I've Been Challenged to Lose Weight

"i86hotdogs" (i86hotdogs)
01/07/2020 at 22:40 • Filed to: None

I always was on the bigger side my whole life. I played football through high school and college. So I was trained to work out and eat like a lineman. My heaviest I ever saw the scale read was 301.2, but I consistently hovered around 285 through college. I wouldn’t call it “good weight”, but it was in the right places.

Well college ended four years ago. The need to consume nearly ten thousand calories a day has ended. I lost about 10-15 pounds nearly immediately. I also have seemed to plateau around 270 since then. It’s a weight that I’ve grown to accept. My joints don’t hurt, I can hustle up a flight of stairs without breathing heavily, and it’s a lot easier to shop for pants now. Health checkups are acceptable. Blood pressure is slightly high, but not enough to sound the alarm. Cholesterol is good, as is blood sugar.

A big crux for me is learning a new way to exercise. I was raised on lifting weights and isolating muscle groups. Great way to build muscle, not ideal when trying to shed pounds. Running of any sort bores me to no end. I can’t keep myself occupied to run a tre admill for longer than 10 minutes; s tationary bikes and elliptical the same. I still work out 2-3 times per week. But I stick to what is familiar: weight lifting.

As for dieting, I may have a problem. I find myself snacking more than ever. I think I narrowed it down to one major reason: stress eating. Ever since I got myself into the professional field, work stresses lead me to grab a sack of burgers after work. My mind tells me this is okay because I don’t resort to drugs or alcohol to alleviate stress. I can cook a nice healthy meal to eat at work: cooked chicken and veggies. But if work kicks my butt, I pull into the gas station and grab a few Torna(y) does (not tor-nah-dos) on my way home. I also let loose after a night of drinking. My body thinks I am still in college, and can eat a bag full of taco bell after spending the night at a bar.

Today, I was challenged by a close friend . My wedding is July 4, 2020. The night before my wedding, I will step on a scale in my underwear (not sure the logistics of it, but that can be figured out later). If I weigh under 250 lbs, I will receive a generous wedding gift. If I weigh over 250, I not only fail to receive the gift, but I have to pay the opposing party the same amount.

So I essentially have 6 months to lose about 20 lbs. This means that crash dieting isn’t necessary. Is it doable? Absolutely. I need to put myself into a good position. I’ve looked around for other facilities to workout at. The gym I currently am at is dirt cheap, but are full of heavy lifters. I actually was offered ana bolic steroids my first week there by another patron. I politely declined. So the environment isn’t right for weight loss. I’ve looked at “boot camp” type of gyms, Orange Theory is all the craze, but they are SO FREAKING EXPENSIVE. A year at Orange Theory will cost me $1,200. A year at my gym is $200.

The other factor is a big mental game. I need to get my stress eating under control. Whether it’s finding an alternative way to alleviate stress, or find a way to catch myself before I pull into the drive through. I already am cutting alcohol out until the wedding. That alone will be huge. Not only will that cut the empty calories of alcohol, it will prevent me from feasting in the drive through afterwards. My biggest obstacle is my stress eating.

Once I figure out how to handle my stress eating, and I find a motivating way to exercise without spending thousands of dollars , it should be smooth sailing. Sorry for the long rant. Thanks for reading. Any tips or recommendations from you all are always appreciated. Here’s Toby for your time.

DISCUSSION (37)

GLiddy > i86hotdogs
01/07/2020 at 22:57

I found for myself that the intermittent fast worked well for me. For some reason, eating breakfast seemed to rev up my metabolism to keep eating and not stop. My first meal is lunch and my second is dinner and then I stop or just content myself with water or tea until bedtime. Then when I get up in the morning, I just wait to eat and it really isn’t that hard. I lost 20 lbs in the 8-10 weeks before Xmas doing this and pretty much nothing else.

