If I were still in Raleigh, I totally would. I'm in Greenville though.

5/18/2012 4:21:43 PM

Wadhead1 got his face on the wall of the Dowd YMCA!!

5/18/2012 5:42:34 PM

Down to about 165lbs but not in the condition I'd like to be in Over the past 2 weeks I haven't trained (until last night) and I lost about 5lbs. So unfortunately, a much higher portion of that loss may have been lean The abz are out, but I'm not quite as shredded as I was last year.

It is ok though, because it's due to working my ass off and getting my facility looking sharp! I've been putting in about 15hour days, most of that being on my feet, hauling heavy equipment, or doing manual labor. Given this hectic schedule my nutrition has fallen to the way side. At any rate, it's time to get back on it and rebuild!

Capital Strength & Conditioning http://www.capitalstrength.com/ will be officially open for business on June 1st! Until then, if you want to drop in and check it out and get a quick work out in, shoot me a PM.

I am really pleased and excited with the way it has come together; I can promise you it is unlike any gym you've been to in Raleigh!

5/22/2012 7:29:10 AM

so is this another CrossFit gym or what

5/22/2012 8:10:29 AM

^lulz

5/22/2012 8:15:16 AM

Quote :

"so is this another CrossFit gym or what"

haha, I am sort of anti-crossfit... I appreciate some of their methods, but generally the application is subpar and quality control is lacking. Like anything, some coaches are amazing, some are crap!

I do offer a large group crossfit-esque class, but with my own touch. However, the main service is high quality, affordable small group personal training geared towards strength and athletic development.

Some features:
- 40yard turf runway. Over 1600sqft of turf!
- 8 stations to load and rack a barbell
- 2 Olympic platforms
- bumper plates
- 18ft rope climb
- Specialty bars, DBs up to 110lbs, sleds, bands, versaclimber and a lot more!

5/22/2012 9:25:41 AM

so it's a crossfit ripoff? does that mean its cheaper than crossfit? that would be cool

5/22/2012 12:43:38 PM

Why don't you come by and check it out this evening? That would answer your questions much better.

5/22/2012 2:27:51 PM

Quote :

"OFFICIALLY CALLED OUT"

5/22/2012 2:31:14 PM

Who is the hot chick?

5/22/2012 2:31:26 PM

Thinking of trying Intensity to get back in shape. Just worried my shoulder will fail.

5/22/2012 2:36:43 PM

Quote :

"Who is the hot chick?"

If you are talking about the pictures on my site... Those are just stock photos. Although the brunette looks a lot like my girlfriend

I'll be updating the site with real photos after all the equipment is placed and the cleaning crew goes through and polishes it up this weekend.

Here's a shot from this morning:

5/22/2012 3:06:38 PM

And in Matt's defense. Crosstraining for GPP ( General Physical Preparedness) is not a new concept. But CrossFit just branded themselves in a way to seem like they own that concept. Everyone has been skipping, jumping, hopping, etc. for centuries. So because they've become so visible in the past 5 years, that anything looks and acts like CrossFit, people jump the gun, and say it's CrossFit.


So the question for people like Matt in the industry is, how do you distinguish yourself from the world of CrossFit and not become copy-cat?

5/22/2012 7:11:49 PM

I appreciate the invitation Matt, I may eventually take you up on that

for now I've got some equipment and some green indoor/outdoor carpet in my garage

5/22/2012 7:35:08 PM

Quote :

"So the question for people like Matt in the industry is, how do you distinguish yourself from the world of CrossFit and not become copy-cat?"

Easy. Provide consistent high quality service, stay ahead of the knowledge curve, and get your clients results! I've been doing that successfully for the past 2.5+ years. I love this stuff and easily put in 15hours a day making sure things get done.

Quote :

"I appreciate the invitation Matt, I may eventually take you up on that for now I've got some equipment and some green indoor/outdoor carpet in my garage"

I know you are trying to poke at my patience.

