Anyone want to do a weight loss challenge?

[D_W]

I'm probably a little more than halfway through my lifespan this year, and tip the scales at 212 pounds. If you think I'm fat, I don't care.

I'm in for about 40 pounds by June -I doubt that will happen, but that's what I'm going for.

Ultimately, I'd like to be 150-160 (the low side of that may be a bit idealistic and is probably below where I should be - 160 would be good).

Here's the kicker - I eat so much garbage that I think I can hit the goal without much exercise, and I would go so far as to say that if you're going to drop 10 pounds a month, lots of exercise isn't a great idea. I'm going to do nothing more than eat healthy. And then if successful, have to buy a bunch of clothes (not that excited about that).

Anyone else in?

 

[baldkev]

No, i like cider too much

Good luck though! A friend if mine is currently being a vegetarian to loose weight. I need to get back into weights, its been years.

 

[artie]

I'm probably a little more than halfway through my lifespan this year, and tip the scales at 212 pounds. If you think I'm fat, I don't care.

I'm in for about 40 pounds by June -I doubt that will happen, but that's what I'm going for.

Ultimately, I'd like to be 150-160 (the low side of that may be a bit idealistic and is probably below where I should be - 160 would be good).

Here's the kicker - I eat so much garbage that I think I can hit the goal without much exercise, and I would go so far as to say that if you're going to drop 10 pounds a month, lots of exercise isn't a great idea. I'm going to do nothing more than eat healthy. And then if successful, have to buy a bunch of clothes (not that excited about that).

Anyone else in?

You know what James Gregory says.

People will do anything to lose weight, Except stop eating.

I have been blessed with a metabolism which keeps me slim, too slim some say, but I have a sister who has been dieting for 50+ years. Yoyo, Yoyo.
I have various friends the same.

It appears to me that almost anyone can lose weight even quite a bit, but not many (any in my experience) can keep it off.

 

[kinverkid]

I'm considering it. I'm 102kg/225lbs. When I ran ultra distances I was 88kg/194lb. My last ultra was five years ago but was only 50K/31 mile? Last year I lost my mojo when my two running buddies moved away and for some reason I couldn't get it back running on my own. So, I think this year I will need to get it back. I'll come back here when I decide to join the challenge.

 

[Jameshow]

I'm considering it. I'm 102kg/225lbs. When I ran ultra distances I was 88kg/194lb. My last ultra was five years ago but was only 50K/31 mile? Last year I lost my mojo when my two running buddies moved away and for some reason I couldn't get it back running on my own. So, I think this year I will need to get it back. I'll come back here when I decide to join the challenge.

Go for it - find yourself a challenge and start training....

It's easier said than done....

I failed to finish the Leeds Liverpool canal race and have struggled with motivation since. A challenge would probably get me going but not sure which one....?

Cheers James

 

[D_W]

You know what James Gregory says.

People will do anything to lose weight, Except stop eating.

I have been blessed with a metabolism which keeps me slim, too slim some say, but I have a sister who has been dieting for 50+ years. Yoyo, Yoyo.
I have various friends the same.

It appears to me that almost anyone can lose weight even quite a bit, but not many (any in my experience) can keep it off.

I don't have any bad measures at the doc (not even mild HBP, bloodwork is fine). so the doc doesn't get too excited about the weight. At one point, a prior doc said "do you want to talk about your weight?" I said "I'm fat , maybe not TV show fat, but fat for me. The reason I'm fat is because I eat a lot and at this point, I like eating more than I like not being fat, and I guess when I want to not be fat more than I like to eat, then I'll not be fat. As much as I eat, I should probably be fatter".

He laughed and said "you'd be surprised how many people show up here and admit that they're fat because they eat too much".

I said "really? How else would they explain it?".

(apparently it's popular to claim that you have great eating habits but high weight and terrible blood work - for most people, charting what they eat during the day would show that the 9 cookies and half pound of bread that they weren't remembering, along with the sugar with coffee flavor....not so good, and total to something that's pretty easy to chart to pounds per day - like literally 1 pound's worth of junk calories per three or four days)

I had a coworker who would dress you up and down (older lady, she was an attorney) if you ever said you wanted to do something that you weren't doing, and I learned a lot from her about saying "I want to ___". No, you f_____ don't!! If you wanted to do something, you'd be doing it now. If you're not, you don't want to. Don't f _____ say you want to do something if you're not interested in actually doing it!!"

