Plenty to Lose

Well, I'm just going to fill you all in...

At the beginning of football season I weighed 240 pounds. Summer for me is lazy time, and so july i put on some weight. Once football started, I lost 10 pounds almost immediatly, and stayed there for the rest of the season. The team finished a slightly depressing 2-7. We lost one game with a missed 2 point conversion, and 5 of the teams we played this year made it to the semi-finals for there class, 3 to the finals. I played both sides of the ball, playing defensive tackle and offensive left tackle. It was a tough year. I tore my right MCL in preseason. It was only a grade one, so I just went to Dicks, bought a brace, and played through it. At the end of the season, I still weighed 230, but had trimmed a bit of fat.
After Football season, I had a week off, and during that week sure enough I put on five pounds.
Once wrestling season started I put off those five pounds immediatly, but can't get them any lower. I've recently picked up a whey protien shake to drink after practices. It helps get rid of muscle aches, and fills you up so I don't snack. Its also 1gram of fat to every 25 grams of protein. That has helped me add some muscle, and loose some weight. My doctor also told me that I could try the One A Day supplement with green tea extract to try and speed up my genetically slow metabolism. If anything, at least the minerals will keep me from getting sick. So far, the Team and myself are 1-1. Both matches I wrestled the 275 (super-heavyweight) weight class. My first match, I was outweighed 40 pounds and still won. My last match I was winning 4-2, until I got hit in a head and arm and was pinned. Because he's in my league, I'm going to wrestle him again this year, at least once. A week or two more of practice I should have the strength I need to beat these big guys. My goal is top three in the section (Which in New York is like Top 3 in most other states) I'll let you guys know how things turn out.

Oh, and my parsnips turned out delicious! Had to stop myself and save half for tomorrow. :D

Margaret

Good to hear that you liked the parsnips Margaret. :D

We rediscovered parsnips recently too. I'd carried a childhood memory of them as being a bit dull and yukky - the sort of food that the school told us to eat because it's good for you, but we suspected they just said that because they could buy them cheap by the truckload... :?

But they really are delicious as you say. We now bake them, either whole or as 'parsnip chips'. We also enjoy them in curries.

Thanks for the comments too. It's always interesting to hear how other people do things "different, but the same" - if you know what I mean - as there's no one method that suits us all. I have two lots of friends who love their treadmills too and who also have TVs set up so that they can slip a DVD in and watch while they run.

I've read about an exercise bike that provides a screen that gives you roads, scenery, other riders or whatever, to interact with by varying your speed, etc. and I rather like the sound of that. I'd rather enjoy one that incorporated a video game - pedal your way through levels of mayhem, with flame throwers on your handle bars or whatever... But then I'm a total kid when it comes to computer games... :roll: :oops:

Bummer about the plateau thing. That looked like it was happening to me when I got close to my target, but after a week of apparently stalling it moved on again. No idea why it stalled, or re-started really.

Good luck with it anyway. Sounds like you've done brilliantly to get as far as you have. And congrats for playing a big part in keeping the motivation and momentum going here when it looked as if it was flagging a bit. :)

Cheers, Chris

... knew I had to reduce the carbs (though I've always been into whole grains), increase the protein, increase the vegetables (already ate plenty of fruit), curtail snacking after supper, and control portion sizes.

Vicki was like that too. Knew a bunch already along those lines. I was the logger and weigher, but she was very supportive and weighed everything and wrote it all down for me to calculate whenever she was cooking.

Snacking after supper was my downfall too. Especially doing what I used to call "doing a community service" on the leftovers - by eating them. :shock: We were both very bad at cooking the right amounts and both alway seemed to cook for an extra person who wasn't there. Then I'd eat it later... :oops: So the weighing just sharpened us up a bit on that.
please post the menu sheets/recipes or email them if it's not too much trouble

I'll look some out. I might have trouble posting them as the columns probably won't display right. Plus it's all in grams and mils (we use kilometres, litres and kilos here). I'll see how it looks anyway. If you still with gmail.com I can mail some anyway.

Cheers, Chris

Duffmaster wrote: My doctor also told me that I could try the One A Day supplement with green tea extract to try and speed up my genetically slow metabolism. If anything, at least the minerals will keep me from getting sick.
Duff, I take the One-a-Day vitamin with green tea extract. Don't know if it makes any difference, but I figure it can't hurt. For those who aren't aware, some studies have shown green tea to be beneficial in weight loss programs.

I am a believer in the benefits of the antioxidants in green tea and drink it regularly, both hot and iced. I've tried quite a few different brands, blends, etc, including various organic teas. Some are great, but a few are too strong or even bitter.

If you're not already a confirmed tea lover, you might try the Celestial Seasonings green teas, readily available in regular grocery stores. They're not too overpowering. I'm currently enjoying the Lemon Zinger green tea by them.

[edit: Don't be surprised if your cup or glass of green tea is yellow or amber or even red. It's called green tea because it's not fermented as is black tea.]

Margaret

Consider yourself lucky! Many of us hit a final plateau and find it difficult to get below that point. Unfortunately, that plateau is not usually as low as we'd like it to be.

One of the things that showed up quite clearly when we used the method I've outlined, is that as your weight goes down so does the target food intake.

In other words it takes less food to maintain and run a smaller body than a big one.

Using the calculator in the link, it's easy to see just how much the target amount of calories we are allowed per day drops as our weight drops.

I'm sure that everybody already know that, as it's fairly obvious really. But it's easy, when you've been doing something successfully for while, to unconsciously take the foot off the pedal a bit... :wink:

We probably think something like "well, I've got my eating and exercise nicely balanced now - it's just a matter of sticking to it and the weight will slowly slide off..."

But, as you get lighter you can't just flat-line it. You still have to continue that curve of eating a little less, or exercising a little more.

The biggest advantage of reducing your food intake, as opposed to only increasing your exercise, is that your body learns to run on less fuel, and stops craving as much. Not sure if your stomach actually does shrink in size, but it seems logical. But whether or not it does, that's the way it feels. You need less to feel full and 'fuelled up'.

:)

Great posts thanks all; I've still got 14 pounds to lose - I never have any problems with eating vegies, I like em all, even brussel sprouts - I just need to walk more - I was always pretty trim til 5 years ago when I fell down a flight of stairs and injured my knee, and then 3 years ago I fell off a landing and injured an ankle badly, LOL what a clutzz , I'm as graceful as a gazelle- anyway I recently bought myself some nice evening shoes and will buy a dress to go with them after reaching goal weight, cheers for the holiday season :)

Violet Davis wrote: I recently bought myself some nice evening shoes and will buy a dress to go with them after reaching goal weight
That'll be fun to go shopping for a nice dress.

Then you'll have to book reservations at a posh restaurant and have an evening at the theater or some such. Maybe go to a great concert. :D

Margaret

Thanks Margaret, I hope to do that,
Merry Christmas :D

I was always pretty trim til 5 years ago when I fell down a flight of stairs and injured my knee, and then 3 years ago I fell off a landing and injured an ankle badly, LOL what a clutzz , I'm as graceful as a gazelle

We sound like we have a certain gracefulness in common... :wink:

I also managed to fall down our stairs, and landed on the newel post at the bottom! Ouch....

For students of bruises, here's the result

Click for bruise pic

In the interests of not frightening the general public I've edited out the stomach.... :shock: I'm glad to say that both the bruise and the stomach have now gone. :D

Enjoy the dress buying - it will be deeply satisfying.

When Vicki got close to her bottom weight she was buying new clothes (size 12) and was twice told by shop assistants that she was really a size 10. She told them she was quite happy with a 12, and liked them a little loose anyway. Both times the shop people said that was the first time that they had ever had a customer in the shop who was willing to buy a size larger than they could have worn. "You wouldn't believe what some customers will squeeze into", they said. I guess they didn't know that when you've been size 18, size 12 feels pretty darn good!! Anyway, she's lost a little more and does buy 10s now.

Cheers,

Chris

Been reading this thread with interest, especially Chris C's latest posts.....now some might say that his approach was a little obsessive, too fussy....I'd say it shows the value of preparation and planning....

