Trooper Fit Club

[TD30303[501st]]

Hey Troops!

So i'm sitting here reading this after doing my morning workout and thought i'd share my story.

 

In 2010 I was 5'11" and weighing in at about 310.  I had really let myself go after marriage, kids, being a stay at home dad, and a diet of garbage.  Job wise (i'm an actor) it actually helped me being that big, everyone needs a guy that can sing Shipoopi.  in March, my father passed away at the age of 55.  He was overweight as well and wore it for a long time.  It finally caught up to him along with some other illnesses, but it hit me hard.  

 

I started losing weight then, walking here and there, being able to finish 2 miles in under 30 minutes on the treadmill was a good day for me.  In about 6 months I lost 40lbs.  Keeping me at the 260-270 range.  I was thrilled, but had more room to go.  I started touring with a show in Late 2010 and began working out regularly, and started running.  Which has been my lifesaver.  It makes me focus, and i enjoy it so much.  Since January of 2011, i've run 3 half marathons and a full marathon.  This January i'm running a race down in Disney World called the "Dopey Challenge".  It's a 4 day event, each day consisting of a race in this order: 5k, 10k, 1/2 Marathon, Full Marathon.  Hence the Dopey Part.  48.6 miles, in 4 days.  I've been holding at the 230-240 range, so i decided that in conjunction to the 48.6 miles that I am running i'm going to lose an additional 48.6lbs by the time race day comes.  So 192 by January 9th.  That's the goal. 

 

-Running 4 times a week combined with P90X.  That's the current plan of attack.

-Also, new vegetarian (about 6 weeks in).  It's a double edged sword.  I eat lots of carbs which i need to cut out in order to maximize potential. 

I desperately want to look better in my armor.  I want my neck seal to not make me look like i have a double chin, I want to feel better.  I feel great now, but I know that theres room to grow.

 

Thanks for listening troops!

[LeMaxim[TK]]

Great work Trooper! Keep it up.

[Tolo[TK]]

So I just saw this topic for the first time. 

 

I have always been a bigger guy, but, a got a shovel in the face when I went on a scale at the end of 2010 and saw 325 lbs at 5' 11". I got scared, really scared. So it gave me a kick in the you know what to start loosing some weight. But, that kick took some time to work. By the end of 2011, I had only lost 20 lbs. I took a new years resolution to loose some weight and for the first time in my life, I kept the resolution. In june of 2012, I was at 260 lbs. Last saturday (July 6th 2013) I was at my record low since october 2002 of 247 lbs. I was wearing size 48 pants, now I'm down at size 38. I was wearing XXL tight sweaters and now I'm at XL with a comfortable fit. I still have 27 lbs to my goal. 78 lbs gone, my goal is to loose 105 lbs total. I'm getting there, but, the last 27 lbs are so hard to loose lolll.


Here is a picture of me in september 2011
 

 

 

And here is a picture of me with the legendary Jimmy "The Mouth of the South" Hart (I'm a former pro wrestler and this is in a lockeroom as I was working in "backstage" duties) June 2012

 

 

Edited July 13, 2013 by Tolo

[LeMaxim[TK]]

Great to see troopers helping troopers and troopers inspiring troopers. Keep up the great work!

[blythe]

How did I not see this earlier!

 

I don't have before and after pics, but I am down to 217 from 235 with armour in my sites. In fact I post my progress and experience on my blog:

http://plastoidpursuit.blogspot.com/

 

I am so glad I found this thread!

[dereferenced]

Hey Everyone,

 

Figured I would post my information here with my own results. I started off in 2010 at 314 pounds I was 24, 5'11". I spent a year doing calorie counting and aerobic exercise to drop down to 191 pounds.

 

Starting out my routine was as follows:

Morning walk 2 miles, 1 mile out so you are forced to come back ... gives you no choice to get tired and stop like I would sometimes do when walking in loops.

Breakfast 300-400 calories

Lunch 500-600 calories

Dinner 800-1000 calories

After dinner I would walk another 2 miles. 

 

With calorie counting there are really no cheat days. If you want to extra or something bad for you you can compensate by working out more or being more strict the rest of the week. In general 1 pound is 3500 calories negative. 

 

Calories eaten - BMR (calories for just being alive basically) - calories from exercise = Net for the day 

Sum those up for the week and divide by 3500 and you get a basic plan for how much you would lose that week. Water weight and all that can throw things off but its a pretty good measure.

 

For the first 6-7 months that is really all I did, as my BMR went down due to lost weight I started walking longer. Eventually I started jogging and got into running with the couch to 5k program. I recommend it to people once you have lose enough weight to be comfortable on your knees. Since my main way of dealing with this is longer time spent exercising I recommend book on tapes to people. I get tired of my music and it really helps take your mind off it. To track stuff I have a spreadsheet where I enter in my weight each week, that I made for one of those 90 day challenges. 

