Losing Weight and Getting into Shape

[rup]

Thanks for the note Kevin. To clarify, I didn't change my diet much as it was already 'squeeky clean' (my wife's on my diet like white on rice). But did clean up the last forays into cholestrol land (i eat a slice of pizza on occasion,butw/o the pepperoni). With the statin, TC is ~140, and LDL < 70.

I was pretty asymptomatic - low cholestrol (hi end of 'acceptable' range). I did start to get burning in my esophogus with mild exercise (walking), and initially treated it as gastro - but the endoscopy found nothing. On to the cardio. The 5 years before the operation, however, I went inactive - too much work (sit), not enough activity. Other than diet, my advice is to keep trucking.

Is there a by-pass oak cluster for the 4000 footer badge??

 

[The Hikers]

A lot of great info in this thread!!! Joyce and I are opposites when it comes to weight problems, but hiking works for both of us.
I can over-eat "'til the cows come home" and not gain a pound. I am one of those who "never stops", so hiking , for me , is to maintain muscle and get aerobic exercise.
After 3-4 years of slow loss, Joyce has lost about 40 pounds. Hiking IS her weight loss program, so she gets VERY upset if we miss some kind of hike each week.
I credit hiking for all the physical things I can do that a lot of people my age cannot consider doing, and also for getting me through cancer and its treatments.
As for eating, we have done all the research and good eating, but we still forgive ourselves for the occassional Burger or Pizza and Beer.

 

[Skyclimber]

Just don't cut back too much. If you deprive your body of all the great things you loved before, you will end up rebelling and starting to binge on those foods you loved before, as you will start to crave them. You can eat anything you want but in moderation only. Instead of 4-6 slices of pizza have 2 slices. Instead of the whole bag of M&M eat a small handful....control the quantity of food you eat not the food you eat.
The problem with restrictive dieting, "it's a lifetime committment and once you go off the diet, the pounds will come back on, as it was the old eating habits which made a person overweight in the beginning." Moderation and exercise are the key words for success in a weight loss program.

I should had added, when dieting and exercising, remember "Muscle weighs more than fat," so don't get discouraged if you end up gaining a pound or two.

 

[WinterWarlock]

A few years ago there was a book called the 90/10 diet - it's basic premise was that if you ate well for 90% of the time, the other 10% didn't matter. It's just another spin on the occasional reward model, but it certainly seems to have some merit.

And BTW Adam - saw a picture of you from last weekend on ADKHP and you look great. Congrats again on losing the weight.

 

[1ADAM12]

Thanks for the info Marta and Scott! Is this the photo Scott?

This is an AFTER PHOTO!

 

[JNewell]

An unscientific tangent on this discussion. I have found that something in my subconscious tends to impel me to eat more and put a little weight on this time of year. I never thought much about that until I spent a few years doing living history/reenacting, and then I started wondering whether there aren't some very ancient cues embedded in our programming. I don't claim this is more than a possibly crackpot theory, but if you find yourself doing the same, maybe there's something there - and the take-away would be to be a bit easier, or a bit more vigilant, as you wish, this tme of year.

 

[Maddy]

Yes...I crave seal blubber at this time of year and throughout the winter. In the summer it's Ben and Jerry's.

IF we are active, I think it's critical to eat a well balanced diet including good amounts of complex CHO.
I noticed when I did my Outward Bound course, in frigid northern MN, we ate a hearty bkfst, hot cereal, sausage, bagels, etc, and a hearty supper. The rest of the day we ate out of our "squirrel bags" as needed. They contained cheese, dry fruits, peanut butter bars, nuts,etc. I never overate and I was never hungry. I lost 5 lbs in one week and we were very well hydrated. I think that was the first week in my adult life that I truly felt like I was eating to live, not living to eat!

At this ripe old age exercise and lots of it is key to losing weight. I really have to push the envelope to see results. I used to believe that older people exaggerated this problem but I know now from experience that they speak the truth. It's super easy to pack it on and super difficult to take it off.

I don't diet anymore. I noticed that if I give myself permission to eat anything I want, in any amount, at any time of the day or night, I lose interest in certain foods that can cause problems. On the other hand if I follow a "diet" for say 3-7 days, I eventually start craving a pint of ice cream or a pound of pasta, or a really big serving of chinese food. It becomes an obsession. Reverse psychology works wonders for me. You want what you can't have and I love not obsessing over "should I or shouldn't I". It's 9pm and I just finished supper. I totally forgot to eat it earlier. If I were on a diet, supper would have been on my mind from about 2pm on, until I finally surrendered. Yesterday I forgot to eat lunch.
My life has been a diet, and it's great to just forget about food and not feel the guilt that comes with "cheating".
I also stopped weighing myself daily. Once a month is plenty and even that might be too much.

I think all have to find what works best for us and trying to maintain a healthy weight without the big yo/yo syndrome can be a real challenge.

Adam... you did great. Keep up the good work.

 

[Little Rickie]

, I invented, what I still call the 5.10 workout, basically its this 1000 push-ups and 1000 sit-ups a week,.

Did that really give you a full body workout and make you fit or were you just good at pushups and sit ups?

