Help me lose weight !!!

Dude, if you're not up to the work out challenge, just get lipo. We understand, you just can't hang.

<font face="verdana" size="2" color="336699">(just kidding)</font>

 

gr8-1...we know all about UT binge drinkers. At least, I do . I was a student there, once. In fact, I have a lot of friends there past their college days that seem to have forgotten that college/partying is over. They do the drink till you puke routine and their nights don't start until midnight and they end around 5 am. I guess I am old because I just can't hang with that any more.
Of course, these are the friends with the crappy jobs living off of peanuts....and alcohol. Lord knows what else...


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Surf: I am in total agreement about fast food. It has really destroyed a lot of diets. In addition, the food pyramid thing pissed a lot of peope off. Why?

Well, they orignially were going to put meat and dairy in the smallest areas and put grains, fruits and vegetables in the big areas. Mind you, these are scientists and doctors, not politiicans.

But, after they proposed their pyramid, the politicians got involved and changed it completely to satisfy their contributors in the dairy and cattle industries who screamed bloody murder about the rankings. Finally, out of sheer frustration, the nutritionists, doctors and scientists begrudgingly compromised on the issues and split the difference on placement of meat and dairy on the food pyramid.

Politics at work even though it isn't good for people.

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Save Our Rockets and Comets
SaveOurRockets.com

 

I used the Atkins diet about a year ago and lost quite a bit of weight. It was really helpful, as a few months before that I had gained about 15 kg. during a trip to my native Holland.

I think the diet is quite effective, and as long as you follow up with a healthy diet and constant exercising, I really don't see why you shouldn't do it.

It might be unhealthy in that short term you follow it, but it did loads for my confidence. Once I finally got rid of that annoying weight I wasn't about to let it creep back. I started playing football (soccer) again and I began to lay off the junk food.

The bottom line is that there is no easy way out of it. The Atkins diet is a good one, but it is essential to follow with a balanced diet and good exercise.

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Nederland 2002 Qualifying Campaign (Damn those penalties!!!)


Houston Rockets Space Center- Not just another ClutchCity.NET clone. We're that and more!

 

Another thing to point out about Atkins is I wasn't eating a lot of steak or sausage or heavy meats when I did it. I ate mostly chicken. Honestly, when your on it, you are not hungry. I found I only ate 2 meals a day and they were light meals....usually some type of salad with some meat in it...whether it be chicken or taco-flavored meat. So, while there may be studies saying that bad animal meats and heavy intakes of protein remain in the digestive tract longer and cause potential infections, I do not believe I was consuming any more meat than I would have otherwise off the diet. The difference for me was I just wasn't having any carbs and the carbs I was having were minimal and mostly from nuts...which Mr. Atkin recommends.

Also, my mother is big on this diet, has done it for the better part of a year and a half, and she eats the healthier meats like fish, tuna, and chicken. She lost a lot of weight and looks better than ever. She has managed to keep off the weight. If she goes off of the diet for a trip or whatever, then she can just go right back on again later. And, when she went in to the doctor, she got the best marks ever after they did the normal blood checks. Low tryglicerides, low bad cholesterol, low blood sugar, normal blood pressure, etc.. I know the diet has helped her immensely...especially when it comes to her blood pressure. She has had serious issues with that and the Atkins diet has helped her keep her blood pressure levels down while minimizing the blood pressure medication. I believe she even went off of it while on the diet. Mr. Atkin will put people on this diet for that reason alone. He will put diabetics on it and people who are over 50, eat like ****, and are going to die if they continue on their ways. These people have turned their lives around on the diet.

So, while what Jeff says may be true, I don't consider what I was doing so much as more intake of proteins but rather cutting out the carbs while consuming about the same amount of protein as if I weren't on the diet. I honestly believe that, in that scenario of eating lighter meats at the same portion levels(maybe a little bit higher), that the risk of these digestive tract/ kidney problems is lessened and I would be willing to do it all again to transition into a healthier lifestyle and habit of eating afterwards. Also, nutritional supplements are a must on the Atkin diet but again...the risk there is this is not the same as getting vitamins from food. As a matter of fact, I may do it again soon. I am probably 10 to 20 lbs over where I want to be...definitely not fat but not ripple muscle thin, either. This time...I will combine it with weight lifting for six weeks. I know I will be a new man if I do. But, again...you have to prepare yourself for the no carbs mentally.

