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[Simplet]

I'm hoping to do 3 hour workouts on my work days and around 5-6 on my days off.

Are you insane? Why would you want to go from 0 to this crazyness overnight? Nobody workouts 6 hours a day, maaayyybe some high-level endurance athletes once in a while.

Even if you could sustain that (and you can't), it would actually be bad for your results. You'll overtrain, get injuries, become tired all the time (even more), your weight loss will actually slow down because of all that cardio (I'm guessing most of that would be cardio right?), you'll even probably lose muscle.

Like everyone said, cut out soda and start exercising sensibly.

 

[daycru]

I'm sure this has been covered before but it's a long thread: diet soda: that bad? Is one can a day of Diet Pepsi going to make it much harder to lose? Is drinking a beer better or worse?

 

[reggieandTFE]

I'm sure this has been covered before but it's a long thread: diet soda: that bad? Is one can a day of Diet Pepsi going to make it much harder to lose? Is drinking a beer better or worse?

I drink a ton of diet soda. I'm sure in the long-term I'll get some crazy cancer or dementia for it, but it satisfies most of my sweet cravings and I've consistently lost weight while drinking it.

 

[elrechazado]

I'm sure this has been covered before but it's a long thread: diet soda: that bad? Is one can a day of Diet Pepsi going to make it much harder to lose? Is drinking a beer better or worse?

Beer is incredibly worse. Diet Soda is fine for most people. for some sensitive people it might induce an insulin response of sorts.

That's in terms of effect on weight loss. Not even opening the can of worms on artificial sweeteners and health in general.

 

[element]

I need to do something. Since moving back to Seattle in October I'm up 12 pounds. My diet hasn't changed, but I haven't had activities (not on a soccer team currently).

The weather is getting nice out, so time to make some changes.

 

[Domino Theory]

I remember back in early Summer '07 when I was about to graduate from high school, I was 320+ pounds at 5' 11''. I went to the doctor to do a check up and she told me if I kept having all the soda I was having (even though 95% of it was 'diet' soda) and continue my eating habits, I would get diabetes in no time in addition to a slew of health problems.

I was so scared, not just because of getting diabetes, but because I had failed at dieting for so long before hand. Then I was talking to my aunt about this and she told me to start slow by simply cutting my soda completely and replacing it with water, but not changing ANYTHING else (not even exercising).

I lost 60 pounds in 3 months because of that. Then I started changing things up, exercising, etc.

Cutting out soda will not only help you lose a ton of weight, but your liver, bladder and kidney will thank you for it (soda increases your chances of getting kidney stones, diet or not, and HFCS + Aspartame have their own severe health problems in and of themselves).

(For perspective, I'm 6', 212 pounds as of two days ago)

 

[Wykesie]

I feel it is time I lost weight. I have always been on the chubby side but was relatively happy with myself but recently I have been comfort eating really bad and put on a little too much weight for my liking. I have some idea how to go about it but the problem is my real weakness isn't sweets or soda I can go without them fine, its pasta for me! Love the stuff and that is what I will find really hard to give up. Is there any way round this at all? i know I need to cut down on carbs but is there anyway I can balance it?

 

[LaneDS]

I feel it is time I lost weight. I have always been on the chubby side but was relatively happy with myself but recently I have been comfort eating really bad and put on a little too much weight for my liking. I have some idea how to go about it but the problem is my real weakness isn't sweets or soda I can go without them fine, its pasta for me! Love the stuff and that is what I will find really hard to give up. Is there any way round this at all? i know I need to cut down on carbs but is there anyway I can balance it?

If you can adapt over time to a lifestyle where you exercise regularly you should be able to maintain a reasonable weight and still let yourself have pasta a few times per week I would think. You'll lose a lot more weight if you can give it up though I'd expect. Or at least, lose it faster.

How much weight are you looking to lose?

 

[Wykesie]

I would like to lose around 40lbs, that would bring me down to a weight I would be very happy with. I was thinking of going swimming as a form of exercise, I thought it would be a good choice plus I enjoy swimming a lot.

