Need to lose weight.

[Interceptor]

In simplified form:

- Cut the carbs.
- No fried foods.
- No junk foods.
- Everything else in moderation. (Personally, I make it a rule not to eat after sunset.)
- Vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Something to get your heart pumping, not stopping.
- And don't forget to enjoy life.

No one ever conquered the world by sitting on their butt all day typing in a forum.

[GreenDragon]

Thanks for the tips everybody!

[BmorePat87]

I cut out soda and just drank water for the most part. Dropped maybe 25 pounds without working out.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by RavensLover69

I cut out soda and just drank water for the most part. Dropped maybe 25 pounds without working out.

amazing isnt it?

[The Caped Crusader]

I lost 140 pounds in less than a year. Now I am gaining weight (muscle). If you need any tips, I have plenty for you.

[GreenDragon]

Originally Posted by The Caped Crusader

I lost 140 pounds in less than a year. Now I am gaining weight (muscle). If you need any tips, I have plenty for you.

go on.

[The Caped Crusader]

Originally Posted by GreenDragon

go on.

I'm sorry, busy last few days and I have not had the time to get back on. Here are my tips, some are standard, some not so much. I went unconventional, and did what matched me.



- Do not make lofty goals. Chances are you will not make them. When I wanted to lose weight, it was not (lets lose 130 pounds) it was, lets lose 10 pounds. When I lost it, I was like, "Hey, I did this, I can do this." Short goals will give you the confidence to push through.

- Water. What they say about water is the absolute truth. Eating high sodium diets (fast food) and not drinking water is the same, if not worse than smoking an entire pack of cigs. It is TERRIBLE. Water will make your skin flush, your muscles stronger, your body more full and rid of toxins. A gallon is a necessity, if you work out a lot, a gallon and a half. For someone like me, who works out everyday (minus Football Sundays) I notice a HUGE difference between half a gallon and drinking more than a gallon.

- If you are losing weight 70-30 for cardio/weight training. If you are wanting muscle gain, do the opposite. Regardless, never stop doing cardio and never stop lifting weights. Cardio will shed fat, and lifting weights will occupy the rest of your body's calories into the production of muscle fibers. Cardio burns fat/calories in that SET time you do it. So if you do treadmill for 30 minutes, that is the calories/fat you burn. Lifting weights will burn calories/fat ALL DAY because it is rebuilding.

- One day a week, eat like a pig. Again, I usually do Football Sunday, but I will eat TERRIBLE. I do this because the added sugar, glucose and everything aids the production of muscle growth and speeds it up. You HAVE to only do this ONCE a week, if not every other week. The Rock is famous for doing this, and eats a dozen pancakes, fried chicken, etc.

- Know your limits and know when you're not pushign them. Do not do something you cannot do. I cannot bench 400 pounds, so I'm not even going to waste my time, but at the same time, benching 50 pounds is a waste of time. Every workout you should leave the gym (or wherever else) absolutely hating yourself. Your arms should barely be able to move, your legs should be immovable weights and your chest should feel like it is going to rip out of your skin. You should smell like *** and look like ***.

- Do NOT make excuses for yourself. If you are overweight it is because it is your fault. I've heard the genes do it, diabetes do it, I eat good but blah blah. It is your fault. Accept this now and realize it CAN be fixed, ultimately the SOONER the BETTER. I made so many excuses for myself and I never lost weight. I finally realized McDonalds is ****, Burger King is ****, it's terrible but delicious but it is MY fault for choosing it. 15 minutes of 'feeling good' does not equal the looks, the compliments or the over well sense of being when you're in shape. Not to mention you live longer.

- 1 hour of working out = 2 hours of your life back to you. Statistically speaking, this is accurate, sure everyone dies through different means. Working out will make you feel better through hormonal endorphins, you will look better and the small things will make you feel better (gaps between tables when you eat, sitting in chairs, etc).

- For cardio, my FAVORITE thing to do is the ellipitical, 45-60 minutes and watch a sports game. During the NBA season I will watch my Celtics and instead of sitting on my ***, I will watch them play. You will notice you will speed up during their tempo and at times, feel perhaps even MORE immersed into the action.

- Stop drinking soda. Any and all soda. Stop. Right now. Stop. No diet, nothing. Not even on cheat days. It is the worst thing for you. I would rather you eat 2 chocolate cakes than drink soda. Terrible. Stop. Drinking. Now.

- Have fun. When I was fat I used to dread working out. I hated it. I felt embarrassed, I had let myself go from once a HS Varsity Football player to a fat slob. Now, I cannot breathe without working out. I go every morning and I feel so much better. I feel I can do anything. I try on clothes and I smile because I look better. I feel better. Hopefully you will too.


