General Weight Loss Support Thread

Penn

Weekend turned into more of a binge than I'd imagined. Gained 2lb this week. If anything though, got some sh*t out of my system and ready to jump back into the thick of it. Like I've said, these events will happen, gotta let them happen. What's important is to get back into the groove after.

aligator_am

I suffered a bad leg injury a few years ago and the weight just totally spiraled out of control, I found it easier to find excuses to not exercise even after the leg had fully healed up.

So finally I've decided to start getting back in shape, I'd previously bought one of those fit bit style wristbands, they are very useful as they will link in to the Google Fit app on the phone, you'd be surprised how much exercise you do during the day without realising it.

I've removed bread from my diet over the past few weeks and sugar for the most part (will still have sugar in my first cup of coffee in the morning), I've started doing kettlebells and will shortly start going swimming in the mornings, or that's the intention at least.

I think if you can get to bed early and try to get up in the mornings by about 05:30 or 06:00 it can make a big difference (although I don't have kids so I can understand how this may not be workable if you do).

I've decided to keep a blog / visual record of the progress too, mostly as a way to motivate myself when I start to see the difference (a lot of the time when losing weight you don't notice it yourself, it's usually someone who hasn't seen you in a while will comment that you've lost weight).

I also setup a Facebook group to try and encourage more people to start taking the first steps (I think very similar idea to this thread actually) but I've not had many takers so far

Anyway, as it stands I'm beginning at a weight of about 20 stone / 280 lbs, I'll post updates here as I progress and would certainly appreciate any pointers from those who are further along in their journey than me.

Actually one last thing, has anyone here tried the intermittent fasting approach? I've just started looking in to it but would like to know more before jumping on the bandwagon.

Thanks
Al

silverharp

aligator_am wrote: »

Actually one last thing, has anyone here tried the intermittent fasting approach? I've just started looking in to it but would like to know more before jumping on the bandwagon.

Thanks
Al

there is a specific thread on this subject, you should find it on the first page or previous page of the forum. i started by roughly following the michael mosley idea of having 2 days per week of calorie restriction ~600 calories and making it a small lunch and main dinner, then on to a more general 16/8.
there is no one approach, all depends on your personality and routine and it doesnt have to be overly complicated

Penn

aligator_am wrote: »

I suffered a bad leg injury a few years ago and the weight just totally spiraled out of control, I found it easier to find excuses to not exercise even after the leg had fully healed up.

So finally I've decided to start getting back in shape, I'd previously bought one of those fit bit style wristbands, they are very useful as they will link in to the Google Fit app on the phone, you'd be surprised how much exercise you do during the day without realising it.

I've removed bread from my diet over the past few weeks and sugar for the most part (will still have sugar in my first cup of coffee in the morning), I've started doing kettlebells and will shortly start going swimming in the mornings, or that's the intention at least.

I think if you can get to bed early and try to get up in the mornings by about 05:30 or 06:00 it can make a big difference (although I don't have kids so I can understand how this may not be workable if you do).

I've decided to keep a blog / visual record of the progress too, mostly as a way to motivate myself when I start to see the difference (a lot of the time when losing weight you don't notice it yourself, it's usually someone who hasn't seen you in a while will comment that you've lost weight).

I also setup a Facebook group to try and encourage more people to start taking the first steps (I think very similar idea to this thread actually) but I've not had many takers so far

Anyway, as it stands I'm beginning at a weight of about 20 stone / 280 lbs, I'll post updates here as I progress and would certainly appreciate any pointers from those who are further along in their journey than me.

Actually one last thing, has anyone here tried the intermittent fasting approach? I've just started looking in to it but would like to know more before jumping on the bandwagon.

Thanks
Al

Hey Al, fair play on making the change!

Sounds like you're pretty well geared up, and heading down the right path. The blog is a great idea, really helps with accountability. I try post here ever week so it's kind of like my own blog. Fitbit and some exercise in the mornings will be a huge help. Diet is the most important, and cutting out/down on breads and sugars is definitely a good first step.

