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[Afrocious]

Left pic is from May. Right pic is from today:

While I was sitting in my desk wondering what I was going to do next since I'm tired as all hell, I began to wonder on a question I never had until now: What am I going to do once I hit my goal weight?

I've lost 35lbs already. Down from 265. I'm aiming for ~<200. Since I've recently begun counting calories Jan 2nd and lost 5 lbs since then, I'm wondering what comes after hitting my goal weight.

I began losing weight and working out so I could be healthier and to finally respect my body. I mean, I do have more self-esteem now and my mind is a better place due to all the challenge of adopting new eating practices.

But what comes next?

I lift so stuff the lifting stuff. I find the assumption that I don't to be obnoxious.

On what I do to lift:

As far as me lifting 6x a week, I don't go to the gym on Sunday at all. I basically do the following - push, pull, and legs:

push:
bench press 3x5
standing overhead press 3x5
incline bench press 3x5
dumbell side lats 3x10
rope pulldowns 3x10
dumbell tricep extensions 3x10
shrugs 5x10

pull:
deadlift 3x5
barbell rows 3x5
lat pulldowns 3x10
barbell bicep curls 4x10
hammer curls 3x10

legs:
squats 4x5
leg extensions 3x10
leg raises 3x10
calf extensions 5x10

So my week will look like PPLPPL*rest* then repeat for the next week.

So far, I haven't been feeling weak or tired or hungry. And even when I do get hungry, I space my meals out to I'm about to eat within an hour or so, you know?

I'm basically doing this for aesthetic purposes though lol. I know I'm weak as shit, but I've kinda accepted that and will see about increasing my strength more when I feel comfortable doing so. With Stronglifts 5x5, I went from squatting <125 lbs to 250 5x5 and realized I was fucking beat. Thus, this PPL thing I got going on.

My concern:

I don't really have any goal after hitting my goal weight.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Maintain it. Or start lifting.

 

[Afrocious]

Maintain it. Or start lifting.

Already lift.

 

[Dead Prince]

Is it purely just losing weight. Don't forget once you're done its smart to maintain it or you'll be back where you started

You should pick up a hobby
And congrats on the job so far

 

[Tabris]

Lifting. Should have been a part of it in the first place.

Start to learn techniques like deadlifting.

You probably need to build up your back a bit with things like lat pulls first.

Already lift.

Then keep doing it. It's a forever thing now. Don't waver.

 

[Nickle]

After losing weight you usually work on building muscle, so just keep on lifting.

 

[Afrocious]

Is it purely just losing weight. Don't forget once you're done its smart to maintain it or you'll be back where you started

You should pick up a hobby
And congrats on the job so far

This is true. I was thinking about taking up dancing.

Lifting. Should have been a part of it in the first place.

Start to learn techniques like deadlifting.

You probably need to build up your back a bit with things like lat pulls first.

Strength training, you might even want to start doing it now. There are tons of programs for beginner lifters, but you could also do body weight fitness.

You assume I don't lift.

 

[AlphaDump]

Just maintain and never stop showing up. Focus on areas where you are weak. You can always update and refine your body and routine.

Look into optimizing your diet (and at a low cost), too.

 

[Tabris]

You assume I don't lift.

Because if you already lift and eat healthy - what would you expect there to be left?

Also a lot of people "lift" by doing some simple benchpress and useless focused leg press exercises (well useless in the fact you can do a compound strength program that addresses those same muscles as long as others at the same time) and consider that it. Proper strength training is a lot more involved.

Also I guess you can start introducing yoga classes. I've loved doing those. Or some kind of MMA class to keep up health when you don't feel like going to the gym.

 

[nephilimdj]

Can always expand your fitness, take swimming lessons or join a bike riding group

 

[Afrocious]

Just maintain and never stop showing up. Focus on areas where you are weak. You can always update and refine your body and routine.

Look into optimizing your diet (and at a low cost), too.

Yeah this is something I've been curious about. I think I need to get my resting metabolic rate checked because I lost 5lbs in a week and I don't think that's healthy at all. I haven't starved myself either (except one on Sunday due to a weird schedule since I was flying from NY. Intermittent fasting, etc.)

I'm not versed in biology, but I think something happened with me working out regularly. I know you're supposed to eat more when lifting weights, but I've been keeping a balance by cutting calories while lifting. So far, it's fine and I'm getting stronger considering I've only been lifting regularly for 6-7 months.

I lift 6x a week without a problem - until now that is.

 

[grumble]

Congrats on it. Just maintain it forever, stay in shape, and live your healthier life.

 

[...Scatter...]

