Getting Fit: Shedding Pounds and Achieving Goals Together

[Jimmy Snyder]

Since I took this challenge I have lost 7 and a half lbs. I am still obese according to bmi, but I haven't got far to go. My plan is to lose at least 1 lb a week but I'm not going to panic if I lose slower as long as I don't start going up. Here are some potential long term goals:

From obese down to overweight by losing 3 and a half more lbs. This is a must do for me.
50th percentile for men my age by losing 18 more lbs.
From overweight to normal range by losing 34 and a half more lbs.

 

[lisab]

Since I took this challenge I have lost 7 and a half lbs. I am still obese according to bmi, but I haven't got far to go. My plan is to lose at least 1 lb a week but I'm not going to panic if I lose slower as long as I don't start going up. Here are some potential long term goals:

From obese down to overweight by losing 3 and a half more lbs. This is a must do for me.
50th percentile for men my age by losing 18 more lbs.
From overweight to normal range by losing 34 and a half more lbs.

I'm the same way. I don't mind losing slowly, or even holding steady, as long as I'm not gaining. For now I'm holding steady, still minus 2 pounds.

But I've changed my exercise strategy. At the park next to my apartment where I jog, there are two basic choices - short, steep hills or long, gentle hills. I used to take the short, steep ones. Then I found my lungs/heart were my limiting factor - my legs are really strong now. So I changed to the long, gentle hills, working my cardio more.

I'm feeling really good, no injuries!

 

[ThomasT]

I'm feeling really good, no injuries!

That's good to hear. I'm just enjoying being retired. I think I lost a couple of pounds last week, but then I put them on this week with a wonderful (and massive amount of) chili that I made. Yummy. Also, I found a great German deli that has wonderful schnitzels and sauerbraten. Life is good.

 

[Astronuc]

I came across this article from a headline on Yahoo.

Lift To Live Longer
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201205/only-strong-survive-lift-live-longer

One doesn't need to life heavy weights, but some light weights with some series of repetitions is good enough. Also, walking 2-3 miles a day is good for exercise and stress relaxation. I heard one program that recommended exercising every two hours if one has a desk job, i.e., interrupt the time that one sits at a desk.

See also mcknia's thread
Exercise and weight loss

 

[Ivan Seeking]

After losing 30 Lbs in about three months, I went off the Atkins diet a year ago and wanted to see if I could maintain my weight. By late March of this year I had definitely put on a few pounds and was getting noticeably large around the waste again, as was evident in my photo with Jackie. But I refocused on my lifestyle changes without actually going back on the diet. Today I finally had the nerve to see how bad the damage is and stepped on the scale. I hadn't weighed myself in almost a year.

I weigh about 2 lbs less than I did the day I went off the diet! Yay! I don't know if I want to get back into full-blown ketosis or not... but I would like to lose that last 20 pounds. That would put me back to the same weight that I was when Tsu and I got married.

With just a few exceptions, I haven't used processed sugar or eaten any bread in 17 months.

For me, having that protein drink every morning seems to be the key. As soon as I started doing that religiously again, I started losing weight... well, my pants started getting looser instead of tighter. I can't wear the pants in that photo any more. They just fall down, which is not a good thing to have happen in front of customers.

 

[lisab]

After losing 30 Lbs in about three months, I went off the Atkins diet a year ago and wanted to see if I could maintain my weight. By late March of this year I had definitely put on a few pounds and was getting noticeably large around the waste again, as was evident in my photo with Jackie. But I refocused on my lifestyle changes without actually going back on the diet. Today I finally had the nerve to see how bad the damage is and stepped on the scale. I hadn't weighed myself in almost a year.

I weigh about 2 lbs less than I did the day I went off the diet! Yay! I don't know if I want to get back into full-blown ketosis or not... but I would like to lose that last 20 pounds. That would put me back to the same weight that I was when Tsu and I got married.

With just a few exceptions, I haven't used processed sugar or eaten any bread in 17 months.

For me, having that protein drink every morning seems to be the key. As soon as I started doing that religiously again, I started losing weight... well, my pants started getting looser instead of tighter. I can't wear the pants in that photo any more. They just fall down, which is not a good thing to have happen in front of customers.