Strangely enough, she was sort of a bleeding heart liberal type, but I guess she must've had a come to Jesus moment with her own self earlier in life to get out of a rank and file job struggling to be an attorney, and she beat me with the stick that she carved for her own behavioral correction. And I'm thankful for it. She would only hit you with the stick if you crossed over into being someone she liked vs. someone she wanted to just feel sorry for.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I do agree with your cow-orker - people do the things they want to do, and don't do the things they don't want to. That doesn't mean no-one ever does anything unpleasant, but they only do unpleasant things if they want to. Motivation is, therefore, a myth - or, at best, an excuse.

 

[artie]

I had a coworker

I had a guy worked for me, way back.
Not a bad worker, but way over weight, and the more money he made, the heavier he got.
But He had an under active thyroid.
That was his excuse.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Running for 30 minutes burns about the same calories as a McD burger. Not eating a burger is easier than running for 30 minutes.

Genetics may be associated an equilibrium weight and shape - but simple physics suggests that:

energy (food in) minus energy out (keeping warm and exercise) = weight gain or loss

The solution, as you say, is stop eating rubbish, stop eating as much (eat when hungry, not when you don't feel full), exercise if really motivated (but see first para).

Change behaviours to to make sensible consumption the norm - cut out cakes, sweets, biscuits, desserts, late night snacks. Make pizza and takeaway a treat not routine. Convince yourself to pay for quality over volume (a bit like tools - by cheap, buy twice).

If you deviate - feel guilty and chastise yourself. Don't justify it as deserved "because you have worked so hard". Self delusion is seductive.

40 pounds in 6 months would be impressive - good luck.

 

[D_W]

I had a guy worked for me, way back.
Not a bad worker, but way over weight, and the more money he made, the heavier he got.
But He had an under active thyroid.
That was his excuse.

That's what the doctor was pretty much leaning toward. Everyone who went in there "had an undiagnosed medical condition".

I laughed a little - people are weird about conflict and standing up with a spine. I have a spine, which was why my coworker liked me. She was overridden with excessive empathy and for some reason was drawn to people who were witty with a spine. I'm no longer witty, I guess - too old and too many responsibilities.

Her husband was an old school Englishman - one who would probably be muzzled in England now - but wildly liberal and wildly unapologetic about having no empathy for people who didn't have a reason beyond their control that they should get it.

(I told my doc that I"m an applied mathematician and not really into telling fibs about things that are spectacularly unlikely).

 

[niemeyjt]

Well, for weight loss, if nothing else, the Covid diet works wonders. After an infection in April I lost 25Kg / 4 stones / 56lbs - which to be honest I did need to lose as my BMI was over 30. I have kept it off (the second issue - it is not just a case of losing it and reverting to previous habits - it is a lifestyle change) even whilst taking steroids and other meds that can lead to weight gain.

The problem is Covid also took out muscles and nerve myelin sheath (in my case) - so now I am on a high protein / low carb diet to give my body the materials to rebuild - plus loads of physiotherapy and exercise (I walk 10kms walk a day if I can) - both of which are recommended lifestyle changes to control weight in any case. I hope to get back to near pre-covid fitness by 2023 and have little sympathy for anti-vaxers.

Other hints for anyone wanting to do a proper diet:

Get a blood test done first with a doctor to check for underlying issues.

Get a set of scales - no - not bathroom scales, kitchen scales and weigh out what you eat. You will be surprised at just how little food you need.

Eat off side plates not dinner plates - the brain sees a full plate and thinks you are getting more food than if you have a part-filled dinner plate.

A diet is for life, not just quick weight loss then revert to normal - so whatever you do has to be sustainable.

Get a blood pressure meter - and maybe a blood sugar meter - and take daily readings to keep an eye on your body and what it does. Early warnings.

 

[Cabinetman]

@D_W How's your consumption of fizzy drinks David?

 

[eribaMotters]

Some excellent advice from niemeyjt.
Nov 2020 I had a call from the doctor as my blood sugar reading had crept into pre-diabetes territory at 43. When I checked my weight I was 89kg, which at 5'8" is to heavy. I'm 60 years old and had put on 10/12kg since my early 20's.
Over the following few months I dropped to 85/86kg and after a year was down to 82kg. I've put 1kg on over X-Mas.
I've always eaten healthily, no junk food, 95% home cooked. I just eat to much. I've one nothing radical, I'm not on a diet, you have to think of it as a new lifestyle.
- No booze on Mon,Tue,Wed.
- I walk to the shops each day and paly crown green bowls weather permitting. Does not sound much but about 13K steps.
- Always eat breakfast, two Weetabix as it's a healthy cereal, or porridge
- Cycle locally instead of car
- No fizzy drinks
- Ration snacks/biscuits to no more than one a day
- Puddings are a weekend treat
- PORTION size, weigh the carbs
- Cut down on cheese
- more veg and less meat
- Do not eat through habit, if not doing physical work and are not hungry why eat lunch [careful on this one]
- Move more
-THINK, DO I NEED IT or is it DO I WANT IT.

