Trying to Lose Weight

[id0ntknow]

I could've sworn I had a topic like this created already, but can't find it anywhere. If there is one, could someone link it to me, and I'll move this there. Thanks. Now to get on-topic. Lately I've been feeling bad about how much I weigh after the scale told me I was 240 pounds. Since then I have been trying to eat better, and have been hitting the exercise bike on a weekly basis. I have also been trying to limit my fat intake to around 50g per day, and calories to a little under 2000 per day. This is my progress so far, in miles biked.

Edit: Progress of weight loss so far: 10/24/20 Down almost 20 pounds (Scale showed 220.6)

Week 1: 37.75 Miles over 5 Days (Calories burned: Unknown)
Week 2: 38.50 Miles over 5 Days (Calories burned: 717)
Week 3: 70.00 Miles over 5 Days (Calories burned: 1325)
Week 4: 70.00 Miles over 5 Days (Calories burned: 1311) [Plus 400 Sit-ups]
Week 5: 60.00 Miles over 4 Days (Calories burned: 1106) [Plus 400 Sit-ups]
Week 6: 100.00 Miles over 5 Days (Calories burned: 1891) [Plus 750 Sit-ups]
Week 7: 99.00 Miles over 4 Days (Calories burned: 1869) [Plus 700 Sit-ups] {Current week}

[PoohBearBB]

As someone who has been where you are I can say that you’re off to a good start. I weighed 240 this time last year and have dropped to 190 since then. Just remember a few tips

1. At least 5 days a week you need a 30-60 minute cardiovascular exercise. Anything less may help you lose some weight, but you will plateau.

2. Push yourself, but not too hard. Getting injured will only mean time that you can’t work out, which is a step backward.

3. Avoid sugar like it’s the devil. A small amount is ok, but for a lot of folks sugar turns to straight fat. Energy drinks and soda are just the worst.

4. Realize it’s okay to have bad days, but work out anyway. Some days I’m really unmotivated, and my run times are atrocious.

5. Don’t skip days. It’s super easy to convince yourself “I can just take one day off, I’ll get back to it tomorrow” but one day becomes two becomes a week, and before you know it you’re giving up.

I wish you the best. Keep going and eventually you’ll hit your goal. And remember that it’s not really about what you look like, it’s about how healthy you are overall. 
 

hugs and support going your way ❤️

[id0ntknow]

8 hours ago, PoohBearBB said:

As someone who has been where you are I can say that you’re off to a good start. I weighed 240 this time last year and have dropped to 190 since then. Just remember a few tips

1. At least 5 days a week you need a 30-60 minute cardiovascular exercise. Anything less may help you lose some weight, but you will plateau.

2. Push yourself, but not too hard. Getting injured will only mean time that you can’t work out, which is a step backward.

3. Avoid sugar like it’s the devil. A small amount is ok, but for a lot of folks sugar turns to straight fat. Energy drinks and soda are just the worst.

4. Realize it’s okay to have bad days, but work out anyway. Some days I’m really unmotivated, and my run times are atrocious.

5. Don’t skip days. It’s super easy to convince yourself “I can just take one day off, I’ll get back to it tomorrow” but one day becomes two becomes a week, and before you know it you’re giving up.

I wish you the best. Keep going and eventually you’ll hit your goal. And remember that it’s not really about what you look like, it’s about how healthy you are overall. 
 

hugs and support going your way ❤️

1) So far this hasn't been a problem
2) I almost threw up last night, but managed to hold off.
3) I've cut sodas and energy drinks out completely.
4) Working on this.
5) I've done exactly as you said, and am trying to do better about it now.