 

[fadetoblack]

That's perfect, then. The more you enjoy an activity the more likely you're going to do it. I've been going to the gym three-four times a week at 7:00am (just got back actually) and, well, let's just say it's less than fun sometimes. I'm addicted to seeing the numbers peal off the scale, though. Gamification at it's best.

 

[Seanspeed]

I feel it is time I lost weight. I have always been on the chubby side but was relatively happy with myself but recently I have been comfort eating really bad and put on a little too much weight for my liking. I have some idea how to go about it but the problem is my real weakness isn't sweets or soda I can go without them fine, its pasta for me! Love the stuff and that is what I will find really hard to give up. Is there any way round this at all? i know I need to cut down on carbs but is there anyway I can balance it?

You can still have pasta, but there will be some compromises you need to make. You need to control your portions, and the specific ingredients will likely need changing.

One of the biggest and most important changes is to eat multigrain pasta. Apart from it being a 'better' carb, the added fiber and protein will fill you up more than regular pasta, which is crucial for limiting yourself to a smaller portion and still feeling satisfied.

And then it depends on what you're in the mood for. Alfredo is pretty hard to do if you're trying to limit calories. There's really not any way to have a low calorie alfredo. Once you add chicken or some other meat(you're gonna want to have some protein in here to make it a worthwhile meal), you're looking at 600-700 calories(at least) just for a single portion.

For a tomato sauce, you are pretty much pigeonholed into a high-carb meal(. And you can do this once in a while, but I'd recommend eating it for lunch and not dinner and even better, work out sometime in the afternoon/evening to use up some of that energy. Have a low-carb dinner to limit the damage. For meat, beef is fine(be careful with meatballs), but you can add ground turkey to get your protein and limit the pure calorie intake.

Honestly, I do it pretty simple. Multigrain pasta, butter, grilled chicken and grated parmesan cheese. Its not great for me, but its not terribly high in calories or carbs either. Tastes good and I can do this once in a while without feeling guilty about it.

Or, if these compromises sound like too much, then just have whatever pasta you want once a week and have it be your cheat meal. Nothing wrong with that, so long as you truly limit yourself to just once a week.

 

[Domino Theory]

I have discovered coffee + honey.

Oh dear.

 

[Tabris]

I have now found an amazing way of eating semi-healthy dinner at low cost with little effort at all.

1x Costco Cordon Bleu (a little high on sodium and a bit of carbs from the breaded crumbs but eh it's minor)
1x Bowl of Costco Frozen Vegetables mix (Brocoli, Carrots, Cauliflower)
1x Large Glass of Water

Put Cordon Bleu in oven
Wait 25 minutes
Put vegetables into a tupperware w/ cover with a lil bit of water and microwave
Wait 5 minutes
Take out both (draining vegetables)

Total cost $3-ish CDN (assuming you buy in bulk from costco)
Total time to "cook" (as in doing anything but waiting): 2 minutes
Fantastic taste!

 

[mightymonocle]

I'm sure this has been covered before but it's a long thread: diet soda: that bad? Is one can a day of Diet Pepsi going to make it much harder to lose? Is drinking a beer better or worse?

It's bad as it contains aspartame, the artificial sweetner..

when you taste sweet food or drink, your brain expects energy in the form of calories, obviously when you drink diet sodas you don't get those calories, causing an increase in hunger and appetite.

also see this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpoAtwVyzZI

 

[Dead Prince]

Week 3.

Starting Weight: 184.
Current Weight: 179.

it's not bad. good pace overall.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Nice, DMPrince!

I'm in the mid-180s now after starting at 220 back in early February.

The weight loss has definitely slowed down in the last couple of weeks, but I've built a lot of muscle just by doing air squats and wall presses every day.

I think I'm going to start high-intensity interval training in the form of Tabata sprints for just four minutes a day.

 

[Davedough]

So, Nutritious GAF. I need your help.

I've come to the point in my life where my weight gain cant be ignored anymore. I'm not huge, but I'm bigger and more out of shape than I would like to be. I'm in the process of procuring a bicycle and some boxing equipment for exercise but I believe that its my eating habits that are my biggest detriment. I'm 37 years old now and I dont want to complicate myself by sticking to the bad eating habits I've built up.