I’ve dealt with weight my whole life. I’ve actually been pretty successful at losing, but then I go back to a normal American diet and gain back 4-5 pounds a year and there I am again. I’m still happy I’m still about my high school weight of 200lbs, but I should be less...and I’ve been a lot more.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > i86hotdogs
01/07/2020 at 22:57

For starters: i82hotdogs is one possible motivator...

I found that simple was the easiest...I started walking and then cycling over a decade ago. Within a year, I’d dropped about 12% of my weight mostly by being less sedentary and exercising in my lunch hour.

Whatever activity is simple and motivating without having companions (harder than you think) is where I’d look.

bob and john > i86hotdogs
01/07/2020 at 22:59

you what I found worked REALLY well?

Cardio. No need to do a lot of it, but i was doing 15 minutes every day on the cycling machine. easy on joints, good warm up .

food: I started skipping breakfast (from a full meal to just a bagel and then less until nothing)

work lunch: a container of salad, some chicken, an some fruit.

For the stress eating thing, I get it, you want to munch on food. but its the foods that arent great. So, alternative: fruit. Something crispy, like a melon or berries. Sliced apples. its a HUGE step in the right direction in terms of calorie intake.

A protein smoothie after a work out helped too

I needed to lose a touch of weight last year. Was 145lbs, 24 % body fat. I stuck to the above. 2 months later, I had gone to 150lbs, but 9 (read: NINE) % body fat.

13% body fat lost. thats 19lbs at 145lbs. I was trying to gain some weight, so my exact work out regiment isnt for you. but the cardio is a HUGE thing.

slipperysallylikespenguins > i86hotdogs
01/07/2020 at 23:03

Good luck. I’ve lost about 10 lbs in the last month just using intermittent fasting/time restricted eating and reducing carb intake. That is with no exercise at all.

A good cardio workout that isn’t boring for me is boxing. Not with other people but sessions with a heavy bag.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > i86hotdogs
01/07/2020 at 23:13

I’m a big guy at 6' 280 right now, and am committing to losing 50lb this year. Stress eating is a problem but if you snack on the ri ght stuff it’s controllable . Fruit & veggies are your friend here, but don’t skimp on protein. You might not want to bulk up (like I did for years) but lean proteins and veggies should be the core of every meal. Every now & then give yourself a cheat meal too.

BeaterGT > i86hotdogs
01/07/2020 at 23:15

Cycling/mountain biking is fun, cheap (unless you get hooked) , and good exercise.

Cutting out alcohol will be huge like you said. I did a weight loss challenge years back and replacing all sugary/unhealthy drinks with water or tea in that time period was incredibly helpful.

Good luck, I’m excited for you! I’d never cut out Taco Bell though.

someassemblyrequired > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 00:00

Wife built a Zwift setup for the winter which looks pretty fun and basically was just a couple of Chinesium sensors for the bike trainer/bike she had already and works off her iPhone which she mirrors to the AppleTV. Pretty much a stationary bike where you race people online but with less of a stigma than Peloton.

If you’re someplace warm during the winter, go hiking where you can get in a lot of elevation, it’s good since you get some variety and views - it’s even better if you can get with a group of people since then it’s more social event than exercise .

Nom De Plume > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 03:57

So 35 lbs in 7 months.

Toss out everything you think you should be doing and at least 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the advisable practices/fads/failures/short term>relapse/utter crap about caloric intake including even the slightest thought to look at or in any other way consider calories. Then build upon your admitted strengths of physical education. Your nutritional needs will sort out with much less active effort.

Right now you should be training to train (this will be the very last “term” I use). In your case I would say this means breaking with anything and everything that happens in a gym or through the use of weights. It also means going very slow, and even more important, easier than you would ever think necessary. Your body is going to do very strange things. You are going to need to eat and not weight yourself! Fairly sure you understand why you are going to put on weight and how important hydration is.

In a broad sense calisthenics. Meaning primarily body weight resistance, training efficiency, movement at a steady to undulating pace forcing your body to begin exploring all the energy sources it has to call on, and limbering up. Stretching is a dangerous pastime right now. Rest, frequent rest, during these light activities is beyond important. The first few weeks are dull and seemingly ineffective. Focus on eating a little better, nutritiously more than amount, and try some non-sugary juices to break up drinking more water than normal. Repeated movement requiring a very small amount of strength and a somewhat unpredictable cycle of movement is good. The less it involves muscle memory from lifting weights the better. Then drink some 1% chocolate milk or get some other natural and easily digestible protein/vitamins down within a few minutes.

Even if it isn’t less blase after a few weeks (whatever you arrive at doing) you will have a much better idea what range of movement/twisting/bending/stretching feels safe and if that changes at all during the day or at any point during activity. The first month should just be a feeling out and easy yet uncomfortable stroll examining every weakness you can gently expose. No stress if throwing some weights around or pushing your car across the garage had to happen to stay sane. So long as you are moving towards longer low stress efforts instead of recruiting large muscle groups to party hard. Dance around a little and do unconventional movements that make you jiggle a bit during your activities. REST often and longer than your body feels like it has recovered enough to get going again during activity.

A month out you should really start looking at building towards stuff that you will try to go too hard at to use strength that actually makes your continuous movements jerkier and spasmatic. Fight to keep your heart rate and breathing below where you are having trouble talking etc. Start dipping into that level for a few seconds and seeing what it takes to get back down below. Lean at the waist and let your upper body dangle loosely or stand on one foot, or whatever still, that forces full body awareness and balance with enough panic moments you can’t exert full control. The more quality prep work you do the better you will adapt to the type of stuff that will strip you down to your knees gasping for breath while some whippet thin bastard stands there looking restless and calm. Or just try jumping over a rope 10 times more every day until you rethink that idea. O r ride a real bike outdoors in an insanely low gear that forces using less power the faster you want to go out of boredom. Whatever, just ease up to the point where your heart rate and breathing spike. Nag yourself a bit about the food so you move in the right direction. Much easier to establish the physical side and slowly fix the diet than any of the ways to starve first.

Good luck and hope she still finds you handsome on the big day.

Khalbali > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 03:59

According to science, if all you care about is losing weight, exercise doesn’t have much to do with it unfortunately, it's 90% diet. Cutting alcohol is probably the single best thing you could do but after that, it's just a numbers game. I use an app to track calories and stuff, I like MyFitnessPal personally. But I don't ever factor in exercise for bonus calories, I just try to stick to my basic daily allowance as much as possible. But the nice thing about that is that you tell it your weight and stuff but then also how much weight you want to lose and it adjusts your allowance based on that.

Nom De Plume > bob and john
01/08/2020 at 04:03

Cardio is the endgame here. Larger folk like linebackers spent years going in the opposite direction using very powerful tools. Chances are he will never enjoy that type of stuff like someone with the more slight physiques. Heart and lungs are a different proposition when you are really fit and healthy at near 300 lbs. I’m betting he could drop more lbs than expected in 7 months if his work life is stressful and he takes it out in the correct quarters. It is going to take time to make the more meaningful changes of marriage + job + personal time + working out beyond gross weight loss. I suspect that is always going to involve heavy things more than legs pumping at +110rpm for 3 hours straight.

Nom De Plume > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
01/08/2020 at 04:13

You might not fully believe this but people who are already quite slim and fit benefit more from the idea you can never prepare and eat enough fruit to negatively impact your intake needs.

You are very correct about lean protein and avoiding stuff like potatoes to aid long term weight loss. Starving makes good decisions harder to see and stick to anyways.

Stef Schrader > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 04:19

One thing that’s helped me over the years is to keep fewer snacks in the house. There’s less temptation to munch on stuff. Also, gum! It’s chewing, you’re busy, it tastes good, and you’re not really eating it.

I also cold-turkey quit most fast food. Living far away from everything but a Dairy Queen after college helped, and I made the occasional exception for the ones I really liked (Freebirds, Whataburger, sandwich joints, blah blah). Key word is occasional, though. That alone s hed pounds like crazy. That’ll be tough when Taco Bell is the weakness, but maybe you can just occupy your brain with something else when you feel the need for tacos?

Cardio is probably what you (and I, as I’ve gotten pretty out of shape lately, ugh) need, so maybe it’s worth finding a bicycle to fart around on, or a stationary machine with a TV or at least a little ledge to read stuff on. I watched a lot of Food Network on the bike in my old job’s gym, haha, but it worked. I wasn’t bored, and it was easier to stay in one place longer.

Alternately, maybe try a class out? I find it’s easier sometimes to keep going if someone else is telling me to do it. (I still can’t do Zumba or any of the dancing ones, though. Zero rhythm, zero sense of direction.)

Good luck!

Sovande > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 07:52

I lost 35 pounds in the past 10 months by walking. That’s it. Instead of sitting everyday I walk probably 25-30 miles a week. I also got a bike and I try to ride it to do simple errands and on shortish rides with my son and girlfriend. I am hoping I can get down to about 210 without changing too much more of my daily routine. I want to be thinner, but I also want to eat cinnamon mini donuts. I don’t drink, so no empty calories there.

Hamtractor > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 08:43

It’s like you have my brain in your body. Back in the day, I was juiced up, 285 pounds, bench pressing 455, pushing 1400 pounds on the leg press, etc. Now I’m 46, and not into the power-style of training anymore. I’m 252 pounds, with about 20 of that on my belly. I’m in the gym four to six days a week, lifting hard like always, but trying to do more cardio. I watch movies while I treadmill or stairmill for a minimum of 30 minutes before I lift. I am also a stress-eater/snack-a-holic, but have done better recently by snacking on protein shakes and meal prepping for portion control. I just hate cardio, I prefer being a super strong dude with belly, but my wife and doctor both want me to lose 25 pounds or so (as do my knees and ankles) and to be honest, I want to look good at t he beach this summer. My gym here in Phoenix has a pretty good environment for this stuff, it’s a happy mix of crossfitters, weight lifters and fitness newbs, so I really like it. It’s not the meathead gym I loved back in Denver, but I’m okay with that. I used to train with a bunch of pros back then, even with Phil Heath and his crew, but my steroid/bodybuilder/powerlifter days are way behind me now, lol...

OPPOsaurus WRX > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 09:00

I run but hate it and when i can;t run outside, I run on a treadmill and really really hate it. The only way i can stay on a treadmill is if i have something to watch. I like putting on something like rally racing or a battle scene clip from a movie like T ransformers. You need to find something you will enjoy so that you are more willing to do it. i’d recommend a mountain bike. It (can be) fast and it gets you out in nature which is nice.

3point8isgreat > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 09:37

You should still be able to lose weight with weight lifting. Even at a pretty hardcore weight lifting gym I’m sure people there have done some pretty extreme weight loss since it’d go along with body building, or even competitive powerlifting if you’re trying to make a weight class. The fact that you have a strong (not sure if pun intended) background in weights should mean you have a really high TDEE which should make cutting calories that much easier.

Cardio can be hit or miss for weight loss. Most people find that it just makes them more hungry so they eat back the calories burned and then some. When my wife and I were training for a half marathon and trying to lose weight all I managed was 2 pounds, after which I had to up my food intake just to recover from workouts properly.

In the end, just find the “diet” that works for you to consistently eat a calorie deficit and you’ll make it. Exercise hardly burns anything compared to what you can eat.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 09:42

I wish you go od luck! Take it one step at a time, One day and one week at a time. Do not crash diet, don’t try any fancy diets just control your calories. Eat what you like every once in a while

* Snacking is fine as long as you eat the healthy ones- veggies with dip (make it a healthy oen), nuts, hard boiled eggs, plain greek yogurt, fruit

* Cut out all Soda, it’s the worst thing ever. Drink LOTS of water. It will also keep you full.