I weighed 340 two years ago, I weigh 220 right now. I went from a size 44 to a size 34. I even went down a shoe size from 18 to 17. :)

[Jabberwocky]

Originally Posted by The Caped Crusader

- Water. What they say about water is the absolute truth. Eating high sodium diets (fast food) and not drinking water is the same, if not worse than smoking an entire pack of cigs. It is TERRIBLE. Water will make your skin flush, your muscles stronger, your body more full and rid of toxins. A gallon is a necessity, if you work out a lot, a gallon and a half. For someone like me, who works out everyday (minus Football Sundays) I notice a HUGE difference between half a gallon and drinking more than a gallon.

- One day a week, eat like a pig. Again, I usually do Football Sunday, but I will eat TERRIBLE. I do this because the added sugar, glucose and everything aids the production of muscle growth and speeds it up. You HAVE to only do this ONCE a week, if not every other week. The Rock is famous for doing this, and eats a dozen pancakes, fried chicken, etc.

I almost completely stopped the diet mountain dew IV-I used to drink 2 1/2 liters every day. All but 16 ounces are now water and I'm actually more awake with water than I was with the soda.

Friday is my fat day, but I pig out on stuff I make-burgers, BBQ, etc. I work out 6 days a week, alternating heavy cardio with heavy lifting (High weight for as many reps as I can x5). I was 265 in August. I'm down to 255-not much, but it's steady. What I like is my pirate's dream is going away, as is my dunlop. My goal is to get to around 220, hopefully 215 and maintain that.

[The Caped Crusader]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I almost completely stopped the diet mountain dew IV-I used to drink 2 1/2 liters every day. All but 16 ounces are now water and I'm actually more awake with water than I was with the soda.

Friday is my fat day, but I pig out on stuff I make-burgers, BBQ, etc. I work out 6 days a week, alternating heavy cardio with heavy lifting (High weight for as many reps as I can x5). I was 265 in August. I'm down to 255-not much, but it's steady. What I like is my pirate's dream is going away, as is my dunlop. My goal is to get to around 220, hopefully 215 and maintain that.

Congrats! That's what I love to hear. Heavy lifting is great. I do the pyramid method (x12,x10,x8,x6) and some days I do strictly low weights to change it up and get more reps in for a cardio effect. But, I am a fat guy at heart and I love my food. I'm trying to shed some extra weight to look good for beach weather. Here's hoping. I've been at 225 for about 8 months now. Feels great.

[GreenDragon]

Originally Posted by The Caped Crusader

I'm sorry, busy last few days and I have not had the time to get back on. Here are my tips, some are standard, some not so much. I went unconventional, and did what matched me.



- Do not make lofty goals. Chances are you will not make them. When I wanted to lose weight, it was not (lets lose 130 pounds) it was, lets lose 10 pounds. When I lost it, I was like, "Hey, I did this, I can do this." Short goals will give you the confidence to push through.

- Water. What they say about water is the absolute truth. Eating high sodium diets (fast food) and not drinking water is the same, if not worse than smoking an entire pack of cigs. It is TERRIBLE. Water will make your skin flush, your muscles stronger, your body more full and rid of toxins. A gallon is a necessity, if you work out a lot, a gallon and a half. For someone like me, who works out everyday (minus Football Sundays) I notice a HUGE difference between half a gallon and drinking more than a gallon.

- If you are losing weight 70-30 for cardio/weight training. If you are wanting muscle gain, do the opposite. Regardless, never stop doing cardio and never stop lifting weights. Cardio will shed fat, and lifting weights will occupy the rest of your body's calories into the production of muscle fibers. Cardio burns fat/calories in that SET time you do it. So if you do treadmill for 30 minutes, that is the calories/fat you burn. Lifting weights will burn calories/fat ALL DAY because it is rebuilding.

- One day a week, eat like a pig. Again, I usually do Football Sunday, but I will eat TERRIBLE. I do this because the added sugar, glucose and everything aids the production of muscle growth and speeds it up. You HAVE to only do this ONCE a week, if not every other week. The Rock is famous for doing this, and eats a dozen pancakes, fried chicken, etc.

- Know your limits and know when you're not pushign them. Do not do something you cannot do. I cannot bench 400 pounds, so I'm not even going to waste my time, but at the same time, benching 50 pounds is a waste of time. Every workout you should leave the gym (or wherever else) absolutely hating yourself. Your arms should barely be able to move, your legs should be immovable weights and your chest should feel like it is going to rip out of your skin. You should smell like *** and look like ***.

