What motivates you?

[Fr4nc0]

I started going back to the gym last March. I was 277 lbs and now im at 237.5 I am also a vegetarian so I heard a lot from others that it will be hard to gain muscle not eating meat. What motivated me and still does is being better today than yesterday and also proving that you dont have to eat meat to gain muscle.The idea of losing weight was never my endgame rather it just happened and continues to happen naturally. 

What is your motivation?

[Dominique]

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@Fr4nc0 wrote:

hard to gain muscle not eating meat.

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Commenting on this: it’s hard to gain muscle if you don’t eat enough quality protein. You can get protein from a variety of sources, not just from meat. With meat, you have the advantage of getting complete protein, but you can also get this from dairy sources. It’s if you’re vegan it gets tougher.

I’m not vegetarian, but I don’t eat meat everyday. That doesn’t prevent me from getting plenty of protein. And merely eating protein doesn’t cause muscle gains in itself: you need proper resistance training to create the stimulus that will result in protein synthesis.

[Fr4nc0]

I wouldnt say you get complete protein with meat. A lot of the meat that you cannot process does sit in your colon and your body cannot digest it rapidly. Whatever your body cannot digest, your body absorbs which also includes harmful bacteria and waste. With plant based protein, your body digest much rapidly what it does not need. Alos, I have noticed that my recovery is better, I do not get as sore as much as when i worked out and ate meat. Finally, my bench, squat and deadlift has increased since I first started lifting again and gone vegetarian. I currently bench 225 3 sets for 8, squat 275 for 3 sets of 8, deadlift 275 for 3 sets of 300 also considering that i started at bench with 95, squat 70 and deadlift 85. I get my protein from at least 10 sources that are plant based. i would also say that my energy is higher now than it was when i ate meat. i dont want to sound to preachy but you have to find what works for you and this new lifestyle has made me not regret it.

[smwcbrie]

I think what motivates me most is just the idea of being able to stick around for my kids. We lost my husband/their father 10/2015 to cancer, and after I got us moved and got myself together (many months and I'm not 100%), I quit drinking and smoking cold turkey (that was about 4.5 months ago). Gave myself the holidays to be a slacker on fitness/healthy eating, but here we are in the new year and I've no excuses NOT to be healthy. I own a pretty slick treadmill, have a bowflex that's old but still very usable and have access to healthy food.

My oldest is 24, my youngest is 4, and I've two more kids in between. I've got to do what is in my power to be here for them, so that's what I'm doing.

That and my jeans are getting too tight and I am not about to spend money on new ones unless they're a few sizes smaller. LOL!

Best of luck to you!

[Fr4nc0]

Wow! I am sorry for your loss. Your story is very inspirational! Keep up the good work and good luck to you too!

[Dominique]

By "complete", I mean their profile in terms of essential amino-acids. I understand you’ve chosen to be a vegetarian, that’s fine with me. I also eat a fair amount of veggies and fruits, as part of a varied and balanced diet that has worked well for me. Yes, I agree everyone needs to find what best floats their boat. The "harmful bacteria and waste" supposedly caused by my meat eating doesn’t seem to have had ill effects on my overall health so far and I’ve also got plenty of energy for stepping (just reached 25 million steps in a little bit less than four years) and weight lifting.

[Fr4nc0]

Awesome! That is good for you and I am just curious, what motivates you?

[Iamem]

You are an inspiration! I hope you are proud of yourself, you should be. I'm  proud of you. What wonderful healthy life lessons you are teaching you children.

I also am so sorry for your loss.

[smwcbrie]

@Fr4nc0 @Iamem Thank you both. I sure don't feel very inspirational most days, but then I'm just trying to get through my thing like everyone is trying to get through theirs. I do appreciate your kind words. 🙂