[feralfreak]

watch the starches like potatoes and pasta, starch turns to sugar in the body, its why i cant make my garlic chicken noodle soup or potato soup very often, it jacks moms sugar up big time. muscle is heavier than fat, when working out you might see a gain in weight as you go along, but dont let it discourage you because you are likely just gaining muscle which helps to burn fat. remember to rest, its an important part of it, muscle tissue needs time to repair itself after the workload you put it through, and stay away from the bad hotdog diet, you lose weight quick but its rough as a 20 grit undies(or diapers)

[id0ntknow]

On 9/24/2020 at 2:35 AM, feralfreak said:

watch the starches like potatoes and pasta, starch turns to sugar in the body, its why i cant make my garlic chicken noodle soup or potato soup very often, it jacks moms sugar up big time. muscle is heavier than fat, when working out you might see a gain in weight as you go along, but dont let it discourage you because you are likely just gaining muscle which helps to burn fat. remember to rest, its an important part of it, muscle tissue needs time to repair itself after the workload you put it through, and stay away from the bad hotdog diet, you lose weight quick but its rough as a 20 grit undies(or diapers)

Typically the only potatoes I am having are some tater tots at my bowling league once a week, and I don't eat very much pasta. I am completely confused by this "bad hotdog diet", since it's something I've never heard of before. I do have a couple of sorta related questions, since they are about the things I'm using while doing my cardio.

Question 1 is "Does anyone know how I can get the pivoting arms (like an elliptical machine) on my exercise bike to quit coming separated from the pedals as I ride?" It's very annoying, and they have a spot on the pedals that is supposed to lock them in place, but it doesn't seem to be working for me. I have a Pro-Form bike (don't remember model) that lets you attach the arms to the base to only use the pedals, or attach them to the pedals to use arms too, which I like to do so I can keep going easier when my legs are tired.

Question 2 is "Does anyone know of any good wireless headphones I can use while riding? My exercise bike is very loud and squeaky, plus music helps me push myself harder. My current headphones are a pair of LG bluetooth (don't remember exact model) ones, but I think they are dying since lately they have been turning off or not connecting properly even with a good charge. They have been getting soaked with sweat, so that is likely a big issue for them, but I am sweating a lot while doing my rides.

Thanks for any help you can offer, and also for support. You guys are great.

[id0ntknow]

I got a nice confidence boost at my bowling league on 9/27/20. My mom came to watch like she normally does, and the first thing she said to me was "How much weight have you lost? I can see that you've lost some". That was super cool, since no matter how good I do with exercising or trying to eat better, to me personally it is never good enough. I got on the bike after I got home from bowling, and managed 20 miles in 1:19:40, but it wasn't easy. My legs were aching for most of it, and I didn't have the benefit of using the bike's arms to help out, since they keep coming off of the pedals, and so I took them off to put them to the base. This is the first time in I don't know how long that I have biked without using the arms, and I'm kinda proud of myself for getting under 4 minutes a mile, but at the same time, I wish I had been a little faster than I was too.

One question I do have with how this time went is "Is there any way to get my legs to not ache so much while doing the cardio"? They don't really hurt much at all in my normal day to day life, but almost immediately after getting on the bike, they start getting sore.

[id0ntknow]

I can't help but feel like tonight's bike ride was a failure. I am always trying to get my goal distance in under 4 minutes per mile, but tonight I felt so exhausted that I wound up getting my 20 miles in 81:55. I usually listen to EDM while I bike, and I try to pedal hardest when the bass drops, but tonight I struggled. Hopefully tomorrow goes better.

[id0ntknow]

Lately I have been getting a lot of compliments from others about how I look like I've lost weight, and how easily they can tell. My question now is that other than lower numbers on the scale, is there a good way to know when I might start being able to see changes for myself? My clothes are fitting better, but I still can't actually see any weight loss when I look at myself.

[ylowrvr]

@id0ntknowDon't feel like a failure because you can't get a four minute mile or trip up once in a while.  Having lost 40 pounds and keeping it off for three years, I'll suggest a couple of books.  These may lead you down a rabbit hole.

 

Lies My Doctor Told Me by Doctor Ken Berry

 

The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing by Doctor Phil Maffetone

 

Both books are counter intuitive to what we've been told about weight loss and exercise.

[drynot]

Contrary advice here.....