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Surfguy: Really? You weren't constantly hungry on the Atkin's diet? One thing that I remember while being on that diet was that I was CONSTANTLY hungry.

Lord Tree

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I am Jack's raging message.

 

That's strange, Lord Tree. My stomach did not growl one time on that diet and, like I said, 2 light meals a day did me fine. I was never and I mean never hungry. The book even states that you will not be hungry on this diet. One thing the Atkin diet touts is the ability to eat as much meat/protein as you want. Well, I don't agree. Eating a lot of the heavy meats cannot be good for the arteries or heart. Usually, all I would do is eat another salad if I wasn't full. But, again...I was never hungry. And, believe me...I know hungry. Occassionally, I also know the other side which is eating when your not hungry .

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I'm gonna "out" myself here, but hopefully this is a public service announcement to anybody reading this concerning weight loss and watching your health.

I'm about 5'11". Around 1994, I weighed about 170 lbs, my body fat % was about 9-11%, I biked 11 miles to my cousin's house in 95+ degree heat, played basketball for about 3-5 hours, then biked back. The days I didn't get to bike and basketball, I worked out at the UH gym or at Bally's. I circuit trained. My blood pressure at the time was 108/68. My resting heart rate was about 62 bpm.

Approximately 6 years later (this past January), I weighed 240 lbs, my body fat percentage was probably over 100% , and I broke a sweat watching other people bike.

Back in January, I suffered from dizzy spells and tried to start working out. I blacked out while trying to ride my bike and just noticed the sky when I "awoke". Driving home one day, I had a severe headache so bad, I almost pulled off the road. I saw a doctor who took my blood pressure and immediately admitted me into the hospital emergency room. The reason for my headaches? My blood pressure was 200/145. My resting heart rate was about 97-100 bpm. I was ready to have a stroke. I was lucky. I survived.

I look back at how I just completely lost it altogether and it really is sad. My sodium and cholesterol levels are normal, it was the weight gain that nearly killed me. But in January, I cut out fast foods altogether, I drink Crystal Light (eeeech), I don't drink caffeinated products like coffee or Coke, etc. I don't stuff myself anymore till I'm so full I could blow and I don't eat at buffets. I don't put salt on anything, I eat a lot of grilled foods, etc. I haven't been authorized to work out yet, but with absolutely no exercise other than casual walking, I'm down to about 215.

For those of you in your teens and 20's, keep track of your health... I was lucky to be a 30 year old. I have an unreal metabolism when I start working out, so losing weight isn't that big a problem, but neither is gaining it, unfortunately.

P.S. -- for all those looking at the Atkins diet, I've had a couple of co-workers who have tried it. They both said it works great, but they both said that if you stop the diet, you gain all the weight back. I don't have any experience with it, and really don't plan on doing it... I think I'll just do this the hard way and start working my tail off in the weight room.

Good luck gr8-1!

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Falk that Mo Fo!!!

 

Oh, and one more thing for those looking to lose weight. Don't skip meals. If you think you're getting less calories and therefore losing weight by skipping lunch at work, think again. Your body slows down its consumption of energy (ie, slows down metabolism for example) to adjust for your food intake. You're just going to either get fatter or weaker. I ballooned to 240 lbs, on about 1-2 meals per day, but they were always Pizza Inn buffets or something.

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Falk that Mo Fo!!!

 

Damn DOD! Thanks for sharing that with us. That is pretty scary. I think the dizzy spells were your first sign, huh? Not to start working out as much as needing to go to the doctor! I have some high blood pressure issues, too. I guess your on medication now.

