Overweight/Getting Back into Shape Support System Thread

Nobody says it's easy but it's definitely better than simply cutting calories and losing muscle mass you already have.

 

OP, you see the pattern here?

It's good you posted a picture. For the specific purpose of someone like yourself losing weight, 95% of it is diet. Cardio and working out are good for your health, but losing weight is much more about diet.

I bet you could cut your daily calorie intake from over 3000 to 2000-2200 and you'd easily drop 60 pounds in 4 months. Without any exercise. My suggestion is start by focusing solely on diet and add in exercising later. In creating new habits, you don't want your change in eating to be linked to (and dependent on) exercising. Take a few months to lock in new eating habits that will stay with you long term regardless of how much you run, cycle or lift.

Don't try to do too much at the beginning because discouragement will come when you can't keep it up. It will be impossible to cut out fast food, soda and energy drinks right away. Start off by cutting out energy drinks, period end of story. They are horrific! Reduce fast food (frequency and portions). Dial down the sodas as quickly as possible without pushing yourself too far, too fast.

The key to long term change in eating habits is enjoying what you eat. Do not punish yourself by eating food that you don't like because you'll throw up your hands and give up eventually.

If you insist on exercising to start with, cardio is more effective for weight loss than lifting. Gradually ease into it and don't push too hard at the beginning. Once conditioning improves, then start exploring your limits. Same principle applies to lifting but I strongly recommend you avoiding lifting for now.

 

Good for you brother. If you do all of those things you listed, you'll surely shed the weight.

 

No idea who you are.

But I do want to get hookah.

#creepy

 

dude when did you get so many bars? This has turned into a competition now, I need my 7th!

 

My knees make a crunching sound when I do squats or lunges.

 

Video of form?

 

Very commendable thing you've done LC. Takes courage to do something like this and I would definitely like to join the support system.

I'm currently 5'9 and 220. My target goal is to lose 20 pounds at first and then go from there. How I got here? Well, that's a long story. I've often turned to food often for discomfort (physical, mental) as well as falling asleep. The 2 biggest hurdles I have are eating for pain/boredom and especially as a "sleep-aid" for falling asleep. I often can do relatively well when I'm at work as it gives me a 7-4, 8-5 chunk of my day where I can keep busy and not think about eating as much. However, the main issues for me are when I get home and at night.

I'd really like to get some perspectives out there from those that deal with a mix of chronic pain and difficulty falling asleep.

Have have y'all dealt with it?


Again, best of luck to you LC and kudos for doing this.

 

Ahh, forgot can't edit for now.

What I'm doing currently to lose weight:

1) Exercising 5 times a week (2 days on, 1 day off... repeat) in the form of primarily walking. I play tennis once every few weekends. A majority of my exercise is during the week, so I just go walking since I'm already tired after work. Too tired to do a gym etc

2) Trying to eat better in the day (the night time is not going as well)

3) Going to support groups (depression related), expanding social circle, getting out of the house more.

 

easy vs. better..lol

how about easy vs. hard? gaining muscle WHILE cutting is insanely hard! and realistically not all that possible.

I never said he should lose his existing. In fact that should be his #1 priority. That's the diff between losing weight and losing fat.

Preserving muscle will depend on strength training (low reps, heavy weight) and adequate amount of protein.

 

I'm in. I'm fortunate that I don't have much weight to lose...my DNA is such that I don't have to run or exercise to stay within weight limits for my height.

But I've been exercising regularly (lifting weights/running 3 miles 3x a week) since mid-May, and I'm monitoring calorie intake using an iPhone app. Just being more conscious about what I eat...not trying to lose weight, necessarily...trying to be healthy...and I'd take some toning, as well, which is why I'm lifting some. I can see progress in strength and endurance. I also like to answer yes when my kids ask, "bro, did you even lift?" And if it makes me more attractive to my wife in any way, that's always a good thing.

I'm inspired big time by a friend who really did have a lot of weight to lose...who dealt with depression...and said, enough already. He's lost a ton of weight, and you can hear it in his voice...a new level of confidence for him that I've never seen before. I'm beyond happy for him. And it inspires me to run harder...workout more.

Inspired by a family member who hasn't lost her smile despite being told she has 6 weeks to live...she told me last weekend that she's never really lived appreciating every morning until her doctor told her that. This morning, I got out of bed thinking, "this day wasn't promised" and that got my butt out of bed and to the gym.

The last 1/4 mile today I thought of my son who never stopped pressing in a basketball game last week even though his team was down by 20 in the final quarter and the rest of his team stopped playing. I kept playing it over and over again in my mind..watching him jump up to try to steal the inbounds pass..and then pressuring the ball all the way down. He was in tears after the game (it was a championship game) but the next morning he said, "Dad, I left it all out there...there's nothing more I could do." Inspiration is a good thing. Music helps too.

This melding of the physical/mental/emotional/love is what I think we were meant for. I find something spiritual in it that is a bit unexpected for me.

Happy to lend support or inspiration where I can here!

Oatmeal in the morning is filling, but low calories...then a salad for lunch...I throw a protein bar in around 3 (and I'm shocked how good those taste, by the way -- Clif bars in particular)....and that protein bar makes sure that I'm not starving and overeat at dinner. That keeps me within a target for calorie intake. I blow it off when it's time to go have a dinner with friends or family...particularly on the weekend. But weekdays, it's pretty easy for me to keep to a schedule like this.

 

Breakups turn you into bodybuilders.

 

This.

 

Probably tight hips and/or an imbalance somewhere in there. Usually your hams are affected, which then affects knee rotation, so when you squat they're basically trying to pop into a better position to still allow your squat to happen.

 

You need this in your life. Thank me later.

 

I love these.

 

By the way, GNC is having 25% off sitewide for 4th of July. Use code: HAPPY4TH

Couple this with their "Buy 2 Get 1 Free Quest Bars". When you buy 3 boxes, the price comes out to 18.27/box (or 54.82 total). Not a bad deal at all. I just picked up 3 boxes.