# 25 years old today and getting healthy again!



## Manurack (Aug 12, 2015)

So, 25 years ago I was born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories the raised in Kugluktuk, Nunavut above the Arctic Circle. Now living in Castlegar in the Kootenays of British Columbia.
Since moving down here, I noticed I was getting fat from all the cheap fast food and even cheaper prices of pop. Anyways 3 weeks ago I noticed I was getting bigger... 220lbs big! Now I'm only 5'11" tall so I should be around 180-190lbs, right? 

But yeah 3 weeks ago, I decided it's time to shed this fat and get healthy. Prior to 3 weeks ago, I'd eat fast food and cook meals from packaged boxes, having every meal with a can or glass of coca cola. You know at Thanksgiving everyone eats so much that you gain a bit of weight? Well that was me too - everyday! I work for a furniture store delivering furniture and appliances 3 times a week, so stopping in different towns all the time made me eat crappy fast food at the mall for lunch or supper if I worked late.

Here is a comparison picture from 3 weeks ago and last night. I've gone from 220lbs down to 205lbs! Now I only eat home cooked meals, cut out all bad foods and stopped drinking pop, drinking only water and going for 1 hour runs about 4-5 times a week, averaging 6 kilometers by the time I get back home. My goal weight is to get down to 190lbs.







Things are going great and I want to spend the next 3 quarters of my life healthy and fit!


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 13, 2015)

I'm sure you can easily lose more than that if you wish. Cutting out sugary sodas and cheap fast food is a great start. I can imagine it being hard if you have to travel long distances for work. 

Be sure to add in a little weight lifting time to time so you don't look like skeletor. Eating less calories you're going to burn fat of course, but you're also going to burn any muscle you may have if you don't utilize them time to time.

Your body will use muscle as energy before anything else. So I would recommend eating a good 20-30 of protein with roughly 30-40 of fat for breakfast. This way your muscles are covered because of the protein and your body will see that fat is going to be the energy source for the day. 

It's kind of like programming your body to burn what YOU want it to. Get some protein and fat for your first meal and lower the fats you eat throughout the day and at least keep a rough estimate of your macros so you have an idea of how much of what your giving your body to fuel itself.

Great progress and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer


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## skeels (Aug 13, 2015)

Happy and healthy birthday to you, Man!

It always makes me feel good to see people take care of there lives!

(Singing)... And many mooooore!


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## asher (Aug 13, 2015)




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## Grindspine (Aug 13, 2015)

Great job making an effort to stay healthy. Cutting pop (mostly mt. dew) was a big move for me. I substituted for Gatorade first, then after realizing how lousy that is, went down to tea, water, and/or fruit juice. I still have an occasional energy drink, but cut sugar out in a big way with drinks alone!

And happy birthday!


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## neurosis (Aug 13, 2015)

That's awesome man. Eating healthy makes all the difference. 

What are you doing for your core? I bike intensively for an hour every day and walk everywhere but even keeping my diet as similar to Spain as possible I am having trouble getting rid of a belly I developed since in the US. 

It's also looking weird because I am tall but slender and the only fat i have is concentrating there exclusively. 

MetalheadMC maybe you know what's up?

Anyway, cool post. I like seeing people share their happiness.


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 14, 2015)

neurosis said:


> That's awesome man. Eating healthy makes all the difference.
> 
> What are you doing for your core? I bike intensively for an hour every day and walk everywhere but even keeping my diet as similar to Spain as possible I am having trouble getting rid of a belly I developed since in the US.
> 
> ...



Its very hard to get rid of a little belly fat. Even with all the walking, cycling, and exercise you do, it's still very hard. MOST of the time that fat tends to linger because of stress and a few other factors. 

You can't really target where you want to lose the fat, but I would advise on top of eating clean and the exercise you're doing, concentrate on ab workouts and your obliques. Strengthen those muscles up and that should help for starters


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## Manurack (Aug 14, 2015)

neurosis said:


> That's awesome man. Eating healthy makes all the difference.
> 
> What are you doing for your core? I bike intensively for an hour every day and walk everywhere but even keeping my diet as similar to Spain as possible I am having trouble getting rid of a belly I developed since in the US.
> 
> ...



I haven't focused on my core, all I do is run! I guess a big part of it has to be hauling big, heavy furniture, huge french door refrigerators, washer & dryer sets and big 8 piece bedroom suites. Dressers, chests, nightstands, headboard, footboard and rails made from real hardwood are a bitch to lift up long flights of stairs in customer's houses during work. 