The thing about the Atkin diet....missing out on all those carbs can make you into a carb pig if you go off. Not only may you gain it all back, but get heavier than before because your on a carb craze. Like you were saying, eating needs to be done in moderation. You don't have to have all that food at once. Eat a regular portion and put down the fork! Drink more water...that's what I do and it keeps me satisfied.

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Way to go DR!!! That is awesome.

You are totally correct about missing meals. The best way to eat is to graze - a little bit 5 or 6 times per day. It is much easier on the digestive system and keeps your metabolism high.

Keep up the great work. You are an inspiration!

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Save Our Rockets and Comets
SaveOurRockets.com

 

Great point about multiple smaller meals. It sounds bizarre, but if you turn yourself into a continual eating machine (like Jeff's example of 5-6 meals a day) with smaller and healthy meals, it works.

Also try to incorporate foods that are known as catabolic foods into your diet. These are foods that your body uses more energy trying to digest than calories it actually gains from digesting them.

Some examples of catabolic foods are oranges, apples, watermelons, and a bunch of other fruits. Also, asparagus, celery, lettuce, peas, cucumbers. Some seafood is catabolic as well such as flounder and cod.

If you're going on any major diet, you should see your doctor first. You may be losing weight, but hurting yourself in other ways if you don't get a physical or visit your doctor first.

One thing you find out about when you have high blood pressure is that since sodium helps elevate blood pressure, you need to cut it out of your diet as much as possible. After eating pizzas and Timmy Chan's every day, try finding anything else with no sodium that tastes good. It's tough. To put it in perspective the buns, pickles, and ketchup on a hamburger in that sense can be worse than the meat.

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Falk that Mo Fo!!!

 

DoD,

Man, after reading you thread and a few others of yours lately, I think I've found my twin... well, maybe at least my hand twin

I'm 5'9", and before my knee injury I weighed around 215. 215 may sound heavy to some of you, but to me it's not. My senior year of highschool I weighed 190, and a few years later at 197 I had 6% body fat.

Now, after my knee injury, I'm still 5'9", but no longer 215. I had gotten up to maybe over 250. At 248 I stopped checking. Right now, I'm in the low 240s to high 230s, and I'd really like to be 215 again.

My problem is that I was a very athletic person. I wasn't the greatest anything, but I excelled in every sport I ever tried. Don't let my modesty fool you, before my knee injury not too many people would want another PG/PF on their team than me. But, now I can't do anything without worrying about my knee.

I've totally given up football, which was my childhood passion. I nearly lost it when I told my friends that I wouldn't be playing in our tradition Thanksgiving Day Football game. I just cannot stop and cut without my knee giving out on me.

I can still play basketball, because the cuts aren't at full-speed like football. But, I can't play it like I used too, and that makes it much less fun.

Jogging isn't for me, I've tried it. It bores the living sh*t out of me. And, although I love weight training, I can't really get into it without a good workout partner. I was lifting with my brother, and he always pushed me, because he was always stronger in every damn lift (almost), and no one wants their little bro to be stronger than them. Even if he did play offensive line for West Point. And, at 6'3" 270, he's got a slight advantage on me in the weight room. But, without someone to push me I get bored fast.

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I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
DREAMer's Rocket Page

 

DREAMer,

Man, I feel for you. Could you tell me a bit more about your knee injury?

What is the most effective way of preventing such injuries (even if it only helps in limited fashion)?

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Nederland 2002 Qualifying Campaign (Damn those penalties!!!)


Houston Rockets Space Center- Not just another ClutchCity.NET clone. We're that and more!

 

Ace,

You never can "prevent" the more serious injuries. Unless you want to live like a "bubble boy"....

I was playing ball at this church. When my friend and I got there, I took one look at the floor and saw that it was rubber. I said, "I'm not gonna play on that. You could hurt and ankle or knee playing on a rubber floor."

Well, I've never been much of a prophet, but unfortunately I was that day.

Everything was going fine, I was playing okay. There was this dude, who is a friend of "Turbo" the Rocket mascot dude. I know this, because I had seen him on TV handing Turbo balls during his routine and hanging out with him, and not just on one occasion. Anyways, this dude was a good baller and could jump out of the gym.

