Alright guys this is going to be tough for me but i think it will help my motivation. As we all know with new years start resolutions and 95% of them wont last more than a few weeks. One of my resolutions was to lose fat and get cut. I am pretty strong but i let myself go a little too much this bulking season and I am going to have to work my butt off if i want to be anywhere near where i want to be June 1st.

I am about 6'0'', weigh between 198 and 205. Have a ORM of 325 lbs on the flat bench and a max of 245 on shoulder press (barbell) and 250 (dumbell).

I am eating cleaner, and working out harder than ever before whilst throwing in cardio to really cut my fat %

Anyways the first Sunday of every month I am going to be posting progress pics. Today being the exception. I'll be posting a set of relaxed pics and a set of flexing pics.











Lets see what damage i can do in the next month

 

You're face is hideous.

 

Why thank you.

 

Looks like you've been ignoring your core.

 

What exactly do you mean by core. I've heard the term used loosely.

 

^I'd assume abs, obliques, and lower back.

But, no homo, you have the a nice frame. Could use a little more cardio to "tighten up" your body.

 

Bump up your cardio and start to eat clean for your cut

 

Thats what i was thinking. I have neglected them in the past and have just started hitting them hard, the thing is i always get the worse cramps in my lower abs when i try to work them out. As if i was getting a charlie horse in them.

Just started doing cardio last Monday and started watching what i eat. I usually bulk from Aug to the end of the year and cut from Jan to Jun.

 

Throw in more circuit training, sprinting, plyometrics, calisthenics (sp), jogging. Mix it up.

You have a max shoulder press of 250 with dumbells? Was that a typo?

 

Kinda, 125 lb dumbells.

 

I would say 80% of what you need to fix is your diet. You have the muscle under there, that's the not the issue. It's kinda hard to be as strong and developed as you are and not have some core muscle. It's just hidden under the fat.

 

My diet was pretty bad before the new year. Eating out a lot, pretty much eating anything without concern. That has all changed starting the 5th so i really hope to cut down the fat through eating better and incorporating cardio into my routine which i didn't start until the 5th.

 

try more reps and sets. if you do 3 sets of 5 or 7, try 4 or 5 sets of 10-15.

Or try running or play basketball, great stuff

 

I've went from pretty much doing 5 reps for everything to 10-12. I just started doing the elliptical. Boring but effective.

 

Are you ashamed of showing your nicely tweezered eyebrows?

If that really is you, then you've done a good job adding a lot of mass on to what I remember from old pics was a very thin frame.

 

I would keep working out no matter what you're trying to accomplish. I went from 220 in the winter to 195 during a summer cut and I ended up having less muscle than I thought under there. I'm 6'1" and this was the result.

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/inde...ageID=17396869

Not sure how to post the actual picture. I'm the one on the bottom lol.

I never start cutting more than 6 weeks out.

 

I'm looking at that pic, are you the pitcher or the catcher?

 

The bottom......

 

its proven that sprints are more effective in reducing fat than jogging. you may want to try that. just go to your local high school or junior college track and run like 6 sets of 100's(one whole straightaway) at 95% of your fastest speed and take as long as break you need until you can talk or breathe a semi-easy.

 

of all the pics to post on an internet forum, THAT is the one you chose?

 

LOL. You guys have been nicer than I thought.

I wasn't at my computer so I had to grap one of the myspace pictures.

 

AND he posted it in TWO different threads.

 

Ok, here they are. I'm not really thrilled with the amount of fat i lost, if any. I haven't eaten the best and could've done more cardio. But i still have 4 months left to hit my goal so i will definitely buckle down on that as it gets closer to summer. I have gotten a little stronger so i guess that is a plus. I'm doing a pretty extensive weight training program which will end the first week in March, I will concentrate a lot more on cardio and eating after then.

 

Man, you have so much potential you dont even know it. Or maybe you do. You have the frame and the bulk, cut about 15-20 pounds, keep the mass and you're golden.

 

Thanks! Cutting the weight will be hard but I'm going to give it my all.

 

It's hard to work at losing weight, but once you get there, it's so easy to maintain.

 

I'm kinda taking the same approach as you. I have the bulk.
I am eating better (meaning less fats), I do more cardio (possibly not enough), and i'm still lifting.

However, when I go to lift weights I feel much weaker
;as in I can't lift the same number of lbs I lifted before I started my adventure.
Is this because you burn fat as well as muscle?

I know you mentioned you got a little bit stronger...
am I doing something wrong?

btw, sorry for the thread jack, if it helps I can start my own thread.

 

I'm getting stronger in everything except my flat bench, which i believe is suffering due to eating less and doing some cardio. Not really too sure why. I am still eating a good amount, just not as much.

 

actually looks like you gained some fat.

Good luck man, you will get there eventually. Obviously you have the ability and motivation to get your ass in the gym, the rest is just changing up the routine.

 

That was one of my worries. I'm not really sure how because i have been eating less fatty foods and started cardio. I guess i'll just have to watch what i ear a little closer.

 

Going to add some Chromium Picolinate and Purple K to my diet.

 

That's fucked up.

 

55, you'd need to have a body composition test to be completely sure of what is going on, but regardless, you don't want to lose too much weight too fast. You'll only be sacrificing hard-earned muscle if you do that. ~2 lbs a week should be the max you lose.

You've got good musculature, so just eating clean and taking it slow should yield the results you are looking for. I definitely wouldn't avoid doing a couple of intense cardio sessions a week.

 

If you're worried about having gained some fat, perhaps entertain working out at a higher intensity. Superset's etc...

 

Yea, thats the main reason why i gave myself ample amount of time to lost the fat. I do want to keep most of my strength, which is pretty important to me. I have been eating cleaner but have been slacking in cardio the last couple of weeks due to the intensity of my workouts.

I am working out at a pretty good pace, super sets and all. I'm actually so beat by the end of my workouts on this program i haven't been doing much cardio. This program will end the first week in March so i actually expect to start cutting a lot more after then.

 

+1 on the chromium. There's a brand called Sundown that uses grapefruit extract. I've used that and it helped with some weight loss. My friend tried different chromiums but this particular one was the best for them.

 

Interesting thread. I'm kinda in the same boat as you, overall I'm muscular but I've avoided my core for a long time (besides the occassional sit-up/crunch sets) and I usually eat like crap, so my mid-section is the only thing I feel I really need help with. I'll be following this thread closely to see what's successful for you and hopefully employ it into my diet/work-out routine.

 

Dammit, missing this week in the gym due to sickness

 

good to take a week off once in a while. It's all about the healing.

 

True, just in the middle of a program and started Purple K so not the best timing.