2012 Weight Loss Thread
- Thread starter ic1male
- Start date
Congratulations mate
What is your plan for building some muscle?
Going to try the Stronglifts 5x5 program supplemented with some push-ups and pull-ups (or chin-ups until I can do more than a few pull-ups!).
I've ordered a power cage and weights since my local gym is cheap but has a very poor selection of lifting equipment, no cage or squat rack for example and I feel I need to rush any workout to make room for the next person. It was good when I was largely doing cardio work but I'm finding now that I would rather run outside so the gym is really just for weights and it's not much good for that so I'm going to do that at home and I can save the money on gym membership.
I've also been reading your mobility thread and ordered a foam roller as I've noticed my legs getting pretty tight as I've upped the amount of running I'm doing.
I've hit 76kg and think I might stop aiming at weight loss, I'm down from 93kg and my belly has pretty much gone. I'm focusing more on building muscle so tracking my weight isn't really that useful since the aim now is more about getting healthier and looking better which won't necessarily lead to weight loss.
It's been awesome to see the stories in here and be part of it, I'm now able to fit into 32" jeans comfortably (down from 36-38") and today I did a non-stop 8km run (up from about 400m!!). I feel so much better and happier, I'll try to dig out some better photos, maybe even body shots if I'm feeling brave but for now this gives an idea of before and after. Excuse the wife and my daughter, can't seem to shake them
Excellent, congratulations mate.
Any tips for people?
Thanks dude, a few things that spring to mind that helped me:
1) Get SMART!
I hate the acronym but setting a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely goal is a key thing. When I started, my long term goal was a mixed bag of vagueness like "look better", "stop being a bloater", "get fitter", "reduce risk of heart attack", etc etc.
All of that was great but without anyway to see an improvement week to week it was going to be hard to stay motivated. The first target I set was to get my weight below 90kg, only a small drop but one I could do quite quickly to get the ball rolling. After that I aimed at getting to 85kg, then getting my BMI below 25. At the same time, I started setting targets for cardio, like running for 10/15/20 minutes and later I aimed for sub-8/7/6 minutes per kilometer. Now I've got down to 76kg, I don't really care about my weight so I'm going to focus solely on some targets for running and work through the Stronglifts program. Down the track I'm planning to run a half-marathon but that's some time off yet so in the meantime I'll be working on building up to 15km.
I'm a geek so anything that shows numbers getting better really helped, especially when you hit a plateau and can look back to see that you're making progress even if the current week doesn't seem to be "working". There are plenty of free apps/spreadsheets that make tracking things a doddle and give you an awesome way to see just how far you've come.
2) Make sustainable changes
I love food and so does my wife so I was never going to be able to live off tiny portions or salad. Instead, I made a conscious effort to cut out/down on rubbish food so that I could still eat reasonable portions of tasty food. Stuff I effectively cut out included pork scratchings, pies and anything covered in cream, stuff I cut down included chocolate, crisps and snacks in general. I've not missed any of this after the first few weeks and it means I can still enjoy a good meal out every so often and most importantly means I'm not trying to hit a weight goal just so I can go back to eating "normally". The eating changes I've made are ones I will maintain permanently rather than just a short term fix.
Similarly I now exercise at least 3 times per week, usually 5+, but I set 3 as a target since even if work is busy or we have lots going on, there is no reason I can't do 3 hours of exercise each week.
3) Relieve boredom in any way possible
Unless you are already pretty fit (in which case you're probably in the wrong thread) then exercise is not fun to begin with, in fact I found it hard work, tedious and at times depressing as I realised how unfit I was. To make things more interesting/tolerable I used music, audiobooks and even TV shows/films on my iPhone (the latter only works for things like indoor cycling when your head stays pretty still). For outdoor running I've been using the Zombies, Run app and as I've got quicker also use RunKeeper so I can keep my pace on track and get regular feedback.
The same thing applies in terms of choosing what exercise to do, we all know that some activities burn more calories than others, running burns a lot for example but it's also hard work and some people hate it. Early on, it's much better to pick something you enjoy even if it might be low/medium intensity, I started off with cycling and cross-training as well as working on push-ups but I know people who have used Wii Fit or the Kinect games. They might not be as good long term but if a month of using them gets you in the groove and establishes good habits then who cares?
