Wanted: Fat Sailors

[SaltyMonkey]

I'll tell you what worked for me and what I learned.

- exercise only to about 60% maximum for 20 minutes a day - burns fat instead of carbos. I burn more fat walking than running.
- avoid white coloured foods. go for complex carbos such as grains. humans are meant for carbos, but we get the wrong kind.
- chicken and fish instead of beef
- veggies and fruits
- almonds
- olive oil instead of butter or marg.
- multi small meals a day instead of 2-3 large ones.
- no alcohol. water, tea.
- go slow. 1lb a week or 2 is good. your body will panic thinking it is in starving / survival mode if you try and crash. 1) it will burn the wrong stuff. 2) will end up gorging to store.

I've lost 30 lbs. 145 lb now.

[Starbuck]

Ex-Calif, he say
It's like being an alcoholic. You must accept that it is all within your control.

Your compass is off 180° on that one, Dan: the first of the famous twelve steps in AA is "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable."

Maybe a closer idea to what you're aiming for would be something along the lines of "the first step to solving a problem is to admit that you have one."

BTW, I'm a fat bastard, too.

[osirissail]

One of the problems with losing weight is that we are used to eating a certain quantity of food at the various meals. People are getting fat IMHO because the composition of modern food has significantly changed in the last several decades.
- - Giving up or trying to eat less quantity/volume of food triggers a "still hungry" feeling. You can lose weight over a very long period of time by eating less, but it is extremely difficult as you leave the meal still feeling hungry.
- - What worked for me was to eliminate manufactured foods, fast foods, etc. that are now packed with "fat" calories instead of the old high fiber low nutrition foods of the "olden days."
- - I also did not significantly reduce the quantity of food I eat, but replaced the high calorie food with low calorie, high fiber foods. So my stomach is comfortably "full" when I finish a meal but it contains very few calories or at least a lot less than before.
- - Be very careful of high fruit diets/regimens - if you Google - high blood pressure/low blood pressure medical info - you will find that high fruit diets lower your blood pressure. Okay for folks with high blood pressure, but for folks with normal blood pressure or low blood pressure you can induce dizzy spells, etc. I found this out first hand as my very healthy wife went crazy when she came to the Tropics and saw all the fruit growing everywhere and "went to town" eating too much of it. We tracked her blood pressure over a long time and changed her on and off high fruit consumption and sure enough the blood pressure varied in response.
- - Fat people have a need for higher blood pressure to get blood to all the extra "you." So I would recommend not fighting your nature and eating desires but to replace anything high in fat with things of equal volume that are very low in calories. And I have found personally that with this technique the weight drops fairly quickly especially when compared to total food volume reduction diets/regimens.

[sv-Mystique]

Well, since Sept 28, 2009 to date I have lost 86 pounds I'm roughly 6' 1" and weighed 276 pounds, Wore a size 44 pants now I'm a size 34. The number one thing you must do is to get your mind wrapped around the fact you must change your lifestyle. Meaning, you must be active. I power walked 3 miles a day every day for six months, I now ride my bike 8 - 12 miles every other day. I also, do yoga every day for 45 mins. You'll be amazed and the amount of flexibility you lost.

As for eating, you eat to live - not live to eat!!

Read every label on everything you buy. If it has sugar or high carbs do not buy it.
Do not eat anything processed (out of a box).
Remove carbs - no pasta, no rice, no bread. (I still average 40 per day)
As others mentioned, remove all SUGAR from your diet - all sugar. To include fruit for at least six months then ease in small portions of fruit, berries are best. When you eat meat the portion is the size of a deck of cards. Eat all the veggies you want to include celery with peanut butter (sugar free), it's a nice snack.

Remember it's a lifestyle change not a diet!!!

I reduced my A1C from 7.8 (pre diabetic) to 4.4
LDL and HDL to below normal
Blood pressure average is 120/78

If you are interested I'll share the supplements I take and sample menu's.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

Your compass is off 180° on that one, Dan: the first of the famous twelve steps in AA is "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable."

