Get rid of that spare tire, who's up for the challenge??

I was 252 on Christmas Day, and decided that was big enough. I lost 5 lbs. a week the first 3 weeks, and 4 lbs. the fourth week. Last week I lost only 2 and a half, but 2 lbs. already this week. I'm now at 228 and a half. Been riding stationary bike, not dieting but eating right, 4 to 5 small meals a day. So far so good.

Hi all,

Well it's update time, I started on 04/01, and now it's 04/02, and I've lost 11Lb. That's just on quarter of the way there. Quite a bit ahead of schedule I set out for myself, but there are some factors to be considered.

In the first few days to a couple of weeks, what I was losing was water weight. I'm not complaining, it all helps. That was aided by drinking lots of water and getting rid of water retention. But then there was slower progress and even a stall for almost a week, where I lost nothing. But I knew this would happen, so I wasn't surprised, or more importantly, disheartened.

Only in the past week, have I been able to start cycling. The weather since Christmas and New Year has been so cold, wet and windy, that I couldn't contemplate being out on my bike. Now, it's just a bit cold, but that's the least of the weather problems. I learned the best way to burn fat is to exercise as early as you can, on an empty stomach. That way the body's levels of blood sugar are low, therefore you start to burn fat as fuel, rather than the sugars. Another great benefit, is that when you exercise early, you raise your metabolism, and that continues to burn fat during the rest of the day. Even when you're sitting down and reading the posts on TDPRI. I can really appreciate that!

I had been wearing 36" waist jeans, as a comfortable fit, and as I never wear a belt, I ended up going around pulling them up all the time. So I tried pulling them down without opening them, and they came down no problem. So at least I've seen some material benefit in that regard. I've now reverted to wearing 34". So when I start going around having to pull those up on me all the time, I'll know I'm making further solid progress.

It's great not to be carrying all the extra weight around, but inches matter just as much. It's good for the confidence too when others see the difference and pay compliments. We all know how good it feels to get a compliment about our playing. It makes all the effort worthwhile, and keeps us going in search of a little more.

Great to see Zane is still on the downward slope, and now Telex has joined in too, both are currently around the same mark, so it'll be good to see their next update. To all others, keep going and keep us informed.

I was extremely surprised to see Heather's name here, until I saw that it was deleted because she posted on the wrong thread. :D Seeing her pics in her gallery tells us all she looks great just the way she is, and doesn't belong here with us 'losers'.

All for now, there'll be another update from up here in the Telesphere on the 4th of next month and each month thereafter. Easier to remember that.


Telesphere

I've lost 71 pounds so far...
want to loose another 50...
took this pic today...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/me2.jpg


A lot better than this one taken while wieghing 298...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/T-7.jpg

...Good Job Zane!!!...

Thanks I sure feel a heck of a lot better!!!

I lost another 3 lbs. this week down to 225 and a half. I'm doing well during the week, but only holding my own over the weekend. I'm going to start being more careful over Saturday and Sunday.

Way to go Zane, you're an inspiration to us all. This week I've decided to give up the white bread and pasta for whole wheat. I've substituted the large coffee for a small, no more soda. Sweet potatoes or yams instead of the regular potatoes, no home baked sweets, and no alcohol until I get a hold of this. I've been on the exercise bike now 6 days a week and doing ab crunches. My jeans are starting to feel comfortable around the waist again. I am starting to benefit both physically and mentally, and my energy level is increasing. Best of luck to everyone, lets keep this going. Brian

down to 220 this morning...I kinda hit a plateau this month, but I called & talked to a girl at Nutri-Systems...she gave me a few tips on how to kickstart myself...I must say it worked I lost 2 pounds this week....alright!!

For all of you who are still doing this, keep it up!!!

I've been doing the South Beach Diet since New Year's. :grin: And I am very ashamed to admit that at that time I weighed in at 258.

Here it is, near the end of February and I'm down to 220. However, my target wight is 165-170. Hopefully I'll be there between August and September. My goal is to start playing hockey again in the fall.

im 5 foot 4 an a quarter. i weigh 114

i think im doin good. I really dont have a goal to loose any except maybe 2 or 3 pounds and gain in back in muscle

I've lost 71 pounds so far...
want to loose another 50...
took this pic today...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/me2.jpg


A lot better than this one taken while wieghing 298...

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/T-7.jpg

Lookin' good, bro. Keep it up. :grin:

Since the 3rd week in January I've lost 14 lbs, I'm down to 196. It was a nice feeling dropping below the 200 mark. I am gaining better control over what I eat and when I eat. I'm shooting for 185 by the end of March with hopes of eventually reaching my target of 165-170. Caper

...warning: dieting ONLY works in the short term. ultimately, you will gain the weight back, and then some.

if diets worked, we wouldn't have to worry about things like proper eating.

and exercise.

eating properly is an act of pure anarchy.

-dh

I posted on this thread a LONG time ago and fell quickly off my diet. Glad to say I'm 1 week into my "new diet" and I've lost 5 lbs that makes me 279 now.

two months into my change of lifestyle and I'm down to 217, down from 252. Like I said before, I'm not dieting, just changed the way I eat. 5 to 6 small meals a day and I'm never hungry.

Like I said before, I'm not dieting, just changed the way I eat.

Me too. Call it what ya want, I call it just eating sensibly. A lot of people think dieting is eating salads and consuming less. It is true most of us eat weigh more than we need. For me "dieting" is getting rid of the garbage I had been consuming for the past 20 years. Soda, sweets, potato chips, fast food restaurants, eating again between 7pm and midnight. I switched from white bread and pasta to wholewheat and from potatoes to sweet potatoes or yams. For in between meals I eat fruits, vegetable snacks, or yogurt. I lost my dad five months ago to heart disease, my lifestyle matched his. I developed high blood pressure 2 years ago as a result of how I was living so I decided for my own good as well as my family that drastic changes were needed. It wasn't easy initially and I went right back to square one after the first month since I started this thread. Perhaps turning 45 was the deciding factor, doesn't matter now. All I know is that in order to get the most out of life one has to look at their own well being first. Too bad I didn't stop to think about that when I was in my twenties. One thing that helped me get started again was the reference made by our own Praisecaster. It was his comment of standing in front of the bathroom mirror that also hit home with me:shock: :shock: Everytime I think of him saying this I have a good laugh. Somehow I can't get that image out of my head whenever I see one of his posts.:lol: Mr. Praisecaster I want to thank you for providing me with the inspiration to turn my life around. Caper

Ya, OK ... I need to lose 18 pounds and joined Weight Watchers a few weeks back. I've lost about five or six so far and, frankly, feel better.
Just thinkin' that if you really wanted to get some fun mileage out of this caper, how about asking everyone to pose for pix with their Teles and their bare tummies. Successive weigh losses would be shown in profile shots week to week. Just an idea.

I've dropped 25 lbs (175 from 200) since I had a mild heart attack on December 20th. I've done it by eating sensibly (low fat, smaller portions) and exercise. I haven't felt this good in years! For my size (5'7") I need to get to 160, but I'm shooting for 150...

how about asking everyone to pose for pix with their Teles and their bare tummies.

Oh boy, me thinks me too wooly for that:shock: :shock:

Oh boy, me thinks me too wooly for that:shock: :shock:

Yeah, I'll pass on that one too.

BTW, I'm now as of this morning @ 209. So I've lost nearly 50 lbs. since New Year's Day. That puts me at more than halfway to my goal weight. Yay me.

WOW, 50 lbs since New Years, eeeexxcellent Simpson. Well done for sure. I hit 191 yesterday; 19 lbs for me in 6 weeks. I wore a pair of Dockers today that I hadn't worn in a year. I feel 100% better, my energy level is increasing. I had planned on reaching 185 by the end of this month, looks like it's in sight. Don't know about everyone else but loosing the belly is tough. I have been doing ab crunches and leg raises in addition to the work on the bike 6 days a week. It's slow but sure I guess.

WOW, 50 lbs since New Years, eeeexxcellent Simpson. Well done for sure. I hit 191 yesterday; 19 lbs for me in 6 weeks. I wore a pair of Dockers today that I hadn't worn in a year. I feel 100% better, my energy level is increasing. I had planned on reaching 185 by the end of this month, looks like it's in sight. Don't know about everyone else but loosing the belly is tough. I have been doing ab crunches and leg raises in addition to the work on the bike 6 days a week. It's slow but sure I guess.
I hear ya there brother...my arms & leg have really become solid...even getting quite a bit of deffinition...my belly had "flattened" but still has flab...been doing abs of steel workouts, I can feel the muscle under the flab firmin' up ....but...it is a long process...
hotgoalie
BTW, I'm now as of this morning @ 209. So I've lost nearly 50 lbs. since New Year's Day. That puts me at more than halfway to my goal weight. Yay me.
Man what are you doin' to loose that much that fast?

a couple of weeks even though I've been working out hard & eating right...
I've hit a major plateu...
GOOD NEWS is I talked to my Doctor today...he said I could cut back on my diabetic medication ...I've gone from 3 pills a day in June... to 1/2 a pill a day!!!!!!!!!!!
All from just loosing weight...
MAN NOW THAT FEELS GOOD!!!!

Well I called & talked to a girl at Nutri-Systems...she gave me a few tips on how to get over the plateau I've hit...I've lost a couple of more pounds in the last 5 days....down to 216 now!!!

Hi all, I'm 13.5 stone & years of boozing have given me a beer gut! I've just joined a gym but so far just went to the induction about 3 weeks ago! Help, I need some inspiration..:oops:

Hi all, I'm 13.5 stone & years of boozing have given me a beer gut! I've just joined a gym but so far just went to the induction about 3 weeks ago! Help, I need some inspiration..
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/T-7.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/DSC01861.jpg
82 pounds in 9 months at 51 years old...if I can do it you can!!!
Get after it brother!

wieghed in at 210 this morning. 42 pounds since Christmas day.

Jeff, exercise and being more aware of what you are eating are the keys to weight loss and control. Take stock of what you are eating everyday. Things to get rid of are the white foods like white bread, sugar, and white pastas' just to begin with. Switch out all of these for whole wheat. Look at the dietary components on EVERYTHING YOU BUY and compare it to other like goods on the grocery shelf. Substitute sugar for Splenda in your coffee, no baked sweets, soda's, sweet potatoes or yams for potatoes, no gravies, no fried or fast foods(this stuff is killin us). As was told to me as well NO ALCOHOL FOR 3 MONTHS .

Zane that pic is inspiration to us all, way to go brother. telex76 congrats to you as well, applause. What have you been doing to make this progress?

Zane, I'm doing the South Beach Diet. If you're not familiar with it, it's a diet that was created by a cardiologist.

The diet is split into three phases. The first phase is where you cut out all breads and starches for the first two weeks. You are also not allowed to eat any fruit during Phase 1. The idea here is to lower your addiction to carbs, if you will. A side benefit is that you'll also lower your blood sugar. So this is great if you're a diabetic. I'm not, but every bit helps. Phase One is also where you rapidly lose weight. You can lose anywhere between 12-24 lbs. in Phase One.

During Phase Two you can reintroduce carbs like whole wheat breads and pasta back into your diet. The key here is to do it slowly. During Phase Two you generally will lose 2-4 lbs. per week. And if you level off you can go back on to Phase One and start over again.

Phase Three comes into play when you hit your target weight. It is more of a maintenance plan than anything else. In fact, a couple of people here mentioned that they were not so much dieting as changing the way they eat. The same holds true in the South Beach Diet. It is a definite change in the way you eat. I never really cared for spinach until I started South Beach. And I really learned to like pistachios. Another great thing about South Beach is that you never starve yourself. They really stress eating breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as eating snacks every day. This way you never really feel hungry.

Perhaps the most difficult thing for me was giving up caffeine. You can still have up to two cups of coffee per day, but I decided to just cut it out altogether. Before the diet I was drinking anywhere from 4-6 cans of pop per day. Now the only time I really drink anything with caffeine in it is when I'm dead to the world tired.

Needless to say I wholeheartedly recommend South Beach to anyone. :)

sept. 5th 2005....5'5" 257 lbs.

i live here so maybe this will help me out ...once i get in a routine i usually stay on it for about 3 months and lose really well but i get either bored or lazy and go off the "diet" ...well here's to the loss good luck everyone ...

Hmmm, I first posted this back in 05, at 257lbs. well here I am posting in 07 and guess what I went up, I'm 270 right now. BUT there's good news. My company built us a fitness center onsite, and I'm proud to say since March 20th I've missed one day and that was Sunday. All my excuses were taken away. I go right up after work, knock out a mile or so on the tread mill and do some weight lifting on the circuit machine, I'm usually done in 45 minutes. So here's to all who lost so far...wish me luck and staying power.

Good luck teledude, I hear ya about starting and getting off track, same thing happened to me. I got back on track after the holidays. I'm down to 185 now and feeling 100% better, I'm hoping to eventually reach 165 to 170. I'll post a b4 and after pic in June. Hey I lost the Baldwin bloat and one chin :mrgreen:

Well it's been slow going lately...
weight coming off myt slow now...
I have to constantly change my workouts...
started back doing yoga (after a 12 year layoff)...
man I sure feel great after a good workout...
then a nice hour long yoga session...
down to 213 as of this morning...

I started at around 210 and I'm down to 185. How'd I do it? I eat less. Smaller portions, two meals instead of three some days and I try to stay physically active. I eat good food when I eat and every couple of weeks I'll go out and eat a lot of food I really like at a restaurant so I don't feel deprived.

I'm down to 182 as of this morning. For a little reward me and the missus whipped up a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for our family yesterday. After watching what I've been eating since Jan. it was a taste explosion.......now back to our regularly scheduled feature:lol: I had a stack to Levi's I had grown out of sitting in my closet for 3 years and yesterday I decided to try a pair on and what do ya know; they fit again, heehaw.

I have been losing weight since Feb. I started out 215 pounds and now I am down to 195. I have really cut back on my meals and started to ride my bike and do some walking. Last Sat. I rode 40 miles on my bike, took 3 hours but I made it. I am trying to get down to 175, hope to be there by July.

