Fat Loss Success - FLA Program

Grounded

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The situation: I'm an ecto. I can stop eating or working out and lean weight falls off me but a bit of the fat stays. And more fat comes on when I bulk back up. I'm 63 years old, 5'9" and had been holding at around 15% in the low 180s lb.

The challenge: Bobo, help me get some fat off but I can't afford to loose any lean mass. Fat off, yes. Lean off, no. I have never successfully accomplished this.

Bobo took the challenge and I cleared eight weeks from other distractions to follow the program, diet and exercise to the letter. I set up three objective ways of measuring progress along with a before and after photo.

The results: After eight weeks...

Bicep 15" to 15.38
Chest 43.75 to 44
Waist 31.5 to 30.5 (measured at the smallest circumference)
Navel 33.5 to 32 (encompassing the glorious love handles)
Hips 37.5 to 36.25
Thigh 22.75 to 22.5
Calf 15.25 to 15.13

Tanita Scale: 19% to 18% 182 lb to 175.8 lb

Caliper: 15.27% to 11.15% (8 lb fat loss, 2 lb lean gain)

And the photos:

Begin.JPG


End 8-6-06.JPG



UPDATE: 9-3-06

After the initial eight weeks I decided to extend my fat loss program for another four weeks. Bobo's response was - well OK but after that you will need a break. My short term goal was to find a way of losing fat while retaining lean. The program was working and I didn't want to bail out until it seemed I was not getting a lot of returns for the effort invested.

I'm really happy I stuck it out for the additional weeks. I've received a number of compliments from people I know and don't know; that's a first. And I've learned a lot. I've spent some time the last few weeks analyzing why this works and everything else I've tried through the years has not. Here's what I think some keys are for me:

1. Consistency - at any given moment, 24/7 a consistent amount of food with specific macronutrient ratios needs to be in the stomach. Little things have an effect. The total calories per day follows a pattern.

2. The macronutrient ratios - I was initially shocked with what Bobo proposed. Oddly after getting results I see clues all over the internet that I never noticed before. The ratios are so outside my former concept of a good nutrition strategy that the clues weren't even considered.

3. Exercise - seven days a week also following a pattern. I was initially shocked when I saw the volume. Hey, I'm and ecto! I'm going to burn out doing this! WRONG. After twelve weeks my energy levels are high, I don't feel drilled into the ground and this whole effort has not dragged me down in other areas of my life.

The additional four week effort has produced fat loss in areas that are not specifically reflected by the measures I have used to track my progress. While I continued to tighten up my waist and upper body the biggest change came in my upper legs and butt. All of a sudden I got glutes. (Sorry, no pictures.) :run: And that's not all. I seem to have picked up lean weight in my arms and shoulders. Upper back fat has dropped significantly. This last week I put on a suit I haven't worn for maybe six months. It no longer fits through the arms and shoulders. The trousers are a joke. It doesn't take much effort to pull them down unbuttoned. Stand by Good Will for a big wardrobe donation.

The results: After twelve weeks...

Bicep 15" to 15.5 (the first time since under 200 lbs.)
Chest 43.75 to 44
Waist 31.5 to 30 (measured at the smallest circumference)
Navel 33.5 to 31 (encompassing the glorious love handles)
Hips 37.5 to 36
Thigh 22.75 to 22.5
Calf 15.25 to 15.13

Tanita Scale: 19% to 17% 182 lb to 174.8 lb

Caliper: 15.27% to 10.52% (9.4 lb fat loss, 2.2 lb lean gain)

Two photos after twelve weeks:

End 12 weeks 9-3-06.JPG


End 12 weeks 9-3-06a.JPG


Man am I excited about starting a lean bulk.


UPDATE 9/6/2006


Being kind of a numbers guy I really wanted to know in a very accurate way how much I improved through these twelve weeks. I had a DEXA measurement done in early January which indicated a total weight of 181 lbs and fat percentage at 15.58%. I was not making any progress into May so I contracted Bobo for his program. I just got the results of my "after" DEXA scan done 9/5/2006.

Body weight 175 lbs and fat percentage 9.78%.

YES!
 
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canadian champ

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Congrats. Those are amazing results for just 8 weeks. Thumbs up to you and BOBO.
cc

The situation: I'm an ecto. I can stop eating or working out and lean weight falls off me but a bit of the fat stays. And more fat comes on when I bulk back up. I'm 63 years old, 5'9" and had been holding at around 15% in the low 180s lb.

The challenge: Bobo, help me get some fat off but I can't afford to loose any lean mass. Fat off, yes. Lean off, no. I have never successfully accomplished this.

Bobo took the challenge and I cleared eight weeks from other distractions to follow the program, diet and exercise to the letter. I set up three objective ways of measuring progress along with a before and after photo.

The results: After eight weeks...