No direct experiance (somehow ) but I have heard that before. It's not true - but getting folks to beleive that seems to work for many so I ain't knocking the approach.

Food addiction is much like any other (of course each has their own wrinkles) - firstly you have to want to tackle it, secondly you have to really want to. For some that comes about only from hitting rock bottom (or 500lbs ) whilst for most it comes before that as you realise and accept that whatever you are doing is both not good for you and is no longer fun.

The key is changing your lifestyle so that your new normal does not revolve around your addiction. If your an Alkie that will involve giving up pubs (amngst other things) and for foodies if a weakness is sitting in front of the TV munching 100,000 calories then give up......watching TV. the hard part is developing an enjoyable new life to replace the parts that are doing you harm - after all, if you hadn't been enjoying a lot what is now a problem - it wouldn't now be a problem! The actual mechanics of how you tackle the addiction (excercise / drinking water / eating less) are less important than creating a new life not based around the addiction. AA works well because it replaces drinking buddies with non-drinking buddies and provides a new addiction to revolve around.......

On the food thing I would learn.......how to cook more! I think most folks would be very surprised how unfattening food can be when it has not done a lap or 2 of a factory before landing on your plate. and it tastes better. and you can eat more of it (and I am not just talking about making "Lentil Surprise" - lentils topped with lentils ).......and a bit of excercise don't do any harm. As already said, less in than you expend = weight off.

Do we get any before and after photos?

[DannySt]

Originally Posted by Starbuck

Your compass is off 180° on that one, Dan: the first of the famous twelve steps in AA is "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable."

Maybe a closer idea to what you're aiming for would be something along the lines of "the first step to solving a problem is to admit that you have one."

BTW, I'm a fat bastard, too.

I vote for that, worked for me (lost 25 kg <-> 55 pounds).

figuring out you have a life, just moderate your food, set up an exercise program for cardio + strength and flexibility.

Cardio for me was running,but walking or bicycle.
Its not how fast but how long, so for running go easy for 30 minutes, the fast will come on it's own after a while.

A point - if you smoke, cut down or go to substitutes cause smoking makes you lazy.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by sv-Mystique

Well, since Sept 28, 2009 to date I have lost 86 pounds I'm roughly 6' 1" and weighed 276 pounds, Wore a size 44 pants now I'm a size 34. The number one thing you must do is to get your mind wrapped around the fact you must change your lifestyle. Meaning, you must be active. I power walked 3 miles a day every day for six months, I now ride my bike 8 - 12 miles every other day. I also, do yoga every day for 45 mins. You'll be amazed and the amount of flexibility you lost.

As for eating, you eat to live - not live to eat!!

Read every label on everything you buy. If it has sugar or high carbs do not buy it.
Do not eat anything processed (out of a box).
Remove carbs - no pasta, no rice, no bread. (I still average 40 per day)
As others mentioned, remove all SUGAR from your diet - all sugar. To include fruit for at least six months then ease in small portions of fruit, berries are best. When you eat meat the portion is the size of a deck of cards. Eat all the veggies you want to include celery with peanut butter (sugar free), it's a nice snack.

Remember it's a lifestyle change not a diet!!!

I reduced my A1C from 7.8 (pre diabetic) to 4.4
LDL and HDL to below normal
Blood pressure average is 120/78

If you are interested I'll share the supplements I take and sample menu's.

Bingo. Until you want to change your life and are willing to do so, it's not going to happen. You can "get into it" slowly, but at a certain point you need to decide whether your health is going to be your number one priority. If it is, things will work, if not, game over.

Good on anyone here who's changed their life for the better with health and fitness. There's a lot of ways to get there and a lot of ways to stay there, but pick something that works for you and make it happen.

[BubbleHeadMd]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Kate, can I suggest mathematics. If you burn up more calories than you eat each day then you must loose weight.

