Weight Watching

[spydutch]

Greetings you all,

Since there are so many people overweight and it is considered unhealthy, I wondered how many of you are concerned with their weight and why? Is it because of health or cosmetic reasons? And what are your weaknesses in maintaining a diet?

I've been concerned with my weight since I was a kid. I grew up a little chubby kid and was teased with it all the time. My mother always made sure we ate healthy but it didn't make a difference. All genetics. My whole family put on wieght very easily.
When I hit puberty, I suddenly grew and became almost skinny. So when I was about 18 I decided to work out. Within about 3 years I developed a decent body(not even near the one of Daywalker, but decent).
I was able to maintain it until about 4 years ago. Suddenly I lost it and I didn't care anymore. It got even worse when I lost my job on November 2004.
I gained about 10 kg in the month I was at home. I got another job in December which I lost in May 2006(due to distance and I couldn't handle the pressure)
Since May I have gained another 20 kg.
Right now I'm about 1 mtr 80 and I weigh 126 kg.
Recently I started a diet of very little or no carbs and I can see my belly getting smaller veeery slowly.
My weakness is beer. I drink every evening because I really enjoy it(and it makes me relax)
I hate running and haven't touched a weight in months(maybe I should pick it up again)
So this is my story(got a little long, sorry :o )

[zenheretic]

Well I'm motivated due to my exposure of the unhealthy patients I see and talk to. As an American, especially one that lives in a city of excess and indulgence known as Las Vegas, I see a lot of incredibly overweight people. The two top killers of pedestrians in Las Vegas are trucks and people who pause too long in a buffet line :D One great pleasure on my trip to Greece was seeing very few fat people. I've rediscovered that even women with average faces look so much better when they aren't packing 20 extra kg (44lbs). My weakness is Orange Juice, believe it or not. That stuff is loaded with sugar. I'm currently attempting to begin resistance training again using a Bowflex machine, faster than free weights and almost as good.

[Magic]

Spydutch...

Have you thought about getting a pedometer? I find it makes it easier to be motivated to walk.

I use this one:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000U1OCI/103-8823689-2081424?v=glance

It's amazing....every day I know whether I've done my 10,000 steps or not.

[Gerard Breuker]

As long as I keep on training 3 to 4 times a week I can eat and drink anything I like without gaining weight. If you are really out of shape it is not just losing weight that it is important but gaining some muscle too.

[Mariner]

My physician says that I could afford to lose 20 lb. but, at 6' 1", I'm really not too concerned about 20 lb. Giving-up pizza and switching to light beer :eek: . I think not!

[vampyrewolf]

6'0, 32" waist, 44" shoulders, 175-180lbs depending on the week... I can lose another 10lbs and still be healthy, have about a 2" roll on my gut.

My big problem is eating when I'm bored. Packed on 30lbs in 2 months last year before I changed my eating habits after being taken off work.

[Fuglee]

I find the best results by lifting weights, and watching my diet of course. Now, I am by no means a doctor, a scientist, or even very well educated on health and fitness. But this is what i've read, studied, and found to be pretty correct so take it with a grain of salt please.

There are 3 ways that your body burns calories. 1: Your body burns calories by digesting food, usually about 10% of whatever you take in. 2: Your activity level, ie working out, having an active job, walking the dog everynight etc. This obviously varies a ton from person to person. A construction worker is plain just going to burn more calories through the workday then me selling insurance =p It usually is between 10% and 30% of your total calories 3: Your body burns calories by sustaining you, keeping you alive. It takes alot of effort keeping your heart pumping, blood circulating, and muscles working. This makes up for the large part of our calorie usuage every day.

It makes sense to maintain a healthy weight and to burn some fat, we can increase our activity level but also increase the amount of calories our body burns by sustaining us. For every pound of lean muscle that you gain, your body will burn an extra 30-50 calories per day. If you add 10 pounds of muscle to your body, you can eat an extra 300-500 calories a day without a weight change. This is just what you're body needs to do to sustain that extra muscle you've added. So I find that by weight lifting and adding muscle to my body and obviously by watching my diet some, I can trim down and stay pretty trim.