That's great! I'm stuck at minus 3 or 4 pounds . But I'm more active now, and my clothes are definitely looser.

I know for me to lose weight, I must have several long aerobic workouts a week. Right now I'm taking an engineering class (mechanics of materials, it's sooooo cool ) so it's tough to fit in long stretches of exercise.

Surprising how it is that we find healthy habits, start doing them and loving it, then they just sort of...trail off, after a while.

 

[turbo]

My wife tells me that I don't eat as much as I should. That's a good sign. I don't mind losing weight as long as I'm feeling good. I am not a young buck that needs 3 squares a day to keep up.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That's great! I'm stuck at minus 3 or 4 pounds . But I'm more active now, and my clothes are definitely looser.

I know for me to lose weight, I must have several long aerobic workouts a week. Right now I'm taking an engineering class (mechanics of materials, it's sooooo cool ) so it's tough to fit in long stretches of exercise.

Surprising how it is that we find healthy habits, start doing them and loving it, then they just sort of...trail off, after a while.

Minus is better than plus!

For me, working out and eating well have always been challenges. I love bad food! Ice cream is probably my biggest weakness. And I looooooooove chocolate.

I did like to run but it still took an effort each day. And while weight lifting was always a bit of a chore, I did it religiously from about age 11 on into my twenties. But the easiest way for me to get exercise was to do something fun and athletic. Motorcycles, football [American], volleyball, surfing and Boogie boarding, Frisbees... loved it all but can't do much anymore due to back and knee problems, and repetitive motion issues in general.

Do you have any favorite sports?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

My wife tells me that I don't eat as much as I should. That's a good sign. I don't mind losing weight as long as I'm feeling good. I am not a young buck that needs 3 squares a day to keep up.

No doubt about it, we don't need to eat as much as we get older. One of the lifestyle changes that I mentioned is making a constant effort to use smaller portions.

What is also important is to spread the calories out over the day. For a long time I had the terrible habbit of eating one large meal late every day. Whether it be a matter of weight gain, spiking my blood sugar, or burning muscle instead of fats and carbs, that is a recipe for disaster. I think that's one reason the protein drink is so important to me. It sets the tone for the entire day.

 

[lisab]

Minus is better than plus!

For me, working out and eating well have always been challenges. I love bad food! Ice cream is probably my biggest weakness. And I looooooooove chocolate.

I did like to run but it still took an effort each day. And while weight lifting was always a bit of a chore, I did it religiously from about age 11 on into my twenties. But the easiest way for me to get exercise was to do something fun and athletic. Motorcycles, football [American], volleyball, surfing and Boogie boarding, Frisbees... loved it all but can't do much anymore due to back and knee problems, and repetitive motion issues in general.

Do you have any favorite sports?

Team sports? Not really, but I've played a few. Softball, but not vigorous enough to get a workout. I used to play badminton in high school. Not your grandmother's badminton. We had a significant number of "boat people", refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and wow, they could PLAY! They schooled us . THAT was a workout.

But now I run, mostly. It's just the easiest way to get a good workout, cheap and convenient.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Team sports? Not really, but I've played a few. Softball, but not vigorous enough to get a workout. I used to play badminton in high school. Not your grandmother's badminton. We had a significant number of "boat people", refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and wow, they could PLAY! They schooled us . THAT was a workout.

But now I run, mostly. It's just the easiest way to get a good workout, cheap and convenient.

I've played real badminton before. It's a blast! So is a hot game of ping pong. I used to work with one of Pakistan's former ping pong champions. We played during lunch every day to the extent that he slammed, and I dove for the ball a lot. But it was a heck of a work out when I was playing well.

 

[OmCheeto]

That's great! I'm stuck at minus 3 or 4 pounds . But I'm more active now, and my clothes are definitely looser.

I know for me to lose weight, I must have several long aerobic workouts a week. Right now I'm taking an engineering class (mechanics of materials, it's sooooo cool ) so it's tough to fit in long stretches of exercise.

Surprising how it is that we find healthy habits, start doing them and loving it, then they just sort of...trail off, after a while.