Now you enjoy life. This was never the silver bullet to happiness but it sure is the catalyst for success.

Play sports. Date. Dance. Have fun. Look for other things you can do to improve, like travel and experience new things.

 

[Cake Boss]

That shoulder needs to look like a ski slope,and a thicker neck, lift moar!!

 

[CPS2]

Delete facebook and start working on that phd in maths.

 

[Tabris]

I'm not versed in biology, but I think something happened with me working out regularly. I know you're supposed to eat more when lifting weights, but I've been keeping a balance by cutting calories while lifting. So far, it's fine and I'm getting stronger considering I've only been lifting regularly for 6-7 months.

I lift 6x a week without a problem - until now that is.

That is an issue. Lifting (or strength training specifically as you lift and pull and push) is about creating micro-tears in your muscles and the healing process is what builds up those muscles. Without the rest, you are just re-doing the work you just did creating those tears and it doesn't have a chance to build. I can go into the science of it (how muscles are re-built), but you are over strength training. I recommend googling strength programs, usually 3-4 days a week max and broken up by rest days and you target specific muscle groups each day.

As for the nutrition thing, is you'll want to start counting fats, proteins, and carbs along with your calorie cutting because it's important you get enough proteins and healthy fats. Use myfitnesspal app for that as it does a pretty good tracking all 4.

 

[BeauRoger]

You make sure that you keep a routine thats maintainable. The "fire" or the motivation to keep going wont always be as strong as it is now when you have such a clearly defined goal. To me, the hardest thing was always to get back in and "start over" once you stopped for a while. Its mentally draining to know that you have a long road to get back to something you used to have.

My solution to that was to make the routine as managable and low-key as possible, so that i'd never get sick of it and stop. That way, I can hit the ground running once the urge does come back, which it will, and just "hang on" the rest of the time. Now i work out about 5 times a week, but, i try to be in there 40 minutes tops, preferably less, cause i know that anything more and ill get sick of it. I dont regress, and once i do get the urge again, i get results quickly. Its a slow and steady climb, which good enough for me considering how much else needs to be crammed into everyday life.

 

[Afrocious]

Congrats on it. Just maintain it forever, stay in shape, and live your healthier life.

Thank you! I spent 6 months reconditioning my eating habits to the point where it didn't feel like dieting. I basically went from eating one serving of veggies a month to eating at least two servings of veggies a day. That alone got me to lose weight (5lb/month). The reality of that was a caloric deficit I simply didn't chart.

I started counting calories in the beginning of January and I'm hoping I can stop sometime before the summer.

Now you enjoy life. This was never the silver bullet to happiness but it sure is the catalyst for success.

Oh yeah, I def learned it wasn't a solve-all for happiness. I have depression and I will say the practice of losing weight has been enlightening.

 

[BreezyLimbo]

Damn dude you look good. Yeah, once you drop down to your 'goal', start getting swole. Mantain the weight. Keep going to the gym, let it become a habit. It's a lifestyle thing. Depending on how much you eat and how active you are, you can probably lessen the time you work out(If you're not working on building muscle) and have average build, but keep up the good work, seriously looking good.

 

[gaugebozo]

Congrats! Don't live like you are losing weight, live in a way you can maintain for years.
I lost 100 pounds a few years ago, and that was the biggest thing. Ditch any advice people give you that doesn't work for you, and make sure you are comfortable with your level of commitment. It doesn't necessarily get easier, but once you've proved to yourself you can do it, you get better at it, and it feels easier. Good luck!

 

[Afrocious]

That is an issue. Lifting (or strength training specifically as you lift and pull and push) is about creating micro-tears in your muscles and the healing process is what builds up those muscles. Without the rest, you are just re-doing the work you just did creating those tears and it doesn't have a chance to build. I can go into the science of it (how muscles are re-built), but you are over strength training. I recommend googling strength programs, usually 3-4 days a week max and broken up by rest days and you target specific muscle groups each day.

As for the nutrition thing, is you'll want to start counting fats, proteins, and carbs along with your calorie cutting because it's important you get enough proteins and healthy fats. Use myfitnesspal app for that as it does a pretty good tracking all 4.

While I do appreciate your posts, I find what you say to be condescending and presumptive of what I do.

I already do splits. I began splits after feeling like I exhausted Stronglifts 5x5 and what I did with Starting Strength during the phase in which I felt like transitioning to something that wasn't so focused on legs (squats [I look like a fucking T-rex]). I already use myfitnesspal, and I'd much rather for someone who knows so much to ask me things because I don't have to tolerate this nonsense.