Another interesting thing that i've read alot, been told etc. Is that the beer gut actually exists. We guys store fat in our stomachs. It's the way that we're built which is why that seems to be the last place we lose fat from. Whereas women store fat more in their thighs and hips.

Now I don't think anyone knows exactly why, but for guys at least, consuming alcohol makes our bodies deposit more fat in the stomach then usual. There's something that the alocohol does to our bodies that just makes us store more fat there then normal. So there actually is some truth to the "beer gut" thing.

Beer is great. I love it. Unfortunately it's alot of empty calories, carbs, and the alcohol makes our bellies bigger. And the fact that we tend to drink more then 1 at a time and usually at night after we've had all our activity for the day =p

Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts. Like I said, i'm no doctor and i'm not claiming to be. If you find fault in anything i said, then fine. But please don't flame me =) It's just what i've found and it's helped keep me pretty trim.

Fugs

[Michael Cook]

:spyder: I could easily loose 50 pounds. It holds me back when training at the dojo. I train often so I do have good cardio but it would be A LOT easier without the extra weight. It's late nite tv time that screws me. eating before bed, man alive, I can't stop snacking at nite :( :spyder:

[JohnM]

Hi Spydutch,

I like beer (and chocolate) too, but I don't gain any weight. I walk to and from my work every day instead of taking the car and that's about a 10 km walk total. Burns lots of calories so I can pretty much eat what I want.
I also train twice a week (free weights) so I think exercise is the most important. If you combine this with a healthy diet I don't think a few beers are going to give you any problems.

[idj]

Hi, Spydutch. I'm trying to do something with my weight. I'm not terribly overweight, but I've always been REALLY thin, almost underweight, and putting on any weight causes worry. I have some health issues (cholesterol, blood sugar) that require constant attention and whose attention also tends to cause some weight loss, so I try to eat right, exercise enough and drink my favoured beer in moderation. :( I love good import beer. Cheers!

[HoB]

I had the same problem as idj, I could never gain weight, eating was like pouring gasoline on a blazing fire - pooooof and it was gone. Only when I turned 31 I started to gain weight and I loved it. About 1.5 later I am now 6'00" and about 190 lbs. But aside from a natural tendency to be a "hardgainer" being a competitive endurance athlete didn't exacly help. If you go out skating for 3 hours and 50 mi, you might as well forget what you had for breakfast. Also, when I get stressed out, I eat less not more.

By now I try to have a very regular diet. I switched from an extremely high carb diet (which I needed while skating a lot) to relatively low carb, high protein. I don't take any protein supplements but I drink at least 4 large glasses of 1% milk and my boring lunch EVERYDAY is about 300 g of cottage cheese (that's about 30g of protein right there) with a little bit of ananas and a banana, supplemented by a slice of bread with cheese or sausage. Keeps me going like the energizer bunny.

[pjrocco]

As I get older and older I find it is becoming rather easy to gain weight.

I'm 5' 7" 155 pounds... So nothing to worry about at the moment.. But the time will come when I have to watch what I eat. :rolleyes:

[CopilotATS-55]

im at a pretty good weight except musle mass, i used to have a lot but it has since diseaperd been using a Total gym 2 days a week so i should get some back :rolleyes: :spyder:

[Axlis]

I am 5'11" weighing in at 197 pounds. I was on a good diet last year and lost down to 185 from 230. I've gained a little back but it seems hard to lose any more. I've still got a gut. At my job I work real physical labor, 12 hours, about 9 of which is spent constantly working and on my feet. I don't really eat that bad and I drink diet soda's and water. But it still seems like a challenge to lost weight. Something I can't understand since I burn up so many calories a day :confused: Oh well, when it comes to weaknesses I would say mine is Ice Cream ;)

[zenheretic]