So working a very physical job is helping a lot, I try to go for an hour run in the morning when I wake up before I start my work day, if not then I'll go for a run after work before I eat supper. And Metalhead MC, what do you recommend for eating proteins and healthy fats in the morning for breakfast?


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 14, 2015)

Manurack said:


> I haven't focused on my core, all I do is run! I guess a big part of it has to be hauling big, heavy furniture, huge french door refrigerators, washer & dryer sets and big 8 piece bedroom suites. Dressers, chests, nightstands, headboard, footboard and rails made from real hardwood are a bitch to lift up long flights of stairs in customer's houses during work.
> 
> So working a very physical job is helping a lot, I try to go for an hour run in the morning when I wake up before I start my work day, if not then I'll go for a run after work before I eat supper. And Metalhead MC, what do you recommend for eating proteins and healthy fats in the morning for breakfast?




A vew morning protein choices could be eggs, Greek yogurt (sugar free), whey protein powder, and any other meat product like burgers (85/15 or better), chicken, fish. Anything you feel like it in the morning. 

Fats can come from eggs, peanut butter, coconut oil. 

My go to is usually protein shake with 2-4 table spoons of peanut butter.


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## TRENCHLORD (Aug 14, 2015)

Especially if you're as lazy as I am first thing after waking, slamming a protein drink really helps start the day off right. Throw in a SMALL carb/fat source and it's a complete lean meal in about 2 minutes.


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## Hallic (Aug 16, 2015)

Good job and happy birthday!
I think you making a good step with the food and supersize. I bet you can already notice feeling better in general by doing so.

Dont be too concerned with these guys jumping the thread claiming to be part of the racing team. Just see how this goes so far and if you are pleased with that progression!


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 16, 2015)

Hallic said:


> Good job and happy birthday!
> I think you making a good step with the food and supersize. I bet you can already notice feeling better in general by doing so.
> 
> Dont be too concerned with these guys jumping the thread claiming to be part of the racing team. Just see how this goes so far and if you are pleased with that progression!



Oh I assure you I'm not on any racing team. I just know a little about nutrition and don't mind sharing a few things


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## neurosis (Aug 18, 2015)

TRENCHLORD said:


> Especially if you're as lazy as I am first thing after waking, slamming a protein drink really helps start the day off right. Throw in a SMALL carb/fat source and it's a complete lean meal in about 2 minutes.



What is this Protein thing you guys are talking about? Do you prepare it yourself?

I eat mostly vegetables. But int he morning I will eat a toast and boil an egg or two. Weekends is fish. Weekday meat is chicken. Today I ate boiled liver.

I haven't been too mobile since I moved to the US. But I was always under stress and never had time to sleep. 

It feels like I have actually been putting the belly on since biking and getting sleep. hahahah. 

Anyway, thanks for the ab tip MetalheadMC, I might have to go harder on that since I sit around the drawing table a lot. What is a good routine if you are prone to back pain? I have a bit of a hollow lower back.


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## TRENCHLORD (Aug 19, 2015)

This is at most Walmart stores. 
You can get better deals (price per once) on bigger bucket-size of various brands online, but for $18 this stuff isn't bad and works fine with milk mixed in a shaker-bottle.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/39649622?...10665472&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=84284170832&veh=sem


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 19, 2015)

neurosis said:


> What is this Protein thing you guys are talking about? Do you prepare it yourself?
> 
> I eat mostly vegetables. But int he morning I will eat a toast and boil an egg or two. Weekends is fish. Weekday meat is chicken. Today I ate boiled liver.
> 
> ...



Work on your core. When your core is weak, your back has to put up with more tension and stress to keep your posture. Especially if you sit a lot.

Good lower back exercises would be back extensions, Roman dead lifts, and regular full body dead lifts if you need a real challenge

The Wal mart brand is good like trench lord mentioned. I always shop deals on bodybuilding and supplement warehouse online. My favorite is phase 8 by muscle tech. It's a mix of whey (fast acting protein) and casein protein (slow absorbing protein). Plus it's DELICIOUS


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## asher (Aug 19, 2015)

Neurosis, sounds like you should really look into the ergonomic setup at your desk if your back is consistently bothering you.


