Weight Loss Journey....

[VW Lady Bug]

First of all I love this idea! I could use the moral support myself, and have contemplated the Weight Watchers Online, but can't justify the $65 for 3 month deal with 30 lbs. max to lose, and the summer approaching (as an adjunct professor, my income becomes nearly nonexistent in the summer)...

Congrats to everyone on your progress so far.

Here's my current status - 5'8" - 170 lbs. (I'm down 10 lbs. in the last month. Goal weight: 145 lbs. - target date: 8/8 (the hubby booked a vacation!) Being a multi-sport high-school athlete I was 135 throughout highschool, but realize that to try to get back down that low isn't realistic, especially when the chest and the hips decided to blow up on my when I hit my mid-20s...

[kcfoxie]

I'm still holding 255-261, but I'm thinking some of this is muscle mass. I've been working hard at weight lifting, and I think it's starting to pay off.

We should all start posting progress photos.

[vwgary]

Been 3 weeks since I've updated. I'm down 23# and a mere 95 to go. It's a "life" thing and not fad dieting. I was put on 2235 calories per day but my intake is actually 1400-1800. I love my beer so that was hard to give up. Soooo, I splurge on Saturday's only. A 6 pack of Corona light is 630 (empty) calories so I limit my food intake for that day to 1170 calories. It's been working so far and I'm pleased with the progress. My daughter even commented "dad, it shows in your face" and it didn't even cost me a tank of gas this time

[Beetlescott]

Originally Posted by vwgary

Been 3 weeks since I've updated. I'm down 23# and a mere 95 to go. It's a "life" thing and not fad dieting. I was put on 2235 calories per day but my intake is actually 1400-1800. I love my beer so that was hard to give up. Soooo, I splurge on Saturday's only. A 6 pack of Corona light is 630 (empty) calories so I limit my food intake for that day to 1170 calories. It's been working so far and I'm pleased with the progress. My daughter even commented "dad, it shows in your face" and it didn't even cost me a tank of gas this time

Gary, I have been thinking of you! YAY!!! You are right about the "life" thing. It took me many years to realize the losing and gaining is not fun. I have a suggestion that might help you, it did me. Buy a Men's Health Magazine once in a while. Every issue has a story in it of someone like you and me, someone who has chaged their way of thinking about food. It also an article called "Eat This, not That", and it will give you some alternative ways to spend your calories wisely. Good luck! You are doing great!!! You know, sometimes just getting started is the hardest thing you can do. When I lost the 64lbs, after the first month, I begin to get in a mode of losing about 2 or 3 pounds per week, that's average. You might try this little tidbit that helped me. I got a calendar, (one that was on the wall in my bedroom so I had to look at it), and figure out a good average, say 2lbs a week. go 26 weeks ahead, subtracting the average and you will see that before Christmas, when you step on the scale, in October, you will be 52lbs lighter!!! The ONLY thing you have to do, is exactly what you are doing now! Good luck!!!

[vwgary]

Originally Posted by Beetlescott

Gary, I have been thinking of you! YAY!!! You are right about the "life" thing. It took me many years to realize the losing and gaining is not fun. I have a suggestion that might help you, it did me. Buy a Men's Health Magazine once in a while. Every issue has a story in it of someone like you and me, someone who has chaged their way of thinking about food. It also an article called "Eat This, not That", and it will give you some alternative ways to spend your calories wisely. Good luck! You are doing great!!! You know, sometimes just getting started is the hardest thing you can do. When I lost the 64lbs, after the first month, I begin to get in a mode of losing about 2 or 3 pounds per week, that's average. You might try this little tidbit that helped me. I got a calendar, (one that was on the wall in my bedroom so I had to look at it), and figure out a good average, say 2lbs a week. go 26 weeks ahead, subtracting the average and you will see that before Christmas, when you step on the scale, in October, you will be 52lbs lighter!!! The ONLY thing you have to do, is exactly what you are doing now! Good luck!!!

