Edit: Thinking about this challenge some more, it should be opened to everyone. I originally thought about it being tackled only after weight loss because it would not seem good to have such a transformation challenge interfere with weight loss. However, now I think anyone should be able to do it even to help with weight loss, as long as you are able to physically and mentally rise to the challenge. I will let you define what this criteria means to you, but I would think it excludes those that are less then 2 months post op. I would probably not attempt it until 5 months post op, but that is just my opinion.

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Transformation is something that may interest some veterans who are done with the weight loss phase of VSG. Losing weight is the beginning of the transformation process to become a beacon of health and radiant energy for yourself and those around you.

I am really a big fan of both transformation programs that the Phillip brothers have spearheaded.

In 1999, bill Phillip created the much revered Body-for-life program that is 12 weeks of intense transformation. Some have trouble extending their success of the 12 week program to the rest of their life, possibly because they jumped in too fast or did not have the mental and physical strength to continue after 12 weeks.

That is where his brother Shawn Phillips came along more recently and created the Strength-for-life program. This program focuses more on developing habits of strength in all areas of physical and mental health. The results gained from exiting the 12 week strength-for-life will be foundational for the rest of your life.

The strength-for-life program includes a base camp phase that is 12 days long. It is important to do this base camp phase before starting the 12 week program in order to set your body up for success. During this time, you focus on rebooting your body.

Essentially,

1. Eat lean, clean and green

2. Drink Water in abundance (no alcohol, sugary drinks, energy drinks, etc, just water)

3. sleep at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep a night

4. Have an attitude of gratitude

5. Recharge with the base camp training plan

As VSG post op, we know how to eat and how to drink water. Try and keep the Protein as lean as possible. Drink as much water as you can, but do not drink the energy or sports drinks ( too much sugar). sleeping restfully will lower the cortisol levels and help the body detox.

The base camp training plan is essentially Training 3 days a week with body weight movements. Do 3 sets of 3 different exercises, pausing for 30 seconds between each set.

Monday: 15-20 reps of push-ups. 3 sets.

Wednesday: 15-20 air squats or lunges. 3 sets.

Friday: 12-15 ab crunches. 3 sets.

If you slip on any of the 5 principles listed above, start over. It is important to get thought the 12 days successfully before moving onto the 12 week transformation. You may see some weight loss and or lean muscle gain during this short reboot. However, the real change will occur over the next 12 weeks.

Here is where I would like to propose a transformation challenge. The challenge will be 12 weeks long and success is defined by achieving a set of clearly defined goals. Make sure the goals are as personal as possible and link them to your feelings.

Create 2 physical goals and one inner strength goal.

For me, I am :

37 years old

5'11"

188 lbs pre transformation (as of yesterday)

Married with no children, a dog, 3 cats and currently provide a place for my brother.

Physical goals:

I will lose 15 pounds of fat, gain 5 pounds of lean muscle and lose 2 inches around my waist by September 1st. I have high energy and soaring confidence.

Mental/emotional goal:

I will have positive energy to share with my wife and brother. We enjoy 1 family activity a week that is not centered around the tv. I will read 2 leadership books and hire a business coach to strengthen my career by September 1st.

Be sure to measure along the way:

Weight

Body fat percentage

Resting heart rate

Blood pressure

Cholesterol

Other

Take weekly photos : front, back and from each profile. Shoot the photos in the same position and location, wearing the same clothes. At the end of the 12 weeks, you will literally be able to see the transformation from week to week.

During the transformation, consider the following eating guidelines:

1. Shoot for macronutrient balance, eating lean protein first.

2. Eat 5-6 x a day, keeping each meal small.

3. Avoid sugar and alcohol

4. Eat your Omega 3s. These really help with inflammation.

5. Get more Vitamin d either as a supplement or being in the sun

6. Eat organically

During the transformation, consider the following strength training guidelines:

1. Monday - Upper body push (chest, shoulders, triceps and biceps)

2. Tuesday- HIIT and abs

3. Wednesday- lower body / legs ( quads, hamstrings and calves)

4. Thursday - upper body pull (back, rear delts, triceps, biceps)

5. Friday - HIIT and abs

6.saturday - circuit (strength, stamina, stretch)

7. Day off - recover and rejuvenate

Train strong and not long.

1. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday should last 33 minutes to 44 minutes

2. Tuesday and Thursday HIIT would be 20 minutes

3. Saturday circuit should be 20 minutes followed by 8-12 minutes of stretching

The strength workouts should be no longer then 4 sets:

Set 1: 12 reps

Set 2: 10 reps

Set 3: 8 reps

Set 4: 8+ reps

For example,

I will be using a pair of dumbbells at home to complete the strength training

Try and be very focused during the strength training. It is the focus that is going to help the most with achieving the transformation. Be progressive and increase the weight from week to week. Make every rep count. Make them super high quality.

HIIT training is far more effective then long cardio training at steady state.

1. Start with 3 minute warm up

2. First interval is 60 seconds at high intensity

3. Second interval is 60 seconds at lower intensity (catch your breath)

4. Repeat 2) and 3) for 18 minutes. No more.

5. Cool down for 2 minutes

For example,

I will be using cross fit training with a PT to complete the HIIT workouts.

On the 7th day, it is a rest day both nutritionally and physically. If you want to eat more calories or have that treat, this is the day to do it before diving into the next week. Each week should be programmatically the same, but should also increase in intensity.

It is important to keep a diary of your training during this 12 week challenge. This will help you with keeping on the program and motivation.

After the 12 week transformation challenge, you will be in a position of strength to set new goals and achieve them.

Good luck everyone!

It has been 3 weeks since I changed both my diet (TDEE/IIFYM) and exercise (cardio and strength training)' date=' and except for *gaining* 5 pounds, nothing has happened. There are some positive gains but they are so meager as to be laughable; I can run 4 minutes instead of 2, I can lift 10 lbs heavier than before, I can do 30 minutes of cardio without feeling like I'm being punished. But, considering the effort and vigilance I've put in, whoop-de-frickin-do. All clothes are just as tight as before.[/quote']

The key for all of us is to find a program that works well individually for each of us. Others, including myself, can offer suggestions, but as you are aware, not every suggestion is going to work for everyone with the same measurement of success.

Some really do well with low calorie (800 or less) and some enjoy eating TDEE (around 2000 for the average man). Some enjoy running where others enjoy spinning. Some get amazing results from Jillian Michaels Ripped where others get equally amazing results from pdx90, Insanity or their own program. Some like to run marathons where others like to kill a daily Cross fit WOD. The point is we are all made differently and have different preferences. And different experiences. Our bodies respond differently to different ways of eating and physical exercise. This melting pot of experiences is what makes VST a good place to learn from, especially as a vet.

Whenever I run into something that is not working, I learn from the experience and then immediately seek out a different approach. Little good comes out of dwelling on an approach that may not be optimal for you. And most important : approach each day with an attitude of gratitude. There are many good things to be happy about. Look around at all the different suggestions that are being offered and try something new. Every day is a learning experience, even when everything appears to be working to your benefit. There is always something new to try and learn from. Be positive an enjoy what life has to offer. And then share your joy with others.

Stepped up a level on Body Revolution today - OMG....super sore but LOVING the calorie burn from this workout! AND hit the 50lbs lost mark this morning! The sore is offset by this feeling of VICTORY!

The good burn that you feel the next day from lactic acid soreness is a sign of progression. Great job on hitting a personal goal of 50 lb lost! What a feeling of success that brings.

Okay peeps- last week SUCKED. It was the last week of school and I ate tons of junk. Im a stress eater. It also seemed like I was always eating. As a result of running around crazy, I didn't have the time to workout. I was working long hours and chose sleep over exercise.

SO- this week I'm dusting myself and chasing after the wagon. I'm going to catch it and GET ON and strap myself in. Lol! I'm up 6 pounds. This boggles my mind! No exercise and eating about 1800 cals a day. eek! It has to be the lack of nutritional content in the foods I was eating- pizza, cake, Taco Bell. Aack! Oh well, here it goes again. I can do this!