Main bits of advice I'd give:
- Myfitnesspal. Log your calories every day, and you'll be able to quickly identify where you might be able to make easy changes to your diet or see where you might need to reduce portion size.
- Make small changes to start. If you go too hardcore at the start in terms of diet and exercise, it could be too big a change and harder for the changes to properly stick. It takes time to form new habits, so keep making small changes as you go along.
- Make sure you're still eating foods you enjoy. Find alternative recipes for meals you enjoy, ones which have low fat/calories ingredients. That way with some small changes to the ingredients, you can keep eating foods you like and it'll be a lot easier to stick to.

Good luck with it! You seem to be on the ball so far, so just keep it going. Even small changes at the start will have a huge effect.

aligator_am

Penn wrote: »

Hey Al, fair play on making the change!

Sounds like you're pretty well geared up, and heading down the right path. The blog is a great idea, really helps with accountability. I try post here ever week so it's kind of like my own blog. Fitbit and some exercise in the mornings will be a huge help. Diet is the most important, and cutting out/down on breads and sugars is definitely a good first step.

Main bits of advice I'd give:
- Myfitnesspal. Log your calories every day, and you'll be able to quickly identify where you might be able to make easy changes to your diet or see where you might need to reduce portion size.
- Make small changes to start. If you go too hardcore at the start in terms of diet and exercise, it could be too big a change and harder for the changes to properly stick. It takes time to form new habits, so keep making small changes as you go along.
- Make sure you're still eating foods you enjoy. Find alternative recipes for meals you enjoy, ones which have low fat/calories ingredients. That way with some small changes to the ingredients, you can keep eating foods you like and it'll be a lot easier to stick to.

Good luck with it! You seem to be on the ball so far, so just keep it going. Even small changes at the start will have a huge effect.

Hey Penn, thanks very much for the tips and suggestions, I've setup an account on myfitnesspal and will see how that pans out.

I generally eat relatively healthily but I work in IT and tend to be stuck behind a desk all day.

I was thinking to maybe eat lunch while working prior to the lunch break and then go walking (progressing to jogging) during the lunch break. Yeah it'll be a pain in the hole trying to down a mouthful of grub before leaping in to answer a call to fix a computer (Thanks very much Windows 10 updates, grrrrrrrrr), but I think it's worth a go to see if it's workable.

I picked up the two Onnit 6 programs, one is based around using your own bodyweight to get fit and the other is centred on kettlebell training, they're $50 but the vids are good and have step by step instruction videos separately on how to do the exercises without banjaxing yourself.

I was doing the starter level of the kettlebell one earlier and sweet jaysus help me, it was an experience, the 2 kettlebells I have here are 10kg and 16kg, I opted for the lower one so that I didn't need an air ambulance to get me out through the roof

Macy0161

Penn wrote: »

- Myfitnesspal. Log your calories every day, and you'll be able to quickly identify where you might be able to make easy changes to your diet or see where you might need to reduce portion size.
- Make small changes to start. If you go too hardcore at the start in terms of diet and exercise, it could be too big a change and harder for the changes to properly stick. It takes time to form new habits, so keep making small changes as you go along.

I would really agree with this advice. Even now, I can be shocked when I weigh out a portion, and how small it is compared to what I wanted or used to eat. A lot of the initial changes were really just portion control for me, rather than excluding anything from what I was eating... 4 slices of toast instead of 6, trying to minimise butter/ spread rather than lashing it on, 100g of (dry weight pasta) v 200g + it probably was, 4 portions out of 500g of mince rather than 2, etc., etc. It was only as I got down further that I ended up gradually changing what I was eating (but I still love my toast and tea post evening training).

Penn wrote: »

- Make sure you're still eating foods you enjoy. Find alternative recipes for meals you enjoy, ones which have low fat/calories ingredients. That way with some small changes to the ingredients, you can keep eating foods you like and it'll be a lot easier to stick to.

Leaner cuts of meat, grilled. Oven chips (or homemade wedges). Google fakeaways (or even search on boards) and you'll get loads of options. Pick ones you can batch cook at least part of it and have them in the freezer.

