Posts by mellowraven8

Robert Martin23 is moderating outside the actual rules, just playing judge and jury based on "what he thinks." The big picture (even if it's just a photo that stays within the guidelines)?

Who cares about his version of the big picture? (Not that he could handle one anyway, given he's stuck staring at a tiny phone screen.) It’s allowed, and I’m posting it because it’s exactly what I want to put here.

I’m NOT going to use Google Drive to link the full project once I’m done—because apparently, showing what I worked on today is against "his" rules. Just because that's how he wants it.

I’m not a grammar Nazi, but half the people pointing fingers don't even know basic spelling, which—alongside their other flaws—suggests they skipped a few grades.
The point is, a moderator should actually set an example.

Robert Martin23 has this talent for bringing out the worst in someone, even with the best intentions. He managed to do it to me, quite successfully, considering how irritating and illogical his moderation style is.

He also hates it when people post too much on "his" Adobe PDF, so plenty of users have just walked away. That Adobe PDF has become a total joke on this forum, all because of him.

I’ve already served whatever ridiculous penalty he slapped on me, and I’ve stepped back from "his" Adobe PDF, but I wanted to get this off my chest.

I'm not staying quiet, and I'm certainly not staying quiet for him.

Exactly.

I actually intended to write a step-by-step guide on building my smoker—partly to show others how it's done, and partly so I could spot any mistakes in my own build and fix them... but this guy has deleted and trashed so many of my posts that I've lost all motivation to write anything here.

So, I went ahead and deleted the rest of the photos myself; there’s no point in having some shots without the full set.

I did finish the smoker, though (it wasn't quite done back 🙈)



Then I gave up on the Adobe PDF stuff for a year and started a thread about my self-sustaining homestead, only to run into the exact same thing. They deleted my thread, moved it to some stupid sub-forum, and then had the nerve to lecture me on what I can and can't post.

It’s ridiculous.

I'm the author; if anyone wants the idea, they can have it for free.

I posted some pictures of the smoker again a while back—just to show people who were asking. I guess something caught someone's eye because it actually turned out pretty decent.

The post is still up, and I haven't even been penalized yet. Strange.

But yeah, I'm genuinely frustrated by how he acts, and I'm surprised nobody else seems to care.

And I know I've got plenty more capable projects lined up (more than just a smoker) .....for instance, the last project I shared on the local forum

That "expert" is the sole reason I don't write more seriously on the Adobe PDF. It’s not just me either.

Giving someone a moderator title doesn't turn a plumber into a rational intellectual; all it does is drive the actual users away with their irrational behavior.

To me, he's just the same primitive, self-important guy whose greatest life achievement was a single post "how to change a cartridge on a single-handle faucet" (his own 😁). On that same thread (the BBQ lounge), he burned through so many posts and bans because I was "writing too much"—which, honestly, the BBQ thread turned out fine—and he completely trashed the discussion about SSM sustainable living (using well water, solar power, food, and tourism income) for minimal investment...

That topic actually should have been a huge hit everywhere, but clearly not here. Whatever.

We're talking about a subject that hits all the vital marks—construction, water, electricity, automation, agriculture—everything aligned with the SSM direction and the core principles of the PDF. But to him, I guess that was... too much.

I actually built what I started writing about... it's just that nobody (thanks to our "expert") sees it. And they won't.

@slycyclist342 - I'll send you those SSM-related files you asked for. Let's get through this Christmas madness first, and besides, your inbox is already slammed.

Let's get it moving

One day in Milwaukee after getting back into the gym 6'4"/203lbs

My wife lost her mind when she saw me at 192 lbs last time, so now I'm strictly forbidden from dropping below this weight.

If they actually made that happen, I’d be the first to sign up. Honestly, I think Emily Myers8 would jump at the chance too.

We recently had some threads in "appeals against a card" just wiped out without any explanation.

I only filed an appeal once my ban expired, keeping things civil and acting like a gentleman.

I was penalized—which, in my opinion, was totally unearned by—well, I might be wrong, but the mod in question didn't deny it—this plumber who somehow (how?) ended up as a moderator under the handle MAJSTOR. He takes stuff like "How to replace a cartridge on a single-lever faucet" and puts it in the TOP THREAD, while my thread about getting free water, electricity, food, and tourism income for next to nothing gets shoved aside. It’s being handled by the AFL-CIO style of management, where the higher-ups just delete posts, swap images for links (using Postimage links labeled "FOR THE FORUM"), and then dump everything into some stupid "EXPERIMENTAL THREAD" before eventually stripping my posts and photos and penalizing me for "writing too much." I've had enough.

