Weight loss thread

Good luck guys, I'm trying to gain weight, and if losing it for you is as hard as it is for me to gain, then we will all need luck :)

I gained 3 kilos over the last 4 weeks, only to have it lost from 2 days of not eating (I got a cold which made me lose my appetite :()
 
Skinny Dan, have I got good news for you....Maybe. If you don't have lactose intolerance or a distaste for dairy products, Id like to let you in on an old bodybuilders secret recipe for gaining weight. Start with real ice cream, not ice milk or that crappy stuff with milk fat deleted. Then add real 100% milk. Add a couple of scoops of some high quality protein powder, like whey protein or something similar. Mix it all up in a blender. Exact quantities of each I'm not sure of, just experiment and mix it up to suit your taste. You can use chocolate ice cream and pro-powder or vanilla or strawberry, doesn't matter. Try to work up to at least a quart of this stuff every day if you can.

Now, if you don't experience any adverse side effects, such as constipation, which is something I have to worry about with dairy, and you like the taste and all, just keep at it and I'd be surprised if you didn't gain weight. With this concoction, you have high quality protein from three sources, high quality fats from two sources and carbohydrate from two sources. All three macronutrients all at once and in great quantities to boot.

Last, if you care for the iron. Get into the gym, either a real gym or a home gym and hit the iron about twice a week. Just three or four basic exercises for no more than three sets each will be enough. Do the big, basic lifts, like Deadlifting or Squatting, Benchpressing or Incline pressing, Rowing with a pulley or barbells or dumbells. Don't do a pile of aerobic type of exercise while you're trying to gain weight, just the iron for awhile. I don't know if you want to lift or know all about it. If you need any info on it, there are plenty of guys around Bladeforums who will be happy to inform you about anything, including myself. Or there are quite a few great books out there that we could recommend.

Gaining weight is tough for some guys. I know a guy that I used to work with, just retired this year, who couldn't seem to ever gain weight. But, if you try this method out for a period of time, you just might find it a bit easier. Let me know your thoughts. :)
 
Lots and lots of advice and words of encouragement, all appreciated, digested and will let it sink in to sort out what to pick and choose from.

No beer? that's pretty easy to do, don't drink, so it's water for me, and
that's been very easy to do, three weeks now and I'm wearing a pair
of new Dockers 34" waist, nice :) I figure in another month I'll get down
to the 32" pants I have resting in my drawer for the past two years!

As to what I'm doing so far, it does seem to work, change in eating habits
and exercise are key of course, as to which one does the most? Not sure
as there are guys that just exercise and lose and guys that change diet
and lose without any exercise, go figure!

The fruit thing, not a ton of fruit in the morning but a banana on the
way into work, you can tell my route by the peels ;) and after my ride
I have a grapefruit and later on an orange, peach or nectarine.

I think the main thing is attitude, I had done it and kept it off for over a
year and then the new job killed my attitude with stress and I just gave up!
But something snapped three weeks ago and I made that little sign up
and started right then, cold turkey with no soda, don't miss that AT ALL
too sweet to even think of it, diet sodas have bad stuff as well so instead
of exchanging one for the other I just gave them all up, that stuff can
rot your teeth with the Phosphoric acid in there. Coffee I missed that a few days
but not any longer, may have a cup now and then depending on the
occasion but it would have to be very good coffee.

Feeling stronger as well, the class at work watched me as I was changing out
one of those big water cooler tanks, didn't know they were watching but they
noticed that I handled it as if it weighed nothing, the one guy that was the
instructor said after I did it, you've been working out??? lol yah something like that :cool:

But this thread was meant for inspiration and encouragement to all of those
with the want to be able to see their shoes shine again, keep it up guys/gals
it's all in your head, you know what to do, just tell yourself it's a life changing
thing and worth your moment of thought before eating....

Last line, buy smaller plates for your meals ;)
G2
 
Been a fattie for the last 10 years. Still do physical work every day and thats what is keeping me from being a marshmellow.
A month ago my foreman told me to pick up the two boxes of sinkers(50#of 16 penny nails) and I threw them on my shoulder.Walked about 200 feet up to a jobsite.Dropped them on the subfloor,and Steve said "Heavy wern't they"
Yes a bit,but no biggie.
He then said "Thats what you are carrying extra around all day"
Really had an impact on me.
Steve is 6'5 and about 220. He said he used to be knockin on 400#
Shared a bit about carbs and fried foods ect.
Went home and stepped on the scale. 300# Whoa.I weighed 194# 10 years ago.
Anyway cutting to the chase.
Following kind of what Gary is doing, I've dropped 25# the last month.Sinned a couple of times but went back on it.
My honey was getting kind of chubby also and when she saw what I was doing,is changing her habits also.Dropped 15 in the same time period.Lookin good!!!!!
I'll post from time to time in this thread and keep updated.
Randy
P.S Gary,Have a "Willie G" motorcycle jacket I want to get back into.
 
Good Job Randy!
I'm not watching the scales too close as I can feel my leg muscles
are firming up and upper body also, so it's more of fitting into the clothes
hehe, it's always about the clothes eh?

