Real Weight loss?

[GoodOlBoy]

OK I admit it. I am one of the ones touting my gut as a real mans physique for several years. However it has gone above and beyond out of control. Last time I had to drag a deer 100 yards my chest very nearly exploded. Saying I am way overweight is an understatement. So much so that I have problems trying to excercise. I have never been this large before in my whole life. Think 5' 11" and 310+ lbs. I fear summer in Texas. Not because of a bathing suit, I am a man = I have no shame, but because when it hits 100+ out there my internal temp is going to be around boiling.

I have a good deal of muscle, but I just cant move around much anymore and that has GOT to stop. I work behind a desk all day. I drive an hour each way to work, and I have VERY little time to excercise like I should have done to prevent this in the first place.

I have found the following answers so far.

#1 Weight loss Supplements only remove weight from your wallet.
#2 The only thing a situp seems to do is test the ability of my couch to hold my feet down (Months I have been doing this).
#3 I don't have the time, or the money for gyms, health clubs, etc and even if I did there are not any within 100 miles of me.
#4 Telling somebody to walk is great. Now with one bad leg and about 100 pounds of excess fat YOU show me how to do it effectively. With 50lbs I could do it, but not with 100.

Alright all that aside, and keeping in mind I eat small reasonable meals and try to stick to the Omega diet the Doctor put me on two years ago I need major help here. I need to loose enough weight that I can move around enough to loose weight. . . . talk about a catch 22. Anybody have any ideas about indoor excercises, that will help, that don't involve the purchase of equipment, with limited space to move about in the house?

Keep in mind I am not lazy. I WANT to move around and get excercise. On the weekends I work in the yard, I hunt and fish, etc. But I have to find a way to drop this weight and the faster the better. Once I have dropped about 50lbs and can actually move around, and work out on machinery, etc then I can go back to using my lunch hour to work out at the company wellness center (Which I was doing last year) However I tried not long ago and I am too big for most of the machinery, two short legged for the excercise bikes (And I mean it sheesh you cant set the thing to where I can use them, I think they ordered them for somebody with legs like a spider monkey) and baring those things there aint a whole lot you can do in there but stare at the people working out.

Anyway. Any ideas for getting fat off quickly at home? I tried to get my wife to buy me a wet dray vac (After all I own several good skinning knives) but she nixed that idea.

Thanks.

GoodOlBoy (Who wants to be 2/3 of the man he is)

[Rocky Raab]

My very good friend, if any of us had the answer to quick and permanent weight loss, we'd be bazillionaires.

The only way (and I'm sure your doctor would confirm this) is to lose a little at a time - for a long time.

I'm 5-9ish and 185 (oh OK, 190) and even I feel a bit gutty. So I'm in the same boat. Which means the damn thing is in danger of sinking!

[GoodOlBoy]

I know Rocky, but I aint asking for a miracle, just for some advice. I know that walking will strip it off faster than anything else. Howsomever with my weight it is hard to walk when it is as hot as it is even now, and the treadmills at the company wellness center have a 225lb limit. . . . . .

Any ideas? I have been trying to do knee bends/squats (Ever heard a knee crack like a gunshot? Thats my timer for how many I can do) I have tried working on Tai Chi (Yes I took a class on traditional Tai Chi in College, it works when you stick with it which I didn't unfortunantly) but again so much weight I cannot really get the range of movement required to do any good. Setups, yet again, only seem to test how far I can lift my 40+ yeard old cast iron and oak couch with the hide-a-bed in it with my feet (approx 8 inches btw) Stationary bikes at the wellness center are mostly the kind with the peddles in front of you, which is great so long as you don't have a big belly. . . . . and are not short legged. . . . . The rest of them are set for somebody approximately 7' 9" and also have a 225lb weight limit. I can lift free weights, but there are only two benches and they are usually in use.

I vow here and now that if I can find a way to do so I will loose at least 70lbs by Christmas!

GoodOlBoy

[Rocky Raab]

Yeah, I know. I wasn't being a smartneck. I DO sympathize.

I think the best thing would be to walk as far as you can. Sweat is heavy, and every little bit helps! As you lose a little, go a little farther. Start with 20 minutes or so: ten minutes down the road and then turn back. Soon you'll be going farther and for longer time.

I know that you know not to lose too much too fast. That's dangerous. A pound a week or so is about right. And keep checking with that doctor.

I hesitate to even bring it up, but they do advertise stuff that's only for the very overweight. Supposedly helps. But ask the Doc about that, not me.

[DogYeller]

GOB, I'm a big boy to, Nov. of last year I was 5'10", 300lb. Now I'm down to about 260. The only way to permanently loose weight, is loose it the opposite way you gained it. You will have to make some drastic changes in your life style. Things that cause you to gain fat are no longer in your diet. That doesn't mean you can't have a good meal. As far as exercise, do some research and find a form of exercise that gets your heart rate up and holds your interest. Try to use the biggest mussels (legs) for as long as you can, when they get tired switch to another set (arms or back). Don't expect to get rid of something, that's been with you most of your life, over night. Mussel burns energy. Fat is energy your body has stored. Starvation diets cause your body to go into a protective mode and it will actually burn mussel before it will deplete the fat supply Bodybuilders call this a “sticking point”. You always need an alternate plan different exercise, different food.

I was a power-lifter for almost 30 years and when I crushed my ankle and could no longer exercise the way I normally did I went from 245 to 300. I was eating healthy food, just too much of it and not exercising much at all.

The only fool proof method for loosing weight is, "eat less, move more".

[Tater]

The fitness guru here on base put me on an exercise program that starts out alternating between running and walking. Each week I run more and walk less leading up to running for 30 minutes straight. You could probably change this to alternating between a slower walk and a brisk walk. I know about bad knees because I'm having the same problem. If this sounds like something that might work for you let me know and I'll email it to you. FWIW. Good luck.

