This February marked the beginning of the 3rd year of working out and maintaining a healthier eating lifestyle. In just over a year I lost 55lbs and spent the remainder of year two getting acquainted with weightlifting. Now for the new year my goal is to build more muscle and in the 6 seeks that I've been strength training I've added about 2lbs of muscle.

I hope that this inspires others to get in shape and feel great about themselves. And I tell ya, confidence with women is at an all time high.

Here's a pic: http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 3922_n.jpg[/img]

_________________
The set is my canvas, the lamps are my brushes, and the light is my paint ...

Wow big change, thanks for posting...I've been working out on and off for about a year and a half, loose it all, gain it back...have about 40 more pounds to loose, just have to do it!

_________________
Havok
My intro thread & Story - so-i-post-vt85070.html
My Journal - here-vp508498.html

I heard something on NPR today that the American diet has tons more sugar in it than it used to 40 years ago. The excess sugar spikes your insulin, which means many of your calories go immediately into fat. The problem is, you actually need those calories to power your energy needs, so you eat more. If you don't eat more, you feel like you're starving. You're cranky and have no energy to do anything, including exercise. But anything you eat, you still only get part of the calories of. The extra insulin is like a "tax" on your calories, like the government taking 20% out of your paycheck before you even see it. Like government, it goes to fat.

So their advice was, get rid of sugar and fructose. Then eventually your insulin level will return to normal, I guess. I didn't listen to the whole program. They were busy indicting the food industry when I turned it off, I had things to do. More sugar means more sales. You eat more, so more profit.

Very true...I give up most processed sugars when I was about 18, I lost so much weight...I found I could sleep a lot better and a workout had an effect...Turned 21 and started drinking a ton of Jack and Cokes, jack and cokes turned into just cokes when not at the bar, and now I find I can take in an upwards of 500 extra calories a day just drinking a sugary drink! Same thing with energy drinks like rock stars or monsters. My workouts now seem ineffective and months in the gym have yielded little weight loss.

You think sugar is bad? The alcohol is worse than sugars...Alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, thats about two times as fattening as carbs, protien, and sugar.

Forget that...This last weekend was my blow out weekend, going back on my program again...Can't decide if I need to throw everything bad out, or just do it under will power...36 more pounds to loose..

_________________
Havok
My intro thread & Story - so-i-post-vt85070.html
My Journal - here-vp508498.html

The soft drinks are a killer. I have nearly cut them out completely but do enjoy a few soft drinks each month, if at all possible I like drinking pops that contain real cane sugar.

When drinking alcohol I stay away from jack-n-cokes or captain-n-cokes, and instead will go for a tequila sunrise (tequila, orange juice, and grenadine), sure it's just as bad but at least I'm getting some vitamin-c. Overall I usually will order shots or on the rocks.

However, I do feel that one shouldn't limit their alcohol fun. My strategy for the day is if I know if I'm going to go out drinking is to eat super healthy and have fun drinking.

_________________
The set is my canvas, the lamps are my brushes, and the light is my paint ...

Yeah, I find that when I am training, two shots of vodka will give me a killer buzz for the night, not much alcohol is needed anyway because the 02 levels in the blood are high...

_________________
Havok
My intro thread & Story - so-i-post-vt85070.html
My Journal - here-vp508498.html

Much like you Havok it also takes a few drinks to get a buzz. But what I enjoy most of working out is that I can metabolize alcohol much better and rarely get significant hangovers.

_________________
The set is my canvas, the lamps are my brushes, and the light is my paint ...

I am the other way around...I am not in training right now so this past weekend when I was out on the road getting the all star SPAM from some of my customers, I drank A TON, no hangover, just suffered from a loss of sleep if you know what I mean...need to do a (FR ++)

But when I am training, I get killer hang overs and can't hold my liquor at all. Kinda odd its opposite, wonder why.

_________________
Havok
My intro thread & Story - so-i-post-vt85070.html
My Journal - here-vp508498.html

Yeah funny enough I tend to find since i started really hitting the gym hard 2 years ago that i havnt been able to drink as much and stay sober!

Regarding energy drinks, Stay away from them if possible, Monster is reknown for blurring out muscle, certainly not worth it bro