- Do NOT make excuses for yourself. If you are overweight it is because it is your fault. I've heard the genes do it, diabetes do it, I eat good but blah blah. It is your fault. Accept this now and realize it CAN be fixed, ultimately the SOONER the BETTER. I made so many excuses for myself and I never lost weight. I finally realized McDonalds is ****, Burger King is ****, it's terrible but delicious but it is MY fault for choosing it. 15 minutes of 'feeling good' does not equal the looks, the compliments or the over well sense of being when you're in shape. Not to mention you live longer.

- 1 hour of working out = 2 hours of your life back to you. Statistically speaking, this is accurate, sure everyone dies through different means. Working out will make you feel better through hormonal endorphins, you will look better and the small things will make you feel better (gaps between tables when you eat, sitting in chairs, etc).

- For cardio, my FAVORITE thing to do is the ellipitical, 45-60 minutes and watch a sports game. During the NBA season I will watch my Celtics and instead of sitting on my ***, I will watch them play. You will notice you will speed up during their tempo and at times, feel perhaps even MORE immersed into the action.

- Stop drinking soda. Any and all soda. Stop. Right now. Stop. No diet, nothing. Not even on cheat days. It is the worst thing for you. I would rather you eat 2 chocolate cakes than drink soda. Terrible. Stop. Drinking. Now.

- Have fun. When I was fat I used to dread working out. I hated it. I felt embarrassed, I had let myself go from once a HS Varsity Football player to a fat slob. Now, I cannot breathe without working out. I go every morning and I feel so much better. I feel I can do anything. I try on clothes and I smile because I look better. I feel better. Hopefully you will too.


I weighed 340 two years ago, I weigh 220 right now. I went from a size 44 to a size 34. I even went down a shoe size from 18 to 17. :)

Thanks.

I'd like to get back down to 175 or so. I'm at 195-200 right now. Want to look good in my kilt for my and my wife's anniversary in September.

[neek]

I never drop weight. Monday through Friday I work out twice a day. Cardio before work and weights after work. I haven't lost a single pound. I can tell my body is tighter, but that's it.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by neek

I never drop weight. Monday through Friday I work out twice a day. Cardio before work and weights after work. I haven't lost a single pound. I can tell my body is tighter, but that's it.

Muscle weights more than Fat.... Its not really about how many LBs you have on your bones but what % fat you have....

Eventually as you lose weight youll hit a platue and then start gaining weight as you muscle mass grows. (also you diet per calorie burning ratio comes into effect.)

[neek]

Originally Posted by XenoMorph

Muscle weights more than Fat.... Its not really about how many LBs you have on your bones but what % fat you have....

Eventually as you lose weight youll hit a platue and then start gaining weight as you muscle mass grows. (also you diet per calorie burning ratio comes into effect.)

During the week I eat really good. It's the weekends that kill me.

[SunsetBengal]

Ok everyone...beware the broken scales...

After reinjecting cardio and movement activities to my lifting workouts, I dropped 13,5 lbs. over a month, to get below 255 for the first time since Sept.

As a rule, I only weigh myself once a week (to avoid stressing over minor fluxuations). Well, I step on the scale this past Saturday...and it had me as gaining 18 lbs, in just one week! I know that had to be a bogus reading, as I worked out 6 times last week. I'm wearing pants that I haven't had on since Oct., and my wedding ring is very loose on my hand.

I guess my point would be, don't focus so much on the number on the scale, as how you look and feel, as a measure of weather your efforts are working or not.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by neek

During the week I eat really good. It's the weekends that kill me.

same problem....

But if your shedding inches the # of lbs dont matter.

[neek]

Originally Posted by XenoMorph

same problem....

But if your shedding inches the # of lbs dont matter.

True. It's the booze for me. I get drunk and make ridiculous meals then pass out.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by neek

True. It's the booze for me. I get drunk and make ridiculous meals then pass out.

lol yeah that will do it....

[The Caped Crusader]

Originally Posted by GreenDragon

Thanks.

I'd like to get back down to 175 or so. I'm at 195-200 right now. Want to look good in my kilt for my and my wife's anniversary in September.

Good goal. Definitely reachable.

Originally Posted by neek

I never drop weight. Monday through Friday I work out twice a day. Cardio before work and weights after work. I haven't lost a single pound. I can tell my body is tighter, but that's it.

I do not recommend working out twice a day, everyday. I usually do it on my lifting days (mostly because I'm used to it) and then I'll do a muscle group in one part of my day and another in the last part. Example: I'll do my chest in the morning and at night, do my legs. I do not always need this because during working out, the most important part is not the actual training but is the rest between training. If you feel like you're getting tighter and FIT into your clothes better, than that's all that matters. I look better now at 230 than when I was 218.