Well, guess I'll throw in my two cents worth. On January 9, 2006, I stepped on the scale and said enough is enough. Little bit over 300 pounds. Went on Atkins Diet for about 4 months and dropped 50 pounds. Then I went off the Atkins and I tried to add carbs back in, and I did, but at a cost. Weight creeped back up, not horribly, about 10 pounds to 260, and I stayed there consistently throughout 2006. So far this year another 5 to 10 have creeped back on, so I am back on Atkins as of this past Monday with the intention of making it a lifelong thing. I need to drop another 50 pounds, and I believe I can do it this way. By the way, I realize the Atkins plan takes a lot of heat and has many detractors. What I believe is these things have to be suited to the individual, and everyone's personal metabolism and issues and eating habits etc have to be considered. For the record, last year, having been well over 300 pounds for years, and a smoker (no longer) my August 06 annual checkup had the doctors amazed, my numbers across the board were that of a 35 year old. I'm 51. (act 21) Cholesterol 140 good and bad both just fine, BP was normal, all good. I believe attitude counts for a lot in these sorts of things. I have a good attitude and believe that things will work. And they usually do. FWIW, YMMV.

I was 202 this morning, an even 50 lbs, lost since Christmas day. Hope to see the scale read under 200 in another week or so.

well I've hit a myt stubborn plateau...
been bouncing between 213 / 210 for a couple-0-weeks...
beginning to think this might just be where my body wants to be...
I got a pullup bar attached to my ceiling ( MAN talk about KILLER exercise)...
bought an "Atlas" pushup bar (this thang IS KILLER) talk about "pump"...
I have some dip bars coming to attach to my wall...
no affiliation,but here's a link to quality stuff...
http://www.easychin.com/products.lasso
since I started back doing Yoga I really like "lifting" my own body weight...
anybody want a Bowflex?
I think I'm adding a bit of muscle, & thay say muscle weighs more than fat...
so I think that may be why I'm not loosing much now...
but my goal all along has been to not just loose weight...
but to get back in shape...

I've been out of commission for the past month now, both knees are giving me a lot of trouble. Initially I thought it was just a bit of inflammation and would clear up with rest but it isn't improving. I'm having a hard time walking and have been shut out of the lower level of the house the whole time. I'm visiting an orthopedic specialist next Thursday and awaiting a bone scan, cross your fingers for me, I could use the mojo.

well i lost it for a long while and definitely started putting it back on. i saw a video of myself taken about a month ago and decided that it was time to get serious.

since then i've swum 1k three or four times a week, made my own sandwiches for work and basically eaten properly. i don't know what i've lost as i' don't have any scales but i'm now fitting into clothes that were unpleasantly clingy just a few weeks back. feeling good!

198 this morning, coming off very slow now but still losing a little

Let me give everyone a hope of encouragement.

Ten years ago, I had some major back issues, reduced activity a lot.. got the back fixed, under the knife, but it took some years to really "feel right". It'll never be 100 percent. Its ok, I live with what I have.

The result though, was increased weight, and several years ago, I was in the doctors for a plain old sinus thing, and got weighed. Not good.

Gents. I am not proud of this - but I'm gonna share it. I was 384. Six foot one, 384 and just a total lardass. I might have gotten heavier than that, before starting to lose, I dunno... I really dunno.

I little more than a year ago, I began to consider reducing the sugar in my diet - which was mostly from the 4 shovel fulls of sugar they put in yer morning Duncan Donut coffee. Yah, coffee and bran muffin.. starts my day usually. I friend of mine had had a heart attack, and then stroke, and then lost a leg to diabetes type II. So I thought, ya know, this whole thing is killing me. I'm gonna get into some real blood sugar issues if I don't reduce the sugar and hell, while I'm at it, lets totally eliminate fast food (several times a week for lunch). I never was one for soda, or lots of sweets. The occasional Coke (very rare). And the occasional confection. I just don't do 'em, but that coffee... I'd do two sometimes in a day and it sent me zingin'!

Cut out the sugar seemed to be a good thing, so I did.

And I began to lose some weight with only those changes in my lifestyle. In fact, I lost about 40 lbs in about eight or ten months. Then, when I'm gonna estimate I was about 340ish, I took a spill on the ground.... wet sludge at work didn't look slippery but it was. I went down HARD. This was last June. It took me till September for my back to feel up to doing anything but as soon as I could, I did one thing that was totally beneficial.

I began to walk.

First a mile per night, then two, then three, then four, then five, then six.... every night or almost every night. I got some shoes for it, and every damn night, I go out for an hour, or hour and a half, and walk. That was September, but pretty soon (a few weeks) I was feeling chipper, and as the back allowed, I began to thunderously jog or flat out run as my back allowed. Usually... a half mile or so at a time. The lungs got better at it. The legs got better at it, but the back... I still can't run much. The pounding on the lower back and my feet start to tingle, and I know thats enough or I'm in for some issues. I guess some nerve compression is still going on, and well, its a good thing as its a warning for me to "watch it".

I also changed my diet to include not too many changes, just less of the same old things - same bran muffin, same coffee (no sugar) but no fast food, and "fill up" on green veggies, lay off the starch a bit, and include fresh fruit daily too. Its not a "diet" but a change that I can feel ok with as a lifestyle. I still eat pasta once a week. I still eat bread. Haven't had pizza in a while but, would eat it, as its a rare thing. The idea for me, what works, is not a "diet" but lifestyle I can live with.

So.. since September of 06, I've been doing this. Mid January I got up the nerve to get on the certified shipping scale in my warehouse. Yah, the one we weigh skids full of cast iron pipe fittings on. I was amazed to be under 300. I was 298. That was January. Friday, I was 265, or damn near 120lbs under my heaviest verified lardass weight, still not proud to say that 265 is my weight, but I am observant that I have lost a lot, and have been on the road of loss for over a year with positive results. Pants from 48 (ouch) to 42 (still ouch but less so). I humbly look forward to size 38 breeks. Similarly, old clothes fit once again... but I hate to stock up on new items unless I REALLY have to. Hence, I tend to be a bit baggy pants (wearin 44's, not those 48s!~)

There's more to lose folks. I'd like to be 200 even. Time will tell. I work through each 10lbs and rejoice when that number is now a 26x vs 27x and so forth. With continuation... and by the grace allowed me, at some point in time the target will be be reached or I'll find some equilibrium that is just where I end up (hopefully close to the target).

In the meantime, I encourage everyone who wants to... get a little more active, eat a little less, and eat healthy stuff. And don't give up on yourself. If you go off the wagon, get back on. Enlist the support of everyone who you know (like you fella's here!~).

Thanks all. God bless you all.

Great story CB and thanks for providing the encouragement. You've made remarkable gains, kudos, you deserve it. Four more days to go b4 I see the orthopedic specialist, I'm hoping he be able to help me back on track.

Ortho man? I hope your affliction is not irreversible. My knees aint the best either, but the back stops before the knees do.

Best of luck on Thursday

-CB- ... great story brother!!
Keep it up !!...
I just changed up my workout program,in a effort to get some gains going...
I've been reading about working out in the morning before breakfast...
The cat said that you burn all your carbs at night for your bodily functions ...
He say's that exercise 1st thing in the morning & your burning strickly fat...
Plus it kicks your metabolism into high gear for the rest of the day...
So I'm giving it a shot, I sure would like to loose another 20 pounds...
Oh yeah ...this part is not for the faint hearted...
He said if you really want to burn the fat ...you can do a second workout later in the day....
This workout should include weights...cause the added muscle will help to speed your metabolism...
So I started yesterday....I'll post results here in a couple of weeks...

I am a type2 diabetic, at worst I was 213 lbs.......5'6"! about six years ago I realized your weight is directly relative to what you ram down your gullet....not exactly prophetic, but true. The more you eat, the more you want....another simple truth! If you go hungry once and awhile...god forbid, in this fast food jungle, I found you will eat less and less often. Not exactly rocket science, but it works for me. 170 lbs.,very healthy, haven't had even a cold in over 5 years(retired) Quit smoking(tobacco:wink:), alcohol, coffee,fast food and my blood sugars have been normal for over 5 years. Sometimes you have to take a step back and look and see the obvious. Cheers......JJ.

Good luck all.
It takes alot to keep the ball rolling...

I'm trying to lose weight AND quit smoking.

5.5 days without a ciggy and MAN!

CB has been quite the inspiration. He flew up this
way for Halloween and then again for the B.B. King
concert in mid-January and I could not believe the difference.

Ballad of a Thin Man........comes to mind.

I just feel bad that I got him that DUNCAN DONUT card for
Christmas last year. That must have made things a bit tougher.... :)

Hey, I do the CoFfEe there... its the best!~ (cream only, or one pseudo-sugar)

...just curious - is dieting easier and more effective than simply learning to eat and exercise properly?

-dh

...just curious - is dieting easier and more effective than simply learning to eat and exercise properly?

-dhI believe if you read them...the majority of the post in this thread are about just that...learning to eat properly, & getting up off the couch...

I was under the impression that today's term "dieting" is more about learning to eat properly.

I was under the impression that today's term "dieting" is more about learning to eat properly.
Yep....Diet as defined by Wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_%28nutrition%29

I was under the impression that today's term "dieting" is more about learning to eat properly.


Caper.......I'm brand new here but I'm gonna try to take you up on your challenge. I just started a new Job and Career path at 40. Its been much harder then I imagined to start completely over in a new field. I don't drink or smoke but my only crutch to help deal with the stress is you guessed it......eating. :oops:

I actually plan my day around it. I wait wait for lunch to reward myself for all the work I put in. Same thing at night. I'm about 35-40 pounds overweight at this point. I'm really starting to feel it now. Please keep up the encouraging posts. I'm gonna need all the help I can get.

Only just spotted this thread.

I was 231 in January, now about 185. I feel just great. Still want to get rid of some, but not necessarily. I haven't weighed this little for 15 years.

Only just spotted this thread.

I was 231 in January, now about 185. I feel just great. Still want to get rid of some, but not necessarily. I haven't weighed this little for 15 years.


That's exactly how much I weigh! 232 to be exact. May I ask how you did it? What were /is your main meals? I'd Love to just get down to 200. 185 is my Highschool weight and I'm not so sure thats possible again.

That's exactly how much I weigh! 232 to be exact. May I ask how you did it? What were /is your main meals? I'd Love to just get down to 200. 185 is my Highschool weight and I'm not so sure thats possible again.

I eat oatmeal every morning, and apples. And a lot of coffee. One meal a day (no seconds), a lot more coffee and apples. And if I'm hungry in the evening, apples or oatmeal of something. Dark bread only with meals. No white bread, no butter, no cheese, not anything sweet exept maybe once a week. Smoking helps too.

Plus I try to drink a lot to fill my stomach. And walk/jog in the woods with the dogs.

I think it's easy to get started by quitting white bread, butter and sweet things. And eating a few apples and drinking water whenever hungry. I lost that 46 pounds in just 3 months. This is my high school weight too.

I eat oatmeal every morning, and apples. And a lot of coffee. One meal a day (no seconds), a lot more coffee and apples. And if I'm hungry in the evening, apples or oatmeal of something. Dark bread only with meals. No white bread, no butter, no cheese, not anything sweet except maybe once a week. Smoking helps too.

Plus I try to drink a lot to fill my stomach. And walk/jog in the woods with the dogs.

I think it's easy to get started by quitting white bread, butter and sweet things. And eating a few apples and drinking water whenever hungry. I lost that 46 pounds in just 3 months. This is my high school weight too.


Thanks ! I'll definitely try to get the oatmeal in there in the morning and the fresh fruit. I never had a cup of coffee or a cigarette in my life so I'll have to pass on that . I'll try Green Tea maybe. One of my biggest crutches is diet Pepsi. That is something I'm really gonna have to work on. You want to know how bad it is? I have this small closet off the garage and I like to go to Walmart and catch things on sale ..........like 12 packs of Diet Pepsi. Apparently I fill it so often my Kids nicknamed it the soda room. :oops: I was like........Can you go get me a 6 pack? And they were like.......where out of the soda room? They are 3 and 7 . White bread should be easy but I dig Pasta on The weekends. Those are my 2 biggest things. Diet Pepsi and Ravioli. :oops:

Thanks for the Tips.

Thanks ! I'll definitely try to get the oatmeal in there in the morning and the fresh fruit. I never had a cup of coffee or a cigarette in my life so I'll have to pass on that . I'll try Green Tea maybe. One of my biggest crutches is diet Pepsi. That is something I'm really gonna have to work on. You want to know how bad it is? I have this small closet off the garage and I like to go to Walmart and catch things on sale ..........like 12 packs of Diet Pepsi. Apparently I fill it so often my Kids nicknamed it the soda room. :oops: I was like........Can you go get me a 6 pack? And they were like.......where out of the soda room? They are 3 and 7 . White bread should be easy but I dig Pasta on The weekends. Those are my 2 biggest things. Diet Pepsi and Ravioli. :oops:

Thanks for the Tips.
Turn the Diet Pepsi into water,& try to find some whole wheat pasta...try to eat something every 3 hours or so...it keeps your blood sugar from getting low,then overeating during your regular meals...you want to keep from getting that "spike"...

Turn the Diet Pepsi into water,& try to find some whole wheat pasta...try to eat something every 3 hours or so...it keeps your blood sugar from getting low,then overeating during your regular meals...you want to keep from getting that "spike"...



Great Tips! Thanks. Its my day off after a pretty stressful workweek and all I can think about is getting some chinese food and kicking back. This is gonna be difficult. But I'm not letting in.

Man since I started working out twice a day, I've really started to see some weight loss again...
I've lost 8 pounds in just a few weeks...down to 202 this morning!!!
I guess I broke thru that plateau I was hitting ;^)

I had a physical this week with an overall great reading.

Bad cholesterol is 119
good cholesterol is a bit low at 39(should be in the 40-45 range)
weight is about 10 pounds heavier than normal

I started to workout every other day with a hockey workout a read about.

-slow warmup run for about 5 minutes
-sprint for 1 minute-slow jog for 1 minute. repeat 5 times(tougher than it sounds)
-60 pushups; 4 sets of 15. two sets with hands far apart. two with hands close
-60 sit-ups; 4X15; different style on each set
-45 knee dips; 3X15; each leg. This helps the ACL ligament in the knees

I'm going to be hitting 40 in August and I need to get in shape.

Back in college I was 6'0" - 170lbs. I lived in the mountains and biked everywhere. I also lifted, although not seriously and could hike 15 miles a day in heavy terrain without much effort. When I graduated and got a job in front of a computer all day, I stopped riding, shot up to 230 and began having knee and back problems.

I'm now a few weeks shy of my 40th birthday and I feel like a mess. I had back surgery that has limited my lifting capabilities. After the surgery I ballooned up to 265. Nowadays, I find myself having back pain while playing upright and have gone to playing my lightest basses during gigs. I also have three small children and I want to be able to keep up with them.

