Weight loss

[burt gummer]

Ok so I'm disgusted with my weight I'm 5"11 and 300lbs 2 years ago I dropped 50lbs and I felt amazing I was at 250 to start and now I've gained more back, I work 2 jobs from 6am to 11pm so I need some much needed help how can I loose this weight? I'm not active much at either job so any help I really want to drop this weight, I've looked on gnc and found "total lean" and read some good reviews has anybody here used it? Or what other products could I try to help I only have the weekends fee to workout if I can, thanks

 

[natdscott]

Burt, what are your opinions on working out?

By working out, I mean intense physical labor and pain for the sole purpose of turning you, a person unhappy with his physical condition and the mental state that got him there, into something better.

-Nate

Caveat: this is not something that I have entirely figgered myself, but I had some ​really good clues once. I also recognize the seriousness of your work schedule and it's clear block of an ability to get to a gym (ya gotta sleep SOME!), which may mean some serious diet adjustment...but I'm not sure chemical additions are what you need. Have you ever kept a daily food log?

 

[MohawkSlim]

As an ever-struggling fat guy myself I've found the only way to make it work is to make the tough, lifestyle-changing decisions and do what we learned in kindergarten. Eat less, move more. It's really that simple.

Since I love pizza and cheeseburgers and chocolate, I still eat that stuff... I just don't eat as much of it. I eat my three meals a day and maybe a snack or two here and there but I try to be smart about it as I go. If I eat junk at breakfast I try to eat a better lunch. I eat ONE dessert a day, not one after every meal. If I do have a snack I make sure it's a granola bar or similar and not a Whopper w/fries and a coke. On that note, when I eat a combo meal somewhere I get the regular size and not the giant. I try to take in 2-3,000 calories each day instead of 5,000+.

Exercise can be extremely tough when you're too heavy to safely do it. Start with as simple as you can. Walk a little more. Even if you are working two jobs I bet you could find the time to be a lot more active at each one. Find excuses to "move on to the next job." Few bosses have problems with workers who are up and moving. Find the time between your jobs to walk. Use your lunch/breaks to move. You'll be surprised how much "moving" you can accomplish just by making simple changes like walking from the far parking lot.

Bottom line is there's no quick fix or miracle cure at GNC or wherever. Most of that stuff is just a gimmick anyway and until you're ready to make the hard changes, your weight simply will not change. Take it slow. Listen to your body. But, like Nike says.... Just do it!

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Atkins works. Work out when you can. And by working out I mean walking. I have a health program at work. It's a pain, but it gets me walking and cheap pedometers.
The thing I like best about Atkins is that I eat MOST of my favorite foods, and lots more of some that I really like. Like bacon. And pork rinds. Mmmm.... pork rinds.

I started at 241 on a 5'7" frame. Now at 226. Bout two months now. I cheat all the time so wifey can keep up with me. It's kind of funny. Obviously, I'm not in a real hurry, as long as I keep losing.

 

[churchmouse]

Since discovering a diabetic condition my diet has changed completely.
Point is, through mainly diet I have dropped a significant amount of weight and inches (waist) with no more activity than normal.
No fast food. None.
Watch your Carb intake. Everything in the store lists all the info you need.
Fruit for snacks instead of snickers. This one sucks.....a lot.
Bread, leave it alone when you can. Get whole grains and look at the carb content.

Do not wait until you are forced into a healthy diet.....proactive. Loads of info out there.

 

[Hardscrable]

I have never been extreemly over weight. But age, declining metabolism, declining work/physical activity, etc, has been increasingly adding weight & inches. Have lost weight a couple times in near past only to put it back on. Saw the same thing happen to my father and the end result...do not want to repeat it myself.

6 weeks ago started a 12 week program offered through local hospital/health group called "Healthy Steps". Meet weekly with dietician for 45 minutes and physical trainer for 45 minutes. Have developed a doable home exercise program including cardio & strength training ( admit I still lack discipline needed to follow religiously ). Biggest help to date has been education in diet. Have established daily guidelines for calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium, etc. Am using "myfitnesspal.com" to faithfully log intake. I find it very helpful. It is very eye opening. Has been a challenge but one that I have accepted.

As CM stated it sucks giving up ( or severely limiting ) certain things but is a necessary evil to accomplish the goal. It is rewarding to see the pounds & especially the pounds of fat mass go down. Hopefully long term, a healthier body and longer life will make it worth while.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Low carb really worked for me. At my highest I was around 235lbs a year or two ago. Now down around 165. That was essentially no exercise... just changing what I ate and drank.

Pretty much stopped losing weight, though... so I'll have to move into exercise if I want to keep going. Feels great though, stay motivated. Definitely worth it.

 

[SMiller]

It is all about diet!

A apple for breakfast, a orange for lunch, tons of water through out the day, and a very low fat dinner (ground turkey breast tacos/chili with fat free cheese/sour cream and 3 gram per 2 shell soft shells. You can make a near zero fat sandwich with fat free bread-cheese-turkey.

It is all mind over matter, how bad do you want it?

After about two weeks your stomach will shrink and the hunger pains will go away and you will start feeling much better.

If you are not at work then get out and enjoy this fall by walking outside as fast and as far as you can.

I assure you this diet will work and the weight will fall off and you will fill great.

 

[chipbennett]

1. Cut out refined carbohydrates, both sugars and starches (I could live the rest of my life never eating sugar, but fried potatoes and biscuits and gravy? Come, Lord Jesus.)
2. Drink a lot of water
3. Get sufficient sleep
4. For your workouts, focus on strength-building resistance training. "Cardio" and burning calories for the sake of calories simply makes you hungrier.