I actually enjoy exercise now and look forward to it but that took at least a month so anything that helps get you through the first few weeks is invaluable since that's when you're most likely to give up.
4) Set a routine if possible
I was very tempted early on to skip the odd session but knew that once I missed one, it was easier to miss the next and also to then feel down because I'd let things slip. So I set a rigid schedule, put an alarm on my phone for the relevant days with "Get to the gym you fatty" on it and told my wife to harass me until I left the house. Now, I don't even think about not going to the gym/going for a run because it's just part of my week in the same way as having a shower in the morning.
5) Find other people doing the same
Whether it's friends, online forums or things like fitocracy, it really helps to find other people in the same boat. Some will be far ahead of you, others will just be starting so before long you can both give and take advice which I found really rewarding. No matter where you are starting from, there will always be someone who can give you a boost in confidence because they've just cleared the stage you're at.
There are probably lots more if I think about it but hopefully there's something useful in there for someone.
It's hard to explain just how much better you will feel and it genuinely does become fun and addictive, something I thought I would never say about exercise!
Good luck to everyone
![A[L]C](/styles/overclockers/avatars/7.png){kind=avatar}
Diets a bit annoying atm, currently doing 1750 calories per day with a 30min high intensity workout every day - 3 weeks in & have gained 1 pound lol.
My stamina/cardio fitness has sky-rocketed, but weight loss isn't happening - based on my calorie deficit I should be losing 2 pound a week (arp), I know muscle gain is one factor, but there is no way I've gained that much muscle.
I'll just have to keep at it, will have to come off eventually.
My stamina/cardio fitness has sky-rocketed, but weight loss isn't happening - based on my calorie deficit I should be losing 2 pound a week (arp), I know muscle gain is one factor, but there is no way I've gained that much muscle.
I'll just have to keep at it, will have to come off eventually.
Agreed...
More often than not the reason people don't see a loss when calorie counting is because they're not counting absolutely everything.
Make sure your including drinks, the odd biscuit your offered, the salad cream you might have had on your salad. Basicly anything and everything that goes in your mouth bar water, count it!
Well, 1 isn't true (Assuming my packages are telling the truth - use my fitness pal (or the things on my fitness pal are out by a massive margin) to record everything - don't eat anything sweet & drink water only, bar some cups of tea).
2) I would doubt it with doing 20/30mins cardio & as 5f10 (27) I doubt my maintenance is that low.
Obviously it's only been a short amount of time, but strange it's going so slow (compared to other times I've dieted)
I don't eat any chocolate/sweets/biscuits or cakes, all booze has been cut out I add the calories of all of the stuff I do add - the only drink other than water is tea without sugar (skimmed milk) 2 cups a day
I'm wouldn't be posting if it was eating cakes in between lol.
Last edited:
As previous posters have said, if your intake is less than your expenditure then you will be losing weight and after 3 weeks you would usually have seen a loss so it's possible that either you have a very sedentary job and 30 minutes of exercise isn't tipping you over 1750 or when you first weighed yourself you were very dehydrated.
Weight can vary a lot day to day particularly if you weigh yourself after exercise, after a 45 minute run I can be a kilo lighter due to sweat (gross when you think about it!). Did you last weigh yourself a few weeks ago or are you doing it each day? I often found my weight was trending down but could jump by up to half a kilo even when I was weighing first thing in the morning each time.
If you feel better then it's obviously working so stick with it for a few more weeks and see if the weight loss has kicked in. If not then it's probably time to cut a few more calories or up the exercise a touch more. Either way, don't get too disheartened, your body is still in better shape than 3 weeks ago!
Weight can vary a lot day to day particularly if you weigh yourself after exercise, after a 45 minute run I can be a kilo lighter due to sweat (gross when you think about it!). Did you last weigh yourself a few weeks ago or are you doing it each day? I often found my weight was trending down but could jump by up to half a kilo even when I was weighing first thing in the morning each time.
If you feel better then it's obviously working so stick with it for a few more weeks and see if the weight loss has kicked in. If not then it's probably time to cut a few more calories or up the exercise a touch more. Either way, don't get too disheartened, your body is still in better shape than 3 weeks ago!