Best of luck - Colin

 

[doctor Bob]

I failed to finish the Leeds Liverpool canal race and have struggled with motivation since. A challenge would probably get me going but not sure which one....?

Cheers James

I did this with a half marathon many years ago, once done lost motivation. So now pick longer term multiple goals. So one of mine is a set time for 5k at 60, 3 years time. Another is to actually do something every day, even if it's just a 20 min fast dog walk. with mini challenges in between, so the 5k's, half marathons are not the important part but just part of the big picture.
I also mix it up, so run, row, stretch, lift, skip ............
There is something about feeling fit that can't be beaten, the ease of breathing, the fit of clothes, great sleep.

 

[johnny]

good luck with this ambition.

There is a lot of incorrect and misleading information on the net especially from Government Nutrition and Health advisory services. We have been told for 40 years to stop eating Fat and Protein and instead eat more Carbohydrate .
Look where that has got us !...Type 2 Diabetes, Arthritis, Dementia, Parkinsons, Hypothyroidism and a host of other chronic health conditions around the World.

You'll not lose any significant weight by exercising, although exercise does have other benefits . Any weight loss is likely to be from dietary changes and eating less.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off without being continually hungry then you need to understand what actually happens to the food that you eat, how your body processes the food and where your energy actually comes from . You'll be amazed when you find out, everything about your weight and health will finally makes sense.

The simple answer to losing weight and being healthy is a Low Carb High Fat and Protein diet.

1.Eat less Carbohydrates and sugars ,especially refined foods, takeaways etc (that includes fruit, below ground vegetables and honey and all the things we are told are healthy for us but are loaded with sugar)

2. Eat more unprocessed 'Real Food' like Eggs, Meat, Fish, and Dairy, Milk, Cream, Cheese, Eggs which are full of the 13 essential Vitamins and 16 essential minerals that we must eat and cannot be found in a Vegetarian or Vegan diet.

Whatever you choose to do it needs to be a lifestyle change .........or you'll simply go back to your old eating habits and start piling on weight again. (Yo-Yo dieting ).

 

[Garden Shed Projects]

When working on big sites I was involved in a few fat clubs. Usually starting at the beginning of January and ending the Thursday before good Friday. On 2 occasions I managed to loose 3 stone which is good however it’s the keeping it off that’s that’s the issue. I tend to revert back to my normal weight of 110 kg (17st 4lb) or so after about 12 months.
The one thing I did do which was an eye opener though was to keep a food diary, it’s surprising how much carp you eat with out thinking.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

the 13 essential Vitamins and 16 essential minerals that we must eat and cannot be found in a Vegetarian or Vegan diet.

You can get every nutrient you need from a balanced vegetarian diet, without any supplements.

 

[artie]

You can get every nutrient you need from a balanced vegetarian diet, without any supplements.

What about the B12?, my doctor said it only comes from meat and recommended I eat meat once every 7 - 14 days

 

[Doug71]

I am one of those people who never seem to put weight on despite having a terrible diet. I don't do fruit and veg and don't really cook so most meals come out of a packet, probably drink too much also (single man lifestyle). I am on my feet working all day though which I think helps I also play a bit of tennis to a decent level.

Eating does nothing for me, I only eat because I have to and regularly skip meals because I am too busy or just can't be bothered.

A few months ago a friend introduced me to Huel, it's basically nutritionally complete, convenient affordable food, perfect for someone like me. It's not classed as a diet food but you can use it as part of a diet as each meal is 400 calories. They do a few different styles of food like shakes or pot noodle style where you just add hot water.

It's probably not for everyone but great for me, I do feel to have more energy since using it, I have one of their shakes and and one of their hot and savoury meals most days. Think my body is getting more goodness than it has ever had!

I know this sounds like an advert for the stuff but I am just a happy customer, a friend always asks me if I'm still eating that spaceman food

https://uk.huel.com/

 

[Mark Karacsonyi]

What about the B12?, my doctor said it only comes from meat and recommended I eat meat once every 7 - 14 days

Marmite. Love it cheese and marmite on toast