[Montana Cowboy]

Howdy GoodOLBoy
I have to agree with DogYeller. I'm 5' 9" and weigh 185lbs. A little over two years ago I weighed 225. Tried the Atkins diet and it worked for me. I changed my eating habits then and have stuck to it. I do not deprive myself of the foods I like I just don't take a second helping and eat till I'm stuffed. Cut out a lot of the pie, cookies, cake. Ate too much of that stuff. Used to have more than just a serving, now I have a serving and that is it for the day.
Exercise is important. No matter what you do for exercise is better than doing nothing at all. Walking is very good. In short moderation is important. I wish you the best. MC

[GoodOlBoy]

I have been on a decent diet for a couple of years now, and I have really cut out the sodas the last few months and gone to water or tea. However my problem boils down to excercise and I know it. I am at a desk for 8 hours a day. Behind the wheel another 2-2.5 hours, and when I get home I am usually wiped out already.

Yes I know loosing to much to fast can be very dangerous. One of the problems that caused my wife and I to have to go on the omega diet in the first place is that we discovered I was allergic to soy. Try looking at your labels in your pantry sometimes and you will get an idea of what all you can't eat if you have a soy allergy. I never cared much for sweets, and have not been a heavy eater since I was a teenager. Alot of what did it besides the lack of excercise was the sodas. While working on computers and servers I got to where I always had an open soda with me. I figure in a given day I was drinking around 15 cans, and maybe 8 20oz bottles of soda a day, not counting the glasses of soda at lunch at the resturant, etc. I predominantly try to drink water now, although sometimes I do backslide to a root beer/coke/mountain dew. Thankfully I am loosing the taste for them though.

Anyway I will keep the suggestions in mind and keep you guys up to date. I HAVE to do this, I don't have any choice anymore.

GoodOlBoy

[Classicvette63]

GoodOlBoy, If your joints hurt from walking, try swimming. It's easier on the joints and you get to use your upper and lower body at the same time. And there are usually girls with bikinis on at the pool. You seen some of those bikinis nowadays?:eek: :D

Seriously, to me, swimming seems the least like work. It feels more relaxing than running, walking etc., but you still get a good workout.

[Montana Cowboy]

GoodOLBoy
You sound very determined and I comend your for that. It is so easy to gain weight and a bugger to shed it. That is a lot of soda to drink in a day. I never drank much soda and mostly drink water. Folks here have given you some good sugestions. Ya have to keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for you.
On the exercise don't over do it and hurt yourself. Start out with a 10-15 minute walk every day at lunch time and then when you get comfortable with that increase your time by just a few minutes until you work up to where you can walk for a half hour with no problem. Talk to your Doc he will have some good suggestions. Loosing a lot of weight right away is probably not a good thing. If you loose an ounce or two a day I think you are more likely to keep it off. It dosen't sound like much but thats close to a pound a week. Keep us posted on your progress and don't give up. MC

[Wahnie]

I'd definately have to reccomend the Atkins diet. My mother and sister both lost about 50lb on it and my dad lost a good 30. Exercise helps for sure, but remember, small steps. Never push yourself too hard. I learned that one the hard way.

My weight has yo-yoed since I was a child. I am just under 5'10" without shoes and I've gained 35lb since I lost 80lb between June '04 and Feb. '05 (some of you know this story). This summer I am going to try the Atkins diet myself and I'm starting to get back into motorcross, which has helped me lose weight and just overall improve my health in the past.

I know that doesn't really help much, but I will send some G-mail for ya every night.

Good luck!

[GoodOlBoy]

Thanks guys. Wahnie everything helps. I know it has to come off, and I know I have to do it.

Yup Montana I talked to the Doctor, his solution is a prescription way out, which I really don't want. I would rather loose it naturally. I have seen to many people take Phen-phen (my self included years back) and shed the pounds overnight only to have that and more back when the prescription ran out.

It will happen, it has to.

GoodOlBoy

[wrenchman]

I am 5'9" i have been up to 300lbs my suger spiked real bad to 390 so i went on a diabetes diet the first 3 months i droped 60 pounds i have had a hard time sense looseing.
I am at 228lbs i keep going back and forth frome 220 and 228
i cant drop below 200lbs.
Like you i do sit ups every nite and i like to ride my bike every chance i can get i have gone frome a size 44 to a 36 waist .

[Hawkeye6]

GOB,

I'm probably not the right person to preach on weight loss, but let me pass on a few thoughts to you.

First, exercise, or lack thereof is probably NOT the real problem, nor is it the real solution. Its part of it, but not the whole thing. Lfestyle in general is going to be clprit and habits in particular.

If i remember my facts correctly, an hour of reasonable exercise is going to burn ~700-800 calories. There are ~3500 calories in a poun of fat. Do the math and you'll see that it takes something like 4 to 5 hours of reasonable exercise to burn off one pound of fat. I may not be precisely correct on these numbers but I am certain that I'm in the ball park.

You do need to start to get more exercise. That will help, but it will not be the panacea. I'd start with a farily simple goal. Get yourself a reliable pedometer and set a goal or wokring up to 10,000 steps a day. That is ~5 miles and its harder than you think to get that much walking a day in, especially for the desk-bound like you and me. And you with a long commute, too! But it can come in bite-sized increments. park your car farther away from the door. Take a short break in the morning and afernoon and walk around the office, if possible, for 15 minutes. Walk at lunch, or before you go home at night for 30 minutes.

The biggest thing is that you will need to watch what you eat and how much you eat. I can pass some thoughts along to you if you are interested.

Hawkeye

[GoodOlBoy]

I am alway interested.

GoodOlBoy

[Hawkeye6]

Track down a copy of Governor Mike Huckabee's book, Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork . I heard him speak on the Diane Rehm Show on NPR one day and hsi is a pretty impressive story.

Like you and me, he was pretty much a desk jockey. He walked into his staff meeting one day and sat down in an antique chair. It did not bear the burden. That was his wake-up call.

He basically outlines a 12-step program to end some bad habits.

I'm re-reading the book now.

I picked it up through Amazon Marketplace.

Bill Phillips books and programs can be helpful as well. But maybe read Huckabee's work and see if it makes sense.

