So how much weight do you think I need to lose?

[gromit]

Working out, better overall self image.

Yeah after I exercise I am always like DAMN am I good looking.

 

[The Ü™]

Working out, better overall self image.

So is it more of a placebo than anything?

 

[jixmixfix]

So is it more of a placebo than anything?

No it's the minds natural way of rewarding itself for an accomplishment.

 

[The Ü™]

No it's the minds natural way of rewarding itself for an accomplishment.

It's strange because after I work out and look in the mirror, I have trouble determining whether I objectively look better or if my mind is just telling me I do.

 

[/DG/]

I still say you're doing this shit for the wrong reasons U. I would say use an calorie calculator to find your daily caloric needs and a bmi calculator to get yourself into a healthy body fat percentage for your height. You also have to take into account your unique body composition. I imagine if you worked out more you would tend more towards a muscular build than a leaner one so you could afford to be in a slightly higher range on BMI. As for being attractive, just maintain a level of fitness that gets a response from the women you find attractive. You have fairly high standards, so this means you may be shooting for an athletic build for yourself which in a man 10% body fat would be around that level.

I think the idea of diligently counting every calorie that goes into your body is silly and pointless.

Here's how you do it...

The more exercise you do, the more you can eat, and vice versa. Just use logic and don't eat too much junk food if you're interested in slimming down a bit.

IMO, you look fine, but if you want to lose weight, that's fine too. Do whatever makes you happy, but try not to obsess over it.

 

[jixmixfix]

It's strange because after I work out and look in the mirror, I have trouble determining whether I objectively look better or if my mind is just telling me I do.

You should feel better because the body releases endorphin's a "feel good" sensation in the brain. http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression

 

[FemMecha]

From your picture, I can't tell about your weight because the T-shirt is baggy. I think people are right that you look like you could have a lot of muscle if working out. You do have an intimidating look in that picture, and you look a lot different than when you made that silly video singing a goofy song where you look like Jayne from Firefly.

It's strange because after I work out and look in the mirror, I have trouble determining whether I objectively look better or if my mind is just telling me I do.

Probably the only "objective" aspect of appearance is health, so working out will just gradually make you healthier.

It has always been a source of fascination to me how people perceive their own appearance and how that influences the perception of others. It doesn't seem to be tied to how they actually look. I have seen many homely people who think they are really attractive and beautiful people who think they are ugly. It really is a mystery how irrational the mind can be about these things. It has always bothered me because I'd like to have objective evaluations of myself, but find that is one of the hardest areas to think clearly. My impression is that self-image has a great deal to do with emotional development and how parent and peers treated us when young and impressionable. It is not clear to me how much we can alter those emotional imprints, but improving health is always a good thing, so that makes sense as the best place to start.

 

[Orangey]

Weight is less important than BMI, (Body Mass Index). BMI is a measurement of body fat as a percentage.

If you're looking to be more visually attractive it will likely require intense exercising. And exercising can change body composition.

To avoid frustration with scales and lbs. (which can vary with salt intake etc.) I'd suggest a good scale with BMI measurement. That way you know how much fat there is/can decide how much more to take off as you watch your progress.

Um, BMI is an estimation of your body fat percentage based on weight and height, so really the only thing you'd be monitoring if you focused on that IS weight. Also, you don't need a scale that calculates BMI...all you need is a scale that measures weight, and then you can plug that into any of the thousands of free BMI calculators on the internet (or, better yet, learn the formula and make your own in Excel or something simple.)

There are ways to measure body fat percentage independent of weight, but BMI is not one of them.

 

[swordpath]

You don't look over weight.

Stop making these kinds of threads.

 

[citizen cane]

You don't look over weight.

Stop making these kinds of threads.

Qft.

 

[Glycerine]

None. You look to be in the normal range. No matter how you look, there is going to be rejection and shit.

 

[highlander]

100 pounds

 

[Nicki]

You look fairly alright. Maybe lose around 10 pounds and work out more but nothing to stress over.