"Writing too much" on this forum? Are you kidding me?

Is it not in the forum's best interest for people to actually contribute?

God damn it. Usually, when I post, I try to keep it light with a bit of humor—easy reads that you either enjoy or skip past. That's just how I am; I'm not a heavy hitter, but I say what I mean and I don't hold back on good ideas.

There’s no disrespect intended, just useful ideas.

Half of the old-school crowd is going to head over to Reddit because this place has turned into a censored mess. It’s all "don't argue with me, I'm the moderator, so it is what it is"

mod nonsense.

Whatever. Time will tell.

In the meantime, the house is livable. We've got water and power.

The "cabin" provides utilities, we have 21 trees growing, and we've got tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, peppers, lettuce, Swiss chard, zucchini, watermelon, garlic, red onion, corn, and a few liters of olive oil ready for next year—plus some decent cash from tourists.

The problem is, nobody’s going to figure out how to pull this off for such a low cost.

Give thanks to "MAJSTOR" and the management above him who refuses to keep an eye on what's actually happening on the ground here.





If anyone's bothered by it, that's their problem, not mine.

casualscout65 said:He definitely will. My husband is an endomorph too, and this sounds just like him:
Basically, they have poor carbohydrate tolerance, so a low-carb diet works best for them. White flour and sugar are especially dangerous for an endomorph.

He’ll go on a Navy deployment on keto and come home with a six-pack... then he eats everything once he's back and immediately bloats, gets gas, and feels like crap....
Since he's hitting that age where blood sugar becomes a real issue, he's being extra careful now...😁

Yeah, keto is the way to go for endomorphs, if you can actually stick to it.

I can't.
When I first cut them out, I feel terrible—just pure weakness.

Plus, since I don't eat vegetables (don't like them), I use oatmeal for breakfast for the fiber, and some fruit after lunch.
Then there's the sugar in my coffee, which is all carbs, obviously.

But when I'm in cutting mode like I am now, I definitely slash them drastically.

Better than nothing, I guess.

Jack Ward82 said:Whatever happened to Mr. Zei? He started off so enthusiastically teaching young amateurs, but then he just vanished.😳

Probably just working and doesn't have time for the forum. Not all of us are slackers.😁

Jack Moore90 Asks:
Same here. I’ll gorge on sweets until I can't stand myself, but if I don't hit the gym, I end up an Endomorph.

Exactly. If we hit nuclear winter, we're all screwed. 😁

Since the 6th, I've been living on basically nothing and staying sin-free. Put in 14 hours at the gym, and I've barely dropped half a pound.

casualscout65 said:You don't need to go straight for the lobotomy; try keto first.😁.

If keto doesn't do the trick, I guess my only option left is a lobotomy. 😁

This describes me perfectly

Endomorph type (Santa Claus)

Most people who hit the gym hard but still struggle with their weight fall into the Endomorph category. Endomorphs tend to have a slow metabolism that makes storing fat way too easy. They’re usually—though not always—broad-shouldered with medium to large joints. Generally, they don't handle carbs very well, so a lower-carb diet is usually the move. White flour and sugar are especially dangerous for an Endomorph. You basically have to watch everything you eat for the rest of your life, which takes a massive amount of discipline and sacrifice. Diet alone won't cut it for an Endomorph; you have to train consistently. Sometimes you even need to cycle low-carb days with higher-carb ones just to kickstart that sluggish metabolism. It’s easily the body type that has to work the hardest to see any actual results.

Endomorph traits:

Naturally high body fat levels, large bone structure, heavy joints, shorter limbs (not always), pear-shaped physique, wide waist and hips, waist often wider than the chest, low energy levels, slow metabolism, good strength levels, carb sensitivity, responds best to high-protein diets, falls asleep easily and sleeps deeply, sees the best results from frequent, daily workouts.

It's all true (except maybe the part about short limbs and large joints, that's not quite right).
I gain weight incredibly easily and lose it incredibly hard (well, "lose" is a stretch—it requires a ton of effort, constant daily training, and barely eating anything).

I can't stop, and I can't indulge. If I overeat even once, it shows up immediately on my stomach and hips. That was my recent reality: I gained 6 pounds in 4.5 months despite working out—not 100% of the time, maybe 60-70%, which would actually be enough for most people.