Hawkeye

[Valigator]

Totally re-landscape your yard this summer

Paint your or your parents or your friends house

completely clean out your garage this summer

drink lots of water, have more romantic nights or days with your significant other, with the lights on.

Come spring, you'll look and feel like a million dollars...oh and cut back on the booze

[GoodOlBoy]

Aint had a drop in nigh on 4 months, I just aint a big drinker.

The other stuff I had planned to do anyway Val, some of it I just gotta convince the wife about.

GoodOlBoy

[GoodOlBoy]

Well I manage to dig my grandparents old excercise bike out two nights ago. Had the wife not reminded me about the cast iron and steel framed monster I would never have even thought about it. First time I got on it I thought I was going to have a stroke before the odometer hit a mile. I have planned a building schedual of more miles on it (IE first week goal 3 miles a night is just about to kill me so far) so here is to hoping. The best thing about it being of course that it actually holds all my weight.

Anyway. if anybody wants to keep this thread going I am more than willing to read any advice, discussions of past sucess (and failures) etc etc.

GoodOlBoy

[Valigator]

The one thing I can add about stationary bicycles are they add extra hanging space for your clothes.....:rolleyes:

But good luck with it...we are pullin for ya darlin...

[skb2706]

Don't want to sound like a SA but anyone who suggests they don't have the time or money to take care of themselves has some serious priority issues.
A couple of thoughts from someone who has made a lifetime commitment out of not letting themselves get out of shape....thus not having to worry about getting in shape.

*it won't go on your ass if it doesn't go in your mouth

You need a serious dietary program, not "a diet" , a lifestyle.

*its not how much you exercise.....its how you use the time you have

Get the most bang for your buck. I am not suggesting a personal trainer but using your time effectively will get results faster.

*the single biggest problem most "new gym/home work out clients" have is staying motivated to continue the program

I see people spending hundreds of dollars on gyms and home workout equipment only to let them go idle or use them for laundry hangers.

*permanent results require a permanent 'life style change'

The results of short term diets are .........well........short.

Good luck and don't get discouraged.

[BILLY D.]

now heres a guy with the opposite problem. i had a very sickly childhood. by the time i was 6 i had contracted rheumatic fever and polio. and then came measles, chicken pox and mumps. consequently by the time i was nine i looked like an escapee from dachau. i always wanted to be big. never happened. i'm 5'11 and weigh 150#. i was always the runt.

i can get on a scale, get weighed, get off, eat two pounds of food, get back on the scale and weigh less than i did when i started.

i guess my mom had a lot to do with my eating habits. when you figure it took two dinning room tables to feed the family you might get the idea. we ate to live not lived to eat.

i can't begin to think what it would be like to go on a diet, shucks, i can't even quit smoking. even though i've done it a number of times.

i guess the point i'm trying to get to is to just eat less. instead of three or four pork chops eat just two, instead of a big scoop of taters get a smaller scoop. course thats easy for me, i'm not the one cutting back on portions. and yes i do feel your pain. it's the same for me when i decide to quit smoking.

sure i can sit here and speak words of wisdom about dieting but dieting to me is something totally different. some folks are just big. but there is a happy medium. you just have to find it for your self.

when i was in grade school they used to have what we called health class. food was a big part of it. at this time in history the diet consisted of about 3000 calories a day. i see now the dieticians are saying 2000 calories a day. thats because back in the days of yore people walked a lot more, worked harder etc. now we drive everywhere, don't do nearly the amount of physical labor.

theres only one way to stop weight gain, slow down on the eating. and portion your food. a friend of mine once said, the best way for him to eat was leave everything in the kitchen, fill his plate and go eat in another room and not refill his plate no matter what. it sure helped him.

if i were you on the bike i would star with a mile and add a tenth every other day. as far as the food goes don't try to cut everthing you in half in one fell swoop, moderation is the key here. do it in small steps. that way it isn't a crash.

good luck bud.

[Hawkeye6]

First time I got on it I thought I was going to have a stroke before the odometer hit a mile. I have planned a building schedual of more miles on it (IE first week goal 3 miles a night is just about to kill me so far) so here is to hoping.

GOB:

It sounds to me like you need to adjust your initial goals downward a little. Can you pedal the thing continuously for, say, 20 minutes?

If you can, great! That is not a bad place to start. Maybe do that three times a week for the first two weeks. Then add 5 minutes per session for the next couple of weeks, Then up it again so that you are now doing 30 minutes three times a week.

It will take a while to recondition yourself, but doing it slowly will reduce your chance of injury and not leave you so exhausted that you don't want to do it each time.

You might try alternating things, too. Three days you bike and three you walk for 20 minutes or so.

H.

[GoodOlBoy]

It is amazing how people assume it is food related. Of course most of the time it is. Let me break it down this way. Around six to seven months ago the Doctor made me write down everything I ate exactlly to the letter (I mean brand, etc too) What was discovered was that on the average day I was consuming less than 1800 calories. Thats for a hole day. Some days were much less (Had several 600 calorie days a week in there) and some days were a great deal more (Had a few 4000+ calorie days a month when I would go on a soda rampage IE looking at the notes I had 7 of those days in two months) What was also discovered was I had low thyroid, borderline diabetes, and almost zero activity in a given week (Winter was on. 99% of my activity was squirrel hunting on the weekends) A series of tests run on me also revealed that I have a metabolism that has de-evolved to what would probably have been considered the norm during the early middle ages. My system actually only needs around 500 calories a day to survive and around 700 to thrive. Anything in excess of 1000 was completely packed away as body fat. IE my system ALWAYS thinks it is in survival/starvation mode. Add the fact that I don't get enough excercise in and poof you have 300+ pounds.

