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

[Caper]

I was checking some video tapes yesterday, I had one from the summer of 2004. I took a communications class that summer that involved public speaking. Each presentation was taped so each student could use it as a critique. It's funny how I still think of myself as the former skinny kid, ok, maybe I know I'm not skinny, but it's a LIE that the camera adds 10 lbs. IT ADDED ABOUT 80 ON ME Anyway I hope all are hanging in there, my scale shows I'm down to 196 :D

[Tim Armstrong]

I weighed in this morning at 235 lbs, down from 240 a couple of weeks ago. I don't look much different, but my pants do fit better! A good start...

Cheers, Tim

[PraiseCaster]

Originally Posted by Caper

I was checking some video tapes yesterday, ............

Funny you mentioned video's: I was at my brothers in Vegas, and they were showin some videos from last year. I was agast at how I looked! So swollen looking, and no neck! Egads, what had I done to myself!

Then they put on the video from the surprise party for my aunt the night before. Well I'm still fat, but I had a neck, and I wasnt as swollen looking! I thought I was the only one that noticed, but everyone said how much better I look!

So I'm still in the race, still reaching for my goal: I'll be satisfied with 180llbs, but I'd be ecstatic at 170lbs!

Scale this morning said 287lbs. From 363lbs, thats a 76 pound loss to date!

[Stirton]

Just a little thought experiment (perhaps even a real live experiment if it seems promising). Anyway, it seems that a lot of what we are talking about is what we are giving up, which is natural because if you want to slim down you have to give something up. But why not start by focusing on what we should be eating, every day, in order to be healthy. Let's see:

5 servings of fruit and vegetables.

8 glasses of water

30 grammes of protein (supporters of high protein diets will say more, but I think everyone would agree that we need at least that). That means a medium sized piece of fish or lean meat or a generous bean chilli for the veggies.

A small glass of red wine (teetotallers excluded) for the polyphenols.

A cup of green tea for the flavinoids.

What else? I am sure we could come up with quite a list if we thought about it. I think what I am perhaps getting at is that if we focus on all the things we should be eating, there may not be much room in our minds and our stomachs for everything else. Think about it.

Bag of chips? Sure, once you've eaten your five servings of fruit/vegetables.

Beer? Have you drunk those eight glasses of water yet?

How about an ice cream? Oh, just make it a small one. I'm stuffed.

[andrew]

2 months before my wedding I lost 25 pounds. It is possable to lose weight, you just have to be willing to give up some of the foods you like.

How did I do it?

I started by not eating breakfast. This is stupid yes, but my lunch break at work came about 3 hours after I got there, so I wasn't really hungry until then anyways.

Then for lunch (around noon, my first meal of the day) instead of eating a burger, I would get a 6 inch sub from Subway. I usally got their "special of the day" which also saved a little money.

Then for dinner which was around 6 or 7 I would eat either another sub from subway, or something else along those lines.

My diet was mostly low cal, which is bad based on the amount of running I did every nigh, but it worked, good.

Everynight before bed, I would run about 4 miles. I did this in about 45 minutes, so there was a good pace for me, and my weight.

I went from 215, to 190 at the time of the wedding (about 4 weeks ago). I am back up to about 195 right now, and plan to lose another 10 pounds right now, my target is about 180-185.

You can do anything you set your mind to, you just have to do it.

[lewis]

Since I've lost weight:

1. I sleep better.

2. My knees aren't as sore.

3. My back isn't as sore.

4. I breathe better.

5. My s*x life is better (my wife as my witness).

6. I look better.

7. My blood pressure is normal again.

8. My cholesterol is more reasonable (still a little high).

A myriad of health issues I had have become non-issues or disappeared completely. If there's such a thing as a cure-all it would be weight loss.

[Caper]

lewis, you are an inspiration to us all, congratulations. Ah btw, I'd move #5 up to the #1 spot :D

[PraiseCaster]

Well since my last post here, I have lost another two pounds. It could have been more, but I knocked myself out of at least a weeks worth of walking, by re-injuring my back. I'm happy that I lost the two pounds though. I was just hoping for maintianing where I'm at, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the scale at 285lbs! to date that is a 78 pound weight loss! it may take me a while, but as long as I have breath, I'm reaching for my goal of 175 pounds!

I just realized, when I hit my goal weight, I will have lost one whole person.

[Scotland]

My weight is okay, it's just that to correspond, I should be 7ft 6ins. tall.

[Lance]

I've been watching this thread for a while and it's time to do something.

I did the atkins thing a many years ago and dropped 30 fairly easily. I felt great.

