Turning around.......

[Viking]

Hi there baldies, just seeking out some advice here! Basically i've receantly decided it's time to sort myself out. I have allways been on the larger side and now at the age of 29 I found myself sitting at 21 stone (294lbs) which obviously isn't that great. I found it was starting to restrict what i could do in life and obviously it just isn't healthy, it is all my own doing, a decade of lazyness combined with a poor diet. 

I've made changes to my diet and in a few weeks dropped a stone (14lbs), the wheels have come off the wagon a bit this last week or so as I'm off work and boredom seems to lead me to bad food, at least when I'm at work I'm distracted!

I'm not looking to be super skinny or anything, that just isn't me, but I'd like to loose weight and maybe replace some bad weight with good weight by bulking up a bit, I quite like being a "big" person but I'd like to be a healthy "big" person!

Anyone done simillar and give any advice on diet plans etc.... to help me out.

I'm not really into going to gyms, I just don't like the places as they seem to be full of people who laugh at fat people then laugh at them even more when they try to not be fat.  I do have a deceant exercise bike and a small spare room that I'm going to turn into a "mini" home gym, was thinking maybe some weights (I used to enjoy weights when rugby training as a teen).

Any advice would be great!!

P.S. i'm not shaving off the beard to save weight!! 

[Slynito]

Noooo, don't shave the beard! I believe that more fuel has to be burned that is coming into the body, to lose weight. It's all math and physics... Have you tried a vegetarian diet for a few weeks, just to see if it makes you feel better? There's a wagon load of diets out there. I remember the Pritikin Diet years ago, it sure worked for me. There are a couple SGBs that I'm sure will be along to give their advice...Goog luck!

 

[Viking]

I've allways been a strong believer in the simplistic way of dieting of eating less/doing more, faddy diets just don't seem longterm, which is what I'm after. Having said that I did consider going veggie for a month but that was mainly to 1) Help cleanse my body almost as I was feeling rough most of the time, 2) To help me stop slipping and getting a burger etc.... In the end I decided against as good meat is healthy.

Like I said I'm going for longterm not just drop a few stone and put it back on, I'm not even aiming for a target weight as for me it's just about getting to a point where I feel more comfortable with myself, be that being 18 stone or 14 stone, I just want to feel better.

My problem so far is that my days tended to go something along the lines or fruit in the morning, fruit at lunch and a healthy dinner in the evening, although sounding healthy in theory (and I rarely felt hungry) it doesn't seem right longterm.

[Beardman]

Gearhead, your story is alot like mine. I am sorry to hear you feel that way about gyms though, When I started at the gym I was probably a bit over 300 pounds and I never once felt that people were looking down on me... Maybe you are just going to the wrong gym if you are getting this kind of reaction! One thing I noticed, (even I tend to do it now) is that people tend to check out the new people a bit more... but after the first few visits most people will stop paying such close attention to you.

To lose weight it is really about balancing what you eat, to make sure that you are putting in a little less food in that you are burning off. Stay away from the carbs (pasta, rice, sugar drinks, white bread, that kind of thing) and try and eat some more protein and vegies (make sure you eat your greens, they are full of all the good stuff and best of all they help you poop! haha).

You also want to be trying to do an hour or so of exercise a day if you can, be it weights or cardio, I personally alternate daily between the 2 over a 6 day workout week, so that's 3 weights, 3 cardio a week with 1 rest day (you want at least 1 rest day a week for your body to recover). With this method if I rein my diet in and push hard I can lose 3-4 pounds a week, but seeing you are starting out I'd be easing into it.

I don't know how much you are willing to put into this home gym idea, but if you were to get yourself a decent set of dumbells and a barbell with some plates that will be enough to get your set started. Then just google something like "beginner strength training" or something like that. Please though, and I am speaking from experience here, make sure you know exactly how to do an lift before you do it, especially if you are doing something like squats or deadlifts, your technique needs to be really good to go heavy with them and one slip in concentration and you could injure yourself (been there done that, it isn't fun), if you know someone that can help you with your technique initially then use their knowledge, or else watch lots of how to videos on youtube, or bodybuilding.com (this site is full of useful information).

Until you get some equipment behind you though, if you google no weight workouts you will find some cool information to get you started, at a quick look I found this, http://laurensfitness.com/2008/07/02/no-equipment-no-excuses-20-exercises-you-can-do-at-home/ she even has some videos on how to do to do some of the exercises, so that is handy.

Oh that is another thing, if you can get someone else to make the journey with you then that will be the best thing you can do! It will stop you from getting bored in between sets, and also you have someone there to help you if you get yourself into trouble!

I hope you have found this helpful, I'm sure that some better qualified people could jump in and provide some more advice, I can only say what has worked for me. Since I started going to the gym about 15 months ago now I think it is, I am sitting on just over 200 pounds and most of that I have lost in the past 9 months since I started hitting the gym 6 nights a week and setting myself goals and sticking to them. I now only want to lose another 5 pounds or so and then I am going to start focusing even more on just building muscle (my gym partner and I are talking about going to a 5 night weight program), because like you, I've got used to being a big boy and want to kind of stay that way, but by swapping out what is left of my fat with muscle.

