Tyler's Fitness Goal

[Tyler]

My main goal is to get to a healthy weight and physique.  My doctor (cardiologist)  would like me to get down to 185 pounds to relieve stress on my heart.  I'm currently at a weight of 222 pounds at 5'11".  My sub goal is to lose this weight but not to have a flabby physique when I'm done.  My goal is to have a lean, muscular build.  My goal is to be down to 200 by March 1st, 2007 and to be down to 185 by June 1, 2007 (just before my 30th birthday).

I can't stand having a 40 inch waistline, which is currently what I wear.  Mostly because it's really hard to buy clothes that I would like to wear, but they just don't make it that large.  I'm looking forward to the benefit of being able to have a 36 inch waist or less.

So, how am I going to do this?  Well, in the past I've had success following the book the Abs Diet, so I'm going to follow it againg.

Why the Abs Diet?  As I said above, I have had success with it, but most importantly, it is not really a diet.  It more teaches you how to change how you eat for the rest of your life.  I just got fat and happy this year after getting married, so it's time to get back to eating right.  Another important thing it focuses on is foods that are low on the glycemic index, which is important for me to keep my blood pressure down.  The plan focuses on 6 meals a day and foods that you'll enjoy eating.  It's amazing, but you really never are hungry on this plan.

I also like the workout plan that the book recommends.  It focuses on lifting weights in a circuit training fashion, so it keeps your cardio up while building muscle; thus creating a lean look.

I'm going to measure myself tonight and do an official weigh in tomorrow morning.  In my next post I'll post the results of that.  Every Monday I will post my previous week's accomplishments and the results of my work.

I look forward to changing my life with all of you.

[Tyler]

So, I started my plan (notice I didn't call it a diet  ) on Monday.  I weighed in at 222.2 pounds.  I've done really well sticking to the plan these last couple of days.  Though, I had a couple beers with a buddy last night since I hadn't seen him in awhile.

I've been keeping to my 6 meals a day, making sure the meals fit within guidelines of the book.

[PBurke]

i have the "GET FIT< STAY FIT PLAN" book but haven't had the motivation to use it yet. maybe when i can breath again.

[Robmeister]

Paul....that picture of you is almost like using a web cam, man...it's like yer talkin' right at us, bro!  Pretty cool.

Tyler, OK, man....the first 2 weeks are the toughest....way to go, bud.

[Professor Melon]

  Ahoy, Tyler. Great goal; hope you make it. Having been there, I can offer three suggestions: 1) avoid the fat-producing combo of carbs-oil-sugar; 2) monitor portions; and 3) [this really hurts] no beer OR, if you must, only lite. For abs, get one of those little rubber-treaded wheels with a spoke through it. Kneel down at a threshhold or lower-level bit of flooring [to keep from dragging your kneecaps across the floor] and roll out until you are virtually horizontal. It will hurt at first, but will do wonders for the gut and lower back. I do three sets of 100 every day.Try not to think of the change as a diet; that is only temporary. Think of it as a permanent change in your eating habits. You've got my moral support. Prof. Melon

[Tyler]

Thanks for the support guys!  I'll post some more progress in a couple of days.

[Tyler]

I had some motivation today.  I went to buy a belt and realized how big of a size I needed to buy.  This was huge motivation!  I do not ever want to buy a belt that big again.

[Robmeister]

I'm with ya, brutha....I haven't measured my waist in a while.  Ya know, sometimes waist measurement can be a better indicator of fitness than simply losing weight.

Back in 2001 I did the full-blown Bill Phillips, "Body 4 Life" program.  It was the best results I've gotten from any program.  The emphasis is on hardcore workouts, 6 days a week.  So it's not a program where you lightly tweak your weekly routine...it takes major focus and lifestyle change.

Anyway, since I was packing on new muscle, there was a point where I wasn't really dropping weight, but was shrinking in the waist quite readily.

Not sure about your heart limitations, but If/when you're ready for a major body transformation-type program I would definitely get that book.  A lot of it is motivational, success, "take what is yours or die trying" reading.  I read the book and spent about 2 weeks getting mentally psyched up.