Carbs are bad.  If we fatties could moderate our intake we wouldn't need to diet.

There are ABSOLUTELY NO ESSENTIAL CARBS.  None.  Zero.  You don't need carbs to live.

Don't have cheat meals.  How the heck are you going to beat the carb, sugar addiction by eating cheat meals?  You wouldn't offer an alcoholic a drink or a drug addict another hit would you?

Fat and salt are not the enemies that we've been lead to believe.  Cholesterol is a by product of inflammation in your body.  Figure out what is causing the inflammation and your cholesterol will go down.

Diet to lose weight.  Exercise to get healthy.  You ABSOLUTELY DO NOT NEED TO EXERCISE TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!

Screw the veggie guru's.  The vegetarian is certainly not for everybody.  Its very far from something that will 'Save the Planet' 

You will need self control though.  I know this last point will be tough.  Trust me.....I KNOW!  Self control is the key.

[id0ntknow]

On 10/3/2020 at 10:58 PM, drynot said:

Contrary advice here.....

Carbs are bad.  If we fatties could moderate our intake we wouldn't need to diet.

There are ABSOLUTELY NO ESSENTIAL CARBS.  None.  Zero.  You don't need carbs to live.

Don't have cheat meals.  How the heck are you going to beat the carb, sugar addiction by eating cheat meals?  You wouldn't offer an alcoholic a drink or a drug addict another hit would you?

Fat and salt are not the enemies that we've been lead to believe.  Cholesterol is a by product of inflammation in your body.  Figure out what is causing the inflammation and your cholesterol will go down.

Diet to lose weight.  Exercise to get healthy.  You ABSOLUTELY DO NOT NEED TO EXERCISE TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!

Screw the veggie guru's.  The vegetarian is certainly not for everybody.  Its very far from something that will 'Save the Planet' 

You will need self control though.  I know this last point will be tough.  Trust me.....I KNOW!  Self control is the key.

Your last statement rings true with me for sure. I struggle with late night snacking, especially on the weekends. I am glad to say that I've been about 7 weeks without a soda, energy drink, etc. I am still craving one every so often, but I am making myself drink water instead. I quit sodas for 5 years before, so I know I can do it again, it will just take time.

[id0ntknow]

I think my time on the bike was a little slow tonight, getting 24.75 miles in 1:41:20, but I don't feel as bummed about that as I thought I might. I did try something a little bit different tonight in that my music was Dragonforce, and when the solos hit, I poured on as much speed as I could. This was not fun at all since Dragonforce solos are numerous and fast. If I can manage to do the same distance again tomorrow, I will have hit 500 miles since I've started this journey. One question I have though is "Would it be advisable to put on a hoodie while doing the bike?" The temperature in my workout area is around 73 degrees Fahrenheit, with about 40% humidity. My shirt is usually sorta stuck to me once I'm done normally do to how much I sweat while riding.

[id0ntknow]

As of today, I have hit a milestone on my weight loss. I am down about 20 pounds from when I started.

[Timmybaby]

I powerlift so weight loss isn't a problem for me. But I know a thing or two about fitness. Cardio is great for the heart and weight loss. Try to incorporate some slight strength training and it turns fat into muscle. Don't ever lift more than you can handle though.

[Alex Bridges]

I’m 5-foot-5, and at my heaviest I was 285 pounds. I’m about 180 now after having hit a low weight as an adult of 156 about 2.5 years ago. How? Gastric sleeve surgery. I’ve put wright back on (and that bothers me), but I kept more than 100 pounds off for four years and counting. I’m convinced surgery is the only long term solution for obesity, but it’s just a tool.

