DT's weight loss thread

[Drunk Tank]

Well, if I am going to get serious about losing weight and getting healthier, I guess I should put it all out in the open to motivate me. So here is DT's weight loss thread.

I am going to need some help, as I am sort of at a loss where to start.

A little about myself.

I am 35 years old and in the worst shape of my life. I am 5'10", and 235~240lbs. Probabbly between 33~35% body fat. I feel horible most of the time, and physically really out of shape. When I last went to the Dr., she told me I was diabetic (I dont need insulin or anything to control it) and I needed to change my diet and cut weight. She gave me a 1500 and an 1800 calorie diet, which I have not followed. It seems too restrictive, and as you all know, I love food.

So, where do I start? What do you all you fitness experts recommend? I have seen fitday and I am going to try to use that. I have a recumbant bike, and that about it. I am not oppssed to joining a gym.

What should my weight loss goals be? Or should I not really set a weight goal, and just focus on fitness, and let the weight loss come as an added benefit?

Thanks in advance, DT.

[Pheidippides]

Well, if I am going to get serious about losing weight and getting healthier, I guess I should put it all out in the open to motivate me. So here is DT's weight loss thread.

I am going to need some help, as I am sort of at a loss where to start.

A little about myself.

I am 35 years old and in the worst shape of my life. I am 5'10", and 235~240lbs. Probabbly between 33~35% body fat. I feel horible most of the time, and physically really out of shape. When I last went to the Dr., she told me I was diabetic (I dont need insulin or anything to control it) and I needed to change my diet and cut weight. She gave me a 1500 and an 1800 calorie diet, which I have not followed. It seems too restrictive, and as you all know, I love food.

So, where do I start? What do you all you fitness experts recommend? I have seen fitday and I am going to try to use that. I have a recumbant bike, and that about it. I am not oppssed to joining a gym.

What should my weight loss goals be? Or should I not really set a weight goal, and just focus on fitness, and let the weight loss come as an added benefit?

Thanks in advance, DT.

DT, I am already too vocal on this kind of stuff because my own struggle is pretty fresh in my mind, but congratulations and good luck. If you PM me, I can give you a link that tells you what I did. I realize that one size doesn't really fit all in this case, but I would suggest that the best way to get it done is calorie counting. In my opinion, all that faddish diets do is trick you into eating fewer calories - but if you calorie count on your own, you have to learn about nutrition and how your body works too, and that (for me) is something that is a life-changer.

[TripletDaddy]

DrunkTank, congrats on getting on the wagon. One of the few people that I personally know that loves food more than I is nikuman....and if he and I can learn to moderate, so can you.

To echo nik's suggestion, it is all about calories. You can still eat what you love, but you need to learn portion control. You also absolutely must accept that cardio workouts are now a part of your life. Learn to find the ones that you enjoy...walking, running, machines, hiking, aerobics classics, whatever it may be....but get that heart rate up.

1800 calories a day is actually very doable, but there will be an adjustment period.

Based off your posts, I would concur that you require an alteration in diet, but again, keep in mind that once you learn the art of counting calories, you will learn than a scoop of ice cream or a nice slice of brisket isn't going to kill you. Again, portions.

Fitday is a great way to learn the art of calorie counting and general food awareness. It won't solve all your problems, but can be a good tool if you dedicate yourself to it at the outset.

Don't get discouraged if you slip up and, as Jimmy V said, don't give up....don't ever give up. It is better to forsake excess amounts of smoked pork than to keel over and die and leave your wife and kids behind at age 55.

Most of all...be patient. A fitness trainer at LA Fatness made a really good point to me. We were talking one day and I expressed frustration over losing some of the final inches around my waist that I wanted to lose. He said, "It took you 36 years to put that weight on.......don't be surprised if it takes several months to take it off..."

Post here often and everyone will support you. Don't obsess every day and night about the scale. Your first goal should be to simply get set up and started. Pretty soon, you will notice some incremental improvements. And when you get your first non-immediate family compliment ("man, you look good....have you been working out?") you will feel renewed and recharged.

Good luck, hermano. Keep the faith.

EDIT: to answer your other question....I do cardio on machines...mostly elliptical (stfu everyone!). I lift, I surf 3-4 times a week now that it is summer. And recently i have started swimming laps in the evening. I watch what I eat every day, but enjoy a splurge. Today I had mulitas....greasy tacos....yum!

[Drunk Tank]

Thanks for the replies! I weighed 175 when I got married and felt great. I think that will be my target weight.

The great thing is, I really like grilled foods also, not just smoked. So I will be okay, and there will be variety to my food porn posts.