Welcome back Danielle! Glad to have you back on the wagon as we travel west into unexplored territory.

Welcome back Danielle! Glad to have you back on the wagon as we travel west into unexplored territory.

Love it and ur positivity! Glad to be back!!

Have a great week everyone!!

Well Fiddle, I came to the same conclusion and I'm tapping out on the TDEE. I loved getting to eat more (who wouldn't) and I certainly loved having energy to burn at the gym, but it is now nearly four weeks of this and the only result is that I have gained weight, like, real weight, as in my pants are tighter now, my face is puffy. So, I'm at a bit of a loss now - extreme low calorie didn't work, eating TDEE didn't work. I'm open to suggestions.

Well Fiddle' date=' I came to the same conclusion and I'm tapping out on the TDEE. I loved getting to eat more (who wouldn't) and I certainly loved having energy to burn at the gym, but it is now nearly four weeks of this and the only result is that I have gained weight, like, real weight, as in my pants are tighter now, my face is puffy. So, I'm at a bit of a loss now - extreme low calorie didn't work, eating TDEE didn't work. I'm open to suggestions.[/quote']

Have you thought about or tried intense short bouts of lifting exercises instead of low intensity or steady state cardio? From your descriptions in this thread and other threads, it sounds like you need to increase intensity and focus, but in an effective manner. You want to build metabolism-enhancing muscle and this usually can be done most quickly with compound lifting exercises that have enough weight to really require a high level of focus and intensity in order to complete the last set in a round of 12-10-8-8+ sets. Forget about steady state cardio or mindless lifting and instead perform 20-30 minutes of high intensity free weight or body weight exercises daily. The intensity from this type of focused lifting will definitely feel challenging and yield results. I like body weight exercises because they generally work several large muscle groups at the same time. And they can be done anywhere at any time. You are surrounded by a sea of military types that i am sure can help set up an effective "boot camp" type program for you. This approach to working out in explosive short and focused workouts will get you into amazing shape! In fact, these types of workouts are what this transformation thread is all about from the original post.

In order to optimize results from working out, you will need to take a close look at your nutrition. Make sure it is a sound balance of the macronutrients. Let us look at protein first. we need to eat often in order to consume minimum 1 G protein per ideal BMI body weight. For me, I weigh currently 185 lb (was 10 lb heavier a month ago) so need to consume about 170 G protein a day. To accomplish this, I need to make sure my shakes have close to 40 G protein in it and my meals contain somewhere between 20-30 G protein from lean protein sources. I need to average 28 G protein a meal if I eat 6 times a day. Not all of my meals will contain 28 g of protein, especially my snacks, so my 40 g shakes balance out the deficits and I also may eat 2-3 additional times during the day of a small protein amount, say, 10-15 g. You are 5'3" in height and have an upper ideal body weight range of 125-140 lb. if we take the median of this range, we get about 133. You will want to eat at least 122 g of protein a day to support existing muscle. To build muscle you will want to target between 1-1.5 times your ideal body weight in pounds.

A fast acting high quality whey protein shake is important to take within 20 minutes of your workout. Your blood vessels will be open the most at this time in order to deliver a maximum amount of amino acids and other nutrients to your muscles. Drink a casein protein shake at night to really take advantage of the most effective time for muscle repair. Drink a whey protein shake when you first get up in the morning to keep the metabolism going.

Additionally, you will want to eliminate sugar and alcohol from your diet. Little to no starches. Minimize sodium consumption and, if possible, eliminate dairy. I get all my calcium from supplementation. Low glycemic fruits are good like apples, but try and avoid the high glycemic fruits like bananas or pineapple. The key is to eat fruit with a lot of fiber to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates.

There are some pre workout drinks like jack3d, c4, n.o.explode and others that extend the window of opportunity for ideal processing of protein far past your workout. They also increase your focus and explosive energy during a workout. You are welcome to try these. I happen to cycle between c4 and n.o.explode every 6 weeks or so. C4 helps me the most.

