# SDMB Weight Loss Thread: January Version **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 2, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606 "2009-01-02T17:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/61 "2009-01-05T20:30:12Z")
Wow, we all are very impressive for a bunch of Losers! Go, Team Dope! ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/62 "2009-01-05T20:31:57Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > Most recently: > > Aerobic workouts with the goal of burning a minimum of 2500 calories per week. What that usually ends up looking like is about a 5 mile run 5 days a week. This is a little more than usual (my “normal” workouts are about 4 miles times 4-5 times a week). It also, according to SparkPeople, ends up at a bit more than 2500 calories per week, so if I’m having an off day at the end of the week I might do a shorter workout, if I can still reach my weekly goal. > > On days I’m particularly frustrated, and I have time, I’ll do longer runs. Over this weekend I did 7.5 miles and 7 miles. That’s around an hour and a half of running. > > Also I recently started weight training again (as of shortly after Thanksgiving). I’m doing high-intensity training (one set, perfect form, sloooowwwwwllly, until muscle failure) because weight training bores me to tears and that’s the best I could come up with to make me keep going back. One set, even done slowly, takes less time than multiple faster ones. I do upper body/abs twice a week, lower body/lower back once a week. Mostly because I figure that running does its own bit to help with lower body tone. > > On weight training days, between the run and the weights I’m usually there for close to two hours, which is okay while I’m not working, but I’m wondering how I could possibly swing that when I have to be commuting and working for 10 hours a day. ☹ > > BTW, for anyone who lives in Chicago especially, or big cities in general, check with your local Park District (or whatever city agency manages your city parks). Chicago Park District has a number of parks which have fitness rooms, which are $45 for three months. They’re not giant awesome gyms, by any means, but they have the basics (treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, and enough weight machines to make a complete workout). And the price is less than half of most private gyms, without an initiation fee, or a year-long commitment. Have you considered totally changing your cardio routine? Your body might be in a rut. As you become more efficient with something, like running, you burn less calories because it’s less of an effort. You can counteract it by either changing your running (i.e. HIIT, Tabata drills, hill runs, sprints, etc.) or trying something new altogether. IME, that is exactly what made me lose weight fast. I was doing the same old, same old, then I joined an advanced bikini boot camp (1 hour, 3 days a week) and I dropped 10 pounds in about 5 weeks. Could work for you too. ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/63 "2009-01-05T22:30:33Z")
Checking in with all the other hard-at-work lifestyle changers. 🙂 I’ll admit I’ve not gotten on the scale in a few weeks, but really I have been good for the most part over the holidays. We’ll ignore the two pieces of pie (apple and pecan with triple chocolate chunks…both _a la mode_, of course) on Xmas. 😉 I’ve managed to rid the house of most of the candy and goodies received through presents (and bought as decoration), so it’s back to the normal, eat-pretty-much-the-same-thing-every-day routine I’ve been on since about February. My current weight loss is at about 130 pounds since late January of 2008. I have about another 20-30 to go to just edge into that all-important BMI normal weight category, but I’m not sure how that will work with me. There’s a great deal of what my wife terms loose skin in my abdomen, but I’m not sure if that’s the case or if it’s just residual fat; probably a combination of the two things. I will admit that it’s become more depressing to go food shopping, particularly since my wife eats junk food pretty frequently. It’s hard to be grabbing some ice cream for her and really wanting that pint of Ben & Jerry’s nearby…or buying pastries and lusting for the triple chocolate truffle bomb…or even just a good blueberry muffin. The most depressing thing is something I have little control over; to have lost all this weight – it’s been almost 25 years since I’ve weighed this “little” – and not be able to enjoy the lust-filled sex life (or heck…ANY sex life!) I crave. But that’s for another thread, I would guess. :o ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/64 "2009-01-05T23:05:55Z")