I doubt your equipment compares and your turf isn't as thick. The turf isn't that 5mm nonsense you pick up for $1 a sqft. It's ~1/2inches of padding, felt, and synthetic grass

[Edited on May 23, 2012 at 5:40 AM. Reason : 5]

5/23/2012 5:39:54 AM

5/24 check in

178

~3 weeks from prime time

5/24/2012 11:32:55 AM

looking pretty yoked, brah...well on your way to shredded

5/24/2012 11:51:52 AM

Looking good Casper. Time to go to the beach to show off and get some color.

5/24/2012 11:59:40 AM

Is Taubes still a crackpot?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/05/06/why-the-campaign-to-stop-america-s-obesity-crisis-keeps-failing.html

5/24/2012 4:48:35 PM

I think he's basically right. On a very basic level governed by the law of thermodynamics, a calorie is a calorie when it comes to fat loss and fat gain, regardless of macronutrient breakdown. Yes, you can lose fat eating nothing but poptarts and pringles.

From a behavioral standpoint, macronutrient breakdown absolutely matters, and certain types of foods definitely lend themselves to overeating more than others. He identifies sugars as a problem, and that's a good place to start. Sugars just happen to be a very common example of a high-calorie, low-nutrient, low-satiety food group. "Junk food" is the problem.

As far as body composition goes, macronutrient intake also matters, of course. Fat gain and fat loss is purely calorie deficit/surplus, but lean mass gain/loss has to do with protein intake, and fats are essential for many bodily functions.

With that said, I don't know that he is properly characterizing the "anti-obesity establishment", whatever that is. Hardly anyone in these anti-obesity campaigns is saying, "Put down the fork fatties, discipline is all you need!" I see suggestions for healthy eating and healthy habits, but rarely is obesity dismissed by these campaigns as primarily problem with human character or discipline.

[Edited on May 24, 2012 at 6:47 PM. Reason : ]

5/24/2012 6:33:12 PM

yeah all calories are definitely not created equal.


You can't tell me that eating a bag of M&M's is as satiating as eating a 1lb steak.

Likewise, you can drink 15 light beers and an entire pizza. Good luck eating 22 lbs of chicken with a side of mashed potatoes.

5/24/2012 6:40:49 PM

alright, someone please explain to me the reasoning behind steel cut oats. I bought that shit the other day because people on here recommended it over normal oatmeal and it doesnt' even look like oatmeal, doesn't cook the same, tastes dumb, and there is no difference in nutritional value on the side of the box. I'm pretty annoyed by this. I wish I had bought the normal oatmeal now which btw was less than half the price!

5/25/2012 11:03:20 AM

Taubes is really controversial for some reason. A lot of the other guys I read source him and respect him even though they don't agree with him on everything. He is a better writer than anyone else.

5/25/2012 11:28:27 AM

i'm pretty sure it takes your body a little bit longer to break down the steel cut oats vs the rolled oats, balancing out your blood sugar and helping you feel full longer.

I like the taste and texture of steel cut better too.

5/25/2012 11:32:47 AM

Quote :

"Taubes is really controversial for some reason. A lot of the other guys I read source him and respect him even though they don't agree with him on everything. He is a better writer than anyone else."

Any idea what ideas of his are controversial? I understand that, for simplicity's sake, "a calorie is a calorie" dogma is touted as a panacea for weight loss, but it isn't (and isn't meant to be) a weight loss strategy.

Quote :

"alright, someone please explain to me the reasoning behind steel cut oats. I bought that shit the other day because people on here recommended it over normal oatmeal and it doesnt' even look like oatmeal, doesn't cook the same, tastes dumb, and there is no difference in nutritional value on the side of the box. I'm pretty annoyed by this. I wish I had bought the normal oatmeal now which btw was less than half the price! "

I just get regular instant oatmeal and it serves my purposes fine. Check out these chocolate peanut butter protein bars (oats are an ingredient): http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=leanbodylifestyle_annotation_778022&feature=iv&src_vid=xUzxTgak28U&v=C8Qby2ZfwA4

Steel-cut should be cheaper though. If you're paying twice as much for the same volume...that doesn't sound right.

Rolled oats, I believe, have a higher GI than steel-cut, but I really only consume oats post-work out, so higher GI is perfectly fine. If you're eating oatmeal because it supposedly keeps you full, or gives you energy, or any of that crap...embrace fasting/the warrior diet. It is the way, the truth, and the light.