 

[The Ü™]

Well, I've stuck to the workout routine for about two weeks now (I feel so proud of myself), although I don't know if I'm doing pushups correctly (I do them with my legs together rather than apart) and I'm not about to have a personal trainer examine my body, because that's just weird.

Hopefully, I will soon have the body of a Greek god, and then women will find me irresistible.

How long does it take for muscle mass to actually be visible to the naked eye?

 

[Winds of Thor]

You're doing great and keep building integrating your workout habits. Eat protein with simple carbs shortly after your workouts. As your fat decreases, your muscle will appear more prevalent. High reps gets you cut.

And pushups...doing wide-apart hands works outer chest, regular pushups works main pecs, hands together in the middle, inner-chest (doing those with feet apart). As far as feet apart or together, together will work more of your support muscle groups.

Keep pushing!

 

[sprinkles]

Lose 900 pounds.

That way you'll be the only person in the world who weighs less than zero and you'll suck the weight off other people around you to keep the universe from exploding.

 

[The Ü™]

I'm very happy with my progress. Eventually I'll be happy enough that I might even post videos of me dancing and taking my clothes off instead of merely doing it when the camera is off.

 

[miss fortune]

What causes the confidence boost from body building?

to quote Legally Blonde "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't."

not saying that you have a husband or are planning on shooting him, but still, the point stands... exercise makes people HAPPY!

*works out in front of a mirror just to think "damn... I look GOOD doing that!" ... also, one entire wall of the front room IS a mirror...*

 

[Rail Tracer]

Well, I've stuck to the workout routine for about two weeks now (I feel so proud of myself), although I don't know if I'm doing pushups correctly (I do them with my legs together rather than apart) and I'm not about to have a personal trainer examine my body, because that's just weird.

Hopefully, I will soon have the body of a Greek god, and then women will find me irresistible.

How long does it take for muscle mass to actually be visible to the naked eye?

Uber.. you'd be sorely disappointed if your only motivation to get fit is to get girls. Just sayin' what everybody has been saying. But still seeing how your commitment to getting girls and all....

Losing fat and gaining muscle takes a while (especially when it comes to losing fat and gaining muscle healthily.)

For fat purposes, a healthy amount to lose per week is about 2lbs.

As for muscles... it can take months if you are eating appropriately to allow you to gain muscles (still have enough carbs, protein, and "good" fats) to notice some results. But most of the easily notable results are in the case is being able to carry heavier weights... being able to run faster and longer without getting tired.... those sort of nuances.

Many people can take up to a year for a full transformation when it comes to really noticeable muscle mass and toning. Also, once you gain them, it becomes a commitment to keep them. If you stop doing them once you get fit, you will lose them. If you stop, you'd lose your muscle toning faster than your muscle mass.

This is why people crack up when a person's New Year's Resolution is to get fit, they neither have the motivation or the perseverance for those things except that it is their resolution. It is not strong enough for a commitment.

Also, what is your workout routine?

 

[The Ü™]

Uber.. you'd be sorely disappointed if your only motivation to get fit is to get girls. Just sayin' what everybody has been saying. But still seeing how your commitment to getting girls and all....

Losing fat and gaining muscle takes a while (especially when it comes to losing fat and gaining muscle healthily.)

For fat purposes, a healthy amount to lose per week is about 2lbs.

As for muscles... it can take months if you are eating appropriately to allow you to gain muscles (still have enough carbs, protein, and "good" fats) to notice some results. But most of the easily notable results are in the case is being able to carry heavier weights... being able to run faster and longer without getting tired.... those sort of nuances.

Many people can take up to a year for a full transformation when it comes to really noticeable muscle mass and toning. Also, once you gain them, it becomes a commitment to keep them. If you stop doing them once you get fit, you will lose them. If you stop, you'd lose your muscle toning faster than your muscle mass.

This is why people crack up when a person's New Year's Resolution is to get fit, they neither have the motivation or the perseverance for those things except that it is their resolution. It is not strong enough for a commitment.

Also, what is your workout routine?

It doesn't matter what the workout routine is as long as it's working. And it is working, I'm noticing a difference in myself. Now I have to work at it a little longer so that everyone else notices the difference, too.