143 sit ups and 143 push ups, what did it take to do that every day, 20 min?

What no chin ups?

 

[Neil]

Gauranteed results

I can guarantee you that if the number of calories you consume is less than the number ingested that you will lose weight. It's one of the laws of thermodynamics.

The rate of weight loss will depend upon the difference.

A few guidelines to help you lose "stored energy".

Don't skip meals.
Get lots of nutrients from a wide variety of foods.
Eschew empty calories. I believe that beer contains alcohol which is an important nutrient.

Ie. soul food.

 

[smitty77]

Did that really give you a full body workout and make you fit or were you just good at pushups and sit ups?

I was going to comment on this after I thought about it for a while. For the record, my comment was going to be :"Rock on! That's some dedication to a program."

I started doing push-ups everyday since I started my weight-loss routine in an effort to get rid of my man-boobs and turn them into something resembling pecs. At first it was a struggle to knock out 10 reps, but I persisted and the benefits started to show, and not just in my chest. I have biceps and triceps where there were none, better posture, and less fluffiness in my upper abdomen.

Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs does a push-up-type exercise called a burpee and credits them to keeping a fairly lean and muscular physique.
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/dirty-jobs-burpees.html

In short, I'm sold the idea that simple old-fashioned exercises can return more benefits than a gym membership can (at least for me) because the time and monetary commitment is so low. I don't have to "make time" for my workout and I don't have to miss a session if I'm not near a gym or my house. I've incorporated it into my daily routine - and sit-ups are getting added next!

YMMV, but it's working for me.

 

[J.Dub]

An unscientific tangent on this discussion. I have found that something in my subconscious tends to impel me to eat more and put a little weight on this time of year. [...] and then I started wondering whether there aren't some very ancient cues embedded in our programming.

Interesting hypothesis.

So we're thinking that Halloween candy, pumpkin pie and Christmas cookies were invented by the cavemen...?

Works for me!

 

[coldfeet]

I'm now in the mid to high 180's.....haven't been that low since 1992 (32 y/o then)....All of my winter hiking/insulated pants are big, thinking of getting them taken in or velcro added to the sides.....funny when people ask you how much weight did you lose? I'm trying not to answer that because they tell you that it's enough....but when is it enough? I'd like to get into the high 170's to take as much weight off my knees (no more meniscus) but I don't want to overdo it and make myself sick.....and then I need to learn how to take in more calories to stop losing weight...I like beer but not that much

 

[bubba]

BTW, in case all you skinny guys didn't know it, those of us that have to work at it hate you.

Oh, don't be that way! We are here on earth merely as inspiration!

1. Exercising
2. Strength training
3. Macro nutrients
4. Adult male enhancement
5. Vitamin and Mineral intake
6. Mind and Body balance, etc.

I thought Number 4 was a given once you lose your gut?!?

And, on a serious note -- doing exercises correctly is important. Correct form will deliver greater benefits in less time and minimal damage. Find a good website that gives the information -- figure them out and also learn how to modify them to target different areas. Start correctly even with the basics - sit-ups and push-ups. Technique is critical (and it may not be what your 5th grade PE teacher told you).

 

[Kevin Rooney]

An unscientific tangent on this discussion. I have found that something in my subconscious tends to impel me to eat more and put a little weight on this time of year. I never thought much about that until I spent a few years doing living history/reenacting, and then I started wondering whether there aren't some very ancient cues embedded in our programming. I don't claim this is more than a possibly crackpot theory, but if you find yourself doing the same, maybe there's something there - and the take-away would be to be a bit easier, or a bit more vigilant, as you wish, this tme of year.

Am not sure why you'd consider that unscientific, as lots of people experience that, including me. Some call it the "hibernation reflex", or something similar. What triggers it isn't clear, but my hunch is that it's related to the change in sunlight both in intensity and duration.

On a different note - if you eat only when you're hungry, it's much easier to maintain a consistent weight. "Eat only when you're hungry" seems obvious, but isn't in practice, at least for me.

 

[Stan]

... if you eat only when you're hungry, it's much easier to maintain a consistent weight. "Eat only when you're hungry" seems obvious, but isn't in practice, at least for me.

Here here to that!

Our meals may be a bit more scheduled than "only when we're hungry" but that doesn't mean we need to ritualistically overeat. By eating slowly we learn sooner that our appetites are satiated ... plus, it's better for digestion. By avoiding or minimizing foods with high fructose corn syrup our bodies are allowed to know when we're full ... high friggin' fructose corn syrup "turns off" the mechanism by which our bodies help us regulate our intake.

Pay no heed to mass marketing of food and drink and you're off to a good start on a diet that will be healthier, more nutritious, less fattening and more satisfying. ... my food decisions minimize mass merchandised products and focus on fresh, natural and labels I understand.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Here here to that!

Our meals may be a bit more scheduled than "only when we're hungry" but that doesn't mean we need to ritualistically overeat. By eating slowly we learn sooner that our appetites are satiated ... plus, it's better for digestion. By avoiding or minimizing foods with high fructose corn syrup our bodies are allowed to know when we're full ... high friggin' fructose corn syrup "turns off" the mechanism by which our bodies help us regulate our intake.