I've been living on a modified lo-carb diet (no bread or pasta) and eating about 2500 calories a day for the past 6 months. I play basketball for 3 hours once a week (heavily taped up), and try to walk at least 20 minutes a day. I don't do much lifting due to my back, just some arms, shoulders and lats about twice a week. I have gotten down to 251 and have a 38 inch waist.

Can anyone suggest an eating or exercise regimen that someone with a weak back and arthritis can easily follow? I eventually want to get down to about 210-215 and a 34-36 inch waist.

Thanks...

pamlicojack
Nuti-Systems diet works...add to it lots of Ellipticle machine...throw in some exercise bike...wala you'll be there in no time!

I got back on the Nutri-System plan last Thursday a week ago after a 2 month layoff...
Allong with my workout, I droping pounds quick...I was 204 then ,I'm now 199!!
I want to reach 190 by my birthday, Aug 22....I think I'm gonna make it!

I just found this thread...count me in on the challenge! Thanks for starting it Caper. I hope the orthopedist helped. It's funny, but my monthly pass for Weight Watchers just came in the mail today. I haven't been to a meeting in a LONG time! I'll have to get my bloated butt over to one tomorrow. Just to let you know how sick I am w/eating...last weekend we went to Hershey Park, and I brought back a box of 24 Zagnuts. I gave one to my dad...and I have three left. Let's see...that's 20 bars in 5 days. Yes, I definitely have a problem. Now it's time to do something about it. 5'6" 270+ lbs

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/cropme.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/cropme3.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/cropme.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/cropme3.jpg

Holy Moly!!!
Awesome...congrats!

lost over 20 lbs in around a month and a half.
ate less frequently and smaller portions
drank water instead of anything else (soda is horrible for you, but beer and even OJ have a lot of calories)
pushups and situps every night before bed, thats just when it was convenient
went running 3-4 times a week
viola!


best of luck to ya man!!

i've never been really big but the old waist got to 36" so ithought it was time to do some exercise.
i changed my job(i'm a postman again) and the 3 1/2 hours walking a day has seen me lose 3" round the waist and generally feel a whole lot better.........and i can pretty much eat anything and it just burns straight off.

I'm 41 and weighing in at 200lbs. I was in great shape about 2 years ago and then my marriage hit the bottom, and I went through some depression. Bottom line is I went from 165 to 200. Now things have leveled off, and I started going to the gym last week. My goal is to go 4 times a week (minimum) for 2 months. By then I should back into the groove of things. I need to lose 25lbs. Good luck to you Caper. I'm rootin' for ya.:grin:

I haven't posted in a while because I was stuck at 198 for over 2 months, but lately I decided to stick closer to my eating program (I had gotten a little lax for awhile) and exercise a little more and I was 192 this morning. Down from 252 at Christmas.

OK, I'm in.
45 years old, 5' 8 1/2" 225lbs. I fluctuate between 213-225, depending on how close I am to a PT test (army reservist). I have a 3 mile battalion run (not timed) in 4 weeks, & haven't run in months. I did 10 min on the eliptical this morning, & 50 situps. My biggest stumbling block is food and consistancy. I have a VERY well equipped gym in my garage, so time & availability shouldn't be an issue. Did I mention that I'm a pretty good cook, my wife is a great cook, & my oldest daughter is a chef?

Well, I am back to training again for the 4th time since this thread was started. I will say the same thing all over again. I am committed to getting in shape this time. ha ha

WOW! Congrats to Zane & CB & all the others who have been successful. I guess my 2 biggest issues are portion size & tomorrowitis.
Let me add that I have been a garage bodybuilder/powerlifter for years, but am now looking like a guy that "used to be big". My army career consisted of 16 years as a drill sergeant, & I spent the last 5 of that as an instructor at drill sergeant school. My point is, I know how to do it, but have had some issues keeping it up lately. If I'm not going to stay in big muscular shape, I need to get back down to 200-210.

Here's what I'm capable of: Kuwait, 2003 @ 230lbs of Sergeant Major
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p310/rickyraveon/ArmscrossedAvatar.jpg

April 07, in pretty good aerobic shape, about 215 lbs, running 2 miles in under 18 minutes.
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p310/rickyraveon/Rick4-12-07w51.jpg

I don't think I've run since about a week after the 2nd picture. I'm quite a bit plumper than that now.

hi,

i think i've cracked it! although my weight hasn't actually changed that much. the spare tyre is gone though!

i'm 5'11" and was about 190lb of out of shape dough when this thread started. i very quickly lost half a stone to around 180lbs and there i've pretty much stayed.... the thing is i've been steadily incresing the exercise and working on what i eat so that i've been putting on muscle and getting a lot fitter while maintaining a pretty much constant weight. i'm a totally different shape comparted to six or nine months ago. broader shoulders, flatter stomach, love handles have all but gone and i've got a much broader, flatter chest.

here's what i did:

food:

- cut down on beer. basically abstinence or moderation during the week.
- cut out junk food.
- cut out "treats" at work. no more crisps, doughnuts, cookies etc.
- bran flakes, muesli or wholemeal toast for breakfast.
- switched to two home-made sandwiches for lunch. these are typically, wholemeal bread, sliced ham or beef, english mustard and green salad/rocket/spianch or watercress.
- after a few weeks of this it occured to me that although this was lot healthier than a shop-bought package sandwich it was probably more than i needed to eat. it is, after all, double the size of a shop-bought sandwhich. so i halfed the portion to one of these a day and added fruit or seeds to fill me up. maybe once a week i have a chicken salad, soup, ramen, rice or pasta as a change.
- i eat a normal meal in the evening. grilled fish and rice, soup and bread, steak and green beans, stir-fry veg, pasta, go out for ramen, sushi or whatever. just a normal meal.

exercise.

- cycle to work and back. usually full-on sprint both ways.

- swim 3 times a week. sometimes 4 sometimes 2 but I aim for 3. i started regularly doing just under 1k (30 laps) about 6 months ago alternating freestyle and breaststroke but as by stamina and technique improved i quickly found sticking to freestyle allowed me to get into a rhythm, was quicker and more rewarding. i now do between roughly 50 and 70 laps each session (1.6k to 2.3k) in sets of 20 and 30. i've learned to pace myself so that i start at a steady pace with a slow stroke rate and gradually build up until i'm basically sprinting the last 10 laps (allowing for traffic!).

i've got the swimming timed so that i can stop in on my way home from work. that way it doens't really take anything out of my day (i can get 50 laps of a 33m pool plus changing etc into about 40 mins).

- i recently did london to brighton on my bike (65 miles and something i think i would have really struggled to do a year ago) in under 5 hours with an average riding speed of 13mph. i really feel like i've turned a corner now and really miss the pool or my bike if i'm kept away from them for some reason. i'm eating better and feeling better than i have in years.

so although i haven't actually lost much weight i'm still very happy with the way my fitness, health and appearance has turned around.

good luck chaps,

al

I stopped drinking beer for three months and lost a stone and a half! I had to cut two new holes in my belt. I started at 17 stone 4 and am now at 15 stone 11. I feel better already! 15 stone here I come...

Yep I'm staying steady at 190...
but my body composition is changing...
my shoulders are getting a little broader...
my pants are getting looser...
I'm going to stop worrying about my weight now...
just concern myself with lowering my body fat %...

edited to add:
must be working...I just tightened my belt another notch...
going to Sears tomorrow get me a pair of size 34's !!
That's down 12 sizes from when I started...I was wearing size 46's

edited to add:
must be working...I just tightened my belt another notch...
going to Sears tomorrow get me a pair of size 34's !!
That's down 12 sizes from when I started...I was wearing size 46's

well done!

Down 61 pounds over the last year and still losing, courtesy of Weight Watchers.

Down 61 pounds over the last year and still losing, courtesy of Weight Watchers.
yep my sister lost 65 pounds on weight watchers...
good deal!

yep my sister lost 65 pounds on weight watchers...
good deal!

Thanks - everyone has to find their own path, and I've found mine.

yep ,whatever works for YOU ...that's what works ;^)

I used to be quite overweight some years ago and I decied to get in shape. I spent 2 hours at the local gym every day, running, cycling, lifting weights and eating "normal" food. I lost 15 kg (maybe 20 pounds? I am not sure about the messaurements). Went from 90 down to 75, which is my ideal weight. I have gained some weight since I started working in an office and I am trying to find the motivation to get back in shape.

Have you seen John Stone´s site? He´s a guy who got in really good shape a few years ago and his website is full of tips and inspiration.
http://www.johnstonefitness.com/
Here are a few "before and after" pics of him (not me)

http://www.johnstonefitness.com/all/front/1.jpghttp://www.johnstonefitness.com/all/front/1638.jpg

I just started on a diet, after ballooning up from 190 to 229 (that's lbs) over the course of about 3 years. There's not a whole lot to do in Knoxville besides eat :grin: I'm gonna try the low-carb thing for a month or two and see how it works.

If I only had a spare tire, I might participate, but I'm in possession of a complete set of off-road tires so I'll have to pass.:lol:

My first week on the Atkins plan, i seem to have lost about 7 lbs. I seem to fluctuate a pound or two depending upon the time of day, ... so seven pounds in my first week is a result with which I am quite happy. At this rate, I should be able to put on my old clothes (rather than the 'fat' wardrobe which I have now) in about 6 weeks. I'll be doing quite a lot of walking now that I'm back at UT. The campus is nothing but hills and valleys spread out over 80 acres. Root for me people! I can feel the love when I log on, and nothing helps more than moral support :grin:

I got up to 115kgs recently (253 lbs). I went on the Atkins Diet on the 19th July, am now down to 97kgs (213 lbs). Bacon and eggs for breakfast, steak for dinner,.... this ROCKS!!!!:razz:

I have lost about twenty pounds in the last three months, with at least that many more to go.

Started with walking a 3.7 mile route, i figured out. Sometimes twice a day. I take my dog, so she really enjoys the program. I also started watching the calories.

This week I have kicked it up to running 2.5 miles walking the rest.

I have lost about twenty pounds in the last three months, with at least that many more to go.

Started with walking a 3.7 mile route, i figured out. Sometimes twice a day. I take my dog, so she really enjoys the program. I also started watching the calories.

This week I have kicked it up to running 2.5 miles walking the rest.
Yep that's how I did it...I started trying to watch what I ate, & riding my ex-bike & elliptical....then it got to where I'd think about "well if I eat this I'm gonna have to "ride" for this long JUST to burn it off"....soon your just eating "the good stuff"...

I'm getting started today. I got on the scale and it hit 225lbs! My goal is to get back down to 200lbs. New moto: "More more eat less".

I'm down another 8 or so lbs since last post, that makes it a grand total of 15lbs so far (been about 3 weeks or so) I don't ever feel really hungry either. If I need a snack, I can always fry up a burger and smother it in jalapenos and cheddar...
just can't put it on a bun. There are a few zero carb sodas out there, Diet-Rite cola tastes OK, it's made with splenda and has zero carbs zero sugar zero caffeine.. I can't for the life of me figure out what's left that could make it taste good, but it blows diet coke out of the water,

Even more important than the lbs, my waist size has gone down about 2 inches, pretty soon I wont have that dickie-doo problem (that's where yer belly sticks out farther than yer dickie-doo) :grin:

I haven't posted in a while, but I'm down to 185. 67 lbs. since Christmas. Really don't want to lose more, just trying to get down 1 more pant size. I'm down from a 42 to a 36, but want to be 34.

Still holding at around 250. I seem to have hit a plateau.

Still holding at around 250. I seem to have hit a plateau.
Yep you gotta change things up a bit every 3 or 4 weeks or so when you start hitting those plateaus

Saw this post and thought I'd weigh in (har har).

Weight Watchers is a tremendous program to lose weight. Lifestyle really. I used it to lose and keep weight off in my 30s. In my 40s the weight crept back up to 225. A few years ago I lost 40 lbs and have kept most of it off since, only gained back 5 lb.

Keys for me:

- Exercise. Every other day I bike a half hour to forty minutes.

- I skip breakfast; most diets say you shouldn't and I'm not recommending it but it works for me

- Almost every day for lunch I have a ham or turkey sandwich on wheat bread w/low fat mayo and couple handfuls of low cal crackers or chips and salsa

- For dinner I watch portions carefully; one reasonable size portion of meat and starches; seconds and thirds of salads, soups, and veggies, being very careful about avoiding high fat sauces and dressings; I tend to order chicken and fish, not red meat

- Religiously at night I have a snack but it's always reasonable: pretzels, lite popcorn, or bowl of cereal

- In general I try to eat lots of whole grains, vegetables, and lowfat meats like ham, fish, and poultry and avoid cheeses, nuts, candy/sweets, and high fat mayos, dressings, and sauces like the plague

- I rarely drink anything with calories, such as juice or milk; I drink coffee, diet soda, and water; I don't drink alcohol except on weekends (that's been a tough one!)

Now that I'm maintaining, I splurge on weekends, eating bigger dinners and snacks. Works well for me!

Back in college, when I was paying my way through school by being a prison guard on the night shift, I used to lift every day. I got up to #250, and was rock solid... We're talking 52" chest/34" waist on a guy that's 5' 6" (yeah, I know I'm short :lol: )

Fast forward to when I was in my mid-30s, and was up around the same weight, only it was not rock solid any more... Went on Atkins, and within about 9 months I got back down to about what I weighed when I graduated High School, bouncing between #185 and #195, and my cholesterol was below 200. Kept it that way through a divorce and meeting/marrying the love of my life

Once remarried, though, my weight went up. It was my fault, I went off the Atkins diet. Health screening at work got me needing to get my weight back down from the #238 I was up to, and my cholesterol was a little over 200.

That said, I am back on the Atkins thing, and dropped 23 lbs in the first month and a half of being on my diet, so right now, I'm at 215 (plus or minus, it fluctuates a little). I'm going to try and get back down to 190 or so. I'm built like a mack truck with shoulders that would still look broad on an NFL linebacker, and at #190, I look OK. Much less than that, and I start to look a little puny...

My diet secret? go to Afghanistan. You can't keep anything down.

The low carb diet works for me. I found this out about 7 years ago. Lost 35 pounds in 3 months with little or no exercise. When I creap back up occasionally, it's low carb for awhile until the clothes fit again. The only problem now is that there are few true low carb food items like there where 7 years ago. The NET CARB formula just doesn't work for me, it has to be NO carbs.

