SDMB Weight Loss Club, September

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

Hi, my name is Beltane and I’m a… Oh wait, wrong group.

I’m male, 245lbs, and 6 foot even. That puts me in the “obese” catagory on the BMI charts. I cannot claim to be “big boned”… I weighed 155 lbs or so when I was in graduated high school -at 6’(and was just as thing growing up), and I couldn’t gain weight no matter how hard I tired well through my middle twenties. (Well I gained, a bit but I was still skinny.) I was a (near- as in pecto) vegetarian for 7 years and it was towards the end of that period that my weight was normal.

Meds for bipolar, high blood pressure, development of asthma, sleep apnea, sedentary lifestyle complicated by suicidal depression and multiple hospitalizations have all played a role in my blimping up. I realize that I’m not quite as bad as I feel that I am (weight wise) meaning that I know that I can do things to loose it and that there are people I know who are heavier than I am, but I feel REALLY fat- since I grew up being a twig it makes the weight seem all the more.

My partner is also overweight, but he is 6’5" with a large frame, so he carries it better. We frequently wind up sabotaging each other, though (He really likes ice cream, for example.) We go through phases where one of us is doing better about diet and exercise, but the other one just isn’t feeling it, and we wind up sabotaging each other.

On to the positive, however… I’m trying to start somewhat small, but not so small it’s meaningless. I know exercise is good for my mood in any event, so that is something. I feel kind of silly, but I’ve been doing the “Walk away the pounds” videos several times a week… working towards every morning (the two mile, to go up to the three mile soon.) I feel silly, but when I first started I was out of breath and feeling very tired by the end.

We have a gym membership that we never use, it’s just for hard for me to get up, but exercising in my home is easier. I’ve been drink a lot more water, and reducing my consumption of sweet tea and soda (I’ve cut the sodas back to a couple a few a weeks, which is a big reduction for me. I feel better, but I haven’t lost any weight yet (maybe 1/2 a pound) but I’ve only been doing it for a couple of weeks… and I started slow.

Sorry for the blast of information, but I could use some encouragement/empathy/advice.

62

Oh, and I’m going to see a surgeon on monday to see about a hernia I have (My innie belly button turned into an outie) so I’m guessing I can’t start on weights anytime soon, but I eventually want to get some dumbells… I’ve got some books I’ve been reading a bit on, and I also got a exercise ball and video for it, but I haven’t used it yet, and I’ve been doing just a tiny bit of yoga again.

63

You’ve got it.

Yeah, it’ll be a few weeks until you see any loss. But if I may recommend, find a place that has an accurate digital scale, such as a doctor’s office. Or buy one (and don’t cheap out). For me, anyway, I find that seeing those little fractions of a pound coming off are what keep me going. If I had to go on nothing but how my clothes fit, as some people do, I would have given up long ago. 50 pounds later, and my clothes still fit exactly the same.

64

I usually eat 5-6 fruit (apples, pears, nectarines) which is around 100c each which would be about 1/5 to 1/4 of my total daily intake and the fiber intake for the day is usually fulfilled. It does fill me up at breakfast (I also eat 2 packets of oatmeal for another 260c with about 2.5 pieces of fruit for a total of about 500 calories)…and for my size, 500 calories is a good start for me. Another 400-600 calories for lunch with a BK grilled chicken salad or a Del Taco chicken works burrito and then a nice dinner at home 1000-1500c, depending on the meat, or if there is wine involved. :wink:

I really don’t starve at all on 2000-2500c, but I don’t take second helpings unless its vegetables. The fruit helps to fill me up, maintain a level of hydration, and keeps me regular…and I really like that.

65

I think some people work better with a goal, with an attempt to do better, as opposed to working hard for the status quo. Loss is more motivating than lack of gain.

I hate excersize. I expecially hate excersizing indoors in a gym. “To stay healthy” is not a strong enough motivation to overcome the lazy (probably because being young I had no health problems-- it was just the "someday"s). However, after my surgery I had physical therapy, which included 10 minutes 3 times a day on a stationary bike (and later a treadmill), plus 1/2 hour of other excersizes. I did them every day, even on weekends and on vacation, because regaining my ability to walk was very, very important to me. I didn’t even think about it-- got up early to get to the gym and everything. It made me realize that I’m not just a lazy flop, but that I just needed to find myself serious motivation-- motivation that really mattered to me, not just because “I know I should”.

When I’m done my weight loss I intent to begin working towards some sort of competition-- maybe running, biking, or swimming races. My competitive nature will keep me in line.

