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Annoyingly i can't run so this is all i have!
*** Big Fat Weight Loss Thread ***
- Thread starter AndyCr15
- Start date
Annoyingly i can't run so this is all i have!
This might sound silly, but something you can try... change the order in which you do things. Most people decide if they will go for a run, then they put their running gear on. Try putting all your running gear on, then decide if you will go for a run. For some people, this works really well... "Hmm, I've got all the gear on, I might as well do 10 minutes running", then just go from their.
I do it on mornings I need to go to the gym. Out of bed, I put all my gym gear on and get my gym bag ready. They I make my coffee and check emails... then "Well, I have all my gear on, might as well head to the gym."
Yeah i think that's a good call. Once your outside i'd say the chances of not bothering are tiny.
I'd also say that if you can't find the motivation to run, then try and find something you can find the motivation for.
I'd also say that if you can't find the motivation to run, then try and find something you can find the motivation for.
I think the suggestion I've seen mentioned on in this thread several times on managing carbohydrate levels along with the emphasis on protein/fats, is a great starting to point.
It seems to work well for most people and is something I can't ever see me deviating from by much, if at all. However, I just wanted to throw in my thoughts/experiences, so apologies in advance for the ramble/going off on a tangent!
Like your self, I also have an addictive personality, although I believe this is far from being an uncommon factor among people, although I expect it does vary between individuals.
However, due to the widespread access to processed 'food' and its addictive quality, this makes it increasingly more difficult to 'allow things in moderation'.
I'm sure those smaller, sour apples that I remember as a child have largely now been replaced with gigantic sugar bombs for fruit!
For a very long period and up until around the spring of this year, I was tracking calories (and carbs).
Although as useful a method as any to quantify the amount of energy coming in/out, the problem that steadily arose for me was that I started to find the whole process becoming a grind. I just wasn't enjoying it.
Once could argue that it's hardly a natural process or thing to do. After all, I doubt our ancestors did it!
I think the concern I have is that it can encourage, particularly over the long term, erratic food habits/behaviours/disorders, and on an emotional/physical level, I found myself wanting to rebel against it.
To feel that way, 'something' was clearly out of balance, and although clearly a workable solution for a period of time, I'm not so sure if it's a maintainable method to permanently employ (at least for me anyway).
This might read a little odd, but if you consider a wild (not domesticated) animal grazing in a field, it will eat/drink until it's had its fill, as it doesn't know when the next meal is coming from.
And if I'm to be honest, I think now and again, but not too often, it's a wonderful and natural release to eat more than is required, both on a physical and emotional level, and to just enjoy yourself until completely satisfied.
The problem, of course, is that most of us do know when the next meal is coming from, and sadly, this is exacerbated by, for example—but not limited to, fruit being engineered to be sweeter and sugar being so normalized within society, processed or otherwise.
TLDR:
If, like myself, you've become fed up with counting calories, try replacing it with 'portions/servings' and strongly emphasizing protein if needing to eat more than normal.
As a night owl, I also found that saving more of my food portions for the evening has made a noticeable difference!
So, instead of having, say, oat bran with oat milk, flaxseed, etc., in the morning, I tend to have it in the evening.
If you're genuinely hungry, it's not wrong to eat: even if it means that you are eating more than normal.
Food deprivation is a huge stress and eventually, something will have to give.
FWIW: the cravings that I started to see increase back in the spring have now all but gone. So, if you restrict too much, your body will rebel.
And with that, I'm off to indulge in a bit of melon!
Good luck!
As a night owl, I also found that saving more of my food portions for the evening has made a noticeable difference!
So, instead of having, say, oat bran with oat milk, flaxseed, etc., in the morning, I tend to have it in the evening.
If you're genuinely hungry, it's not wrong to eat: even if it means that you are eating more than normal.
Food deprivation is a huge stress and eventually, something will have to give.
FWIW: the cravings that I started to see increase back in the spring have now all but gone. So, if you restrict too much, your body will rebel.
And with that, I'm off to indulge in a bit of melon!
Good luck!
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Given it's the end of July i figured i'd do a slight update. It's still being a slow process and given it feels i've cut out snacking almost completely and reducing alcohol whilst also ramping up exercise for the last 2 months gives me concern if exercise drops and eating slips a little!
This is the last 180 days which shows a bit of bounciness but a reasonable downward trajectory from the start of June when i made a more concerted effort . Shows the benefit of not focusing on the numbers as the 30th June i was 101.8kg which was a little out of trend, and the end of July is also 101.9kg but a slight rise against the trending. Taking each number in isolation would be demoralising but the graph shows i'm on the right track at least.
In August i'm going to really try and work on booze. I mentioned before that in my head i drank around 3-4 times a week but expected the total to be <10 a week (generally 330ml cans or small beers at bars). An app i downloaded suggested that certainly isn't the case! With it being rare that i hit even 2 days in a row without having a drink. I don't see it as an alcohol problem as such as most days it's just a single small beer because of the sun and it's nice to go out for a walk with the wife and sit at a cafe. Main days for higher quantities would be Tuesday (Spanish class at a local bar) and then Saturday/Sunday.
Whilst the calories are tracked and MFP shows me under my targets, it's certainly not calories i need to be consuming given the slightly stubborn drop of weight. I also wonder if the body constantly removing small amounts of alcohol is having a long term impact so the plus part is today marks my fourth day with nothing despite a few opportunities
This is the last 180 days which shows a bit of bounciness but a reasonable downward trajectory from the start of June when i made a more concerted effort . Shows the benefit of not focusing on the numbers as the 30th June i was 101.8kg which was a little out of trend, and the end of July is also 101.9kg but a slight rise against the trending. Taking each number in isolation would be demoralising but the graph shows i'm on the right track at least.