Bicep 15" to 15.38
Chest 43.75 to 44
Waist 31.5 to 30.5 (measured at the smallest circumference)
Navel 33.5 to 32 (encompassing the glorious love handles)
Hips 37.5 to 36.25
Thigh 22.75 to 22.5
Calf 15.25 to 15.13

Tanita Scale: 19% to 18% 182 lb to 175.8 lb

Caliper: 15.27% to 11.15% (8 lb fat loss, 2 lb lean gain)

And the photos:

View attachment 15218

View attachment 15219
 
OCCFan023

OCCFan023

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damn dude those are some awsome results in 8 weeks, testimant to dedication and following the plan.

Are you finsihed with cutting or do you want to keep going on it? Bulk?
 

Grounded

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Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I really dedicated myself to following the program. I have never experienced results like this while trying lots of things on my own.

Are you finsihed with cutting or do you want to keep going on it? Bulk?
I decided to continue the program for another four weeks (just coming up on the end of week ten). Bodybuilders cutting for a contest go for sixteen or more weeks; I thought I could should be able to make it for twelve just to find out what will happen. Bobo warns me that the going gets tougher now with smaller changes, reduced energy and a certain level of consistant hunger. Yep, all of that's happening.

I'll post the objective data and a photo at the end of twelve weeks and we'll see what happened. I'll be getting a DEXA scan on September 5th so I'll have really objective data at that point.

Bobo suggests a break at that point (don't know what he means by that but if it means pig-out, I'm there).

Then I will begin a slow bulk. I have been as high as 205 lb but didn't feel good there because there was a lot of fat. What I would really like is to eventually have another 15 lbs to 20 lbs of lean with my fat % about where it is now. Let's have a long range target of around 190 lbs, very lean.

How's that for a challenge, Bobo.
 

Grounded

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12 Week Progress Report

The original post starting this thread has been edited to add the results, including photos, for the four weeks I added to my FLA fat loss program.
 
Ziricote

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That's freaking great work there, especially for a 63 year old!
 

Grounded

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DEXA Scan Results

And this just in... DEXA scan results added to the original post. YES!
 
motiv8er

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Grounded

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And now... Phase Two, the lean-bulk

Damm good job! Keep it up!
Many thanks Pitbull. After years and years of working at it, having this all come together is amazing to me, a big breakthrough.

Now that I know what it takes for me to get the fat off while holding onto the lean I'm can explore what it takes to add lean without fear of fat. At 9.8% bf I'm in the best position of my life to add lean mass with little fat. And I can take off the extra fat gained.

I hired a well qualified local trainer for one on one sessions three times a week (48 sessions paid up front, no excuses). We spent this last week rooting out muscle imbalance, strengths and weaknesses. The focus is on strength building using major multi-joint heavy work , squats, dead lifts, chins, rows, inclines and presses with support exercises. A little bit of abs. Arms and calves with presses/chins and legs.

Bobo is not available to design my new program but gave me broad direction on how to set up my diet. Thanks Bobo for your insight. You sure nailed the fat loss nutrition and I'm totally comfortable rolling with your guidelines.

I'm traveling next week so I'll begin my new quest Monday, week after next.

I really appreciate the encouragement I have received. Again, many thanks.
 
Jinx Me

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Hey Grounded - congrats on your incredible progress in such a short time!

I'm just wondering, can you provide a vague idea of how the macros of your cutting diet surprised you? Not asking for details, but I guess I'm wondering what your expectations were for a cutting diet?

Anyway, I'm really new here, so hopefully I'm not sticking my foot in my mouth. Looking forward to seeing some bulking photos!
 

Grounded

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Thanks Jinx Me.

My assumptions were macros along the line of keto type diets; I expected some kind of depletion and refeed type structure. If the balanced diet parroting general public saw what works for me they would judge the fat levels as "good" and the protein levels as "bad - BAD". And the amount of calorie reduction was modest; "that will never work".

Oh yeah? :bb2:

Hope that helps.
 
Jinx Me

Jinx Me

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Thanks Jinx Me.

My assumptions were macros along the line of keto type diets; I expected some kind of depletion and refeed type structure. If the balanced diet parroting general public saw what works for me they would judge the fat levels as "good" and the protein levels as "bad - BAD". And the amount of calorie reduction was modest; "that will never work".

Oh yeah? :bb2:

Hope that helps.
I think it does! I'm guessing that 'general public' means folks who buy into news stories telling them that high fat is bad, and high protein will destroy their kidneys.

From what little I know, the skinny-fat ecto types (for what it's worth you didn't look very fat in the before pic I might add), often do better on higher carbs than the meso/endo types. However I expect this varies from person to person, like everything.

Unsurprising that calories could remain relatively high since you're ecto and your body needs reassurance it's not starving. And also given the higher work volume - which could also stimulate muscle and (given an adequate supply of carbs and protein), prevent catabolism (and in your case even stimulate new growth!).
 

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