Officially, I'm 6'0.5" and 181 pounds, but still not satisfied. I think the key is to "hate your body" as Dr. Cox says on Scrubs.
Great work Ryan. A few thoughts -- you CAN work your rectus/obliques/spinal erectors daily. I won't go into the physiologic particulars but you can and should unless you're trying to be Mr. Olympia If you already have a chest/triceps day, do your pushups then. Every day is overkill. Spend an extra 10 min on cardio. As far as losing fat around the midsection, some data suggest that abdominal fat is affected by cortisol levels and insulin levels (read resistance) which are greatly affected by intake of simple/processed sugars. That is part of the rationale behind the South Beach Diet, btw. So what you eat can help you "spot reduce" to some extent. Also, you can follow the principles of the South Beach diet very inexpensively. Also, remember that for all the adipose tissue between your abdominal fascia and skin, i.e. the "roll" you can pinch, there is an equal amount of omental fat, i.e. fat deep to the fascia and muscles, surrounding your intestines. So you really have to lose twice as much fat as it *seems* like you have to lose. You don't need any supplements other than perhaps a multivitamin with iron if you are not eating a wide variety of foods. One last thought -- I believe aspartame makes you hungry. I had an experience this past week which convinced me. I always have an egg and a thin slice of bacon for breakfast, and then a Metrx bar or salad for lunch, and I NEVER get hungry between the meals. I quit drinking sodas around 6 months ago bc of the sugar. I hate most diet drinks so I just drink water. Well, last week about 9 AM I was thirsty but didn't want water or fruit juice. There were some cans of Fresca in the fridge at the hospital, so I said what the hell I'll try one. I drank it and by 10 AM I swear I was ******* starving. I held off till lunch and ate my protein bar, but I was hungry the whole afternoon. Not very scientific I admit, but that was the only variation in my routine, and it hadn't happened before and hasn't happened since.
Body for Life is the best program. It works and if you follow it will keep you healthy for years. Not too hard to follow either.
Great motivational thread. I wish I had seen it 3 months ago. I exercise pretty regularly, but my diet sucks. I lost about 50 pounds in '03, but have gained about half of it back over time. Wendy's and Swiss Cake Rolls are my tempters. (Luckily Whataburger doesn't reach this far north). I'll try to stay away from the junk.