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## neurosis (Aug 19, 2015)

MetalheadMC said:


> Work on your core. When your core is weak, your back has to put up with more tension and stress to keep your posture. Especially if you sit a lot.
> 
> Good lower back exercises would be back extensions, Roman dead lifts, and regular full body dead lifts if you need a real challenge
> 
> The Wal mart brand is good like trench lord mentioned. I always shop deals on bodybuilding and supplement warehouse online. My favorite is phase 8 by muscle tech. It's a mix of whey (fast acting protein) and casein protein (slow absorbing protein). Plus it's DELICIOUS



I am definitely going to look into the exercises. Combining that with all the biking I do should do it. I live a really healthy live otherwise, it´s just that since I moved I have no need to walk and climb like I used to which has made my body slow down.


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## neurosis (Aug 19, 2015)

asher said:


> Neurosis, sounds like you should really look into the ergonomic setup at your desk if your back is consistently bothering you.



I had an injury from lifting a steel sculpture in the cold for a long time. I solved it all with exercise (stretches) and different routines the doc recommended. My back is ok except it weirds me out when I have to do sit ups for example. I attribute that to the weak condition of my core. From sitting I think my muscles have changed: my legs seem stiffer/strings shortened and my abs are loose. So when I do abs my body tries to pull with the back which is a problem. 

So I am trying to find exercises that focus exclusively on the abs without engaging any other muscle, which is not that easy.

My chair is soso... but it hash´t been bothering me as much as my bed. That is something I have to change soon for sure, because that memory foam piece of .... is the death of both me and my wife.


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## TheGroobster (Aug 19, 2015)

MetalheadMC said:


> Your body will use muscle as energy before anything else. So I would recommend eating a good 20-30 of protein with roughly 30-40 of fat for breakfast. This way your muscles are covered because of the protein and your body will see that fat is going to be the energy source for the day.



Can you give a basic example of a breakfast like this? Would it be something like bacon and eggs or turkey sausage and eggs?


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 19, 2015)

neurosis said:


> I had an injury from lifting a steel sculpture in the cold for a long time. I solved it all with exercise (stretches) and different routines the doc recommended. My back is ok except it weirds me out when I have to do sit ups for example. I attribute that to the weak condition of my core. From sitting I think my muscles have changed: my legs seem stiffer/strings shortened and my abs are loose. So when I do abs my body tries to pull with the back which is a problem.
> 
> So I am trying to find exercises that focus exclusively on the abs without engaging any other muscle, which is not that easy.
> 
> My chair is soso... but it hash´t been bothering me as much as my bed. That is something I have to change soon for sure, because that memory foam piece of .... is the death of both me and my wife.



Definitely. The bed will play a major factor also over time. 

A good ab exercise that would focus mainly on them and not strain your back is I guess what you could call pulley crunches. 

If you happen to be at a gym, go to a pulley system, you can use a rope or a bar and set it at the top. Grab it, take a step or 2 back, get on your knees, keep the bar behind your head and crunch down while you engage your core up and down. I'll see if I can find a youtube video so it'll help explain it if need be


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## MetalheadMC (Aug 19, 2015)

TheGroobster said:


> Can you give a basic example of a breakfast like this? Would it be something like bacon and eggs or turkey sausage and eggs?



The macros I've given are based off of my normal diet. I'm 210 so I need roughly 2500 cas daily to maintain that, so your intake could differ quite a bit.

I would lean more towards the turkey sausage as its 90 cals a serving. 8 protein and 6 grams of fat. Eggs are 78 cals per large egg with 58g of fat and 6g of protein. So 2 serving or so each at breakfast would easily help obtain your numbers


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## neurosis (Aug 19, 2015)

MetalheadMC said:


> Definitely. The bed will play a major factor also over time.
> 
> A good ab exercise that would focus mainly on them and not strain your back is I guess what you could call pulley crunches.
> 
> If you happen to be at a gym, go to a pulley system, you can use a rope or a bar and set it at the top. Grab it, take a step or 2 back, get on your knees, keep the bar behind your head and crunch down while you engage your core up and down. I'll see if I can find a youtube video so it'll help explain it if need be



That would be great as the gym I go to has a pulley system! Thanks!


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## MetalheadMC (Sep 11, 2015)

How's the progress manurack?


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## crg123 (Sep 23, 2015)

That's awesome man. Same thing happened to me. I turned 25 looked at my 220 lb self at 5'10" and a month and a half latter I'm down to 205. Keep it up! I'm tying to get down to 185 as well.

I'm swimming again (use to be 5th in state during high school for butterfly then college hit... and we'll you know what happens) which has really helped sponge with burning more calories then I take in, better food choices and overall portion control.


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