Dial Hard

Macy0161 wrote: »

A lot of the initial changes were really just portion control for me, rather than excluding anything from what I was eating... 4 slices of toast instead of 6.

Six slices of toast?! :eek::eek::eek:

aligator_am

Macy0161 wrote: »

Leaner cuts of meat, grilled. Oven chips (or homemade wedges). Google fakeaways (or even search on boards) and you'll get loads of options. Pick ones you can batch cook at least part of it and have them in the freezer.

Yeah that was something I forgot to mention, I picked up a slow cooker a while ago, absolutely brilliant device and can make a good large batch of grub which can be portioned out and frozen for the week.

I know there's a great thread on boards about slow cooker recipes, worth a look if you're interested.

Macy0161

Dial Hard wrote: »

Six slices of toast?! :eek::eek::eek:

And the rest probably at my peak! I could quite happily have that now tbh! I don't eat much bread, but toast would still be something that needs a bit of willpower for me.

Obviously notwithstanding butters/ spreads/ toppings 6 slices of a white sliced pan might not be that much more calorific than a nice multigrain wholemeal loaf. A bog standard white pan would be around or under 90 calories a slice, wholemeal multitgrain/ seeded could be knocking 120 calories a slice, so it could be within 60 calories of each other.

aligator_am wrote: »

I know there's a great thread on boards about slow cooker recipes, worth a look if you're interested.

Yes, I follow and post on it. We use it at least once week. The site I mentioned last week has a few free recipes, and ebooks available to buy, including a slow cooker special.

Mellor

Macy0161 wrote: »

Obviously notwithstanding butters/ spreads/ toppings 6 slices of a white sliced pan might not be that much more calorific than a nice multigrain wholemeal loaf. A bog standard white pan would be around or under 90 calories a slice, wholemeal multitgrain/ seeded could be knocking 120 calories a slice, so it could be within 60 calories of each other.

I'm not sure I get this point.
6 (or 4) slices of bread is a terrible option. Wholegrain/multigrain being just as high doesn't make it any better.
4-6 Wholegrain would be an equally terrible breakfast imo

Macy0161

Mellor wrote:

I'm not sure I get this point. 6 (or 4) slices of bread is a terrible option. Wholegrain/multigrain being just as high doesn't make it any better. 4-6 Wholegrain would be an equally terrible breakfast imo

Not really sure myself at this remove tbh! I guess just responding that people eat 6 slices of toast. I did, but purely in calorie terms 4 v 6 isn't necessarily massively different calorie wise but more acceptable maybe?

Anyway my breakfast is pretty much always some combination of oats, berries and protein for me these days fwiw. But I still like toast some evenings, within my overall calorie and macro goals.

Loughc

Loughc wrote: »

3rd Weigh In this morning,

Week 1: -2lbs
Week 2: -4lbs
Week 3: -2lbs

Slow but steady and it’s all moving in the right direction.

Next week I will hopefully be in the next stone bracket weight wise. So far the early morning gym sessions are still worth it

Week 4: -3lbs

Total weight loss for the month is -11lbs.

In the next stone bracket by 3lbs now as well.

To say I’m delighted is an understatement. I was not expecting 3!! Delighted. I could really feel a difference in my jeans and work trousers this week as well!

Penn

Loughc wrote: »

Week 4: -3lbs

Total weight loss for the month is -11lbs.

In the next stone bracket by 3lbs now as well.

To say I’m delighted is an understatement. I was not expecting 3!! Delighted. I could really feel a difference in my jeans and work trousers this week as well!

Great stuff lad! Hell of a start!

Penn

Penn wrote: »

Weekend turned into more of a binge than I'd imagined. Gained 2lb this week. If anything though, got some sh*t out of my system and ready to jump back into the thick of it. Like I've said, these events will happen, gotta let them happen. What's important is to get back into the groove after.

I was guessing some of the 2lb gain last week may have been water retention from salty food and beers, or from food still in my system.

Think I was right because a 4lb loss this week. And most importantly, I'm officially under 200lb. Genuinely can't remember when I was last under 200lb. Was almost definitely over half my life ago.

