So Out of Shape

Like spring 2017 I attempted a bulk and gained a lot of weight. Didn’t do it correctly. Towards the end of the semester I stopped lifting cause of grades and school. Than summer I just became lazy. I haven’t consistently worked out since. I was like 220 at that time.

Now I’m hovering around 6ft 1 240. I gained 20lbs it just fat an it’s bugging the hell out of me.

I’m considering now to just hop on a running routine with some weight lifting and calisthenics . Right now the only goal I have in mind is to get in shape. Atleast back to 200lbs and to be able to gain enough strength to be good at body weight exercises.

I don’t like being this big.

You’ve been a member of this forum for years, you’ve started a handful of advice threads, and apparently never learned a damn thing from any of them. What’s going to be different this time?

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you mentioned bodyweight exercises, running, weight lifting and calisthenics. But you didn’t mention the most important variable for fat loss, which is diet. None of that stuff is effective on its own.

If you really enjoy running, and it motivates you, then run. That’s fine. BUT if you’re running because it’s something you think will help you lose fat faster, don’t.

The absolute best way to get stronger and lose fat is a combination of a good diet and a good weight lifting program. I would imagine a lot of bodyweight exercises are difficult for you at your current bodyweight, so I would suggest barbell/dumbbell solutions until you’ve lost some of those extra pounds. So for instance, if you can’t currently do pull ups, do lat pull downs on a machine until you’re light enough and strong enough for pull ups. If you can’t do dips, do tricep extensions. If you can’t do push ups, bench press. You get the idea.

As far as food goes, reducing sugar intake to zero, or close to zero, is the best thing you can do for yourself, if you haven’t already. Don’t drop carbs to zero, just sugar. You should base your diet around vegetables and meats, avoiding most highly processed foods. Don’t drink juice or soda. White rice is also a good carb source.

Without knowing more about your current eating habits, this is about as much as I can comfortably advise. If you come back with more information about your eating habits, we can help more.

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I’m not a 16 year old dumb ass like I was when I first started. all those other threads I was just interested in learning new stuff and new workout routine.

now I’m just out of shape but with a lot of knowledge gained from this place.

its interesting thinking back at the age of 16 I thought I would have the body of an Olympic sprinter at the age of 21. but here I am at the age of 21 out of shape.

Exactly. There’s a lesson in there. In between the time you started those threads at 16 and this thread at 21, I added 300 pounds to my deadlift. Imagine if you’d pursued a goal with the same singular focus. Now stop fucking IMAGINING, and actually do something. Literally any goddamn thing.

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no kidding. there’s nothing ‘interesting’ about it. it’s actually the least interesting thing I could imagine. You wanted to look like an olympic sprinter. you didn’t put in the work. You got fat instead. you’ve already told us you’re lazy. There’s no such thing as a lazy olympian, lol.

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Use performance goals to guide your training choices. Eg, if you run a 6 minute mile a running routine is great but if you want to squat 400lbs then it aint.

Use diet to guide your weight goals. Eg. If you want to add 10lbs of muscle, 5 rice cakes at each meal ain’t going to do it.

240 isn’t even a bad size dawg

Just put in work. You been on this site for years with all this access to great articles and discussions. There are plenty of 16 year old dumb asses who are succeeding from putting in work. A couple of years won’t change the advice we give you because every beginner gets the same responses from the same people.

Like I recommend 5/3/1 BBB to everyone:

Prove it then. Set a goal, and put in the fucking work. This isn’t complicated, but over years I’ve watched you start the same basic thread half a dozen times (slightly different each time, but always with the theme that you’re out of shape and want to be in better shape).

Within that time window, @isdatnutty went from a kid that could barely squat two and a quarter to 405 for reps. @flipcollar went from “pretty strong guy” to “national class middleweight strongman.” I’m nothing special but I went from a 305 deadlift to a 605 deadlift. Half a dozen other guys off the top of my head went out there and made some goddamn progress, and you’re still in this mindset of “Gee, maybe I can get in shape this year, whaddya guys think I should do?”

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Dude woulda been strong as hell if he spent more time in #training-logs and not #off-topic

I find it weird when people stop lifting and gained weight. When I take a break or stop lifting, I actually lose weight because I am not nearly as motivated to get enough protein or calories daily. Like when you stop and take a break, do you substitute your lifting sessions with pizza and soda chugging sessions?

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Let’s say you stop lifting, you lose muscle. Let’s say you still keep eating the same amount which is hard to do since your caloric requirement goes down; but let’s just say that’s the case, you gain fat because you don’t expend calories in the gym. You lose muscle and gain fat. At worst, you will still be the same weight.

You didn’t gain weight because you stop working out, you gained weight because you lack discipline.

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OP: what motivates you? Seeing the scale weight move down? Feeling lighter, more energetic, and stronger? Seeing your clothes get bigger, then needing new, smaller clothes? Lifting more weight or doing more reps at specific lifts? Covering a distance, like a mile, in less time? Think about what specifically motivates you. Then, choose exercises that matches what you want to accomplish.

Second piece of advice, anything is better than nothing. Brisk walking 30 minutes a day is easy on the joints and surprisingly effective for fat burning and motivating to further exercise.

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I’m the same way, but we are definitely in the minority. Most people put on fat pretty easily when they aren’t so active. and a lot of people use food as a primary source of enjoyment in their life.

When I’ve spent time away from the gym, which admittedly hasn’t been any time recently, I tend to eat like shit, and I drink more alcohol. For me, that means I’m gonna be down 15 lbs in a couple months. But for the rest of the world, that means putting on 15 lbs, lol.

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Lol yeah. Same. Till today I don’t understand why beer is associated with out-of-shapeness. When I drink alcohol I actually lose weight because I piss so much and end up losing a ton of water weight. It is like a diuretic to me.

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Yeah as others said you’ve been given all the info you need in your previous threads. You just need to actually step inside the gym 3+ times a week and haul ass.

Good news is you’re still very young so just bring it in training and don’t eat like a total asshole and you should lean out pretty fast.

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Because beer is easy to drink and has a decent amount of calories?
Also stereotypes

That happens to me too. Not the alchohol drinking part lol, but when I take time from the gym I replace eating with sleeping so I inevitably lose weight.

My husband thinks there’s something wrong with me, but I’ve always been able to sleep for days at a time. Lab work always comes back normal too. I just like sleeping. Like waaaaay too much.

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