 

After the first year, I spent some time and get down to around 174, but I find it hard to stay at this weight due to eating patterns/vacations and holidays. Every 3 or 4 months I will refocus and get down to those low weights. Currently I am at 200 pounds and looking to get to 170 for my 3rd year anniversary of starting to lose weight in November. This would be the lowest weight I have been at if I can get there, my previous best was 172. 

 

Plan: 

Run 6-7 miles a day

Calorie intake around 1600. 

 

This is pretty much what I did at the start of the year (197 jan 7th -174 april 14th) to get down to weight for a wedding. 3 vacations and a work trip later and I am back at 200 pounds, but I know I can lose it again. I may throw in some p90x which I have done in the past but running is my favorite as I can just zone out and listen to a good book. I will post weekly here just to check in on my weight progress and miles run, just to add a bit more accountability for myself. Earlier in the year I ran about 500 miles to get to that weight so I want to hit that number again as well. First week back on routine is usually pretty good results due to all the water weight. I started up again yesterday, ran 7 miles and lean cuisine for dinner. 

 

On a separate note: My stormtrooper kit is my reward for losing all the weight. I have been talking about it since I was in highschool. My goal for it is to finish before Halloween. I may switch from working on my armor to weapon until I am back down to 184 as this is a weight I usually hover around. Just so the fitting of the armor isn't much looser down the road. Currently I have been avoiding the legs and shimming the ab/kidney due to my weight gains. 

 

Pictures

2009 Christmas 314 pounds or around there I did not start weighing myself until I was trying to lose weight.

2009 Graduation

2010-2011 November Comparison 

April 2013 174

Current

 

Edited July 31, 2013 by dereferenced

[blythe]

@Brian

 

Gratz on the life change man! You can do it, just keep troopin'!

[blythe]

New article on Plastoid Pursuit! "Never Let the Wookie Win $20", it's about motivation through speculation!

http://plastoidpursuit.blogspot.com/2013/08/never-let-wookie-win-20.html

[89Batman[TK]]

That is inspirational!

Thanks for sharing, keep up the good work buddy, you will be out trooping in no time!

 

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[blythe]

Weight loss update! I am 13 pounds from putting my order in for armour, only 23 pounds away from wearing it! I am really looking forward to joining the club.

I had a minor setback last week when I twisted my ankle, I wrote about it here:

http://www.plastoidpursuit.blogspot.com/2013/08/man-mode-11-or-how-i-felt-like-i-could.html

[ScottyDzntKnow]

Thinking I may join this thread.  I don't have before pics with armour as I haven't ordered or started it yet.  Right now I am 6'4 and about 230lbs.  I want to hit a goal of about 200-210lbs.  Any tips?

[blythe]

Thinking I may join this thread.  I don't have before pics with armour as I haven't ordered or started it yet.  Right now I am 6'4 and about 230lbs.  I want to hit a goal of about 200-210lbs.  Any tips?

 

Hey Scotty! Welcome aboard.

 

First off 20-30lbs is totally doable, you got this!

 

1.) Set some milestones.

2.) Get ready for a lifestyle change, you can't lose weight without good diet, and you can't have good diet without good exercise.

3.) Broadcast Success! Tell us how you are doing :-)

 

PS. Weight loss update! 8lbs from ordering armour!

[jwelch13]

I have always been a stocky guy, and have always had a weight issue. I was doing good until last year when I pinched my siatic nerve and then had surgery. I have been struggling withgetting back on the horse. right now there is no way I can fit in the armorbut I am hoping this time next year it will fit just right. I am not weighing myself, instead I am going by my measurements

These are my starting measurements in inches

Neck: 20

Bicep: 15 1/2

Chest: 57

Belly: 59 1/2

Hip: 54

Thigh: 26

Calf: 19

[blythe]

Weight loss update! 5lbs down, now at 203 and 3lbs from sizing the armour out!

 

Also, updated my blog:

http://plastoidpursuit.blogspot.com/2013/08/try-not-do-or-do-not-lose-weight-how-to.html

I had a friend literally ask me "So how are you losing all this weight and becoming a Stormtrooper?" Naturally I directed them here.

 

. I am not weighing myself, instead I am going by my measurements.

 

Bold strategy JWelch! The progress will be slow but satisfying, I wish many new wardrobes upon you and good luck getting back on the Dewback!

[blythe]

@Jwelch13

 

I got sent this diagram by RS Prop Masters, maybe it can help you track your body measurements?

 

[blythe]

200lbs reached! Ordering my armour tonight!