 

[AudioNoir]

I have no advice. I just wanna say congrats on the hard work, and you look great. Hope you feel great, too!

 

[FallingEdge]

Come to the fitness thread. We will get you jacked and lean.

 

[Xelinis]

Gain it all back

Spoiler

as muscle

.

 

[Tabris]

While I do appreciate your posts, I find what you say to be condescending and presumptive of what I do.

I already do splits. I already use myfitnesspal, and I'd much rather for someone who knows so much to ask me things because I don't have to tolerate this nonsense.

You posted a thread asking GAF what to do after you're done without any of this information - what are you expecting from this thread? If you just wanted to say that you've lost weight, just make a thread about that and not asking us what to do next.

And you obviously don't do rest days because you said you do strength training 6 days a week.

 

[The Kree]

Start fuckin way more people.

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

I wish I've had as much success. I stopped all sugar, eating more veggies, more protein, drinking only water, lowered caleries to 500 or so below needed intake, etc.

Its been about 6 months and I've only lost about 10 pounds. Now, I'm quiet big, so I expected a lot to fall off pretty fast (20 or so pounds over a few months) but for some reason I can't really get past the 10 pound mark.

 

[Lumination]

While I do appreciate your posts, I find what you say to be condescending and presumptive of what I do.

I already do splits. I began splits after feeling like I exhausted Stronglifts 5x5 and what I did with Starting Strength during the phase in which I felt like transitioning to something that wasn't so focused on legs (squats [I look like a fucking T-rex]). I already use myfitnesspal, and I'd much rather for someone who knows so much to ask me things because I don't have to tolerate this nonsense.

Sorry but I don't see why you have to be so defensive when you didn't provide any of the info they suggested. We're just trying to help.

 

[M52B28]

Maintain it. Or start lifting.

There is no stopping.

Just keep a maintainable routine to keep from gaining it back.

 

[A Link to the Past]

Left pic is from May. Right pic is from today:

While I was sitting in my desk wondering what I was going to do next since I'm tired as all hell, I began to wonder on a question I never had until now: What am I going to do once I hit my goal weight?

I've lost 35lbs already. Down from 265. I'm aiming for ~<200. Since I've recently begun counting calories Jan 2nd and lost 5 lbs since then, I'm wondering what comes after hitting my goal weight.

I began losing weight and working out so I could be healthier and to finally respect my body. I mean, I do have more self-esteem now and my mind is a better place due to all the challenge of adopting new eating practices.

But what comes next?

I lift so stuff the lifting stuff. I find the assumption that I don't to be obnoxious.

What comes next is you post some more pics

Serious answer tho, just maintain. I'm going through similar weight loss myself, though still on the early stages!

 

[NomarTyme]

I wish I've had as much success. I stopped all sugar, eating more veggies, more protein, drinking only water, lowered caleries to 500 or so below needed intake, etc.

Its been about 6 months and I've only lost about 10 pounds. Now, I'm quiet big, so I expected a lot to fall off pretty fast (20 or so pounds over a few months) but for some reason I can't really get past the 10 pound mark.

Yeah you starving yourself ain't going to work. Your body is in starvation mode and its fighting to keep the fat because of your lack of food.

 

[mr2xxx]

Apply your progress to something. One of those obstacle course competition things, a triathlon, basketball, flag football, MMA etc. If that doesn't intrest you then just do enough to maintain and do other things that intrest you.

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

Yeah you starving yourself ain't going to work. Your body is in starvation mode and its fighting to keep the fat because of your lack of food.

I mean, I lowered my calorie input to be 500 below what my needed intake to maintain my current weight. Used counters like Loseit.com and such, said to keep my calories at or below 2300 a day.

 

[Wereroku]

Spending some money on a personal trainer to get a customized professional routine developed is probably a good place to start if you want to get into peak condition. Otherwise get to the weight you want and just focus on a maintenance program. Anyway congrats on the progress so far hopefully you get where you want to go.

 

[Afrocious]

Damn dude you look good. Yeah, once you drop down to your 'goal', start getting swole. Mantain the weight. Keep going to the gym, let it become a habit. It's a lifestyle thing. Depending on how much you eat and how active you are, you can probably lessen the time you work out(If you're not working on building muscle) and have average build, but keep up the good work, seriously looking good.

Thank you breezy! For sure. That's the reason I'm following a program that has me going 6x a week instead of 3.

Congrats! Don't live like you are losing weight, live in a way you can maintain for years.
I lost 100 pounds a few years ago, and that was the biggest thing. Ditch any advice people give you that doesn't work for you, and make sure you are comfortable with your level of commitment. It doesn't necessarily get easier, but once you've proved to yourself you can do it, you get better at it, and it feels easier. Good luck!