Now as for not having enough time to take care of yourself? I am a 31 year old man with responsibilities. I don't live in a city. I spend 50+ hours a week at work and 20+ hours a week on the road. Now since your average week has 168 hours in it. -70 for travel and work = 98. - 14 for personal hygene and grooming (I spend about an hour getting ready every morning and another hour winding down in a hot shower at night) and you have 84. -49 for average sleep of seven hours a night = 35. -7 for bathroom breaks (totalling about an hour in a given day) = 28. now that leaves on average 4 hours a day of down time right? Wrong. -4 (and hour each time plus drive) for Church once on Wed and Twice on Sunday. = 24. Meals (about an hour each time beacuse thats the only time the family gets to visit. I am only home for supper since breakfast is now a granola bar eaten on the road. And including breakfast and lunch together on Saturday and Sunday) - 11 hours a week = 12. Now assuming that my wife and I are trying to have children (Which we are) and assuming I go grocery shopping for the house (Which I do) And the Yardwork (yep) and picking up my brother from work until he gets a vehicle (Can we see a pattern yet) Taking out the trash for two households (mine and my grandparents) feeding and watering the dogs and the chickens (3 dogs 53 chickens) gathering yard eggs. I give it approximately 20 minutes a day in which I collapse into a recliner from exhaustion. That 20 minutes a day is now spent on a excercise bike. And soon that lunch hour will be freed up for me to hit up the wellness center (assuming I ever get the hardware firewall configured and in place)

So don't assume I am a lazy overeating bastard just because that tends to fit the model. Believe it or not there are people in this world whose metabolism is not designed for the life we now have. 4 pork chops? It would take me over a week to eat 4 pork chops. I can't even finish a whole burger from burger king on 99 cent whopper wednesdays (and I don't care for fast food anyway) without the fries.

Don't misunderstand. I did not start this thread to whine about my weight and get sympathy. I started it because I needed advice because I HAVE to get rid of this fat. PERIOD. I needed a little encouragement no matter how childish that may be. My life should be all the encouragement I need. But what can I say other than it wasn't.

Lets highlight today for example. 1/2 of a natures own granola bar (Pecan Crunch Variety Serving Siz is two bars so deviding their Nutrition Facts that is 47.5 calories, and approx 2 grams of fat) . Two 20 oz bottles of Sam's Choice Purified drinking water. Half a take out container of fried rice from King Buffett, Nacogdoches Texas. And supper tonight will most likely consist of a small salad (Read about 1.5 cups of shredded lettuce and nothing else) with a tablespoon of Olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper on it. It is possible that later I will also snack on an 8oz bag of unsalted unbuttered microwave popcorn. And I would bet you I drink at least another bottle and a half of water before I get in some sack time. This weekend I will probably treat myself to some dead creature slow cooked on an open flame the way God intended.

I don't overeat, in fact I under eat. As it is I am so disinterested in food and eating that I literaly could care less about 99% of the food available on the market. Priority issues? Yes I agree. I let the lives of 4 other people be more important to me than my own.

You know that little thing that they say about diets and excercise? You should consult a physician? Well I already did. His answer was with my messed up metabolism, low thyroid, and other issues was that I should take eight types of medicine and get more rest because I am never going to do it on diet and excercise. . . . . . He's wrong. I will do it on excercise, diet I already have bagged.

Now back to the issue of needing more exercise and what kind of excercises work and what ones don't (BTW which ones DID work for you and which ones didn't?). We will see how the bike goes, and if I can make it into the wellness center on Monday in spite of myself.

Thanks for the encouragement everybody.

GoodOlBoy

[Edited to add] If anybody else is trying to loose weight and would like to start comparing weekly notes on loss/gain. Excercises etc Just let me know.

Thanks.

GoodOlBoy (AKA Fatman. . . . . . for now. . . . .)

[DaMadman]

GOB here is a little diet ( I use that word loosely) that If you are not a picky eat can help you lose enough to get started on your way to weight loss..


http://mikeandmandyonline.com/2005/03/30/lose-10-pounds-in-3-days/


You absolutely HAVE to follow the diet EXACLTY or it will not work.

I have seen several people do it and it worked for everyone that followed the diet to the letter.

I have also seen other people that didn't follow it exactly and id didn't work at all.

You can user the diet for 3 days to lose the 10 pounds then go off it for a few days and eat sensibly to maintain your weight then go back on it and lose 10 more and so on. It doesn't work well to use it for 6 or 9 days straight to attempt to lose 20-30 pounds.

Anyway like I said you can't be a pick eater because there are things on the diet that you have to eat like beets and plain tuna fish and broccoli and you have to eat them and cannot substitute other things for them.

Hope it works if you try it....

I can also tell you that my Dad was in a very similar situation as you are and he cut out eating one meal a day and lost a lot of weight. He would have his coffee and something light for breakfast, skipped lunch and ate a sensible Dinner and cut out all the snacking in between meal and he lost a lot of weight in a short period of time.

[GoodOlBoy]

Ok I was writing a long one and Hawkeye and Damandman responded while I was.

I probably could Hawkeye, but I think I will stick with mileage for now. If I force myself to have to do it, I think I can stick with it.

DaMadman as I responded above I already eat less than I should. That being said however I have been informed recently (IE by my boss during my typing of the above) that that could actually be part of the problem. I will see about giving that little menu a shot. After all what can it hurt.

Thanks guys.

GoodOlBoy (Will let you know soon if DaMadman's menu works for short term loss.)

Also - I was not trying to be rude or come off as mad with the above posting, I just want everybody to know that this was NOT caused by overeating. I really wish it had been, then I could just do push-aways (from the table that is) to help it.

GoodOlBoy

[skb2706]

GOB you said "It is amazing how people assume it is food related."

I said "if it doesn't go in your mouth.............."

I will stand but what I said.........you can not get to be overweight by breathing so the alternatives are few.

I also said it is a lifestyle...........everything about what you do makes you what you are..........good or bad.

[DaMadman]

Originally posted by GoodOlBoy
Ok I was writing a long one and Hawkeye and Damandman responded while I was.

I probably could Hawkeye, but I think I will stick with mileage for now. If I force myself to have to do it, I think I can stick with it.

DaMadman as I responded above I already eat less than I should. That being said however I have been informed recently (IE by my boss during my typing of the above) that that could actually be part of the problem. I will see about giving that little menu a shot. After all what can it hurt.