Since then, I've allowed myself to fall off the wagon....mostly sweets and pasta. The clothes are now tight, there's unsightly chubs where there shouldn't be...and I've been feeling like crap. Even emotionally, I've been down. I know it's all related.

So....initial weigh-in is 184 as of last Friday (and I'm only 5'8"). I know I won't get below 165...that seems to be my limit...a brick wall. So, I'm shooting for getting back to 170-172. I've started the atkins thing once again and some moderate walking. I'm not ready to run quite yet.

I completely forgot how good I felt to be "off" sugar. After the second day on the diet, I felt my energy increase and the bloat go away. I'm certain I have some allergy to wheat...and according to a nutritionalist friend - you often crave what you're allergic to. I always crave pasta and then feel completely ill after eating it. It's like I'm drugged/poisoned.

Anyway...here's to the start of getting back where I belong. I'm not rushing...just no sugar/low carbs...lots of water and some walking. The formula worked before - it'll work again.

Thanks for the inspiration.

[PraiseCaster]

Good for you Lance! Just stick with it, and once you hit your goal, just modify to maintain it.

YOU CAN DO IT WATER BOY! Oh, that was from a silly movie, sorry!

[Caper]

YOU CAN DO IT WATER BOY!

Welcome aboard Lance, your desire to join in adds fuel to the fire.

[Eric Karonen]

I took a pass on this today!

[Mike Dickerson]

Im in too! About 3 years ago I lost 25 pounds but have worked my way back up 25 pounds, so its time to go at it again. My wife is a nutrition nut so as long as I listen to her I lose it pretty fast. I started back at it seriously 2 days ago.

[PraiseCaster]

Cool! Glad to have you with us Mike!

[Caper]

Eric, you could have o.d. on that, I'm glad you "Just Said NO!" Man you are an inspiration to us all

I just realized, I shouldn't be lookin at that kind of "porn" in my weakened state, especially this late at nite.

[bigdog]

About posting but, I finally made my first goal of 10 % loss two weeks ago . I'm just under 40 lbs lighter than when I started in May and almost at my half way point . Still keeping my eyes on the prize , 100 lbs !

[Stirton]

I don't have access to bathroom scales at the moment, but I think I am losing a bit. I had to wear my suit for a presentation on Wednesday, and I am sure it felt a bit less tight around the waist.

I am cycling to and from work, and going for a run at least once a week. I just got back from a run in fact--I did about 8k/5m at a relatively slow pace, which is not much, but it is a good start to build up from. It was a bit of a struggle, but I recovered my breath within a few miutes, and I feel better for it.

Next week I will try to run for about the same time, but I will try to up the pace for at least some of it.

It will be interesting when I get back home in December to see whether the scales back up my perception that I am becoming fitter and slimmer.

[Joe-Bob]

Well, I've lost about 5 or 6 pounds. I started having a bigger lunch, and making dinner a snack like fruit or yogurt or something. Still, I'm not sure if I've finally started losing or if it's just a minor fluctuation. Got my fingers crossed, though.

[CharlieO]

In late September I started the Atkins diet, in preparation for a vacation in the wine country in California. I lost 8 pounds in 8 days, going from 161 to 153 pounds. I quit the diet September 30, just before starting the trip.

My weight is now 163, more than it was before I started!

[jordanl]

Originally Posted by CharlieO

In late September I started the Atkins diet, in preparation for a vacation in the wine country in California. I lost 8 pounds in 8 days, going from 161 to 153 pounds. I quit the diet September 30, just before starting the trip.

My weight is now 163, more than it was before I started!

I'm not a fan of the Atkins plan, I've seen several coworkers suffer through it, its just too much pain IMHO.

I haven't been visiting this board much lately, but after stepping on a scale in mid August I knew it was time to get serious. I'm 5' 8" and weighed in somewhere around 197.

based on a posting on a nother board, I ordered an excercise program called Combat conditioning. It's calesthenic based, and didn't require equipment or gym membership. I cut processed flour based food out of my diet, and substituted a smoothie (frozen fruit, whey powder and lowfator skim milk) for my morning bagel. Lost about 8 pounds in a month.

I picked up a copy of MensHealth magazine to read on a trip, and became interested in their ABS diet-It made sense to me, and seemed like a plan I could live with-I've been doing it for a 3.5 weeks and have no desire to cheat. 3 meals plus 3 snacks a day. Nothing radical, you're focused on eating good stuff.

I fell better than I have in quite some time. I haven't been on a scale in a few weeks, but I can just look in a mirror and see the change; My pants are loose,and I've had to add new holes to several belts.

This is what worked for me.

