The Steemfat Challenge
I totally believe in serendipity and the universe has been sending me a message lately.
That message has been to lose weight and get my old ass in shape again.
Just this past weekend I turned 51 (no cake please) and was thinking this was heading into the downhill slide…getting fat, weaker and turning into a grandpa <- that’s what my girls always say “Are you a grandpa?”
Honestly, I’ve put on quite a bit of weight since moving back to the U.S. and as of this morning am weighing in at 228.4 lbs (103.6 Kg).
It’s too much and needs to stop. As I've been reminded.
And I’ve been getting the message, but haven’t listened.
I follow @valorforfreedom and see his progress towards the goal of 12% bodyfat @ 90kg. Ironically that was me 12 years ago (ok 88kg). Honestly. Ask my wife @adcharagolf
I follow @exyle and see his progress with Steemfat 3.
I also follow @fitinfun and see the amazing transformation she made and maintains.
Today I read a post by @guyfawkes4-20 about intermittent fasting, which comes on the heels of a friends venture into intermittent fasting as well.
So ok universe, I get it. It’s time. Time to lose weight and get back in shape. Despite my somewhat advanced age. Probably because of it in fact.
So, the journey begins. My Steemfat Challenge.
The first step is to get under 100kg and since I’m not too far from that and just starting out I think it’ll be an easy goal. Then I’ll be looking at losing by 5kg increments until I get to 80kg. We’ll see about adding muscle from there, although I’m sure some muscle will be added during the journey. I firmly believe that the best way to lose weight is by adding muscle.
It could be difficult considering my age, but difficult is NOT impossible. Ultimately I’d like to see if I can get to 85kg with 12% bodyfat. Yeah, that’s definitely a stretch goal. We all need stretch goals to motivate us beyond our comfort zones.
February 1, 2018 begins Steemfat Challenge for me. I’ll update here. The frequency will depend on how much interest there is. I don’t want to bore anyone with my fitness/weight loss journey. If there’s interest I’ll update more frequently, but if there’s no interest I see no need to update more than once every 7-10 days.
If you got at least 0.001 STEEM worth of value from this post please upvote below and resteem so others will see the post too.
If you really like what you've read consider following @moneyinfant - I'd love to have you join me.
@moneyinfant Please do not give up and remember I'll be right beside you no matter how rough and steep the road is.
No giving up, but I am hoping for a gentle uphill climb rather than a steep and rocky ascent.
Best of luck. :)
Thanks for that.
Courage! You will get there!
Thanks, I appreciate your support.
I wouldn't worry about the numbers. Just concentrate on being healthier and fitter. I'm short and have always been broad. I am at a fairly decent weight at 80kg. I have to diet all the time, and now I am on camera. Maybe you should be on camera. It's the best diet LOL!
Oh, and I want a damn giant cake in a year's time hehe. I want all 50 candles too. It must threaten to burn down the house.
I know if I concentrate on being healthier and fitter it will come. But the numbers work well as benchmarks and motivation to some extent. Until that damn plateau hits. I've been slim for most of my life, and this is the dreaded dad body, so not heart healthy at all. I guess being on camera could help, but it would have to be full length shots since nearly all the fat is around my mid-section. So far so good for the first day, although I do feel a bit wonky. No food until 2pm as I'm doing intermittent fasting.
I hope you get your cake and a candle conflagration!
Ah, you do the same as me. I am never hungry in the morning really. It's much easier for me to diet earlier on that late. I've always been stocky and broad for my height. I don't worry about the numbers other than to keep track. At my height they would probably label me as too heavy, but at the weight they say, I would never eat again ... not even lettuce.
The plateau is the annoying part. I hit it ages ago. I basically do a diet 3-4 days and have a day off. I eat fairly normally on those days, but very little of the sweet stuff. That is a lifestyle I can maintain. I was continuously sick with flu a few months back and stopped cycling so I need to get back on my 35 year old exercise bike. Now if only the bearings weren't going. :)
It's good to take a break at least once a week and eat fairly normally if you want to keep your sanity. Sweet stuff isn't a huge draw for me, so staying away from that is easy. Keeping away from too much bread isn't nearly as easy. And don't even get me started on wine and beer. Well, for the diet I'll limit myself to once a week and sticj with wine at least.
It is never too late to get buff!
Just lift 4x per week with a plan to increase the weights that you can lift slowly, eat 2 large meals heavy in protein and vitamins/minerals with low carbs and improve your sleep.
All that this requires is discipline, aka doing this even when you feel like shit.
Do that forever and I guarantee you an increase in confidence, muscle mass, sex drive, pride & honor.
And wifey will obviously love it!
Yep, I've been there before. Small difference now as I'm more prone to injury than in my youth, but I well know the benefits in confidence, pride and muscle mass.
One good thing at this point is I know pretty well how my body responds to changes in diet, certain foods to avoid (for me), and which lifts provide the best response with the least chance of injury. For example, I know I have to use dumbbells for overhead presses, my knees can't abide lunges, and deadlifts are the best thing ever for my back development (thickness). And I know all too well that (barring injury) ya gotta squat.
I've been fortunate so far that the sex drive hasn't slowed any, but yes indeed wifey will certainly love it!
Sounds very good! I personally use the leg press as squats ruin my knees.
I'll have to give that consideration as my knees haven't been optimal either, but there's just som much more that goes on with squats. I'll have to see how it goes and may either go with leg presses as you say, or try front quats to keep the weights lower while still getting the same full body activation.
Thanks for your feedback!
Awesome plan! I just wrote about my experience with intermittent fasting a week and a half ago. I write about my weightloss progress every Wednesday. Some weeks are better than others, but I try to stay consistent and keep it to things that I know I can stick with!
You got this!
@byn
I'll have to keep an eye out on Wednesday's so I can offer my encouragement!
Hey man, that's an epic goal, you can totally do it. Good luck. ;)
Thanks! Just gotta keep my eye on the goal and take it 1 lb at a time.