Thanks guys.

GoodOlBoy (Will let you know soon if DaMadman's menu works for short term loss.)

Also - I was not trying to be rude or come off as mad with the above posting, I just want everybody to know that this was NOT caused by overeating. I really wish it had been, then I could just do push-aways (from the table that is) to help it.

GoodOlBoy

That diet/menu that I posted the link to isn't about cutting the amount of food you consume it is about eating plenty of food but eating the right foods together that counter act each other when you body proccesses them. The acids in one food counteract the chemicals in another food that you eat in the same meal and cause some sort of chemical balance in your system. If you eat all the food that is listed for each meal, you will be totally full and wonder why you are eating so much and still losing weight.

GOB I feel you, while I am still around 200 pounds right now my weight has steadily increased for the past 8-10 years because I have a busted up back and am not as active as I should be or as active as I used to be. Before my back injust I was around 170- 200 depending on what time a year it was and if I was snacking or not. I mostly stayed in the 175 range and would go up to 190 or so in the winter when I was less active and then drop right back down come spring time. in the last 8- 10 years my weight has creeped up to around 200-210 and stays the same because I am not able to be as active as I should be. The catch 22 in my case is the doctors tell me if I exercise and lose a little weight my back would feel better, yet my back is always hurting and exercise make it hurt worse so I take more medicine then the doctors get on my about taking too much meds.

Anywho Good luck with the weight lose, and BTW that menu/diet thing (in case it doesn't tell you in the website) seems like a lot of food, but it is mostly filling food with low calories and it was also devised by a nutritionist or something that sat down and figured out that the certain foods counteract the chemicals in certain other food and it actually can help reset your metabolism.

speaking of which GOB you might want to do some research on that.... There are diets out there and dietary suppliments that are specifically made to boost and reset your metabolism

[Montana Cowboy]

Evening GoodOLBoy
Been thinking about you and was wondering how your doing. Got to thinking about you wanting to loose weight and it occurred to me that part of your weight problem could be heredity related.
Was your Dad or mother a big person? How about you grand parents?
A fella I work with has lost over 200 pounds. I haven't talked to him about how he went about loosing it since I see him only occasionally. Just keep at it and keep us posted. Like I said any exercise is better than doing nothing at all. MC

[GoodOlBoy]

Well me and the Bike, and me and the riding mower went round and round this weekend. I have not yet jumped on DaMadmans 3-day drop because I have not had time to get to the store (I live 62 miles from work, and 10.5 miles from the closest town) Anyway I hoped on the scale this morning and show about a poundand a half drop from thursday. Could just be all the sweating I did on the mower, could be the bike starting to help, could be anything or nothing.

skb2706 if any less went into my mouth I would wind up with malnutrition, the doctor already warned me about that. and yes lifestyle has had a great deal to do with it.

Montana alot of my problem is heredity. Dear old dad was over 300 before his heart surgery last year. (Aint that right BP?) Howsomeever I believe that just like me it is because our bodies were designed for a whole lot more moving around than the average Joe. We have those interesting body styles that woulda looked real good on a viking raider (IE built like a missouri mule, mostly gristle bone and muscle)

Anyway I appreciate it Montana, I will keep posting here even if nobody reads it. BTW I made a deal with the Assistant Chief (Did I mention I moved to the University PD a few months back?) and we are headed to the wellness center today.

Thanks

GoodOlBoy

[skb2706]

My only point is to "not get discouraged" and "don't give up".

Changing ones lifestyle is a huge obstacle and rare are the ones who can do it.
I was lucky because it was a lifestyle I adopted at a very early age and it has been with me ever since. I was not destined to be "in shape" in fact my families on both sides tended to be very heavy and in poor shape comparatively. I choose to not follow their lead.

I understand the "Catch 22" theory ............I would still contend that the long term gains ....far outweigh the short term pain.

[GoodOlBoy]

And I appreciate that. Yup wanting to stay seated in that darned lazy-boy chair for that 20 minutes is mighty tempting. Right up until I start thinking about dragging that deer again. . . .

GoodOlBoy

[Valigator]

GoodolBoy, This is the third morning for me on DeMadman's diet he posted....its a piece of cake.....and its more than I had been eating on a regular day, I had just been eating the wrong things...now I don't play around with scales or anything...I just go by the way my favorite jeans look (and feel) on me.....Now I figure if I follow this diet three days a week, something has gotta break right? So actually I am gonna take Mon. Tues and Wed and stick to his plan as much as possible..... PS I didnt like the way the grapefruits looked at the market, so I bought a large container of pre-sliced ...makes things much easier....

[GoodOlBoy]

I have not gotten to start it yet, we went to the store finally yesterday and half the fruit there looked rotted or just plain green. I am still working out, giving the old excercise bike heck, etc. . . . . As soon as I can get the stuff for it I am gonna hit that diet up. I was talking to my granmother and that is the diet they put my granfather on just before his first heart cathertization (sp?)

Anyway am sticking with it and am already feeling better. For me its not just about the jeans, but also about being able to do what I want when I get the chance to do it (IE drag a deer uphill.)

GoodOlBoy

[petey]

There are "hills" in Texas? :D Seems like anywhere you go around these parts in PA you're always walking uphill.

Good luck to ya. I'm stuck behind a computer all day and sometimes all night too. Luckily I have a pretty active life outside of work so I haven't had the pleasure of trying to shed a few pounds. My wife has been shedding baby fat from our two kids for the past year or more and I can simpathize with her and how hard it is. She's doing great and pretty soon will be skinnier than when we got married! It's nice to see her smile when those old jeans that were thrown in the closet years ago are too big now.

Best of luck....but I'd still like to see what you call a hill.. ha ha. I suppose that could be a realative term too?

[skb2706]

they don't have hills in PA or TX.........we got hills in CO. And everyone one of them is 'uphill'.....lol

[GoodOlBoy]

Ya got mountains in colorado durn ya!

