[Neophyte]

This is what I did. I went from 190 to about 170.
Lift weights.
Do cardio. Run 1 hour 2-3 times a week
Try a burn stack when doing cardio.
I would take
two Ephidrin / one 200mg nodozz and 1 bayer asprin to get going. (do it only for a month @ then take the next month off)
Do not eat after 6pm.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Keep in mind that once you take the weight off, if you don't stay on that diet FOREVER, the weight will ALWAYS comeback. Find the diet you can live with.

A compilation of everything I've ever found to work:

*Lots of water. 1/2 to 3/4 of everything you drink should be plain water. Gatorade is only for when you are sweating alot. Make it a point to go DAYS without softdrinks (like Friday night & Saturday only). Tea (unsweetened) is the next best thing to water. Fruit juice is natures sugar water - eat fruit instead of drinking it.

*A salad for lunch and one for dinner. Lots-o-green stuff . Carots & potatoes, are starches and won't make you skinny. You will develope a taste for it before you know it. Use a little dressing (the real stuff), but don't make it 50% of the mass on the plate. And a little chicken or tuna with it won't hurt, but you NEED the green stuff. And doctor it up with the extras - I like a couple or three jalopenos on mine and a tablespoon full of sunflower seeds.

*One meal a week, holidays, and special occations EAT WHAT YOU WANT AND DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT!!!

On Thanksgiving and Christmas eat those favorite dishes. Enjoy those hot dogs and ice cream on July 4th. Eat that burger or steak with your date. And don't make it McDonald's! Make it the best burger place in town, the one with the best fries & shake. But keep it ONE meal a week. And when you do eat ice cream - eat the good stuff with only 4 ingreadiants on the label: milk, cream, sugar, & eggs. The label on the cheap stuff reads like a chemistry project.

*More water

*And here is a hard one: when you are full, STOP EATING. Unless the prison guards tell you otherwise, this is NOT your last meal. You will eat again. And finishing that burger will not help some kid in Zimbabwe(sp?)

*Another hard one: don't eat less than 4 hours before bed. Anything leftover at the end of the day becomes FAT while you sleep.

*Best time to eat meat, pasta and other high carb foods is AFTER a strenuous (muscle building) activity.

*Simplest rule: Meat(Beef, Chicken, Pork, Fish, etc.) and Man-Made Food is Fattening.

*Public Enemy Number 1: PartialyHydrogenated Oil. Its like fat mixed with glue. Unfortunately, it makes crap taste great and is in everything now.

When was the last time you ate a peach? (And out of a can doesn't count)

 

[gloco]

Atkins diet anyone?

 

[JoachimM]

If you are a reasonable swimmer, then i would definitely consider to start swimming! The main advantages is that you don't strain your body to hard, so the risk of getting a serious injury is minimal - i have swimmed for 7 years on a competition level, and i have never experienced any injury's. The only swimstyle that can cause damage, is breaststroke, but even that happens rarely. This is a major advantage, because you can easily get injured if you start to run especially if you weigh a little too much.
Swimming is also great because you are using all body parts at once - that way you are burning more calories p. h.

You should take in mind though, that Swimming doesn't help at all, if you and buy McDonalds food afterwards - Swimming is just a great part in loosing weight.

Good luck!

 

[djgustashaw]

Quote:

cycling or swimming are the best cardio excercises and they are also the easiest on the joints.

i definitely agree. cycling and swimming are both low impact and you burn calories like you wouldn't believe. i cycle 6 times a week (200-250 miles/week), and i couldn't gain weight if i wanted to. you only have to do it about 3 or 4 times a week for an hour each time and you'll lose weight easily.

 

[nanahachi]

JoachimM
Welcome to Headfi, sorry about your wallet!!

thanks for the swimming recommendation. My gym doesnt have a pool, but I will look into other options. I used to swim a lot, esp when I played water polo in high school

it would be nice to swim again...

djgustashaw
i already favor cycling, and you just reinforced it. I have to start slowly, my PT said, but I would love to work up to 1hr, 3-4 times a week. thanks for the push.

I am glad this thread was started. Its time I got serious about getting in shape. Thanks everyone

 

[djgustashaw]

go for it! there's nothing quite like the feeling of being fit.

 

[Sentral Dogma]

Quote:

Originally posted by Neophyte Try a burn stack when doing cardio. I would take two Ephidrin / one 200mg nodozz and 1 bayer asprin to get going.

good god.. my heart hurts just from reading that. hmmmm, i need a cigarette.

 

[pigmode]

Eat a big breakfast, and size your lunch to the activities of the day. Eat a moderate supper. Cut out snacks. Eat only meals.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

Here's what I've found helps (when I'm motivated).

Eat 4 to 5 small meals per day. Stuff like a 1/2 grilled chicken breast and some steamed veggies at each meal. You don't have to eliminate carbs, but cut back on them to just a small serving of rice or pasta once or twice per week.

Don't snack. That's what the 4 to 5 small meals are for. Drink only water and occasional juice.

Work out with weights 3 to 4 times per week with a schedule for the sets and reps of each exercise. Do cardio 3 to 4 times a week.

Splurge once a week on a good meal out, but don’t over do it.

Cut back on the beer and wine.

That’s what works for me, but I’m in a lazy spell right now. Gotta get back on it.

 

[chadwick]

5 miles a day ought to get you ripped. back in high school, the chad remember lots of the guys lost lots of weight by joining the cross country and/or track team.

couple that with leaving the table feeling just satisfied, instead of full, and you should drop some pounds.

 

[brent_mr2]

Quote:

Originally posted by skagen The basics are excercise more and eat smater. Excercise:

Drinking a glass of ice water burns off 10 calories. I've heard that water helps with metabolism too. And about water, many times you feel hungry, but really you're thirsty. It's also important to realize there's a difference between appetite and hunger.

As for dairy, who needs it? Try rice or soy milk. Don't drink milk just because the dairy industry tells you it's right. But that's another topic. Are you aware that there's blood, puss and mucous in milk (not to mention the hormones and chemicals fed to the cows)? Would an average adult drink breast milk?

There are good fats too, we do need fats in our diet. Nuts are a good source of safe fats and so are many non-oxygenated oils (not peanut oil though). Animal fats are bad, but not according to the Atkins diet.

But as far as dieting and exercise is concerned, it's best to check with your physician first.

 

[blip]

Here's some bad advice that helped me to lose weight... the more you work out, the less food you have to cut back!

Not the best advice I know, but it's the only thing I've found that works for me.

 

[TWIFOSP]

The best way to lose weight?

Go here: http://www.discussfitness.com

That is the single best collection of information about fitness, weight loss, weight lifting, bulking, diet, nutrition and over all helpfull people you could hope for.

Go there, research, ask questions, make a plan and get started. I never had much weight to lose when I went there, but the information was real world stuff, no one is trying to sell anything so it WORKS. Now I'm working on getting in better and better shape and increasing athletic ability.

Anyway.... to sum up headphones:head-fi::fitness:discussfitness.com

 

[kentamcolin]

Forget the diets, exercize is key. Try cycling. It's low impact, and you burn a lot of calories, especially if you ride hard. 3-4 hours a week should give good results, and it's fun. Pick different destinations to ride to and make it enjoyable.