[dandaman]

Heck...I dropped 12 LBS. since yesterday! (I unstrapped my Les Paul)

This thread is making me hungry. I think I will go and make a Dagwood sandwich and rinse it down with a Cherry Coke.

[lewis]

GAINED four pounds recently. I've quit exercising since the weather turned cold...and Thanksgiving isn't even here yet.
If I can make it through the holiday season just by maintaining what I've already lost I will be a happy camper. Ideally I would like to lose another 10 pounds by February, the anniversary of my new eating habits.

[PraiseCaster]

I've had a rough go lately. I havent been able to exercise cause of some old injuries, and I jumped on the scale: EGADS! I gained 5 pounds!!!

Well its gonna be a while till these injuries relent, and enough pain has subsided, so I have to modify my diet a little bit more. I dont want to just 'maintain', so I have to look at taking in less than what I am currently burning. Tomorrow (Turkey-Day), is the last day, that my meal sizes will not be tightly controlled (I'm not scarfing out or anything like that, but I recognize that I have to monitor my intake at all times, and when I can exercise, I have to tighten the diet a little bit more.

I'm not gonna go off the deep end like limit myself to a leaf of lettuce, and a split carrot as a meal, but I have selected a bowl, that is a decent size (about the size of a normal stomach), and my entire meal will have to fit inside of it. I will eat 3 to four times a day, and at the very least, half of my meals have to be fruits and/or veggies.

So I took one step forward, and slid two steps back, but I aint giving up. I'm lettin you all know, so it can help me stay focused.

Back on track.

[moonshiner]

Around this time last year I was weighing in around 215 or so... This morning I am at a cool 182...

I eat less and eat better... I drink less booze... I walk (with my dog) between 3 and 6 miles a day... I don't feel that much healthier.. but.. I have less lower back pain... Only pain I have now is in the pocketbook because I have to buy all new pants that fit... If I want to look younger.. I just put on a pair of my old jeans and let them fall down as they will... instant teenager!

Good luck to all of you in the fight... Keep it up...

[teledude66]

anybody see the finale...the guy who won lost in excess of 100 lbs, i'm thinking over 120, the guy in second did too and he pulls up his shirt to show a pretty decent six pack....would anybody here go on a show like this to try and lose the lbs ?

[moonshiner]

I don't know about the biggest loser... but I watched a show on Discovery called the half ton man about a guy who weighed just over 1000 lbs... It was truly dreadful to watch... They also had a woman who was just over 1200 lbs... I'm sorry... these people lose 6-7-8 HUNDRED pounds.. There's so many questions which all revolve around why... and it's debatible I'm sure... But you want to talk about the biggest loser...

[J-man]

Dammit I can't give up carbs, they're just too tasty..

[teledude66]

Originally Posted by moonshiner

I don't know about the biggest loser... but I watched a show on Discovery called the half ton man about a guy who weighed just over 1000 lbs... It was truly dreadful to watch... They also had a woman who was just over 1200 lbs... I'm sorry... these people lose 6-7-8 HUNDRED pounds.. There's so many questions which all revolve around why... and it's debatible I'm sure... But you want to talk about the biggest loser...

yeah those are special circumstances, and truth be told those people eat tremendous amounts of food, that is evidently provided by someone. when they are restricted to normal portions the weight falls off. the same thing happens on "the biggest loser" the really heavy people lose a great deal of weight the first week, this season on guy lost over 20 lbs. and they are monitored by Dr.s and have personal trainers, so i don't think that trying to lose that much weight without Dr.s is healthy but these people are basically working out and learning good eating habits while they're on the show

[refin]

Originally Posted by Eric Karonen

I took a pass on this today!

Eric,that is one disgustingly nasty looking burger....and I could eat it up right now.

[Dennis68]

Man 2005 did not do me well in terms of physical fitness. I have some weight loss and toning that needs to be attended to. Of course winter doesn't help.. so I recently joined a gym that opened up near me not too long ago and they happen to have hours of 24 hours a day, save for 12a-4a on Fridays & Saturdays. I've been walking, peddling and lifting away now for 2 weeks and already am feeling better. I have a good 40lbs to lose to get to what the medical chart says is my ideal/target weight, and I am hoping to do it by the end of Spring... No sense in waiting for a new year's resolution...

[Stratosaurus]

Inspirational, guys, really. I'm on board.

I'm 6'4", 265 lbs. I'm physically inactive, and I eat like a horse. I have an exercise bike that I never use. (But my girlfriend uses it daily.)

I'm going to start riding it for 10 minutes every day for a week. After the week is up I'll kick it up 5 minutes every following week until I reach 35 minutes and will continue 35 minutes every day.