Originally Posted by XenoMorph

Muscle weights more than Fat.... Its not really about how many LBs you have on your bones but what % fat you have....

Eventually as you lose weight youll hit a platue and then start gaining weight as you muscle mass grows. (also you diet per calorie burning ratio comes into effect.)

Exactly. However, I'm pessimistic in the ideology that I think fat is more noticeable than muscle, at least to me. When I look pudgy, I pay attention to it more than the actual muscles I DO have because my definition is thrown off.

Originally Posted by neek

True. It's the booze for me. I get drunk and make ridiculous meals then pass out.

Drinking, especially HARD drinking is terrible for you. It will bloat you up, and alcohol is been known to destroy muscle growth or at least decrease the growth of muscle.





Today, I began my food cleanse. I've been eating really badly in the hopes of bulking up and I have, but now I need to cut back a bit, trim some fat and just eat better. Not a single bad thing in my house. Really crazy, but definitely better this way.

[Sham69Rock]

Originally Posted by neek

True. It's the booze for me. I get drunk and make ridiculous meals then pass out.

True Dat......man I stepped on the scales last month & for the 1st time since '03 I was back up @ 210lbs. I decided that it was definitely time to switch things up again....
I'm 5'10 + back in '03 I actually topped off @ 255lbs on the "guess your weight" scale up at King's Island. I realized that it was time for a change.
So.....I went on the Atkin's diet (very much popular back then) and within a year I hand managed to get back down to 185 (I think ideal for my body type). I even dropped down to 178 sometimes.
I managed to maintain @ less than 200lbs for a solid 10 years, but I had somehow managed to start ballooning again this fall/winter. (210 is not 255, but is still far from ideal)
After seeing 210 on the scale up @ Publix I immediately placed myself back on the Atkin's diet. It seemed to once again be working rather well.
But about 1/2 way thru week #2 I started reading up on it/watching little Youtube vids about it (the internet is an amazing little tool) + I realized that it was BS. So now I'm on a high protein diet.
I recognized what 5 staples of my ballooning upto 210lb diet were:
1) Beer
2) Soda pop
3) Tortilla chips
4) Black beans
5) Bread/Potatos/Rice

I have since replaced these 5 items with:
1) Merlot
2) Unsweetened tea
3) Honey roasted peanuts
4) Eggs
5) Veggies w/ cheese

I have definitely noticed a huge difference.....Hell, the same pants that I could barely put on last month just fell off of me 10 minutes ago while I was standing outfront of my house. Seriously bro, noticing these things about your own diet & replacing them accordingly can/will make all the difference in the world. GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[neek]

I don't ever do two muscle groups in the same day. I do cardio in the morning, then lift after work. I've been trying to at least make the drinks I drink on the weekends healthier. I cut mixing liquor with soda out completely and I don't drink beer. I also stopped putting sugar in my coffee at work. I figure that if I went from working out zero times a day, to twice a day Monday through Friday, then something has gotta happen, right?

[Sham69Rock]

Originally Posted by neek

I don't ever do two muscle groups in the same day. I do cardio in the morning, then lift after work. I've been trying to at least make the drinks I drink on the weekends healthier. I cut mixing liquor with soda out completely and I don't drink beer. I also stopped putting sugar in my coffee at work. I figure that if I went from working out zero times a day, to twice a day Monday through Friday, then something has gotta happen, right?

Well, I have cheated a bit again in the past 24 hours w/ a few rum&cokes.....but the only food that I've consumed has been eggs, cheese, chicken, & peanuts (all extremely tasty stuff). I also jumped in the pool for about 3 hours this afternoon, & to be quite honest I am feeling pretty frickin' awesome.

[The Caped Crusader]

Peanuts and pistachoes are the ****. Just make sure they're not heavily salted or honey roasted.

[Sham69Rock]

Originally Posted by The Caped Crusader

Peanuts and pistachoes are the ****. Just make sure they're not heavily salted or honey roasted.

What's wrong w/ honey roasted? All I can really see is 2 more carbs per serving, but the taste differential is thru the roof....is there sumthin' that I'm missin'??

[The Caped Crusader]

Originally Posted by Sham69Rock

What's wrong w/ honey roasted? All I can really see is 2 more carbs per serving, but the taste differential is thru the roof....is there sumthin' that I'm missin'??

Always be more aware of anything that is roasted because the added sat/trans fats as well as the increase in sugar.

[SunsetBengal]

[quote=The Caped Crusader;2806267


Drinking, especially HARD drinking is terrible for you. It will bloat you up, and alcohol is been known to destroy muscle growth or at least decrease the growth of muscle.



quote]


Wow, if I quit drinking, I'd likely be the freakin' Hulk in about 3 or 4 months.