I think the biggest difference is in digestion—my body manages to squeeze every last calorie out of whatever I eat.
It's actually a great trait for survival, but pretty lousy if you're trying to look good.😳

Christian Nelson22 said:Do those scales—the ones measuring body fat percentage, water weight, muscle mass, etc.—actually mean anything?
Sometimes my readings just don't make any sense.

Not really...

If you want an actual, reliable body fat number, just get a DEXA scan.

So, my five-month hiatus is basically over.

I ended up gaining a solid 13 pounds (not that I’ve ever really had an issue with that 😁), and the gut fat is back too. Not surprising, considering I wasn't going a single day without having 4 or 5 beers, eating whatever was in front of me, and only managed about 8 weight sessions in the last two months.
On the bright side, I did walk the dog once or twice a day, every single day, for the whole five months.

Even so, here’s the comparison after exactly one year.

(image)https://i.postimg.cc/T5xTQ6yr/F5556224-1-F99-4882-9386-F31-CC47015-ED.jpg[/IMG]

Now it’s time to get back on the grind—cleaner eating and daily workouts.

The goal is to hit 192-195 lbs again (just so I can feel comfortable being "big" at home again 😁).
Height is still sitting right around 6'3".

I know casein digests way slower than whey, but I've never actually pulled the trigger on ordering some.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to grab some and use it for my last meal of the day.

William Phillips4 - you're spot on about how spite and pure persistence play out in everything you do, not just when you're hitting the weights.

If you want to sleep through the night, you need something slow-digesting and fatty for satiety, plus some protein for muscle recovery.

Whey absorbs way too fast; taking it on its own in the evening isn't really the move.

In my opinion, mixing low-fat cheese or cottage cheese with whey, pairing tuna with olives, or just hitting some whey with almonds works fine.

Thanks for putting in the work.

You’ve condensed so much useful info here that someone just starting out can find the right path immediately, and even those with some experience can clear up a few lingering doubts.

The road is long, though. It’s a total trap for anyone who wakes up on May 1st, books their hotel, and expects to see visible results by the first summer.

Sure, you might see something by summer, but we're talking about next year... and anyone who accepts that reality from the jump won't have any issues staying on track. 👍.

Solid summary, nice work!

I was actually pretty happy with where I was—down to 214 lbs from my starting 222.

The gut shrinks first, then my face starts looking like my old self again. For me, the weight always drops from the waist before hitting the face.



I managed to hit 202 lbs and felt great, but then Corona hit, cut me off from beer and BBQs, and I ended up dropping to 194 lbs (just vodka and Bacardi 😢 ).
Just a few more pounds to go and maybe that hated belly fat will finally be gone... hopefully. There isn't much left. I could almost vacuum-seal it now, but you can't tell from the photo 😁

This is a shot taken after work (total desk jockey life 😁) at the end of the day after all meals—basically the worst-case scenario.



My strategy: heavy training (90 mins a day, mostly isolation moves rather than complex lifts; the only compound lift I do is bench press), eating very little (1500-2000 calories/day), an aggressive deficit (calculating a -1100 to -1500 calorie gap), and zero sugar, white flour, or fried food. Lots of meat and fruit plus complex carbs/fructose.

Losing about 2 lbs per week.

Everything here goes against standard advice.

The only real way I can measure progress is my waist (went from 40 inches down to 35), chest is still 44, biceps are 16.
Still standing around 6'3" or 6'4", depending on which doctor you ask.

Austin Clark59 said:I’m actually jealous of anyone who doesn't have to eat an entire damn cow just to put on half a kilo.

I’m hitting 6,000 calories a day and I'm still three kilos under my ideal weight.

And don't even get me started on how ridiculously easy it is for me to lose weight.

Jack Moore90 said:Same here.

With digestive systems as inefficient and wasteful as yours, neither of you would last long under natural selection during a famine.

You're lucky Walmart, 7-Eleven, and Target are everywhere.😁

ironharbor45 said:Look, not everyone has that intuition, so maybe just try tracking calories and see how it goes...

And activity levels, too.

You need both numbers to actually know what's happening.

David Barrett85 said:I honestly have no clue how you guys manage to drop weight without even trying. It’s never happened to me.😁

+1

I don't have those issues. We could talk about the reverse phenomena, though. 😁

Austin Clark59 said:What kind of guy eats 2,000 calories?

The guy on a diet, obviously.

Ryan Wilson2 said:I’d guess Day 2 is closer to 4,000 calories 😁 (and you won't just be drinking water, either)

Oh, right. The water. 😁

brightharbor7 said:plus that bloated feeling, gas

Don't blame me for my digestive issues.😁