* Check sugar content in everything you eat. it’s a killer

* Try a fibre supplement, it will also keep you full

* Meal prep- You will end up making healthier , lower calorie meals. I understand there is a time commitment though.

* Keep moving, get a standing desk- You will burn more calories than just sitting

Kinja'd!!!

* Be flexible with your workouts- Don’t feel like going to the gym today? fine throw up a video from youtube and workout at home to mix it up. You don;t even need weights just use your bodyweight.

* Try intermittent fasting.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
01/08/2020 at 10:09

http://simplywellcoaching.com/blog/make-everyday-n-e-a-t/

i86hotdogs > bob and john
01/08/2020 at 14:59

Wow! that’s a huge improvement for you! I know cardio is a huge helper, I just need to find a source of cardio that will keep me interested. I’ve looked around at some gyms that do HIIT (high intensity interval training), and now am researching the advantages compared to the cost. Once I find an interesting way to do cardio, it would help significantly.

i86hotdogs > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
01/08/2020 at 15:03

In theory, it seems so easy. Just eat smaller portions, cut out junk, and exercise a little bit. I’ll do well for a few days, then i find myself eating a bag of chips on a random afternoon. I get plenty of good proteins, and we cook a plethora of veggies to go with it. It’s the extra that kills me.

i86hotdogs > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
01/08/2020 at 15:05

Thanks for the support! I only ever drank soda or sugary drink when I mix them in cocktails. And since I am cutting out alcohol, that will get rid of those instances.

i86hotdogs > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
01/08/2020 at 15:06

I laughed for a good while at your first note. It’s a username I have had since the peak of AOL Instant Messenger.

i86hotdogs > Nom De Plume
01/08/2020 at 15:09

Wowza, that’s a lot to process. But it all makes sense. I may have to read this over a few more times to get it all. Thank you!

i86hotdogs > Stef Schrader
01/08/2020 at 15:12

Looking for a source of cardio that will keep me engaged is my biggest challenge. Running outside, or on a treadmill drives me insane. I even tried stationary cycling (alone) and ellipticals. What will keep me going is something like the group workouts like spin class or 30 minute kickboxing classes. I just need to find one that won’t cost me an arm and a leg.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 15:13

I’m with ya bud. Been trying for years to lose the same 50lb, so nobody knows better than me it’s not easy. The theory is simple, but the execution is not. Because life happens. This time around I’m trying something different by working with a trainer.

i86hotdogs > Hamtractor
01/08/2020 at 15:15

I feel ya there. My only friend in town that exercises regularly plays for the Browns, so he has his own regiment and facility. He’s also going for a completely different fitness goal than I am. So working with him would be counter productive . I’m researching these HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes to see which ones catch my interest (and budget). Im optimistic that would be a good path.

i86hotdogs > 3point8isgreat
01/08/2020 at 15:20

I’m sure with those body builders or powerlifters come supplements that helped them cut the fat. I have a lifting regiment I follow, and it helps build strength and all, but it doesn’t feel as exhausting as something cardio would do. On top of that, the overall environment at my gym is not that motivating for something I’m trying to do. Nothing wrong with the gym, it just won’t help me out.

i86hotdogs > Khalbali
01/08/2020 at 15:22

I use “Lose It” to track my intake and weight. I also don’t account exercise either on it. I hope to see a little improvement simply buy cutting the alcohol and bad beverages out.

i86hotdogs > Sovande
01/08/2020 at 15:24

I too would like to increase my walking distance. Walks with the dog now will be twice as long. And I’ll start parking further from buildings. Little things here and there.

