Z's Shrink the gut expedition

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:03:29 GMT

ORIGINAL: Coop

NOOOOOooooo.... cant you do like Dan and update like 40 different threads

AUGH! I don't know how he does that. I would go INSANE!

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (Coop)

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:03:33 GMT

NOOOOOooooo.... cant you do like Dan and update like 40 different threads

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 14:33:55 GMT

Ok, faithful thread followers, this thread is being discontinued (unless there are more comments on any changes, real or alleged!!). After a week's worth of rest, I've started a bout of Optimum Anabolics. That journal is being kept here:

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/m_187564/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#187564

Hope you'll join me on my journey!!!! Z

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:56:08 GMT

ORIGINAL: Stingray

<snip> What is you diet like right now? What is this new program you are about to go on anyways?

P.S. I think it is safe for you to plan a trip to Venice beach for next summer. haha

I will be on a basically 1/3 split on diet for the first part of the OA program, then a protein deprivation cycle, followed by a protein-rich cycle. The program details can be found on Marc's review here:
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Optimum_Anabolics_-The_Review/m_26276/tm.htm

And the faithful cat's longest log using the OA program (make sure you check out his comments at the end of each workout--worth the subscription):
http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Navs_Optimum_Anabolic_journey/m_28837/tm.htm

I will be starting a new training log when the OA journey starts next week. Yahoo! What does Coop say, here I come, serious beef cackage?

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:53:14 GMT

Thanks, Nav! We shall see if Santa's going to be good to me or not! (Well, ok, if Santa, played by myself, will be good to me . . . )

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (Naviator)

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:34:35 GMT

Sorry it took so long for me to see this, Z. I think you're going to be very happy with results you get from OA. You've made some good progress so far, but let's see what happens when you start jacking up your natural testosterone and suffering through an OA leg day. Hang tough and don't get sick. By Christmas you'll be a new man.

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (Stingray)

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:01:06 GMT

Hell no Z! It’s possible BUT you will have to bust A$$ though! As I had said before, don’t worry about the chest too much. I would put a lot of work on the back & traps and you will look great in T’s in about 2 months. Don’t worry about definition right now either; you can work on that from feb-march onwards. I would recommend you to do some forearm exercises to get some more defined cuts and for those veins pop up a little bit more. It sound to me that you have come to accept that your body is in a work in progress right now and you have the will power to push through the tough times. You are passed the “quitting period” I think! All in all, your progress is good up till now, but I think you should start seeing some major changes in 1-1.5 months. IF you DON’T, change the plan of attack. What is you diet like right now? What is this new program you are about to go on anyways?

P.S. I think it is safe for you to plan a trip to Venice beach for next summer. haha

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 13:19:43 GMT

ORIGINAL: Stingray

Z!
There is definitely an improvement with the waist line. If you can knock of just a little (Maybe 1 inch) more you will have a “V” showing pretty clearly (You have naturally wide shoulders). I really wouldn’t worry about the chest too much right now (I think its way overrated!). BUT I would try to pack on some meat on the back and traps. Again that would help with the “V” more then the chest I think.
You started in July correct?
How much weight have you lost?
What are you at right now?
What is your next month goal?
What is your goal for X-Mas?

Cheers

Thanks Sting! I agree that I need meat all over, but maybe you're right, the back and traps need extra attention.

I started at the very end of July.
Here is a summary of my progress from them:

I lost, according to the scale, 10-13 lbs; the body fat readings say that the amount of fat lost is (in the best scenario) 10 lbs; the worst scenario is 3.45 lbs (calculated by figuring out the extremes in the ranges of bodyfat calculations from 1-pinch with Accumeasure calipers and bodyweight). So let's call it 6.5 lbs or so by the math. I'm currently at 183 lbs.

Moving on, what amount of muscle was gained? Looking at the extremes to get the range, that would be -3 lbs to + 4 lbs. Looking at these numbers and those for the fat loss, it looks like in the worst-case scenario, my weight loss was evenly divided between fat and muscle; in the rosiest scenario, to get to my current weight, I would have had to lose an additional 4 lbs of fat (for a total of 14-17 lbs of fat), and no muscle.

For fat loss, let's look at the abdominal measurement. I lost two inches there. Overall, my less-fatted body part measurements stayed the same, or went slightly up (except forearms, which went down, and chest, which went up a nice half inch). My strength also went up (yes, it's not the best index of mass). So, I would have to conclude that a majority of the weight-loss was fat, but muscle gain was modest.

Goals: I usually do goals by duration than measurements, although this time around, I did have a quantifiable goal of an inch off the stomach/month, with a duration goal of 9 weeks of the program. I ended up doing 8 weeks because of feeling run-down and gearing up for the next phase, which is--about 9 weeks of Optimum Anabolics. Maybe I'll put on overall 8-10 lbs muscle (I would much prefer 20, but I'll be escatic with 10, and I would love to see an inch more on my arms--and yes, the chest, but maybe that should come more from the back than the pecs). The other variable I want to watch is to make sure my stomach stays, or even recedes from, the 38" mark. It's nice to be fitting into my old pants again, but I want to not just fit in them, but to have them be even a little loose! So, for one month, 4-5 lbs muscle, little to no fat gain; 1/2" on the arms (maybe? please?!?), 1/2" on chest...

So the OA program ends Dec. 1. I'll see where I'm at--the whole program is programmed for 24 weeks, but that is probably too long for my body, which seems to adapt quickly and stop responding to any workout program. If I had to guess, I'll probably take that program to Christmas, take Christmas through New Year's off (I'll be out of town with family, anyway), and then start something new January 1. I want to enter the New Year though in a tight shirt that looks great on me .

I want women (sorry, you'll need to bark up another tree) and gay men (hee hee, you'll have to talk to my partner!) to be throwing themselves at me by Christmas--that would be a great Christmas gift! Is that a reasonable goal, or just fantasy????

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (Stingray)

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 12:19:01 GMT

Z!
There is definitely an improvement with the waist line. If you can knock of just a little (Maybe 1 inch) more you will have a “V” showing pretty clearly (You have naturally wide shoulders). I really wouldn’t worry about the chest too much right now (I think its way overrated!). BUT I would try to pack on some meat on the back and traps. Again that would help with the “V” more then the chest I think.
You started in July correct?
How much weight have you lost?
What are you at right now?
What is your next month goal?
What is your goal for X-Mas?

Cheers

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 10:44:17 GMT

Anyone have anything, good or bad? Thanks!

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 10:28:03 GMT

Conclusions:

Program pros: gets you on the track of eating 6X/day. It has flexibility, it has everything planned out for you. I love that part! The progression of exercises is excellent, and seem well-geared to avoiding injury.

Program cons: the web interface sucks for entering in foods other than those planned--very laborious (just like about every other web-interface software is). The results as promised aren't quite as spectacular as the ad pages on the web would suggest; however, in the book, my results (when spun with the rosiest scenario) are comparable to their case studies (except on the pull up parts :) ).

Would I do it again? I don't know. Maybe, but I feel that the calorie reduction might be too much. I'm anxious to see how my body responds in the Optimum Anabolics program. I will use the food menu generator part of the program, though. Probably one of its greatest strengths.

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 10:22:37 GMT

Last pic, me kind of flexing . . . *blush*

[image]local://4037/A0696EE172EE44B898BDC847962DC65D.jpg[/image]

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 10:21:37 GMT

The back, kind of pathetically posed. When I'm relaxed, I feel like I have an old, out-of-shape, man's back!

[image]local://4037/798710F449F34797B708474A699ADECA.jpg[/image]

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 10:18:15 GMT

Back of the legs.

[image]local://4037/673FC5C31CDD486D8DB42594637D06A6.jpg[/image]

RE: Z's Shrink the gut expedition (gzinkl)

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 10:17:11 GMT

Ok, here's some more photos. No smirking! This is overall.

[image]local://4037/73DF7B945341409AA39F665D59C45F1F.jpg[/image]