Soldato
- Joined
- 19 Jan 2006
- Posts
- 4,692
I lost 6lb this week which I'm really pleased with, I made sure I tightened up my diet and cut out most treats and I've been rewarded with a good number, lets hope for another good loss next week!
Associate
- Joined
- 23 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 428
- Location
- None of your business
I'm gunna put myself out on a limb and ask you guys for some advice cause I'm determined to finally get my porky butt into shape! Especially since I'm my mates best man next year and I really don't wanna be doing a best man's speech looking like a imitation of Mr Blobby! 
Current height is 6ft4 but weight is near on 360lbs which is damn excessive, most of it confined to my butt/thighs/stomach. Now I've always be a chap on the larger side, definitely runs in the family, however I've been on the whole "cut portions etc" and "try to get more active" route however that's not very helpful when I'm either desk bound (thanks to being in IT) or constantly travelling around which throws everything out of the pan.
Now even though I'm like that I try my hardest to stay as active as possible (so walking everywhere) that I can and keep the intake as healthy as possible (lean meats, low dairy, low sugar, low choc etc) without going to total extremes of lettuce leafs etc. My biggest bug bear is truly becoming "more active" due to the stupid hours that I work, typically 8am-8pm by the time I get home, so leaving very little room to actually do anything properly like gym/swimming etc even though again I'm trying to do that on the weekends or when I do actually get down time (very rarely thanks to back to back projects).
I've just dumped all of this into MyFitnessPal stuff and it reckons that I should be consuming 2,380cals/327carbs/79fat/89protein based on zero exercise which I believe is skewing the results.
Typical intake:
Breakfast (when I get a chance): no-fat yoghurt/eggs/home made smoothies
Snacks: don't really do them but if I do its normally a handful of nuts etc
Lunch: Lean mean (chicken) with salad + dressing etc
Dinner: Fish, chicken/steak with steamed veggies and the occasional splattering of carbs like sweet potato or brown rice (pasta was on there but its been cut right out).
Based on what I eat and the figures being pumped out by MFP, I'm definitely at a huge loss of required intake however just the thought of actually eating THAT much to make up for the figures actually makes me feel quite ill as I'm really not a big eater.
I know you guys aren't miracle workers, if so you'd be making a hell of a lot of money else where
, so I'd like some advice from you guys cause it seems to be working with you guys and see absolutely no reason why it can't for me...
Any help that could give me a fighting chance would be good .. however I know where most of it will come from and that's get my butt moving more
Current height is 6ft4 but weight is near on 360lbs which is damn excessive, most of it confined to my butt/thighs/stomach. Now I've always be a chap on the larger side, definitely runs in the family, however I've been on the whole "cut portions etc" and "try to get more active" route however that's not very helpful when I'm either desk bound (thanks to being in IT) or constantly travelling around which throws everything out of the pan.
Now even though I'm like that I try my hardest to stay as active as possible (so walking everywhere) that I can and keep the intake as healthy as possible (lean meats, low dairy, low sugar, low choc etc) without going to total extremes of lettuce leafs etc. My biggest bug bear is truly becoming "more active" due to the stupid hours that I work, typically 8am-8pm by the time I get home, so leaving very little room to actually do anything properly like gym/swimming etc even though again I'm trying to do that on the weekends or when I do actually get down time (very rarely thanks to back to back projects).
I've just dumped all of this into MyFitnessPal stuff and it reckons that I should be consuming 2,380cals/327carbs/79fat/89protein based on zero exercise which I believe is skewing the results.
Typical intake:
Breakfast (when I get a chance): no-fat yoghurt/eggs/home made smoothies
Snacks: don't really do them but if I do its normally a handful of nuts etc
Lunch: Lean mean (chicken) with salad + dressing etc
Dinner: Fish, chicken/steak with steamed veggies and the occasional splattering of carbs like sweet potato or brown rice (pasta was on there but its been cut right out).
Based on what I eat and the figures being pumped out by MFP, I'm definitely at a huge loss of required intake however just the thought of actually eating THAT much to make up for the figures actually makes me feel quite ill as I'm really not a big eater.