I know lots of people who go through this learn to love excersize. Every weightloss sucess story I read people talk about how much they need their daily run/gym time, and how good it makes them feel. I’ve never enjoyed exersize-- while doing it I can’t wait until it’s over, am incredibly bored (I don’t find routine variation helpfull-I’m bored from day 1) and when I’m done I’m tired, hungry, cranky, and maybe sore. It’s a hard physical chore like any other. My endorphins don’t work, I don’t know. It was like this even when I was a top-shape serious athlete. So for years I felt like I could never suceed at weight loss because they key seemed to be to learn to love exersize.

However, when I was an athlete, I continued to do it every day because I took great pride in my sucess as a competitor. I had a team depending on me, and I certainly got a high doing well in a race. That one minute in the water on Saturday, was worth hating that pool (and the weight room, and the track) for the rest of the week. So when weight loss stops being sufficient as a motivator, I’ll start looking to compete in something again, rather than beating myself up because I can’t just pull motivation from nowhere or find joy in excersize. (Which is how I yo-yo the same 30 pounds around)

Anyway, I can’t find maintenace a goal. I need to be striving (with at least some tiny measure of success) for something.

66

(bolding mine)

But I think a lot of people DO plan on doing that. Diet down to a certain weight (using an unpleasant eating plan nobody would want to stick with), then “celeberate” by eating tons of junk.

I am returning to the thread! I usually lurk :slight_smile:

I’m still hovering between 133-135 (my original WW goal weight - down from 172). I am planning on losing another 10-ish lbs. Still doing WW Core plan.

67

This sums up my own feelings exatcly. I hate exercise…hate running. There is no exercise that exists that I’m going to enjoy doing 4 times a week for 30+ minutes. Just not gonna happen. So I challenge myself when I’m running to run faster…or farther. I can’t just do 40 minutes at one pace. I’m constantly pushing to increase the pace. I’m trying right now to be able to hit sub-29 minutes for a 5K in late October. If it was run on a treadmill I’d be set…:slight_smile: but as it is I’m not sure I’ll make it. After that goal I’d like to be able to run the Rock-and-Roll half marathon next Labor day. I should be able to reach that quite easily. But I can’t run for running’s sake.

Although another motivation is wanting my children to see that exercise is something that needs to be part of their routine. Not enough play time outside for kids anymore, so they need to see through my example that taking care of your body is something that you need to do yourself.

68

Welcome back! :slight_smile:

I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the fact that my new life is my permanent life. I’m fortunate in that I really enjoy my exercise routine. I love the 20 minute workout. The 40 minute? Not quite as much.

69

In terms of finding exercise motivation, I’ve focused on doing things that involve other people, rather than the usual solitary exercise regimen. For example, I try and go hiking on the weekends fairly regularly, and I have couple people I play tennis with on a regular basis. Exercise stops being a chore, and becomes something that I look forward to.

70

I was going to hit the gym today, but I don’t feel very good and this morning my back was absolutely killing me. It’s somewhat better now, after some Advil and stretching. I think I overdid the lat pulls and/or rowing machine the other day, and it’s just now catching up with me. This weekend I’m gonna maybe buy some new exercise clothes and work on my bicycle so I can actually ride the damn thing.

71

I actually thought this way myself for quite a while. Like you and Obsidian, if I was going to exercise there had better be a reason for it; in college it was biking to class, for the past couple years it’s been stair work since I live in a two-story house, or if I have to walk to the mailbox or store.

I suppose I actually started hitting the gym because I found another reason rather than just weight-loss; the threat of diabetes recently coalesced in my mind from something that may happen “someday” to something that may hit me in the next week if I don’t start losing some weight. Even then, however, I probably wouldn’t find it as easy to hit the gym on a regular basis if it wasn’t for the fact that it is literally on the way home from work. It’s stupidly easy for me to stop in, do 30 minutes, and continue home. I’m actually sort of wondering what I’m going to do when the company changes offices next month and it stops being on the way. Hopefully it’ll be routine by then and I’ll figure something out.

I’ve actually come to look forward and enjoy to bringing the pain with weightlifting. :eek: If I don’t leave the gym with spaghetti limbs, I feel like I did something wrong.

72

Thanks!

I am torn on the exercise issue - I enjoy working out, and I enjoy how I feel afterwards. But for some reason, I tend to have a really hard time actually making myself do it. I can always think of something else I could be doing.

And I NEED to start walking - a lot. I’m doing a Breast Cancer 3-Day walk in November (60 miles - 20 miles per day for three days). I have been slacking the last few weeks, though I’m hoping to walk a half-marathon next weekend. It fits right in with the training schedule.

