very frustrated - i have gained almost 5 pounds since moving here 2 and a half weeks ago and we think it's because of a flare up to my sulfite sensitivity. it's definitely something environmental - either something in the water or something in the air causing me to pack on weight. i am very swollen and my sinuses are going haywire. stupid - i hate it here

2/20/2013 9:51:38 AM

how are your stress levels with moving etc going? any issues with cortisol?

[Edited on February 20, 2013 at 9:59 AM. Reason : ]

2/20/2013 9:59:37 AM

stress levels are fine except for being down about this stupid weight issue. cortisol levels are fine - i started taking B12 this morning, some folks in my support group said it has helped them a lot with reactions so if it is environmental, then the B12 should help with whatever is causing it. i hate that it's turned into somewhat of a mystery. normally i can pinpoint it very easily the next day (like "oh i ate cheese yesterday it was probably that" or "i had a sandwich yesterday, it was probably the yeast in the bread"). i've even cut back on dairy and honey just to see if maybe those could be culprits.

if it is environmental, i am kind of screwed because i work from home full time so if it's a gas i'm breathing in (possibly from the new carpet, flooring and/or new furniture) then i'm kind of SOL.

2/20/2013 10:04:16 AM

So I went from about 5 years of not doing much to starting p90x.. I know it'll only last 2-3 days but any recommendations on how to help with the soreness?

2/20/2013 8:10:24 PM

Quote :

"if it is environmental, i am kind of screwed"

2/20/2013 8:12:39 PM

^^ protein, lots of sleep, walking, and stretching after exercise.

2/20/2013 8:27:32 PM

Who wants to talk to me about Yohimbe? (since MattJMM2 expects me to pay him for conversation)

2/20/2013 8:39:38 PM

You asked me about ephedrine. I answered your question, and then you wanted me to do more research for you. Real people pay me to do that service.

[Edited on February 20, 2013 at 9:05 PM. Reason : ;]

2/20/2013 9:04:48 PM

eleusis has been helpful when i have asked him questions about yohimbe and similar things.

also, i just started going to the gym again after a few month hiatus. had a wake up call when i stepped on the scale and realized i'd gained 10 lbs. this cold weather is not very motivating.

2/20/2013 9:05:05 PM

As a woman its unlikely you're low enough in bodyfat to really get much benefit from the yohimbine. Ephedrine on the other hand will mute your hunger and kick up your metabolism a couple percent. Just be careful with it and dose properly, it can be dangerous if abused.

Will make you breathe like a champion though.

[Edited on February 20, 2013 at 9:39 PM. Reason : a]

2/20/2013 9:38:29 PM

She probably does have low enough body fat to see results. She looks similar to me, and I'm typically around 14 percent.

2/21/2013 12:29:45 AM

oh okay. i just checked her gallery yeah she could benefit from it.

WARNING: DO NOT TAKE THIS COMBINED WITH EPHEDRINE. TAKING AN ALPHA BLOCKER AND A BETA BLOCKER TOGETHER IS DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL. DON'T FUCKING DO IT.

Yohimbine has a very short half life so you could potentially take them about 4 hours apart, but seriously be careful and don't press it. I typically don't take them within 6 hours of each other and sometimes not even the same day.


1) Make sure you get yohimbine HCL. The yohimbine bark itself can have nasty side effects I've read, the HCL is a much cleaner compound.

2) Don't eat at least 4 hours before taking yohimbine. If you eat anything the insulin will negate the effects of the yohimbine. I typically fast like 16 hours before I take it, but that's not necessary. I also take 200mg caffeine with the yohimbine for enhanced effects.

3) Dosing. 0.2g of yohimbine per 1kg of bodyweight. Take your weight in lbs and divide by 2.2. Then multiply by .2 and thats your dose. The pills are 2.5 mg each. Being that this is a stimulant, I wouldn't take the full dose your first try. Try a half dose the first 2-3 times and see if your body reacts okay. If so, proceed to full dose.

