I've been lifting since the 5th grade, due to my poor grades on my report card
After I graduated I weighed 175 and was lean/cut. Fast forward 16 years and I now weigh on average 250-260lbs at 6 foot tall. Me heaviest was 267lbs which then I benched my highest ever at 480lbs. I started to gain unwanted weight and didn't really care for what it looked like around my stomach, even though I was eating semi-healthy, compared to how I eat now, I wanted to lose the weight. I workout 5 days a week, off on the weekends. I was doing Crossfit for 4 months but it got expensive so I took what I learned from that and applied it to my sessions at the gym.
I currently bench 315lbs 10-15 times. If my spotter is around I hit 405lbs. I should be well over my PB by now but Gold's Gym got bought out my LA Fitness, closed down the gym I have been going to for 10 years now and now at a new gym with crappy equipment. The benches at the old gym were perfect for my long arms, the ones we have now screw me up big time. I almost have to do a 1/4 bench just to lift it off, which takes a lot of strength and the bench is thinner. It's almost like I'm finishing out the last part of skull crushers. The same thing with the military/push press. I was at 315lbs at the old gym, this gym I'm at 275lbs plus I have to sit on a 25lb weight just so I'm tall enough to get it off the bar and it starts back so far, I can't get it off if I load 315lbs and to make it worse, the spotter can't even lift me off because of the angle. The incline bench is worse, it has no spot for a spotter, so my PB of 405lbs on incline will probably never be higher so I stick with 315-365lbs. I can go on and on with the new gym setup. But it's all I have till I get a house.
I'm currently a semi-vegetarian, I don't buy chicken but only eat it at holidays/get together's, etc. I've been this way for 6 months now, ever since I watched Forks over Knives
http://www.forksoverknives.com/, subscribed to FoodBabe
http://foodbabe.com/, watched FreeLee the Banana Girl on YouTube
http://thebananagirl.com/ -
http://www.youtube.com/user/Freelea along with ihealth on Youtube, Dr.McDougal
http://www.drmcdougall.com/ - I have been so much more healthy, lots of energy, etc. I put all this together and mix up different recipes, etc.
Ever since I went to this lifestyle a lot of people told me I will wither away to nothing, bench will go down, etc. But here I am, 6 months later and still going strong. I don't take it hardly an animal protein and the animal protein I do take it wont amount to nothing with regards to my weight and heavy lifting at the gym. I also did a blood test and all my levels were normal. Only thing I do is take a B12 supplement, which others have argued it's a stupid diet if you have to take a supplement but yet they take MANY supplements to workout.
I'm a pretty healthy guy, last time I got sick was 5 years ago when I contracted Mono. Before that I would get the 24 hour bug every other year it seemed like but nothing serious.
I think there is to much hype in the workout industry, about protein, supplements, etc. I've tried so many, nothing seemed to ever work. I think it's all a scam if you ask me.
Everything I eat is always 100% organic and when I can I get it at the local Farmers Market.
I don't use butter of any kind, cheese, dairy, anything that has MSG, preservatives, etc. I read the label on everything, if it sounds like a science project, I ditch it. I'm lactose/casein intolerant anyways so it doesn't do me any good to eat this garbage.
On a day to day basis I eat:
Morning - Shake with 5 bananas, hamachi tea leaves, mix of apple, orange, mango, strawberry, and blueberry with Silk almond milk
Lunch/Dinner - Potatoes with Himalayan salt, mixed dry herbs, fresh cilantro mixed with onions and I bake them. I don't used a microwave as the microwave kills off the nutrients in the food. I sometimes mix that with vege pasta.
Snack - apples, grapes, bananas, carrots, oranges, etc.
Drink - water only which is filtered and stored in a glass jar.
Bread - organic sprouted only.
I eat a lot more stuff but this is the biggest part of what I eat day to day. All of what I eat has a lot of carbs and a lot of protein.
I wish I was 18 again and know what I know now, back then.