Thanks for the encouragement Agreed tho, you need to have your mind set that it's for the rest of your life and not just a goal to lose XXX pounds. Funny, but I've picked up a couple copies of Men's Health and you're right, it's directed at "us" when you really look (read) it, not just the typical stereotype "thin man". I've been down this road before, getting down to 180# and a 34 waist. I honestly know I won't get there again, but I'm aiming for a 36/38 when I'm done. I have a wife whom I adore and who adores me, 2 beautiful daughters and 4 equally beautiful grandkids. This "old fart" has no intention of checking out early due to stupidity. Sure, I could get hit by a bus....but I'll be a skinny corpse

And again, thank you friend. My only other wish is that you'd attend the ToD GTG in 2 weeks

[kcfoxie]

Time to post up some encouragement. So this is the progress so far for me. I've scaled back a lot on the gym but have picked up yoga and swimming more ... so staying active but not as hard on the let's get down to a smaller size. I actually feel confident now... confident enough to post this at least!


Should be noted: I've had that towel for three years. It's never been big enough to wrap around me. It fully closes. I also can't believe the progress I've made in weight training.

Ok I'm gonna go blush now cause this is outside my norm

[callisto9]

I'm down about 19 lbs. and it's been going very slow for me. I am doing a calorie reduction only with the hopes of increasing the exercise more when I lose more.

I started at 297 and am now at 279. My goal, for now, is to get below 250.

Very impressed with everyone's progress so far!

[70autostick]

Originally Posted by kcfoxie

Time to post up some encouragement. So this is the progress so far for me. I've scaled back a lot on the gym but have picked up yoga and swimming more ... so staying active but not as hard on the let's get down to a smaller size. I actually feel confident now... confident enough to post this at least!


Should be noted: I've had that towel for three years. It's never been big enough to wrap around me. It fully closes. I also can't believe the progress I've made in weight training.

Ok I'm gonna go blush now cause this is outside my norm

Wow,lookin' good bro,where your at now matches my bodytype perfect,I'm currently 250 myself.

Keep it up,I may have to start workin' out myself,I can't have ya' beating me to my ideal 210(for my 6'2" height)

[kcfoxie]

haha, bring it on! We can have a foot race to see whose gotten into the best shape

I'm actually probably hovering back towards 260 tho this time it seems to be muscle over fat causing that weight "gain."

I'm pretty happy with my size but I'd like to get to a comfortable size 38 pants... not quite there yet I don't think.

[smartchick2009]

so haven't updated in a little while... idk why just been working I guess. BUT! i'm still at 307. guess all the bike riding and stuff i've been doing with ray is doing something all i know is that i was sore!

BUT just wanted to say that i'm going to do something new tomorrow.
gonna do the MASTER CLEANSE.
plan on doing it for a few days, seeing how it goes and then taking it from there. supposed to go for a minimum of 10 days. but you can go up to 45 safely.
idk if i would take it to that extreme... but i'm kinda pumped to do this.

I'll keep you updated! promise!

[mybugrocks]

oohhh Good luck

[HwDoYuSlpAtNite]

I think it's time for me to jump back on this wagon... I've slacked big time over the past month that started with sick kids, to me just being lazy and making excuses. :/

What I was doing, was calorie watching, taking in around 1500 a day give or take a few, and going to the gym every other day, trying to get in more cardio than anything else for now. I also had almost given up soda... which was a BIG thing for me. I was drinking a 12 pack of ruby red squirt every other day. I'm now drinking diet dr pepper... and it's lasting longer than 1-1 1/2 days. I'd like to get back to only drinking a can, maybe two a day at most. Need more water intake!

[kcfoxie]

don't forget that your adding muscle as youre dropping fat. thats why you'll sit at one weight for a long time, then plumit.

i've done this twice now

[MichelleRoze]

Water intake really is key. I hate to say it, cause I'm not a big water drinker. If I could just convince myself that water tastes like pop......yeah I know it's a stretch. Congrats to everyone thus far! I've been around 220 for awhile now. But I'm not really trying anymore which isn't good. I'm just always working or school that on the weekends I'm trying to play "catch up" for everything else I didn't get done.....Having a desk job doesn't work well either. I think I'm gonna find something I can do while at the desk. I heard about the Under-the-desk Pedal Exerciser and if I can find a relatively inexpensive one I may give it a shot. Better than nothing...