In East Texas we have hills. West Texas aint got so much as an anthill in it (other than the odd plateau) Most of the time here when I am draggin a deer uphill I am draggin him up out of a river bottom.

For the math gurus. Figure the angle.

65 foot drop over 140 feet of ground.
Then 50 feet of floodplain.
Then 18 foot drop over 2 feet. Then yer feet are wet.


Thats where I shot my last deer.

GoodOlBoy

[petey]

The last elk I shot in CO was on a hill, luckily the packout was all downhill. After the third trip my legs were on FIRE! They were shaking the rest of the day. I couldn't get them to stop, but what an experience! Now there's an exercise program for ya. Pack out an elk on your back...you'll see the fat burn off! haha

That old boy wasn't shot too far from you, just over Loveland pass, in the Western Mountains of Silverthorne, CO. The Eagles Nest.

[GoodOlBoy]

Ya know Petey for the sake of your moderators health maybe HC should sponser me in that particular excercise program :D

Just a thought

GoodOlBoy

[DaMadman]

hey GOB, Hope you are doing ok with the battle of the bulge you got going on there. I wish you all the good wishes in the world. I just wanted to throw one more thing out there for you.

My wife has battled with her wieght for many many years and until she recently started doing a combination of sugar busters and Weight Watchers she always lost a little then got discouraged and quit, and then went through the viscous cycle again.

Now I am not pushing either Sugar Busters or WW. But something she did learn in WW this time around is that if you do not eat enough you will actually GAIN weight.

I keep hearing you say that you are not eating enough to keep a bird alive (to paraphrase) and I have actually seen with my own eyes when my wife did that she gained weight.

If you do not give your body the correct amount of nutrition it will think you are starving and store every damn calorie that it possibly can as fat. thus you can be eating VERY LITTLE in caloric intake and still gain weight.

So be careful buddy when you are barely eating a bowl of salad for dinner and half a sammich for lunch, and a granola bar for breakfast you could be working against yourself in a major way (weigh)

The reason I brought up the Weight Watchers thing is that right now WW is using a points system for everything you eat. Based on your hieght and weight and male or female you get a set number of points per day and you are supposed to eat as close to that many points as possible.

My wife as many people would be, was under the impression if you have X amount of points and you don't eat them all that is a good thing. Well she was not eating all her points and she was gaining weight. The nutritionist explained it to her and I have also researched it because she also has a slow metabolism and sure enough if you look into it, if you do not eat ENOUGH your body thinks it is starving and stores everything it can as FAT instead of burning it off like it should and that will screw your metabolism up royally.

Just a few tidbits of info that you may or may not know that I have found out dealing with and trying to help myself and the wife.

So anyway while you are "DIETING" make sure you are also eating enough that your body doesn't work against you.

Good luck

[GoodOlBoy]

Yup. I have spoken with my doctor about that very theory yesterday on the phone. He has decided that besides lack of excercise (Which I am already trying to take care of) he wants me to try to take in MORE learn meat, and omega fatty acids (Olive Oil, Fish Oil, Flax seed Oil, etc) for a couple of weeks to see what the effect is. He believes it may actually cause me to see a boost in weight loss. We shall see.

BTW I have only dropped about a pound and a half so far, but hey its a start.

GoodOlBoy

[McPat]

GOB,
My cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic said that I need to loose because if I didn't I would be headed toward diabetes. I'm a heart patient. She told me to eat fish at least twice a week, cut down on the carbs (notice I didn't say cut out), eat much more fruit and vegetables, and get no less than 3 hours of cardio-vascular exercise each week. Seems real simple, and I have been doing this since January and have lost about 6 lbs. You need to kinow that when I started I was 5'5" and weighed 165lbs. Small man on a small frame. But 6lbs for me is 3.6% of my original body weight. That would be about 10 lbs for you. Please note that it has been around 5 months for me which is about a pound per month. Like you, the question is , when do I exercise. I started getting up earlier in the morning to take my morning walk, and believe it or not, I have much less energy for the day when I don't get up and walk. I sincerely hope this helps you. As a side note, my mom has bad knees too and her doctor told her to do her walking time in a swimming pool. I realize this is only good advice if you have access to a pool. Best of luck to you!
McPat

[Valigator]

Oh you know that mentality of either having biscuits or rice or potatos with every meal....believe it or not when I started DeMadmans diet last week...then the 3 days were over I said ok Val you gonna go back to your routine for the other 4? So the first night off the diet, instead of that "southern mentality" of having a starch at dinner I just substituted another vegetable and I gotta tell ya I didnt miss it...and didnt have that stuffed feeling either.....for ya'll not familiar with southern cookin that is almost unheard of....

[GoodOlBoy]

I have actually been finding it pretty difficult to eat more of anything. I just don't have that big of an interest in food anyway. Although ever since I have been riding the bike I have had this craving for an ear of roasted sweet corn like you wouldn't believe. . . .

GoodOlBoy

[Classicvette63]

Isn't it strange how the older generations ate stuff that today would be considered a no-no (everything cooked in gobs of lard, etc.) yet most of them weren't heavy. My mom's side is italian. Big ol' fat sausages, mountains of spaghetti and lasagna with meatballs in real gravy the size of your fist were the order of the day. Looking at pictures of my grandparents and great grandparents, there wasn't a heavy one in the bunch.:rolleyes:

GOB, don't worry about finding time to fit an hour long workout into your schedule. Just do 5 minutes of something, anything to start. No matter how beat or tired from work you are, you can manage 5 minutes. That gets you in the habit, that is the most important thing. You can work up from there.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