I weighed myself the other day just to see what showed and was happy
about that as well, but my main goal are those size 32" pants, I'm not
rushing it, as the plan I'm on is for life and not a diet so things will go as
they go, nothing like going on a diet where you just can't wait to get off
of it, think about that a while, how long will that last? not too long.

So, another key is sensible portions, that is a tough one for me as my
wife will fill up my plate too much so I have to force myself to NOT eat
all of it! a chore in itself!

Celebrating our 25th wedding anniverary on Tuesday, a dinner cruise
on Seneca Lake NY, I picked the veggie lasagna...:)
I'm just worried about the cruise, it's a three hour tour...a three hour tour!!!
;)
G2
 
Gary,
That"Willie G" is my goal.And a reasonable one too.
"Portions,portions,portions" Meat.No more than the palm of your hand.

Randy

And did I forget to tell you about portions. :D
 
Hey, I just caught this thread, and just at the right time. I've always been "big boned" but a few years ago I hit 296 and was staring at having to start shopping at teh Big& Tall men's store. I drew a line in the sand and determined to change things, so I really cut out the carbs and started dropping weight. Lots of veggies and lean protien. Felt and looked better than in many years.

In teh last 15 months the company I was VP of has taken some very serious hits. I let the stress get to me and started allowing more "comfort food" back onto my plate and wouldn't ya know it, the weight came back with it. I had kept the 40lbs for over two years and now I have 25lbs of it back:(

Friday was the end of that era. We have merged with another company and closed our own offices. Tomorrow I start my new job and am comitted to drop the 25lbs I've put back on, and a few of their friends. I want to see 235 again (not since my 20s). I need to see 50 lbs go find another place to live.

I love it, a support group for chubby knife nuts.

Thanks for the inspiration fellas.
 
If you don't like soda at all, that's good, but diet soda does not have anything bad in it. The evils of artificial sweeteners are just rumor, unless there is some other new rumor about diet soda I haven't heard.
 
Great going komondor, I weighed myself today, just to see where I
was at and since starting a few weeks now and have dropped down
23 pounds, but as I said, some of muscle is also on board for the
ride now, so for me it's not a constant check on the scales, as
I'm in it for the life improvement stage of things, not just a diet
that you go on and can't wait to get off of, this is something that
I plan on just continuing with!

For instance our eating has changed a bit and the family is also getting
into the deal a little, not as positive about it as I am but they may
turn the corner. Tonight we had steamed veggies with some saugage
mixed in to add some spice along with it, very good, I could have gone
without the saugage but it was a lighter saugage with spinach inside
some strange thing but tasty.

34" pants fit easily now but I'm a ways from the 32", I was hoping by
end of Sept, but if not, I'll eventually make it there.

A lot stronger now as well, and riding my bike a bit quicker too, adding
more miles during my errand runs at lunch, now I'm up to almost 10 and
some days just over, all within an hour's time including stops to the
bank, post office, dvd rental and other things, not all of the stops each
day but usually the dvd rental as a pivot point and then around a small
lake at my top speed, was able to get up to 25mph but haven't done
that again yet, wind or fatigue, it's been REALLY hot here lately.
Let me tell you, on a winding flat path, 25mph is tough to get up to! ;)
So for all of you working it down, hang in there, keep the mental thoughts
going strong, and I'd recommend not weighing yourself every day as
things can fluctuate, go about two weeks and mark it down and see
where you're headed.

G2
 
I'm relatively young so I can get away with this but,

I'm a big fan of the red bull diet.

I replaced all the dr pepper in my diet with red bull, and I've gone from 238 to 155 in a year more than half of that in the last 4 months since I ran out of money. I also ate much smaller portions, and excercised a little more.

just do whatever you can to raise your metabolism. then dietary changes won't matter as much.
 
Gary
Let me tell you about my weight loss...Last Feburary I tipped the scales at at 289 lbs. I was wearing a size 42 inch waist pants and XXL everything else. I was also diagnosed as type II diabetic and was popping blood control meds like crazy ...all in all I was taking nine different prescription meds.
I decided that the diabetes thing scared the living daylights out of me as it opens the door for much more serious health issues later in life. I am 42 now but at my current size my body was rebeling and I knew I needed to make changes.
I went on a medically monitored weight loss program. Through our local hospital. I weighed in every week. Met with a Dr., a nurse, and a lady with a alligator purse every week. I had blood drawn every week.....
Today I am finished with the program. I eat waaaay different than I did six months ago..I have also lost 70 lbs and have gained 14 lbs of muscle weight. I wear a size 34 inch waist pants and only xl clothining now. I have lost a impressive eight inches off my waist and seven inches off my hips. Best of all I only take three meds now..one for cholesterol as a prevenetive and two small BP meds because im high strung..I am no longer diabetic..and I feel great..Your list of things Gary does not do is very similar to what Ren does not do..

