Weight Loss Thread

Swagdaddy_sl said:

Being tall I have a hard time keeping good form while doing barbell squats, so instead I just do large reps of air squats.

Anyone know of any alternatives to barbell squats that they enjoyed? I've got great size and leg definition from doing air squats and other general leg lifts but I've been plateau'ing bad with just the body weight squats.

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How tall are you?
I am 6'4'', and it just needs practice. And a good belt.

Anything you can do to perfect form once, at any weight, you can repeat in perfect form for 5 reps at a higher weight - after practice.

Well I'm sure I could figure them out if I practiced alot and worked at it.

Point is that I just don't find it very comfortable or enjoyable, and there is no real reason I HAVE to do barbell squats so I'm just going to keep looking for alternatives until I'm satisfied.

I'll look into goblet squats whoever mentioned that thanks.

Fitness going well in general, lost about 8% BF in 3 months. Hoping to lose another 3-5% in the next 3 months although obviously it's alot more work for minimal gains at this point.

Swagdaddy_sl said:

Well I'm sure I could figure them out if I practiced alot and worked at it.
Point is that I just don't find it very comfortable or enjoyable, and there is no real reason I HAVE to do barbell squats so I'm just going to keep looking for alternatives until I'm satisfied.

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Up to you.
I don't find much of any excercise comfortable or enjoyable. It tends to be painful, and hard, and hard work most of the time.

I want to get max effect out of my effort. So I've done the research.

There's no good alternatives to barbell squats.
There are lesser alternatives, and if it's a question of doing those or nothing at all, then it beats doing nothing.

Khane_sl said:

10 sets of 2 reps? Or did you mean 2 sets of 10 reps? Because 10 sets of 2 reps on multiple exercises with heavy weight sounds like a great way to exhaust your muscles and injure yourself.

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Yeah, 2 sets of 10 reps, I screwed that up.

I decided I needed to start tracking myself via MFP again this week. I had what I thought was a good week last week but didn't budge my weight. That means I am still cocky or plateauing. I vote for cocky at the moment. I put in my meals from yesterday and what I remember of Sunday and I think I found a couple problems, nuts and coffee.

Trader Joe's has delicious roasted salted pecans. They are good in fiber / fat / protein, but they are also a silly amount of calories. Two ounces is around 400 calories. They are just so easy to eat! Looks like I will need to cut back on those / be more conscious.

I had thought I found a good coffee choice recently in a breve, it is a latte espresso and half and half. I had been getting these on the weekends when I do not make my BPC. It isn't so much the calories in this as the carbs that are sneaky. I am going to have to find a drink that is basically just espresso and maybe cream as I have a couple of these over the weekend.

Nuts are tricky. They're good for you but it's so easy to eat way too many of them. Also, bite the bullet and drink your coffee black like a real man.

McCheese_sl said:

Nuts are tricky. They're good for you but it's so easy to eat way too many of them. Also, bite the bullet and drink your coffee black like a real man.

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Challenge accepted.

Sounds a lot like the Fitbit and Up. My guess is it'll be a piece of crap, but that in 5-10 years when they get the kinks worked out, everyone will be wearing one.

Awesome in theory, but not really accurate in practice.

Aight, 7 months out of the gym, I'm about to hit the shit like a fucking train wreck!

I'm going to completely start over. My question is should I do SS(3x5) or SL(5x5)? I'll tweak the shit to fit my own comfort level, as well as adding in supplemental workouts to hit certain areas (mainly arms and delts).

My one friend recommended a 5/3/1 workout, MT ThF weekend off. I'm all ears bros, I need to be ripped for Mexico in July.

I've always done best on 5x5 style programs myself. M W F (ABC) 5x5 progressive loading on compound exercises for chest, back, and legs as well as 2-3 sets 8-10 rep range for smaller muscle groups (bis, tris, shoulders, calves).

I did SS 3x5 for almost a year although I admit i stopped doing power cleans because i hated them and did pendlay rows instead. so i said fuck it and have been doing SL 5x5 this last month. but i dont do overhead press i do bench again and i only do deadlift 1x5 at a weight i am super comfortable with my form doing 5 consecutive reps and then I do a few single reps up to max/almost max.

I like 5x5 better so far

You don't like ohp? It's one (or was) of my favorite exercises. I remember when I got to 135 I felt like an animal. 135 5x5 seemed like a huge achievement, and then I saw some fuckface do 225 so I cried in the corner.

How can you hate OHP? It's the bench press for your upper upper body. How else are you going to turn into an upside down triangle?

I just havent tried them before. Maybe I will

OHP is awesome. It makes you feel like an old-timey strong man in a circus sideshow.

Until you fuck up your shoulders and can't do jack or shit overhead anymore. Sucks being me.

well I fucking hate life sometimes, i've been dealing with the yo-yo of weight lost all my life. I finally decide to do something about it. I bought a blowflex xtreme se 2 and I hit that shit hard for months 5months into it i started to give up i didn't have anyone to work out with I didn't have anyone to push me no motivation then my blowflex turned into a $1500 clothes hanger. for the better part of 2yrs I didn't do shit and i gained all the weight i lost and then some so now my fatass finally got back on the horse I've been at it for the past two months 3 days a week 30min's (month 4 am going to try 5days a week 30min or more) so far am motivated and am on a protein intake diet.
Before I forget am not running atm, I know I need to but I feel like i need to loose some weight first drop about 40lbs first I use to run but right now I feel sluggish and slow I tried to run the other week I couldn't even go around the block twice just once and i was huffing and puffing so fucking pathetic. it really embarrassing

This is the daily meal intake.

eggs 4max for the week slice of wheat bread. On days I cant eat eggs I have a large class of whey protein. I know its not ment to be a meal replacement but...
4oz of chicken for lunch and some vegs(spinach broccoli asparagus)
8oz of chicken or meat for dinner and lots of vegs(spinach broccoli asparagus)

and water only, whey protein shake between lunch and dinner small(half a scoop) on non work out days and a large(scoop and half) on workout days.

So am trying to keep it simple riight now I need to / want to loose about 100-120lbs any tips or suggestions will be helpful, or tell me what keeps you motivated on days were you just dont feel like working out. Thanks in advance.

Possibly try an activity that you enjoy? Hiking/cycling/rowing/paintballing/anything that gets you moving and active. I find working out to work out is awful and don't know how people can do it.