GOB, you are getting some good information here that probably helps others too. It is a fact that when you quit eating, your body will use your muscle for food first while it stores fat in reserve. Natures way of survival I guess. Moderation is the key to about everything we do in life. Overdo anything and it will show up somewhere else..along with all the above suggestions, when you walk outside, do deep breathing exercises. Inhale as deep as you can at least 10 times and do this everytime you find clean air to breath. Might get light headed at first. Oxygen is a +..I am a person that can walk into a donut shop and smell it and gain lbs.(I don't go there).my job was sitting behind the wheel of a truck and try to get out and walk around doing that as my cardio dr suggested after my 5 heart attacks and bypass etc etc. While sitting in your office or wherever, do the stomach rolls..ya know, tighten etc. kind of like situps. Do while watching tv, driving car or anytime you think about it.. Also, to counter the mind game all this creates, use a very small dinner plate..then you can have the seconds..trick the mind and body..drink water before dinner and the rest of the day. Water is what renews body cells. Set a goal a little closer to where you are now and reach that goal first..think thin..think thin..don't shoot for the total lb goal..won't seem like you are getting anywhere..I say have that corn on cob you crave just only eat 1/4 of it..will stop the need to have it..I also have 2 crash diets from cardio drs that you have to follow to the T but can't stay for long..They are the more you eat the more you loose programs..one is vegi soup and the other has cabbage soup involved..and I love them both..but is not the store bought kind of soup..have to follow how to make your own..I will dig them out later and send ya if wanted.kind a like the one given to you above posted..but the more you eat, the better...good luck..think thin..breath deep..can't hurt..good health to ya..

[Duffy]

GOB, I've been observing this thread for a while and have kept silent, but I finally feel compelled to tell you how much I admire your determination to make this important change in your life. I too have my own "battle of the bulge" going on, and have lost a good amount of weight just by exercising, cutting back on portions, and no desserts. It's a struggle, and it's not easy. They say you feel better when you diet and exercise. That's a load of bull: In some respects I feel worse, in that I'm more tired, and sore from the exercise. But the results are noticeable, and I'm well over the "21 days makes a habit" rule, so now I miss not doing it. It just takes time.

I have nothing really to add or receommend, except to say that I eat oatmeal in the morning, cold cereal at lunch, and whatever I want at dinner, just smaller portions (which my wife enforces!) and no desset. Water all day, and exercise three or four times per week at our city fitness center. My workout routine is 50 mins. on a stationary bike, assorted weights, and walking laps in a resistance pool. I'm at the gym about two hours every time I go, and yes, I get home late (I have a wife and three kids which consume time between work and workout time). I somehow find time, and it works. After all, I find the time for hunting, shooting and fishing, so I can find the time for this too. I'm not advocating that this regimen is for you, just that it is what works for me after much trial and error. You'll find your groove and it will pay off.

Best of luck in your endeavors to lose weight. I applaud your efforts.

[GoodOlBoy]

Thanks. I admire anybody who sticks with it. Let me tell you how much I have not wanted to stick with it lately. Particularly eating more. I skipped breakfast this morning again, and had half a granola bar for lunch. Bad me. . . . *slaps own hand*

But I am still trying. Never give up.

GoodOlBoy

[DaMadman]

Originally posted by Classicvette63
Isn't it strange how the older generations ate stuff that today would be considered a no-no (everything cooked in gobs of lard, etc.) yet most of them weren't heavy. My mom's side is italian. Big ol' fat sausages, mountains of spaghetti and lasagna with meatballs in real gravy the size of your fist were the order of the day. Looking at pictures of my grandparents and great grandparents, there wasn't a heavy one in the bunch.:rolleyes:

.

You know why tehy were all thin?? it's because they didn't have the Money to buy large amounts of the things they ate.

People ate bread and fillers (carbs) back then because they didn't have the $$$ to buy extra meat. They ate things fried in lard because Lard was CHEAP. The bread and butter and jelly (if you were luck) was on the table to fill you up after the real food was gone and you were still hungry. People ate spaghetti because it was cheap and filled you up and it didn't have 2 pounds of ground beef in it. It had a little meat to flavor the sauce and that was it. You get the drift

Bottom line is people ate what they could afford, now people have the $$$ to afford everything the want to eat and then some....

Just Super Size it.....

[bigkevmorgan]

HEY GOOD OL BOY I DID THE SLIM FAST BARS WITH A GLASS OF SKIM MILK 1 OF EACH FOR BRKFST@LUNCH A SENSIBLE SUPPER THE WAKLED START OUT 50YRDS NEXT WEEK DO 75 YRDSIN A MONTH YOU'LL BE UP A LOT FARTHER THAN YOU THINK I LOST 65 LBS IN 6MNTHS IT REALLY IS A LIFE CHANGE, GOOD LUCK.

[PJgunner]

Originally posted by DaMadman
You know why tehy were all thin?? it's because they didn't have the Money to buy large amounts of the things they ate.

People ate bread and fillers (carbs) back then because they didn't have the $$$ to buy extra meat. They ate things fried in lard because Lard was CHEAP. The bread and butter and jelly (if you were luck) was on the table to fill you up after the real food was gone and you were still hungry. People ate spaghetti because it was cheap and filled you up and it didn't have 2 pounds of ground beef in it. It had a little meat to flavor the sauce and that was it. You get the drift

Bottom line is people ate what they could afford, now people have the $$$ to afford everything the want to eat and then some....

Just Super Size it.....