Plus proof if ever it was needed that the occasional binge, while not great, won't ruin the rest of the effort you put in the rest of the time. One bad day or weekend won't ruin the rest of the week. Just gotta get back into it and not let bad habits creep back in.

Coming up to some more big milestones in the coming weeks; 7 stone, then 100lb. Something to look forward to!

jaykhunter

Penn wrote: »

A 4lb loss this week. And most importantly, I'm officially under 200lb. Genuinely can't remember when I was last under 200lb. Was almost definitely over half my life ago.

*John Mayer starts singing* your body is ONE-derland!

Congrats mate, that's fantastic! Well done! Huge milestone there. Anything nice for yourself to celebrate?

Penn

jaykhunter wrote: »

*John Mayer starts singing* your body is ONE-derland!

Congrats mate, that's fantastic! Well done! Huge milestone there. Anything nice for yourself to celebrate?

Cheers lad. Not getting anything for this milestone (as would have hit the milestone earlier had I not ate the head off myself the weekend before, so that can count as my pre-reward for it). Thought about doing something once I hit the 100lb, but at that stage I'd only be a few weeks away from my actual end goal, so might just leave it until then.

Besides, dieting is its own reward

fatherted1969

Need to get my act together. Was 18st 5lbs 4 years ago and started exercising a few times a week. Have still kept it going and started running 5k's and progressed up to marathon distance. Ran 6 marathons and 6 half marathons last year but diet isn't good. Currently weigh just under 16st and at 5ft 8'' i'm well overweight. It's all down to diet. Lost 5 lbs two weeks ago and am at 101.1 now not sure what that is in st. Will pop in here every week to try and motivate myself. Long distance running doesn't do much for me for weight loss so i've been concentrating on shorter sharper stuff to kick up the cardio output. Here's hoping

Penn

fatherted1969 wrote: »

Need to get my act together. Was 18st 5lbs 4 years ago and started exercising a few times a week. Have still kept it going and started running 5k's and progressed up to marathon distance. Ran 6 marathons and 6 half marathons last year but diet isn't good. Currently weigh just under 16st and at 5ft 8'' i'm well overweight. It's all down to diet. Lost 5 lbs two weeks ago and am at 101.1 now not sure what that is in st. Will pop in here every week to try and motivate myself. Long distance running doesn't do much for me for weight loss so i've been concentrating on shorter sharper stuff to kick up the cardio output. Here's hoping

Hey fatherted1969, what you've achieved so far is incredible! You should be really proud.

You absolutely seem to have the exercise part down considering the lengths you can run. The key thing is definitely going to be diet. I'd recommend downloading Myfitnesspal and keeping track of everything you're eating, then see where you can reduce some of those calories. For the first while it can be as easy as just swapping out a few usual snacks or ingredients for healthier versions, or even reducing/adjusting portion sizes (increase meat, reduce carbs etc). No need to make huge changes to your whole diet/routine straight away, as that can be harder to stick to.

Find some ways of just reducing your calories for a little while, and as you go on, do it more and more. It'll be important though to take into consideration how much exercise/running you do to make sure you're not creating too large a calorie deficit. Your body still needs fuel!

Congrats on what you've achieved so far! I'm dreading even starting the Couch25k, never mind running 6 marathons (and 6 half marathons) in a year

Loughc

Week 1: -2lbs
Week 2: -4lbs
Week 3: -2lbs
Week 4: -3lbs
Week 5: STS

Stayed the same this week. Devastated. I had a few extra treats last weekend but still no alcohol or takeaways.

I did 2 extra training sessions over my usual 3 a week so I’m hoping it’s just water retention and muscle gain over a lack of weight loss.

Alf Veedersane

Loughc wrote: »

Week 1: -2lbs
Week 2: -4lbs
Week 3: -2lbs
Week 4: -3lbs
Week 5: STS

Stayed the same this week. Devastated. I had a few extra treats last weekend but still no alcohol or takeaways.

I did 2 extra training sessions over my usual 3 a week so I’m hoping it’s just water retention and muscle gain over a lack of weight loss.

Won't be muscle gain but possibly a degree more water retention in the muscles from the extra training. I wouldn't sweat it...the weight loss will come through. Might just be cos the day you weighed yourself

Penn

2lb this week. Nothing major to report from this week, bar getting more comments than ever about my weight loss. Even from the chemist

Did have a small burger king meal yesterday. I went to subway for lunch but the queue was massive (as in, busload of some sports team just arrived before me), so went over to burger king instead. But, skipped a snack I'd usually have mid-afternoon as wasn't really hungry for it, and did a bit longer on the exercise bike that I had been doing, so balanced it out I think. Really didn't have the taste for the burger either though. I know subway itself isn't the healthiest, but the burger and chips just really tasted kinda flavourless and empty. Can't believe I used to eat that kind of stuff so often.

Penn

Another 2lb, which means I've hit 7 stone lost.

Resigning myself to the fact that I'm going to have a bunch of loose skin after. While I'm nearing a healthy weight and measurements still decreasing, I still have a floppy belly and manboobs. I don't think losing another stone will fully reduce that. It was to be expected really. I'm thinner than I've ever been as an adult. Even bought 34" jeans yesterday which I've never worn as an adult. However, I'll just have to wear the loose skin as a badge of honour for a while, and either bulk myself out with muscle or see about surgery.

Have another good week folks! Keep CICOing!

silverharp

^^

look into fasting, you have a better chance of the excess skin being gobbled up as it were

Loughc

Lost a 1lb this week. Happy enough as I was off plan completely on Thursday.

Penn

silverharp wrote: »

^^

look into fasting, you have a better chance of the excess skin being gobbled up as it were

Yeah might be something I look into alright. From doing a bit of reading on it yesterday, it seems there's likely still a good bit of fat left to lose (based on thickness of when I grab some of my stomach etc and the fact I haven't reached my target yet, which would still only put me just inside the normal BMI range, so would still be bordering on overweight even at my goal). So I'm inclined to keep going as I have been until I reach that goal anyway, but may look at switching to IF after that to get rid of a bit more and hopefully reduce loose skin that way.

But in the meantime I'll do more reading on it myself anyway and if I think I could make the swap easy enough, might do so sooner.

silverharp

Penn wrote: »

Yeah might be something I look into alright. From doing a bit of reading on it yesterday, it seems there's likely still a good bit of fat left to lose (based on thickness of when I grab some of my stomach etc and the fact I haven't reached my target yet, which would still only put me just inside the normal BMI range, so would still be bordering on overweight even at my goal). So I'm inclined to keep going as I have been until I reach that goal anyway, but may look at switching to IF after that to get rid of a bit more and hopefully reduce loose skin that way.

But in the meantime I'll do more reading on it myself anyway and if I think I could make the swap easy enough, might do so sooner.

stick to your plan for sure, its a minor issue in the scheme of things.

Macy0161

silverharp wrote: »

^^

look into fasting, you have a better chance of the excess skin being gobbled up as it were

Potentially. Some studies have suggested...

silverharp

Macy0161 wrote: »

Potentially. Some studies have suggested...

"Actually" based on doctors reporting on it in their practices, its a pretty binary thing, if a group of people have lost a significant amount of weight using fasting and havnt needed a tummy tuck at the end then there is something there, my recollection is that bariatric patients are quite likely to need this procedure because they are not actually fasting, they are just on an enforced low calorie diet . Its an under studied area so its going to take time, and probably issues over getting funding because there is nothing to sell off the back of it.

Life is too short to short to hang around waiting for the establishment to catch up. Do your own research and try filter out the wheat from the chaff and reasonable versus exaggerated claims.

Macy0161

But not proven. When you previously linked to the study, it was one doctor and a small group and pretty much just anecdote.

The science around IF is very much unproven (yet), but keeps being given with zero caveats. It's like bro science for skinny people.

I'll say again, I have read up on IF and listened to discussions from far more qualified people than me. I think it is something that has potential. It's it being stated as fact, at this point in time, that I object to.

Mellor

silverharp wrote: »

"if a group of people have lost a significant amount of weight using fasting and havnt needed a tummy tuck at the end then there is something there

Without a control for calorie intake. It means next to nothing.