> [@Ceejaytee](#): > > I’m down to 197 from 240 last March. My husband bought me a heart rate monitor for the holidays, and I used it for the first time this morning, and it’s really awesome. It tracks calories burned too, so I can add that into my diet and exercise software. I ordered a couple of strength training dvds and some hand weights, so I’ll be adding that to my aerobics routine as soon as they arrive, which should be this week. I’m pretty excited about it. That’s amazing! Congratulations! Isn’t it funny how motivation feeds on itself…you find something that works, and you want to keep doing it! I was able to friend everybody at SP except for **Savannah** and\*\* Kerrigan\*\*. Do you guys have a SparkPage set up yet? Oh, and since I was asked, no I’m not 6 feet tall. I’m 5’5". ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/65 "2009-01-05T23:21:20Z")
I’m down 65 pounds since last April, thanks to Sparkpeople, and my own awesomeness, of course. The holidays were extremely gratifying because I saw many people I hadn’t seen in months and months and they were full of compliments. I even cheerfully posed in photos and looked at them with no self-loathing. Huzzah! I’m loving the Y, but I really can’t wait to get back to running outdoors. I want to do a 5K in the spring; I’m looking at a local schedule and having a hard time deciding and committing to one. I’m scared! I don’t think that I can’t do it or anything, I’m just irrationally scared. Which will be a good thing to overcome, I s’pose. Congrats to everyone, and a hearty “You can do it!” to all! ---
**Author:** ![Winkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@Winkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winkie)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/66 "2009-01-06T00:10:36Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > **Winkie** , if you give me your username over at SparkPeople I’ll friend you. I’m **ivylass** over as SP too, so I’m not hard to find. I’m **Winkie314** at SP; plain Winkie was already taken (so if anyone has friended that nice person, they may or may not know what the SDMB is!) ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/67 "2009-01-06T00:15:46Z")
I’m here and I need to get my weight under control. I’m 5’6" and 203 lbs. It was breaking the 200 lb, barrier that made me realize that I need to get serious. I’m going to check out this Sparks thing, but I mostly need to eat less, and less junk. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/68 "2009-01-06T00:27:49Z")
Hi everyone! Looks like we’re all ready to start the year off right! With the help of **SparkPeople** , I’ve lost about 32lbs, and have only 18 more to go by June! If any of our new Spark folks would like to friend me, my username is FaerieBeth over there, too! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/69 "2009-01-06T01:12:06Z")
> [@Zjestika](#): > > I’m down 65 pounds since last April, thanks to Sparkpeople, and my own awesomeness, of course. The holidays were extremely gratifying because I saw many people I hadn’t seen in months and months and they were full of compliments. I even cheerfully posed in photos and looked at them with no self-loathing. Huzzah! Post a link to the photos! 65 pounds is awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Winkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/41988e/32.png) [@Winkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winkie)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/70 "2009-01-06T02:04:28Z")
I got a new scale today, that I suspect is a bit more accurate - so I’m actually 196 pounds, goal 138 pounds by the end of the year. Eek! ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/71 "2009-01-06T02:07:38Z")
Scale confirmed this morning that I’m still at 123. Given a week of PMS and not great eating, that’s not too bad. ---
**Author:** ![Kerrigan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/49beb7/32.png) [@Kerrigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kerrigan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/72 "2009-01-06T03:13:52Z")
I created my Spark Page, so now I should be friendable and findable. My user name is **violinplayer14**. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/73 "2009-01-06T06:15:02Z")
Well, I’ve been eye-balling these threads for some time. Time I posted as well. I’m cautiously optimistic. I bought myself a Wii-Fit to fuel my physical “reactivation” process, last October. Its progress reports were disheartening, at first, but around the two month mark I decided not to let it measure me every day but rather every two weeks or so. So: From 200/198 pounds (its starting measurements were kinda… erratic) I’ve brought it down to 190.5. My goals are long term, so for April I’d be happy if I reached 184 pounds. So: I wish everyone in this thread luck! And I hope to report, if this thread is still around, in April! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/74 "2009-01-06T12:33:43Z")