I know I can do it because my girlfriend keeps it in front of the TV so she will use it. Every time I watch King of the Hill on Fox I'll pedal my way through it, since I watch it daily.

So, day 1: 265 pounds.

[moonshiner]

Actually... the holidays caused me to increase in body mass... and not in a good way...

Why, oh why did I have to have Prime Rib... Turkey... Lobster.. etc, etc.... (because it tastes so good, stupid...)

Mmmmmmmm... must... lose... weight....

[Vincent Caster]

Originally Posted by Lance

I'm certain I have some allergy to wheat...and according to a nutritionalist friend - you often crave what you're allergic to. I always crave pasta and then feel completely ill after eating it. It's like I'm drugged/poisoned.

Try eating soba noodles, it's pasta made from buckwheat. You can find it in a health food store or most places where they sell japanese food. I like with broccoli sauted with sesame oil and lots of garlic.

[Bill Beck]

I gotta lose about 50 lbs. Snacking near bedtime is a no-no, but it's become a bad habit.

[eryque]

I ignored this thread with all my might until it became obvious that i couldn't anymore :-)

A few years back I lost almost 50 pounds on Weight Watchers and got down to 209. I'm 6'2" and looked pretty good at 209, though a still had love handles and little bit of a gut. However, it quickly became evident that 209 was my plateau and I felt like I was starving all the time to maintain it, so I let myself creep back up to 220, which is not a bad weight for me.

Being busy & broke is not conducive to a good diet, and while doing grad school and student teaching I let myself creep up to 235, and my cardiovascular condition is horrible. I started the WW plan again to lose the weight, but need to come up with an exercise plan that I can live with. I hate jogging, so going to the gym to use the treadmill isn't a good option. I was thinking maybe a step aerobics video at home. Any other suggestions? And if any of you know of a workout video that isn't supremely obnoxious I'd love to hear about them. Even girls in tights are not enough distraction so that I won't be bothered by their annoying personalities.

[PraiseCaster]

Originally Posted by eryque

I was thinking maybe a step aerobics video at home. Any other suggestions? And if any of you know of a workout video that isn't supremely obnoxious I'd love to hear about them. Even girls in tights are not enough distraction so that I won't be bothered by their annoying personalities.

My wife (who is a mutant by the way: she could easily be a replacement for my widshield wiper blade on my toyota truck), loves Kathe Friedrich. Start with her "intermediate" level. Dont start with her advanced, unless you have O2 at the ready. My wife has been doin those video's for years now, and says Kathe's advanced should be marked "EXTREME Advanced!"

Oh, and if you havent been steadily active for a while, go to the doctor and at least get looked at to make sure your good to go before you start.

[Vincent Caster]

Been running a half an hour and working out every day when I wake up. Funny thing is, I cinched my belt up a notch tighter but it looks like I put on a few pounds.

[jordanl]

Originally Posted by eryque

Being busy & broke is not conducive to a good diet, and while doing grad school and student teaching I let myself creep up to 235, and my cardiovascular condition is horrible. I started the WW plan again to lose the weight, but need to come up with an exercise plan that I can live with. I hate jogging, so going to the gym to use the treadmill isn't a good option. I was thinking maybe a step aerobics video at home. Any other suggestions?

Eryque,

Look into combat conditioning, at www.combatconditioning.com. Its a series of calisthenics/power yoga recipes. It sounds like snake oil, but it works. Been at it for about 2.5 months now with varying degrees of seriousness. I'm getting stronger, my wind has improved greatly and I feel more enegetic. Combined with eating better (abs diet) I've lost better than 20 pounds, and moved about 4 belt notches. I actually eat more than I used to, I just make sure its good stuff that I'm eating.

[eryque]

Originally Posted by jordanl

Look into combat conditioning, at www.combatconditioning.com. Its a series of calisthenics/power yoga recipes. It sounds like snake oil, but it works. Been at it for about 2.5 months now with varying degrees of seriousness. I'm getting stronger, my wind has improved greatly and I feel more enegetic. Combined with eating better (abs diet) I've lost better than 20 pounds, and moved about 4 belt notches. I actually eat more than I used to, I just make sure its good stuff that I'm eating.

I checked out the site and it seems like it could be a good program, but holy cow is it expensive.

I took a step video from the library and made my own step out of some left over 2x12. Trying to the moves on the video was more comical than anything else. And after 30 minutes I was just starting to break a sweat. 'Course, I'm probably a foot taller than the woman on the video, so maybe I need to make a taller step to really work myself.