What I learned in the process of losing that much weight is:

1. You lose weight by dieting. It’s physically impossible to create a large enough calorie deficit to lose weight via exercise in the absence of a severe diet. It takes a split second to eat the calories it takes an hour or more to burn.
2. You keep weight off via exercise and diet. 
3. Once you lose a large amount of weight, your metabolism is permanently fucked. If before you could eat 1,800 calories a day and not gain weight, now it’s more like 1,500.
4. Weight loss surgery is not the easy way out. I had to radically change my life to be able to do it, and it did have some side effects. It’s hard.
5. Weight loss surgery is not a cure. You can have the surgery and not lose weight, or lose it and gain it back, if you don’t follow certain guidelines.
6. Habits are the hardest things to change. All it takes is one slip, and you slide into old behaviors. That’s partly what makes weight loss surgery so hard. It’s difficult to maintain such strict habits for a month, much less a year, much less forever. I know - I couldn’t. Your doctor will tell you to commit to impossible habits (ie, “never eat sugar again”), while your nutritionist will tell you to set realistic goals (ie, “it’s unrealistic to never eat sugar again, so don’t set that goal”), and you’re the one who has to figure out how to manage that, because from the perspective of their fields, they’re both right.

I’m rededicating myself to some habits that helped me lose weight the first time, and I’m determined to find a pin exercise routine I actually want to keep up/don’t get so obsessed with I burn out. There’s never going to be a time in my life when I don’t struggle with my weight and diet (and body image), but I’m healthy and mostly happy. 
 

PS, there are prescription drugs out there to help you lose weight if you diet. Talk to your doctor about seeing an onesity specialist, but remember, the drugs are just a tool. They make dieting easier; they don’t make dieting easy, and they certainly don’t make dieting unnecessary. You don’t want to be on them forever.

[id0ntknow]

I have a question for you all since I have recently started having an issue. I always pad up before working out, and lately I've been using the Bambino Karnavalee diapers, which I like, but I've noticed after my last 2 workouts that the back of the diaper has torn all the way through the outer shell. I haven't had this happen any other times, but was wondering if anyone knows of a way that I could fix this issue? Just for reference, here is the workout I did last time.
- Push-ups - 100
- Sit-ups - 100 (with 2 20lb dumbbells)
- Bicycle crunches (with feet held down) - 80 (40 each side)
- 7.5 Miles in 29:55, Calories burned: 140

- Latbar Pulldowns - XR45 (7 Plates 101lbs Res.) - 4x10
- Cable Rows - XR45 (5 Plates 167lbs Res.) - 4x10
- Barbell Rows - (70lbs) - 4x10
- Deadlift - (120lbs) - 4x10

- Lateral Raises - (20lbs) - 4x10
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press - (30lbs) - 4x12
- Dumbbell Shrugs - (45lbs) - 4x12

[Wowpally]

If your diaper is ripping, check after the situps and bicycle crunches. You may be dragging your butt across the ground ever so slightly weakening the plastic. Just my best guess 

[id0ntknow]

On 12/2/2020 at 11:03 AM, Wowpally said:

If your diaper is ripping, check after the situps and bicycle crunches. You may be dragging your butt across the ground ever so slightly weakening the plastic. Just my best guess 

It happened again last night, and I don't know what I can do to stop it. I usually do my sit-ups with my butt on a foam mat so that I'm not doing them directly on a concrete floor, but I don't know how I can make myself not move. When I was using the Ab-Rocket for crunches this never happened, but I can't use it anymore since it recently broke. I would like to get a bench that I can set to decline with my legs at the top, like are available in gyms, but I haven't been able to get one yet.

[kishi]

I've started to lose weight I was 229 lbs in July and now in December I've drop to 198 lbs . At first I was just biking for 1h a day and 2 month ago I switched to 1h30 but I hit a plateau 3 weeks ago . At first I didn't track my calorie intake but I've decided to use Loseit ( an app )  a month ago to track what I eat and to know what I should avoid or when it's ok for me to eat something more calorie dense . I've since switch to strength exercise and have pass the plateau but I'm still not at the intensity of my biking workout , so I'm progressively upping the difficulty . I've not really cut anything from my diet because it was pretty good to start with but I was eating to much . 