Before I heard of the low carb thing, I tried the "Subway" diet. Ate nothing but 2 6" turkey subs a day for a whole year...lost 2 pounds. Phooooey!

In my twenties, I did a successfull 2 week "spring water tuna" diet. Lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. But I didn't have enough energy to even get out of bed most days. Probably not good for the body! (I had heard that Sly Stalone used this kind of diet before his first Rocky movie). Now I hear that he got caught at the airport with a bag of designer steroids...how naive was I back then!

Still doing the low carb thing... down to 199lbs from 229, with about ten more to go. I intend to start some weight training soon. I did suffer from low-energy (kept falling asleep in my classes) so I began using a B-Complex vitamin formula and that has helped a lot. (Lots of Starbucks didn't hurt either!)

Just a side note for all those in the UK: What is a stone? As in weighing 15 stone, for example. Just curious...

I lost 200 pounds of dead weight by getting a divorce, and it really improved my health too !

Well, I've lost almost 10 lbs. since Oct. 1 just by changing migraine meds. Does that count?

.... pretty soon I wont have that dickie-doo problem (that's where yer belly sticks out farther than yer dickie-doo) :grin:

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!:!: :cool:

That's one of the funniest explanations I've read in a long time!

Hmm I've avoided looking at this thread recently..

I'm not fat, nor have I ever been, but in the last couple of years my weight has slowly been creeping up, and I want to nip it in the bud before it goes too far..

I'm considering going on a diet to lose around 20 pounds, I want to do it quickly, and I don't want to have to start buying into schemes (weight watchers or anything), or buying health foods, purely for financial reasons.

I tend to have a carb heavy diet (pasta is a great friend of mine), so I'm most likely going to give it up (or at least majorly cut down on it).

Any tips on diets to go for? I've been looking at the Atkins diet, and it seems to be a pretty good idea (and yes, I have read up on the potential risks).
But I'm having trouble finding a clear definition of things I should/shouldn't eat. (Most of the weekly meal plans are based around American food, and while food isn't so different here, alot of it means nothing to me or is unavailable).

Any help appreciated, as always. :)

Hmm I've avoided looking at this thread recently..

I'm not fat, nor have I ever been, but in the last couple of years my weight has slowly been creeping up, and I want to nip it in the bud before it goes too far..

I'm considering going on a diet to lose around 20 pounds, I want to do it quickly, and I don't want to have to start buying into schemes (weight watchers or anything), or buying health foods, purely for financial reasons.

I tend to have a carb heavy diet (pasta is a great friend of mine), so I'm most likely going to give it up (or at least majorly cut down on it).

Any tips on diets to go for? I've been looking at the Atkins diet, and it seems to be a pretty good idea (and yes, I have read up on the potential risks).
But I'm having trouble finding a clear definition of things I should/shouldn't eat. (Most of the weekly meal plans are based around American food, and while food isn't so different here, alot of it means nothing to me or is unavailable).

Any help appreciated, as always. :)

Eat protein and fat! Stay away from the carbs! More meat, less potatoes. Don´t eat pasta. I don´t follow this diet strictly but I have cut down on potatoes, pasta, bread and stuff like that.

OK

I'm really gettin freaky with this healthy eating thing. Been doing some surfing on one of the Atkins forums...it seems that you can develop a yeast overgrowth in the ole intestines (called candida) that can slow down weight loss significantly. If you get bloated after eating cheese or drinking beer, you might be a redneck... I mean... have a candida problem. The cure...coconut oil or oregano oil. I'm gonna try it for a month...stay tuned...

Eat protein and fat! Stay away from the carbs! More meat, less potatoes. Don´t eat pasta. I don´t follow this diet strictly but I have cut down on potatoes, pasta, bread and stuff like that.

I disagree completely. If you like carbs, ATKINS AIN'T GOING TO WORK. I know a lot of people who've done it and keep yo-yo'ing.

I like carbs too and Weight Watchers low fat plan has really worked for me for over a decade. (And Weight Watchers will let you go low carb too if you really want to.) Bottom line is that it's all about changing your lifestyle and eating sensibly.

I know you don't want to purchase a program, but all you have to do is get the literature, not attend the meetings. Not too much of an investment and worth every penny.

I'll repost some of my tips I posted earlier, from one carb loving guy to another.

Here are some tips that worked for me. YMMV, but if you use Weight Watchers for two weeks, you'll know exactly how to eat to lose weight. The way you end up eating may be different but these tips work pretty well...

Keys for me:

- Exercise. Every other day I bike a half hour to forty minutes.

- I skip breakfast; most diets say you shouldn't and I'm not recommending it but it works for me

- Almost every day for lunch I have a ham or turkey sandwich on wheat bread w/low fat mayo and couple handfuls of low cal crackers or chips and salsa

- For dinner I watch portions carefully; one reasonable size portion of meat and starches; seconds and thirds of salads, soups, and veggies, being very careful about avoiding high fat sauces and dressings; I tend to order chicken and fish, not red meat

- Religiously at night I have a snack but it's always reasonable: pretzels, lite popcorn, or bowl of cereal

- In general I try to eat lots of whole grains, vegetables, and lowfat meats like ham, fish, and poultry and avoid cheeses, nuts, candy/sweets, and high fat mayos, dressings, and sauces like the plague

- I rarely drink anything with calories, such as juice or milk; I drink coffee, diet soda, and water; I don't drink alcohol except on weekends (that's been a tough one!)

Now that I'm maintaining, I splurge on weekends, eating bigger dinners and snacks. Works well for me!

I should add that my carb loving wife has also lost 20 lbs. and kept it off following basically the same formula. And we haven't given up pasta or bread. No way we could have...

Weight Watchers really does work and it's not a fad diet like South Beach, Atkins, etc..

I weighed about 250 and my doctor wanted to put me on cholesterol medication but after starting Weight Watchers, cutting out meat except for fish and excecising on a stationary bike I lost about 50 pounds and no longer need to go on medication. This was four years ago. WW works.

Getting back on the bike after four years. It all started with fall on the bike and a hip injury that led to a knee injury. I rationalized getting back on the bike as Ohio's fall turned into winter by telling myself, "you've got to finish your dissertation" and "you're not in any shape to ride with the team." And then it was finding an academic job (while finishing the dissertation) and moving. Then I rationalized not getting on the bike and rehabbing my hip and knee by saying, "you've just moved and you really need to publish another article or two and then work on the book." Then it was, well my knee hurts when I walk...And well...we all know.

This summer I went and got my knee looked at (nothing serious) and started stretching and what not. Last week I started parking on the top level of the parking garage at work and taking the long route from my office to the garage at the end of the day. (Stairs were starting to get tricky because my knee was out of alignment and it was starting to make me unsure on my feet).

Today I put the bike on the indoor trainer. I only "rode" for twenty minutes, but it's a start and longer than I thought I'd handle (I tried this last year and twenty minutes was too much at the start). I told myself fifteen minutes and then, well...until the end of the half and then, after this commercial and it was twenty minutes. My legs feel bit rubbery, but good.

I'm not going to worry about "looking good." I'm not going to worry about being in bike racer shape like I was before the fall. I'm going focus on feeling better and being in shape, even if I don't look it. I've about 60 pounds to go, so it'll be a long year and the last twenty or so will be the hardest--small steps and reminding myself that muscle gain will show up on the scale.

Hey just want to say best of luck on dieting and try to hide from fad diets. I got back into hiking and I've dropped about 10 and I'm going for another 20.

Just to play Devils advocate , I'm 64 , 5' 9" and have weighed 143 to 150 since the early 60s .. I eat well, I exercise a lot , I walk 3 or 4 miles a day .. I've actually tried to gain weight .. On the other hand , I love my Teles , too , lol

Hey y'all! Checking back in. Since I've started on the low carb diet, I've now gone from a rather portly 229 lbs down to 190. Four or five more pounds, and I can move into a maintenance ohase which will allow me to start raising carb content by degrees untill I find a level where I don't lose any more weight, but don't gain any more either. Anyone considering low-carb approach, I would recommend it. But I would recommend doing some research and finding a solid, published plan (there are several) and following that. I've lost 39 lbvs in around 2 1/2 to three months, and feel great. The plan I have has detained charts which list various foods and carb-content. You'd be surprised how much carbs are in some vegetables that you wouldn't expect. Spinach is a good example. Best thing is, that I haven't really had to cut caloric intake, I've just had to substitute other foods for the carb laden ones. :smile:

Okay, I’ve intentionally avoided this thread for long enough. I'm taking the plunge and part of the drill is stating my goal to all those around me. I’ve already begun the process this weekend. Thanks to the administrators of TDPRI for this aspect of the forum. It gives me the opportunity to share my intentions with everyone thereby adding more leverage in my effort to achieve improved health.

5’11”, 178 lbs, 118/75 blood pressure and cholesterol <200, that was me for decades. In the past, my doctor was actually anxious to see if I was still 178 when I showed up for my visits. Not any longer. Now that I've stopped all forms of strenuous exercise for almost four years, I'm feeling the flab. I'm a weak POS. For the past couple of years I've settled into 192 lbs, 135/77 blood pressure, with my cholesterol remaining <200. I'm mostly worried about the blood pressure, which spikes even higher when I’m stressed. Also, I would like to feel a little stronger and could do without the slight gut that makes my jeans feel too snug when they first come out of the dryer.

So, it's less salt & more salads, less TV/computer surfing & more treadmill, less alcohol & more water. This is my routine for the next thirty days. My wife has maintained her healthy lifestyle throughout, so that makes it easier for me. The second phase of my plan is to abstain from alcohol for Lent, which arrives early this year, a month from Wednesday I believe. By the time Easter comes I will be strong enough to hit the rail trails with my mountain bike early Saturday mornings. If I wasn’t so afraid of breaking a another finger on my left hand I’d even consider skating again.

The first thirty days is the toughest. Plus I've never gotten in shape before without the goal of competing on a team. There's a first time for everything.

Treadmill... Despise the treamill and the stationary bike.

Hey y'all! Checking back in. Since I've started on the low carb diet, I've now gone from a rather portly 229 lbs down to 190. Four or five more pounds, and I can move into a maintenance ohase which will allow me to start raising carb content by degrees untill I find a level where I don't lose any more weight, but don't gain any more either. Anyone considering low-carb approach, I would recommend it. But I would recommend doing some research and finding a solid, published plan (there are several) and following that. I've lost 39 lbvs in around 2 1/2 to three months, and feel great. The plan I have has detained charts which list various foods and carb-content. You'd be surprised how much carbs are in some vegetables that you wouldn't expect. Spinach is a good example. Best thing is, that I haven't really had to cut caloric intake, I've just had to substitute other foods for the carb laden ones. :smile:

Can you mention that plan? Feel free to PM me. Thanks.

...and diving in. What a great service for us fattys!
This is my first tdpri post, but been lurking awhile. Quick bio:
Age 55
weight 240 - need to lose at least 30.


BTW - I own just a Frankencaster ( parts of at least 2 teles) and play it lousy.

Well.......I just noticed this topic after starting one on this topic. I had my leg crushed when I was 21.......I weighed in at 165 then and it was all muscle. I shot up to 240 in a year. I did loose it all by the time I was 23 but when I retired ain 1997 I slowly got up to 285. Christ.....I went from doin 8 2 minute rounds of kick boxing to a point when I would have trouble just tying my shoes. Two years ago I was diagnosed with a cardiomyopathy(weak heart) and told that I would die in a short time if I did not quit drinking(quart or more of vodka) per day. It took me 6 months to get serious and go to AA. Since then I went on the atkins diet and loss 55 pounds. I hope to stay on this track. I go in for a stress test monday.

Might as well post my progress here...

January 11th, I started trying the Nutri-System meals. It seems to be working great!

I started out at 260, and as of this morning, I'm 239. I've lost 21 lbs and I can honestly say that I haven't been 'starving' once. They have you eat small portions 5 times a day. I heartily endorse them...


Jamie

Just checking in. I'm down five pounds and on the wagon for Lent. I've been walking, jogging and using my wife's elliptical machine. So far, so good. My blood pressure even dipped to 113/73 last week after walking around sunny Anaheim for a couple of days. One day back in the office and I was clocking 134/73 again. It's time to pick up the pace a bit.

Keep it up guys, you are all doing great.

I started with walking less than a year ago, and just finished the Austin Marathon yesterday. I watch what I eat and the exercise really reduces the pounds.

Gone from around 250 to 208 today, got just a few more to go.

I just found this thread, but was about to start something like it until I found this one.

I'm 5'10" and was at 240lbs. until my doctor recently told me that I had to go on a serious diet. He even called me "obese." The nerve! Well, I also started a new job, so it took we a few weeks to get started but I got serious at the start of Lent. I'm down to 228 as of today.

I've tried dieting before, including atkins, but nothing seems to work long term. Like someone said before, I don't think diets work. I think that changing habits do. With Atkins I lost almost 40 lbs, but I couldn't maintain that diet. I'm trying now to develop good habits and replace bad habits. I've been drinking a big glass of water before every meal. And I've been getting up from the table when I'm still a bit hungry. When I do get hungry I drink a big glass of water. If I'm still hungry 20 minutes later I eat a granola bar. Other than that its three meals with what a normal person would call medium sized portions....and what I would call "Not enough."

But, a little incentive never hurts!

I've been eyeing a 69 RI Thinline for quite a while. We can afford it but with little ones in the house we can always find a better use for $600 than a new guitar. So, my wife and I decided to set $600 aside and we are going to buy that guitar....as soon as I get below 200 lbs. When I'm thinking long term health benefits v.s. a meaty cheeseburger, the cheeseburger always seems to win. Now I can think meaty cheeseburger v.s. new guitar!

Well, thanks for this thread!

I've finally made it to my target weight of 185lbs and feel good. I've been slowly increasing my carb intake to include a little pasta and some things like crackers, but I doubt I'll ever go back to regular sodas or sugar sweetned tea. I've been holding at this weight for several weeks now.

You don't want me to play. I cheat. I'm on chemo and just lost 8 lbs. in the last week.... and my hair.

.... but I AM proud of all of you that are doing this!

cottage cheese and meat! LOTS of protein that´s he key!

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I've found a "plan" that really works...... Diverticulitis. It hit me at a gig right before Thanksgiving, I finished the gig, thought I had constipation (really, really screwed with my lower back), but was headed to see my folks for the holidays , so I didn't pay too much attention to it.