[Sheik Yerbouti[501st]]

Congrats Ben!

 

Armor was one of my goals for weight loss as well.  Last year I clocked in at  261 lbs and at 6'0" that was a bit too much.  I did not want to join and hear the inevitable "Aren't you a little fat for a stormtrooper." 

 

Over the course of the last year I have gotten down to 185 with a goal of 175.  What worked for me was calorie counting via MyFitnessPal, 1800 calories per day and no adding to that even if I had a higher balance due to exercise.  I got in some treadmill time when I could, long commute to work limited it to about 3 days a week, on top of that playing hockey once a week.  I also went to a stand up desk which seemed to help as well...also helped me sleep better.  Now feeling better about how I look as soon as my helmet gets here I am good to go.

 

And Brian, excellent job man!  I am proud of my 76 pound drop but you are amazing man good on you!

Edited August 29, 2013 by Sheik Yerbouti

[Sheik Yerbouti[501st]]

Here are some of my before and after shots

 

 

The wife says the suit does not do justice to the weight loss but as George Zimmer used to say "I'm gonna like the way I look."

 

 

In this one I lost not only the weight but the kid too.

[blythe]

Over the course of the last year I have gotten down to 185 with a goal of 175.  What worked for me was calorie counting via MyFitnessPal,...

 

It was all Weight Watchers for me! I mention in my blog how it caters to my inner power-gamer. Racquetball was the source of my awesome power, sport really helped me bridge the gap between couch potato and guy-who-is-able-to-run-5k.

 

Also you can totally see the weight loss in the face, and the Disneyland photo looks smashing!

[Sheik Yerbouti[501st]]

Yeah the face change can be amazing.  I was surprised at the first thing I had to change though...my watch strap.  I never thought there was fat in my wrists but there was.

 

I took the weight loss challenge almost as a game as well MFP tracks how many days you are on like achievements and I viewed the drop in the scale as achievements as well...along with raising the treadmill, going faster and longer, etc.  It really helped change my mindset and stick with it.  I totally believe anyone can do it, they just need to find what works for them.  It may not be what you or I did but there is something they can take and make their own.

 

When our armor is done I hope we get a chance to troop together and trade some tips since I am not that far away from you, I'm in San Jose.

[blythe]

I was surprised at the first thing I had to change though...my watch strap.

I took the weight loss challenge almost as a game

When our armor is done I hope we get a chance to troop together and trade some tips since I am not that far away from you, I'm in San Jose.

 

You may want to concsider getting a Fuel Band. I don't know if you do Facebook or anything, but it's all integrated there, so you can broadcast success and it gives you a great "universal" score for non-resistance exercises so you can compete for activity. Also there is free Android and iOS apps that track your scores. There have been plenty of days where I have looked at my Fuel band, seen I was under my Fuel goal, so hit the gym. It's all about the stupid little motivators in life.

 

Also I know what you mean about the watch strap sizes, here is my Fuel Band on me when I first got it:

 

Here it is now:

 

In fairness to Nike it comes with smaller links and I can change it, I am just super lazy.

 

Also, I am sure we will be able to troop together, I travel down from Sactown to the bay all the time, either for gaming conventions or Warhammer tournaments. Traveling for a troop doesn't seem far fetched at all.

[Sheik Yerbouti[501st]]

I went with the Fitbit Flex instead of the fuel, my work had a deal with them so we got them half price...still trying to figure out how to take full advantage of it though, only had it a week or so.

[naatsirhc[TK]]

Wow! Super impressed by you guys. Congrats on the big weight losses and lifestyle changes. I am happy to report that I have maintained my goal weight of 185 and am trying to get to 175-180. I have lowered my waist size to 33. Great job Troops    

[theisaac]

I started really making an effort about 6 weeks ago. My wife and I got a gym membership and I've been doing some lifting and then 45 minutes of cardio every night.

 

I am 6ft and started at 252lbs. I weighed myself a few days ago and Im at 250lbs. The big difference is that today I tried on my TK and had to remove a shim because of the extra room. I was pretty excited.

 

 

*Im not posing here - Im holding the gap closed where the shim was to show how much I removed*

 

I have a goal to finally get into a Troopermaster. I've talked to him for about a year now and as soon as my measurements can fit into one of his kits without shims, I will place my order.

 

I'll keep you updated.

Isaac

Edited September 3, 2013 by theisaac

[Sheik Yerbouti[501st]]

Way to go Isaac!

 

Getting into a TM is a great goal to set for yourself.

 

And Christaan nice job maintaining, getting the last 5 to 10 off is a bear. I have been stuck within 10 of my goal for a few months...but happily it is stuck and not backsliding.