4) Timing. Yohimbine is at its peak after about an hour. The half life is like 30 minutes, so you want to nail the timing. I typically begin cardio about 45 minutes after I take the full dose so that the majority of my cardio is during its peak effects window.

5) Type of exercise. Yohimbine will increase your heart rate quite drastically. Do not take this and then go running. You want to walk or perform LISS (low intensity steady state) cardio on this stimulant. If you start doing intervals, running, weight lifting, etc you will feel like shit and it's potentially very dangerous. It's okay for your heart rate to be a little higher than normal though. Let's say 140 heartbeat per minute is the top of your fat burning range, 145-150 is fine you will still be in the fat burning range the yohimbine is just speeding your heart up some.

6) If you're not doing cardio and you aren't below 15% bodyfat (for men, or ~24% for women) don't bother. It won't really help and you're just wasting money.

7) If you're a dude you're going to grow about 15% bigger whether flaccid or hard. I did a double take in the mirror every day the first week or two.

8) Yohimbine builds up in tissue so taking it chronically will increase the effects, though I wouldn't take it multiple times per day. Also, you should probably cycle off of it for a few weeks here and there (but probably not if you're going on a first date that night, see #7)

9) You will retain a lot of water when you initially start taking yohimbine. I think my weight went up like 5 lbs the first week I was on it and I was only eating around 1,000 calories a day. It's just temporary and you'll pee your sac off when you go off it for a few days.


If there are any follow-up questions let me know. Again, DO NOT mix this with ephedrine. Very dangerous.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 7:05 AM. Reason : a]

2/21/2013 6:55:53 AM

http://timbonation.com.au/40-experts-shaping-the-fitness-industry/

2/21/2013 11:00:24 AM

9 lbs down since January 28th

2/21/2013 1:50:59 PM

broverload

2/21/2013 2:58:47 PM

Oh yeah I guess I did say ephedrine.


But yohimbe, too. Whatever you guys were talking about as the combo of "fat burning madness" etc.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 3:59 PM. Reason : obviously just out of curiosity, since I'm already at max chiseledness ]

2/21/2013 3:58:43 PM

I'd also point out that Yohimbine and Ephedrine are not good options if you're prone to anxiety, panic attacks, or sensitive to stimulants in general.

Dieting is stressful by itself; strong stimulants will probably put you into uncomfortable territory if you're anything like me.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 4:19 PM. Reason : ]

2/21/2013 4:18:12 PM

ephedrine is banned as a dietary supplement, however you can still get it in certain medication products. Just don't take over the recommended dosage it can cause serious health problems/death.

It has a similar chemical structure to coke/methamphetamine.

it feels pretty good when you're on it but like any amphetamine your tolerance will build up quickly and you'll start wanting to take more to get the same high and that's when it becomes dangerous.

You'll get a slight 3-5% metabolism bump or so but the main benefit is that it serves as an appetite suppressant so you can all day without eating if you want to.

You do want to take this with caffeine. 200mg of caffeine with 25g ephedrine is a reasonable dose every 4 hours or so. (No more than 2-3 times per day).

Some people recommend taking aspirin with it also, but I don't. The dosing of aspirin is just too high in my opinion. I'd rather diet an extra 2 days than burn a hole in my stomach.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 5:35 PM. Reason : a]

2/21/2013 5:33:44 PM

I'm looking forward to the day this thread is just face spewing garbage back to back with matt telling people "fuck you, pay me"

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 5:49 PM. Reason : *]

2/21/2013 5:47:35 PM

I am happy to answer peoples questions.

However, when someone expects me to give my time up, so they can save theirs, for a service I normally get paid $75-50/hour for, I am going to have a limit. This is compounded by the fact I don't have very much free time.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 6:12 PM. Reason : ;]

2/21/2013 6:10:50 PM

how the hell is anything i just said "garbage"?

I just gave a detailed plan of how to take two fat loss supplements effectively and safely. You have any idea how much time of my own I put into learning this kind of stuff? Fuck you.

2/21/2013 6:33:55 PM

i dont think face spouts garbage, most of the info is legit. he just seems to advocate short cuts that dont really help a person achieve long term health or wellness.