At least the weather is getting less oppressive so I can be outside more - it is NOT entertaining to walk more than 3 or 4 miles on a treadmill. Even that is pushing it.

I still need to finish my fundraising too, but that’s another issue :dubious:

73

Oh, I love you guys! I’m not alone!

I seriously have been (in the past) really discouraged my the constant insistance from all over the place that excersize makes you feel better. I think it’s great that for many people it does, but I felt like freak because it didn’t for me. I’ve been told I just don’t have the right attitude, and that’s the problem, because exersize makes everyone feel better. It’s scientifically proven.

I was so hoping to find this in this thread. When I was attending weight watchers meetings I also felt like a freak. Whenever someone achieved a goal they talked about how they never felt deprived, never felt hungry, loved working out, were now grossed out by unhealthy food. And here I’m thinking. . . I’ve been doing this 6 months and I feel none of those things (and would get confusion and skepticism from the leader when I said that when I spoke after acheiving a goal). I felt like the only person who hadn’t drunk the koolaid.

Sometimes I’m hungry and out of points at the end of the day. Sometimes I have to choke down the fish when I really, really, really want the fried chicken. I can too tell the difference between real and light cream cheese/salad dressing/mayo/peanut butter/ice cream. Sometimes I’d rather go to the dentist than the gym. I also don’t like cleaning the toilet either but that doesn’t mean my bathroom is a cesspool. I can still do this even if I find it hard or unpleasant sometimes.

74

Sigh! I weighed in at 230 lbs this morning. Now thats about 10 lbs (OK 9) less than last month, and periodic weighings have had me as low as 226. Nevertheless, minor weight fluctuations don’t count I have only lost 10 lbs in the last month. The problem is my eating habits have deteriorated. Worse yet, this past week, I have found my motivation to exercise extremely low.

I’ll consider this past week to be a low point in my weight loss regiment and continue rigorously next week with renewed enthusiasm. At least I hope so.

75

(more of my bolding)

Yeah, I’ll never understand people who say they “can’t tell the difference” between a full fat, low fat, and fat free product. Right. You may be OK with or even enjoy the lower fat version, but it does NOT taste exactly like the real thing. It’s just been too long since you’ve eaten the real thing.

I’ve never been to any of the meetings, I’ve always been online only, but you get the same stuff on the message boards sometimes.

76

Yep. I’m more like this on weekends than I am on weekdays. But I’ve found that all I have to do is start. If I can get my butt off the couch long enough to pop in the DVD, then the rest takes care of itself. And popping in the DVD is easy.

77

Obsidian I just read your post. I completely understand. As for exercise, I suggest toning it down until you have something you can do without feeling horible doing it, even if it amounts to walking around the block a few times. Personally, I thought I had been excelling at my daily runs. I was getting close to running 3 miles a day on massive slopes. Then last week I passed my wife while I was “running” and she said, “why aren’t you running?”. Whether I was running or not, I was getting to the point of complete exhaustion every time. I had gotten to the point that I dreaded my daily run. Clearly I need to change my system so that I don’t dread it.
As to whether or not I feel better since I’ve been excersizing… My blood pressure has dropped significantly in only a few weeks. The run I could barely finish when I started less than a month ago is nothing to me now. Don’t give up on the excersize, just keep it managable. It will make you feel better even if you don’t lose weight. Forget the gym, that just encourages you to work yourself too hard. Find something you can do without feeling bad when you just want to stop.

 As for reducing calorie intake, I have been very unsuccessfull.  I get hungry in the middle of the night.  One Lean Cuisine pizza at lunch just isn't enough.  Rather than go to light mayonaise I have given it up completely.  That light stuff is awful.  I choke down diet soda because the real stuff is just too many calories.  I've gone to 1% milk but skim is out of the question.

All in all I’d rather excersize than diet.

78

“Exercise at a level where other people will make fun of you.”
-Covert Bailey

79

Man, when I go to the gym and see all those ripped guys in the tank tops showing off biceps bigger than my head, they don’t need to make fun of me; I do it myself. :stuck_out_tongue: There’s enough schlubs like me working out that I don’t feel too bad, though.

80

Just checking in here, after a couple of weeks away. :smiley:

As some of you know, Jayjay and I were away for vacation over the holiday weekend (a Girth and Mirth event, oh the irony!), and we actually did go to a WW meeting, in Minneapolis. I gained 2 lbs and Jayjay actually lost 8 lbs. Of course, he is convinced it is because their scales weren’t calibrated properly… LOL.

But then both of us blew our diet bigtime too. We ate badly. But I did get quite a bit of walking in, and we both are back on track, dietwise.

Hopefully the damage won’t be too bad. We’ll find out in the morning!