Anyway, I'm 6'3" and 220lbs. While this may not be that large, I normally have a light frame. I was the same height all through high school and I weighed between 165lbs (super skinny) and after 17 settled nicely into a 185. My metabolism slowed down and I've been slowly putting it on since about 24 years old. I dont tend to gain weight quickly as I've noticed the weight creep onto me, if that helps. (For the record, I have no idea what my ideal weight should be for my height and boy type)

Here's my biggest problem. I am an extremely picky eater. I hate everything. I was raised a meat and potatoes guy and still have absolutely no taste for most vegetables. Its unfortunate the the only vegetables that I actually enjoy are the ones filled with starch like corn and potatoes. I cant say I even like the better-for-you sweet potato variety. The only real veggie that I actually do like is broccoli, but you cant make your entire menu up from broccoli. My favorite types of foods revolve around pasta and noodles, but even those are bad for you. I've tried to get used to the wheat pasta, but thats going to have to take a lot more getting used to because its not very desirable. I enjoy rice, yet again... not good for you. I eat basmati rice because I hear thats not so bad, but brown rice tastes horrible to me.

That being said, can someone guide me towards some reading or something that someone like me can take to begin a lifestyle change? I used to like the way I looked in the mirror and thats not the case anymore. Thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 17706]

So, Nutritious GAF. I need your help.

I've come to the point in my life where my weight gain cant be ignored anymore. I'm not huge, but I'm bigger and more out of shape than I would like to be. I'm in the process of procuring a bicycle and some boxing equipment for exercise but I believe that its my eating habits that are my biggest detriment. I'm 37 years old now and I dont want to complicate myself by sticking to the bad eating habits I've built up.

Anyway, I'm 6'3" and 220lbs. While this may not be that large, I normally have a light frame. I was the same height all through high school and I weighed between 165lbs (super skinny) and after 17 settled nicely into a 185. My metabolism slowed down and I've been slowly putting it on since about 24 years old. I dont tend to gain weight quickly as I've noticed the weight creep onto me, if that helps. (For the record, I have no idea what my ideal weight should be for my height and boy type)

Here's my biggest problem. I am an extremely picky eater. I hate everything. I was raised a meat and potatoes guy and still have absolutely no taste for most vegetables. Its unfortunate the the only vegetables that I actually enjoy are the ones filled with starch like corn and potatoes. I cant say I even like the better-for-you sweet potato variety. The only real veggie that I actually do like is broccoli, but you cant make your entire menu up from broccoli. My favorite types of foods revolve around pasta and noodles, but even those are bad for you. I've tried to get used to the wheat pasta, but thats going to have to take a lot more getting used to because its not very desirable. I enjoy rice, yet again... not good for you. I eat basmati rice because I hear thats not so bad, but brown rice tastes horrible to me.

That being said, can someone guide me towards some reading or something that someone like me can take to begin a lifestyle change? I used to like the way I looked in the mirror and thats not the case anymore. Thoughts?

Become just a meat guy, then!

 

[hellboy69]

thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions

 

[jts]

Ugh, easter was awful... so much sugar, bread, chocolate, taters, etc etc. I hogged out for 2 or 3 days. Major setback on my weight loss.

It's back on track time.

 

[BertramCooper]

Ugh, easter was awful... so much sugar, bread, chocolate, taters, etc etc. I hogged out for 2 or 3 days. Major setback on my weight loss.

It's back on track time.

Same here.

I came back in a big way yesterday, though. With summer just around the corner, I'm super motivated now.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

I started working out again about a month ago. I'm 5'10, 168 pounds and while that's not terribly out of shape, most of my weight seems to be concentrated on my hips, ass and thighs.

I do cardio 4 times a week (haven't started weights). I'll jog on the treadmill for 2 miles in about 19 minutes and then do another mile on the elliptical. My diet is mostly fruits like apples and kiwis and through out the day I'll snack on carrots while I'll have a light lunch like an egg sandwich and a dinner to have my fill of protein - nothing too heavy though.

Should this cut away at my hips/ass fat or can I target those areas with some specific exercises? Any other advice on the information I've provided?

 

[LaneDS]

I started working out again about a month ago. I'm 5'10, 168 pounds and while that's not terribly out of shape, most of my weight seems to be concentrated on my hips, ass and thighs.