1. Ren does not eat fast food
2. If Ren does not have 45 minutes to sit and eat a meal he will not eat untill he has time to eat.
3. Ren will eat SLOOOOOWWWWW
4. There is no good food or bad food there is only food..Watch how much of all food you eat.
5. Ren does not eat crackers, chips, or bready snacks..he eats apples or veggies
7. Ren does not eat after dinner.
 
Ren the devils trailboss said:
1. Ren does not eat fast food
2. If Ren does not have 45 minutes to sit and eat a meal he will not eat untill he has time to eat.
3. Ren will eat SLOOOOOWWWWW
4. There is no good food or bad food there is only food..Watch how much of all food you eat.
5. Ren does not eat crackers, chips, or bready snacks..he eats apples or veggies
7. Ren does not eat after dinner.
Click to expand...


Does Ren drink alcoholic beverages? I think the first thing anyone has to do to lose weight (I'm a prime example of this myself) is give up those frosty beers after work or when working around the yard on the weekend. That's the toughest thing for me - I'm as happy eating carrot sticks as a triple pounder Mcwhopper but I don't want to give up my beer.
 
Anyone trying out the Tae Bo video as a source for exercise?
I was thinking about it. I've cut out most of the garbage foods but I still don't lose weight cause I'm so inactive. I figure gettin moving will do me more good than anything.
You guys are light weights compared to me, lol! I'm 6 foot 343 pounds and I wear a size 48 waist. I quit eating chocolate, ice cream, chips of all sorts, fast food, I don't go to restaraunts unless my parents go with me, and stopped drinking sodas all together. I only miss Walmart barbequed chicken tenders and MMs every now and then. Quit soda pop so long ago I tried one a few months back and it tasted horrible. Despite not losing weight I know I'm better off without those foods and I do feel better. If I could just get myself up and about!!!!
 
Thomason said:
Good for you G2, and the rest of you guys also. The doc told me I should also lose some of the old poundage and recommended a book. It is unlike any diet book I have seen. Interesting stuff. "The Way to Eat, A Six-Step Path to Lifelong Weight Control" by David L. Katz, MD.
Click to expand...

Thomason, I checked a couple book stores for that book and no luck, also checked the library, again nada, guess I'll resort to Amazon.com but wanted to look it over first.

Well, here it is almost Sept and happy to say that I'm back into my Columbia 33" waist size pants :) :thumbup: Which was the size I reached when I last went serious on health plan, now I'm wondering if I can actually get into 32" pants, as I hadn't before now, maybe the frame won't allow it but at least I'm back to a very comfortable fitting pants, one guy at work is just plain amazed that I've changed my appearance in as short a time, I explained to him that it's a matter of purposing in your heart what you want/need to do and just do it.

I'm not so concerned about the pounds lost as I mentioned before you're putting on muscle while you're taking off fat, so for me, it's how I fit into the clothes I wear, plus bicycling is a lot more fun when you're in better condition, otherwise it can be a real chore ;)

So, I am a happy camper! plus have a small wood inlay classic Sebenza inbound from a good friend WrayH who's kept that for me until I was able to afford it, in fact, he's sending it out while I'm still a little off on the total but he trusts that I'm good for it, I didn't ask him to send it, he just emailed and said it's on it's way, how is that for a good friend eh?

So everyone else that is using this thread for inspiration, keep up the good work and keep on track guys/gals...
G2
 
I've changed my routine recently, which was planned.

I have been eating more than I did the last two months, although not nearly stuffing myself anymore. I'm not afraid to eat carbs two or three times a day. But I have been exercising a lot more.

Mostly a 3.4 mile walk (every day that I have the time-- about 5 days week) and sporadic trips to the gym for weights and boxing drills.

I'm still losing about 1.5 to 2 lbs per week, which is what I want. I want to be able to enjoy food and enjoy moderate amounts of exercise, and create more of a permanent lifestyle change, instead of crash dieting. I think the crash dieting works great for a springboard to something more sensible.

I'm down to about 236.
 
Zactly! crash diets end up with a crash usually, meaning back to the old ways without knowing why. Good for you on exercising as often as you can, I may try the gym deal this winter as that would be nice I think. On my off days of riding, weekends and such, I have a lifecycle thingamajig, you sit down, press down with your feet and pull back with your arms, a pretty good work out, right now about 20 minutes but this winter I'll up it to 30 minutes since I'll not be riding the bike at work, ugh, hmm have to think of something to do during lunch, ah, maybe zip to the gym during lunch! good idea, I think there is one not too far, we shall see :)

G2
 
An update on the pants, while I can 'get into them' and button them up, but as long as I suck it up a bit, well a lot, funny how a one inch difference makes eh? but before I couldn't come close to buttoning them up, as I said I'm just plodding along and as it comes it comes, just keeping on track, following the simple rules makes it pretty easy.

Good to be back on the right path. :)
G2
 
Thanks for bringing this back up and giving us all encouragement. I just found out one of the medications I was on was giving me an increased appetite. Needless to say, this angered me a bit, because I have been excersizing, and I couldn't figure out why I kepy getting the munchies. D'OH! :rolleyes:
 
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