[Edited on May 25, 2012 at 11:48 AM. Reason : ]

5/25/2012 11:42:49 AM

I actually just got around to reading that article, it's very informative for the casual dieter still following the wrong advice.

It's like a few of us have already mentioned a few times in this thread. Cut the carbs, particularly the sugar and you'll lose a crapload of weight. If you cut the fat and up the carbs you won't lose weight and you will hate your diet. Running definitely won't work. Almost no one loses more than 5 lbs of fat from running. Most quit before they lose any weight because it sucks and/or they get injured.

Stop eating so many meals. Ideally you shouldn't be eating for more than 8 hours a day. If you can't go 16 freaking hours without food when you're trying to lose weight then you have some sort of psychological issue you need to address. If you "need" breakfast then you aren't eating enough at dinner. Honestly, I had no idea until this thread that anyone still ate breakfast after they turned 16 years old. If you have time to eat breakfast before work/school then you either aren't sleeping in long enough, aren't staying up late enough, or aren't hungover enough in the mornings.

The only things you should ever drink are water, milk (don't go overboard), light beer, liquor, coffee, or tea. Everything else is terrible for losing weight. Light Beer and liquor aren't good for losing weight but they will help at least maintain your weight rather than blowing you up like those craft beers and mixed drinks will do. Why would you ever drink soda or juice? Are you a 10 year old? Did you make an A on your math test and you're treating yourself to a Coca Cola? Did your mom pack your lunch with your favorite Ecto Cooler or Juicy Juice? This stuff is horrible for losing weight and if you can't give up Dr. Perky at lunch then there's no hope for you.

Never eat out. Never eat packaged garbage. Especially all those ridiculous frozen meals with their Weight Watchers points. Really? You wonder why you can't lose weight. It's because you ate a 3 oz piece of chicken with 6 frozen green beans for lunch. So at 3 PM you started eating chips and at 5 PM you went to happy hour and got fried appetizers because you are starving. Has anyone considered just eating a real lunch instead?

High protein, moderate fats, low carbs. Don't ever eat "small meals". The small meal myth was perpetuated to get people to buy a bunch of expensive products like protein bars, shakes, etc. It will not speed up your metabolism that is false. All it will do is spike your insulin and slow your fat burning back down immediately.

If your stomach growls that doesn't mean it's time to eat. It means you're doing great and you're actually burning fat.

5/25/2012 12:17:55 PM

I think my participation in this thread ceased when face started throwing down the broscience like mad

5/25/2012 12:31:31 PM

^ Your an idiot. "Broscience" is when some ripped dude at the gym tells you a bunch of nonsense that isn't scientifically correct and says oh yeah look at me thats how i did it. In reality he's probably on steroids or got to where he is by lifting inefficiently.

Statements based on research and science are the opposite of broscience.

5/25/2012 12:34:07 PM

face makes some reasonably good points but obv if he's gonna be a dick about it nobody is going to listen to him. lighten up, brah

5/25/2012 1:02:41 PM

i wish we could bring back the fun from the first time we did this thread... now it's all rawr rawr rawr you're dumb and doing it wrong rawr rawr rawr

5/25/2012 1:04:58 PM

Quote :

"If your stomach growls that doesn't mean it's time to eat. It means you're doing great and you're actually burning fat."

It's so funny to me when co-workers (often overweight) will be held up 10 minutes after their normal meal time and claim to be "starving".

Our instincts tell us to eat as much as we can during periods of abundance to increase odds of survival in times of famine. Problem is, we don't live in an era where famine is a real possibility, so dieting is a strategy aimed at overcoming those urges rooted in evolution. If you eat every two hours, your brain expects food every two hours and you get "hungry".

5/25/2012 1:15:42 PM

^^ The reality is that people need to hear the truth instead of all the myths that are constantly perpetuated.

You aren't going to lose (much) fat by lowering your fat intake and doing cardio, period.

Everyone in this country tries to lose weight by doing the same crap that has never worked for them their whole lives. It's beyond ridiculous at this point.