So I got to my parents house, and was just miserable.....needless to say since Thanksgiving, I've been hospitalized twice, and had 4 trips to the ER (the pain was unbelievable), and am probably headed for surgery within the next few years, if it keeps coming back

The end result (I'm still getting over it), is that I've dropped 40 lbs since Thanksgiving (280 to 240). My blood pressure is way down, and my lower back is not nearly as chronic as it was.

So, I "highly" recommend the Diverticulitis diet (please note I'm being as sarcastic as possible)!!!! I did want to lose weight, but not this fast, and not under these circumstances......but it has started me down the road to better things

Well, I decided to get in on this and try and see what I can do about changing a few things in my life, and this is just one of them.

I am now into day two of cutting back my food intake. My question to anyone here that can give me any advice on this question would be greatly appreciated. I really believe this is mostly mental. I have replaced all my snacks and a couple of my meals with fruits and vegetables. I am into day two, and even though I am not really hungry (because I just ate a piece of fruit), the craving for junk food is still there. I understand this is normal being used to Quarter Pounders with Cheese, Taco Bell burritos, etc., but how do you talk youself down, and get your mind off of giving in to that urge. Very tough. It makes you wonder how bad you really want to be skinny and healthy, when it would be so easy blow it off and call Pizza Hut for a delivery right now.

FYI, for the record, I am 6'-0", 235 as of Monday.

Thanks,
Jim

WOW

lotta concern over overwight

thats good

read the labels / choose less fat content or NO fat in foods. LOTS of these
products on the shelves in America.

eat more fruit / vegetables

you feel better if you're thinner

that motivates me

3 back surgeries tends to keep me in the flat strong abdominal muscle supports the spine mode

AND

women do like guys that are NOT morbidly obese

Good luck to all on the battle of the bulge!

it's constant

You don't want me to play. I cheat. I'm on chemo and just lost 8 lbs. in the last week.... and my hair.

.... but I AM proud of all of you that are doing this!


Best of luck with your chemo treatments. Judging by your ability to keep your humor, I'm sure your attitude will help loads. My dad beat it the same way - positive attitude.

As for weight loss - the time is now for me to start, too. I'm in my late 30's, 6'0 and 203 lbs. Prior to turning 30 I weighed 165 for 10 years. I'm going to cut sugar soda and start walking every day. I've been inactive and chugging the Mt. Dew - getting too old for that.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I've found a "plan" that really works...... Diverticulitis.

So sorry to hear of your newly found familiarity with diverticulitis. Me old mum had it, had the surgery. Everything worked out well.

Best of luck to you.

So sorry to hear of your newly found familiarity with diverticulitis. Me old mum had it, had the surgery. Everything worked out well.

Best of luck to you.

Thank you!! I'm mostly likely headed for thhe surgery (doctor said I'm to young for this to have developed). ow long was your mom's recovery? Glad to hear everything worked out well for her!

Sorry, to hear about you guys who are losing weight for unpleasant medical reasons. Best of luck to you.

I am into day two, and even though I am not really hungry (because I just ate a piece of fruit), the craving for junk food is still there. I understand this is normal being used to Quarter Pounders with Cheese, Taco Bell burritos, etc., but how do you talk youself down, and get your mind off of giving in to that urge. Very tough. It makes you wonder how bad you really want to be skinny and healthy, when it would be so easy blow it off and call Pizza Hut for a delivery right now.

Well, that's why I haven't been able to do it until giving myself a prize to look forward to. This way I can decide between a cheeseburger or getting my guitar.

Also, I've found that drinking lots of flavored water, powerade option (only 40 calories in a 32 oz. bottle) and Cherry Coke Zero are helping my to get over the sweet tooth. The diet soda still isn't good for me, but its better than junkfood and has less calories than coffee. Plus, the excess fluids keep me full. But, be prepared to be constantly in the bathroom.

BTW, down to 220. Was down to 217, but I pigged out on Easter. The first 10-15 pounds wasn't too tough, but each pound is getting harder and harder to lose. I'm just now starting to incorporate a little bit of exercise into my diet.

Chad

Thank you!! I'm mostly likely headed for thhe surgery (doctor said I'm to young for this to have developed). ow long was your mom's recovery? Glad to hear everything worked out well for her!

She's pretty tough old bird. It wasn't as bad as she thought. I don't remember the details, truth be told. The pulmonary doc came in, right after she woke up post-surgery, and told her:

"Ma'am, you have COPD."

She called him names, but he was right. She does really well, all the same, and will turn eighty next January, God willing.

Surgery was very successful for her.

Best Wishes if/when you have a procedure.

BTW, down to 220. Was down to 217, but I pigged out on Easter.

Well Easter was my last slip up as well. But if you are going to break it, a holiday is a pretty good reason I think.

My car doesn't have a spare tire.... no room...:grin:

I've seen this thread, but never read it.
I'm 55, 6'3" and am 245 lbs. (up 5lbs since December)

I see I have alot of post reading to do, but am curious to read what everyone else is doing to lose weight.

I have to admit, that I honestly have no will power.

But....I really need to do something before I have a doctor telling me how a heart attack could have been avoided.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I've found a "plan" that really works...... Diverticulitis. It hit me at a gig right before Thanksgiving, I finished the gig, thought I had constipation (really, really screwed with my lower back), but was headed to see my folks for the holidays , so I didn't pay too much attention to it.

So I got to my parents house, and was just miserable.....needless to say since Thanksgiving, I've been hospitalized twice, and had 4 trips to the ER (the pain was unbelievable), and am probably headed for surgery within the next few years, if it keeps coming back

The end result (I'm still getting over it), is that I've dropped 40 lbs since Thanksgiving (280 to 240). My blood pressure is way down, and my lower back is not nearly as chronic as it was.

So, I "highly" recommend the Diverticulitis diet (please note I'm being as sarcastic as possible)!!!! I did want to lose weight, but not this fast, and not under these circumstances......but it has started me down the road to better things


as a follow up, I'm now down 65 lbs.......thanks to the rapid weigt loss from the diverticulitis, it triggered problems with my gall bladder....that's being taken out Thursday. Well, I wanted to loose weight, and I guess you could say I succedded!!! Not the best way to do it, but doc thinks once my gall baldders out, my stomach problems should ease up, and I can go back to a somewhat regular diet.

You guys are an inspiration. Sorry to the guys losing weight through medical problems, hope it works out okay for you and glad to see the humour is still there. My weight is okay, it's just that I should be 7' 9" tall !!
I intend to lose 30 lbs before my next holiday in August, I just came back from holiday and the holiday photos shocked me considerably. First thing I am going to do is cut out all the chocolate I eat..and I eat it a lot.
5 April 2008

I'm glad this thread is still going and for many including myself, it's provided much inspiration.

For those just getting started, a good rule of thumb is to look at how much white is in your diet. By that I mean white bread, sugar, pasta, and yes even potatoes. Switch to whole wheat, whole grain, or multi-grain breads and pasta. Substitute sugar for Splenda or Sweet and Lo. You have to look at how much beer you consume; it's very difficult to loose weigh as long as you are sucking suds. Gotta read those labels, compare you'll be amazed at the fat and sodium contents we consume. Make up your mind to stay away from the fridge after supper; a healthy snack won't hurt.

This thread is an encouragement. I just started Weight Watchers and lost 5 1/2 lbs. my first week. Hope it keeps coming off, I need to lose a total of about 50. In addition to following their "Flex" plan, I hit the treadmill 30 mins a day, five days a week, which I've been doing for about a year and a half now. Proves to me that exercise alone doesn't do it if you want to lose weight. It does have lots of other benefits, but if I'm going to feel healthy at all as I get older (I'm 59) I've got to drop some poundage. I'll post my progress (or lack of) once a week or so.

as a follow up, I'm now down 65 lbs.......tanks to the rapid weigt loss from the diverticulitis, it triggered problems wit my gall bladder....that's being taken out Thursday. Well, I wanted to loose weight, and I guess you could say I succedded!!! Not the best way to do it, but doc thinks once my gall baldders out, my stomach problems should ease up, and I can go back to a somewhat regular diet.

Well, surgery went well, and I can already tell a difference in my stomach (since I've lost the weight, I've noticed a huge improvement with my back as well). Once I get through the recovery, it's time to start exercising, to keep all the weight off I've lost.
Final weight loss as of this morning:
Thanksgiving I was 280
Today 205..........
75 lbs in less than 6 months......
Chris

I just weighed in and I weigh 242.5 lbs... Exactly what I weighed last year, and the year before, and the year before...

I reckon that's what happens when you don't change diet or exercise habits!

...damn it!

Cheers, Tim

congratulations to all you guys.
I am now 195, lbs, with about ten to go. Works out to an average loss of a pound a week for the last year. I was around 245-50 last year at this time.
I thought those recommended BMI weights were bull, but now I can see they are pretty much correct.

Congrats on the weight loss!!!! You definitley did it the "right way". Much less of a toll on your body, and it will be much easier to keep it off. Nice job!!!!!

Chris

Thursday will be my fourth week completed in Weight Watchers and I'm down 9.3 lbs so far. Long way to go, but I'm feeling pretty good about it.

Weighed in yesterday, have lost a total of 11.8 lbs in four weeks. Not bad.

Well, I've started to walk a couple miles a day on the out-door hiking/biking trail close to where I live. Not to lose weight, but because there is this really hot young lady that walks her dog there almost every evening. So, exercise DOES have its benifits. ;>)

Yesterday's weigh-in wasn't so great, but at least it's still on a downward trend. I lost another 1.2 lbs for a total of 13 lbs. in five weeks.

broke through 190 this weekend, these last few seem to be the hardest.

...the whole food thing has been an eye-opener, for me.

we have been seriously bamboozled, and completely brain-washed, by big business and big marketing, into believing that the poisons they manufacture and market are food.

they're not.

but, we have been eating these poisons and, worse, feeding them to our children, for decades.

the results are disastrous.

i'm sixty and in good shape, but only because i can afford to be.

i also live alone and have complete autonomy over what goes into my refrigerator.

and i don't spend half my life commuting, so i have time to exercise.

obesity and other health problems related to the utter crap we eat are going to get much worse before they get better.

i have a 4-yr-old grandson who is already completely addicted to "non-food", and i'm totally helpless to do anything about it.

-dh

June 19 weigh in at Weight Watchers - I've lost 19.2 lbs. in seven weeks.

O.K. I'm starting today. 5'9, 187lbs. 45yrs.. waist size larger than pant length. Going to exercise more, eat less.

New to this thread...I pulled my bike out of storage for the first time in years last week. I'm riding every morning and it actually feels pretty good!

I haven't been part of this deal to date, but I've been working on loosing a few. I'm 6'1", was 225lbs 2 weeks ago, now down to 218lbs, my target is 200lbs. Just been scaling back on the brew and big meals, next step is excersize.

Total lost as of today: 24.4 lbs on WeightWatchers

A few years ago I was close to 300lbs, I stopped the fast food, went to the gym and got down to 225, I've dipped below 220, but not consistently.
Waist is 38, inseam 32, and I really would love to get that down to a 34, So, as you goons as my witnesses, I am going to stop with the sweets for 1 week to start, see how that plays out, and go forward from there.
For the record, I go to the gym 3 -5 days a week, but mostly focus on cardio, will be mixing in more weight training, there's a few of us at work who go to the gym at lunch, so it's good motivation.
Thanks!!

im a real big guy 6ft 2 390lbs strong as an ox i can bench 300 lbs
im down to 390 from 408 let me tell u its all about wanting to and doing somthing a bout it.i wear a size 60 wrangler and a 4x shirt my goal is to get down to 300 as strong as i am i still need to lose weight ill let u know how it goes.

6' 1", 300lbs... Weighed 220lbs in 1993

I've reached my initial goal. I was around 245-50 about 14 months ago. No real diet, just watch what I was eating, and reduced my portion size. I have also included exercise. I started with a three mile walk everyday, and slowly began running part of that walk, until i was running the entire thing. Once I was running I dropped back to every other day, to avoid injury. Slowly, I increased the mileage to now my average run distance is 7.5 miles. A run from six to fifteen miles at a time now.

My weight now is 185, but I am going to go for another ten. I am six foot.
Its baby steps that get the job done. I have lost a pound a week, but looking back that adds up to sixty pounds.

Keep it up guys, the rewards are huge, not just your physical health. Your mental health will improve, and your brain will work better to.

I'm 16, 228lbs, 5'11. I was 242lbs about a month ago, and have started running, and eating right lately, although this last week I've been slacking :( My goal is 210lbs.

After hitting 338lbs in June on a 50 yr old 6'1" frame, I decided to change my ways.(again)
7 weeks away working in northern Ontario made it easier for the behavior modification to take hold.
My goal was to loose 5 lbs /week mostly through excercise and sensible eating.
I am happy to say as of today I have lost 45 lbs.
Now that I am home and I can only visit the TDPRI after I do a bit of fittness first. My goal is to continue to lose another 75 lbs.
Anyway it is nice to be back reading all of the cool posts again.

Cheers
Phil

WW weigh-in yesterday, total lost 27.8 lbs since May 1.

20 more to go.

I started running last fall. I ran my first 5k in June. Now I am running 4 miles three days a week.

My initial goal was weight loss. I am 6'2" and was tipping the scale at just over 230 lbs. Today I am at 220, but definately everything has tightened up, and my clothes have loosened up. I plan to add a three day a week weight training regimine along with running.

The key is not to worry about the number on the scale, but how you feel and how you want to look.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/tgreene7/Anne067.jpg

September 2006.

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc258/tgreene7/Fullimage_010.jpg

This is me in August 2008, I started walking in April of 2007, and have increased steadily to the level I am at right now. Probably around a sixty pound weight loss.

Keep it up guys, even if you slip get up and keep going.

Back on the fitness routine after years of sliding. Starting gradually-pushups and crunches and the like for exercise. The wife and I are going to start walking together this evening. Within the next month I'll drag the Total Gym out of storage and use it. Eventually hope to get a barbell and bench or budget a gym membership and back to serious lifting. My goal is to lose 10 lbs. by Oct. 12th and be in the best shape of my life by our 20th anniversary in Feb.'09.

Here's hoping that 45 will be better than 25,
Jim

Muscle weighs more than fat so if you want to lose weight get rid of all that annoying muscle.

Muscle weighs more than fat so if you want to lose weight get rid of all that annoying muscle.

Wish I could sometimes!:rolleyes: At 40yrs old, 6' 1" and 315lbs.:cry: I long for the days when I weighed 195lbs again... but I will happily settle for 220lbs and a 34-36 inch waist again...:neutral: But if Ithink I will go for the brass ring! 190-200lbs by next April 29:twisted:...

