Weight Loss Support Thread

[TaleSpinner]

OK, after some searching, the last time we did a weight loss support thread was over five years ago.  It didn't seem to make sense to threadomancy that since it is long out of date.  Anyway, I need to lose weight.  I'm at my highest point since 2000, I'm out of shape, I'm struggling to do some of the things I love like fencing and backpacking, and I am unhappy about it.

 

My plan for losing weight it to track my calories using the Tap&Track app on my iPod. I also want to increase my aerobic exercise.  Now I know from experience that I do way better at this sort of thing, if I know that other's are holding me accountable, essentially I will disappoint myself but hate disappointing others, which is why I am starting this thread.  My intention will be to post my weekly progress or lack there-of in this post, editing it as I go.  If you wish, I'd like to invite you to start your own tracking post in this topic.  Maybe if we stand together, we can help each other succeed.  If you have no issues with weight, please through your support to those who need it.  I've been yo-yo'ing my whole life and i am sick of it.

 

My goal is to weigh 225 lb (102 Kg)* by ReaperCon 2015. That gives me 43 weeks to lose 51 pounds, which means I need to do between 1 and 1.5 pounds a week.  I haven't been that low since I was 24 years old.

 

* This is a weight that my doctor and I decided would be best for me given my barrel chest build.

 

 

So here goes:

 

Start date: June 20 (I already started but am just now having issues keeping it going alone)

 

Height: 6' 3"

 

Age: 43

 

Gender: Male

 

Goal Weight: 225 lb (102 Kg)

 

Initial Weight: 276 lb (125 Kg)

 

Progress:

 

- 6/30/2014: 274 lb (124.28 Kg) (-2 net lb)

- 7/8/2014: 272.5 lb (123.6 Kg) (-3.5 net lb)

- 7/22/2014: 276 lb (0 net lb)

- 729/2014: 274 lb (-2 net lb)

- 8/5/2014: 270 lb (-6 net lb)

Edited August 5, 2014 by TaleSpinner

[Mierot]

As a fellow fencer, go go go! Here's to success in meeting your goal!

[Reaperbryan]

I'll help.

 

Start date: June 23 (I started last week after a Dr Visit when I saw I was the largest I had ever been)

 

Height: 5' 5"

 

Age: 38.9

 

Gender: Male

 

Goal: 200 lb (90.7 Kg)

 

Initial Weight: 249 lb (113 Kg)

 

Progress:

 

- 6/27/2014: 246 lb (111.5 Kg) (Net -3lbs)

-8/4/2014: 245.4 (net -3.5lbs)  Going to begin 3x a week workout alongside the diet that has at least not added more weight.

[Nocturne]

Good luck TaleSpinner and Bryan. I've been doing the same since new year.

 

Start date: January 1st

 

Height: 5' 7"

 

Age: 31

 

Gender: Male

 

Goal: No set goal, my main aim was to get my XXL shirts to fit again which they do now

 

Initial Weight: 287 lb (130.18 Kg)

 

Progress:

 

- 1/07/2014: 238 lb (107.95 Kg) Net -49lbs

 

 

So far I've just been watching what I eat better. Switched my lunches during the week to either a salad (no dressing) or fruit and fat free greek yoghurt. Stopped drinking squash at work and stuck to either still or carbonated water. Cut out most of the late night snacking and reduced the amount of Soda I was drinking.

I'm still eating as I used to for my main meal in the evenings and a cooked breakfast and a couple of beers (not at the same time) on Saturdays and Sundays.

I've been slack the past month or so and my weights stayed as it currently is because of it, between being in a play, at a comics convention and holidays I knew I wouldn't stick to it during that time though so I don't feel too guilty. Getting back to it proper this past week though.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Nocturne

[SamuraiJack]

I'm getting ready to give the DDP Yoga a try.  My yoga instructor friends think its basic, but pretty solid for out of shape people.  Tracking my stuff through Fitbit and My fitness Pal. I've been down to 340 each of the past 2 Octobers only to shoot back up over the winter.  This past winter I was more active than I'd ever been, apparently just not enough.

