Lurker Checking In to Share Success

Don’t normally post, usually reading the articles and forums during my lunch breaks. Tonight though, I had to well, puff my chest a bit.

Short history: 39 years old. In 02/12 I was a 6’ 360lbs disgusting fatass. Couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath. Started eating right, concentrating on portion control of nutrient-dense meals I actually cooked myself (as opposed to the years of McDonalds for breakfast, BK for lunch, Wendy’s for dinner with a pizza as an evening snack…) got down to 250 by 10/13 by relearning how to eat. Joined a gym, did the Group Power class for 2 months to get stamina up, then got a trainer for 3 months.

Started with SL5x5 in March, branched out to learn other compound and bodyweight movements and experimenting with what worked for me. Been holding steady around 195lbs for several months now.

Hit a milestone PR today, 315x1x3 low bar squats to parallel. That was a best by 15lbs. Felt so jacked even an hour later, got up to sets of 4 narrow-grip pullups (a month ago I struggled to do even 1). On the first rep of each one of those, I shot up so fast I thought I could almost do a muscle-up if it wasn’t for the ceiling in my way!

That’s all I got tonight, had to share my success with someone…

Sincerely,
A Former Fatass

Congratulations! That is a whole lot of accomplishments.

I almost forgot, probably should list my final goal…

It is actually very simple: For once in my adult life, I want to be able to step onto a beach, take my shirt off and not be embarrassed at what I uncover. It is a very simple, albeit subjective measurement, but for me it is paramount. My goal has been to do so before my 40th birthday in July.

I realize that compared to most on this forum, my goal is minimal, almost piddling… but to me, would mean more that almost anything in the world. A small part of me even sees it as: ‘Better to be ignored than the object of derision.’

Great job. Key to reaching your goal: Keeping the diet dialed in. Best of luck.

Good work on the squats and getting to FFA status! You inspire me.
Ketchrig

The one slightly embarrassing part from tonight’s session…

For the first time ever, I farted on a lift. Not a little one either, but a very loud full-second rip. It was on the first rep of my Pendlay row working sets (140x5x3).

I kept going without missing beat, so even with a mirror in front of me, I didn’t bother to see if anyone noticed my impression of an Evinrude on the pull… I assume when you reach a certain point, such things are normal? TBH I kept burning through the set partially out of self-embarrassment of what I let out…

Awesome success losing 110 lbs and building your squat up to 315 x3. No small feat consider where you started and how far you have come.

Awesome success story and yes, letting out a ripper during a heavy lift is no big deal (at least not to me!).

I’m paraphrasing Mark Rippetoe here, but he said it best. Don’t squat when you have to shit, and don’t shit when you have to squat.