Best of luck with your journey though mate, when you start to get the ball rolling join TY, myself and a few of the other boys over in the sly fitness challenge threads and post your monthly goals up with us and join in the fun of reaching them together! I have no doubt that if you put your mind to it you will be able to achieve anything you set your mind too.  

If you have any more questions I will do my best to answer them.

[Viking]

Thanks for taking the time to write all that mate! I've never noticed the fitness challenge part of the forum before, I'll definatly get something up there, it's a great motivator to find other people have done what I'd like to do, so thanks.

I've spied a half deceant set of weights on ebay going cheap local to me that I'm tempted to bid on. My dad used to be into his squash so I might challenge him to a game, he's also got an open canoe I'm tempted to steal off him!! I'm trying to make this thing fun rather than a chore!!

I've got some really cool healthy recipes aswell which I'll put up also!

[Beardman]

You are welcome mate, I hopefully you found it useful. Making it fun is definitely the way to go, you will get so much more reward out of it if you make losing weight fun, up until it started getting to cold and wet through winter every Sunday a mate and I were out bushwalking, canoeing, rock climbing, and exploring new locations as well as our 6 night a weeks in the gym. It made it fun and now that spring is here I am hoping to pick it back up again.

I look forward to reading your updates and those recipes, I quite enjoy cooking myself and am always looking out for fun new foods!

[Viking]

Spring?? I'm guessing your an Aussie then?? I just kinda assumed for some reason everyone was from America on here, dunno why as I'm from England!

[Frontier Guy]

SBG is an incredibly diverse international community. And often the non-English use the language better than the native speakers! So that's no tip off.

[Beardman]

Spring?? I'm guessing your an Aussie then?? I just kinda assumed for some reason everyone was from America on here, dunno why as I'm from England!

You got it in one

SBG is an incredibly diverse international community. And often the non-English use the language better than the native speakers! So that's no tip off.

Very true, we have people from almost every continent here. Not everyone is American, but a large number seem to be either English or American.

[TyMoore122]

Hi Gearhead,
Saw you joined us in the challenge, you will do fine!! I let myself fall out a few years back and woke up weighing almost 270 pounds (no idea how many rocks that is, Beardman is in charge of conversions)...but anyway, now I am at my target weight of 210, lift 3-4 days a week and bike about 100 miles a week. I didn't get there in one day!!! its starting and staying committed, get a great scale, use a program like www.myfitnesspal.com and set a schedule. Focus managing your calories consumed and burned via the web site, and enjoy the workouts. I am 47 years old and did it, so a young lad like you can do it.

As they say we didn't gain it all in one day, so don't worry about losing it all at once. Like being sly its a life style, not a hobby or gimmick!

As Beardman said we look forward to working with you.
Cheers,
Ty

[Beardman]

Hi Gearhead,
almost 270 pounds [...] Beardman is in charge of conversions)...

That is about 19 stones

Wow, I used to be 22 stones before I started...

Between all of us we could build be a pretty decent rock wall...

[TyMoore122]

The great wall of Sly 

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Try the toughest exercise in the world--I'm serious--push away from the table.  If it doesn't fit on a plate not larger than 9" in diameter or it's piled higher than 1/2"--don't eat it.  If it does, not more than one serving, not less than 3 1/2 hours before bedtime.  Never, but never miss breakfast.  And not liking the gym, get over it--get to it or learn to love an early date with a coffin.   

[Beardman]

The great wall of Sly 

Yes!

Try the toughest exercise in the world--I'm serious--push away from the table.  If it doesn't fit on a plate not larger than 9" in diameter or it's piled higher than 1/2"--don't eat it.  If it does, not more than one serving, not less than 3 1/2 hours before bedtime.  Never, but never miss breakfast.  And not liking the gym, get over it--get to it or learn to love an early date with a coffin.   

Not sure how to take that... There is other ways to lose weight without going to the gym, the gym is just an easier way to do it because everything you need is all in the one place. I personally love the gym, but I can also understand why some people would seek alternative ways to do the same thing. Other then that I agree with the rest of your advice, even sometime I still slip and go back for seconds, and I try my best to never eat after 8pm, other then my protein shake when I get home from the gym, sometimes it is unavoidable though... so I just eat light.

[Sir Harry]

Another key is that you only should eat until you're full.....there is no shame in NOT finishing everything on your plate....Too many people make the mistake of trying to stuff their face because they don't want to waste food....all well and good, but that's why doggie bags and Ziploc containers were invented...Another thing that has helped me is to drink plenty of low-sugar liquids(water) and eat peanut butter (alone or mixed in with chocolate, etc.) to help curb my appetite.