[id0ntknow]

I have decided that my New Year's Resolution (first I've made in forever) will be: No stopping for snacks on the way home from work/ bowling, eat more fruits and veggies, and do at least 20 minutes on my exercise bike every single day. This will be new territory for me, since I've not set a NYR for myself in I don't know how long, but I want to get down under 200 pounds. I've hit a plateau, which I know is mainly from eating junk and snacking, but I want to do better.

[kishi]

1 hour ago, id0ntknow said:

I have decided that my New Year's Resolution (first I've made in forever) will be: No stopping for snacks on the way home from work/ bowling, eat more fruits and veggies, and do at least 20 minutes on my exercise bike every single day. This will be new territory for me, since I've not set a NYR for myself in I don't know how long, but I want to get down under 200 pounds. I've hit a plateau, which I know is mainly from eating junk and snacking, but I want to do better.

You seem to be really invested in your workout , it's very uplifting ! I use a habit tracker when I'm making changes to my lifestyle to keep on track , it's proven very useful maybe it could help you keep your NYR . Hope you can go through this plateau , you have already come a long way from what I've read , hope I too can stay on track .

[Wowpally]

Tracking is a great way to see your yourself and how far youve come. I dont personally use one, but i see people in the gym writing in a notebook all the time. From eating drinking and work out progression. The big thing is having to stay with it. I was never for one to write my stuff down personally. 

On another note, because we a talking about getting fit, dont forget rest days. Probably in my opinion the most critical of all the days. Need to give your body and time to heal. 

Plateauing is just part of working out. Switch up your workouts when you plateau. Eventually you'll get over that and work yourself to another. The key is to never stop improving. Even 1 rep at the next weight is still another step. 

I hope your progress is coming along and you are seeing the results. Look fwd to reading your progress. Stay strong!

[id0ntknow]

Thanks a bunch for all the support. I wish I could say that I work out too much, and don't rest enough. Unfortunately, it is definitely the other way around. As far as switching up my workouts, is it enough of a switch to just change up weight or reps if I don't change the actual exercises I do? For example, when I'm hitting Back I'll typically do Latbar Pulldowns, Cable Rows, Barbell Rows, and Deadlift. I don't have a lot of equipment, so I'm not able to do a lot of the different exercises that people would normally do in a gym. I haven't found a gym that I like near me, plus with Covid restrictions on everything, it's just easier to stay home to work out.

One other question I have is about my sit-ups. I typically do them with my toes held down under the edge of a couch, and use a couple of 20lbs dumbbells held over my chest. I have recently noticed pain in my right side hip area when doing them that wasn't there before. It almost feels like the hip joint is trying to pop out of position, but when I raise my hips to do I guess a glute raise (don't know if that's the right term), the joint feels like it pops stopping the pain, but only briefly. Once I do another sit-up, and go back down again, the pain is back too. Any thoughts?

[Wowpally]

Covid does make it hard to workout nowadays. I guess when i say change up your workout. Im talk about the the repetitive boredom. For example, doing back exercises, i get deadlifting boredom and not want to deadlift because i did it so much. So then ill maybe do power clings or pull a rope sled. 

Changing your weight is good for when you want to get over a plateau also. For example. I just now hit 315 on bench. But i couldnt get past 300. So what i did was after i was done with my normal bench workout, i would drop the weight to 135 and do a burnout set. I did that for about 2 weeks. did 315 for 2x2. 

Also, bodyweight exercises are a great way. Dips, air squats,pull ups,chin ups, and many more. Get creative.  Your situps though, maybe knock down the weight or try using roller or spikey ball to loosen up the hip. I have the same issue when i do situps also. Spikey ball works for me. 

Other than that, if your hip continues to hurt see a doctor. Working out is not something to be rushed. If you do youll hurt yourself and then set yourself back. Im by no means a trainer or any of that sort. I work off my knowledge of what i read on the internet and what the army has taught me over the years. 

[Safari Baby]

I've always been told to keep working through the plateaus and not get discouraged normal for the body to plateau roughly every 20 pounds and readjust.  Also I'm doing more lifestyle changes for how I eat rather than dieting.