2/21/2013 7:15:39 PM

90% of losing weight is diet.

About 5% is exercise.

Another 5% or so is supplements/shortcuts.


I'm just the kind of person who likes to go for the gusto. But if you're not watching your diet you aren't going to lose weight period.

When you get below 15% bodyfat though your body will fight you to lose fat. Rather than dieting infinitely and losing a ton of muscle in the process it does make a difference to take "short cuts".

I'm trying to diet down to ~10% as quickly as possible because I absolutely need to focus on training/building muscle.

I had to make a decision. You can only gain about 0.5 lbs/muscle a week as a total noob. That means in 6 months I might gain like 10lbs muscle. Along with the muscle I would have gained anywhere from 5-10 lbs fat if I'd followed a pretty strict diet. That would have taken me from 180lbs and ~20% bodyfat to 200lbs and 25% bodyfat. Not exactly a beach body.

Instead I'm dieting down to 155-160lbs at 10-12% bodyfat first. Do I look like a third grade school girl? Yes. Could I get blown over with a strong gust of wind? Yes. But I can guarantee you more girls are into the lean bodytype than the fat one.

Now, I can concentrate on gaining 20 lbs of muscle hoping only to add about 10 lbs of fat in the process by sticking to intermittent fasting and basic calorie counting, nutrient partitioning, etc.

That would put me at 190lbs and around 15% bodyfat. Staying lean while I get bigger so that I don't feel like a fat ass for the next year of my life. A quick 4-6 week diet after that and I'll be looking as good as I feel like I need to.

2/21/2013 7:32:04 PM

im not saying what you are doing is not going to make you lose weight. i just think that what you are doing isnt really sustainable for most people trying to achieve a lifestyle change for better long term health and wellness.

you also post a lot about ephedrine and yohimbe, it gives the perception that supplements matter way more than the 5% you state above.

i just look at myself as an example and think that you dont need to use supplements to get where you want to get. not only that, but also to put yourself in a position for a lifetime of better health. (not just banging though bitches in your 20s)

im 33 years old
already at 12% bodyfat (maybe lower)
ive lost 9 lbs in the last 3.5 weeks (looking to average 1-2 per week)
i dont do cardio
i dont take supplements other than creatine and whey protein powder
i dont partake in fasting windows or any other non sustainable diet

2/21/2013 8:07:56 PM

Yeah, but my goal was to get into shape as soon as humanly possible. Not sure if you saw my "before" photos but I was fat and without very much muscle at all. That's due to eight years off from training/dieting.

Less than two months later, I'm lean. I still don't have much muscle mass at all, but you have to start somewhere. I'd rather start lean than fat.

Every year people talk about getting a "beach body" and then they start posting about going for a jog three times and getting shin splints and quitting and gaining 6 lbs.

I'm just showing them that you can actually achieve success if you put together a sensible plan and stick to it for 2-3 months.

I don't look like Adonis or even close to it. I'm not going to look like Matt or yourself after 2 months of weights/dieting. I understand that. But we're talking about people who have put in years of dedication that the average human isn't willing to put in.

If you just put in two months of dieting with the CORRECT type of exercise (strength training) you will get actual results for once. Once people get short term results they become more motivated to stick with it going forward and can progress to a more natural long term approach.

Cutting sucks. It's not natural to eat 1,000 calories a day and almost no carbs/fat. It's also necessary to get short term results. Put in the two months of suck. Embrace it. When it's over you'll be thankful. It's quite easy to eat a "maintenance diet" and if you weight train you even get an extra ~300 calories a day you can eat. It's not easy to eat below maintenance everyday. Might as well embrace the suck and lose the weight fast. I'd rather diet HARD for two months than go through endless cycles of diets and spin my wheels for the next ten years with no results like 99% of the population does.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 8:25 PM. Reason : a]

2/21/2013 8:21:05 PM

Face, how much do you squat?