I know you guys aren't miracle workers, if so you'd be making a hell of a lot of money else where
, so I'd like some advice from you guys cause it seems to be working with you guys and see absolutely no reason why it can't for me...Any help that could give me a fighting chance would be good .. however I know where most of it will come from and that's get my butt moving more
Exercise is the key thing, it sounds like you rarely get your heart rate up and give your body a reason to do anything other than chug along at a slow pace. It's hard with the hours you have but even 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise 3 times each week would probably make a big difference. Walking is better than driving but it's not a patch on jogging/running/cycling/swimming.
One benefit of being on the large side is you'll probably see some pretty impressive weight loss early on which can really help your confidence and motivation. By the time the weight loss slows down you should be in a decent routine.
Don't rely on cutting out food, it's hard to maintain and unless you are a real non-foodie it's also pretty demoralising to cut out anything that's even slightly "bad". Also, exercise makes you healthier as well as thinner, it's quite possible to be skinny and unfit but it's pretty hard to exercise regularly and be a bloater (this is from personal experience!).
Good luck, it's hard to make the time at first but you'll be glad you did and the sooner you start the longer you'll have to enjoy the results.
P.S. If you're really short on time then ditch entering data in MFP and exercise during that time instead, I didn't do the whole calorie counting thing, I just ate sensibly and exercised as much as possible and relied on scales and tightness of clothes to let me know if it was working!
One benefit of being on the large side is you'll probably see some pretty impressive weight loss early on which can really help your confidence and motivation. By the time the weight loss slows down you should be in a decent routine.
Don't rely on cutting out food, it's hard to maintain and unless you are a real non-foodie it's also pretty demoralising to cut out anything that's even slightly "bad". Also, exercise makes you healthier as well as thinner, it's quite possible to be skinny and unfit but it's pretty hard to exercise regularly and be a bloater (this is from personal experience!).
Good luck, it's hard to make the time at first but you'll be glad you did and the sooner you start the longer you'll have to enjoy the results.
P.S. If you're really short on time then ditch entering data in MFP and exercise during that time instead, I didn't do the whole calorie counting thing, I just ate sensibly and exercised as much as possible and relied on scales and tightness of clothes to let me know if it was working!
A good point with the last one, I'm certain that my diet is at the stated calorie amount & the 30mins cardio is pretty intense (I'm usually dripping sweat through most of it).
I work in an office, so sedentary is most certainly true.
The only thing I can think of is that my start weight was at a massive random drop of weight (no stomach content, dehydrated) - just seems odd to be taking this long for anything to happen.
I've started weighing myself daily & have noticed jumps of +3 to -3 pound on almost every day, randomly jotting about but as of yet I've noticed no downward trend.
Well my strength has definitely improved, along with my cardio fitness (can do the 30min workout now with no after-pains or running out of breath)
Cheers for the reply, given me a few things to consider try.
My main concern was that I didn't want to drop my calorie intake down too much, as if I take off the 30mins I burn I'm actually left with 1550 per day.
Cheers mate!
No its not. Diet is the key thing. You can't out exercise a bad diet. Exercise also tends to burn far fewer calories than people think. So lets say you are doing 3 lots of 30 mins exercise a week there's a good chance that the sum total burned by all those sessions is less than 1000 calories.
We might have to agree to disagree on that one, without exercise you're never going to get fitter even if you lose weight. The stronger and fitter you are the more calories you can burn so it pays dividends, exercise is something that you can do harder and for longer so the rewards increase unlike cutting back food which you can only do so much before it becomes unsustainable and if you cut back too much then your body tries to conserve what little fuel it does have which can be counterproductive.
I do agree that exercise isn't a free license to eat rubbish but he's already stated he is eating sensibly so in his case I don't think cutting back more is helpful whereas more exercise will help with both weight loss and general health.
I do agree that exercise isn't a free license to eat rubbish but he's already stated he is eating sensibly so in his case I don't think cutting back more is helpful whereas more exercise will help with both weight loss and general health.
The title of the thread is weight loss though. Diet is absolutely the key. I exercise a reasonable amount (circa 7 hours a week) included in that are runs that total 40 miles. That 40 miles of running burns circa 4000 calories. This is suffient energy to get through just over 1lb of fat. That's actually quite a lot of effort for relatively little reward. I absolutely get that exercise brings other benefits - that's why I do the amount I do, not because of weight loss. But exercise is not the be all and end all for a) weight loss b) maintaining a steady weight.