We all have the internet, there's no reason to claim ignorance to what works and what doesn't.

[Edited on May 25, 2012 at 1:17 PM. Reason : a]

5/25/2012 1:17:08 PM

what people don't enjoy are assholes who are apparently know everything and are so quick to let you know that.

guess what, if i'm not doing something right, but at least i'm trying, the wrong way to approach a person struggling is to re-iterate how they're doing it wrong without giving them any kind of validation that at least they're trying.

you may think that's weak and bullshit or whatever, but it worked well in the first thread that we did and a lot of people (including me) were able to use that positive reinforcement to accomplish some pretty kickass shit.

so provide people with information, but spouting off at people isn't productive for anyone.

5/25/2012 2:00:59 PM

In yo' face.

5/25/2012 2:19:20 PM

^^ What the RAWR RAWR jerks don't understand is that there isn't so much a wrong or right when it comes to exercising as there is a spectrum from most efficient to least efficient exercise and dieting. And even among that spectrum, there are different achievements and goals.

So we get all these heroes smacking people down telling them they believe in myths or are wrong if they aren't eating paleo and doing a regimented routine lifting heavy weights with little cardio. They don't understand that it's every bit as irritating to everyone else as the knuckledragging right wing nutjob who runs around spouting shit about homos and hating obama and "dey tuk ur jerbs".

5/25/2012 2:42:31 PM

^good point


in the same way we talk about HIIT vs. just jogging. Ya, your body will get used to it and the caloric burn might decreased, but no way does anyone ever get so good at jogging that they burn zero calories


and i'm certain if i cut fat but not the carbs i will definitely lose weight as long as i'm burning more than what i take in.

5/25/2012 3:00:31 PM

If you could spend 10 hours a week exercising, never getting anything more than mediocre results, or 4 hours a week and seeing total transformation, why would you choose to keep spinning your wheels? No one has a goal of wasting their time with nothing to show for it.

Some effort is better than no effort, yes. If you're overweight, almost any reduction in calories and physical activity will make a big difference. As you get leaner, more advanced strategies are necessary. E-validation and pats on the back will only get you so far; a burning drive to better yourself is the key to progress and not falling back into old habits.

For anyone (especially those that have ever had weight control problems), complacency is the enemy, and you will have to beat it back down on a daily basis. I feel like I'm constantly bolstering my resolve, reminding myself of what my goals are and what I have to do (and not do) to reach them. Surprisingly, it's not too stressful, but it has required me to change the way I think about food - it's fuel, not an indulgence or a "reward".

^HIIT and LISS serve distinct purposes. HIIT is more similar to weight lifting than endurance running. Sprinting doesn't directly burn fat, but it does jack up your metabolism and it does burn calories. My understanding is that HIIT should be done after some kind of meal (not fasted) since it's going to use amino acids and carbs.

On the other hand, LISS is most effective while in a fasted state, at least if your goal is fat loss. It's low enough intensity to avoid muscle catabolism (i.e. converting muscle tissue to energy) and to use fat stores for energy.

Quote :

"and i'm certain if i cut fat but not the carbs i will definitely lose weight as long as i'm burning more than what i take in."

You will if you're in a deficit, but your body almost always prefers to use carbs for energy over fat stores. That's why people do low carb and keto.

[Edited on May 25, 2012 at 3:16 PM. Reason : ]

5/25/2012 3:10:37 PM

It's absolutely ludicrous that someone who is running or doing some other cardio would ever get DISCOURAGED to do those things. I don't think everyone needs a pat on the back, but to tell someone who is doing something that they are wrong and should be doing something else is retarded.

5/25/2012 3:36:05 PM

I don't think anyone would recommend no exercise over just running or some kind of cardio. Some exercise is demonstrably superior to no exercise.

But, yes, I would suggest adding in other activites ("doing something different"). Cardio/running alone is going to leave most people "skinny-fat", which is obviously better than being truly overweight. Doesn't matter if your goal is to look better, to be a better runner, to be a better athlete, to have your clothes fit better, to live longer, or to be generally healthy - running alone isn't going to cut it. Resistance training is, without any doubt, a crucial component to any fitness regiment. You'll develop stronger bones, you'll develop stronger connective tissue, you'll develop stronger muscles, and all of those are critical to maintaining an active lifestyle as you get older. It's not something to skim over, it's a big deal.

