Hey All

[Dogfish]

This is my first post here although Friday completed my 4th week of the SL5X5 program. I am very happy with the program and the results. Thank you Mehdi for all that you have done to make the program and this site. Damn fine job!

Some background...
I'm 55 years old, 5' 8" tall. I had been sedentary for about 8 years. In May I decided to lose weight. I don't know what I weighed when I started, because I avoided the scale. I practiced ignorant, blissful denial. Best guess based on first weigh in was that I was 255-260 lbs. I was obese by all standards except my own.

I made all the dietary mistakes imaginable... started starving myself. I would shoot for 1000 calories per day, but was quite content to settle for 800. I weighed myself every day and clucked over the results like a wet hen. I didn't lose anything for the first 2 weeks or so... or went up and down a pound a day.

I started walking... got up tp 5 miles per day. Then did 5 miles every day. Then 10 miles every day, with 15 or 20 some days. I started losing weight but also losing muscle, of course. Diet was mainly salad, vegetables and some fruit.

I found Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle when surfing the net. I read it, re-read it and read it a third time. I was very reluctant to put the 500 calorie deficit into effect... hell, some days I was at a 3000 calorie deficit and weight loss was difficult.

I started eating more... and 6 or more meals per day. I bought a used home gym, and barbell, bench and weights. I started more focused searches on building muscle, losing fat, strength training, etc in an attempt to learn all I could. There is so much mis-information to be found, it's boggling.

I didn't know what I was doing with the home gym. Never worked out before... never trained. I was using the machine more after rolling the barbell down my belly too often to get out from under a failed bench press. I found the Starting Strength site and this site. A few others, but this one was the one that did it for me. I decided that I wanted to strength train... not necessarily body build. Again, a lot of misleading info when you search on "build muscle"... you get all the targeted group routines for Bodybuilders.

I joined a gym... and worked out on the pumper, fluffer machines for a few weeks. When I first went I told my trainer that I wanted to learn to Squat... she instructed me on the Hack Squat machine. In fact, during my indoctrination to the gym, I was led around from one machine to another and given a suggested routine. The small section with free weights was avoided. She treated me like a weak, obese old man for Pete's sake... geesh!

I started SL5X5's 10/20/08 and haven't touched a machine since. My stats are: DL 245, Squat 170, BP 140, OHP 110... my body fat is at 23.5%. I only weigh myself once a week... and not that interested in doing that. I was down to 192lbs before starting SL5X5's. I'm at 200lbs now... but I don't care what I weigh if I am not gaining fat. My long term goal is to die in the best shape I can possibly be in.

I bought a used power rack, and I worked out all this week at home. The gym offers flexibility and range of motion training that I want to take advantage of... (one time membership fee has already been paid) and I have much to learn.

I have been frequenting this site for awhile now, and I have great respect for Mehdi and all the other members that go over and above to support anyone that has a question or problem. I don't have any issues right now... but I know that you are all willing to help. Thanks.