Hamtractor > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 15:51

That is super factual. I would run a cycle of juice for four months, lifting twice a day and eating 10-12K calories a day, mostly healthy stuff but when you’re putting that much food in ya, some of it will be garbage just so you don’t go insane from eating nothing but chicken and broccoli. I used to put away four pounds of chicken, four bags of broccoli, a dozen eggs, three cups of oatmeal, a 16-24 ounce steak, a pound of rice or potatoes, four protein shakes and usually three or four snickers. Every. Damn. Day. SO I’d bulk up immensely, best I ever did was putting on 22 pounds in three months. But then came the cutting phase. 3K calories of fish, chicken, veggies and protein shakes. Weightlifting in the evenings, cardio in the mornings, although I usually cheated and instead of an hour or more cardio, it was usually like 40 minutes. BUT... I took clenbuterol and Adderall which helped cut body fat from 18% or so down to 7-8%, 15 pounds dropped and it only took me about 30 days to do it. Unless they are rarely and specially genetically gifted, all those bodybuilder types are shredding up with chemical assistance... That said, Lifting a high-rep, medium weight routine with only 60 seconds between sets and three minutes between exercises is pretty comparable to cardio for me, I’m wrecked after those days.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 18:32

I aim to please. If you are welded to the name, y ou could always append it (like many of us do here) to reflect your new motivation!

Stef Schrader > i86hotdogs
01/08/2020 at 19:50

True, true. Have you checked with the gym you already belong to, or looked into neighboring gyms with a cheapo monthly fee? A lot of those run a schedule of group classes, especially at the big-box gyms or YMCAs.

i86hotdogs > Stef Schrader
01/08/2020 at 20:32

Yup! That’s what I am doing now. My current gym has one circuit class, but it’s during work hours. So the search continues.

Nom De Plume > i86hotdogs
01/09/2020 at 01:21

It got somewhat long. I think you can decide on your own what sort of stuff you will enjoy that goes in a different direction than building/maintaining bulk. Getting your internal organs to adapt and begin seeing some merit in recruiting energy in a way that doesn’t leave you ravenous takes time. In brief the physical activity and rest is merely to accomplish that. Changes in diet will just join the program with minimized hardships.

Again I wish you the best establishing habits that will carry you through long stressful work days and other commitments when funner activities are at a premium.

Nom De Plume > i86hotdogs
01/09/2020 at 01:29

Hmmm, low intensity.

I’ll keep reminding you of that and why. HIIT builds more and larger muscles and the facilities to support them. You have this already and are trying to TONE it down a bit and burn more energy than you store for short hard efforts. The longer easier efforts will slowly build up and you’ll start to burn more energy sitting still at work in the short term until efficiently catches up.

i86hotdogs > Nom De Plume
01/09/2020 at 16:39

I am in no way doubting you, or saying you are wrong, but I always thought the reverse was true: HIIT helps burn energy even after the workout, and low intensity builds larger muscles and facilities . Of course, every HIIT gym you walk in to, they will say the same. And, from seeing power lifters and body builders take much longer to complete their workout than a 30-45 minute HIIT session. Again, I could be completely wrong. B ut in my experience, my low intensity weight lifting regime isn’ t cutting it.

Nom De Plume > i86hotdogs
01/10/2020 at 21:25

If we step back you will see a focus in my writing that went no further than the beginning step in a long term plan, training to train. On a highly simplified level you either put in the time and slowly build up every aspect of a certain kind of fitness using a mix of all intensity levels or attempt to replicate most of the effect with hard and brief efforts followed by a lot of time focusing on recovery. At some near point both take similar amounts of time whether it is recognized or not.

Don’t mistake low intensity weight lifting (below anaerobic ) with low intensity constant movement ( aerobic). Going to go a bit farther than I’m comfortable by suggesting you just watch the type of movement in this video. Nothing is overly dynamic and it manages a lot in a compact range of movements. Very smooth with (mostly) minimal impact on knees, ankles, back, or neck. Anyone with non-complementary fitness is going to feel tightness and hesitance without being able to power through the very slow over exaggerated motions. Notice how he breathes and incorporates actively resting. The way he springs into movement very controlled and easy using as little muscle as possible. You can see by the last few minutes he’s getting flush as he gets back on his feet and shakes out a bit.