BigViffer

@@BigJnav3 - jesus man, I'm not going to lie; I am completely envious of your forearms. Mine look like dead branches of tree from Sleepy Hollow by comparison!

Be very careful getting carried away with the body bag. You run the risk of fracturing the small bones in the hand and/or wrist and that will screw up the rest of your weight routine! I would recommend looking for the speedbag. You cannot hit it as hard as the body bag, and it is a great arm workout. The shoulders and triceps will be screaming in short order. Another great thing about the speedbag is that it teaches rhythm and patience. Once the bones in your hands have increased density from increased Calcium, Vitamin D, and exercise... then move on up to the body bag. Also, those energy pre-workout supplements are forever banished from my routine. I remember using them before my workouts and thinking the same thing as you described. Nutrition and vitamin based pre-workouts=good. Energy preworkout drinks=bad. If I need the extra enegry, I'll carb-load with some bran or shredded wheat! Not trying to preach Dub, I'm just not very good at saying things without sounding gruff. I think its great all you are doing. I just want us all to succeed with as few setbacks as possible.

Oh yeah, I've got major excess skin. It's beginning to become an issue with ingrown hair and rashes. Sent from my phone, please forgive brevity and misspelling

Forgive my vanity, but my wife took this picture of me folding a towel this morning and even I was shocked by it. I can never see my back so this was a surprise to me! Sent from my phone, please forgive brevity and misspelling

Dude... seriously, John Hughes 80's slow clap on that one. Fricken brilliant!

Jesus man, the first day was rough. I usually do an opposite lift between sets and I tried that with my chest and tri yesterday. I am amazed at how quickly my triceps exhausted! My working set for the presses were way down. I can see where the benefit comes from this routine, it will have to build endurance. Since I am just starting this routine, I am still in the discovery phase. I will be learning as I go which exercises group together best. My routine for the last year is posted on here already though and it is pretty well explained: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/361768-by-request-bigviffer-workout-routine/

YIKES. what in the world did you use to make your bone broth? I don't know what it was made with, my wife bought it in hopes that it would be decent. We both gagged on it and poured it out pretty fast. Luckily I don't need the Protein as bad as some and can get by with other sources!

I am starting a new workout routine effective June 1st. So I am posting a starting picture here and we shall see if there are any gains made. I am switching from muscle groups to a push/pull splits. So instead of arms, chest, shoulders on different days, I am doing Chest & Tri's, back and bi's, etcetera... This is just a standing picture, no flex or tension. So my subsequent pictures will have to be the same.

huh... maybe I'm the odd man out here. I thought it was vile. I'd rather eat camel rectum jerky than try and drink that stuff again.

In my opinion NUT's are one step above used car salesmen. If your intake (calories) is not increasing, your output must be decreasing. That could mean caloric burn or using the bathroom. Make sure your Fluid intake is high as well.

Thanks @@NewSetOfCurves, mighty high praise coming from you and I truly appreciate it. I don't mind typing up a hefty post if I believe the information is valuable and usable. And I just saw where I was supposed to folwo up on this thread. Deadlift max weight is now 2lbs higher than my bodyweight of 198! So know the squat is my focus. Body weight there as well is the goal.

Here is my current workout plan: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/361768-by-request-bigviffer-workout-routine/ However I am getting ready to go to a push/pull split just to change things up. In the beginning though walking is paramount for many reasons. It helps keep you regular, helps get rid of gas buildup, and gently works the abdominal muscles. I had surgery during the winter, so I had to go to the local Meijer/Walmart or mall to walk before going back to the gym. Ack!

Actually, a body cannot always absorb all the calories, that's why it gets turned into fat. As for the max protein absorption, that is a misunderstood bit of information that gets bandied around as fact. Don't worry about getting "too much" protein in at one time.

I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you talking about a pre-surgery safe snack, post surgery, or maintenance?

I haven't posted many pictures in this thread since I am more active on the men's forum, but this is not exercise related so I thought it fitting here. I just got back from a motorcycle rally in SC/TN (the Deals Gap area). I had just an incredible time I cannot even put it adequately into words. Everything was easier and more enjoyable. I didn't hurt everywhere after a day of riding hundreds of miles around the mountains. The before picture was from May 2013 and the recent one exactly 3 years later. Surgery was 15 months ago. Seriously the best thing I could have done for myself.

Vitamin B complex can also cause urine to be excessively yellow. If you are only getting 50 oz of Water, that's still not enough. You'll get there eventually though. We all go through this. Don't freak out! Sent from my phone, please forgive brevity and misspelling

Wow, incredible! You look fantastic. Sent from my phone, please forgive brevity and misspelling

I am getting ready to downsize for a third time. Started off at 46-48 and now looks like I need to go to a 32-34! I have never bought designer, but I really like the boxer briefs by Gildan. Supportive and keeps the boys in place. Very important in the gym!

Woah... Seriously, that's one helluva transformation. You need to take some yoga so you can get your arm all the way behind you and pat yourself on the back! Sent from my phone, please forgive brevity and misspelling

lol.. just saying!

Dude, those "little" ones aren't so little. You deserve the praise when they happen.

Mine were handfuls before but... whoops... nothing but ladies in here. Nevermind...

Hubba hubba! I'm not doing anything later sweet thang, we should hook up! (relax people, she's my wife!)

@@BigTink2LilTink - dude! Those are huge victories! Why haven't you been boasting on here man?! Rock on brother! Inspiration? To Babbs? Wow, that's some pretty hefty praise! And hot? Hi Pot, I'm Kettle.

This week started off like most others, I just came back to work after almost a week off. I had to go to Iowa and help my dad with some moving related stuff. I was afraid my workout might suffer after taking so many resting days. Well, my leg day workout wasn't inspirational that's for sure. But as I always do on Mondays, I weighed in. 202! Wow, I did not expect that. I had been hovering between 205 and 208 for a while and was totally cool with it. Then it hit me... I still have my shoes on, my phone, and my headphones on. So I shucked them off and weighed again. 199. On. The. Dot. I mean it was a solid 199, not teetering, but a even balanced 199! But wait... this could be a fluke. So I went to my YMCA gym later that night. Boom, 199. OK, this is amazing. But it could still be a fluke. Today, I go to the gym and weigh myself yet again. 199. Ladies and gentlemen, I am calling it. I actually hit my stretch goal. I was so stoked! So I go over to my nemesis to get it over with and out of the way. The dreaded pull ups. I have been training by doing negatives. So I drag a bench over to the pull up bar and climb up and assume my position hanging from the bar. And I am just hanging there man. Then it hits me... I'm not slowly going down. I'm actually staying above the bar. So I let myself down, and in a moment of pure otherworldly perception, I pulled myself up... up... and over the bar! I JUST DID A PULL UP. The first one in my entire life. I must find my 7th grade gym teacher and make him watch! I was so amazed, I thought I would do it again. And I did! And again. And... not this time. I got 3 perfect pull ups though. So then I went on to do the rest of my workout, but I kept eye-ballin the pull up bar. So I went back over and did another 2! I am literally stunned. All in all I ended up doing 10 honest to goodness pull ups. Needless to say, this has got to be the best day since my surgery. A day I honestly did not think was really going to happen no matter how hard I worked. I'm under 200 lbs and I can do a fricken' pull-up. @@BigTink2LilTink @@Dub - your time is coming. I expect to hear some victory stories from you guys soon!