In August i'm going to really try and work on booze. I mentioned before that in my head i drank around 3-4 times a week but expected the total to be <10 a week (generally 330ml cans or small beers at bars). An app i downloaded suggested that certainly isn't the case! With it being rare that i hit even 2 days in a row without having a drink. I don't see it as an alcohol problem as such as most days it's just a single small beer because of the sun and it's nice to go out for a walk with the wife and sit at a cafe. Main days for higher quantities would be Tuesday (Spanish class at a local bar) and then Saturday/Sunday.
Whilst the calories are tracked and MFP shows me under my targets, it's certainly not calories i need to be consuming given the slightly stubborn drop of weight. I also wonder if the body constantly removing small amounts of alcohol is having a long term impact so the plus part is today marks my fourth day with nothing despite a few opportunities
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@Martynt74 - nice steady progress! Keep working on the alcohol chart. It’s not a huge intake, but if you want to make a step change you know what you need to do!
Speaking of change, got back from the land of sunshine, wine and buffets yesterday. You think you’re making sensible choices by not having a plate full of carbs (why waste the plate space?!) and then BOOM! A thousand tiny desserts! Anyway, it’s great to have a break, it was great to have gone away in decent shape and I can focus for the next few weeks and crack on. It was fabulous to swim in the Ionian Sea and reminds me how much it helps my back. Open water swimming is a LOT harder than in the pool. Hoping most of the gain is water weight and will have a better idea once I’m back in a routine over the week.
Speaking of change, got back from the land of sunshine, wine and buffets yesterday. You think you’re making sensible choices by not having a plate full of carbs (why waste the plate space?!) and then BOOM! A thousand tiny desserts! Anyway, it’s great to have a break, it was great to have gone away in decent shape and I can focus for the next few weeks and crack on. It was fabulous to swim in the Ionian Sea and reminds me how much it helps my back. Open water swimming is a LOT harder than in the pool. Hoping most of the gain is water weight and will have a better idea once I’m back in a routine over the week.
I'm back on low carb for a bit. The first time I did it I lost nearly a stone in a month, a bit extreme. I'm being a bit more sensible this time,
just losing the weight I gained on holiday. The thing I most miss is beer, however I've bought a bottle of Woodford Reserve for Saturday nights in
just losing the weight I gained on holiday. The thing I most miss is beer, however I've bought a bottle of Woodford Reserve for Saturday nights in
I think the main shock for me is that the suggested intake is ~14 units, but i'm around 250% even though i didn't think my intake was particularly high!
I keep wanting to get into swimming, but it just bores me so much. Not helped by being awful at it!
I think you've covered what was going to be my comment to your pictures... you're averaging over 30 units a week which will be doing nothing for your health or weight! Though it does seem a fairly spread out intake like you said rather than the british binge!
Weighed in at 84.1 on the dot this morning which puts me at 35KG lost since I started sorting my self out on the 1st October 2022!
Yeah 100% I wanted to give it around 2 months just to see if June was a one off but the fact it's continued the pattern into July shows it's a routine now rather than a freak occurrence. Not helped by finding a decent bar in the local town which just opened which has some fantastic craft beer which i've missed massively since moving here!
Down to 101.3kg today which gives me a nice starting point for August. We've got a pretty hectic month with moving house again and some friends coming to visit for a weekend. So my goal is just to keep an eye on those relaxing beers after a day of work and an evening of moving stuff and sorting the next house and accept i'll drink a bit more on specific days when the lads are out and just being conscious of the ones inbetween.
Down to 101.3kg today which gives me a nice starting point for August. We've got a pretty hectic month with moving house again and some friends coming to visit for a weekend. So my goal is just to keep an eye on those relaxing beers after a day of work and an evening of moving stuff and sorting the next house and accept i'll drink a bit more on specific days when the lads are out and just being conscious of the ones inbetween.
That’s very kind of you, sir.
I’ve not even got going yet.I’m pretty much waiting for the stars to align (diet, exercise, etc.) And I have to wait for a Monday to start. And if I eat something wrong on Monday, I have the rest of the week off to eat what I want until the next Monday.
I’ve set up Strava, I’ve set up Runna but not got the motivation to lace up my trainers either. What a pickle!
I've not read any previous posts of yours in this, so I have no context but just go today, think of it as though something is better than nothing.
I see plenty of people in the gym doing technically incorrect stuff or things that are sub optimal but it works (to some degree) because they're consistent. It could just be consistently once a week, over the years that will add up.
So yeah, just go today. Perfection is the enemy here (I'm an expert on this!).
It doesn't even have to be a run, just go for a long walk. Even a short walk.
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This is it 100% - paralysis by analysis is a big thing. Searching for the optimal routine, the exact calorie intake, swapping programmes and methods to find the “one”. Meanwhile the stupidest person you know from school is jacked / shredded because they just show up and do the work
Yeah. A bit like the “diet starts Monday” or “starts 1st of the month” mentality which I’ve been guilty of in the past.
Just start doing it.
Also unsure it really fits in here but I bought a kettlebell recently for a few quick exercises in my office throughout the day. Did 20 mins on Monday after a relatively hard bike effort and my legs have only felt better today! Fairly crazy considering I’ve been doing some strength work with a bar for the last month or so and assumed I’d got past that very initial DOMS part unless I went heavy.
Just start doing it.
Also unsure it really fits in here but I bought a kettlebell recently for a few quick exercises in my office throughout the day. Did 20 mins on Monday after a relatively hard bike effort and my legs have only felt better today! Fairly crazy considering I’ve been doing some strength work with a bar for the last month or so and assumed I’d got past that very initial DOMS part unless I went heavy.
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So true
You hit the muscle in a different way I guess. That highlights why it's good to do a variety of exercises, for general health.