2/21/2013 8:29:36 PM

Quote :

"Once people get short term results they become more motivated to stick with it going forward and can progress to a more natural long term approach."

i could not agree with this statement more.

you and i just have fundamental paradigm differences in the type of short term results that influence a persons ability to stick with a program or lifestyle. (and i dont think there is anything necessarily wrong with that)

when you get down to it, i think most men want to ultimately be stronger and be able to move heavy shit. not just see a number on a scale. i think i just prefer a different way of getting to the same end result.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 8:35 PM. Reason : ]

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 8:35 PM. Reason : ]

2/21/2013 8:34:08 PM

^You'd be surprised. I have had to convince more than one client that they need to focus on strength training to optimize their health and fitness.

2/21/2013 8:45:05 PM

^ that makes me sad

2/21/2013 8:49:31 PM

I honestly have no idea. I've never felt comfortable with squatting because I have a degenerative knee condition and i've got ACL damage and a bunch of other ailments.

About 8 months ago or so I tried to learn to squat just by going easy and putting like 135-175 lbs on it and getting reps in, learning the movement, and gaining flexibility.

But after doing it for maybe 2-3 weeks or so I got an unbelievably sharp pain in my hamstrings/groin every time I did it even with just the bar. Which led me to conclude either the imbalances between my quads/hamstrings were too far off and/or my form sucked.

So i quit.

I don't bench, deadlift, squat, or overhead press. I have no goals of getting into powerlifting. Injury prevention is much more important to me. I know that I'll never achieve my full genetic potential by ignoring compound lifts, and I'm okay with that. I've been through way too many injuries, pain, and setbacks already in my life.

And yes I know that correctly done there is nothing wrong with any of these movements, but I don't work out with a spotter and I'm not thoroughly convinced my form is correct enough to do these moves safely anyway.

2/21/2013 8:50:05 PM

Rehab your body! You can fix your movement problems. It just takes time and effort.

It might be one of the best things you could do for your life.

[Edited on February 21, 2013 at 9:04 PM. Reason : ;]

2/21/2013 9:03:50 PM

I'm on a ketogenic diet/workout plan starting in the morning.

no carbs for 2 days.

1/2 of my RDA calories can be carbs on the 3rd.

then 2 more days of no carbs, then 1/2 of my RDA calories can be carbs.

then 3 days of no carbs.

will report back, unless I kill someone.

2/21/2013 9:11:06 PM

Are you doing any training or activity?

2/21/2013 9:19:50 PM

strength training with a coach

2/21/2013 9:21:25 PM

Ugh I caught a nasty cold Monday evening, just now getting my appetite back. But all I have been eating is mostly bad carbs, I can't stomach solids right now. Wonder how fucked up my metabolism is now.

2/21/2013 11:06:11 PM

If you've eaten a low calorie diet the past several days, carbs are the best way to raise your metabolism back to normal levels so I wouldn't worry about that.

2/21/2013 11:23:34 PM

yeah pretty sure Im not over 1000 cals/day since I've gotten sick. From sleeping alot.

I think this is good for my body overall too.

2/21/2013 11:35:53 PM

Quote :

"strength training with a coach"

Very nice! What type of programming do you do? What do you like about it? I am always interested in learning what other coaches are doing that is fun and effective.

I recently rediscovered using prowler sled for upper body work... It is fun, exhausting, and gives a nice pump!

[Edited on February 22, 2013 at 5:52 AM. Reason : less]

2/22/2013 5:51:50 AM

I'm at like 3% body fat. Doctor says I need to eat more. I'm hypoglycemic and I can down just about anything and my body burns through it. Any options I should consider here? 6' 155lbs, toned muscle.

2/22/2013 6:23:04 AM

There's no way you are 3%. If you are then your testosterone levels are going to be extremely inhibited and you need to start drinking a lot of whole milk and eating a ton of food.

This is ~3% BF:

2/22/2013 7:11:29 AM

H8R, that diet sounds a lot like carb cycling, and it's actually not that bad on you mentally like a true keto diet is. The brain fogginess usually starts around day 3, right when you're allowed to carb back up.

2/22/2013 8:10:47 AM

I got pretty sick of the knee pain from running and went to see an orthopedic. He diagnosed weak medial glutes / ham strings, tight hip flexors/IT bands.