I do cardio 4 times a week (haven't started weights). I'll jog on the treadmill for 2 miles in about 19 minutes and then do another mile on the elliptical. My diet is mostly fruits like apples and kiwis and through out the day I'll snack on carrots while I'll have a light lunch like an egg sandwich and a dinner to have my fill of protein - nothing too heavy though.

Should this cut away at my hips/ass fat or can I target those areas with some specific exercises? Any other advice on the information I've provided?

You cannot target fat loss, no. And you probably want to avoid a diet that mostly is composed of fruits, as you are probably converting a lot of that sugar into fat even with the cardio you're doing. Really, just try to lower your carbohydrate intake while doing what you're doing, aim for more protein, maybe lift some weights and you will probably start to shed some of the excess fat you don't want.

 

[Zoe]

I do cardio 4 times a week (haven't started weights). I'll jog on the treadmill for 2 miles in about 19 minutes and then do another mile on the elliptical.

Some people believe that you need to be doing cardio for at least an hour for it to be effective. The first 30 minutes would only burn through your immediate energy stores, not the fat that has been sitting around forever.

If you don't want to do that, you should be doing HIIT.

 

[fadetoblack]

I started working out again about a month ago. I'm 5'10, 168 pounds and while that's not terribly out of shape, most of my weight seems to be concentrated on my hips, ass and thighs.

I do cardio 4 times a week (haven't started weights). I'll jog on the treadmill for 2 miles in about 19 minutes and then do another mile on the elliptical. My diet is mostly fruits like apples and kiwis and through out the day I'll snack on carrots while I'll have a light lunch like an egg sandwich and a dinner to have my fill of protein - nothing too heavy though.

Should this cut away at my hips/ass fat or can I target those areas with some specific exercises? Any other advice on the information I've provided?

Fruits and vegetables should be the main source of your carbs but, as the above poster mentioned, you want to limit how much you take in. That being said, my recommendation is not necessarily to cut the amount of fruit (unless you're eating in excess of like 6 or 7 pieces a day), but rather add more vegetables when possible (which you didn't mention) and definitely add some protein. In my estimation, you can't increase your meat intake without increasing your vegetable/fruit intake proportionally so that the two remain in balance and you can keep your iodine levels high and increase your metabolic rate.



And to the poster who mentioned how he hates vegetables, make the vegetable section of FoodWishes.com your best friend. Start slowly. Broccoli Soup. And work your way out to other vegetables. You'll develop your taste for that stuff when you realize the food you've been rejecting can taste great. First step, though, is recognizing that being open to food is learned behaviour, which can take you to the point of knowing that being picky about what you eat to the detriment to your health is irrational.

 

[MentallyCritical]

@Salvor.Hardin

from what i know i think you just have to keep at it with the cardio try switching to skipping or HIIT if possible as those work better at removing fat.

weights definitely need to be added as muscles are the things that will define your body.

also you will never see quick results so try to keep working out & try including both weights & cardio plus as the other guys said there is not spot weight reduction.

hope i helped.

okay now for the main reason i was here...well i started my weight loss journey almost a year back around (december 2009 - january 2010) since i have gone from about 97kg to 73kg now i still have a little more to loose before i reach my goal...just a fyi i might be the youngest one to make a post like this but i am not sure(i am 17,18 in may).

i started out basically without knowing much about anything related to how to loose wight,technique of workout or anything in that line all i basically knew was that my bmi needed to be lower than it was probably why i ended up doing weight training only for about 2-3 months or so on a regular basis(some where done in improper form even) then i slowly started to grow out of my ignorance & started too look up how exercises were really done & in what quantity they should be done for proper results...slowly but surely i started to learn a lot i even learned about the fact that i needed to do more cardio in order for fat loss so i tried to run at first but then later graduated from walking to running to HIIT.

it wasn't all a piece of cake, i had to go through a few strained thighs & even strained my back by doing power cleans was out of the gym for 2-3 months but i slowly but surely got back on track, kept fighting my urges to eat like a pig & countless slumps when i couldn't loose any weight but still i made it through to were i am now.

this thread + the fitness thread on gaf were a real help on information & inspiration(even tho i wasn't registered)

now until i get to 65 or something close i don't plan to stop , i still get ruts & go into munching bender but i try to compensate by working equally hard at the gym.

thanks for reading.
hope the para wasn't too confusing.

heres a before & after pics :

on may 18 2009 (16th b-day.)96kg i think.

on april 26th 2011 (today almost 18)(bow down to my sexy tummy ) 93kg

 

[TabletopTictacs]

Yup, you look much better without the Man U top.

