losing weight: starting to lose hope (1 Viewer)

[Ken Wagner]

I pretty much agree with most of what's been said. I started exercising with my brother Jan. 3rd. He's had a heart attack a year ago and he's almost 7 years younger than me. Family has history of heart problems, bypass, heart attacks, strokes. It's a matter of time I'm sure but I thought to help him and me, exercise would help make surviving one better. First, we are both over our "ideal" weight. We both need to lose at least 20 to 30 pounds (we both are about 224 and middle aged). I know this will not be easy since I love to eat.

I lost 5 pounds pretty fast but have since been fluctuating up and down. I can say some of the weight gain is due to muscle. Most of my routine was cardio at first. Two 20 minute sets on the bike (better on my knees) which according to the readout was about 17 miles total. About a mile on the treadmill also. I increased the resistance settings as I got more fit. I have noticed my stamina is much better and I walk more places now. The last couple of weeks I have started using the weight machines and working on my abs.

I know weight loss means diet also but I'm weak. I love soda and sweets. I love food, what can I say. I'm hoping that if I can continue exercise my will power will get better.

Good for you to get started with a exercise plan. I hope you reach your goals. Keep us posted. Maybe it will keep the rest of us on track.

 

[Alphonse Brown]

Scott,

Seems like I have to agree with the folks regarding jogging. I began 2002 by incorporating a bit of walking/jogging into my morning schedule as well as backing off of the "no-no" foods a little bit. When I started my routine, I was 285 lbs. and I have dropped 25 lbs. since to 260 lbs. and still going.

There is a jogging track at a park near my home that is exactly 1 mile around. I walk 1/4th's of a mile to warm-up and jog the rest of the way. On average, it takes between 15-20 minutes to complete a mile. If I weren't so pressed for time in the morning, I would jog another 1/2 mile and walk 1/2 to cool down (which is what I do on the weekends). On the way into work, I eat a piece of fruit and drink 8 oz. of water.

I drink water throughout the day. During my lunch hour, I often take a walk (that seems to be approx. 1/2 mile) and I grab a grilled chicken salad afterwards.

Now, dinnertime is sometimes an issue. Sometimes, I have a well-balanced dinner...other times I don't (Mickey D's). :b I try to do exercises at home as well like go a few minutes with my "Slam-Man" or maybe walk around the block for an evening stroll.

After 3 months, hardly anyone noticed, but lately people have been noticing and commenting. So, stick with it Scott! Keep us updated.

 

[MikePeroni]

This formula worked great for me : 1:Learn to skate 2:Learn to play hockey 3: Play hockey or go skating 2-3 times a week 4: Eat whatever you want and still stay slim!!

Skating and especially hockey are KILLER workouts!! If your reasonably coordinated there are 'learn to play' adult programs all around the country. Plus you can rollerblade outside when its nice...Have to also agree on jogging, it definitly works wonders also.. good luck!

Mike

 

[Brad_V]

Diet is at least 50% of weight and health. If you eat lots of fatty junk and sugar junk, you'd have to exercise like a madman to work it off. Carbohydrates aren't all that bad, (moderation is the key to everything, of course). Certainly don't try to eliminate them or anything. You can mess yourself up internally.

Sugar is evil. The easiest way to keep on pounds is to eat candy or doughnuts or any other kind of junk like that.

If you are working out even halfway decent, shoot for roughly one gram of protein per pound of weight per day. You don't _need_ that much, but as long as you aren't skimping bigtime. An ounce of lean meat (steak, tuna) has about 7 grams of protein, so a 10 ounce steak is only 70 grams of protein. A 200lb person should eat at least 100 grams of protein a day if doing any kind of weightlifting at all. I mean, that's pretty much lowballing it. If you work out and eat less than 100 grams of protein a day, you simply aren't giving your body what it needs to keep/create muscle.

Metabolift and Xenadrine and similar things work, but I don't recomment them usually. They can make you feel very strange and all hyped up. It is not a good feeling. If you take a couple too many for the day, you can actually sweat while sitting, and be shaking, too. Not good.

While I also don't recommend the Atkins diet or anything like that that eliminates a certain type of food (other than eliminating as much sugar as possible) or actually recommends eating tons of butter and fat, if you want to see some impressive gains quickly, cut out all sugar and eat only lean meat for a few days. Since it's so lean and you can eat so much of it, you might actually get sick of eating so much of it. You should easily notice the difference, though. Don't do it for extended periods, though.

And I can't stress enough the importance of eating enough protein. I worked out for so long while thinking eating a chicken sandwich a day with 40 grams of protein in it was doing good. I went nowhere because my body wasn't getting enough protein to build muscle. It's pretty hard to eat *too much* lean meat.

 

[Drew Bethel]

I just got some leftover Hydroxycut from a friend. I'm headed to Miami and then Nassau (my homeland) in three weeks so I gotta be cut up b-a-b-y! I'll report back on the results. Hopefully I won't sacrifice any hard earned muscle for the sake of losing a couple of inches around the waist!

 

[Scott Thomas]

Hi all

Well so far so good, I still feel the same as I always do but my pants to feel a bit looser now.

Anyway, its hard to resist temptation; They been serving donuts at the break of where I work. its hard but I aviod them.

I've actaully been muching on slices of "7-grain" bread. its real soft and doughy. I just hope that these are the right types of carbs that I can eat. still drinking lots of water and green tea

I also been eating spinach again (raw) straight from the bag, like potato chips. Its one of the vegatables that I can eat straight up.

I'll keep working out and I'll weigh myself on monday and post my next result.