> [@Winkie](#): > > I got a new scale today, that I suspect is a bit more accurate - so I’m actually 196 pounds, goal 138 pounds by the end of the year. Eek! Don’t eek. Don’t worry about 138 pounds. Concentrate on getting from 196 to 190 right now. Don’t think of the big goal…look at the baby steps. ---
**Author:** ![Karyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/fbc32d/32.png) [@Karyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karyn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/75 "2009-01-06T13:28:57Z")
Oh well. I finally weighed myself again and the scale shows that I gained 5 pounds since the week before Christmas but (TMI) my period should start tomorrow so at least 3 of them are probably water weight. So: Starting weight 6/03: 250 Ending weight : 8/04: 135 Starting again: 6/08: 150 Current weight: 1/09: 140 Goal weight: 4/09 130 ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/76 "2009-01-06T15:51:04Z")
I actually enjoyed my dinner last night–chicken breast, no sauce. Broccoli with a careful, modest amount of cheddar melted on it. I couldn’t finish my chicken. 🙂 So I put it away. The thing that is hard for both my husband and I (who’s on a reduced sugar regime these days) is to remember that seriously, no one is going to take our food away and never give it to us again if we don’t finish something. STOP when we’re full. Stick it in the fridge, and if you’re hungry later, eat it then. I’m also trying to follow these notions: - If you’re hungry, eat. - But don’t eat unless you’re hungry. (Not when you’re bored, stressed, sad, or interestingly–thirsty.) - Slow down and really enjoy your food. - When you’re full–stop. - Make it yourself–you know what is in it then (for example, I don’t add high fructose corn syrup to things that don’t need to be sweet when I cook at home!) I’ve also allowed myself unlimited amounts of fruits and vegetables. Since I’m no longer gorging on Christmas goodies and chocolates, once again, fruit has become satisfyingly sweet. And filling! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/77 "2009-01-06T16:03:04Z")
I gained a pound since yesterday. What the fuck! The Sparklepeople told me my calorie intake is too low. I didn’t think that mattered if I was working out, but I guess it does. So today I’m going to eat an additional 200 calories. Which ought to feel pretty good after living on 800-1000 for the last 4 days. I’m liking my workout. It’s fun going with my husband, even if we don’t spend much time together. I’m there at 5am before the crowds hit. ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/78 "2009-01-06T17:38:12Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I gained a pound since yesterday. What the fuck! The Sparklepeople told me my calorie intake is too low. I didn’t think that mattered if I was working out, but I guess it does. So today I’m going to eat an additional 200 calories. Which ought to feel pretty good after living on 800-1000 for the last 4 days. I agree with the SparkPeople here. I might suggest going to a nutritionist, who can give you the best idea where your caloric intake should be. Before I saw the nutritionist I was at about 1000-1200 calories per day, and she immediately told me for my size I should be taking in 2200. Slow, steady weight loss is much more likely to be kept off than a rapid loss, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/79 "2009-01-06T17:40:42Z")
I weighed myself on my home scale this morning and I’m 149. So at least 10 pounds is good enough for me. Since I’ve increased my protien intake, I’ve noticed a DRAMATIC difference in my energy levels and weight loss. I eat protien with every meal and in every snack. I’ve been doing this for about 5 months now and it’s working (like they always said it would). ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606/80 "2009-01-06T17:41:47Z")
> [@ptr2void](#): > > I agree with the SparkPeople here. I might suggest going to a nutritionist, who can give you the best idea where your caloric intake should be. Before I saw the nutritionist I was at about 1000-1200 calories per day, and she immediately told me for my size I should be taking in 2200. Slow, steady weight loss is much more likely to be kept off than a rapid loss, apparently. Exactly. Plus, google ‘starvation mode’ and you’ll see what happens to your body when you eat too little. Never go below 1200 without talking to a doctor first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-weight-loss-thread-january-version/479606.md?page=5)