When I gave up smoking last Xmas, I found I was eating more and putting weight on - but that was OK, at 6'5" and around 13 stones, I've always been slim.....but we made a conscious effort, like Chris, to eat better quality food....Marilyn has to watch her intake, but I've never had that problem....

Although we've both started smoking again....lack of support from family was one factor, next time we quit this house will be a strictly no-smoking household....we've continued to eat healthily, with a lot more fruit and veg than before...

To all of you who are "fighting the flab" I'll send my best wishes and good luck - you can eat healthily, enjoy your food and drink and lose weight.....and I'll have another go at stopping smoking come new year's eve.....

:D :D :D

Vic

For all of you who might have a craving for something sweet but don't want to ruin the waste line, I present to you the greatest healthy desert in the history of mankind. And quite possibly the greatest desert regardless of nutrition labels.

I'm not dieting, if anything I could gain a few a pounds...but as I downed three of these things last night, I wondered how many calories I just loaded into myself. Well, to my surprise, not many. One bar is only 80 calories and no fat. Very healthy and, I kid you not, amazingly delicious. Better than ice cream, cake, or whatever. Try them now, thank me later.

StormyMonday wrote: Very healthy and, I kid you not, amazingly delicious. Better than ice cream, cake, or whatever. Try them now, thank me later.
Thanks for that tip, StormyMonday. They do look good.

But can those little fruity ice treats beat a nice chunk of raspberry dark chocolate? Mmm, I think not. :lol:

Margaret

I really don't mean to p**s you all off, but as one of those lucky people who can eat like a horse and never put an ounce on, I'll pass on this one...if anything, I could stand to put a couple of stones on....

LOL Well not to p**S you off Vic, but I weighed 165 when I was smoking and when I quit I balloned up to my top point which was 220. So I am very supportive of your quitting smoking, BUT please watch what you eat because it does change things. Atleast it did for me.

Ohh and I didnt mention in my post that I am 5'10

Geoo

Me too. I quit over a period of time that coincided with getting a desk job and the birth of my daughter. I haven't seen < 200 in 6 years and I was about 180 prior. I'm about 5'10"-5'11". I need more exercise for sure, hitting the skatepark once a week ain't cuttin' it.

No one could call me overweight by any stretch of the imagination (155 lbs), but even little guys like me suffer from middle age spread. 3 months ago I was 165 lbs and that extra 10 was pretty much around my middle. What worked for me was:
1) a regime that was sustainable, I put it on slowly so taking it off slowly was my objective.
2) Its all about energy in versus energy out, if you burn more that you consume then you'll loose weight.
3)Eating the right food, protein lots of veges and fruit and when you eat carbohydrate make sure that it has a low glycemic index. That's that rate at which you're body turns the carb to glucose. If you eat low GI food you wont feel as hungry. If you eat high GI food then what happens is that your body quickly converts it to glucose, if your not doing any physical exercise to burn that energy off then the body produces a dump of insulin to deal with it. This only makes you feel weak and hungry and so you crave quick relief i.e. hi GI carbs and the cycle begins again. That unused energy is stored as fat ( thats near enough the process anyway).
4) No snacking between meals, if I'm hungry I just eat an apple or some other fruit.

I just worked out the amount of calories I need to operate and make sure that by doing a 30 min walk during my lunch hour I'm always burning just a little bit more than I'm consuming, not a great deal more but enough to loose that extra. By taking it easy but steady it's not so onerous that I want to give up on it.

Anyway thats what worked for me.

Paul

I quit smoking on year ago. I gained about ten pounds.my diet didnt change much and my exercise regime kicked into high gear (I got my black belt). but the weight crept up.
I cut down on the few snacks I ate, but the weight stays the same or fluctuates by a pound or two.
hoping this winter's cross country skiing will help.
I exercise and watch my diet but no weight loss.
I am 5'9" and weigh 174. 55 years old.
I feel best at 163. I dont eat junk food, processed food. pretty much do all my own cooking.
any tips for that last bit to lose.

BTW. you guys are like giants. 6' plus :!: