Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

[Takelli]

So... I've been quite large my entire life, and now that there is warm weather coming, I have deiced finally try to be more active and lose weight.

Thing is though, most of my life I have been ridiculed by everyone, and am very self conscious...

I can't run outside, or even inside with others around, nor do I even want to be outside with the way I look, and feel about my self.

Recently, I have been eating less, and trying to stay away from soda, drinking more water, and juice (Mostly Orange Juice.), yet I stay at the same weight. I don't want to spend a lot of money on diet pills, nor do I want to starve my self to lose weight. Eating less snacks, and sugary stuff between meals doesn't do anything as well, and I always feel hungry, even if it exceeds the 2,000 calorie limit (Although you don't even need 2,000 a day.)

Eating more Fiber, and Protein, along with drinking more water doesn't seem to make me feel full, and working at night doesn't help that much either.

Recently, I thought about getting a weighted jump rope so I can work on Cardio, my legs, and arms at the same time, while not having to run anywhere.

Anyone have a tip/trick that will help me lose weight? Any help would be nice...

[Squiggs]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Avoiding snacks is a big one, stick to just the meals. You will probably be hungry in between until you get used to it.

How do you feel about an exercise bike/elliptical/treadmill? You said you don't want to be around others, and I understand that, but that may be unavoidable if you don't own or can't buy an indoor machine for your home.

Also, you don't have to run to lose weight. Try going for a walk (nice and brisk) everyday, that will do wonders for your Cardio as well.

The biggest thing to remember is to try not to do it all at once. It takes time.

[Takelli]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Yea, doing it all at once is never a good thing, as I have learned the hard way.

As for the thredmill/stairstepper/whatever, I have thought about getting one, but they are too costly. I also have no car, and no bus goes towards the gym around here, that I know of, s a gym is out the question. Its still a tad bit too cold to walk to one yet.

[Squiggs]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Wii Fit?

[Armando]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

You don't have to avoid snacks, or eat three square meals. It's perfectly fine to have, for example, 5 smaller meals a day and eat every 3-4 hours. At the end of the day it still boils down to how many calories you're consuming vs how many you're burning. Above all, though, don't go hungry. It causes your body to slow down its metabolism because it thinks you don't have any food available to you.

Cardio is vital but it's not enough on its own. You want to do strength training too. Even if your goal isn't to "get big", having more muscle means your body needs more calories to support itself; basically, you'll burn more calories even at rest. Invest a dumbbell set, you can do quite a few excercises with just that and a bench.

Juice is more nutritious than soda but it still has roughly the same amount of calories. "Don't drink your calories" is pretty good advice. If you want orange juice, eat an orange instead. Stick to drinking water.

But the real trick is to set both short-term and long-term goals, and keep them always present. Write down how many times you plan on doing cardio and weight training each week and keep that somewhere you can always see it. Write down your goals for the month as well. Without clear, measurable goals, you're going to sabotage your own attempts at losing weight. For that matter, you need to get over your self-consciousness because if your ability to work out hinges on whether or not someone's there, you'll never be able to have a regular routine.

Also get yourself a fat caliper, like this one Accu-Measure Body Fat Calipers Your weight is not a good indicator of fitness or progress. Muscle weighs more than fat so you could easily lose fat and gain muscle, but the scales would tell you you'rve gotten heavier, and you'd interpret that as getting fatter. With a caliper you can find your % of body fat which is a real measure of progress, and combined with your weight will tell you how many pounds of fat you have.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

I bought a pedometer (sounds like pedobear or something, but it's not) and I used to set goals for how many steps I would take in a day. Even parking further away from work or the grocery store adds steps to my day. I live near a grocery store too, so I always walk there. All the little things do add up.

I don't even try to run anymore, my knees can't take it. I walk a lot though, and I have a bike (tires need air badly), but I also spend some time in the apartment complex pool. I've also cut myself down to two meals a day - with my schedule, working 10-12 hour days, this works best for me. I eat before work and I eat when I get home.

Cut down on soda, if you drink it. I found that I can't cut it out entirely but I cut down to two a day and it made a difference. I do splurge on it once in a while, just like anything else. Try not to guilt trip yourself if you fall back and eat something you really shouldn't. If you just make yourself feel like a failure it will demotivate you. I know this from experience. If you have a piece of cake and think, "Well, it's all over now," you'll just motivate yourself to pig out and then you'll feel even more like crap. I've done this so many fucking times. Lol.

I have been wondering if anyone else was interested in keeping a weight loss log. I've been trying to shed another 30ish lbs myself so if you guys wanna semi-hijack this thread as a weight loss progress and encouragement thread, I'm all for that.

[Jarre]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

A little tip.

Never cut out food.

Eat 3 meals, breakfast is always important.

If you don't your body stores fat as missing a meal your body goes into survival mode and doesn't burn the fat, it stores it to be used gradually if you don't eat again for a while and you can actually gain weight that way.

It doesn't matter what you eat as long as its reasonably balanced and not just crap or junk food. Get some greens and try to have at least 5 portions of fruit/vegatables a day. A good roast dinner if you have potatoes, carrots and greens is 3 with protein of the meat.

Orange juice has alot of sugar in it, check labels for natural orange and non sweetened orange but be prepared it costs more, unfortunately to eat healthy does cost more.

simple things like, if you get pork, cook it with the rind on but then trim that off, the flavour from the rind goes into the meat but the fat you just don't eat.

also the biggest thing I have noticed in the US is "portion size" your kiddie burger at Md's is the size of our Big mac here in the uK!!!!! Cut down portion size, a good guide is a portion should fit a 10" plate without being piled on top of each other. i.e. roast meal.. 3-4 potatoes, 2 table spoons of carrots, 2 table spoons of veg and the meat shouldn't take up more than a quartre of the plate. Look at cooking with less saturated fats i,e if you have to have a fryup use olive oil or rape seed oil instead of butter or vegatable oil. a balanced diet allows you to eat treats now and then, its important to keep a balanced diet and also balanced mentality to eating.

Next is exercise, food alone will not help you loose weight. If you can walk half a mile a day to start with thats a huge thing and you will notice some difference. As to self confidence, remember one thing, you are you, be proud of it and anyone who says otherwise can go fuck themselves and ain't worth the air they breath. Even a trip to the shop is worth walking to if its not to far and helps. the more you do it, the more confidence when your out you will start to gain (beleive me I know it ain't easy) I'm lucky to live near a beach (not quite flourida as temps are around 7C at the moment) but nothing beats a walk on the beach.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

So... I've been quite large my entire life, and now that there is warm weather coming, I have deiced finally try to be more active and lose weight.

Thing is though, most of my life I have been ridiculed by everyone, and am very self conscious...

Fuck 'em.

Seriously, to hell with those people. Other people being in better shape does not give them license to judge you as a person, it does not make them better people. They could keel over and die before you do and be in tip-top shape. A lot of these people into fitness think they're buying themselves a longer life and making themselves more attractive. No one knows when their number is up, eating healthy and staying in shape don't guarantee it. I go out on walks as my central source of exercise, if it rains, I switch up to the mall and there are more people there to judge me than walking down the street in town.

I see it as no different than me flipping open my DS in public and playing it. I'm an adult, video games are supposed to be for kids, right? Yet it doesn't stop those those fucking smartphone zombies from playing angry bird cuz smartphones are "grown up."

I just don't have the time to worry about other people - especially the ones not in my life. What do I owe some jackass on Facebook I haven't seen in 16 years. a stranger on the street or an extended family member I see once a year? Fuck 'em.

The first step you need to take here is to stop giving a shit about these people and what they think about this matter. I don't know what phase of life you're in, but life is too short to worry about what other people think most of the time. I stopped giving a shit back in high school. I stopped taking Phys Ed and took Dance because it was better exercise. I was the only guy there. So what if some fucktards assumed I was gay for it? I was meeting girls and the instructor was thrilled because she could use a guy to teach proper ballroom for a few classes.

[Satori]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Bbq, I love you sometimes !

As they say Rome wasnt built in a day. It will take time and and hard work but you will get there.
I'm not really clued up on weight loss and dieting. The things I eat you'd expect me to be the size of a house, Saying that I know towards middle age my waistline will take a raping.

I'd suggest to make sure you eat 3 balanced meals a day, Never skip breakfast it's true its the most important meal of the day. It's what gets you started and fuels you for a long time.Try and work you meal times at roughly the same time each day. I can sympathise with night shifts they arent the most convenient times but some job positions like mine night shifts can't be avoided.
My colleague she lost alot of weight following a book by Paul mcKenna a hypnotist. I was skeptical but the thing that stuck with me was, When eating to put your knife and fork down and take a little longer to chew then swallow. This gives your body enough time to send the I'm full signals and for you to realise them.
Diets work for some but mainly its short term.
If you drive, Try and park a little further down the street so you have a little walk to the car or if you catch the bus get off a stop or two before you are meant to. I'm not sure how busses are like where you are but here they are just a couple of mins walk apart.
I find the most exercise I do is housework/chores. Get the hoover out and the duster and polish and get a bit of a sweat going you'll have double the feeling of achievement. When I get new high heels I break them in by doing my housework in them. That's a no pain no gain feeling lol.
The gym can be daunting especially if you have body image issues.
Maybe start off with a few stretches to warm up then push-ups, sit-ups, star jumps, lunges any other repetative movement that can be done without any equipment.
If you have a dog maybe take them for longer walks take a ball and play fetch. You'll both feel the benefit.

I wont say eat less exercise more because that's not always the case,
I'd suggest paul mckenna's book it worked for my friend and he made some good points but I'd look up reviews and stuff before you do,
Maybe once you confidence has grown maybe join a group I'm not fond of things like OA as I find it's methods involve competition, and shame. But there are some good groups out there where you may find it beneficial to be amongst other people with the same issues where you can build a support network of people that can truly empathise with your situation. Just make sure you find the group that works for you and not just the first one you come to.

Be cautious with diets some can be dangerous I'd suggest that you speak to your Gp for a consult before starting one. Avoid the "milkshake" diets I've had peole come into the ER many times as a result of these.
I could ask the people in other departments at work for information if that would be of any help to you.

Armando and Jarre's posts are great and you'll probably find them more helpful than my own. If you can make your food "from scratch" you'll find that alot better for you than the processed foods available.

I hope you find a way that works for you as I imagine it's a stressful time for you also. Your weight/mass isn't lazyness or greed, People forget life kinda gets in the way. Besides we all express our energies differently I'd rather be gaming than playing football or swimming. So don't let people get you down.

Try not to worry about what people may or may not be thinking. The main thing is you aren't happy about the situation and you are taking steps to change so more power to you mate ! /manhugs

[Armando]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

I don't even try to run anymore, my knees can't take it. I walk a lot though, and I have a bike (tires need air badly), but I also spend some time in the apartment complex pool. I've also cut myself down to two meals a day - with my schedule, working 10-12 hour days, this works best for me. I eat before work and I eat when I get home.

Sounds like you already found some good alternatives, but I hear jumping rope is easier on the knees since you land on both legs at the same time. Might come in handy if it's raining or you feel like staying in and watching some TV while you work out.

Be cautious with diets some can be dangerous I'd suggest that you speak to your Gp for a consult before starting one. Avoid the "milkshake" diets I've had peole come into the ER many times as a result of these.

Milkshake diet? Like those weight loss shakes? How do you end up in an ER from those? Replace all your meals with them or what?

[Takelli]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

Milkshake Diets?

Is it like the Slimfast thing? If its so bad, then why do people still do it?

[Satori]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

There's some diets out there where you ingest nothing but these milkshakes. I think one of them is called the Cambridge diet. It's quite expensive too.
The most common thing we see is severe nose bleeds and problems clotting. They can be very dangerous especially when there may be other health issues at hand. Even more so for conditions that we are unaware of.

I'm not on about slim fast. There are certain diets out there that you can partake in where they send you/you buy food/drink items and follow the regime they set out for you.

The Cambridge diet is the one that springs to mind since I've treated quite a few people that have become ill as a result of this.

I've known some people that did the cambridge diet my grandmother and my aunt did it when I was younger and the results were great according to them. My aunt lost 3 stone on it.
People still do them because for most people it works. For the ones that it goes bad for I guess you could say it was unfortunate. In my experience though I've seen too many negatives to suggest it's a good idea. There are other alternatives they may be slower but the risk just isnt worth it.
Besides have you seen a person after rapid weight loss? It's mental the under arm fat looks like they are wearing a cape. Doing it slowly doesnt eradicate this side effect of weight loss but the end result is a lot more natural looking than looking like one of those flying fox/squirrel thingy's.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

As far as dieting goes, I'm still pretty lousy about it. Its mostly me just eating bad on weekends and doing rice with some kind of rice mix, grilled chicken or veggies the rest of the week. Seems like I only lose weight when the diet has a lot of rice in it. Best part is I can actually have quite a bit to eat.

I still put sugar in my tea though, because fuck the sugar nazis.

[Feba]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

as someone who has lost 50kg/110lbs, my biggest advice: freaking eat less.

I know you feel hungry, and you really want a damn snack. Don't. You will not starve; you would have to put in a huge amount of effort to starve in the first world. You will eat far more than you want to even as the best dieter. You might think you need to eat more. You don't. Eat much less for awhile, and you will be surprised how much less hungry you feel within a couple weeks; even a few days. If you're hungry, you are hungry. Hunger won't kill you. Cardiovascular disease will. It is uncomfortable. You will miss the feeling of fullness at times, and you will want to go back to eating as much of whatever delicious foodstuffs you used to love stuffing your face with. If you don't want to lose weight more than that, you are not going to. You are also drinking in a huge amount of calories without even realizing it. Stick to water. I have a medium sized mug next to me; if I were to have a glass full of juice, that would be an extra 200 calories. Think about those 100 calorie snack packs, and you'll realize how much food you could've eaten instead-- and how easily you will consume two, three, four glasses throughout a day. If you aren't going to go only water, be very strict with anything you drink, and keep a close eye on it. Going to places with free refills, you could easily feel like you did a good job avoiding the ice cream, while drinking in 800 calories of liquid.

Honestly, exercise is something you probably won't be comfortable with for a long time, and until then you will need to lose weight through diet first. In the mean time, do what you can; download Taibo videos or something, anything you can manage is an improvement over nothing. Wii Fit is actually useful, at least for getting you in the habit of tracking your weight, and associating it with recent events; in addition, seeing things in the long term really helps. Either use it, or at least a notepad with dates, times, and weights; after awhile, you won't need to, but you need to develop a sense for it before you rely on nothing but the number on the scale. Weight over time is much more useful than current weight; human brains are absolute shit at developing a sense of how long something has been, and what the state of something was in the past. See "The Good Ole Days" et. al.; we pretty much always glorify the past.

But judging from the excuses you're already making, I'm guessing I'm wasting my time in typing this. Frankly, losing weight is a shameful process. People will ask what's wrong with you when you don't eat as much, or you eat nothing, or you get a salad. You will tell them you're dieting, and they will discourage you in one way or another. You will not be skinny for a long time, even with a far stricter program than you are actually going to commit to; with what you are actually going to do it will be a very long time. You will either blow a ton of money on clothes, only to find some of them are still too small, or they've gotten big faster than you've expected, or you will buy shitty clothes with the justification you will buy nice ones when you're skinny; and sometimes dispair at how it seems you will never get there. Even once you've lost a lot of weight, you will still appear fatter than others at your height/weight, thanks to loose skin.

Going for a jog outside is the least of your worries. And I don't care if it's a little cold, one, you're fat. You are going to warm yourself up pretty quickly, between the exercise you're not used to getting, the layers of blubber, and the friction of your body rubbing against itself. Two, people live in the fucking arctic, if you can't put on a coat, you have issues. Three, speaking of people that live in the arctic, people on arctic expeditions eat like 4000 calories a day without gaining weight. It's all about input/output, and until you've got more output, you have to reduce the input, and reduce it far more drastically than you think you need to.

Final tip, distraction is a great tool in the fight against hunger. Especially tasks that occupy both of your hands, and discourage you from eating. Exercise doesn't just help get you moving, it's also really fucking hard to pig out in the middle of a jog, or a game of basketball, or whatever. Read a book, write a book, study something, fuck, play video games as long as you're not eating during cutscenes. Develop a passion for something; it will make you a more interesting person once you do lose the weight, and in the mean time it's a helluva lot easier to lose weight when you're constantly in that "oh, I was so busy reading about the 14th century politics of East Africa that I completely forgot what time it was" mode. Humans know a lot of fucking shit, and if you can't find something that fascinates you, you may as well be dead.

EDIT: Oh, and one more thing, even after you lose a ton of weight, every single time someone sees an old photo of you, it will still be shameful. Every time you have your ID checked by someone for whatever reason, they will comment on how much skinnier you look (and that's if you're lucky enough to not change so much that they interrogate you over whether it is in fact you or not). Many of them will congratulate and cheer you on, which you will probably grow sick of as time goes on, if it isn't something you hate in the first place.

[Armando]

Re: Time for a change... ((Health stuff.))

While we're on the subject of dieting: it can be healthy to allow yourself two cheat meals a week. You can't quit delicious food cold turkey and you can't avoid unhealthy food for the rest of your life. Trying to will just cause you to fall off the wagon. So you allow yourself two meals of leeway each weak to eat something not quite so healthy. If you cheat at this, though, you're going to fail miserably. It's two meals, not two days of eating unhealthy; and just because you get two meals, it doesn't mean you can supersize them. The mere fact that you're eating something unhealthy means that you have to be just as mindful about portions as you are when eating right, if not more.

And if you couldn't already gather from the rest of the thread, stay away from fad diets. The only way you're going to keep your progress is to change your habits permanently. By definition, a temporary diet is only good for temporary results. An easy way to drop your calories without thinking too much is to think of the two unhealthy meals you eat the most and replace them with something healthy.

Stick to water. I have a medium sized mug next to me; if I were to have a glass full of juice, that would be an extra 200 calories. Think about those 100 calorie snack packs, and you'll realize how much food you could've eaten instead-- and how easily you will consume two, three, four glasses throughout a day.

For added perspective: a slice of Pizza Hut medium-sized cheese pizza is 200 calories. If I've already decided that I'm going to be eating pizza tonight, I'd rather eat another slice of pizza than drink a can of coke.