I am down another 20 lbs from my last post Aug 13.
The grand total since June 25 is 63 lbs, just another 60 to go!
Taking 60 minutes /day for myself really makes it easier to do.
Of course I haven't figured out how to visit the TDPRI on a daily basis yet maybe I should dedicate 2 hrs a day!

I started my weight loss journey in Feb. after finding out that I have type 2 diabetes. I was 38 years old, 6'1", and I weighed 282lbs. I had to cut most of the refined sugar out of my diet, as well as cutting back on anything high in starch (I love potatos and rice). I also had to start an exercise program of cardio at least 4 times a week and half an hour in duration. As of today I've lost 42lbs, I went from a size 40 pants to a 36, and my diabetes is now under control. I still have a long way to go to reach my goal of 200lbs but I feel better now than I have since I was in my 20's. I wont tell you that it's been easy, but it's been worth the effort.
Keep at it folks,

CC

October was a rough month...but I reached my goal for the month of October 260 pounds.
Total weight loss to date is 75 lbs
My Plan is to try to maintain a drop of 2.5 to 3 pounds /week.
Keep up the good work you guys...& good luck during the fast approaching holiday season.

in the coarse of the thread I've lost the spare tire or 50 pounds and found most it back again - 290 to 234 back to 273
and now I'm at the challenge again -- I'm learning reasons why i pack it on.. some of its health of organs - and bad food

starting today. I'm 43, and diabetic. I've been sliding the past couple of months and it's time to get back on track. 5'9" 195lbs. I'd like to get below 180.

I'm 51, 6'1', and weighed about 235 6 weeks ago...

Then I decided to drop some weight, and cut by carb intake...

I'm now about 215, but I'd like to get down to 200 (OK, 195 would be ideal!)...

To do that, I think I need to add an exercise program of some sort. I'm a FedEx courier, so I'm very active all day long, but its interesting how the body can adjust to that level of activity, and still pack on the extra weight!

I think I'll add an evening walk...

I stayed away from the dinner table and went hiking with the girlfriend and the puppy-dog instead this Thanksgiving break.

Even with the driving from Central Florida to South Carolina factored in, you aren't gonna gain weight if you sleep on the ground three nights and have to walk fast to stay warm.

I'm not concerned with the weight, I just wanna get the lean muscle mass up where it was. It changes the way clothes fit.

I got food poisoning in early April this year and didn't eat for maybe 3-4 days. After that I thought it a good opportunity to carry on losing some weight and I've pretty much succeeded so far. Firstly I cut out coming home for work and automatically reaching for a beer. I still drink when I want, but now I have a beer when I really want one and try to make the definition between wanting one and having one without thinking. If I have a beer and find that I didn't really want it after all - like a second one - I'll tip it away down the sink rather than tipping it away through my system.

I also cut out eating between meals. I don't do snacks anymore - just eat my meals.

It's been coming off slowly, which is the best way to maintain it, and now at 6ft tall I weigh in the region of 170 lbs. I've probably lost 35 lbs over the 9 months, and I plan to keep it that way. If I drink alcohol now, I'll have maybe 2 beers a week and sometimes I'm not too bothered about that either. If I drink red wine, I only want a single glass, but that's rare too. If I have one beer, I can feel the effect now.

I also walk to work and back every day, which is just under two miles each way, and I've got that down to 20 minutes.

My father died at 52, and now I'm nearly 50 with young children, it's time to stop mucking around and take responsibility. Personally I love it, but my wife is often jealous that people can't believe that I'm over 40! :mrgreen:
I tell them that I'm just immature.

I've been shedding some weight recently too, and that's because I'm a very newly diagnosed diabetic! I'm trying, where possible, to stick to a low GI diet, which has meant a complete re-think of what I eat, plus I'm staying off the beers and wines except for maybe some at the weekends.

Although I was never sedentary, I am also exercising more (just walking does it for me) and I will continue to do so!

I can now get into jeans that I couldn't wear for the last couple of years, that have a 33 inch waist... and I'm not bulging over the waistband!

Been a while since I posted here, but I'm happy to report I've gone from a near 42 waist to a 38 even with all the fixings this time of year. My goal is to get back to a 36 maybe come spring or early summer. It's a comfortable waist size for me. And no secret to the loss in weight, all I did was cut out all the junk food, but not without a treat once and again. You've got to reward yourself once in a while!

I'm back on the diet - this will make 5 times I've ditched the Tire!

First, fast for 3 days straight, that will slow your metabolism to a crawl...then wolf down two dozen krispy kream donuts, and wash it all down with a 40 of some cheap malt liquor like Mickey's wide mouth or Old English..then start another 3 day cycle..keep that up for a month and you'll be in shape...

Ok. Sounds like a worthy challenge.
Here are my vitals.

Now 215 lbs 36 waist

Goal 165 lbs 32 waist

I'll check back in June and report. This will not be easy given northern winters, indoor shift work and 50+ year old metabolism. On the other hand If I could learn to play well in 6 months I would be estatic. So maybe a little cardio and losing wieght is not that hard. :mrgreen:


Edit to correct starting weight and waist

Ok. Sounds like a worthy challenge.
Here are my vitals.

Now 205lbs 34-36 waist

Goal 170lbs 32 waist

I'll check back in June and report. This will not be easy given northern winters, indoor shift work and 50+ year old metabolism. On the other hand If I could learn to play well in 6 months I would be estatic. Maybe a little cardio and losing wieght is not that hard. :mrgreen:

Good thread here.

December! I have muchned and drunk my way thru what seems like a dozen parties and stacked it on.

I have a gut and muffin tops. In 2007 I was about 90kg, 200lbs whatever.

This morning: 99.9kg, 219lbs.

Goal =drop 20kg to 80kg

20kg at room temp is 20 litres of water, thats a jerry can full or 2 household buckets. (I like to visualise)

I think I'll pour half a litre into a jerry as I loose every half a kg and when its full I'll stop!

I plan on walking, I'm 50, and family-history contains numerous coronary-related probs. I was always able to do the walking test - 5km in 40mins, no pack. Actually 38min was my best time.

I do indoor shiftwork, on contract, in assisted living homes: 1400-2200 "lead-ups", sleep in staff bedroom "in case", and mostly 0700-1400 "follow-ons". 76 hours (not counting sleepovers which are paid separately and not on an hourly basis unless you have some drama to keep you awake) per 14 days.

Okay, on January 2nd I am going to get on the scale. I would like to be between 200 and 210 but I know I will probably be in excess of 230... just like every other January. So I need to knock off the excess poundage becuase wifey and I are taking our 3 boys on an adventure holiday in Iceland this coming summer. I don't think I can get down to 200... but 210 is definitely a MUST.

Who else is going to jump on the 2009 Poundage Drop wagon?

good thread ... 6 months ago I went to the doc, blood sugar a little high, blood pressure a little high, and a bit of a gut. I'm 45 yrs old, 6 feet tall, and 195 lbs. Doesn't sound bad, but I'm a thin guy. My sister got a masters in nutrition, confessed my eating habits and got set on track.

Changes:

No more 2 donut breakfast ... switched to bagel and cream cheese
No more soda ... none, switched to diet
No more fast food ... none, actually found that the subway $5 menu is pretty good

I eat pasta, chicken, more fruit, popcorn (light butter and salt) peanuts, baked Lays chips, that kind of stuff ...

Lost 15 pounds in 2 months, and eventually 20. Down to 175 now, lost most of the gut, not as tired, feel much better ... The trick is finding the food you like and still eating as much as you want. I can't go hungry! Blood sugar is now good, blood pressure down ... and it was all pretty easy ... cutting the donuts, soda, and fast food alone did the trick for me!

Go for it everyone! People notice, and you will feel better physically and mentally!

Joined the YMCA in the fall.

I've gained 5# and lost body fat.

Enjoying the Group Classes. Plenty of laughs with the group heckling the instructor and verse-visa.

These exercises are an hour long!

Spinning: Stationary bikes with a big flywheel. The maxtension adjust will make ya legs shake.

Body Sculpt: bar and dumb bell weights. Go light is key cos of max reps.

ABS: abs workout. Think the instructor was a DI, drill instructor. He's mean n lean. "Give me 10 more!"

Yoga: Beginners. First go 'round with "Yogurt". Didn't know this would make me a quivering, soaked dishrag. I was surprised at the mental clarity after the first session. Think the controlled breathing does it.

To aid workout recovery, Nurse friend told me to drink my Gatorade during and after exercise, and have your protein replenished within an hour of completing exercise. Sure helps.

jamie

Holidays are rough time for this.
I'm 6'2" and at the moment, 210lbs. I've been up to 240 and down to 185. I used to hover around 190, and I want to get back to that.
Got on my bike for the first time in a month today. The sun was warm but the air was too chilly for my lungs and I had to curtail the ride from 20 miles to 9. But that's the most exercise I've had since early December and it felt good despite the difficulty breathing.

Daniel

Hi guys, I haven't posted in about a year, so thought I'd give an update. New Years 2007 I was 252 lbs. By the first of 2008 I was at 172, and now a year later I have kept it off. Still just trying to eat real foods and watch portion size and walk a little. Good luck to all of you.

im only 22, but since college started in '04 ive put on about 30lbs of both muscle and fat. i used to weigh in at 145 @ 18yo (i was a pretty intense XC, track runner in HS) now i weigh a solid 175 @ 22. Some of it i know is muscle, as ive been going to lift off and on for the past 4-5 years and i can see the difference.

what i can also see is a gut.

im planning on trying to slim down to 165, but still build the muscle up.

started today, ran for the first time in about 2 years, and did a solid 2 miles in about 18 minutes (not too bad for being away for so long) already have plans to run with a buddy tomorrow so hopefully this turns into a habit of mine.


also wanna start eating an apple a day, and cut down on the Taco Bell.

Ok. Sounds like a worthy challenge.
Here are my vitals.

Now 205lbs 34-36 waist

Goal 170lbs 32 waist

I'll check back in June and report. This will not be easy given northern winters, indoor shift work and 50+ year old metabolism. On the other hand If I could learn to play well in 6 months I would be estatic. Maybe a little cardio and losing wieght is not that hard. :mrgreen:
Been there. Done that. Kept going farther.
18507
I'm 164 in the "after" of the above picture but that was probably 3lbs or more of water weight as I had just finished a 70 mile bike ride in summer heat.

On New Year's Day I bought some dress slacks with a 31 waist. I wear 30s in Levis (except for 501s where I need to get a 31 because the legs are too tight on the 30 inch waist 501s).

I think I'll have some of this.I'm 6'2" and am currently 210lbs.I weighed today at the Leisure Centre after taking my son Tom swimming and the ticket said I should weigh in at 190lbs.I normally play golf twice a week but as the weather has been so cold in recent weeks my golf has been cut to two games a month...on top of that the Xmas bingeing so I aint feeling too fit and my gigs won't get going 'til Feb so I aim to lose 20lbs by Feb 10th and start gigging again looking positively anorexic !!

A couple of years ago I dropped 75 pounds in 5.5 months, the first 50 came off pretty darn fast. The key for me was counting calories. Which had everything to do with being aware of what I was eating more than eating less, the volume of food I ate was actually more than I ate before I started. I've kept the weight off and was able to reintroduce "fun" foods like beer and pizza back into my weekly diet. I don't consume foods like that daily but once I reached my goal I continued to exercise and count calories to allow myself room to play on weekends. So far so good.

For me counting calories meant logging everything I put into my mouth into a calorie counter. After a while I was able to "eyeball" it and get pretty close, after you weigh several hundred chicken breasts you know what to expect. The best part for me was learning that cutting calories didn't require eating less, you have to be pretty darn hungry to take in 400 calories of fresh veggies. I was fortunate that I really like brocolli :lol:.

The reality was with a little creativity I was able to prepare and eat tasty low cal foods that didn't bore me, the massive mixing bowl sized salads I bring for lunch are local legend. It's amazing what you can do with stuff like chili and chicken tossed in with mounds of veggies.

I scaled in at 233# on January 3rd and this morning I'm down to 230#. Wifey has got me on a pretty strict diet. I need to get some exercise in as well, but it ain't easy in the winter when I'm already working and commuting 13 or 14 hours a day.

3 down... at least 20 more to go.

Okay...I am in now. I am 6-2 and weighed in at 247 yesterday morning. My goal #1 is 199 pounds. After that, I will re-evaluate and set goal #2.

Jim

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/cropme.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b189/dzaneh/cropme3.jpgWeight loss pic as of July '07...

Did real good for most of '08...
Well I had done real good, but I got on a heavy weight lifting binge & started drinking protein shakes... I WANTED to build lean muscle...well I had gone through that mess in my early thirties, you'd think I'd have learned my lesson... ANYWAY... I ended up putting on quite a bit of muscle, BUT added fat in the process... my weight slowly crept back up... as of last week I was at 223 lbs... NOT where I was wanting to be AT ALL! ...
SO I have gone back on the Nutrisystem Diet & cut out the weights for now... I'm doing 45 mins on the ellipticle & 15 mins of ab work & 30 mins yoga every morning before work...I will probably start doing a little weight workout in the evenings later just so I don't loose too much muscle... but I am never gonna go "weight crazy" again...
Hopefully in a few months I can get back down to 190 lbs , I feel really good at that weight ;^)

No pics as of yet... I weighed myself a few days ago and had reached 173. For some that is a goal, but it's about 10-12 pounds more that I'd care for. In 2002 I had hit 204, and after doing MediFast, got down to 161. I'm a runner/triathlete, and kept within 2 pounds of this through early last year. Then travel got too much, and I started gaining a bit.

This year I'm starting CrossFit, which is a high-intensity workout favored by elite military and law enforcement/first responders. I've only been at it a couple of weeks and haven't checked my weight, but I can FEEL the difference already. If you are looking for a high intensity strength and endurance workout, check this out!