We have a program at work where we have teams and meet for 30 minutes a week and learn how to be healthy. It's a lot of fun, as no one thinks about being healthy on their own. Tomorrow is the last formal meeting for our team.

I can't do anything now without thinking about how it affects my health. I routinely eat salads for lunch now. Haven't pooped this well since I was 5.

 

[rdanner3]

I can't even remember the last time I had a piece of white bread.

White bread? UGH. Too much bleach in it. Whole-grain or whole wheat is much better. I do not even consider white bread unless there is literally no other choice.

McDonald's? Won't go there. Ever. Too many artery-choking choices, very few relatively-healthy. And that doesn't count in the fact I cannot currently afford to eat out more than a couple times a month at most.

If I must use sugar, would consider light brown over normal white any day, but not sure if it is going to stay granulated in the Southern United States, due to humidity issues. Sugar in the Raw is simply too expensive, IMO.

 

[jbmiller]

My weightloss techniques are probably a lot different than that of people on here. I'm 15 and I usually need to loose a lot of weight in a short period of time for wrestling. I mainly run, workout, etc., but to go along with that I don't eat much, sometimes I don't eat at all. As a replacement to food I generally take a lot of appetite control pills, meal replacements, certain protein shakes/pre-workouts, and metabolism pills. It works really well, although it may not be the best for my health, but hell, nothing a wrestler does to loose weight is healthy for our health.

The main problem comes when I weigh 160, yet I try to constantly get stronger, through more natural/unatural supplements. Then I'm forced to go back down to 152 for a certain tournament.

If any of you aren't familiar with supplements teenagers take these days I will fill you in. Basically its protein, creatine, test boosters, mass gainers, pre-workout, and energy pills.

 

[OmCheeto]

My weightloss techniques are probably a lot different than that of people on here. I'm 15 and I usually need to loose a lot of weight in a short period of time for wrestling. I mainly run, workout, etc., but to go along with that I don't eat much, sometimes I don't eat at all. As a replacement to food I generally take a lot of appetite control pills, meal replacements, certain protein shakes/pre-workouts, and metabolism pills. It works really well, although it may not be the best for my health, but hell, nothing a wrestler does to loose weight is healthy for our health.

The main problem comes when I weigh 160, yet I try to constantly get stronger, through more natural/unatural supplements. Then I'm forced to go back down to 152 for a certain tournament.

If any of you aren't familiar with supplements teenagers take these days I will fill you in. Basically its protein, creatine, test boosters, mass gainers, pre-workout, and energy pills.

hmmm... We ate food and drank Kool-aid when I was your age. How times have changed.

I still drink Kool-aid, only now I make it with about 2 tablespoons of sugar instead of a cup. I do something similar at work when I want a soda pop. I fill the cup with ice, then fill it halfway with soda water, then add some unsweetened ice tea, and top it off with about an ounce of Pepsi and an ounce of Mountain Dew. It is awesome.

Someone should market it, as I get that; "Make up your freakin' mind" look all the time.

 

[ThomasT]

The rainy season is messing up my tennis schedule.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The rainy season is messing up my tennis schedule.

The rainy season here lasts from about Aug 30 to Aug 1st. This is why Oregon doesn't produce any tennis stars.

 

[jbmiller]

The rainy season here lasts from about Aug 30 to Aug 1st. This is why Oregon doesn't produce any tennis stars.

Hahahahahah

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Down another 4 pounds since the 17th. Woohooo!

This is the least I've weighed in twenty years. Less than twenty pounds to go...

 

[ThomasT]

Down another 4 pounds since the 17th. Woohooo!

This is the least I've weighed in twenty years. Less than twenty pounds to go...

That's great. I've been able to lose a few pounds even with the rain here. We play in between the rain. My last two matches were killers. I was totally exhausted after each, but managed to pull out close wins against much younger opponents. On Wednesday I practiced at 9am and 2pm, then played a 3 hour match at 6pm. On Friday I rode my bicycle for 3 hours, then played a two hour match. I'm still a bit sore, but, imho, better off for having done that.