Thanks and congrats to you too! Yeah, I've been getting better at parsing advice and stuff. I might be brash about it, but there was a time when I'd just be passive and let people talk over me so *shrug*.

I have no advice. I just wanna say congrats on the hard work, and you look great. Hope you feel great, too!

Thank you!

Come to the fitness thread. We will get you jacked and lean.

I might hit it up when I get down to 200 or less. Not trying to overload my day with complexity, though I do want to be toned.

Gain it all back

Spoiler

as muscle

.

swoll

 

[M52B28]

That is an issue. Lifting (or strength training specifically as you lift and pull and push) is about creating micro-tears in your muscles and the healing process is what builds up those muscles. Without the rest, you are just re-doing the work you just did creating those tears and it doesn't have a chance to build. I can go into the science of it (how muscles are re-built), but you are over strength training. I recommend googling strength programs, usually 3-4 days a week max and broken up by rest days and you target specific muscle groups each day.

As for the nutrition thing, is you'll want to start counting fats, proteins, and carbs along with your calorie cutting because it's important you get enough proteins and healthy fats. Use myfitnesspal app for that as it does a pretty good tracking all 4.

You really are Patrick Bateman, aren't you?

 

[RDreamer]

Keep healthy?

I'm basically almost where you'll be getting to. I started around 255-260 and my goal was to get somewhere under 200, ideally around 185-190. I've been doing this since October and I just hit 190 the other day. My plan is to do some lifting and ramp up my calories to maintain the body I like.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Start to adjust your diet to a stable place. You don't need to be as strict but make sure to offset cheats with workouts. Also work on more cardio, running, stairs, cycling boxing etc.

 

[NomarTyme]

I mean, I lowered my calorie input to be 500 below what my needed intake to maintain my current weight. Used counters like Loseit.com and such, said to keep my calories at or below 2300 a day.

Oh I see. What is your current active lifestyle ?

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

Oh I see. What is your current active lifestyle ?

Very sedentary. I know, I should get out and do stuff...I just don't have that will. I have back issues, muscle issues, to where if walk a while or stay standing up a while, I start to get anxious, tense and my heart feels weird. Maybe its more the anxiety disorder part of me. Believe me, I want to be able to be active, which is why I changed my diet up a lot over the past 6 months. My newest changes were to add nuts into my diet, I've heard that can help. I've always had weight issues since I can remember, I guess started around age 9 or so. So, its almost like its my only reality. I really wish one day I can feel normal. Last august I weighed myself again and I had gotten even bigger without even noticing. Was a tough weird last 6 years. Back in 2010 I was able to lose about 40 pounds, but when I weight myself last summer, I had gained all that back AND 60 extra on top of that. This time around, I didn't go on a spree like I had in the past, where I'd only eat 1200 calories a day. So I stuck to the 500 calorie deficit idea, and it just didn't seem to work I guess.

 

[M52B28]

Dude, I hate to pile or mention this more, but you should definitely include more about yourself and your lifestyle.

I lost about 35 pounds in 7 months.

I could have lost more, but what mattered is if I were able to stick to a routine. I gained 5 pounds back during Christmas break. Now that I'm not home, I'm making sure that I'm easing my way back into fitness to further lose and maintain weight loss.

Going on 30 minute walks almost everyday, jogging stairs, you name it. Anything that can keep my body from getting to the way it was before at 270 lbs.

 

[Tabris]

2300 calories a day intake seems pretty high if you are sedentary lifestyle. So maybe you aren't starving yourself yet and you still have some clearance. Are you counting calories, if so, maybe you have an example day listing you can paste here and we can recommend changes.

 

[Nosgotham]

but do you even lift bro?

serious tho
man i dont know, do whatever the fuck you wanna do. maintain, change your body composition, bulk then cut again. the world is your oyster, shuck. shuck it real good

 

[SystemBug]

I mean you already lift, so are you gonna stop when you hit your goal weight? Was that something you were planning on doing?

 

[Afrocious]

You posted a thread asking GAF what to do after you're done without any of this information - what are you expecting from this thread? If you just wanted to say that you've lost weight, just make a thread about that and not asking us what to do next.

And you obviously don't do rest days because you said you do strength training 6 days a week.

I appreciate and want advice. I just don't like assumptions. Like, at all. They hit personally and I'd appreciate it if you laid off them because I do feel you do have good things to say.