I feel your pain. I was at a healthy weight. Then sympathetic baby weight, plus almost a decade of working 50-60 hours a week (now with weekly travel), plus no time for the tennis I used to play and other things - now I've got a bunch to lose again.

 

[jd4320t]

You lose weight at the table. Period. When we eat bad things or too much of certain things, we know it's wrong.

Cut out the sugar and carbs. Don't eat too much fruit, it's sugar. Eat good and eat more often. Exercise when you can and challenge yourself to do more.

 

[Lumpy76]

I have about the same build as you and have started a serious lifestyle change just recently. No more drinking and really watching what I have been putting into my body. I have dropped 80 lbs before and accomplished it with diet only. That has come back over the last couple years. Just cut back and pay attention to what you buy. Lots of veggies was my key. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Bigtanker]

Look into this. The Official Website For Jimmy Moore's Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

This is what Adkins was originally supposed to be. Very low carb, moderate protein and high fat. I've been studying it for a while and it really makes sense. No exercise needed. The basis of it is eating what our body's were designed to eat before farming came about. Grains and sugar were rare a few thousand years ago.

Do a little research on your own.

 

[burt gummer]

Thanks everybody I need to do something and with working out I only have weekends but I usually use them to catch up on much needed sleep not easy working 2 jobs, but have to try something so depressing looking at myself and just saying yuck

 

[churchmouse]

Thanks everybody I need to do something and with working out I only have weekends but I usually use them to catch up on much needed sleep not easy working 2 jobs, but have to try something so depressing looking at myself and just saying yuck

You will need less sleep once you get your diet adjusted.

 

[chipbennett]

Look into this. The Official Website For Jimmy Moore's Livin' La Vida Low-Carb

This is what Adkins was originally supposed to be. Very low carb, moderate protein and high fat. I've been studying it for a while and it really makes sense. No exercise needed. The basis of it is eating what our body's were designed to eat before farming came about. Grains and sugar were rare a few thousand years ago.

Do a little research on your own.

If you want the compendium of diet research, read Gary Taubes, Good Calories Bad Calories. It is thorough, and long. Game of Thrones long. The TL;DR is that there is literally no research that supports the low-fat/saturated-fat-bad diet claims of the past 40 years.

Taubes wrote a more-easily digested (pun intended), shorter version a few years later, that I just picked up and would recommend, Why We Get Fat (And What to Do About It):

http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fa...6MY_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445348089&sr=1-1

 

[Brandon]

Give up soda if you drink it. I was drinking 6+ cans a day before I quit over night. The following 2 weeks were total hell from the headaches. Now I can fall asleep with no issues and feel better not drinking that crap. Can't say I've lost weight (haven't gained either) like others have done, but I do eat more.

For the record it's been a year and 3 months next week since I have had a soda.

 

[JollyMon]

Thanks everybody I need to do something and with working out I only have weekends but I usually use them to catch up on much needed sleep not easy working 2 jobs, but have to try something so depressing looking at myself and just saying yuck

Working out more doesnt have to me some activity that only occurs on the weekend.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator, Park in the farthest spot available when at work, etc. All you really need to do is control diet and move more.... yes actually "working out" will accelerate it, but you can make small adjustments during the week when you dont have as much time.

Diet it what gets me..... and that's where I struggle. Its that major life style change motivation that I am still lacking.... luckily my metabolism helps keep me in check... for now

 

[Hardscrable]

Genetics also play a part. That aside, as many stated, diet is a huge part. Portion/serving size can be a large part of that. A serving of red meat may be 3 oz. How many steaks in a restaurant are 3 oz. ? Six ? 8, 12, ? Order the 6, cut it in half, eat half, take half home. Same goes for most everything you put in your mouth. Part of our over eating is potion size...controlling this goes a long way with out actually giving up any food. Learn to actually consider everything you consume. Just keeping track & calculating the calories, fat, carbs, etc. for an average week can be an eye opener ( need to include everything that goes into your mouth ). I paid $20 or 30 for an electronic food scale. Avoid fast/prepared/processed food like the plague. Prepare you own. Measure amounts and quantities. Calculate what you are consuming.

Exercise can can be as simple as standing & walking in place, doing jumping jacks, etc. while watching the news on TV. Anything that increases activity is a plus. Getting serious...analyzing yourself, life style, health, etc.; setting goals such as target weight & BMI, losing inches, etc. ; developing a plan to accomplish goals; STICKING TO THE PLAN....is the hard part. Both strength training & cardio need be a part along with the diet, increased activity, etc. You can calculate calories burned using activity, Duration of activity, heart rate obtained, etc.

Changes are required - some are simple such as simply buying low fat cheese, yogurt, salad dressing, etc, rather than the regular. Some are not so easy - I love ice cream and need to totally avoid it, cannot allow it to be in the house...hard for me. What are your "triggers" ? If you plop down in your recliner each evening to watch TV does the habit include a snack ? Is it a healthy snack ? What could you substitute ? If you feel a little hungry do you grab a cookie cause they are out on the counter and easily accessible ? Put the cookies away and set out some apples. You get the idea.

Biggest step is the first one. Tomorrow just do one thing. Make it a habit. Then add one more thing. Rinse & repeat.

 

[BFP]

Interesting thread to say the least, I'm following. I'm Type II Diabetic as well. I will say I did the Atkins thing about 10 years ago, followed it religiously for three weeks, to the point of not even chewing gum. I dropped about 35 pounds in three weeks. I felt like crap though, can't explain it, just didn't feel good.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

That's called keto flu. It kicked my wife's ass for about 2 weeks also. I usually get at least my 23 or so carbs, and usually 25 or more. I think that's why I didn't get it. She was eating extremely low carbs.