But I still have a bit of a ... gut. What's up with that? Is it even possible that I might ever get rid of the ... gut? I would certainly like to. Even though it doesn't seem to be an important factor wrt ... anything. I just don't like the way it looks.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That's great. I've been able to lose a few pounds even with the rain here. We play in between the rain. My last two matches were killers. I was totally exhausted after each, but managed to pull out close wins against much younger opponents. On Wednesday I practiced at 9am and 2pm, then played a 3 hour match at 6pm. On Friday I rode my bicycle for 3 hours, then played a two hour match. I'm still a bit sore, but, imho, better off for having done that.

But I still have a bit of a ... gut. What's up with that? Is it even possible that I might ever get rid of the ... gut? I would certainly like to. Even though it doesn't seem to be an important factor wrt ... anything. I just don't like the way it looks.

I have a friend who is 68 and can hold his own with twenty-year-olds in competitive bicycle racing! The guy is amazing. He has been a big part of my motivation to get in better shape.

As for the gut, dunno. Have you tried dieting in addition to exercise? I'm losing my gut so fast that every day is a new clothing adventure - which pants fall down now?

 

[ThomasT]

As for the gut, dunno. Have you tried dieting in addition to exercise?

I just ate about a pound of baked beans, a pound of potato salad, and about a 3/4 pound hamburger with lots of sweet relish ... so, no. I'm now craving some sort of ice cream treat. About a half gallon should do. With chocolate or strawberries of whatever.

Ok, I think we've narrowed the problem down to diet.

I'm losing my gut so fast that every day is a new clothing adventure - which pants fall down now?

I have suit pants (really nice and expensive suits) that I can't wear because of my middle section preponderance of weight. I'm happy for you that you're losing your gut (rub it in), but I'm not going to cut down on eating the stuff I like just to lose weight.

I'm going to eat an entire pizza pie now.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I have suit pants (really nice and expensive suits) that I can't wear because of my middle section preponderance of weight. I'm happy for you that you're losing your gut (rub it in), but I'm not going to cut down on eating the stuff I like just to lose weight.

I'm going to eat an entire pizza pie now.

I have moderate problems with blood sugar - metabolic syndrome - and a high-protein diet serves me well. I feel so much better that the changes have been relatively easy.

I can't eat a lot of carbs now without sending myself into a blood sugar crisis. On the up side, I am almost certain that it would be impossible for me to have a drinking problem. I tend to pass out from the carbs before I ever get drunk! I started drinking a little beer lately [technically the first time I've drank [much] since my 21st birthday!]. My limit is one per day. Anything more than that and I'm in a blood sugar crisis for hours.

 

[OmCheeto]

The rainy season here lasts from about Aug 30 to Aug 1st. This is why Oregon doesn't produce any tennis stars.

http://meanwhilepics.com/images/meanwhile/Meanwhile_In_Oregon.jpg

Apparently other Goonies have taken up the new aerobic exercise: "take your fish for a walk".

Shhhhh! Don't spread this around, or they'll introduce a freakin' leash law...

 

[ThomasT]

I have moderate problems with blood sugar - metabolic syndrome - and a high-protein diet serves me well. I feel so much better that the changes have been relatively easy.

I can't eat a lot of carbs now without sending myself into a blood sugar crisis. On the up side, I am almost certain that it would be impossible for me to have a drinking problem. I tend to pass out from the carbs before I ever get drunk! I started drinking a little beer lately [technically the first time I've drank [much] since my 21st birthday!]. My limit is one per day. Anything more than that and I'm in a blood sugar crisis for hours.

That's rough. But the upside is that you can drink a beer once in a while, and eat lots of meat, eh?

 

[ThomasT]

@ Om,
Your posts never cease to amaze me. Am I just a bit slow, or what? (No need to answer that.) Some of them I do get ... I think.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That's rough. But the upside is that you can drink a beer once in a while, and eat lots of meat, eh?

Yeah, it's hard to hate a diet where a Carl's Jr., Six Dollar Bacon Guacamole Burger [lettuce wrap, no bun], and BBQ'd steak, are on the menu.

There are some really good low-sugar ice creams now, as well. But you have to watch those and anything that uses sucralose as a sweetener - too much has bad consequences the next day!