I am 5'11" weighing in at 197 pounds. I was on a good diet last year and lost down to 185 from 230. I've gained a little back but it seems hard to lose any more. I've still got a gut. At my job I work real physical labor, 12 hours, about 9 of which is spent constantly working and on my feet. I don't really eat that bad and I drink diet soda's and water. But it still seems like a challenge to lost weight. Something I can't understand since I burn up so many calories a day :confused: Oh well, when it comes to weaknesses I would say mine is Ice Cream ;)
You can read a lot of "stuff" on the net claiming that the chemicals in diet soda can actually make it harder to loose weight. I've never read any real scientific studies, but seeing so many rotund people with a giant barrel of diet soda in their hands 12 hours a day does make me wonder...food for thought :p

[Vincent]

Im 6'3 and now 333lbs, lost almost 40lbs in 2.5weeks. yeah im heavy but not rerally fat, just wide and solid I guess. Sure I have a stomach, but also have a ton of muscle and my frame is just huge. I do work out alot and run alot, thogh every thing i eat i gain weight from. Such as a can of coke or a few cookies, il wake up feeling heavier. So I just dont eat the stuff. Overall im healthy for somebody my size. my Cholesterol is 104 mg/dl which shocked my Dr., Blood pressure is 130/70. But my actual size and how much my heart has to work to keep with that, has caused me to reduce my training. Now I workout 2 hrs a day in the gym and probrolly run 2 miles a day. I used to do 4 hrs and 4 miles and an hr on stair master every day.

So for longevity, im looing the weight.


Simple way to loose weight and live longer, get 30G of soluble fiber per day and drink a Minumum of 1 gallon of water. Take a Fiber supliment and well as vitamins. Eat 5 servings of fruits and vengtables. V8 is great thats 3 of them per day.

Also truly not eating carbs will make you loose the weight but it is garenteed to come back. Eating Enogh fiber and Buring 2x more calories than you intake will make you loose the weight for ever.

[DAYWALKER]

So when I was about 18 I decided to work out. Within about 3 years I developed a decent body(not even near the one of Daywalker, but decent).


Aloha spydutch...

Wha? :eek: :o

God bless :cool:

[snuffaluff]

Old thread revived...
I'm in the market to lose some pounds now, but I didn't want to start a new thread if this one existed, and here it is.

How are those of you who wanted to lose weight doing with it nearly a year later? Did you meet your goals?

I'm 5'11" 200+\- lbs and need to shed 20 of that. I don't think i need tips or anything, as I know what to do... It's just doing it that is hard for me. A bit of motivation is what I need, that and stop eating ice cream so much. That stuff is good!!

[raven]

Hey All, 38 y/o, 5'-10", 175lbs. I went from 205lbs to 175lbs in about 3 months. Just watched what I ate and the amount. In the gym 5 days a week for about 2 hrs. I work certain muscle groups on different days, and do Cardio 2 times a week. Of Course Those of you who know, I Race BMX. So, I Have To Stay In Shape, Not To Mention Being an LEO. To Pack Around All That Gear, Deal With The Bad Guys, Many Times Chase Them On Foot.............It pays for me to stay in Shape As A Matter of Survival. Not To Many Doughnuts Here :D :p :D. The weight loss made a Huge Difference In My Day To Day Tasks. I Kept My Muscle Mass, Power, and My Endurance. Just Shed The Fat. I use Free Weights, A Universal Weight Machine, and A Stationary Bike............Run When I Can. Being A BMX Racer, I pack most of my weight in my legs, Arms/Upper Body from having to Pull Out of The Gate So Hard and So Often. The Weight Loss helped me immensely in my racing. I've Increased My Speed Big Time. The Weight Loss was all shear Determination and Discipline. I still have my moments, and slack-off, but I try to make up for it when I do go into the gym. Not all of us have that time or money to go to the gym. I lucked out, and have a key to the local college gym, because I'm an instructor there. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be workingout nearly as much. Those Of You That Have Families, I know It can be tough to get to the gym with everything that surrounds one's day to day tasks and Jobs. Alot of my weight loss was because of what I ate. I watched what I ate and the amount. People get technical in wieght loss. They count the calories, start taking out this fat, that fat, carbs........there isn't a thing wrong with that. Some People just get down right obsessed with it and in return become unhealthy, because they're taking to much out of their diet, and lacking certain fats and carbs a body needs to stay healthy. To get into shape, just be active, any type of activity is healthy. Walking, running, ride a bike. Try to do it with a spouse/friend/as a family. Start out with small goals, try shedding a 2 to 3 pounds to start with, and see how you feel. Weight lifting isn't for everybody, but if you want to start, start slow and take it easy. See how your body reacts, then gradually build a routine you're comfortable with. Seek advice from someone who has weight trained and ask them for tips. There is weight lifing for power, bulk, to stay toned up. Go with What Fits You As An Individual. If A Person Is Comfortable with How They Look and Feel............That's The Only Thing That Matters. Take Good Care All and Be Safe Always.