I always got fired up when I played against good competition and I was playing hard. I think we had played one game and were near the end of the second. Our team lost the ball and the other team had two "sandbaggers" at the other end of the court waiting. They both were standing underneath the basket holding the ball taunting us.

So, I decided I was gonna run down there and contest their shot. The dude holding the ball was about 6'8" and 275, so blocking his shot was not very likely, but try telling me that then. I normally jump off two feet when I jump, that's just how I do it. MJ jumped off one foot, but Dominique Wilkins jumped off two. Anyways, to get there quicker I decided to jump of one foot at a dead run.

Well, when I planted my foot my knee just gave out. I hit the floor so hard that I also slightly seperated my shoulder (the same one I broke a few years before that). Man, oh man that hurt.

Because I didn't have insurance or anything I never was able to go to the doctor for it, but I was on crutches for 8 weeks. I mean, I couldn't walk on it for 8 weeks. I'm fairly sure I tore the interior ligament... don't know which one that is MCL or ACL or whatever, but my knee comes out of place on the inside of my knee with very little pressure put on it.

Before I hurt my knee, I had spained my ankles on numerous occasions. One time I think I dislocated my ankle, because it swoll up and turned purple all the way from my knee to my toes. That was the worst of them.

But, let me tell you something. Those serious ankle sprains (3 on left foot, 2 on right) were nothing compared to my knee injury.

I also had cartilage damage in my other knee from football, and I used to think that sucked, well that knee is my "good" knee now.

To this day the worst thing about my knee, besides it coming out of place, is that I only feel like the knee itself is 60% as strong as it used to be. It just "feels" weak. I don't have any sense of loss of strength in the knee with carilage damage.

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I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
DREAMer's Rocket Page

 

Jeff, how is a high protein diet detrimental to your health??

I work out 3-4 days a week. Each workout is fairly intense and strenuous to my body. I consume about 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight to support muscle growth. The only way I'm even able to take in that much protein is by supplementing my diet with protein powder.

It's my understand that the average person needs about .5-1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight to sustain and maintain muscle mass and growth. Anything less and your body eats at your muscle when you are hungry because it is easier to burn than fat.

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I am the founding member of the Butt-Nekkid Party! White House here we come!

 

Would adding strength to your legs add much protection for the knees? I guess I should have phrased that a bit better, as I was referring to preventing the wear and tear of the knees.

It must be damn frustrating. It really sucks when you're athletic and you can't go out and play like you used to (well, I assume so anyway).


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Nederland 2002 Qualifying Campaign (Damn those penalties!!!)


Houston Rockets Space Center- Not just another ClutchCity.NET clone. We're that and more!

 

Man you guys are the best. I just finished reading this thread and it is awesome. I am also in the same boat. I am presently 5'11 and weigh 212. I have gained so much weight since I got married 4 1/2 years ago. I am 30 and I also want to look better.

I agree with the earlier comment that it is so damn hard going to work (putting in 8-9 hours on the job) and than coming home and having to exercise. I also have the cravings for Cheeseburgers. I have tried to eliminate going to the fast food joints the past few months. I am actually skipping lunch each day. I was thinking it would be a benefit. Thanks for setting the record straight regarding that.

Guys. I think the bottom line is exercising and eating a balanced meal plan. To me exercising is the hard part. I can not stay committed. I started walking every other day after work and it was great. I just did not keep it up. I need to stay committed to my goal of walking at least 45 minutes every day. Hopefully if I can stay committed to the walking than I can increase the walking to jogging.

Anyways I just wanted you guys to know that I really appreciated all the input from this thread. It really helps me to know that some of my fellow friends out there in Cyberspace are in the same position as myself.

Peace!



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Titan's fanatic!!!!

It was the first time the Titans sent an offense to the line of scrimmage with Eddie George in the backfield behind McNair to go with Wycheck at tight end and Carl Pickens, Kevin Dyson and Yancey Thigpen at wide receiver.

So many choices, with a full season still ahead.

"I think that might be scary for a defense," Dyson said.