 

[MentallyCritical]

Yup, you look much better without the Man U top.

funny thing is that i dont even like football , only reason(s) i own that shirt is because i like the fabric & it was full sleeved & available in my size.

 

[samus i am]

funny thing is that i dont even like football , only reason(s) i own that shirt is because i like the fabric & it was full sleeved & available in my size.

Great job! How tall are you?

 

[MentallyCritical]

Great job! How tall are you?

174cm/5'7"

 

[ipukespiders]

A picture at a higher weight with a nice slice of cake is all you need for inspiration.
Good job!

 

[agentxricky]

Some people believe that you need to be doing cardio for at least an hour for it to be effective. The first 30 minutes would only burn through your immediate energy stores, not the fat that has been sitting around forever.

If you don't want to do that, you should be doing HIIT.

It all goes to the same place eventually right? If you don't use your stores, they become fat. That's the golden rule. Any cardio is worth it in the long run.

Your point is valid though, which is why diet>exercise 100 percent of the time.

 

[bigboss370]

hrithik roshan probably has my ideal body goal, he's a beast and his body is pretty much perfect :

and the only supplement he takes is pretty much protein shakes, no steroids crap. works hard, am jealous ;_;

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Question: what's the best technique to work on the upper body?

For all the weight I've gained during the past 12 months, my forearms and fingers still quite thin. I've substantial weight in every area but those.

 

[bigboss370]

Question: what's the best technique to work on the upper body?

For all the weight I've gained during the past 12 months, my forearms and fingers still quite thin. I've substantial weight in every area but those.

are u saying u want to add on weight to your forearms and fingers? cuz i don't think you really need to, thin forearms is fine...and i wouldn't worry about fingers..

i find straight up bicep curls with free weight is good for forearms tho..

 

[Zoe]

Question: what's the best technique to work on the upper body?

For all the weight I've gained during the past 12 months, my forearms and fingers still quite thin. I've substantial weight in every area but those.

Fitness thread is ---> that way. This thread is for losing weight.

(a proper golf swing is a good way to work your forearms)

 

[bigboss370]

Fitness thread is ---> that way. This thread is for losing weight.

(a proper golf swing is a good way to work your forearms)

oh hell ya going to a golfing range for a while will definitely work forearms, dunno why i didn't think of that >_>

 

[Orgen]

Sorry if it's been asked before, but what's exactly the HIIT? and what would be a good example of HIIT training/routine?

 

[fadetoblack]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

Wikipedia article is actually pretty good source.

 

[Einbroch]

My exercise regimen has just been walking. Since ive been sitting on my butt for so long i had to work up to it. At first it was a mile, then two, etc etc. i had an mp3 player/radio but since ive started walking longer ive begun to get bored with fm. My solution was to get audio books and listen to those instead. They make the time go by really fast and as a bonus i feel like im accomplishing more than listening to 38 Special or Pink Floyd for the thousandth time in my life.

Just going back a few pages...yes.

I can't believe how much time goes by while listening to an audiobook. 45+ minutes a chapter, and I feel smarter or like I actually accomplished something. I highly recommend audiobooks with your walks. Time flies.

 

[hellboy69]

I started my diet (lifestyle change) about 6 months ago and here is what I have been doing so far.

-Completely cut out all drinks (other than water and milk)
-Completely cut out fast food and ate at home whenever possible
-Cut out a lot of bad carbs
-Started eating at appropriate times
-Got enough sleep each night (7-8 hours)
-Exercised 3-4 times a week for 30 mins each (jumping rope)


I am not anywhere near done, but I just wanted to post my progress so far. To be honest, this thread is what got me started and I learned a lot of very valuable information about health and diet from all you guys. So thank you all so much for all the advise and help.

Before: 245 pounds....Now: 198 pounds

 

[Ripclawe]

I have lost about 60 pounds and I haven't given up diet soda at all, so I pretty much discount that as a factor in losing weight. EVerything else has changed to eating whole grain products, more chicken/fish and lean meat.

and I recommend mcdonalds grilled snack wraps as your junk food kick

 

[Stylo]

I started my diet (lifestyle change) about 6 months ago and here is what I have been doing so far.

-Completely cut out all drinks (other than water and milk)
-Completely cut out fast food and ate at home whenever possible
-Cut out a lot of bad carbs
-Started eating at appropriate times
-Got enough sleep each night (7-8 hours)
-Exercised 3-4 times a week for 30 mins each (jumping rope)


I am not anywhere near done, but I just wanted to post my progress so far. To be honest, this thread is what got me started and I learned a lot of very valuable information about health and diet from all you guys. So thank you all so much for all the advise and help.

Before: 245 pounds....Now: 198 pounds

This is motivating. I wonder how I would look after losing that much weight

I was thinking about doing the same thing except doing a different exercise everyday. Good idea or no? I don't know anything about how much the body needs to rest after exercising (like weight training and recovering microtears). I just plan on doing cardio cause I want to lose 15-20 lbs.

 

[hellboy69]

This is motivating. I wonder how I would look after losing that much weight

I was thinking about doing the same thing except doing a different exercise everyday. Good idea or no? I don't know anything about how much the body needs to rest after exercising (like weight training and recovering microtears). I just plan on doing cardio cause I want to lose 15-20 lbs.

I am in no way an expert as I have gotten much of my routine and advice from this thread, but I dont think it will hurt to do a different exercise everyday. I just know that, in my case, I tried to do HITT exercises (high intensity interval training) like jumping rope and it works for me. However, I learned that for me, after a while of doing the same thing, the weight lose would become more difficult. So sometimes after a month of jumping rope, i switch it up to playing basketball and/or tennis with mountain climber exercises and that helps me lose more weight. IMO its good to keep your body guessing and not let it get used to a certain form of exercise.

Also, you probably cant tell from my after picture, but I lost a lot of fat around my waist and love handles and I have heard from multiple sources that jumping rope is an excellent cardio exercise that helps with that area tremendously, and trust me it does

 

[hellboy69]

I have lost about 60 pounds and I haven't given up diet soda at all, so I pretty much discount that as a factor in losing weight. EVerything else has changed to eating whole grain products, more chicken/fish and lean meat.

and I recommend mcdonalds grilled snack wraps as your junk food kick

I have never been a fan of diet coke so that wasnt even an option for me after I decided not to drink soda anymore. I am not saying your wrong, but I am pretty sure that diet soda is really bad for you too and in some cases even worst than the real thing because of all the fake sugar and other crap they put in the bottles. I have heard a lot of different opinions about soda but I am sure that it is pretty bad for you in every case and its just empty calories.

Also, I am pretty sure that if you cut out soda completely and just drank water, you would have lost even more weight than 60 pounds. But great job on losing 60 pounds.

 

[BertramCooper]

I used to drink Diet Coke religiously and gave it up when I started my weight loss regimen.

I don't think it's had any actual effect on my tremendous weight loss, but damn, it's really nice not being a slave to caffeine. That alone is worth it.

 

[Akim]

Also, I am pretty sure that if you cut out soda completely and just drank water, you would have lost even more weight than 60 pounds. But great job on losing 60 pounds.

cite your sources

 

[LocoMrPollock]

cite your sources

He didn't state anything that required sources, he was just giving his opinion. A valid one at that. And it is well known that diet soda can make you hungrier and is probably not very helpful if you're trying to lose weight, it can also cause cause kidney stones and aspartame has been in debate for decades as to its safety.

In any case, water is always the best beverage you can consume.

 

[ipukespiders]

Diet pop costs money.
Water is free (here it is anyways).

 

[hellboy69]

cite your sources

I did not say I was 100% certain he would have lost more weight. I just think its common sense that water is 100x better for your body than diet soda and probably is the better option of a beverage compared to diet soda when your on a diet.