[TripletDaddy]

Thanks for the replies! I weighed 175 when I got married and felt great. I think that will be my target weight.

The great thing is, I really like grilled foods also, not just smoked. So I will be okay, and there will be variety to my food porn posts.

Eat a lot of boneless skinless chicken or grill tuna steaks. Fastest way to keep the protein high, cholesterol low, and the calories reasonable.

Beef and pork are awesome for protein, less awesome for calories and cholesterol.

Also, little things like sauces....adding BBQ sauce....big no no. Lots of calories in that crap.

Skip the butter on the corn on the cob. Skip the sour cream on the potato.

Stuff like that starts to add up quickly. before you know it, you have added 400 calories to your diet simply from sauces, butter pats, and dollops of sour cream.

[Surfah]

Eat a lot of boneless skinless chicken or grill tuna steaks. Fastest way to keep the protein high, cholesterol low, and the calories reasonable.

Beef and pork are awesome for protein, less awesome for calories and cholesterol.

Also, little things like sauces....adding BBQ sauce....big no no. Lots of calories in that crap.

Skip the butter on the corn on the cob. Skip the sour cream on the potato.

Stuff like that starts to add up quickly. before you know it, you have added 400 calories to your diet simply from sauces, butter pats, and dollops of sour cream.

All true. It's interesting as you start to count calories how you notice things like this. I've added other things to my diet to give me some of the taste I miss. Nothing replaces real butter. But a few sprays of "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter on a potato or ear of corn works. Same with spritzers for salad dressings. I'll allow a tbsp of light sour cream here and there. Same with light mayo. I really dig the olive oil mayo. When eating tuna fish or chicken salad I'll use just a bit of this kind of mayo and mix in yellow mustard. Lots of little things like this go a long way to cut out unnecessary calories.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

Drunk Tank, I've been wavering back and forth for a few minutes as to whether or not to post this, because I'm going to come across as an a-hole. But what the heck. I hope this doesn't offend you, because it's not what I'm trying to do. It may sound like I'm attacking you for asking some simple questions, but I swear that's not what I'm doing. It's just, I've seen hundreds of these types of posts on the various boards that I belong to. 99% of the time people just take for granted the time that people have spent to answer their weight loss question, and they don't do anything to get going.

I completely understand your confusion and not knowing "where to start". We were just talking about food addiction yesterday in another thread. Well, start with the diet plan that your physician (who knows your condition better than any of us) gave you, the one you admittedly ignore. The telling sentence in your post is when you say "It seems too restrictive, and as you all know, I love food." I hate to tell you dude, but if you want to get that weight off your body, you're going to have to start restricting sometime. That's just how it is. A sentence like that really makes me doubt your sincerity.

And as for the gym membership, the recumbent bikes, etc., it's all fluff. You don't NEED any of that stuff. Not having it is just another excuse to put off starting to get healthy. All you need is a sidewalk to walk on.

Eventually, people who want to lose weight have to stop talking about losing weight, and actually lose weight. Those pounds you've added to your body? You're going to have to sweat them off. It's going to be work, and it's going to suck, and it's going to be worth it. So get off your butt.

[Surfah]

Drunk Tank, I've been wavering back and forth for a few minutes as to whether or not to post this, because I'm going to come across as an a-hole. But what the heck. I hope this doesn't offend you, because it's not what I'm trying to do. It may sound like I'm attacking you for asking some simple questions, but I swear that's not what I'm doing. It's just, I've seen hundreds of these types of posts on the various boards that I belong to. 99% of the time people just take for granted the time that people have spent to answer their weight loss question, and they don't do anything to get going.

I completely understand your confusion and not knowing "where to start". We were just talking about food addiction yesterday in another thread. Well, start with the diet plan that your physician (who knows your condition better than any of us) gave you, the one you admittedly ignore. The telling sentence in your post is when you say "It seems too restrictive, and as you all know, I love food." I hate to tell you dude, but if you want to get that weight off your body, you're going to have to start restricting sometime. That's just how it is. A sentence like that really makes me doubt your sincerity.

And as for the gym membership, the recumbent bikes, etc., it's all fluff. You don't NEED any of that stuff. Not having it is just another excuse to put off starting to get healthy. All you need is a sidewalk to walk on.

Eventually, people who want to lose weight have to stop talking about losing weight, and actually lose weight. Those pounds you've added to your body? You're going to have to sweat them off. It's going to be work, and it's going to suck, and it's going to be worth it. So get off your butt.

A-hole.