That was a few months ago. While I've been trying to work on rehab on my own after Physical therapy, I've been floundering on diet and timing and decided to get serious to hire someone to clean it up and lay it out for me. Also, I have a shoulder injury I never got checked out, so the best way to deal with this stuff is to get stronger the correct way, so I hired a coach.

This morning was day 1, consisting of a lot of hamstring work. I'm very quad dominant, so we have to deal with that directly.

will report back.

^it may be, he just said 0 carbs for 2 days. I'll get him to clarify.

[Edited on February 22, 2013 at 9:05 AM. Reason : ]

2/22/2013 9:03:15 AM

Quote :

"Every year people talk about getting a "beach body" and then they start posting about going for a jog three times and getting shin splints and quitting and gaining 6 lbs. I'm just showing them that you can actually achieve success if you put together a sensible plan and stick to it for 2-3 months."

Quote :

"But after doing it for maybe 2-3 weeks or so I got an unbelievably sharp pain in my hamstrings/groin every time I did it even with just the bar. Which led me to conclude either the imbalances between my quads/hamstrings were too far off and/or my form sucked. So i quit. "

does.not.compute

2/22/2013 9:07:53 AM

Quote :

"BridgetSPK: I've gotten a little more rigid with my diet so I can have more caloric room for nutritious foods. I'm basically eating very low carb except for vegetables, apples, and a serving of these extra fatty/delicious flax seed corn chips a day. I now have no appetite, dull lower back pain, and digestive problems."

I finally had to go to the doc for these symptoms. Turned out to be my thyroid. I was always pretty sure mine was slow, but I didn't know it could mess your whole world up. Just a heads up for anybody who didn't know it can cause way more than being tubby and tired.

I thought I was going to die. (And it turns out that's not something I'm able to do with any dignity. )

2/22/2013 10:04:05 AM

^^ I quit squatting and started doing other leg resistance exercises that I can do safely instead.

I'm fully onboard that squatting is the absolute best exercise you can do to gain muscle, but like I said being 260 lbs and Mr. Olympia is not my goal.

I can guarantee I'll get more muscle mass out of exercises I can do safely and effectively than I will by injuring myself doing squats incorrectly.



^^^^^^ At 6'0, 155 you're probably around 10% bodyfat. You'd have trouble typing on that keyboard at 3%.

[Edited on February 22, 2013 at 12:18 PM. Reason : a]

2/22/2013 12:17:06 PM

you totally missed my point - you talked about people wanting to do something active and then quitting and then you tell a story about how you wanted to squat more but quit i just found it ironic that you complained about people quitting and then you tell a story about quitting something yourself.

2/22/2013 12:28:26 PM

I was talking about people who want to lose weight who quit because they try doing something ineffective like running and don't lose weight. If they'd just focus on what's important like diet and strength training they'd actually lose the weight for once and be able to stay motivated to make significant progress.

I don't have the flexibility in my lower body to properly squat and I don't have enough knowledge on the subject to feel comfortable doing it. I've been through knee pain hell since I was 14 and I don't care to do anything that puts a lot of stress on the knee. I don't even fuck standing, it's not worth it to me.

2/22/2013 12:49:05 PM

You blow like 200 bucks at the bar, right? Use some of that money to hire a competent trainer for a few months. If your end goal is to put on muscle and become "aesthetic", then compound lifts are the way to get there.

2/22/2013 12:53:04 PM

I know people who have degenerative diseases, and it doesn't stop them from strength training.

In fact it may actually help you, not hurt you. You just have to take the time, and some money to seek professional help, if you want to improve your physical health.

2/22/2013 1:27:43 PM

Quote :

"I don't have the flexibility in my lower body to properly squat and I don't have enough knowledge on the subject to feel comfortable doing it."

if you put in as much time learning about squat technique and mobility training as you do ephedrine and yohimbe supplements, you would be fine

there are people in much worse situations that still put in work to reach their fitness goals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iAF5ht4Q9Zo#!

2/22/2013 1:47:36 PM