I found a surprisingly simple and tasty recipe for pizza crust made from cauliflower [Really!]. That puts pizza back on the menu, as well!

 

[ThomasT]

Yeah, it's hard to hate a diet where a Carl's Jr., Six Dollar Bacon Guacamole Burger [lettuce wrap, no bun], and BBQ'd steak, are on the menu.

Oh maaan ... I'm going to have me a bacon burger (along with the pizza).

There are some really good low-sugar ice creams now, as well. But you have to watch those and anything that uses sucralose as a sweetener - too much has bad consequences the next day!

I care nought for low sugar anything. For when I crave sugar, then I consume it. To be honest though, I don't really eat sweets very much. Maybe once a month, if that. I eat stews with meat and vegetables, and drink lots of water, mostly. Of course there's the occasional pizza, and the 12 beers or so per night.

I found a surprisingly simple and tasty recipe for pizza crust made from cauliflower [Really!]. That puts pizza back on the menu, as well!

That's just disgusting to me. I don't even like the way cauliflower smells. Haven't eaten it since about '74.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Oh maaan ... I'm going to have me a bacon burger (along with the pizza).

It's hard to beat a great bacon burger.

I don't even like the way cauliflower smells. Haven't eaten it since about '74.

See, that's the really interesting part; me either! I hate cauliflower.

 

[Illuminerdi]

See, that's the really interesting part; me either! I hate cauliflower.

Even in curries?
Even when it's roasted with onion?

 

[mathal]

I worked in the bush planting trees most of my adult life-26 to 59. It's a piece work job, manual labour out in any weather except a full-on snowstorm. I never had to think about what I ate in terms of weight loss.
I've been retired now for 3 years and to avoid the pudge that I always developed in the off- season (winter) (and lost in the first month of work) I've had to completely alter what's going in on a daily basis.
What works for me is avoiding all processed foods-i.e. food in a square box. -That and junk food like chips that I used to have with dips or smothered in cheese and salsa with beer-still drink beer-home made -manual labour just gets you govt. pension- in three years if I'm still kickin'.
I don't mind eggplant or cauliflower or whatever occasionally but find half of it wastes away, as I am single and if I don't eat it at least every second day it spoils and I don't eat it every other day when I buy it.
Lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers and mushrooms are the only versatile veggies I have found.
Any others?
mathal

 

[ThomasT]

I worked in the bush planting trees most of my adult life-26 to 59. It's a piece work job, manual labour out in any weather except a full-on snowstorm. I never had to think about what I ate in terms of weight loss.
I've been retired now for 3 years and to avoid the pudge that I always developed in the off- season (winter) (and lost in the first month of work) I've had to completely alter what's going in on a daily basis.
What works for me is avoiding all processed foods-i.e. food in a square box. -That and junk food like chips that I used to have with dips or smothered in cheese and salsa with beer-still drink beer-home made -manual labour just gets you govt. pension- in three years if I'm still kickin'.
I don't mind eggplant or cauliflower or whatever occasionally but find half of it wastes away, as I am single and if I don't eat it at least every second day it spoils and I don't eat it every other day when I buy it.
Lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers and mushrooms are the only versatile veggies I have found.
Any others?
mathal

Onions. Chili is another favorite of mine, combining onions, tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, ground beef, and spices. You can add other stuff like mushrooms also. I think I'll make some today. Eating chili and stews instead of snack foods such as you mentioned has, I think, somewhat minimized my gut. That is, it could be worse than it is.

 

[lisab]

Onions. Chili is another favorite of mine, combining onions, tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, ground beef, and spices. You can add other stuff like mushrooms also. I think I'll make some today. Eating chili and stews instead of snack foods such as you mentioned has, I think, somewhat minimized my gut. That is, it could be worse than it is.

Sounds nice - maybe I'll make some chili, too . Ivan is right, a lot of carbs seems bad for the gut.

mathal - potatoes keep well, just keep them out of the light. Once the skin starts turning green they're no good. Carrots will keep for a long time too, and celery and broccoli.

 

[Andre]

Once the skin starts turning green they're no good.

Looking at your ermm avatar hmm

 

[lisab]

Looking at your ermm avatar hmm

Good thing I'm not a potato !