As far as me lifting 6x a week, I don't go to the gym on Sunday at all. I basically do the following - push, pull, and legs:

push:
bench press 3x5
standing overhead press 3x5
incline bench press 3x5
dumbell side lats 3x10
rope pulldowns 3x10
dumbell tricep extensions 3x10
shrugs 5x10

pull:
deadlift 3x5
barbell rows 3x5
lat pulldowns 3x10
barbell bicep curls 4x10
hammer curls 3x10

legs:
squats 4x5
leg extensions 3x10
leg raises 3x10
calf extensions 5x10

So my week will look like PPLPPL*rest* then repeat for the next week.

So far, I haven't been feeling weak or tired or hungry. And even when I do get hungry, I space my meals out to I'm about to eat within an hour or so, you know?

I'm basically doing this for aesthetic purposes though lol. I know I'm weak as shit, but I've kinda accepted that and will see about increasing my strength more when I feel comfortable doing so. With Stronglifts 5x5, I went from squatting <125 lbs to 250 5x5 and realized I was fucking beat. Thus, this PPL thing I got going on.

Start fuckin way more people.

I wish I've had as much success. I stopped all sugar, eating more veggies, more protein, drinking only water, lowered caleries to 500 or so below needed intake, etc.

Its been about 6 months and I've only lost about 10 pounds. Now, I'm quiet big, so I expected a lot to fall off pretty fast (20 or so pounds over a few months) but for some reason I can't really get past the 10 pound mark.

I think you're starving yourself. Where are you starting off?

Sorry but I don't see why you have to be so defensive when you didn't provide any of the info they suggested. We're just trying to help.

I wasn't asked anything though.

Spending some money on a personal trainer to get a customized professional routine developed is probably a good place to start if you want to get into peak condition. Otherwise get to the weight you want and just focus on a maintenance program. Anyway congrats on the progress so far hopefully you get where you want to go.

Thanks! I have invested in a dietitian who has got me on the right path, though she did express concern about me lifting weights back when I did 3x a week.

What comes next is you post some more pics

Serious answer tho, just maintain. I'm going through similar weight loss myself, though still on the early stages!

Eh I'm still weird about pics tbqh. I look damn different.

 

[RDreamer]

I mean, I lowered my calorie input to be 500 below what my needed intake to maintain my current weight. Used counters like Loseit.com and such, said to keep my calories at or below 2300 a day.

I think 2300 a day is a bit much if you're sedentary and can't get in much exercise.

Even if you are technically losing at that calorie intake it'd take so long to get somewhere noticeable I'm not sure you'd be able to keep it going. I know in my instance taking it off FAST is what got me to keep going and keep motivated. I could see the work paying off.

I think you're starving yourself. Where are you starting off?

He ain't starving himself with 2300 calories per day and not much movement.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Be happy for a job well done.

If you want to set another goal, well - do you play any sports? If not, see if you can pick one up. Try to take advantage of your new body and do things you may not have been able to do previously. It'll keep you in shape, and it helps break up the monotony of the gym in my opinion.

 

[Tabris]

I mean you already lift, so are you gonna stop when you hit your goal weight? Was that something you were planning on doing?

I think based on his reaction to my posts, he wasn't actually looking for advice and was just looking to post his pictures. Which is fine, because he did an amazing thing, but should have just said "I lost a lot of weight and I'm happy about it" and then this thread would have a better tone for him.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Very sedentary. I know, I should get out and do stuff...I just don't have that will. I have back issues, muscle issues, to where if walk a while or stay standing up a while, I start to get anxious, tense and my heart feels weird. Maybe its more the anxiety disorder part of me. Believe me, I want to be able to be active, which is why I changed my diet up a lot over the past 6 months. My newest changes were to add nuts into my diet, I've heard that can help. I've always had weight issues since I can remember, I guess started around age 9 or so. So, its almost like its my only reality. I really wish one day I can feel normal. Last august I weighed myself again and I had gotten even bigger without even noticing. Was a tough weird last 6 years. Back in 2010 I was able to lose about 40 pounds, but when I weight myself last summer, I had gained all that back AND 60 extra on top of that. This time around, I didn't go on a spree like I had in the past, where I'd only eat 1200 calories a day. So I stuck to the 500 calorie deficit idea, and it just didn't seem to work I guess.

You need to start somewhere dude. Just trying to cut down intake isn't going to work psychologically, especially at that drastic of a change. Start with some simple stuff, like low impact yoga or start working in with 5-10 lb weights with higher reps. You will feel discomfort and that is part of it. The biggest thing is to tell your body to work though it. You aren't going to deadlift 300 lbs day 1, week 1, or year one. Just work at it, slowly and gradually.

 

[M52B28]

Assumptions are made because there wasn't much to work off of in the OP.