In 06 I found I was creepin up on 300 lbs Iam 6'4" felt bad joint problems, Took control of my diet and By 07 I had dropped 75 lbs, down to a 34" waist from 44" 10" lost!! well I kinda Let my guard down!! Beer, candy, french fries Etc. late 08 I was creeping back up, so I have put the brakes on it again, however now I have rewarded my self to a min of 2 hrs a day on Sat.and Sun to do what I love as much as music, Riding my Dirt Bikes, excellant excerise, whn my sons were home over the holidays we pulled em out changed oil and fired em up for the 1st time in 5 yrs, and I was hooked again!! Today Iam pretty sore all over But I feel great!! excerise in any form wakes you up and burns off weight!! thats what I was missing in 06-07
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c204/601blues/DadsDirtBike005.jpg

Hello:
I lost 85 pounds in about 4 months back in 2007, at age 52. From 250 down to 165. I am 5'11. After years of working out and dieting, I finally went to an MD whose specialty was weight loss. Bariatrics. All I did was do what the man said. It worked fast so I stayed with it. I worked out a lot, but no help, and I have the kind of job that helps with this. Still at the same weight 18 months later. Give one of these guys a try.

on Sat.and Sun to do what I love as much as music, Riding my Dirt Bikes


ME TOO!!! Nice Husky, 1974 400? I was a Bultaco guy.


Update on the weight plan. Annual physical was earlier this month. I weighed at 215. :shock: So I have done some reading and web searching. I found a very easy to use way to count calories (intake) and exercise (output) called "My Plate". It is on the Livestrong websight.

I am now eating 1500 kcals a day which will feed my basic metabolism. Any activity above the 1500 kcals will take it's energy from fat stores, as long as the activity is aerobic. I am xc skiing, running daily. Will add in cycling as soon as the snow and ice clears. I should be a solid 165 this summer.

I was 208 this morning. :mrgreen: Hope everyone else is on track.

Good luck to all......I just don't think I have the willpower to get rid of my extra 20lbs. In the summertime, I'll probably lose about 10 of it thanks to yardwork.

I had started the Men's Health Belly Off Program 4 weeks ago...

www.menshealth.com/bellyoff

I started at 202 lbs...I now weigh in at 188. My Honeymoon weight from July 2002.

Am I the only one here with the opposite problem? lol
about 2 years ago i was 145 almost nearing on 150, got sick and lost about 15 pounds.
Never managed to get that 15 back on because it was mostly muscle loss. Then got a virus a few weeks ago and lost another ten. I was down to 126!!! Just starting to get back up to 135... would love to get back up to 150+
Will have to get into the fridge after dinner big time!!! hehe

Well...We just finished Week 9 of our 8 Week Belly off program (we're weening ourselves off the menu/program until we feel comfortable making our our menus)

I have lost 23 pounds. Went from 202 to 179!

My wife has lost around 26...

Well...We just finished Week 9 of our 8 Week Belly off program (we're weening ourselves off the menu/program until we feel comfortable making our our menus)

I have lost 23 pounds. Went from 202 to 179!

My wife has lost around 26...

That is awesome!

I am around 250# and need to get down below 200#...its hurting my health, but for some reason I still struggle with it...I am not a drinker...not a smoker...don't do drugs...but I am most definitely addicted to food.

I'm joining the challenge. I've developed quite the little beer gut lately. I've always had a very high metabolism and have been able to eat as much as I want whenever I want...it used to be a real struggle for me to gain weight.
Well that's changed! No more 8 egg omelets for breakfast and 4 sandwich dinners. I guess age is starting to catch up with me. It's nothing too severe yet. I'm about 6' 185#...had been 175# since I was 14. I'd like to get back down to the 175# so that gives me 10# to lose.
I've been doing 100 pushups and 100 situps every day for a long time, but I haven't been doing any cardio for the last few years. I used to run daily so I'm going to start back on that. I'm also going to try to watch my portions and spread my meals out throughout the day...I usually only eat once or twice a day, but eat too much at those sittings.
Anyway...wish me luck.

I started Jan 12 09 at 246. As of this morning, I'm at 207.4 lbs. I'm doing my own menu of lower carb and lower fat foods, an hour of exercise per day (cross-country running for about a half hour and a half hour of Wii Fit Yoga) plus an ab routine every other day to try to keep up with stretch marks. Also, I've been using Alli which I think has been a big plus. My original goal was 199. When I reach it, I'm going to reset and come up with another lower goal of 179.

Been going to the local Y to keep down weight gain.

Enjoying the 1 hr group classes.

"Spinning"-stationary bike, weights, aerobics, abs, swimming, walking.

Presently hovering around the 200# mark. Tough to crack it.

I've been getting up early to do abs on a slant board and the NordicTrack X-ski.

Good Luck Y'all

jamie

Progress Report: Started Jan 27 at 215 pounds, 36 inch waist. 8+ weeks later I am 194 pounds and back in some old 32 waist pants. :mrgreen: For the first time in years, I feel like I have some control over my eating/weight. Still have another 20 or so pounds to go. More later.

As of last week, I finally lost my 10th pound.

Well, I must be a glutton for punishment...LOL

Just finished reading this entire thread

Like some others, I had a fast metabolism in my twenties and couldn't gain weight

Used a product Hoffman's Quick Gain Weight

Even that didn't work

Fast forward to my fifties

Did Body for Life about 6 years ago and went from 220 to 168

Got in great shape and Dr took me off blood pressure pills and cholesterol pill

Now I'm back up to 215.5 @ 6'2'' and back on BP and cholesterol pills

Long story short...I'm going to start Body for Life again and try to get in shape by the end of June when I'll turn 59

Wish me luck

Kevin

Been going to the local Y to keep down weight gain.

Enjoying the 1 hr group classes.

"Spinning"-stationary bike, weights, aerobics, abs, swimming, walking.

Presently hovering around the 200# mark. Tough to crack it.

I've been getting up early to do abs on a slant board and the NordicTrack X-ski.

Good Luck Y'all

jamie

I'm doing the local Y as well. I've been doing the Body Pump (weightlifting) and Turbo Kick (kickboxing) classes. I've done Turbo for about 8 months and Pump for about 6. I'm still right around 200 lbs, but I can tell you that I haven't felt this good physically since high school. Doesn't hurt that there's some eye candy too. :wink: You should really give it a whirl.

Very cool to see this in here, I'm slowly reading my way through. Thought I'd offer some things that have worked for me in the time being.

A short backstory, I was slowly putting on the weight the past few years after quitting drinking but it really got out of hand after my dad died last year. I was up to a bit more than 225 by the end of the summer and really not happy with myself. I tried limiting calories, and lost weight but gained it back, etc. It was also a bit depressing on top of everything else.

First thing I did that actually worked, around November or so, was cut out white flour from all snacks. Which meant no pretzels...I could go through half a bag in a night. Just that alone had me down 15 pounds in around 45 days. Then I switched to smaller more frequent meals around mid January, that helped me get down to about 195.

Then the last thing, which really has me FEELING the best which is the important thing was to actually alter my diet - not trying to limit fat and calories but take all unneeded carbs out of my diet. Potatos, sugar, other white flour from bread, all gone. Meals are now some sort of meat (or tofu) such as frying up whatever fish I find in a pan on top of greens like spinach, 2 or 3 eggs for breakfast. Snacks are all nuts and peanut butter.

I am now down to 171 and really finally feeling more energy and actually putting on a little bit of muscle too (I've either been skinny like in college or fat like last summer, nothing in between)- when I had just limited calories I was having like for example a bowl of soup with a sausage crumbled into it - it was probably like 60 carbs right there. Keeping carbs under around 75 total throughout the day seems to work for me though some people so less, some slightly more. The one thing about this is that you have to maintain the diet, which for me is no problem because there is actually more variety of foods this way and it does not actually feel like a diet.

There were a number of diets that used the carb limiting thing but imo there is no reason to really know about any of them, it is simple - just keep white flower and sugar out of your diet as much as possible, learn how much sugar is naturally in foods (for example an apple has around 20 carbs, other fruits have more, some less). I have probably eaten more fried fish in the past month than the entire last 10 years but there are so many kinds, and then if I get tired of frying there are so many ways to cook them (summer time grilling, can't wait).

By the way this is with no exercise other than pushups and situps.

Hey, I've been looking through this thread and congrats to you all on working so hard! That's awesome.

I box and am also PT personal trainer. One exercise I HIGHLY recommend is this the Burpee:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/rossboxing2.htm

It's an intense conditioning exercise that'll burn fat like crazy, really work your heart and lungs and really conditions your entire body. In short, they kick yer ass..in a good way.

They're great to do at the end of your regular workout session or you can do a quick (but very intense) workout when you don't have alot of time. They're actually very popular in prison where they don't have access to weights and have limited outdoor time.

I've always loved Chet Atkins, but a few years ago I gained back all the weight I lost on that diet of his.

A couple years ago I met the 300 mark, and my boss, who'd obviously dropped significant weight, told me his secret: 1500 calories a day. I did it, writing down numbers and ingredients for each meal, and not eating between meals. It worked well, and I dropped into the 240s.

You can't live on 1500 calories forever, and I can't keep up the regimen forever, either, having the attention span of a hummingbird with rabies. I try to hold it around 2000 a day now, without formally counting, and I'm still hanging around 260, but I'd better start paying attention again.

I know this is a lifetime battle for me. Thanks for the challenge: I'm in.

ya know the hard workin guy i am, I was drinking a 2 liter bottle of coke a day for many years, until last december when I started going blind, went to the doctor and was told i had blood suger of 405 and he told me he didnt know why i didnt die, said i could have dropped dead at any moment, so anyway had to quit sugar, not hard to do sense I was so sick, dropped 30 lbs this year so far, 240lbs to 210, and my blood sugar is hanging at 95, so my advise is to quit the sugar, really:cool:

I'm going to post my story on this thread when I finish this cheeseburger.

And these fries..

Martin...

I have been on the Atkins diet since late January, and my weight has dropped from 168 to 146 pounds, which is probably not too bad for a guy who is 5'8" tall. I might keep on going until I get down to 140 pounds. I need to get started on an exercise program with a personal trainer to firm up my gut.

My waist is now 30 inches. If I lose any more weight, I'm going to have a hard time finding pants that are small enough.

My waist had gone from a near 44 to a 37 in two years! No more free pickings at work since retirement .. plus only two meals a day ... meat and salad, fruit and pasta ... seems to work. And no junk food .. period! Comes a time ......

I have struggled with my weight nearly my entire life. My happiest point was back in 2002, when I was 152 and 6'0". Everything fit and I was in great shape, if not a bit underweight (that was a first!). I was walking to the track where I would powerwalk 2 miles 6 days a week, and then walking from class back to my dorm and then to work (which was also on the college campus). So all in all, I was probably walking about 6 miles a day.

Then I met the young woman who would become my wife. All the time I used to spend exercising was now spent with her, because she's my inamorata and my best friend. She's stick thin and can eat anything...I can get fat just from watching her eat. Well, I'm about 204 now and I've started powerwalking 5 days a week again. I'm taking appetite suppressants so that I don't overeat and I'm trying to eat as healthy as possible.

I'm working on my upcoming EP after years of doing the band thing without getting anywhere (they're really no music scene in South Florida). I need to be back around 160-165 to look great and I won't be taking pictures for the disc until I do so. I've put myself on a 6 month goal. I am determined to get back to my optimal weight by December, come hell or high water.

-4 since Memorial weekend, and counting. 25 lbs. to go if it's going to be down to the ideal of 180. Motivating activity, going to pool and realizing my excess needs to go...:mrgreen:

Am I the only one here with the opposite problem? lol
...Just starting to get back up to 135... would love to get back up to 150+...That was me at your age. All you have to do is hit 30 and get a sit-on-your-ass job.

I'd worked my way up from 132 up to 150 over the course of 8 years or so of trying, then I got a sit-down job and ended up at 195 with no trying at all. I'm back down to 180 now... still skinny by most people's standards (I'm 6'6"ish), but I could handle dropping a good 10lbs and be in much better shape.

Workin' on it... really, I need to gain muscle worse than I need to lose fat, but if I could do both and end up at the 195 again I'd be doing great.

I feel like a jerk talking because I've never been fat, or even chubby, but have had 20 extra lbs. on me, yet I was somehow still on the slim side. I'm 6'2, and I was 180 lbs, so I had a little belly and handles... nothing severe, but I decided that I wanna be happy with my body... to me, that means having the rock and roll skinny look without the heroin or without starving myself. I do like looking skinny, but also fit, not like a junkie or sickly.

I've since cleaned up my eating, no fast food at all, no processed foods, no extra oils, no dairy, less salt, less sugar, basically - pure, organic, whole foods. The only dead item I now consume is fish, and it must be a healthy fish that is prepared properly (grilled, poached, baked) - not fried or pan fried.

I just want to recommend this to everyone, I've never felt better in my life. I used to get sick every few months, I haven't been sick in the year that I've made this change. I'm also now 162 lbs. instead of 180 where I was at. My goal is 156 which would put me at a 20 BMI which is at the low end of a healthy BMI. Healthy is considered 20-25, some sources claim that as low as 18.5 is healthy, but I couldn't imagine weighing that little, I'd feel anorexic like that.

Anyways, it's tough to do at first, but once you re-train your taste buds to taste and appreciate our God given food as opposed to the processed garbage that most live off of, it pays off on it's own. When your mouth waters at the thought of fresh spinach and a perfectly ripe, raw avocado, something is definitely going right.

For exercise, I really recommend an eliptical. I used to run 6-8 miles with little to no results - but 30 - 50 mins on the eliptical gives me quick results. The workout is low impact, so therefore good on people with foot or knee problems, and it does not leave you beat feeling like running often does.

I also recommend getting a journal and writing everything that you take in - maybe even write the calorie content of everything. You can find calorie counts for nearly everything on caloriecounter.com. It basically makes you feel accountable for yourself and what you're taking in instead of lying to yourself.

Reward yourself at the end of the week by having a 'free' meal. This will: a.) help to keep you from binging. b.) help to keep you from going completely opposite of your healthy eating habits once you've reached a lower weight. c.) teach you better moderation habits.

Anyways, I just wanted to share what has worked for me in the hopes that it may help anyone looking for the help.

My last advice is, NEVER go on a diet, diets don't work, make a lifestyle change, not a temporary change.

Haven't been on the board in awhile, let alone visiting this thread. However I made myself a committment around the first of the year to really get myself in shape. My son is a rising senior in high school and I was sitting at Sr. night for band at a football game when they bring the parents on the field. I sat there thinking I didn't want to go out there with him being 5'5" and that big around...lol. I gave it a good run, but wasn't getting anywhere, I told my Dr. what I was doing, weight lifting, walking/running, eating right, nothing was happening. He prescribed me Phentermine, which kicked my metabolism in gear and supressed my appetite. Since February I'm down from 282 lbs to 245lbs. Istarted out doing a mile in 20 to 25 minutes, the other day I did my personal best of 1 mile in 12:15. Some people think meds are cheating, but I'm sorry when you're 42 and your metabolism has never been great sometimes you needs help. Something else I'm doing is increasing my fiber and protein intake. I read the labels for those two items and carbs and fat last. If you bring in a lot of calories that are mainly fiber and protein thats a good thing, you need energy.

