Struggles with weight...

[Dave Schwartz]

I don't know how many of you may struggle with a weight problem but I can tell you that I do. I'd like to share an absolutely wonderful approach that is working for me. Of course, it is still early (this is day 25) but the results at this point are very gratifying. (I am down 12 pounds.)

The idea comes from a book by Jorge Cruise, 8 Minutes in the Morning: A Simple Way to Shed up to 2 Pounds a Week Guaranteed

http://www.amazon.com/Minutes-Morning-Simple-Pounds-Guaranteed/dp/0060505389/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213288853&sr=8-2

Cruz's approach to exercise is very simple: 4 sets of 12 reps of 2 exercises each morning, weight training is best. The catch is that each set should be a "max weight" set. That is, each set is the maximum weight you can handle. As he says, if you could do a 13th rep, you need to add weight.

I know this doesn't sound like much but it is having a huge impact on me.

Of course, I am watching what I eat as well - Cruise suggests a diet I did not like so I am doing a Weight Watcher point-counting system that amounts to about 1600 calories per day. Believe me, I am not by any means starving or feeling deprived. (I really do not count the points closely.)


So, for what it's worth, if exercise is the hard part, I strongly recommend this book and Cruise's system.


Regards,
Dave Schwartz

[njcurveball]

Thanks for sharing Dave! I don't think nature was set up to have refrigerators and freezers to store food and I definitely think a lot of the weight "challenges" today are due to the chemicals, preservatives, dyes, etc. put into food.

One of the things that needs to be focused on is how the body digests and burns food. If you have something that can sit out for weeks and never break down or spoil, why would you think your body can digest it properly?

Sounds like you are doing great, so start your long toss and the Yanks may be calling you for the bullpen in a few months. :ThmbUp:

Jim

[46zilzal]

A lot of it has to do with food additives. Once I changed to organic, the weight has been much easier to leave alone.

[DJofSD]

Dave, thanks for the info and sharing.

In recent years, I've found my metabolism has slowed. About 18 months ago, I was shocked to discover how many addition pounds I was carrying -- almost 25 pounds and it was more than I had ever weighed before in my life. I did a quick diet by cutting back on portions and doing a bit more activities such as playing some round ball with the kid, walking more especially avoiding the elevators and taking short walks along with doing some (dreaded) yard work. I was able to drop almost ten pounds before a physical exam by my personal doctor of over 30 years. My doctor was not overly alarmed when I told him that I had recently wieghed more and had dropped 8 or 9 pounds but just cautioned me not to let it creep up any beyond where I was at now.

Getting a scale (finally) helped me maintain an awareness of my weight. Never felt the need to have one before. But then, things do change, don't they.

So, I've maintained my goal of 185 @ 6'2". In fact, I am fluctuating between 178 and 180. My goal would be to drop another 5 to 10 pounds, and, if getting those old free weights out of the garage will allow me to do that, I'll owe you one!

[DJofSD]

A lot of it has to do with food additives. Once I changed to organic, the weight has been much easier to leave alone.

I believe this to be on the money.

Having had a low level interest in nutrition and diet for some time, I'm familar with the teachings of people that have railed against additives, especially those of Dr. Weil.

So, some of the recent changes I have made are to avoid drinks that use corn syrup (but like Dr. Weil a Coca Cola every once a great while) and drinking green tea.

[Tom]

Why do people gain weight?
Simple.

Our mouths are this big O
and another part of our anatomy is only this big o

[DJofSD]

Geeze, Tom. Now I'll never be able to keep a straight face when I hear some one say "oh oh!"

[so.cal.fan]

46 zilzal?

What is your opinion of MSG? I've heard theories that it contributes to obesity along with other serious disorders.
It's shocking how many of our foods contain this, it has many hidden names.

[KMS]

Dave, thanks for the info and sharing.

In recent years, I've found my metabolism has slowed. About 18 months ago, I was shocked to discover how many addition pounds I was carrying -- almost 25 pounds and it was more than I had ever weighed before in my life. I did a quick diet by cutting back on portions and doing a bit more activities such as playing some round ball with the kid, walking more especially avoiding the elevators and taking short walks along with doing some (dreaded) yard work. I was able to drop almost ten pounds before a physical exam by my personal doctor of over 30 years. My doctor was not overly alarmed when I told him that I had recently wieghed more and had dropped 8 or 9 pounds but just cautioned me not to let it creep up any beyond where I was at now.

Getting a scale (finally) helped me maintain an awareness of my weight. Never felt the need to have one before. But then, things do change, don't they.

So, I've maintained my goal of 185 @ 6'2". In fact, I am fluctuating between 178 and 180. My goal would be to drop another 5 to 10 pounds, and, if getting those old free weights out of the garage will allow me to do that, I'll owe you one!

Without actually looking at you, 180 at 6-2 sounds fine. 170 would be getting towards the "too thin" side. At 5-10, I'm 185-190, and could stand to lose a little, but wouldn't want to get below 175 myself.

As someone who's been a weightlifter all my life, I think WHAT you do is less important than just doing something. The best exercise program is one you enjoy enough to do regularly.

[46zilzal]

46 zilzal?

What is your opinion of MSG? I've heard theories that it contributes to obesity along with other serious disorders.
It's shocking how many of our foods contain this, it has many hidden names.
ANYTHING that is not food has questionable absorption and breakdown. My wife is so sensitive to it now that she can smell it in foods.

Eat food not chemicals.

[DJofSD]

Without actually looking at you, 180 at 6-2 sounds fine. 170 would be getting towards the "too thin" side. At 5-10, I'm 185-190, and could stand to lose a little, but wouldn't want to get below 175 myself.

All of my adult life up to 10 years ago, I weight between 155 and 160. Ya, skinny. About ten years ago, I started to carry a little bit more, say 165. It's been only in the last 2 years it has really gone up.

[jballscalls]

i'm a big guy, 6'4" and have always been overweight. I know for me, exercise in the morning has always been more beneficial than doing it in the evening. I've lost about 35 lbs over the last two years just by giving up fast food and eating more fish instead of steak.

good luck with your continued success.

[46zilzal]

i I've lost about 35 lbs over the last two years just by giving up fast food and eating more fish instead of steak.


All my cardiology friends say: Eat fish and foul for better cardiovascular health. It works, particularly the fish oil.

[Tom]

Cut out white bread ( go to whole wheat), potatoes, ice cream ( low carb is fine), add salads, lots of water, and watch it come off. I lost 40 pounds with little effort.

I even had one chocolate covered caramel every day for a treat.

[Dave Schwartz]

Thanks for the encouragement. Sounds like most of you are doing better than I have been doing.

I've got around 60 pounds to lose so it won't happen over night.


Dave

[46zilzal]

Thanks for the encouragement. Sounds like most of you are doing better than I have been doing.

I've got around 60 pounds to lose so it won't happen over night.



It would be DANGEROUS if it happened that way. The body is built to be homeostatic: it takes time to set a new equilibrium

[wonatthewire1]

Thanks for the encouragement. Sounds like most of you are doing better than I have been doing.

I've got around 60 pounds to lose so it won't happen over night.


Dave


Best of luck!

Cruise's "12 Second Sequence" came out two books later and the "3 hour diet" works well too. The first concentrates on exercising 2x a week for about 20 minutes (resistance training) and the second works on metabolism by eating smaller portions every 3 or so hours...

I've dropped 25 in 3 months working it - with these two - the exercises in 12 seconds are short but intense

[Pace Cap'n]

46Z...Is it correct that the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in?

[46zilzal]

46Z...Is it correct that the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in?
it is a biochemical equation that has to balance. TO hear these diet guru's try to suspend the laws of chemistry is always worth a laugh.

[Hank]

Thanks for the encouragement. Sounds like most of you are doing better than I have been doing.

I've got around 60 pounds to lose so it won't happen over night.


Dave

Keep choping wood Dave.Eating 5 or 6 small meals a day helps a great deal as does working out in the morning on an empty stomach.This get the metabolism going and burns more fat for fuel.:ThmbUp:

[sammy the sage]

""Our mouths are this big O
and another part of our anatomy is only this big o""

:lol: when Tom write's/talks about himself!

[DJofSD]

Wow! Jorge's got more than just one book. Check it out! (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=10&WRD=8+Minutes+in+the+Morning+jorge&SAT=1)

[jognlope]

About food additives: For one they give me a headache, but I was sent a story by someone of how they cause fat to be retained as a barrier against them. I believe it.

Thanks I can afford that book!

The way I lost weight was to go off all medication -- look at all the fat people you see, some of them are on certan medications that the pharmaceuticals didn't tell them would add on 40 to 100 pounds!

I was thin until age 38 or so and then the weight started adding, mostly because of the medication. I've lost 12 pounds, still kind of like to eat, but now I can eat less and I substitute Ensure for meals a lot and this helps and also makes me feel better.

Good luck!

[Overlay]

You wouldn't necessarily know it to look at me now, but back in 2000-2002, I lost about 90 pounds in a 17-month span. I was in a job situation that didn't put me under a lot of pressure or stress, so I wasn't resorting to "comfort food". I didn't starve myself or give up any particular food I liked, but I quit eating until I was full at meals, and stopped eating junk food and going to fast-food restaurants altogether. I switched exclusively to diet drinks and skim milk (that was a big part of it). My only form of exercise was walking, but I did a lot of it. I thought I had had enough grounding in the new lifestyle to maintain my low weight permanently, but then I went away to Army Management Staff College for twelve weeks (by myself) to further my career, and compensated for the pressure of the situation by starting to overeat again. When I got back on the job, I was assigned to increasingly greater responsibilities and kept on gaining weight. I think I'm finally back in a situation where I can get back on my former regimen, but it definitely takes determination (at least initially, until you get the positive reinforcement of seeing that you're actually losing weight). But I know now that it's not necessary for me to make drastic lifestyle changes that I can't sustain in order to lose weight.

[DJofSD]

Why it's hard to maintain weight loss - Special Report for the Los Angeles Times.

Based on data from more than 7,000 people, Wing says there are few similarities in how people lose weight. But those who succeed in maintenance sing the same song.

Instead of trying to eat less for the rest of their lives to bridge the energy gap, these people exercise more. They typically spend an hour or more each day in aerobic exercise and strictly limit time spent watching television.

Physical activity, in ways that researchers don't really understand, influences some of the biological systems that promote weight regain, encouraging the body to become more sensitive to leptin and insulin, for example.

"Everyone thinks exercise is about burning calories," Fujioka says. "But you are actually returning the system to more like what it should be. Things start working again."

The successful maintainers also change what they eat: The registry found that they keep their calories in careful balance with what they expend -- religiously referring to calorie charts and writing down everything they consume. They also tend to eat low-fat foods.

But there may be more nuances to food choices than that. "We're getting more interested in studies that look at food composition," Fujioka says. "It could be that eating certain nutrients may also help the system work better."

Studies suggest that calcium, for example, may help people regulate their weight, he says. No one really understands how calcium may do this -- in fact, the theory is controversial. But it could be that a diet high in calcium suppresses a form of vitamin D called calcitriol that revs up fat-burning processes.

Other research has focused on foods that balance blood-sugar levels, such as low-glycemic and fibrous foods. Studies show that eating low-glycemic foods, such as lentils and nuts and foods with high water or fiber content, helps stabilize blood sugar and curb the brain signals that urge people to eat. Fiber does this by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates from food, which helps lower their glycemic load.

"Weight loss alone is not a realistic goal," Lyon says. "It can do more harm than good. The key is to get your brain back on your side. The starting point of that is stabilizing blood sugar."


The entire article here. (http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/health/la-he-regain2-2008jun02,0,2351424,full.story)

[JustRalph]

ANYTHING that is not food has questionable absorption and breakdown. My wife is so sensitive to it now that she can smell it in foods.

Eat food not chemicals.

:lol: :lol: :lol: you're killing me...............

[KMS]

i'm a big guy, 6'4" and have always been overweight. I know for me, exercise in the morning has always been more beneficial than doing it in the evening. I've lost about 35 lbs over the last two years just by giving up fast food and eating more fish instead of steak.

good luck with your continued success.

for complex physiological reasons having to do with hormone levels, exercising first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is not optimal, at least for building muscle. HOWEVER, as I said before, the best exercise program is one that you'll do consistently. So if it works for you, keep it up!

[Tom]

46Z...Is it correct that the only way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in?

Well, surgery would do it. Lob off a leg and go have a pizza!

[Tom]

""Our mouths are this big O
and another part of our anatomy is only this big o""

:lol: when Tom write's/talks about himself!

Actually, YOU inspired that one!

[banacek]

Cut out white bread ( go to whole wheat)

Almost everything I read says eat whole wheat and I agree. But the reality is that I grew up on white bread and I HATE the flavour of whole wheat bread. And the diet authors act like it is simple - for me it would be more like quitting betting the races. When I need to lose weight, I pretty well have to eat no bread at all - the minute I have a piece of fresh French bread with butter, I can kiss my diet goodbye!

[Tom]

Yeah, hot French bread with melting butter.....Hmmmmmmm.


Oh crap.....there goes lunch!

[wes]

Eat more possum. Armadillos are possum on half shell.

wes

[Dave Schwartz]

Wes,

LOL - Too much. Are you from Louisiana?


Dave

[wonatthewire1]

the whole country would be in jail

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?no_interstitial

[JustRalph]

I sure as hell would be.

What a crock of shit..............

[Dave Schwartz]

Wow! Good thing I am going to lose weight. I like going to Japan.


:lol:

[Valuist]

I definitely recommend walking. I used to have some back problems but when I started walking a lot about 10 years ago, they went away. A brisk 30 minute walk is good cardio exercise, and can be relaxing as well as a good way to burn calories. In the winter, I'll go to the gym and use either the treadmill or eliptical. Many of the new ones now have their own TVs. Weight training is excellent also, since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. I laugh when I hear people (women are especially guilty of this) say "I don't want to lift weights because I'll gain all that bulk". Ask any bodybuilder how "easy" it was to gain the bulk.....

[Sherry]

Weight training is excellent also, since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. I laugh when I hear people (women are especially guilty of this) say "I don't want to lift weights because I'll gain all that bulk". Ask any bodybuilder how "easy" it was to gain the bulk.....

I lift weights 3-4 times a week. Here is a great training course that is free.


http://www.ast-ss.com/max-ot/max-ot_intro.asp

[PaceAdvantage]

the whole country would be in jail

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?no_interstitial

For a second there, I thought this was another one of those "cellphone popcorn" hoaxes....but then I see it's the NYT, so it must be for real....:lol:

But seriously folks, the following line from the above article scared the living daylights out of me when I read it:

If necessary, those people will be steered toward further re-education after six more months.Scary stuff...

[Tom]

Bloomberg is the advance man for the coming dem control of everyone's lives.
Serioulsy, this nut bag is bad news for freedom.

NY, please, take care of your garbage.

[wonatthewire1]

Bloomberg is the advance man for the coming dem control of everyone's lives.
Serioulsy, this nut bag is bad news for freedom.

NY, please, take care of your garbage.


Can you imagine McCain putting him on the ticket as the VeeP?

Two Commies running for Prez this year - time to move to France?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/06/14/bush.france/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[cmoore]

Today is the day I'm starting an exercise program...Eating right will come a little later. I'll be 40 soon and want to be in the best shape evaaaaa.

[Tom]

Can you imagine McCain putting him on the ticket as the VeeP?

Two Commies running for Prez this year - time to move to France?

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/06/14/bush.france/index.html?section=cnn_latest

The way things are going, FRANCE might well be a better nation to live in soon enough. They are moving in the right direction.

[Dave Schwartz]

And, to get this thread back on track, after 37 days on the program, I am at -17 pounds.

Lost 3+ inches from my waste and, according to my scale (which claims to measure BMI) I have actually lost 24 lbs of fat!

I am encouraged!

[pktruckdriver]

At a whopping 400lbs myself, please share your secret Dave.

And lots of praise too, I know ita hard work losing anything, and keeping it off, the hardest part.

I say that because it has been the hardest for me, I lose 25-40lbs and feel good , relax and soon its back, But I have a feeling you not going to let that happen Dave, I hope not.


Keep up the good work Dave.

[Dave Schwartz]

No big secret... Look at the first post in this thread.

[cmoore]

Today is the day I'm starting an exercise program...Eating right will come a little later. I'll be 40 soon and want to be in the best shape evaaaaa.

I joined a gym back in January. I paid for 2 months membership and didn't go once..So Wednesday I broke out my Total Gym I've had for years. First Workout feels good. Now on Thursday I need to go for a jog.

[WinterTriangle]

I'm familar with the teachings of people that have railed against additives, especially those of Dr. Weil.

Dr. Andrew Weil's "Eight Weeks to Optimum Health" should be required reading for all. You have 8 weeks to slowly *change* your lifestyle. He doesn't get radical, it's something everyone can do...add in some good habits while deleting bad ones......quite painless, and by the end of 8 weeks you really HAVE made vast improvements.

Walking is a big component of the plan. I got my 80 year old mom on this....she started out at 1/10th of a mile, and is now up to a 45-min walk daily. She is fitter than ever before, after only 8 weeks!

I swim laps 4x a week. I have too many joint injuries to play tennis, run, etc. anymore. Swimming toned me up real fast.

[46zilzal]

Just give up the elevator, within reason, and you will be amazed at the change. My wife steals the car keys so I have to walk to the store all the time and with the price of gas, that is an ever increasingly popular choice.

[RichieP]

I lift weights 3-4 times a week. Here is a great training course that is free.
http://www.ast-ss.com/max-ot/max-ot_intro.asp

Thanks Sherry! I'm checking it out right now. :ThmbUp:

[Tom]

Thanks Sherry! I'm checking it out right now. :ThmbUp:

I lift, too. My butt out of the chair, then I jog it to the fridge.
I can't understand why I am not losing more, with all that exercise!

[Dave Schwartz]

A short update...

Well, this is week 10 of our 60-day plan. (No joke... we decided to renew our program.)

Our weight loss has slowed... we went to Seattle for a few days and, counting the rest of that week, blew up 6 pounds each! Just shows how not-permanent this weight loss will be if we don't stay on the program indefinitely.

The following week (last week) we both lost huge - I lost 7 pounds and Beth lost 6. She has surged ahead again by one pound this week, however.

Although the weight loss has slowed I have now lost almost 5" around my waist and, most important, am no longer diabetic!


Three years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes. (In case you don't know, that's what happens when you are obese.) Now, I was only mildly diabetic - sugar counts in the low 130's (125 is the dividing line), compared to some diabetics report morning sugar in the 400's.

I began reading and all that I read told me that the common medications address the symptoms rather than the problem. That is, they (essentially) cause the pancreas to secrete more insulin in the hope that the muscles will absorb more of it. Unfortunately, a bi-product of these medications is that one typically gains even more weight, often as much as 5 pounds per month!

I refused to take the medication and began to "struggle" with my weight - hence, this thread.

When I started this diet my morning blood sugar was consistently in the 175-220 range. Now, 10 weeks later, I am testing under 120 almost every day! I am really looking forward to my next doctor visit because he told me that I had to go on medication.


Meanwhile, back to my real life (which is horse racing). <G>

Dave

[so.cal.fan]

Very encouraging Dave! :)

[delayjf]

Dave, the big weight shifts you are experiencing are probably water. When you eat carbs and refill the glycogen stores in your body, you add about 2 parts water to every part of glycogen.

The slow down in weight loss is probably due to a slow down in your metabolism. Unfortunately, one's thyroid function is determined by the amount of carbs one consumes, as your carb consumption declines, eventually your thyroid production will decline as well to the point that your metabolism will drop making it hard to continure to lose more weight.

Several diets (the Lendora plan) call for a rotation between a low carb phase (fat loss) and a carb phase of about 2 weeks to reset your thyroid / set point. The key is not to eat bad carbs during the carb phase and not to over do it. You want enough good carbs to revive your thyroid but not to regain the fat and you will gain weight during the carb phase, but as long as you are eating good carbs and not eating too much, then the weight gain will be all water.

[RaceBookJoe]

Congratulations Dave, you should be proud of yourself. I think the biggest problem why people say they cannot lose weight, or keep it off, is because they refuse to change their lifestyle. A few years back I was 217 pounds and today I am right at 170. Losing the weight was actually quite easy, changin habits was the hard part.
First thing I did was started eating all organic, and did a few body cleanses ( colon,candida, liver etc ). I started walking every day and slowly got away from all chemicals, or as much as possible. A few natural things I did for my diet in addition to organic were these :
1. Added cinnamon to my coffee and oatmeal
2. 2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar
3. 2 cups of yerba mate tea every day
4. Snack on grapefruit and apples.
Some of those seem to be old wives tales, but have worked for me. I slowly added light weight training. To me, ridding my body of the junk that is in normal food ( chemicals, gh etc ) and fortunately have never had to take any medications ( they seem to bloat people ) have really changed my life. Please keep us posted on further progress and let me know if you tried any of the things I wrote. rbj

[njcurveball]

I refused to take the medication and began to "struggle" with my weight - hence, this thread.

When I started this diet my morning blood sugar was consistently in the 175-220 range. Now, 10 weeks later, I am testing under 120 almost every day! I am really looking forward to my next doctor visit because he told me that I had to go on medication.


Dave

Great job Dave! Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping us updated! :ThmbUp:

[Dave Schwartz]

Dave, the big weight shifts you are experiencing are probably water. When you eat carbs and refill the glycogen stores in your body, you add about 2 parts water to every part of glycogen.

I would seriously doubt that.

From what I have read the issue is simply the combination of calories and exercise - we went on vacation and "rotated" the calories significantly upward while the exercise (weight training) stopped. Although we walked a lot, what we have learned that aerobic exercise does not raise your metabolism like anaerobic exercise does. Aerobics raise it higher but it does not last as long, while anaerobic doesn't raise it as high but it lasts longer. (Kind of like this sentence.)

So, after rotating upwards in daily calories we then rotated downward and experience the "first week" syndrome all over again. That is, we lost lots of weight then plateau for a few days.

This has been our plan - rotate up, crash the calories, plateau for a week, then repeat the process. We are seeing a nice, steady 2.5 pounds per week.


The thing I like is that we are definitely burning fat because of the obvious changes in our muscle mass. When I started, I could pinch about 6 inches of fat at my waste (ugh!). I have only lost 25 pounds but now only pinch about 2 inches.

Our (highly inaccurate) BMI scale says that I have dropped 9%. (We have a Medco scale for actual weight.)


1. Added cinnamon to my coffee and oatmeal
2. 2 teaspoons of organic apple cider vinegar
3. 2 cups of yerba mate tea every day
4. Snack on grapefruit and apples.

Good ideas. Biggest things we have accomplished are:

1. Only Splenda for artificial sweetener.
2. No diet sodas (because of the no-Splenda rule) or any other sodas, for that matter.
3. Lots of fruit - but I always did that.
4. Almost no meat. I eat fish/shellfish 4 or 5 times per week. Beth eats chicken.
5. We recently added two bariatric meal shakes (with psillium) twice a day, replacing at least one meal.

No joke... I haven't felt this good in 15-20 years!

Another 25 pounds off and I may start back on martial arts (which I studied for 15 years).


Dave

[RaceBookJoe]

Try Stevia instead of Splenda. Stevia is an herb and i think splenda is a chemical. Artificial sweeteners in my view are not good and it wouldnt surprise me if it comes out someday that they are the cuase of many illnesses. I never eat microwaved food either Also, lean meat is good for protein. I never eat shellfish, has something to do with the way their systems work. I do eat wild-caught fish though, never farm raised. I kind of use the " if it is made by man, it probably isnt too good for you" mantra for the most part (whether its food, or a body product ). Some of the stuff above I use for general good health, not for weight loss per se. There is so much to talk about on these subjects but dont want to hijack the thread. Enjoy your new body image and healthier lifestyle. rbj

[equicom]

Dave, I am very pleased for you that you're getting results from this, but I think you have to be a bit careful not to get carried away here.

There are a couple of factors at work here that you might not be aware of.

1. When you first start exercising, you will always shock the system enough that some weight loss occurs. If your diet stays the same and your workout doesn't vary, your body will eventually "settle" and you won't lose fat as efficiently and you may even start putting it back on again.

2. High-weight low reps is the method used by body builders to pack on muscle mass quickly. Any gain in muscle mass will boost your metabolic rate and you'll burn calories more quickly and more efficiently.

3. The two concerns I have about this program are that firstly there is no significant sustained cardio element (in a way that can be a good thing, especially if you are likely to have heart problems from exercise) and secondly that when you lift heavy weights, if you are not used to it and have not worked up to it, you are more likely to "cheat" and probably will not lift in a smooth, controlled manner. This makes injury more likely, and also means that you are not getting the full benefit of the work out.

A more conventional workout would involve 2 or 3 heavy days with 2 or 3 cardio days, to keep your motor running. When we train horses, they only get a couple of fast days per week, they don't sprint every day. Same principle for humans.

Also you need to get the lactic acid out of the muscle tissue, and slow work days can help that occur more efficiently.

Mostly it sounds good, but you need to make sure you are concentrating properly as you lift the weights so it is controlled movement.

Please keep posting your progress too, not only so we know how you're getting on, but if it really is the "magic formula" you might give a few other people the inspiration they need to get started, which can only be a good thing.

[RaceBookJoe]

Good point about the aerobic/anaerobic info. Aerobic exercise will burn calories but it is much better for your heart. For fat loss, taking a long moderately- paced walk( where you can still have a conversation with someone) is much better. Weight training is good for muscles and bone density....but if done quickly( circuit train) you can kill 2 birds with 1 stone. We can always start a "good health tips" thread or you can pm if you have any questions. rbj

[delayjf]

I would seriously doubt that.
I got that from a book I read that did an extensive study of high protein diets, I will check the source.
went on vacation and "rotated" the calories significantly upward while the exercise (weight training) stopped.
If you think about it the amount of excess calories above and beyond what your normal break even caloric intake (not your dieting caloric intake) it would take an increase of about 3500 calories a day to add that much weight. And then to lose that same weight in one week from a simple calories in calories out stand point, you would basically have to starve. That's why I conclude that the big weight shifts are water weight.

I recall when I was doing the Atkins diet - if I got off of it for a day or two, I would put on about 8 pounds - no way I ate that much in two days to add 8 pounds of body mass.

[Dave Schwartz]

Based upon the idea that 3500 calories=1 pound and that is all there is to it, then it should not matter what type of calories you eat but it does. It also shouldn't matter whether or not you exercise, after all it is just math. But it does matter.

So, it isn't simply the calorie count.

My experience is that I always lose a lot more weight in the "first week." Therefore, my goal is to have as many "first weeks" as I can.

Dave
who is always
looking for an edge

[RaceBookJoe]

Thats because the body is a 'lagging indicator'. It runs at a certain level, and when you cut calories it is still running at the original level so you lose weight. Then the body realizes there is less food being fed the body, so it slows down for self-conservation. Thats why people lose faith in diets. When they go back to their original eating habits, the body is still at the slow speed and the weight comes back.

[JustRalph]

Dave, no advice from me............just a huge Attaboy!!! Congrats!

[delayjf]

Below is what I found with a quick search of the internet with regards to the relationship of water to Glycogen.


"Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and it’s packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it’s stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with it’s associated water. It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if you’re prone to obsessing over the number on the scale."

http://everythingatkins.net/scalelies.html

[DJofSD]

It’s normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level.

I've been told that weight shifts of a couple of pounds is normal and expected.

Now I know why.

Mucho gracias.

[RichieP]

Great thread Dave!

I am on day 9 of a lifestyle change. A neighbor is a gold gloves boxer and his dad was a gold gloves champ. They gave me this feedback 6 days ago:

1) Because I was out of shape do NOT lift any type of weights for the first 60 days.

2) No bread of any kind. No salt. No soda (diet included). No sugar. No coffee.

3) Make a fist (everyone's is a different size). 2 times a week I can eat ANYTHING I want that is fattening etc etc. Catch is the amount is the size of my fist (just shy of a cup) and that is it per sitting.

4) Drink 1 gallon of purified water a day in 6 oz glasses. In addition 1 8 oz glass of 1% or skim milk.

5) Recommended foods - Blueberries,green grapes,walnuts,carrots,romaine lettuce, ground turkey/chicken, garlic,fish oil,broccoli,spinach,greens etc

6) Walking - Before leaving the house stand straight and then do 30-40 heel raises lifting the heel off the ground and holding for 3 seconds then release and repeat. This warms the calves for the upcoming walk.

Go into the kitchen and take out the Saran Wrap. With your shirt off and starting at the upper chest begin wrapping yourself with the stuff until you get to the lowest part of the belly. The wrap is not tight enough so that you can't move/breathe BUT IS TIGHT ENOUGH that you MUST alter your breathing to shorter breaths to be comfortable. Then put your shirt on and you are good to go.

I thought they were out of their mind but after doing this the first time the difference was unreal in the amount of sweat pouring off me when I was done. It also trains you to breathe correctly and prevents over breathing/fainting.Got this all from them.

They told me to do this for the first 2 months. After that they are going to set me up with a very simple routine of push ups/pull ups/crunches that the father said will do more for conditioning/toning than I will believe.

It's only been 4 days of applying what they said but I am feeling it man. Up to a 3.2 mile fast walk in the morning where the first day I stopped well short of a mile.

When I get a craving to eat the Father told me to munch on fresh baby carrots. Funny they are actually starting to taste ok! lol

Anyway congrats Dave and everyone else "doing it". :ThmbUp:

[cmoore]

I did the body for life program about 5 years ago. I got as far as 2 months into the program. I jogged 20 minutes a day 3 days a week and worked out 3 days a week. It's a great program. The main things are eating 5 healthy meals a day. That will speed up your metabolism. One day a week you can eat whatever you want. Man did I pig out on that one day. LOL!! It also stresses pushing your cardio workout. Whether it be swimming, biking, jogging. There should be bursts of 15-30 seconds to really get your heart rate up. These bursts are better then just a constant pace the whole time. I jogged at the local high school track and got my 1/2 mile time down to 2:52 in just 2 months. I never was a long distant runner. I see many people who run 5 miles 4 or 5 time a week and they are still heavy. Thats a lot of time wasted if your goal is to lose weight. I'm getting back into it again slowly. It takes me over 4 minutes to run a half mile now. That will improve. The body for life program is for the serious who want to tackle all aspects at once. Working out, Cardio, 5 meals a day and planning your meals. But if you were to use the bursts in your cardio and eat 5 hand size meals a day. That would definitely help.

[delayjf]

Somthing else I meant to point out - They do make diet soft drinks with splenda instead of aspartine. I get the Ralphs brand which has the splenda logo on the package.

[jognlope]

Don't eat at night, just doing that, you will probably lose weight. That's my plan for now, and eating half portions and I end up not wanting the rest (most of the time) -- the 20 minute rule that it takes for you to be just as satiated on the half. I've lost 4 inches from my waist and I'm still fat but getting there.

[Dave Schwartz]

Joggie,

You have just defined my number one issue: eating at night. If I eat dinner at 6pm I want to snack until 9. I have addressed it by controlling what I snack on.

I allow myself only 2 Weight Watcher points (about 100-150 calories), so I eat sugar-free Jello, hearts of palm (one of my favorites) and an apple.

Dave

[juanepstein]

I don't know how many of you may struggle with a weight problem but I can tell you that I do. I'd like to share an absolutely wonderful approach that is working for me. Of course, it is still early (this is day 25) but the results at this point are very gratifying. (I am down 12 pounds.)

The idea comes from a book by Jorge Cruise, 8 Minutes in the Morning: A Simple Way to Shed up to 2 Pounds a Week Guaranteed

http://www.amazon.com/Minutes-Morning-Simple-Pounds-Guaranteed/dp/0060505389/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213288853&sr=8-2

Cruz's approach to exercise is very simple: 4 sets of 12 reps of 2 exercises each morning, weight training is best. The catch is that each set should be a "max weight" set. That is, each set is the maximum weight you can handle. As he says, if you could do a 13th rep, you need to add weight.

I know this doesn't sound like much but it is having a huge impact on me.

Of course, I am watching what I eat as well - Cruise suggests a diet I did not like so I am doing a Weight Watcher point-counting system that amounts to about 1600 calories per day. Believe me, I am not by any means starving or feeling deprived. (I really do not count the points closely.)


So, for what it's worth, if exercise is the hard part, I strongly recommend this book and Cruise's system.


Regards,
Dave Schwartz

does he tell you that you have a greater risk of a heart attack working out in the morning.

[JustRalph]

does he tell you that you have a greater risk of a heart attack working out in the morning.


my doc told me that.............. I told him not to worry.......... I don't work out in the evenings either............ :lol:

[juanepstein]

my doc told me that.............. I told him not to worry.......... I don't work out in the evenings either............ :lol:

lol!

who are you groucho marx?

[JustRalph]

I allow myself only 2 Weight Watcher points (about 100-150 calories), so I eat sugar-free Jello, hearts of palm (one of my favorites) and an apple.Dave

same here, but I toss around some whip cream from the can sometimes

[cmoore]

does he tell you that you have a greater risk of a heart attack working out in the morning.

Is that your excuse Juan?? Whats your evening excuse?? LOL!!!

[juanepstein]

Is that your excuse Juan?? Whats your evening excuse?? LOL!!!

thats the truth tough guy.

ive been hiking 6 miles almost everyday for the last two months in the evening. take off at either 4 or 5 pm in 105 to 110 degree weather tough nuts.

talking about sweating frkn gallons,i dont need any saran wrap.

[jognlope]

I know I figure cutting out eating after 5:00 I'll lose weight, because that's when my will is weakest and TV commercials come on with pasta dishes from Olive Garden and succulent deep friend scallops braised in a sugary sauce.....etc from Red Lobster. Sewing really keeps me off the food, gotta start making those show tops again. Something about applying rhinestones and studs is relaxing and I don't think about food.

Doing something with your hands ... woodworking, whittling, pottery, painting..

And fast walking. I lost about 3 pounds in a week, and that's how long I lasted ... a week. But that is good stuff. Get some nice running, not walking shoes, because they are springiest, like those neat spring-loaded shoes from Hamlech Shemler (sp).

[juanepstein]

I know I figure cutting out eating after 5:00 I'll lose weight, because that's when my will is weakest and TV commercials come on with pasta dishes from Olive Garden and succulent deep friend scallops braised in a sugary sauce.....etc from Red Lobster. Sewing really keeps me off the food, gotta start making those show tops again. Something about applying rhinestones and studs is relaxing and I don't think about food.

Doing something with your hands ... woodworking, whittling, pottery, painting..

And fast walking. I lost about 3 pounds in a week, and that's how long I lasted ... a week. But that is good stuff. Get some nice running, not walking shoes, because they are springiest, like those neat spring-loaded shoes from Hamlech Shemler (sp).

buy walking/running shoes from ENDLESS.COM, free overnight delivery and tax free.

i bought a sweet pair of reebok trail running shoes for $59.

[jognlope]

Thanks.

[Dave Schwartz]

Well, it is day 120 and I thought I would provide an update.

First, the bad news. I have not lost a pound in 36 days and am stuck at -28.

Now for the good news. I continue to lose inches as my morning workouts are changing my body. As of our last measurement (last week) I have lost 6 1/2 inches around my waist! Apparently, one more inch and I can start buying clothes at places besides Casual Male and Big and Tall.

Unfortunately, I have traditionally shopped in the big part of the store. If I get this workout thing going well, perhaps I will get taller as welll. :bang:


The best news of all is what 120 *consecutive days of exercise without missing a day does for your belief in self. I cannot tell you how many years it has been since I followed any personal commitment for 4 straight months!

(*Actually we exercise 6 days per week. We missed 3 days while out of town but made them up later.)


I strongly suggest that if you need a psychological lift, consider this book.
http://www.horsestreet.com/BBSImages/8minsinmorning.jpg

Anyone... everyone can do eight minutes.


Regards to all,
Dave Schwartz

[DJofSD]

Dave, thanks for posting the update!

Your progress is proof you are a winner on multiple levels.

Keep it up, keep it up, keep it up, we're all cheering for you.

[Tom]

You're replacing fat with muscles. :ThmbUp::ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

[facorsig]

Today is day 84 of my weight reduction program. I am down 32 kilos (70 pounds) since I started. Dave can attest to how many doughnuts i ate in Reno in January. I have some business meetings in Houston later this month with the same folks who last saw me a little more than 84 days ago. They will be floored. My original goal was to lose 30 kg, but I have increased the goal to 50 kg.

I see a doctor every Tuesday. He gives me a piece of paper with my meals for the next week listed. I am also taking a steady diet of silymarin (milk thistle) tablets and a daily Reductil tablet. I am also taking golf lessons and hitting at the driving range. The weight loss has helped my flexibility. I joined a gym this past week and plan to visit Friday and Saturday morning.

This diet is similar to one I used several years ago. I have a review posted on Amazon from the earlier diet. A lady here in Abu Dhabi tracked me down and I gave her a copy of the book. I have given away more than 40 over the last few years.

http://www.amazon.com/Cant-Lose-Weight-Unlock-Secrets/dp/0967398371/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Fred

[RaceBookJoe]

You're replacing fat with muscles. :ThmbUp::ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

And when you get to that point, dont worry about the scale, go by your body shape, how clothes fit and how great you look in the mirror. I have a bunch of friends who have been doing Bikram Yoga , and they have all burned a ton of fat and developed nice muscles. I am going to give it a whirl eventually. rbj

[JustRalph]

Congrats !!!

[Tom]

Dave, how much have you lost?
I might have found it! :eek:

[Dave Schwartz]

Well, the streak is still alive. We are currently at day 191 and neither Beth nor I have missed a day of exercise (although we take Sunday off).

My weightloss has totally stagnated and I have not lost a pound in about 90 days. I am still at around minus 30. However, I have now lost 7.5 inches around my waste and have added a treadmill to the mix of exercises.

I am looking forward to going back to my martial arts training during the first quarter of 2009. (For 15 years I worked out 20-30 hours per week. When I took a hiatus - for a stupid reason 27 years ago - I gained 70 pounds. That is how I got into this miss to begin with. If only I had made this commitment 26 years ago.)


Also, please understand that this is not me saying, "See how great I am?" If it comes off that way, I assure you that is not what is intended. I am still a fat guy, but at least now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. (And I am no longer the fatest.)


What is it they say about pilots? There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots. The same could be said of men: "There are old men and there are fat men, but there are no old, fat men.


In all seriousness, if anyone would care to discuss how to facilitate changes like this for themselves, please do not hesitate to contact me. (No, I am not selling diet plans or coaching. This stuff is just hard.)


Dave

[cj]

I was in a similar boat Dave. I was up to 255 while still on active duty. I just got lazy and busy with work. I finally decided enough was enough and started eating better...not great, but better, and running. I built up to about 30 miles a week and have run a half marathon and will do so again this spring. Maybe next year I'll do a whole marathon.

I am now down to 210 and holding steady. I could lose more, but I'm pretty happy and feel great. Once you stagnate, if you want to lose more, you either have to exercise more or eat less. It really is that simple in words, but of course not that simple in reality. I like food too much!

After the holidays I'm going to start training again for the half marathon, so that definitely helps. There is something to hanging up that training schedule on the fridge and knowing if you miss a day you can't mark it off and have to look at it!

[Dave Schwartz]

CJ,

Congratulations to you!

Isn't it amazing how it seemed so easy (in comparison to now) when we were young to commit to something and actually do it? I find that feeling coming back. It is very empowering.

I am still at the walking stage, and with some degree of luck, I will completely skip the running part. I always hated that. Eventually I hope to get my aerobics from martial arts techniques.

I just thought of something else that you have (and I hope to gain back)... You can perceive exercise as an event, or an "outing;" something to put on the calendar and look forward to. I don't have that YET.


Dave

[delayjf]

Dave,

Depending on how much you have been cutting calories, you might be stagnating because your thyroid hormone levels have dropped.

I can recall how I could get down to 203 pounds in the Marine Corps but not matter how much I cut I would get stuck at that weight.

What you might consider doing is to come off the diet for about 2 weeks - but try to keep it to a dull roar. Your thyroid output is dependent on carb intake. If you have been cutting back on carbs, you will gain weight back, but most of it will be water weight that accompanies the glycogen back into your muscles. You could also add a little more exercise to offset some of the additional calories.

[Dave Schwartz]

LOL - I am not losing weight because I am simply not dieting "hard." I am treading water, bouncing up and down in about a 4-pound window. In other words, I am still eating too good.

I guess I am not that committed. :D

Seriously, I am so encouraged by what has happened as the result of a simple exercise program that I am hoping continuing to increase the exercise will get me to lose the weight I need. I just remember back to when I ate anything and as much as I wanted without ever gaining weight. 20+ hours a week of violent exercise will do that for you.

So, my goal is to continue to raise my exercise level to a significant point and where it can be fun again, while at the same time eating smarter most of the time. I just do not see watercress sandwiches in my future and a month without chicken wings is like living on bread and water.

I am just amazed that all of this started with just 8 minutes, 6 days per week. Now I am doing about 25 minutes x 6. (We still refer to it as The Torture Chamber.



Dave

[LottaKash]

Well, now that the Holidays are over....OH shucks, the Holidays are here again... So Soon, Holy Moly What happened ? !!!......:eek:

best,

[delayjf]

a month without chicken wings is like living on bread and water.
I hear ya, I'm a confirmed Hooters junkie myself. Even on a diet I went once a week, one spluge meal is not going to kill you or your diet.

[juanepstein]

i was 260 in june i am now 204 on the money.

cut out sugar,salt,high fructose corn syrup.

gp to google map and plot a 3 mile walk or hike. do that 3 mile walk or hike everyday. i did alot of hiking. now i do both hike and weight train. but i weight train on mon./wed./friday and hike tuesday and thursday. if you want to train and walk always do cardio after your weight training never before.


this calorie calculator helps. it will set your daily calorie intake and will help you calorie shift which keeps your body from plateaus. split the calories up into 5 meals- breakfast/snack/lunch/snack/dinner. make your snacks 200 calories and adjust calories left over into your bigger meals.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freedieting.com%2Ftools%2Fcal orie_calculator.htm&ei=BHAsSajODImGsQP9xuzoAQ&usg=AFQjCNH05icHrTbei-GiYB0j6CqoqEtAzA&sig2=kogwaWYkecUARmHgBMrnbA

[juanepstein]

step it up a notch and kick your own asz. told myself this my next step when i hit 200#.

this is the place where all the stunt men in the movie 300 trained at before shooting the movie.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gymjones.com%2F&ei=g3MsSainComMsAP-jLTeAQ&usg=AFQjCNED1dXp-WOPHB8AD_6QXxOOZa-Ssw&sig2=m1W3pWIopTWURSR51dY3vw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCIN6mJS5Tk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=628qphA1-8M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUaNHvJm_60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRVW6u_JAmA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufM8Ew68OEc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbsWNHQ0oxg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45EYNIgdqzA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yPVKLj5Qao

[Dave Schwartz]

Juan,

i was 260 in june i am now 204 on the money.

That's awesome!

I am at 260 and starting to walk. The first few times I walked on the treadmill my calves would cramp after about 7 minutes. Now I am up to about 15 minutes and walking a little faster.

You know, the analogy to winning at the races is perfect: small, incremental improvements, just like working out, walking, running, etc.


Dave

[lamboguy]

i lost 110 pounds 4 years ago and have kept them all off except for 15 pounds that i have put on.

the secret to my plan is that when you start, you must stop excercising for at least 3 weeks. then you go into a workout mode. if you need help i will coach you, just pm me and i would be glad to help.

[juanepstein]

Juan,



That's awesome!

I am at 260 and starting to walk. The first few times I walked on the treadmill my calves would cramp after about 7 minutes. Now I am up to about 15 minutes and walking a little faster.

You know, the analogy to winning at the races is perfect: small, incremental improvements, just like working out, walking, running, etc.


Dave

thanks

you should go out on a trail some where. sure theres a bunch of nice one up in reno. get a nice mp3 player and load it up with songs you love grab a water bottle a walk. but it is winter time(my bad) so treadmill is handy. im picking up a recumbent bike on thanksgiving so i can do my cardio. this sun setting early is getting into my hiking time. i like to hike in 100 degree weather and sweat my asz off instead of in the cold wind with the sun setting.

im also trying to locate a big lap pool around here so i can do some swim training. not having any luck so far.

keep it up buddy.

[juanepstein]

You wouldn't necessarily know it to look at me now, but back in 2000-2002, I lost about 90 pounds in a 17-month span. I was in a job situation that didn't put me under a lot of pressure or stress, so I wasn't resorting to "comfort food". I didn't starve myself or give up any particular food I liked, but I quit eating until I was full at meals, and stopped eating junk food and going to fast-food restaurants altogether. I switched exclusively to diet drinks and skim milk (that was a big part of it). My only form of exercise was walking, but I did a lot of it. I thought I had had enough grounding in the new lifestyle to maintain my low weight permanently, but then I went away to Army Management Staff College for twelve weeks (by myself) to further my career, and compensated for the pressure of the situation by starting to overeat again. When I got back on the job, I was assigned to increasingly greater responsibilities and kept on gaining weight. I think I'm finally back in a situation where I can get back on my former regimen, but it definitely takes determination (at least initially, until you get the positive reinforcement of seeing that you're actually losing weight). But I know now that it's not necessary for me to make drastic lifestyle changes that I can't sustain in order to lose weight.

stay away from diet drinks like diet sodas or foods with artificial sweetners.they will keep your liver from funtioning properly.

the liver is involved in any toxic substances we put into our body and this includes artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, preservatives, and so forth. Our body does not excrete all those toxins and keeps them running through us (they have to go somewhere), so the liver has to jump into action. Now the liver can only do so much before it gets overwhelmed (as we see with the buildup of fatty deposits from high intakes of High Fructose Corn Syrups), but did you know the liver is also an important fat burning organ? It is responsible for making key enzymes that help to release fat from fat cells to be used as energy in the body. But a sick liver will mean an impaired fat burning process and a body primed for increased weight gain.

[juanepstein]

Almost everything I read says eat whole wheat and I agree. But the reality is that I grew up on white bread and I HATE the flavour of whole wheat bread. And the diet authors act like it is simple - for me it would be more like quitting betting the races. When I need to lose weight, I pretty well have to eat no bread at all - the minute I have a piece of fresh French bread with butter, I can kiss my diet goodbye!

go to pita bread then

[juanepstein]

I would seriously doubt that.

From what I have read the issue is simply the combination of calories and exercise - we went on vacation and "rotated" the calories significantly upward while the exercise (weight training) stopped. Although we walked a lot, what we have learned that aerobic exercise does not raise your metabolism like anaerobic exercise does. Aerobics raise it higher but it does not last as long, while anaerobic doesn't raise it as high but it lasts longer. (Kind of like this sentence.)

So, after rotating upwards in daily calories we then rotated downward and experience the "first week" syndrome all over again. That is, we lost lots of weight then plateau for a few days.

This has been our plan - rotate up, crash the calories, plateau for a week, then repeat the process. We are seeing a nice, steady 2.5 pounds per week.


The thing I like is that we are definitely burning fat because of the obvious changes in our muscle mass. When I started, I could pinch about 6 inches of fat at my waste (ugh!). I have only lost 25 pounds but now only pinch about 2 inches.

Our (highly inaccurate) BMI scale says that I have dropped 9%. (We have a Medco scale for actual weight.)




Good ideas. Biggest things we have accomplished are:

1. Only Splenda for artificial sweetener.
2. No diet sodas (because of the no-Splenda rule) or any other sodas, for that matter.
3. Lots of fruit - but I always did that.
4. Almost no meat. I eat fish/shellfish 4 or 5 times per week. Beth eats chicken.
5. We recently added two bariatric meal shakes (with psillium) twice a day, replacing at least one meal.

No joke... I haven't felt this good in 15-20 years!

Another 25 pounds off and I may start back on martial arts (which I studied for 15 years).


Dave

isnt psillium a laxative. if it is id stay away from that your body will function properly with exercise a healthy diet and proper hydration.

try a protien shake after workouts. use whey protien instead of soy protein. soy protein does keep the belly fat around. cut down on the dairy products because it will keep you smooth if your trying to get cut. mix protein shakes with water. never mix protien shakes or supplements with orange juice the acid is no bueno.orange juice isnt good for you anyways on an empty stomach it raises your blood sugar and your body has to incapsilate it in saliva so it doesnt do damage while passing through your system. by supplements i mean the usual multi vitamin. any other weight training supplement is jive.

also put nice jucy pickles on sandwichs instead of mayos or other oils and also use salsas instaed of dairy on food. ive become a salsa fanatic.

[Jeff P]

I'm a little late to the thread - didn't see it until a few minutes ago - I usually steer clear of off topic..

Dave, I really enjoyed reading your progress reports... all I can say is that's AWESOME - keep at it!

If anyone out there happens to be looking for straightforward proven info about getting fit and staying that way - IMHO this is the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Life-Mental-Physical-Strength/dp/0060193395


-jp

.

[Tom]

I gave up on weight loss....I'm trying a different approach.
I am trying to grow 6 inches taller.
I think I have a much better shot.

:p

[delayjf]

isnt psillium a laxative
No, it's a type of fiber. Mentamusil is mostly psillium.

[wonatthewire1]

No, it's a type of fiber. Mentamusil is mostly psillium.


Found a good source of fiber recently, I haven't tried the liquid route as of yet but wanted to increase the number of grams per day.

Mission Carb Balance whole wheat burrito size tortillas - I use one as a wrap for sandwiches instead of bread. 21g of fiber each - they run 200 cals but with a yogurt or a medium size apple - plenty of fiber. Takes a little while to get used to them though but I have one almost every day now.

As for walking in the northern climes in the winter, I have been using a stationary bike for the last couple of years as I do the cardio (walk, bike) at 5am and it can be bitter at that hour. The bike burns more calories but I enjoy walking the other 3 seasons of the year.

Congrats Dave, I've been using the Cruise stuff too. My initial weight was 214 and I've been down to between 170 -175 for just over a year now...

[dav4463]

Drink light beer. :D

[Sailwolf]

At a whopping 400lbs myself, please share your secret Dave.

And lots of praise too, I know ita hard work losing anything, and keeping it off, the hardest part.

I say that because it has been the hardest for me, I lose 25-40lbs and feel good , relax and soon its back, But I have a feeling you not going to let that happen Dave, I hope not.


Keep up the good work Dave.

How is your blood pressure?

[Sailwolf]

Juan,



That's awesome!

I am at 260 and starting to walk. The first few times I walked on the treadmill my calves would cramp after about 7 minutes. Now I am up to about 15 minutes and walking a little faster.

You know, the analogy to winning at the races is perfect: small, incremental improvements, just like working out, walking, running, etc.


Dave

Think about running a 10K? (6.2 miles)

[Dave Schwartz]

Think about running a 10K? (6.2 miles)

Oh, probably not.

[rastajenk]

No, it's a type of fiber. Mentamusil is mostly psillium.Mentamusil? Bran for the brain? :D

[rrbauer]

Why do people gain weight?
Simple.

Our mouths are this big O
and another part of our anatomy is only this big o




I would've never thought that based on what some people call me.

Can I tell them that "big asshole" is a misnomer? Or is it an oxymoron?

I always get those two mixed up. :)

[banacek]

And then I get this today from Amazon....


"We've noticed that customers who have purchased or rated Winning Moves: How To Win At Horse Racing (http://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?R=NFDKEBUXSN0B&C=27C1UAI0VNS8M&H=xx0ky9nF2plncyJjGwPy8OhjWYIA&T=C&U=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F1438287569%2F ref%3Dpe_5050_10831200_pe_snp_695) by Prentice Mannetter have also purchased Don't be a FATTY - Weight Loss Guide Color Edition People struggling with Obesity & their Health: The ultimate book on how to lose weight, fight obesity, and live a healthier life style by Harry J. Misner. "

[lamboguy]

the reason why you gain weight is because when your insulin levels are low you become hungry. when they are at high levels you become tired. the trick is to have a consistent blood sugar levels, none of these spike ups and downs. its no good for your health.

i would reccomend that anyone that starts a weight loss program that involves stabilizing your insulin levels, not to exercise until you got your eating habits down pat. then go for a cardio routine, and when you graduate into the cardio routine, try a weight traning program.

try to deal with the mental aspects of changing your eating habits, and drink plenty of water. when you are sick of the water, drink some more. drinking water helps drain the toxics out of your body.

[dutchboy]

Excess weight has not affected Santa Claus for hundreds of years so don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. Santa always gets the job done on time every year even if he is packing a few extra pounds.

[Marshall Bennett]

Excess weight has not affected Santa Claus for hundreds of years so don't spend a lot of time worrying about it. Santa always gets the job done on time every year even if he is packing a few extra pounds.
I always wondered why he had reindeer dragging him around and now I know , thanks !!

[Dave Schwartz]

i would reccomend that anyone that starts a weight loss program that involves stabilizing your insulin levels, not to exercise until you got your eating habits down pat. then go for a cardio routine, and when you graduate into the cardio routine, try a weight traning program.


Lambo,

What you have described is almost exactly the opposite of what I was adviced to do: Start with weights as it creates more muscle mass, which helps burn more calories, imrpove diet at the same time, and finally, add cardio.

I have got to consume less calories!

But I am still thrilled with the results.

Dave

[RichieP]

the reason why you gain weight is because when your insulin levels are low you become hungry. when they are at high levels you become tired. the trick is to have a consistent blood sugar levels, none of these spike ups and downs. its no good for your health.

i would reccomend that anyone that starts a weight loss program that involves stabilizing your insulin levels, not to exercise until you got your eating habits down pat. then go for a cardio routine, and when you graduate into the cardio routine, try a weight traning program.

try to deal with the mental aspects of changing your eating habits, and drink plenty of water. when you are sick of the water, drink some more. drinking water helps drain the toxics out of your body.

Lambo
Your layout is pretty much what I have done since around 6/10. Only difference is I started walking right away even though it was only 2 blocks to start. The man mentoring me is a retired detective/Gold Gloves champ who is 62 years old.

I am approaching 6 months in and have lost 53 pounds and 6 inches from my waist (39 to 33) without going anywhere near a gym or weights. I fast walk(NO jogging/running) 4-6 miles a day 6 days a week and drink tons of water.

Fresh fruits replace the processed sugar (sweet tooth). One of the keys to the water thing is that the natural sugars in fruits WILL wash out of the body quickly with water while the processed sugars found in cookies,cakes do NOT. This is how it was explained to me.

Whole grains replace the white flour

NO added salt and anything bought has to have LESS than 12% sodium per serving size on label.

Fresh veggies, ground chicken and ground turkey replace red meat.

6 ounces red wine a day :jump::jump:

1 day a week I eat any and everything I want. Ice cream, steak, pizza
:jump::jump::jump::jump:

It works if I just "keep it moving".

Lambo your outline is right on the money :ThmbUp:

Best of luck everyone!

[Dave Schwartz]

Richie,

What a great result!

Tell me... have you found your weight loss and your horse playing success have increased your feeling of empowerment? I mean, does it seem to be having a positive impact on the rest of your life?

Is it all connected?


Dave

[RichieP]

Richie,

What a great result!

Tell me... have you found your weight loss and your horse playing success have increased your feeling of empowerment? I mean, does it seem to be having a positive impact on the rest of your life?

Is it all connected?
Dave

Hi Dave
To be honest I am hardly doing much racing at all.

My life has turned in a different and rewarding way. I am out much more working with folks to make things better around here especially for seniors and the young ones.

I am no saint but this really feels good when doing it and along the way I am able to put a few dollars in my pocket.

I attribute this to my lifestyle change and 2 folks who have helped me the most with this "other stuff" I met in the park here while exercising. The place almost has a life of its own with some very special people who I see over and over. These are folks of all ages and backgrounds. There is not that "kill or be killed" attitude that exists in the daily hustle and bustle of the city.

It is much more relaxed, reflective and friendly to the point that now I look forward to going and doing my walking because the environment and people are so cool to be around!

You wrote in a post about making exercise become an "event" to be looked forward to doing. Dave this is what has happened here with me man. You are right on the money :ThmbUp:

Tu salute :)

[lamboguy]

good work richie p. i eat fruit now, but didn't while i was on weight loss mode.

the reason why i didn't exercise was because i was changing my whole eating habits and didn't want to confuse things. i put in good works every day, some times when i don't feel like exercising i just do a stretching routine.

[juanepstein]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=6&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.living-a-healthy-lifestyle.com%2Fdangerous-food-ingredients.html&ei=k-A1SZPBFonOtQOUubn_BQ&usg=AFQjCNEKhHhmIUCbXATmoZT-g94_6yGS3Q&sig2=9aQ1su0wZjmDyh8o5r8Csg

dangerous food ingredients to stay away from.

[juanepstein]

food knowledge.

very good series thats new on you tube. the isabel solution- she teaches new things about food and weight loss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uPy8VE1C8M&feature=channel

[juanepstein]

http://news.aol.com/health/article/study-finds-worst-value-menu-options/273535?icid=200100397x1215117993x1200959705

worst value meal options

[juanepstein]

Hey there, it's Mike Geary from TruthAboutAbs.com (http://truthaboutabs.com/), and I have a little nutrition IQ test for you today. See if you can guess correctly which breakfast is healthier below.

Breakfast option #1:

-Special K cereal with low-fat soy milk
-Glass of Orange juice
-Half of a wheat bagel

Breakfast option #2:

-Half of a grapefruit
-Whole eggs scrambled with vegetables & organic grass-fed cheese, topped with avocado slices and salsa
-Bison sausage (grass-fed, organic)

And the winner is... breakfast #2 by a landslide!

If you picked breakfast #1... well, you've been fooled by clever marketing to think that soy milk, special K cereals, and wheat bagels are actually health foods.

Here are the major problems with breakfast #1:

a. There's NOTHING even remotely healthy about soy milk, despite the billions of dollars of marketing they have behind it to try to scam you into thinking processed soy is a health food.

Beyond the possible thyroid problems that soy can create for many people, soy has many anti-nutrients such as phytates, lectins, oxalates, and protease inhibitors that can be detrimental if overconsumed.

Soy can also contain high levels of certain heavy metals, is one of the most allergenic foods on earth, has one of the highest levels of pesticide residues of any food, and also can create a hormonal mess if overconsumed in the bodies of both men and women due to excess estrogenic compounds.

Want more belly fat? Well, go ahead and drink daily soy milk and I can bet you'll gain lots more belly fat!

If you want to learn all of the gory details and the full history of soy processing, I highly recommend "The Whole Soy Story" by Kaayla Daniel, PhD.

You can find it at amazon here:

http://tinyurl.com/576zl5

b. Despite the marketing claims that Special K cereal is a health food, realize that it is still mostly refined flour with very little fiber. This is definitely not a great fat loss choice even though the ads will try to convince you of this.

c. Most wheat bagels still have way too much refined flours in them to be considered healthy. This is yet another blood sugar trap disguised as health food.

d. The glass of orange juice will give you even more carbs in this already carb-heavy meal. Although orange juice has a lot of nutrients, it is still a lot of excess sugar waiting to give you even more wild blood sugar swings.

Stick to a whole orange (or a grapefruit) instead of juice... thay way, you get a lot more fiber and will fill you up more and slow the blood sugar response.

Breakfast #2, if you'll notice, is a much more balanced meal, that still contains some carbohydrates, but provides a lot more protein and healthy fats with the whole eggs & organic grass-fed cheese and bison.

Rounding out the nutrition profile with avocado, salsa, mixed veggies in the eggs and a half of a grapefruit really makes this breakfast a winner that will provide your body with loads of nutrients and antioxidants as well as keeping you satisfied longer, without any wild blood sugar swings.

On the topic of nutrition, if you haven't seen it already, I highly recommend getting a copy of my colleague Isabel's Diet Solution Program -

http://the-non-diet.com (http://the-non-diet.com/)


Also, here are some related articles that I've written about these topics:


http://www.truthaboutabs.com/good-carbs-bad-carbs.html

http://www.truthaboutabs.com/saturated-fat-is-not-evil.html

http://www.truthaboutabs.com/grass-fed-beef.html

I'll be back soon with more Lean-Body Secrets. Til next ezine,
Don't be lazy... be lean.

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - http://TruthAboutAbs.com (http://truthaboutabs.com/) & http://BusyManFitness.com (http://busymanfitness.com/)

[cmoore]

Hey Pete (Juan)...Since you started your weight loss. Your really getting into this health craze..That's great man..Have you hit your ideal weight yet? What workouts are you doing now?..I'm holding steady at 180 pounds even though my diet is not very good..

[pktruckdriver]

Ok let's see what you guys can do for, or offer me, as I must do it myself.

I drive this truck 10-16 hrs a day, sitting on my arse, all day, afterwords, I fall into the bunk in the back, exhausted.

I have strict food that I eat and veggies aren't on the list, that is right I am a Non-Vegetarian, Meat and Potatoes, corn and Peas, no salads or ruffage.