Pay no heed to mass marketing of food and drink and you're off to a good start on a diet that will be healthier, more nutritious, less fattening and more satisfying. ... my food decisions minimize mass merchandised products and focus on fresh, natural and labels I understand.

I think the concept of grazing applies here as well - if you nibble small amounts when you're hungry throughout the day, the clocked meal-time is less significant.

 

[nartreb]

Long before the PC Diet Police established their guidelines I saw 2 pro boxers fight who were exactly my height. I noted theirs weights and that's been my (personal) "ideal" weight since then..

Boxers routinely dehydrate themselves by several pounds just prior to weigh-in, then guzzle fluids before the fight. It's dangerous, but it avoids being placed in a more-challenging weight class. My point is, don't rely on a boxer's published weight.

 

[Chip]

Boxers routinely dehydrate themselves by several pounds just prior to weigh-in, then guzzle fluids before the fight. It's dangerous, but it avoids being placed in a more-challenging weight class. My point is, don't rely on a boxer's published weight.

Good point. I used to have to do that for Pop Warner Football in Junior High; I was always up against the 120lb limit . If I ever get to within 2 or 3 lbs of my current ideal, I will cut myself some slack. To get there though, I'd probably need to lose 20 lbs of fat and gain 10 lbs of muscle, or something close to that.

Am not sure why you'd consider that unscientific, as lots of people experience that, including me. Some call it the "hibernation reflex", or something similar. What triggers it isn't clear, but my hunch is that it's related to the change in sunlight both in intensity and duration.

Not sure about that. I guess it would be natural to store fat going into an assumed lean winter, but as humans and apes have never really "hibernated", as far as I know, I personally think it's just that we know we can get away with adding a few pounds over the winter and aren't as self conscious, heck we can even rationalize needing the extra insulation. Or it could be somebody's PC "it's not your fault that you're fat" terminology/diagnosis.

I do believe, however, our motabolism slowing as calories are reduced in dieting is a result of an evolved "starvation reflex". Our ancestors would need to survive periods of little nutrition. The ancient man/ape that survived the lean times with a slower motab got to reproduce.

 

[HikingBryan]

Whoa Boy! Now I know what my father meant when he would tell me how "easy" it was for me to loose weight compared to him... UGH!

I found that when I hit my mid 20s, things began to change. I have always been at war with my weight, starting in my very early teens. I've been as low as 193ish??? to as high as 287. When I was younger, I could drop pounds with little effort, nothing more than cutting back and moving a bit more. Now it's another story. I need to be strict about my intake and make an effort to exercise on a regular basis.

This past year has been a bad one for my waistline for the following reasons:

1. Three herniated discs keeping my hiking to a minimum (along with running, cycling, etc)
2. I fell in love and got engaged. Love puts on the pounds for me.
3. I bought a house which has kept me close to home and not in the mountains.
4. We got a new puppy. She was too young to hike and has kept me close to home.
5. My weekends have been spent going to Saratoga for wedding planning sessions, and therefore not in the woods.
6. I've been broke, and thus traveling up north less.

Anyway... You get the picture. A year and a half ago I was a good 25 pounds lighter, could run 10k in my sleep, bike 30 miles in a snap, swim a mile (yup, I've got triathlon in my past), could summit 6K with relative ease and the best part, could eat whatever I wanted b/c I was SO active. Well, that has all changed. Now I struggle to run 1.5 miles, the bike leaves my saddle sore, I wouldn't dare to get in my swim shorts, and I haven't hiked to save my life this season.

The good news. After a long conversation with the fiancee and now that my dog/hiking companion is ready to hit the trails, I have innitiated a new philosophy. I am eating well again, drinking less, traveling less on weekends so that I can hike more, exercising at least every other day, and I am feeling better!

My overall plan is to drop 25 before the wedding in June (which I told the fiancee will require weekly hikes and backpacks, no unnecessary social events, less work around the house). I've just started, but I am feeling good, the back is holding up, and I have my goal in my sights.

To that end, I will take my first hike with Stella, the chocolate lab adventure dog, this Thursday to lonesome lake to test out her paws. I hope we both make it (and maybe further pending how we feel...). I still need S. Kinsman.

I should add that I find great inspiration in these threads and I look forward to sharing my success with you all in the future!!!

Now I ust need to address my man-boobs with some push-ups. Oh, I've heard they are called "moobs" these days...

 

[1ADAM12]

2. I fell in love and got engaged. Love puts on the pounds for me.
Now I just need to address my man-boobs with some push-ups. Oh, I've heard they are called "moobs" these days...

I know what you mean about falling in love and putting on the pounds. When my wife was pregnant I think I gained the weight with her. She had these crazy food cravings and I would eat right along with her

Man boobs UGH! I Think I am losing mine I hope

I actually hit a milestone this morning. I broke the 200lb mark and for the first time in like 15 years I am in the 190's now. WOW what a great feeling.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. I have learned a lot and it is nice to know that I am not the only one who has struggled with their weight. Keep the stories coming this is good inspiration for me as well and will remind me to keep trying