So ignoring crash diets, you need to reduce comfort foods like crisps, cakes, chocolate and wine and ensure you have enough staple foods and exercise each day.

I know all very boring, so I'm sorry but it works.

Pete

You blaspheming bast---s!! Wine? No way. I'll sacrifice all the rest, but you're not getting my port or my coffee.

[SaucySailoress]

OK, I'll post some before, after and after that photos....

First is me in 2010, when I was about 72 kg and didn't give a toss about my weight.

Second was in 2006 at 62kg, when I had lost 12kg over 5 months using weightwatchers. I kept my weight down until 2009.

Then finally is me in Feb 2010 at 82kg, nearly 4 months after an operation to remove my left kidney, when I am quite sure changed my metabolism.

My BP before the accident was 110/60. After accident it was 210/108 (no typo). After operation it is down to 135/85, which I'm not happy with, but docs are.

[rebel heart]

It's hard to see because I always wore "fat man clothing", stuff too big to fit tightly, but these are 36 (maybe 38) shorts and an XL t shirt:



Forgetting about politics, this is me in a jacket specifically because I tried to hide my weight underneath a lot of clothing:



Those are "moobs", not pecs:



Fast forward about two years:



I'm still trying to pack on some additional muscle but have been doing a lot of running so it's been keeping me much thinner. I'm maybe a point or two lower in bf now.



I'm weighing in around 172 (from a high of 215, so over 40 pounds lost), have a waist of 30-32 (depending on the cut, so 6-8 paints sizes gone), working squat and deadlift reps are ~210, and run 20-30 miles a week. Not bragging at all, but I'm incredibly happy with my body these days and I'd really like for more people to feel the same way.

Additionally, I can get way more done on the boat now. Crawling around in nasty heat doing deck work all day is a breeze when you're in good shape.

[rtbates]

The easiest way to lose weight is to reduce intake, duh. An easy way to do that is to load your plate as normal. Now remove 1/3, 1/4. 1/10, whatever, but do reduce it by some amount. After dinner get up and walk around the block..

good luck with whatever yuo choice to do

[DeepFrz]

I agree with those that say you have to change your lifestyle. I am 6'1" and 7 years ago was around the 280 lb. mark. I am now around 210 lbs. It is time for more change in my eating habits.

The way I was able to lose the weight so far was to start a walking program and then I changed one meal at a time, starting with breakfast. I walk, practice tai chi and do some light weights.

I am still addicted to a diet that is to high in fat content and it is now time for more change to my eating habits.

[rebel heart]

And before anybody pulls the age card, this lady is 73:

Don't Mess With Ernestine Shepherd-- Body Building Grandma Benches 150 - ABC News

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I agree with those that say you have to change your lifestyle. I am 6'1" and 7 years ago was around the 280 lb. mark. I am now around 210 lbs. It is time for more change in my eating habits.

The way I was able to lose the weight so far was to start a walking program and then I changed one meal at a time, starting with breakfast. I walk, practice tai chi and do some light weights.

I am still addicted to a diet that is to high in fat content and it is now time for more change to my eating habits.

Hats off to you man, 70 pounds is no joke. That's gotta feel awesome for the joints and lower back (not to mention the ego) to have that pressure off.

[Sabbatical II]

At 53, I try to keep fairly trim so that when I'm 73 and my knees are shot they won't have to be dragging around excess weight. I am literally now about 1 kilo over my perfect weight and it has taken me 2 years to lose the 7 kg to get here. For me it has just been about creating good habits. I exercise for 10 minutes only most days. I cut out regular deserts and snacks between meals and eat healthy wholesome meals and that's all. I am sort of lucky in that, due to allergies, my wife can't eat most processed foods, so she has to eat and cook healthy meals. The bad stuff is not even in the cupboard to tempt me. Now if I have a desert or a piece of chocolate it is a treat and is something special. Before it was just a bad habit. Sure you won't lose 20kg overnight my way, but it has got me to where I want to be (or near enough) and having created the habit I know the weight's not going back on.

Greg