. That isn't the case with everybody. Eventually, you may want a little tone and definition rather than just being a healthy weight.

However; the P90X (at least starting) I'm expending so many calories trying to keep pace with the DVD's that I've dropped over 3 lbs in 3 days without altering my diet. If you want to lose the weight fast, your going to have to sweat, and work your ass off (and gain definition at the same time). I haven't felt this beat up since I first started exercising back in February... but the big difference is this time, I still have energy left to spend the rest of the day. ... I'd say P90x and similar systems it becomes a 50/50 game.

 

I ended up doing this yesterday. I did the 'Cindy' which is the same exercises, but you try and see how many sets you can finish in 20 minutes. I mentally decided on 25 en route to the gym, and that's exactly how many I ended up doing (with some breaks throughout and a minute to spare at the end). Strangely enough, it wasn't the pullups that slowed me down (as is the case with most people) but it was my pushups. I will say this, however... this has to be one of the best exercises you can do. My body is so sore right now, it's almost reminiscent of the day after the first time you hit the gym. Everything aches... EVERYTHING! Biceps, triceps, forearms, core, chest, legs, glutes. But it's the good kind of pain.

According to the Crossfit forums, the record is 39 or 40, and anything over 30 is awe-inspiring. 25 is still a solid number. My goal is for 30 next week.

I might stop with the weights and just focus on calisthenics for the next few months because I've never kicked my ass this bad with weights.

 

HAHA! With how this week had gone at that point it was a much needed laugh. Not that it was a bad week, just super busy.

 

You did better in Crossfit than I did. I did that workout and it absolutely kicked my ass. Fun though. Totally different.

 

It's a lot easier doing 125 pullups when you weigh 175 as opposed to 240

 

October 4, 2009 update About 8 weeks from last. Down to 158. Crappy pic. That is my heart rate monitor strap. Best $100 I have spent in a long time.
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You have a beauitful wife and little baby there Todd!

You're not a bad looking chap too, if I do say so myself!

 

Here is a pic of me wearing the pants I *used* to wear.

(Nah, my mate wearing another fatter mate's pants!! )
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Congrats Dave!

LMAO Pap!

 

Very impressive, evolved! Those aren't far off the kind of results I'm looking for when I'm "through" Well done, and keep it up!

I hate to say it, but I got sick for the first time in a long time, and took a week off of P90x. Back in it... easier than the 1st week still, but a little tougher than week 2. I definitely gained some extra water weight in that time, as I was drinking gallons more each day to help wipe the bug out of the system. I think I'll be back where I was a week ago by Friday or sooner.

 

You can do it. I have faith.