Am I On the Right Path?

[trot7nixon7]

Hey, Im Craig. Just want to know if I'm on the right path. I'm 6'3 and started at 294 lbs. Im on week four today at 282 lbs. I lift four days a week and play basketball 3 days a week. I've lowered my calorie intake to 2,400 cals a day with one cheat meal a week. I take vitamins and have a protein shake daily. In the past this is when I lose motivation and start to quit. Any thoughts? Thanks alot to any response. I appreciate the help.

-C

[Primemuscle]

Hey, Im Craig. Just want to know if I'm on the right path. I'm 6'3 and started at 294 lbs. Im on week four today at 282 lbs. I lift four days a week and play basketball 3 days a week. I've lowered my calorie intake to 2,400 cals a day with one cheat meal a week. I take vitamins and have a protein shake daily. In the past this is when I lose motivation and start to quit. Any thoughts? Thanks alot to any response. I appreciate the help.

-C

Craig,

Since you posted this message in two threads, I am answering both to insure you get my answer. Either thread would have been and appropriate place to post your question. However, this one is more on point.

Focus on your current success, not your past failures. You are doing great by having lost 12 pounds in a month. Your calorie intake, diet and exercise regime seems to be working very well. Stick with it. In many cases folks will slow down on the weight loss as time goes on and this sometimes discourages them. It shouldn't. Imagine if you only lost 6 pounds a month, you'd be 72 lbs lighter next year. Personally, I think you are doing great right now....do not change a thing.

[Matt C]

Hey, Im Craig. Just want to know if I'm on the right path. I'm 6'3 and started at 294 lbs. Im on week four today at 282 lbs. I lift four days a week and play basketball 3 days a week. I've lowered my calorie intake to 2,400 cals a day with one cheat meal a week. I take vitamins and have a protein shake daily. In the past this is when I lose motivation and start to quit. Any thoughts? Thanks alot to any response. I appreciate the help.

-C

This looks fantastic! Sounds to me like you have made some good improvements over the time frame you have listed. Keep up the good work and please keep us posted.

[trot7nixon7]

This looks fantastic! Sounds to me like you have made some good improvements over the time frame you have listed. Keep up the good work and please keep us posted.

Thanks Matt,

Any supplements or shakes you think I someone who wants to lose fat and gain muscle mass
should be taking?

Thanks again-
Craig

[Primemuscle]

Thanks Matt,

Any supplements or shakes you think I someone who wants to lose fat and gain muscle mass
should be taking?

Thanks again-
Craig

Craig,

One thing we have not talked about is water. Two things; drink plenty of water. It is a great idea to drink a glass of water just prior to eating. Not only does it fill you up so you eat less, it helps you digest your food. The second thing is to cut out salt as much as you possibly can because salt causes the body to retain water. It takes getting used to, but once you do you will find that many foods actually taste great without any added salt. Prepackaged foods often are very high in sodium. Eat fresh foods as much as you possibly can.

[trot7nixon7]

Craig,

One thing we have not talked about is water. Two things; drink plenty of water. It is a great idea to drink a glass of water just prior to eating. Not only does it fill you up so you eat less, it helps you digest your food. The second thing is to cut out salt as much as you possibly can because salt causes the body to retain water. It takes getting used to, but once you do you will find that many foods actually taste great without any added salt. Prepackaged foods often are very high in sodium. Eat fresh foods as much as you possibly can.

Hey Prime and Matt ,

How are you guys doing? I'm still at it, going on week 6. Thought I would update you on my progress and see what you thought. I've realized my cheat meal once a week is just too heavy. Sometimes I can gain back 5 lbs just from the one meal. So, knowing that I have decided to have my cheat meal in the morning not for dinner. Also, cutting my cheat to 1,000 calories and no fried food. I changed my protein powder to a Whey Isolate and I can already feel the difference in recovery.
My original weigh in 294 lbs
My week 6 weigh in 274 lbs

Hope all is well,
Craig

[Primemuscle]

Craig,

A 5 pound gain is nothing really. It is likely just water weight anyway. Try to stay focused on the big picture and not get too wrapped up in the day to day details or you'll make yourself crazy. If the cheat meal feels "too heavy" it is probably more because most of the time you are eating stictly and so you feel full more quickly when you cheat. You don't have to clean your plate you know....LOL! You've lost 20 lbs, in six weeks. This is excellent. Congratulate yourself on you success. Remember, if you only loose 10 pounds a month that is 120 lbs in a year. I doubt you want to lose that much weight.

[trot7nixon7]

Craig,

A 5 pound gain is nothing really. It is likely just water weight anyway. Try to stay focused on the big picture and not get too wrapped up in the day to day details or you'll make yourself crazy. If the cheat meal feels "too heavy" it is probably more because most of the time you are eating strictly and so you feel full more quickly when you cheat. You don't have to clean your plate you know....LOL! You've lost 20 lbs, in six weeks. This is excellent. Congratulate yourself on you success. Remember, if you only loose 10 pounds a month that is 120 lbs in a year. I doubt you want to lose that much weight.

Thanks Primemuscle,
Always good to hear your feed back. It helps knowing someone thinks I'm doing well. Everyday I feel like I'm learning more about body building and my own body. Seems like everyday is a fight against my own laziness and over eating. I work 10 hour days without a break and without sitting once. So when I get out at 3:30 I'm usually wiped out. So for me its all mental. Pushing myself was not something I was good at. I think I get better everyday.

Thanks again, your responses and others help to motivate.
Craig

[Primemuscle]

It is hard to believe that someone who works ten hours a day and then works out is in any way lazy. It seems like you don't give yourself enough credit.

[Alberto]

It requires getting used to, but once you do you will find that many meals actually flavor excellent without any included sodium. Commercially prepared meals often are very excellent in sodium. Eat clean produce as much as you perhaps can.