[pdoel]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

Water intake really is key. I hate to say it, cause I'm not a big water drinker. If I could just convince myself that water tastes like pop......yeah I know it's a stretch. Congrats to everyone thus far! I've been around 220 for awhile now. But I'm not really trying anymore which isn't good. I'm just always working or school that on the weekends I'm trying to play "catch up" for everything else I didn't get done.....Having a desk job doesn't work well either.

First off, the water. Try Crystal Light. It's all I drink at home. So you're getting your water intake, but it doesn't taste like just plain water. And at work, I fill water bottles with the Crystal light to go. Pretty much the beverage I drink 85% of the time.

As for the busy work schedule and desk job. I'm in the same boat. It's really about deciding what's important, and making the time.

I have an hour commute each way (2 hours on the road). I often work 10-12 hours (never take a lunch anymore). I also have two dogs, and live alone. So evenings / weekends are just full of doing stuff around the house.

But, I've managed to make changes in my life so that I can still work out. I work from home Monday & Friday, so in the winter, I run at lunchtime. In the summer, I get up early and run before work.

It often means getting up at 5:00, hitting the park by 5:30, and getting to work around 8:30. It sucks at first, but once you get used to it, there's no better feeling than getting your work out done early, and not having to stress the rest of the day about whether or not you'll fit it in.

[Beetlescott]

Originally Posted by vwgary

Thanks for the encouragement Agreed tho, you need to have your mind set that it's for the rest of your life and not just a goal to lose XXX pounds. Funny, but I've picked up a couple copies of Men's Health and you're right, it's directed at "us" when you really look (read) it, not just the typical stereotype "thin man". I've been down this road before, getting down to 180# and a 34 waist. I honestly know I won't get there again, but I'm aiming for a 36/38 when I'm done. I have a wife whom I adore and who adores me, 2 beautiful daughters and 4 equally beautiful grandkids. This "old fart" has no intention of checking out early due to stupidity. Sure, I could get hit by a bus....but I'll be a skinny corpse

And again, thank you friend. My only other wish is that you'd attend the ToD GTG in 2 weeks

Thats what makes life worth living!! Don't worry about the 34" waist, I found out when you become a Grandpa, things start to change! I lost more weight the last time, and found that you can weigh the exact same weight at 50 as you did at 40, and your pants size changes!!! My wife blames it on gravity I'm so happy for you, you are inspiring me!!!

[MichelleRoze]

I've tried the Crystal Light and for some reason I just can't stick to it. I even tried getting one of those metal coolers and I just couldn't keep consistent drinking it. I'll have to try again and try other flavors. maybe that's my issue.

Yeah, I hate being busy. I would get up early, but I already get up early enough and function on only 5 or 6 hours a night. Which I know doesn't help either! I've only got one more year of school and then things will be a little easier. At least I hope it will. Until then, I will try to lose but as long as I can maintain I'm ok with that too. Just as long as I don't gain!

[AmyJane]

Originally Posted by MichelleRoze

I've tried the Crystal Light and for some reason I just can't stick to it. I even tried getting one of those metal coolers and I just couldn't keep consistent drinking it. I'll have to try again and try other flavors. maybe that's my issue.

Try Vitamin Water Zero, too. It's delicious and they have so many yummy flavors. I like the mixed berry, lemonade and mandarin peach. Even my husband who was drinking three cans of soda a day drinks the lemonade now. He only has soda now when we go out to a restaurant. He's usually pretty picky about stuff like that but he loves it.

[kcfoxie]

Big fan of the Vitamin water myself.

Another thing you can try is just adding a little sugar to the water (VERY little), as well as lemon or orange.

It's never bad to dilute fruit juices 50/50 with water, either.

You're still getting the H20.

[The Cheat]

i figure, if i cut out the soda intake (12-15 cans/day), i could potentially lose 30lbs in one month. i don't eat crappily, but with the hypoglycemia, it's MUCH easier to grab a can or bottle of soda than it is trying to find, say, a fruit when the sugar drops.

if i banned soda from the shop, i'd be slain on site...we go through AT LEAST a 32rack a day.