You're only partly right here. People did physical labor. They didn't have a backhoe to dig those ditches, they used shovels and dug them by hand. Even though they ate lots of carbs, those carbs were the fuel that kept them going.
My late father-in-law made the comment that, "There afren't any more ditch diggers anymore." Maybe that's one reason obesity is a problem these days.
I do have the theory that the meat we eat today is so contaminated with chemicals used by the feedlots to fatten up cattle that some of it must fremain in the meat and is fattening up up for the kill, not to mention all the antibiotics those cattle get to keep them from getting diseased. Could this be the reason many germs in humans today are so resistant to antibiotics?
Let's see here. lack of physical labor in the workplace because machines do it faster, save business money and jobs get done quicker saving even more money. Livestock is given feed laced with chemicals to fatten it up in as short a time as possible using less feed which saves business money., yet they charge more for that meat. That meat also is fed antibiotics to keep the herd penned up in crowded conditions healthy which end up in our bodies. The combination of fattening up chemicals and antibiotics ending up in out bodies making us gaim weight as well are immunizing bacteria in out body against antibiotics used to kill them. Is something wrong with this picture? It's all about money, and if the greedy kill us off due to obesity caused by their product, I guess it is just Tango Sierra for us.
Do you know that you can not legally go to a ranch and buy a steer to butcher? It's against the law. The brand has to be inspected by a FEDERAL brand inspector. Guess who got that law put in place? The big meat packing companies, that's who.
I lived for ten years in a small rural town in Nevada and got fairly friendly with several ranchers by shooting coyotes on their land. I asked about buying a steer to butcher and was told about the laws preventing the rancher from selling me the beef.
They say wild venison (deer, elk caribou and moose) have little or no cholesterol in their meat which makes it healthy to eat. Guess what? Range beef doesn't have any of that crap in it either. It get into the meat at the feed lot. Surprise! Surprise! (In my best Gomer Pyle accent.)
It's all about the money, and we have trhe ebst government business can buy.
Sorry if I got too far off thread, but I feel it is relevent.
Paul B.

[gumpokc]

Hang in there GOB!

I am sorta in the same boat, 5'7" 210lbs, and I don't eat that much at all. Yes I drink more soda than I should, and since I am a truck driver, well...it isn't the most active of lifestyles.

I am interested in what you mentioned about not eating enough.
It makes good horse sense, do you have any additional info in that?

I remember when I was on active duty, I always had problems with weight. I did always pass the tape or calipers test, but when they had me go on diets several times, I actually gained weight, not lost it. I just never fit their "height/weight" tables.

Keep with it GOB! :)

[GoodOlBoy]

Still going good, the weight loss aint real apparent but I am starting to feel better.

Can't drink slim fast. One of the main ingrediants in it and most diet drinks is soy. . . . allergic to soy. . . . .



GoodOlBoy

[Duffy]

Just checking in, GOB. Hope all is still going well for you.

[Montana Cowboy]

Afternoon GoodolBoy
Ben awhile since I checked in here. Good to see you are sticking with getting the weight off. The low carb diet worked good for me. I wasn't over weight by much (30lb) but felt much better after I got rid of it. Have kept it off now for 2 years. I'm just carefull as to how many carbs I take in in one day. Like I said anything you do is better than doing nothing. MC

[GoodOlBoy]

Been sick that last week or so and I backslid some. Startin back on it this week. I feel like a bloated freakin whale after a week of doing practicaly nothing.

GoodOlBoy

[deerhuntingirl]

GOB,

I've been watching this thread for a while. I admire you. I am a former fatty. I am 5'2" and once weighed 220lbs. I lost 100lbs and it wasn't all that hard. Keeping it off is much harder.

People ask me my secret, and I don't really have one. I lost it the old fashioned way. Low fat, no sugar, butter or fried foods. My exercise was walking 2 miles a day with 3lb weights on my ankles. I ate lots of pre-packaged meals (Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, Healthy Choice). That was an easy way for me to keep count of my daily calories and fat grams. They also have dessert! Anyway, like I said, it's been harder to keep it off. (Especially living with a man who can eat as much as 3 grown men and never gain an ounce)

Best of luck in your continued weight loss venture!

[GoodOlBoy]

THanks for the encouragement. Unfortunantly There is not a single prepackaged meal left on the market I can eat because of my soy allergies. I am working on it, it is just taking time.

GoodOlBoy

[Talon]

Hello GoddOleBoy,

Have you involved basic strength training in your regime? If not it would probably make a great difference for you in as little as 6weeks of weight training 3x week. You should also be consuming at least a gallon of cold water daily, along with your sensible eating habits.

For my 40th Birthday I received this book as a present, I suggest you give it a look-see to see if it makes sense to you as it did for me.

Living Longer Stronger Ellington Darden PHD

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0399519009.01._BO2,204,203

FWIW

Peace,
Talon:cool:

[GoodOlBoy]

Certinaly looks like it would be worth a shot.

Thanks Talon

GoodOlBoy

[Valigator]

I bit the bullet today and ordered the Nutrisystem program, wish me luck....Val:eek:

[petey]

Good luck Val! Hope you like Sodium, cause Nutri-System is packed full of it ;)

I know someone who tried it for a month and returned the rest. Now she's on the prepackaged meals and counts points. Lost quite a bit of weight since then. Not to shoot Nutri-System down, I'm sure it works for a lot of people. Much cheaper once you get all the literature from it and buy your own meals.

[gumpokc]

But why Val???

You've never seemed to have alot extra on your frame, unless something has majorly changed since the last pics you posted.

So many women these days seem to think that hollywood "skin and bones" look is nice, but a woman at a realistic and _healthy_ weight is a hell of alot more attractive.

[Valigator]

The way I figure it, it was something I needed to try before I died and yes I put some extra weight on since the surgery...dont feel like going and buying new clothes...I know what I am comfortable at, and that includes plenty of curves;) anything over that is just fat.........I am fat...but thanks for the heads up....

[GoodOlBoy]

Good Luck Val. Sorry I didnt respond sooner so far I am down by about 15 lbs. I am working hard (or was it hardly working) on eating those four to six small meals a day (Alot of days I miss it, but I still at least grab breakfast every day.) And trying to work a bit more excercise in. Life is still hectic, but it is still good too.

GoodOlBoy

[Valigator]

Up date on the weight loss :( first off I am not a big scale girl, I go by a couple of pairs of pants....I put on a favorite pair of jeans for the heck of it and had room to spare....I have been following the Nutri-system for a couple of weeks now and the weight is falling off of me. The food is not that bad, in fact I am always pleasantly surprized, because the packaging is something from a war zone...oh its got pretty pictures on it...but really its quite edible for a southern girl.....use to gravy and biscuits....anyway its working and working fast for me...so I am pleased....Val

[GoodOlBoy]

My weight loss has slowed a bit this week because I have not done nearly as well on the meal eating/excercise. . . . . anyway back to the grind it is comming off and I WILL get the rest of it off of me.

GoodOlBoy