 

Start date: July 1

 

Height: 6'

 

Age: 45

 

Gender: Male

 

Goal: 250-260 lb (in 10 pound increments)

 

Initial Weight: 355.8 lb 

 

Progress:

[JackMann]

Start date: June 01

Height: 5' 9"

 

Age: 30

 

Gender: Male

 

Goal: 210 lb (95 Kg)

 

Initial Weight: 255 lb (115 Kg)

 

Progress:

 

- 7/1/2014: 231 lb (104 Kg)

 

- 7/13/2014: 234 lb (106 Kg)

Edited July 13, 2014 by JackMann

[Michael-TLH]

Here comes some unsolicitied advice (that I wish someone had given me) —

 

Take a picture of yourself. RIGHT NOW. 

 

Nobody needs to see it but you if you are self-conscious. Take one! I MEAN IT.

 

This last year, I have gone from 298 to 214 and I totally regret not taking a "BEFORE" picture... so GO AND DO IT.

 

Okay, boss... I think they get it...

 

Sorry, Elwood... Anyway...

 

I did it — like you want to — 1 pound a week... sometimes less, sometimes more. You will lose a lot in the beginning, and if you eat less and move more it will happen for you. Start small with exercising: when I started, I could barely walk up the hill near my house before coming home and collapsing. I am up to 7-10 miles a day now... and it's fun!

 

I'd also suggest using "MyFitnessPal" to track caloric intake, a "FitBit" to track your moving/walking and — if you are feeling it — "Fitocracy.com" --- to make a 'game' out of exercising.

 

This is amazing, and I know you all can do it — because I did and still am — my goal is to lose 15 more and get to 199.  

[Girot]

I use #MyFitnessPal [@fhammer07] on my cellphone/interwebz to keep track of this sort of stuff.  When you have buddies on there it shows you whether they work out or not or log their calories.  Its visibility=accountability without totally doing away with privacy.

 

Between birthdays, house guests, and holidays I haven't been on a diet in a couple weeks.  This is a perfect excuse to get back on that horse!

 

Start date: July 1st, 2014

Height: 5' 8"

Age: 33

Gender: Male

Goal: 215 lb (97.5 Kg)

Kick-Off Weight: 260 lb (117.9 Kg)

Edited July 1, 2014 by Girot

[Thes Hunter]

*start sarcastic voice* Oh god. Now I actually have to stop putting this off. Thanks Talespinner!    *end sarcastic voice* J/k I do really need a kick the pants, and this is it. Since I have been saying every day for the last year that I'll do it tomorrow, or next week or whatever.

 

My three rules.

 

1) Write down everything I eat

2) Exercise at least 30 minutes every day

3) Eat at least 5-9 servings of fresh fruits and veges every day.

 

I've been meaning to do my clinical trial (w/ my n=1) for a while.. but kept coming up with excuses. I have been close to the same weight as I have been for the last 3 years... but I can see my exercise tolerance going down. I can't race up 3 flights of stairs anymore... and that is not cool. 

 

My reason for these three rules... I'm wanting to test them out. I feel often times when speaking about weight control, and how to reduce weight, we focus too much on the scale, and not the healthy habits that lead to the number on the scale. I feel we do a bad job when we just tell someone "Lose weight, watch what you eat. get out and do more." I think we need very simple to follow rules to get to there... and to help build the discussion of how to get to there. The first thing I like to focus on is writing everything down. It's not an easy habit to do, but I feel it is one of the better ones, because just like when I sit down and look at my monetary budget, I always find something I'm spending money on, that I don't actually really need. I feel the same way about food. I have dessert amnesia. I can quite literally forget about a doughnut I ate 3 hours prior, and say "Ive been 'good' today, I can eat this doughnut."

 

What I want to put to the test is can these three rules work... if they begin to work for me... can I then expand them and get them to work for others? 

 

So from this day forward... I will be following my 3 rules.

 

Start date: July 1st

Height: 5'5.5"

Age: 40

Gender: Female

 

Goal: 200lbs by Thanksgiving (weight based goal... which... I don't know is the best... see Below*)

Other goal: Be compliant w/ the 3 rules 90% of all days until Thanksgiving.

 

Initial Weight: 219.4 +/- 3 lbs

 

Progress: None to date.

Will check in weekly to update

 

^*Heres the tough part and one where I will really need to do some intense review article meta-analysis type research to set a goal that I feel is realistic. Because some research I see states best long term outcomes (ie keeping it off) come from weight loss of 1/4-1/5lb / week, which would make a 20 lb weight loss take 40-80 weeks.    I have lost weight 2 times previously at a rate > 2lbs / week, and then regained it all and more , then lost weight at .5-1lb/week and kept it off. So more research is required for me to really set a realistic goal for 'weight loss' vs. risk factor modification (making sure I get the regular cardiovascular exercise and eating fresh fruits and veges, Because there is a great debate in the literature about the causation of obesity and increased risk, or the correlation of obesity, meaning that it heralds other lifestyle risk factors that matter more.)