God Bless:)


-raven-

[tduffydpa]

with me, weight is a real complex issue. my biggest problems are: eating when bored, and (most importantly) stress-eating. before i left college a few years back, i was in great shape, but spent three hours a day maintaining that. now, i leave for work at 4:30 in the morning, and get home at usually 7:30 at night. i just can't seem to find the motivation to exercise anymore. and then there's the other issue. i put myself under lots of pressure, which causes stress, which causes eating. currently trying to fight the good fight. I'm at 315 right now. In my adult life, I've been as high as 345 (march of this year) and as low as 240 (back in 2000 when i used to be an athlete and exercise). anyway, time for bed. good luck to all of those who are trying to lose weight, and congrats to those who have. -td

[BOK]

I was always quite a skinny guy in my so it was always my goal to gain some weight...healthy weight though from pumping iron.

I'm 5'7". I went from 145lbs to my current 189lbs over a 4 year period. Peronal goal is to hit 200 with the help of protein supplements and such. After that I'll slim it down again.

So my post actually has no relevance to this thread since I'm talking about gaining and not losing lol...feel free to ignore...

[dialex]

While not even by far as muscular as many of my friends here, I dare to say I'm in a decent shape. At 5.7" I have an average mass of about 168 lbs (which I find a wee bit too much, still trying to get back to 160, but I find it's quite difficult once you are 40).
Unfortunately, my familly and my work leave me little close to none time for organized training at the gym or dojo. I don't have a Nautilus, but I do have a couple dumbells and a barbell. I move them now and then to wipe the dust and such :o
But I found long time ago that you actually don't need sophisticated machines to be in shape. A couple pushups are great for you chest and arms, as well as foldings are for your abdominals. Also, I use all sort of tricks that help me exercise. For instance, when I play horsie with my kids I take short breaks and make 10 pushups with them on my back ;). Or when I am on the ladder, I hang at top of it and drag myself upwards 10 or 20 times. Doing this a few times a day helps (a bit) to compensate the lack of activity. :(
I don't take specific care of my diet, but I'm not the eating type anyway. Most important, I try to drink a lot of water, at least a gallon a day. Not who knows what diet sodas, but plain water. It's the best, no matter how hard they try to convince you otherways. ;)
My weakness is chocolate and biscuits (Chad's included ;) ). Oh, and peanuts, but at least I can stay away from beer. ;)

[Jenner 515]

At the start of July 2004 I was 5'9" 330#...the doctor said I had blood pressure that would blow the gaskets out of a truck. I had a minor cardiac event (the minor ones you survive, the major ones I guess you don't) and was diagnosed with type2 diabetes.

Two years later I am down to 210# I walk 4 miles everyday and swim 1.5 miles twice a week. ...Oh, and I got my bench press up to 360# but I only did it twice and my joints hurt for three days.

What I found out is that people can tell you and tell you to lose weight, but if you're not ready to listen to them...or hear the message its hard to take the proper steps to get healthy. My big thing was eliminating Soda altogether diet as well as regular, it was the major turning point in getting my sugar numbers under control. That and a controlled carb lifestyle.