So true though. I am guilty of it also. It does have to start somewhere. For me that was turning 30 and stepping on the scale at the doctor. It scared me. I kept a food journal. Fitday and now the daily plate has helped me immensely. It's served as a deterrent on several occasions when I have wanted to lapse. And getting out and exercising is just a matter of doing it. I started off with Biggest Loser Workout DVD. I did the 6 week program and committed to it. I didn't miss a single workout for those 6 weeks aside from my designated rest day on Sunday. It wasn't easy. I figured if these fat asses could do it I could. That first week I puked 2-3 times after the workout. That's how out of shape I was. Now things come much easier and as my fitness has improved my desire to exercise even more has increased.

Good luck. Just do it.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

A-hole.

I know.

I've actually flirted with the idea of becoming a personal trainer on the side. I think it would be a blast. My problem in getting clients would be that I'm much more like Jillian Michaels than I am Bob Harper, and I don't think people would like me.

[Viking]

One bear market later, I'm ten pounds above where I should be. One med school education later, former varsity track athlete Doctorcoug is about 30 pounds porky. I challenge doctorfatasscougar to a throwdown. First one to lose ten pounds. I realize he has it easier but I will just work harder (as always)

[RC Vikings]

My problem in getting clients would be that I'm much more like Jillian Michaels than I am Bob Harper, and I don't think people would like me.

Just wear tight work out clothes and show off your boobs.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Drunk Tank, I've been wavering back and forth for a few minutes as to whether or not to post this, because I'm going to come across as an a-hole. But what the heck. I hope this doesn't offend you, because it's not what I'm trying to do. It may sound like I'm attacking you for asking some simple questions, but I swear that's not what I'm doing. It's just, I've seen hundreds of these types of posts on the various boards that I belong to. 99% of the time people just take for granted the time that people have spent to answer their weight loss question, and they don't do anything to get going.

I completely understand your confusion and not knowing "where to start". We were just talking about food addiction yesterday in another thread. Well, start with the diet plan that your physician (who knows your condition better than any of us) gave you, the one you admittedly ignore. The telling sentence in your post is when you say "It seems too restrictive, and as you all know, I love food." I hate to tell you dude, but if you want to get that weight off your body, you're going to have to start restricting sometime. That's just how it is. A sentence like that really makes me doubt your sincerity.

And as for the gym membership, the recumbent bikes, etc., it's all fluff. You don't NEED any of that stuff. Not having it is just another excuse to put off starting to get healthy. All you need is a sidewalk to walk on.

Eventually, people who want to lose weight have to stop talking about losing weight, and actually lose weight. Those pounds you've added to your body? You're going to have to sweat them off. It's going to be work, and it's going to suck, and it's going to be worth it. So get off your butt.

That felt good, like repentance. I might start calling you Bishop Dirtbag.

[Drunk Tank]

TDB, no offense taken. I know it is going to be hard, and I may like my food, but I dont lack motivation. Trust me, I am going to do it. Just with baby steps.

[Pheidippides]

Drunk Tank, I've been wavering back and forth for a few minutes as to whether or not to post this, because I'm going to come across as an a-hole. But what the heck. I hope this doesn't offend you, because it's not what I'm trying to do. It may sound like I'm attacking you for asking some simple questions, but I swear that's not what I'm doing. It's just, I've seen hundreds of these types of posts on the various boards that I belong to. 99% of the time people just take for granted the time that people have spent to answer their weight loss question, and they don't do anything to get going.

I completely understand your confusion and not knowing "where to start". We were just talking about food addiction yesterday in another thread. Well, start with the diet plan that your physician (who knows your condition better than any of us) gave you, the one you admittedly ignore. The telling sentence in your post is when you say "It seems too restrictive, and as you all know, I love food." I hate to tell you dude, but if you want to get that weight off your body, you're going to have to start restricting sometime. That's just how it is. A sentence like that really makes me doubt your sincerity.

And as for the gym membership, the recumbent bikes, etc., it's all fluff. You don't NEED any of that stuff. Not having it is just another excuse to put off starting to get healthy. All you need is a sidewalk to walk on.

Eventually, people who want to lose weight have to stop talking about losing weight, and actually lose weight. Those pounds you've added to your body? You're going to have to sweat them off. It's going to be work, and it's going to suck, and it's going to be worth it. So get off your butt.

I agree with this, although I will add that it took me a few tries to get it done right. Once I found my motivation for that first month, the rest followed.

[Pheidippides]

I know.

I've actually flirted with the idea of becoming a personal trainer on the side. I think it would be a blast. My problem in getting clients would be that I'm much more like Jillian Michaels than I am Bob Harper, and I don't think people would like me.

You and I should tag-team, then. I'll be the nice rah-rah guy, and you be the the kick-you-in-the-ass guy.