I understand it will be challenging for you to source your protein in an optimal manner because you are deployed, but do the best you can. You may also have to eat more often then me because women are of smaller frame and can usually only process up to 30 G protein a meal. You need to eat 200-300 calories below your TDEE with a sound balance of the macronutrients in order for the protein to be processed effectively in between working out and sleeping at night. Both good fat from monohydrate sources and good carbohydrate that are low on the glycemic index are required in order for the protein to be broken down into amino acids for building muscle.

Proper nutrition to support gains from working out is complicated, but becomes easier the more you educate yourself and research. I am still learning and will always be learning from various people, books, articles, etc. I am no expert in these areas, but do tend to pick up information along the way and filter out what is going to help versus not help move me towards goals. There are experts in this forum that are far smarter or have much more experience than I.

Hope this helps.

My workouts may seem small potatoes to you, but I push myself hard and leave every session completely soaked in sweat and wobbling, so no, I'm not doing steady state cardio or mindless lifting. I do 3 machines for upper body, 3 for lower, and a round of free weights for upper and a round of body weight work for lower. My weight levels are as much as I can manage without breaking form and I do 3 sets of 20. My cardio is 45 minutes of running, as fast as I can go for as long as I can go before again, form breaks down, running in poor form leads to injury. Right now that means *only* 5 minutes at 4.5 on the treadmill before I need to walk at 3.5 for at least a minute. But again, even though that might sound like small potatoes to you, it leaves me drenched and wobbling. I do variations on this 6 days a week.

As for food, you know my peculiar situation. Today this is what I could get my hands on:

Breakfast - egg white omelet with ham cheese and peppers. I ate about 3 oz of it.

small granny smith apple

.25 cup milk in my coffee. stevia sweetener

Lunch - ground beef w taco seasoning, 3 oz

1 cup cucumber slices with plain white vinegar

1 oz cheese

Dinner (1 hour before gym) - Mexican seasoned sauteed chopped chicken, 3oz

granny smith apple, 1 TBSP peanut butter

after gym meal - Quest protein bar

I ran out of protein powder a few weeks ago, also ran out of vitamins. I know I'm not drinking enough water, probably only 50 oz a day at most, but for some reason I seem to be having a problem I haven't had since immed post op and that is I can't seem to stomach plain water any more, I don't have any sugarless water flavorings.

No, not small potatoes at all. I am just trying to offer any advice that might help you break through your wall you are up against and have been fighting for a while. I hope other vets chime in because they have good advice, especially if they are long term vets like you. Thanks for being an inspiration to all us us newer vets - fighting the good fight every day. I do wish you success in your progress and will try and help if I can. So we know how often to send care packages to you, how long is your current deployment to?

For me personally, I don't get the results I want doing it on my own. I do work out videos and they really work toning the right places instead of bulking up. I know your options are limited GT but that's what helped me. I cancelled my gym membership because it just didn't work for me. I'm no expert so that's the only info I have lol. I think Fiddleman was just saying switch it up and don't give up!

Well guys and gals, I'm out! I'm currently laying in a hospital bed. Just got my gallbladder removed this SUCKS! I'll be back though!

Well guys and gals' date=' I'm out! I'm currently laying in a hospital bed. Just got my gallbladder removed this SUCKS! I'll be back though![/quote']

Was it scheduled for today or an emergency?

Oh Nicole! I am so sorry to hear about this. Take care and spend time recovering. We will miss you in the updates. Is there anything you need to help with your down time? We are here to support you.

By the way, how do you know if you (not you specifically, but a VSG person) are going to have a problem with the gallbladder? I have seen so many have kidney or gall bladder issues during my time on VST, I often wonder will I be next? I hope not, but do not know what are the precursors before an attack requiring hospitalization.

Yea emergency. I had pain for 5 1/2 hrs and they said it caused acute pancreatitis.

Thanks Fiddle, I think I'm good. No pain just bummed. But hopefully I'll get to go home in the morning. Maybe I can walk during my recovery time. I'll talk to the surgeon in the morning.