Do I miss some of it? Yeah. There are days I just know the world would be a better place with a Coke and a donut but I'd rather be around for the next day.

[zenheretic]

I am no skinnier, yet no fatter than a year ago...I went up and down 50 flights of stairs last night. ;)

[spydutch]

Well, after my post I didn't weigh myself again until I bought a scale which is able to withstand more than 120 kg. I broke the one at my girlfriend's(who weighs about 55 kg at 1m69). I weighed myself at a friend of mine who had a scale which goes to 180 kg so that's why I know I was 126 kg.

Until May this year I must have gained another 10 to 15 kg, because I had to put back another pair of jeans and only was comfortable in baggy sweat pants:o

From May this year I got a job again which involves a lot of walking and lifting. I'm back to 126 kg now.

I still want to get below the 100 kg mark, but it's a long road.:(

I still won't give up my beers in the evenings(and mornings after night shift:o ) I'll just have to get the dicipline not to snack whilst drinking beer. I have no trouble keeping to my diet during the day, but after a couple of beers in the evening, all my dicipline is gone through the window and I start to snack(pieces of cheese, balony and the such)

So I'm afraid it will certainly be a long, long road to the "below 100 kg mark", unless I get the'" click" and don't snack anymore at evenings.

We'll see.....

[snuffaluff]

well, i thought maybe I would restart this thread so we could keep each other motivated and updated. I remember the quit smoking thread and how long it went on. You guys supported eachother there very well, and I feel that being overweight is as major as smoking. It does affect our health and can kill us.

My goal is to lose 20lbs. I won't set a date for this, but I figure 2lbs a week is a safe bet, though I know the last pounds take more to lose than the first. So, by new years I'll hopefully have lost at least 10lbs.

[picobrain]

Hi folks,
For your health I recommend reading
Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman MD

Maybe more than you wanted to know,
but it's worth it.


peace

[StuntDouble]

I'm 6' and usually weigh between 165-175lbs. I'm in somewhat decent shape, but need to work on cardiovascular fitness. I'd like to be a lean 180 within the next 6 months if possible.

dialex,

I agree a person doesn't need sophisticated gym equipment to maintain fitness, and in some cases I see them as a detriment since you probably won't have the same equipment at home. A couple of dumbells, a chair, and a sturdy doorjam are pretty much the only tools a person needs.

[spydutch]

I have to lose about 45 kilo's(about 80 lbs):eek: :o

Yeez, that's almost a grown person:eek: :eek:

I bought a bunch of those meal replacements yesterday and I'll start of today.

I'll keep you all posted;)

[The Deacon]

Well, I did not chime in when this one started - probably was in denial. I was no lightweight when I quit smoking, had not been a scale in years, but probably was around 250 lbs. In the first eigthteen months after I quit I managed to gain another 60 lbs. Got motivated then and have been dieting ever since. Have lost just over 75 lbs. so far, and want to lose another 40 to 50. Getting more exercise too, as it's a heck of a lot easier to do without those extra pounds.

[snuffaluff]

That's great deacon!! Sounds like you've gotten it down pretty good... and will continue to do so!!

Spy, you can do it m8... sounds like you've started, so don't stop!

[DFD04]

Thought I would share my weight story with ya'all. Before going into the fire academy I was at 275 lbs. I am 6'2 but that was still too heavy to get through the academy and be an effective firefighter. I got down to 215, and then entered the academy. Since then (probation and just still working out) I have gotten down to 180-185. I have lost a total of 95 lbs. My body seams to be really happy around this weight.

A lot of people ask me what diet did you use, and my answer is just cutting the crap out of my diet and running, and doing a lot of stairs. If you burn more calories then you take in you will lose the weight, it was that simple for me. I tried the all protien thing for about a week and I had no enegry to exercise. So I started eating only whole grains, and really ran my ass off.