I'm not about judgment. Everyone starts somewhere. I was obese at one point. Started by cleaning up my diet and doing the elliptical. Got into running. Go back far enough into TWW archives and you can find a thread created by me called "I can't run"; I was overweight and just wanted to be able to run a mile without stopping. Got into working out, which eventually led to "real" weight lifting. Then I started thinking about macronutrients, which led to micronutrient considerations, supplements, etc. It didn't happen all at once, it was a process. I do wish that I had adopted some of these habits years ago, though.

5/25/2012 3:55:25 PM

I don't think a lot of people get what skinny-fat is. Even people who are very thin, who want to lose more weight because they are still soft in spots.

5/25/2012 3:59:27 PM

This is a skinny fat male:



He doesn't carry much fat. He also has very little muscle mass. As a result, it looks like he has a "gut". If he were to get under the barbell 3x a week for about 6 months, he'd put on a lot of mass in his shoulders, arms, chest, and he'd also get some decent abs. In effect, he'll look a whole lot better in a shirt or out of it.

[Edited on May 25, 2012 at 4:04 PM. Reason : ]

5/25/2012 4:04:02 PM

That's just it. There is a right way and a wrong way to do things depending on your goals.

If your goal is to lose 5 lbs of fat then running is okay. If your goal is to lose 20 lbs (many on here probably need to lose more like 40 lbs of fat) then running is terrible.

Don't take my advice I don't care. If you don't lose weight then I look better relative to you.

5/26/2012 12:32:02 AM

y'know what. fuck it. i was warned about this thread and i'm just not even going to start.

[Edited on May 26, 2012 at 1:18 AM. Reason : .]

5/26/2012 1:17:14 AM

Look most of us got fat by being lazy slobs. To maintain your weight this whole watch your calorie intake and workout shit works. You know for people who had some self respect the last decade.

But for those of us who blew up (myself included I hit 186 with a nice belly at my worst) you need to do things that work to LOSE fat not just be slightly less fat.

Yes , there were people in college who did their nightly assigned textbook reading and made an A on the test. But they put in several hours each week consistently.

You didn't crack your book open, skipped class all month and now the night before the exam you think you should read every chapter of the text book?? No. You read the chapter summaries and drill the practice questions.

You're ~30 years old if you're reading this. It only gets harder from here. If you can't commit to losing weight now you are hopeless and are just going to have to resort to being the fatty on the elliptical reading a women's fitness magazine full of women guys actually find attractive.



Look at the people who lost weight in this thread like slave and mattjm. How many bananas, fat free pringles, and lean cuisine meals do you think they consumed? How many half marathons did they run? I know one thing for sure is that they didn't give up meat and replace it with pasta and fat free yogurt. Because that doesn't work

5/26/2012 7:05:18 AM

yo face, i am skinny skinny how do i get buff?

I'm Krallum and I approved this message.

5/26/2012 10:11:23 AM

The mosquitos are eating me alive during my runs. Guess I willl have to start wearing that awful spray and hope I don't sweat it off after 5 minutes.

Good news is I'm able to run a lot longer now. Feels good man.

5/26/2012 10:30:17 AM

if you have mint plants, you can crush the mint leaves and rub some on your exposed skin, and leave some in your pockets, mint is a strong repellent.


You can also use any natural product with lemon pretty successfully although it's longevity is less than synthetic products.

5/26/2012 1:14:03 PM

I joined a World Gym in Maryland a couple weeks ago; they have a ton of equipment for legs and chest but are severely lacking back equipment. I may have to seriously change up my DC training split since they don't have any hammer strength equipment for back. I may even have to abandon DC style training entirely due to my new work schedule.

In the meantime, I'll focus more of cardio and calorie restriction.

5/26/2012 3:13:37 PM

^^ cool, thanks for the tips. Might have to invest in some mint plants.

5/26/2012 3:25:44 PM

^^ Maryland?

5/26/2012 7:20:40 PM