Edited July 1, 2014 by Thes Hunter

[Aard_Rinn]

Oh, what the hell. Sure.

 

 

Start date: July 1st

Height: 6'1"

Age: 19

Gender: Female

 

Goal: 180

 

Initial Weight: 235

 

Progress: None to date.

[Girot]

goals/research

I'm a freakin databank of info on this topic.  "But Girot why are you still a fat@55?"  Good question!  I am a foodie and tend to eat everything I cook.  When I get to where my clothes are getting snug I'll diet until I'm comfortable.  Rinse and repeat.

 

20 lbs by mid-ish November?  That's no problem.

 

There are a bunch of different approaches to weight-loss.  Some are easy some are very hard.  Most of them work IF the rules are followed exactly.  

 

The simplest strategy:  reduce calories, exercise at least three times a week, don't eat before bed, DRINK LOTS OF WATER.

 

If there is an interest I can share more info.  If you want some personal advice based on your metrics/situation just PM me and I'll gladly help you come up with a strategy.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Girot

[Reaperbryan]

My basic rules are this:

 

1. for every non-water beverage I consume (usually diet soda) I must drink an equivalent amount of water, or more.  So far, I've been able to drink about 2x the amount of water to soda.  This is a big deal, since I rarely had water plain before, and was big on soda for the caffeine.  I'm not giving up caffeine because I have no time for the withdrawal migraines, but I am cutting back.
2. Walk every day.  I got an app that lets me track my walking, and my goal is to walk more each day than the day before.  For heart reasons, I don't want to add too much exercise in until I'm down to 220lbs, and won't add in full aerobics until I'm down to 200, but that's my particular cardiovascular problems, not generic workout advice.
3. only eat foods that can be easily portioned.  a Burrito can be cut in half and re-wrapped for tomorrow.  A bowl of stir fry is harder to divide.  French fries are hard to divide without being anal and counting, and I'm not going to, so no fries.  By cutting large food portions in half (half a chipotle burrito, half as many slices of pizza, half a bbq potato, etc) and eliminating some of the empty caloric foods, like fries, I get to eat what I enjoy and not feel deprived.
4. follow the other dietary restrictions imposed by my medications - some foods interact poorly with my medicines.  Other than those foods though, I am allowed anything I want.  In precisely half the portion size I would have eaten two weeks ago.

I'm visiting my doctor for weekly checkups (regulating medication levels) so I'll be able to get an official weight update once a week.

 

and my rules apply to me and my particular medical problems - I do not necessarily recommend my approach to everyone.

[fishnjeeps]

Good timeing my wife has us on some diet she found that changes the way we eat. We just started week 2 and I think i've done well so far. Each week we either add or subtract something from out diets. Not sure how much I'll loose but thats ok.

 

Week 1 was to stop eating any foods that say low fat, fat free, diet, or sugar free. (I aced that week as i already don't eat those things.)

 

Week 2 we add 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of vegitables each day (More is allowed but 1 each is the minimum.) So yesterday I had Mac n cheese with pinapple and green peppers for dinner. It was pretty good. I'll update as we go through the weeks. It's supposed to take 14 weeks.

 

I've been getting a lot of exercise the last few weeks while working on the Jeep so That has helped. If you think thats not exercise, try crawling under your car 30+ times then standing back up. the lift 50 lbs of tools up 3 flights of stairs at least twice. And thats just part of it 

 

Start Date: June 23

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Height: 5' 11"

Weight: Will weigh when I get home.

[Thes Hunter]

Girot, if you have any peer reviewed journal entries that you like on this topic, if you could please send me the Pubmed id's to in a private message, if it's not too much trouble, I would greatly appreciate it. Soon^tm I just have to grab the bull by the horns and do a review style article. So maybe then I'll be able to have a rational discussion with my co-workers on why I feel they are doing it wrong. (or maybe I'll find out my ideas are anecdotal and don't bear out in the research)

[Reaperbryan]

Question about thread etiquette - do we edit our OP with stats when we weigh, or create new posts?