Never ate them and still can't eat them, beans , except green, are okay, but truly no veggies have entered here, kinda sad really, but the truth.

At over 400lbs, where do I start, I thought a switchblade and vaccum clearner, but they say you need a medical license for that, unfortunately.
All the weight issue things are coming to me if change isn't imminent, sleep apnea,(probally here), diabeties, high bp, and many other weight related issues, at 46 I need to grab hold and change before it is too late, but easy it is not.


I quit smoking after 20+ years, 2 packs a day habit, but put on over 50 extra lbs too, ouch, but reality is that I need to change or die, most likely, not tomorrow, but it is just like suicide, except a little slower, agreed??

I use my job as an excuse, I sit on my azz all day long, no time to change, BS, others are doing it, just not me, why ,LAZINESS , maybe, Lack of Motivation, most likely , not unlike my desire to hit the big one playing the ponies, it may never happen, though I keep wanting it to happen.

How does one change his psyche/mind set, actually gets off his azz and begins to commit to this needed change..... I have a way, except....

Number 1 way to change

Hit the Lottery
Hire a cute trainer, you know the rest of this story

But this will never happen so back to reality, how do we start this change??

What will actually get me moving, I have no better halve to kick me in the azz and make sure I stick to some program, no sir , it is just me, and that is part of the problem, no reason to stay motivated, but I just overcome this excuse, as it will kill me, eventually, cause 500lbs is coming soon if not....


Man that was kinda liberating, and sad at the same time, is there hope for me , or am I doomed to 500lbs?? Trust me I would love to get out of this truck, get into shape, or just lose most of my weight, back to 250 or so, maybe less, be able to walk for 1-2 hours a day, right now 15 minutes or less and I feel dead on my feet, where did that teen age kid in me go?

I was told this all began after the divorce, who knows, I just know a change is needed, any advice?


Thanks all
Congrats to those who have succeeded
some day maybe I can join you in your success
Patrick

[Robert Fischer]

a walking routine is a great place to start.:ThmbUp:

[ezrabrooks]

Proven method...cut down calorie intake, and increase exercise...try that before all of the other hocus pokus..


Ez

[juanepstein]

Proven method...cut down calorie intake, and increase exercise...try that before all of the other hocus pokus..


Ez

proven???????????.....wrong!

you need to look at fat,sugar,salt contents and other craap in your food like high fructose corn syrup,soybean oil and bleached flour then just look at calories. if you count calories eat foods with empty calories it will not fill you up and you will be hungry real quick. which will probably cause you to eat more calories during the day.

Empty calories, in casual dietary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary) terminology, are calories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calories) present in high-energy foods with poor nutritional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition) profiles, typically from processed carbohydrates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate) or fats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat). Also known as a discretionary calorie, an "empty calorie" has the same energy content of any other calorie but lacks accompanying nutrients (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrient) such as vitamins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin), minerals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_mineral), antioxidants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant), amino acids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid), or in the case of refined grains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refined_grains), fiber. The term was coined in 1972 by Michael Jacobson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jacobson), head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Science_in_the_Public_Interest).

Limiting empty calories is important to prevent weight gain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_gain), especially in sedentary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedentary_lifestyle) individuals. This is essential when people try to lose weight so that they have an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals and avoid malnutrition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malnutrition). Dietitians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietitian) recommend replacing empty-calorie foods with nutrient-dense foods such as fruits (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit) and vegetables (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable).

The following foods are often considered to contain mostly empty calories:





Sweets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectionery), candy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy) soft drinks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink), fruit-flavored beverages with a low percentage of juice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juice), and other foods containing added sugar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar)
Refined grains, such as white bread (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_bread) or white rice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rice)
Margarine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarine) or shortening (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening)
Butter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter), lard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lard), and other saturated fat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat)
Alcohol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol)

[juanepstein]

Hey Pete (Juan)...Since you started your weight loss. Your really getting into this health craze..That's great man..Have you hit your ideal weight yet? What workouts are you doing now?..I'm holding steady at 180 pounds even though my diet is not very good..

at 200 right now. weight loss is getting slower because im packing on muscle now.still do an occasional hike but i do intervals now. ill hike in a walk then after a minute ill sprint. do that a few times up the mountain. you know about interval training.

ive gone over the gym jones workouts and customized the for me and ive been using the fight club workout too. going back and forth so i wont plateau.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gymjones.com/schedule.php& (http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gymjones.com/schedule.php&sa=X&oi=smap&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&usg=AFQjCNELWjxwMptbUXyn_c_tt3pKEUVZzg)

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=609658&postcount=96


fight club
Monday - Chest
3 - 75 push ups
3 - bench press 165,195,225
(25, 15, 8 reps)
3 - nautilus press 80,100,130
3 - incline press 80,100,130
3 - pec deck machine 60,70,80

Tuesday - Back
3 - 25 pull ups
3 - seated rows 75,80,85
3 - lat pull downs 135,150,165
3 - t bar rows 80,95,110

Wednesday - Shoulders
3 - arnold press 55,55,55
3 - laterals 30,30,30
3 - front raises 25,25,25

Thursday - Biceps & Triceps
3 - preacher curl machine 60,80,95
3 - ez curls cable 50,65,80
3 - hammer curls 30,45,55
3 - push downs 70,85,100

Friday
Treadmill 60 minutes 80-90% MHR

Saturday
Treadmill 60 minutes 80-90% MHR

Sunday
Rest Day

Reps Range From 15-25 reps on all exercises and weight is in lbs

[juanepstein]

Ok let's see what you guys can do for, or offer me, as I must do it myself.

I drive this truck 10-16 hrs a day, sitting on my arse, all day, afterwords, I fall into the bunk in the back, exhausted.

I have strict food that I eat and veggies aren't on the list, that is right I am a Non-Vegetarian, Meat and Potatoes, corn and Peas, no salads or ruffage.


Never ate them and still can't eat them, beans , except green, are okay, but truly no veggies have entered here, kinda sad really, but the truth.

At over 400lbs, where do I start, I thought a switchblade and vaccum clearner, but they say you need a medical license for that, unfortunately.
All the weight issue things are coming to me if change isn't imminent, sleep apnea,(probally here), diabeties, high bp, and many other weight related issues, at 46 I need to grab hold and change before it is too late, but easy it is not.


I quit smoking after 20+ years, 2 packs a day habit, but put on over 50 extra lbs too, ouch, but reality is that I need to change or die, most likely, not tomorrow, but it is just like suicide, except a little slower, agreed??

I use my job as an excuse, I sit on my azz all day long, no time to change, BS, others are doing it, just not me, why ,LAZINESS , maybe, Lack of Motivation, most likely , not unlike my desire to hit the big one playing the ponies, it may never happen, though I keep wanting it to happen.

How does one change his psyche/mind set, actually gets off his azz and begins to commit to this needed change..... I have a way, except....

Number 1 way to change

Hit the Lottery
Hire a cute trainer, you know the rest of this story

But this will never happen so back to reality, how do we start this change??

What will actually get me moving, I have no better halve to kick me in the azz and make sure I stick to some program, no sir , it is just me, and that is part of the problem, no reason to stay motivated, but I just overcome this excuse, as it will kill me, eventually, cause 500lbs is coming soon if not....


Man that was kinda liberating, and sad at the same time, is there hope for me , or am I doomed to 500lbs?? Trust me I would love to get out of this truck, get into shape, or just lose most of my weight, back to 250 or so, maybe less, be able to walk for 1-2 hours a day, right now 15 minutes or less and I feel dead on my feet, where did that teen age kid in me go?

I was told this all began after the divorce, who knows, I just know a change is needed, any advice?


Thanks all
Congrats to those who have succeeded
some day maybe I can join you in your success
Patrick

this will help on the road.

Eat This, Not That - The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution From Men's Health (http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/index.php?cm_mmc=BellyOffNL-_-2008_08_14-_-Editors_Column-_-Eat_This_Not_That)

[cmoore]

at 200 right now. weight loss is getting slower because im packing on muscle now.still do an occasional hike but i do intervals now. ill hike in a walk then after a minute ill sprint. do that a few times up the mountain. you know about interval training.

ive gone over the gym jones workouts and customized the for me and ive been using the fight club workout too. going back and forth so i wont plateau.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gymjones.com/schedule.php& (http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.gymjones.com/schedule.php&sa=X&oi=smap&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&usg=AFQjCNELWjxwMptbUXyn_c_tt3pKEUVZzg)

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showpost.php?p=609658&postcount=96


fight club
Monday - Chest
3 - 75 push ups
3 - bench press 165,195,225
(25, 15, 8 reps)
3 - nautilus press 80,100,130
3 - incline press 80,100,130
3 - pec deck machine 60,70,80

Tuesday - Back
3 - 25 pull ups
3 - seated rows 75,80,85
3 - lat pull downs 135,150,165
3 - t bar rows 80,95,110

Wednesday - Shoulders
3 - arnold press 55,55,55
3 - laterals 30,30,30
3 - front raises 25,25,25

Thursday - Biceps & Triceps
3 - preacher curl machine 60,80,95
3 - ez curls cable 50,65,80
3 - hammer curls 30,45,55
3 - push downs 70,85,100

Friday
Treadmill 60 minutes 80-90% MHR

Saturday
Treadmill 60 minutes 80-90% MHR

Sunday
Rest Day

Reps Range From 15-25 reps on all exercises and weight is in lbs

Hey Pete..When I did that Body For Life workout years ago. One day a week you could eat anything you want..Some weeks I stretched it into a day and a half..Right now its a 7 day free for all..:D

[juanepstein]

Hey Pete..When I did that Body For Life workout years ago. One day a week you could eat anything you want..Some weeks I stretched it into a day and a half..Right now its a 7 day free for all..:D

yeah i bought a small bag of gourmet malt balls last week.

they were the size of quarters but only 20 calories each with natural ingredients. dude,they were the bomb!id have one in the early afternoon then one late at night.

[dutchboy]

The jockey Lafit Pincay on a cross country flight asked for a bag of peanuts. He then proceeded to open the bag and eat 1/2 of a peanut on the entire flight. I believe he was known to only eat 850 calories a day.

The story may have come from a trainer or an owner that was on the same flight.

yeah i bought a small bag of gourmet malt balls last week.

they were the size of quarters but only 20 calories each with natural ingredients. dude,they were the bomb!id have one in the early afternoon then one late at night.

[pktruckdriver]

A word of thanks to those willing to help a 400+ lbs truckdriver do something about his situation.


Of course just drinking water, lots of it and walking as much as possible each day, ( avoiding chaffing, a fat mans nightmare ) , about 2 hours of walking for cardio, this is the place to start, so why is it so hard?


How does one motivate hisself, (me), to do the little stuff needed to begin this journey to better health, change jobs and become a Personal Trainer.

Well I think Laziness is addictive, it is called Sedentary Lifestyle and I am addicted, like I was to cigarettes for over 25 years, 2 packs a day, but I overcame that, and put on an extra 50lbs , so lose one bad habit and get another, laziness, or is it a medical condition? To me just plain lazy..

Where's my ex drill sargeant when I need him, boy he could whip me back into shape, and do it pretty quick too, if he didn't kill me first.

So I am looking for that one thing that will get me moving and keep me motivated, to keep at it and lose the weight I need to have a better life.

When you find this , please let me know, thank you.


Patrick

[ezrabrooks]

proven???????????.....wrong!

you need to look at fat,sugar,salt contents and other craap in your food like high fructose corn syrup,soybean oil and bleached flour then just look at calories. if you count calories eat foods with empty calories it will not fill you up and you will be hungry real quick. which will probably cause you to eat more calories during the day.

Empty calories, in casual dietary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary) terminology, are calories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calories) present in high-energy foods with poor nutritional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition) profiles, typically from processed carbohydrates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate) or fats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat). Also known as a discretionary calorie, an "empty calorie" has the same energy content of any other calorie but lacks accompanying nutrients (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrient) such as vitamins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin), minerals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietary_mineral), antioxidants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidant), amino acids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid), or in the case of refined grains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refined_grains), fiber. The term was coined in 1972 by Michael Jacobson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jacobson), head of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Science_in_the_Public_Interest).

Limiting empty calories is important to prevent weight gain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_gain), especially in sedentary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedentary_lifestyle) individuals. This is essential when people try to lose weight so that they have an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals and avoid malnutrition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malnutrition). Dietitians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietitian) recommend replacing empty-calorie foods with nutrient-dense foods such as fruits (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit) and vegetables (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable).

The following foods are often considered to contain mostly empty calories:




Sweets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectionery), candy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy) soft drinks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink), fruit-flavored beverages with a low percentage of juice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juice), and other foods containing added sugar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar)
Refined grains, such as white bread (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_bread) or white rice (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rice)
Margarine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarine) or shortening (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shortening)
Butter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter), lard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lard), and other saturated fat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat)
Alcohol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol)


What do you mean wrong? What part of cutting down of your caloric intake don't you understand? It is a fact, and unless you have some other medical problem, it will work. Limiting your intake of calories might cause a life style change..but, if you burn more calories than you take in..you will lose weight.

Ez

[cmoore]

What do you mean wrong? What part of cutting down of your caloric intake don't you understand? It is a fact, and unless you have some other medical problem, it will work. Limiting your intake of calories might cause a life style change..but, if you burn more calories than you take in..you will lose weight.

Ez

Counting Calories is not the way to lose weight. You will be oh so hungry. Grams of fat is probably most important to limit..

[Tom]

Lowering carbs, though, causes fat to be burnt and no blood sugar dip later on. Lowering both carbs and at leaves you only protein, which will destroy your kidneys.

[juanepstein]

What do you mean wrong? What part of cutting down of your caloric intake don't you understand? It is a fact, and unless you have some other medical problem, it will work. Limiting your intake of calories might cause a life style change..but, if you burn more calories than you take in..you will lose weight.

Ez

yes people losing weight have to follow a limit of daily calories but you just cant eat anything. it wont work you need to eat the right foods. if you eat the wrong foods you will get hungry and increase your calorie intake or you will starve which will put your body on alert and store fat.

heres an example. i had family visit this weekend and they cooked up a digornio pizza. a slice 3 in. by 3 in. is 300 calories. if your gonna count those calories in a daily meal plan then your doomed.

ill show you meals that will keep you full till your next meal that are 300 calories.
http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/meal10.jpg
Breakfast - 290 Calories
1 whole wheat English muffin
2 pats low fat butter
1 hard boiled egg
1/2 cup of fruit
8 oz fruit juice
8 oz water

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/meal2.jpg
Cereal - 300 Calories
1 cup of cereal
8 oz 2% milk
1 banana
1 coffee or tea

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/meal3.jpg
1 medium baked potato
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons salsa
1 cup sliced melon
12 oz water

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/meal1.jpg
Oatmeal - 325 Calories
1 cup oatmeal with raisins
1 cup of fruit
1 cup coffee or tea
1 banana

that half of that english muffin would probably keep you fuller longer than a 3x3 inch square of digornio pizza.

[juanepstein]

didnt get the calories on that baked potato meal because i couldnt edit but that meal is 305.

would your rather eat a baked potato meal with all the extra stuff or a 3x3 in. slice of digornio pizza made of stuff that i cant pronounce. usually craap in food you cant pronounce is craap EMPTY calories that will make you hungry real fast.

[ezrabrooks]

Juan, I think we agree. I was just making a point..that before a person starts trying all different kinds of diets, he should understand that burning more fuel than you take into your body will cause weight loss. I have done it. I started out to lose about 20 pounds..and ended up losing about 35, just by exercise and limiting what I ate. You sound like you are serious about weight loss..and for that I salute you.

Ez

[Dave Schwartz]

Day 213 - The toughest day yet.

Our workout room is in our small garage. There is no heat beyond a small space heater. It is 2 degrees right now! That would be TWO degrees!

2!

If I wait, a may warm up to a blistering 28!


Pray for my frozen a$$!

[Bubba X]

Day 213 - The toughest day yet.

Our workout room is in our small garage. There is no heat beyond a small space heater. It is 2 degrees right now! That would be TWO degrees!

2!

If I wait, a may warm up to a blistering 28!


Pray for my frozen a$$!
I shall pray for your frozen parts. Just read this thread and wanted to wish you the best. Whatever you're doing, keep it up. It doesn't get any easier when you get a bit older. I know.

[Tom]

2 degrees in NEVADA??????
Last time I was there, it was 117, at least that's what the paramedics told me!:D

[Dave Schwartz]

Tom,

Wrong end of the state. We're in the (apparently) frozen north.

I am just glad for the global warming, else it would be really cold - like in Buffalo!

:lol:

Dave

PS: Thanks for the kind wishes, Bubba.

[Tee]

Dave,

Just be glad haven't been in Cheyenne, WY for the past week. :) I will pray for both of our frozen a$$es. :D

Continued success with your weight loss / health plan.

[BillW]

Day 213 - The toughest day yet.

Our workout room is in our small garage. There is no heat beyond a small space heater. It is 2 degrees right now! That would be TWO degrees!

2!

If I wait, a may warm up to a blistering 28!


Pray for my frozen a$$!

Ya know Dave, shivering does burn calories! Best of luck with continued success and have a great (lo-cal) holiday! :jump:

[delayjf]

Last time I was there, it was 117, at least that's what the paramedics told me!
If you had stayed at the bar you would have been just fine :ThmbUp: .

[Dave Schwartz]

Day 213 is in the books.

I have frostbite on my ... nose.

[Tom]

Look at the bright side - you could have been wearing jogging shorts! :eek:

[juanepstein]

Day 213 - The toughest day yet.

Our workout room is in our small garage. There is no heat beyond a small space heater. It is 2 degrees right now! That would be TWO degrees!

2!

If I wait, a may warm up to a blistering 28!


Pray for my frozen a$$!

my equipment is in the garage too. but it only gets to the low 40's here in palm springs. guess i shouldnt complain when im getting ready to go out to the garage.

keep it up man. i just weighed in this morning and broke the 200 mark. weighed in at 199.8,lol! my goal is 195 but i think i might keep going. doctors say i should be at 185-190 with my age and height.

[Dave Schwartz]

Juan-o,

That is awesome!

I am still not losing weight but my waist keeps getting smaller.

I started with a keg, got down to a case, and now down to a 12-pack. Hope to find a 6-pack eventually.

:lol:

[juanepstein]

cross-fit

the new thing. guess the gymjones workout has swept the nation.

what is CrossFit? (http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html)

Home - CrossFit Plano (http://www.crossfitplano.net/)

heres a forum with new workouts everyday.

Discuss CrossFit, Krav Maga, Kenpo and Kickboxing with trainers and students | CrossFit WOD (http://www.crossfitbrandx.com/index.php/forums/viewforum/16/?f=16&sid=74059d7b82f8aa7e7fa9cdcec3157228)

serious stuff here.

[facorsig]

After topping out at 40kg weight loss in mid-November, my doctor ordered me to stop losing weight. This was a shock because our agreed target was 50kg. The basis of his recommendation was that I had already lost a tremendous amount and was at severe risk of depression.

My diet included daily Reductil pill, Mariagon (milk thistle or psillium extract) pill with every meal and diet without bread, rice, potatoes and beer.
I am now approaching the end of a month long vacation and will hit the scale, resume diet and start exercise around 4 January. I am told what ever weight I added will come off easily and I can resume the weight loss program as per the original plan.

Fred

[Sailwolf]

. Aerobics raise it higher but it does not last as long, while anaerobic doesn't raise it as high but it lasts longer. (Kind of like this sentence.)

Dave

What is the difference?

Another 25 pounds off and I may start back on martial arts (which I studied for 15 years


Where can you go if a person is a "older" person?

[gopony]

the whole country would be in jail

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/world/asia/13fat.html?no_interstitial

I'd become a congressman and when I learned the trick of talking out of my ass I'd just get myself classified as a siamese twin.

[juanepstein]

daily crossfit workout- get your butt kicked into shape.:D

http://www.crossfitplano.com/blog/8.html

[Dave Schwartz]

Where can you go if a person is a "older" person?

Do you mean for "lessons?"

Almost any good school will accomodate you.

They don't work for me. I know far more than my body can reproduce. I don't need lessons. Maybe a personal trainer.

Dave

[DJofSD]

As I was reading this (http://www.drwaynedyer.com/articles/living_what_he_teaches) article with Dr. Dyer, I recognized a name. It was from this thread.

Doing a search of the internet, low and behold, I found Cruise has his own web site and a new book (link here (http://www.jorgecruise.com/) ).

Enjoy!