Here's my deal:
I'm 6'3" & except for a time when I was 18 years old & working at a fast food place, stuffing my face constantly & ballooning from around 150 to 220, I was always on the lean side.
I quit that job & started doing maintenance work & dropped all the extra weight.
When I got married, 30 years ago I was still around the 150 mark.
I felt like a skeleton & wanted to build a little muscle. I took up boxing & eventually built up to & maintained a solid 170 for years.
All of a sudden, around 5 years ago I started noticing a bit of a spare tire.
I stepped on a scale & realized I was around the 200 mark for the first time since I was working at the fast food place.
I didn't really care at the time. But looking back, that would ave been a good time to pull in the reins.
A few months after that, I had knee surgery which kept me off my feet for a little while.
When I was able to get back to work I took on a job for a good friend who would feed me lunch & dinner every day.
The problem was I didn't cut out the lunch & dinner I would eat before they came home & after I left there.
All of a sudden...BANG!...245!
So I finally finished the job & cut out the 2 extra meals a day and started walking 5 miles a day with my wife & drinking water instead of beer & soda.
I got back down to 205 in a couple of months & felt pretty great for a while.
Then early last June I started feeling not quite so great.
It was really crazy hot for that time of year...at least 90 every day. So I thought it was the heat. But when I noticed I was running a low grade fever for about a week I went to the doc & found out I had leukemia.
I went into the hospital just over a year ago & stayed there for 5 weeks, then did the chemo until December with a couple additional stays in the crap hole.
The funny thing is, I left the hospital at the end of July weighing 217...11 lbs more than when I went in...And I've been gaining weight ever since.
About a month ago, I weighed in at 268 & decided I needed to get serious about loosing a few lbs.
I started walking again whenever possible & cut back on my portions. And two weeks ago I weighed in at 261.
I hope to get back to 205 or less eventually. But I can only exercise so much without getting completely out of breath & dizzy.
That's due to the medication I'm still taking, which caused my stomach to swell up & become a built in obstacle.
But I was in a 34" waist when I went in. Then I went to a 44" which now will fall right off without unbuttoning them. So I guess I'm headed in the right direction.
I still love to eat. And I cook, which is a serious passion of mine, and which allows me to know what I'm eating, but also can be a negative if I don't make certain healthier substitutions.
I can't be as active as I was 30 years ago. And my metabolism has slowed considerably. But fortunately, it looks like as long as I adjust my portions and stay as active as I can the weight will come off in time.

Time for a check in.

I started out in January at about 233#. My goal was to be down to 210# or less by the time I go on holidays.

I am leaving Friday evening and this morning I was 212#. Another 2 pounds in 2 days is pretty much out of the question.

I'm sure I will gain a few pounds while I'm away, but I'll be back at it when I get home. Maybe I can get down to 200# by the end of the summer... if I stay away from the Guinness. :wink:

Hey, I kicked Anorexia'a ASS! 6' 260 lbs. 51 yrs old. My youngest son (21, 6'5", 250) and I just started the P90X program you see on TV. 1 week in and I have more energy than I know what to do with. His goal is to get "buff" (duh...no kidding), I just want to get back into 36 or even 38 jeans and not be worn out when I walk a bit. I have high hopes for this workout. Life changes will make it a success. GOOD LUCK GUYS!

You know, I have this little fear that when I get to my target weight (195 from 260) that I will have these bags and flaps of loose skin hanging all over me. At 51 I realistically do not expect the skin to be as forgiving of this weight loss as it was 25 years ago. Right? Wrong? What has been the experience of you other big guys? Anything to do about it?

You know, I have this little fear that when I get to my target weight (195 from 260) that I will have these bags and flaps of loose skin hanging all over me. At 51 I realistically do not expect the skin to be as forgiving of this weight loss as it was 25 years ago. Right? Wrong? What has been the experience of you other big guys? Anything to do about it?

No problem.
Just pull it all around back & have someone tie it there with kitchen twine.
You'll look ripped...
at least from the front.

I'm in. I am 6-4 and weigh 219 with a 38 inch waist. It's the spare tire that bothers me. I'd like to get under 200 and get my waist down to 34.

Hello all. Wow, this is a very popular thread!!

I read through a good majority of the comments, not all of them, so forgive me if someone has already pointed this out. I do think it's important to point out that the type of weight you're carrying makes a difference….meaning muscle mass vs. fat.

My point, I guess, is if you're working out, while you might be loosing fat, you're gaining muscle. As such, when you step onto a scale, you may not notice a difference because it's a wash. I was always told that it's primarily the belly fat that will do you in, in terms of health conditions.

Laying off/cutting back on the sugar is a MAJOR step in the right direction. As always, before starting any diet or workout regimen, it's a VERY GOOD idea to consult with your physician. He'll probably tell you that health and weight control is a lifestyle and life long endeavor, not just a diet.

Just my 2 cents:smile:

Last Fall I weighed in at around 170lbs. Lost about five of that that fall, then gained most of it back over Christmas. Started eating better and exercising again in the New Year. Weighed in today at 145.

I was originally going to stop at 150, but I figure I'm not really doing anything too severe to my body, so I may as well see how far I can go. Not losing muscle mass either, just fat, so no reason to stop I suppose.

OK. Count me in. I am about 6'-1" and 248#. I have been talking about losing weight for a few years, I just need to belly up & do it :wink: I need to get to 195#.

When this thread first opened, I weighed 192 lbs @ 6'-0". By February of this year (2009), I weighed 200.0 lbs. I was SHOCKED!! I have once reached 203.0 and that was very breifly.

So, I started eating less and being much more careful of what type of food I ate. I began to see results fairly quickly. Within 3 weeks, I was back down to 190 lbs. That is when I started doing s few sit-ups. They did not help me loose much weight. But they gave me encouragement and stamina.

So, I started jogging on the 1/4 mile track right outside my back door. It was very hard at first. I could barely get around 2 times walking and 2 times jogging. But I pushed myself. About the same time, I lost my job (a job that I sat at a desk all day long). I began to do yard work for people and sweat my rear off. Then it got hot here in Texas. More sweat and tears. I continued to jog and got up to 12 lapse once without stopping (3 miles). Now days, I try to reach 2.5 miles without stopping about 2~3 times a week.

Results so far . . . . .

I am now down to 169.8 lbs and wearing size 32 pants. I feel much better now, I look much better now, my back no longer aches all the time.

My ultimate goal is to flatten my stomack. I may have to go down to 160 bls, but I really don't want to go below 165 lbs.

I hope this story is an inspiration to any of you guys who are still struggling.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!!

Changed my Y routine.
I have lost 20# doing the classes.
Presently around 205#.

Started going to the weight room, 3 weeks ago.
Routine is daily, Mon-Sat, 30 min ab work, 30 min weights, and 30 min elliptical or bike.
Alternate days with weights, arms/legs, chest/back.

Leg day and the elliptical or bike is real fun.

I have been setting the elliptical or bike computer to "Interval": 15 and 10 resistance. "Precor" (http://www.precor.com/comm/en) is the brand name on both.

Weigh in and body measurements the first of the month. Need to start taking photos monthly also.

Diet change has been fish and vegetables for dinner and supper.
Like the Grotons' salmon and tilapia fillets.

I make a protein drink when I get home from the Y.

300 calories. Little bit over 16 oz.
1 scoop milk/egg or whey protein powder,
½ cup plain yogurt,
½ cup skim milk,
Choice of 1 peach, handful of blueberries, black cherries, or strawberries.
I use a blender to mix.

Sure helps recovery.

Jamie

Here are exercise Research & Articles (http://www.precor.com/comm/en/tools/research) from the Precor website.

Jamie

The spare tire is starting (or has started) to appear. Need to do something to prevent it from developing more.

I lost 45lbs in about 3 months after a medical where the doc said I would have to go on drugs if I didn't lose some weight.

Anyhow, that gave me the motivation I needed. I use wii fitness and do 30mins of free step each day. It really helps as I weight myself with it every day and it keeps a log of your weight which is a good motivator for me.

I also have set meals at set times throughout the day so I don't have to starve. I also schedule coffee between meals to keep the hunger at bay. The hardest part for me was right after a meal where I just want to keep eating. The best way to combat this for me was to stick a fishermans friend (a very strong mint) in my mouth right after a meal so I wouldn't be able to taste anything for about an hour. Usually my hunger would have been suppressed by the time the mint wore off. I also drink lots of water and at meals take a drink after every mouthful of food. Anyhow works for me.

I really recommend the wii or something where you weigh yourself every day and keep a record of it.

I have always been a fat boy and probably always will, but, I have lost 118 lbs since Jan 1st. Hope to be able to keep it up for awhile longer.

118 LBS Bloody ell!!! that's amazing!!! I weigh myself every day to be sure I catch any upward trends in time before it becomes a problem. Right now I am just maintaining which can be the most difficult part as it is very easy to get back into nasty eating habits. I guess you have to treat it as seriously as an addiction. The trouble is that it is an addiction that you cannot go cold turkey on as you will always need to eat.

Therefore you need to be constantly motivated.

I only weigh once a week. I fluctuate to much from day to day. I write down everything I eat and how many calories. I eat pretty much what ever I want. I eat more on weekends and less during the week. I just make sure I have a daily average between 2300 and 2400 calories for the week. If I do I lose weight.

I have averaged 3.5 to 4 lbs a week all year. I have surprised myself! I also try and walk about a mile at least 4 times a week. That's about all I do. Gone down 3 sizes in pants and 2 in shirts.

Hopefully I can keep it up.

I have a similar story as far as getting in shape within the last year. The gut is still taking a long time to flatten. I'm getting more looks from the ladies now, have more energy, and the stress is off my back.

Good stuff.

What spare tyre? :lol:

I'm in 9 OCT 09 210lbs.

Well, after topping out at 271, I managed to get down to 258.
The last few weeks I cut way back on my portions & started walking every day again. So somehow when I went to the doc last Thursday I was back up to 262.
Maybe it's all this new muscle. I don't know.
But I still feel like I'm gonna drop dead after I put on my shoes & socks.
I'm gonna kick it up a notch & see if I can get back down to 250 or less by my next appointment.

Thought I'd chime in after a couple of years.

I've reached my goal. It's taken almost three years from my peak weight. I've gone from 230 lb to 180 - I'm 6'2". I basically gave up on high fat food overall, eat lots of salads and fruits, yet treat myself to goodies (burgers/pastries) now and again.

What I need to do is get more exercise! I enjoy long walks, but one foot is giving me some aggravation of late.

well i started working out a new exercise routine last week which involves walking 2.5 miles at a fast pace everyday and also weight training every other day. i have lost 5 pounds but i went to walmart yesterday and got some halloween candy and gained about 2 pounds LOL!!!

I managed to lose 22 lbs just since June of this year! Wouldn't recommend using the same method I did, though. :sad:

I had a severe back injury and two surgeries between then and now, and between the inactivity (I was an avid runner and did free weights 3 days a week prior to the injury) and all the pain meds and Valium I just shed weight like crazy. I'm actually struggling to gain back at least 10 lbs now that I'm in physical therapy, off the drugs and able to eat without gagging again. All my friends who haven't seen me in a while keep telling me how unhealthy I look and I'm like "Really? Ya think so?". :roll:

I've been hitting the gym 3 times a week for 8 weeks now (consistently that is), started out at 225lbs (6'1"), actually put on 5lbs, but I'm leaner and stronger and still packing on muscle. I plan on stepping up the cardio training to shed a few more pounds of fat. I'm guessing 210-215 would be a pretty optimum target weight for me, but I try to judge my weight more by how I look, feel and perform than a scale number.

but I try to judge my weight more by how I look, feel and perform than a scale number.

That's what motivates me also. The scale is not my main concern.

I've also started sprinting. Running as fast as I can for about 100 yards, then walking to catch my breath. I do this until I get depleated. It really gets the muscles worked out. Look at sprinters on TV, they always have firm bodies with little body fat. Where-as the long distance runners look anemic and boney. I've just been sprinting for a few months, and I can tell my clothes are fitting better.

I know this won't apply to everyone, but stress is a common enemy to getting to a healthy weight. Last year, I was in debt and in a bad engagement and ended up gaining 50lbs. I was in college so I walked everywhere, but I just didn't eat well and, like I said, the stress was killing me. Since I graduated and remedied the other two problems I've lost about 25lbs. I changed my diet (hey, eating REAL food again is amazing!) since then too so I know that has helped. But, I'm a firm believer in good mental health = good physical health now. Oh, and Barnett is spot on. Soda is absolutely the worst. I've successfully given it up before and it's amazing at how your body changes for the better without it. It's my last vice right now though. Good luck!

I've also started sprinting. Running as fast as I can for about 100 yards, then walking to catch my breath.

I've been trying to do this on my treadmill lately. I read that start/stop exercise like this burns bad fat like crazy. That in combination with some weight training has done great things for me.

I weigh about 180-185 right now. I used to be able to eat anything and it wouldn't affect my weight at all. Over the past few years my weight has been bad. It's really embarrassing going swimming with friends and I'm not confident enough at all to even take my shirt of at the beach.

This summer I really started getting into running for a while. I lost a few pounds but I didn't really keep my weight down consistently. The running mostly stopped after a week-long trip to Montreal. I just never really got back into it. One of my biggest problems is that when I saw a little bit of progress on the scale, I would see no progress physically. I need to get it out of my head that I'll see dramatic results within a few weeks. I think a great motivator can be saying "It will take X months to lose Y amount of pounds, but if I had started X months ago and kept at it I'd already be there."

I've been staying with my girlfriend for a few months and she has a treadmill, and I'm absolutely going to start pushing myself to run a fair amount on it every day. I ran today and for the first time in a while didn't feel like a lazy bum. I'm also going to try to drink as much water as possible and quit snacking so much, at least on unhealthy things. I'd like to get down to 170, maybe 165lbs. Even just going from 34 pants to 32 would make me happy for now.

One more thought: Whenever I drink beer lately, I'm really conscious of what I've been told about it being terrible for weight, which I think is a start!

ohh man - CONFESSION TIME - since the start of this thread - I lost the spare twice - and got it back twice - the spare is there now - I hate it so much..:oops: