If you read back a page you will answer your own question


Heya IronMan, can ya tell me about the thigh lift - what do they do for that? Ill prolly end up with the tt and thigh lift, i was just wondering how they do it and what scars are left. Is it worth it?

Okay took some new pics. Im just over 6 weeks out now. I have been completely cleared for heavy heavy workouts which I have been doing all week and my entire body feels like its going to kill over. I can't really explain the muscle growth. It just doesn't make sense to see these kinds of results so fast. The only explanation I can possible give is its muscle memory from years back when I used to weight lift. Im getting new veins poping out in my shoulders and arms everyday now and I officially wearing abs these days.

I've been doing alot of research on ab workouts. I used to always think a 4 wasn't as good as a 6 pack and a 8 pack was even better and ment you had the least amount of body fat. I now know after research that the upper and lower abdomen muscle tissue is formed at birth and has more to do with genetics than anything. Some men will have 4 packs some 6 some 8. It doesn't mean they are in varying degree's of fitness it just means their upper abs break into 2 instead of 4 or vise versa. Also I was under the impression every bump is a different muscle and thats not true either. So it looks like with my genetics a 4 pack and strong lower region mixed with good obliques(sp?) is what I can expect. I won't get any more than that I can however greatly improve the tone and defenition of these muscles and get them to pop out more.

I have also been informed tanning and sun is great for your scars. Helps with the redness. So I won't have to wait on that. I'll start tanning real soon and hopefully my surgery scars won't be so red and ugly looking in a few months. Im very self concious about that so please be nice. I realize it looks like fucking ass but, in 6 months it will be the color of the rest of my skin and the rest of the swelling will go down. It will look much much better than it does now. I don't really know what else to say at this point. I'm alot further along than I could have ever hoped to be. A year ago I never would have thought i'd be here. This is truely a blessing. While I still have such a looong way to go...easily another 6 hard months of training everyday I have to remember where I came from. Just over a year ago I was 450lbs and I can't get discouraged by the fact that I still don't look like I want yet. I realize some of you may look at the pics and think what the hell im 10x better than that but, you gotta remember im fresh outta surgery and I just got cleared for real workouts. I'll update in like 6 months when I have some real results to show and the remaining swelling and fluids have left my midsection and sides.

Btw I currently weigh a scant 196lbs and got tested at 6.7%BF while at my surgeon's office. Im hoping to end around 200-205lbs after weights





Me today



To the women wanting some advice/tips. You've got a pm coming your way. Sorry it took me so long to get back. I just got my computer up and running again.

Welcome back Ironman.

Holy shit 6% bodyfat!!!

Wow dude, Chris Benoit was one of the most inshape wrestlers and people on the planet before he went crazy and he could only get to 8% bodyfat.

As for the scar don't worry too much. My mom had a surgery once that cut across her stomache like that and they really do fade out and for some people get smaller as time passes.

I've even heard of people getting a kind of cosmetic surgery these days that completely removes scars and if thats true thats a great option for you to have if it keeps bothering you.

Anyway when you get done answering everyone else's pm's could you pm me the exact polar heart monitor you have so I can buy one too?

And even though I lost 4lbs this week by finally getting serious on my diet plan would you be willing to talk with me in pm's to train me to do your plan instead? Reading tons of your posts it seems like yours is a better plan than mine to maintain for a complete lifestyle change. If not thats cool. Just thought I'd ask.

You're awesome man!

Keep going and who knows maybe you'll be in a bodybuilding competition one day lol.

Ofcourse i'd be willing to help. best way to do this would be over a MSN or AIM convo. Chris benoit may have been 8%BF but, his muscle mass index was alot higher than mine. So while im 6% at 196 he is prolly 8% at something stupid like 235lbs. When you are that big and have THAT much muscle its harder to get down to very low BF%.

way to go bro!

cant wait to show off my results when i get to my goal, and i hope their nearly as good as urs

Thanks Ironman.

My AIM name is CrunkChipmunk69.

I am on AIM most all of the time when I can get it to work since AIM has been screwy for me lately with the signing on.

You can PM me your AIM name if you want to keep it secret.

dude sorry i haven't been around absolutely you can hit me up on AIM my name is prsch944turbo

my msn is prsch944turbo@aol.com. My door is always open. Im sorry I didnt' respond sooner my schedule has been crazy lately.

I've been able to put on 6lbs of muscle so from 194lbs to 200lbs now respectively. Here's a recent pic

I just read through your story and it was so inspiring!!! What an amazing transformation!!! My mother got a gastric bypass by she died due to complications. My brother and sister has both gotten gastric bands to treat
their extreme obesity (more than 400 pounds). I have been the only one that seemed to be able to keep my weight below 300 pounds (Until 1 month ago when I discovered I was 307 pounds and took action) by watching my diet.
I will keep fighting and try to reach my goals of becoming fit and be able to run again!
I can not believe you actually toned up again like that!!! You have gotten definition back (your rhombs are clearly defined) your chin line is sharp and defined and your shoulders and arms look awesome. How handsome you are!

Your hard work has really payed of!!! It must be so strange to feel like this compared to how you felt before???

How do I measure my Bf percentage and lean body mass/muscle mass?

Hey ironman,

Just curious did you use any supplements towards the end of the journey? I'm at ~11% bf now and I can't seem to hit the elusive single digit and get my abs!!!

Hi Ironman,

Just have to ad, that you've done awesome! I mean a lot of people would've just stopped at the GB. But you took it all the way home.

I don't know about the TT scars, but I do have a C-section scar. And after awhile it will hardly be noticeable. Mine is just a line - and it was red when I first got it (15 yrs ago.) I think it took a good year to look normal though.

Congrats on your progress!

Im so so sorry to hear about your mother. Thats quite scarey and sad especially since the surgery is about saving your life not destorying it. As far as measuring BF% there are several ways of doing it but, the only way I recomend(the most accurate) is hydrostatic testing. Look up locally in your area where you could have it done. Several places prolly have the equipment. From a high end gym to a doctors office. There are also mobile hydrostatic testing places that can show up at gyms and stuff for the day and give discounted rates. So just make some calls and find out. They dump you under water in a tank and the printout all of the info is like 3 pages. It tells you everything you ever wanted to know.


Honestly its all about diet at that point if you are already very active. Weighted cardio is your friend for sure. Just make sure you eating very cleanly. Carbs and fat in the morning and afternoon. Protein at night. I eat alot of grilled chicken and fish. Lots of medium carb high protein foods. Especially if you are lifting at all protein is your friend.

If you are just trying to cut the fat. Hit the treamill like a pro and eat lots of low cal low fat foods. Cut soda's cokes, anything thats unessesary sugar and calories. Empty calories kill you and your energy level. It took me awhile to get before 10%BF myself I was hovering around 10-11 for awhile too. So I know what you are talking about. Make sure you do tons of cardio everyday. I would wake up go for a run for an hour and then have an hour run at night and that was everyday.
Thanks alot. Yeah im sure the scar's redness and the like will go down and a year from now i'll look alot better.

Iron how did you lose the weight? what plan did you follow mate?

Thankyou

This thread is so inspitational. It makes me think that I could actually reach my goal quicker than I planned (my current goal is to loose 70lbs by next September) I would love to reach my goal before the summer so I could really show it off (totally vain I know). I am currently burning a little over twice the calories I take in according to fitday.com, not just excersice but also lifestyle. I have lost 12lbs since the 1st of September when I started, although it appears that my weight loss has slowed from 4 lbs a week to about 2. I am going to try to step up the pace, although I'm not quite sure how yet.

Here is me now.

mate i think ur amazing, ur started off heavier than i was and u have ended up look fantastic, i was 330lbs when i started 5 months ago, im now 270 so still a way to go, and u have gone thru all the stuff im worried about like loose skin etc.
massive thanks for the inspiration to keep going, im speechless
best of luck with it all