I've posted this pic elsewhere, but these are the results that are possible when you REALLY stick to the challenge.  This pic is from the book....you can see other before/after's, and learn more at www.body4life.com 

[Tyler]

Thanks Robmeister!  I'll have to take a look at it sometime.  The abs diet has a website and forum that guys post their before and after pics and there have been very similar results to the one in the picture.  What I like also is that a lot of guys are still on the forum after a couple of years and have been able to make it a life change.

[ar3inc]

Check out.
http://www.getfit.net/ and http://www.coreperformance.com/
Both have very similar style, but are very effective.

[BaldRob]

1) avoid the fat-producing combo of carbs-oil-sugar

I'm going to comment on this because of the no/low carb idiotic craze that this country is on...   

Carbs, oils, and sugars are NOT bad... your body needs all three to function properly.  What you need to do is moderate your intake of these and use less as the day progresses.  When you first wake up in the morning, your body is starving for carbs and you need to feed that hunger.  That doesn't mean going and eating 6 pieces of white toast... it means get some healthy carbs from oatmeal, wheat toast, fruit, etc.  That is your initial jump start for the day.  There is also no proven medical fact eating carbs before bed will cause weight gain.  Also, by depriving your body of carbs, you might lose weight, but you will gain fat.  Fat is the body's long term storage...  The carb is your body's energy source... if there are no carbs being consumed, the next thing your body is going to look for is protein, which is essential for muscles.  Then after both of those sources are depleted, will the body start burning fat.  However, that supercomputer we all have under our shiny bald heads is going to realize that the long term energy storage has been depleted, and create MORE fat.

On the oil front, olive oil has been proven time after time to be extremely beneficial.  I'm going to find them again, but I have read numerous articles from actual medical people to consume at least 2 tablespoons per day of olive oil.  That can come from a variety of ways... I use a little cooking eggs or sauteeing meat.

Another common misconception is that real butter is bad for you.  Real butter is just that... all natural.  Read the label of the various "healthy" spreads (butter substitutes)... you'd be amazed at the chemicals your consuming!

While "normal" sugar has virtually no benefits, other than the obivious sweetening capabilities, unrefined or turbadino (spelling bad) will help sweeten coffee/tea, etc while retaining minimal health benefits of sugar that is lost during the refining process.  Plus, sugars are an excellent source of carbs for a quick burst of energy.

As with everything else, moderation is absolutely essential with all foods... not just carbs/oils/sugars.

Tyler, keep up with the six small meals a day, plus a good workout regimen and you should see your goals come true.  One piece of advice though... don't expect to see any drastic results for about 12 weeks.  Once you hit that three month point of eating right and working out, it will be like the weight is dropping off like a lead... well, lead weight!

Sorry about the little rant on the carbs/oil/sugars thing, but I truly hate the misinformation that has been shoved down our throats by people that want to make money by selling us their take on what's best!

[Tyler]

Thanks Rob!  No worries about the rant.  I think you are both correct.  The problem is that most Americans are misinformed on what are good and bad carbs now that we've had this no-carb craze.  Empty carbs, such as white breads, white rice, bleached flours along with "sugars" like High Fructose Corn Syrup and trans fatty oils that are used in fast food places are very deadly combinations that should be avoided.

What I like about the Abs Diet plan is it focuses on the good carbs; whole grains, fruit, and veggies.  These will actually help speed up your metabolism, rather than kill it.

I will be starting my workout tonight.  I didn't workout last week, other than a few sessions of walking, because I wanted to let my body adjust to the new way of eating.

[BaldRob]

One other thing Tyler, is drink LOTS of water... the recommendations have changed throughout the years, but if you drink approximately 2 liters per day it will help keep you flushed out and keep you at the proper hydration level.

On days that you hit the gym, you may need to drink more...

[Tyler]

Week 1 status update

It has been one full week now that I've been using this new way of eating.  So far I can tell that there has been a significant increase in my energy levels.  I don't get lethargic after a meal, but instead I have energy!  This is because of the 3 smaller meals and 3 snacks that I consume, rather than 3 huge meals.

My diet has been right on track except for one night that I had a couple of beers with a buddy I hadn't seen in a couple of months.

So far, I have had a slight decrease in my belly size.  I can tell because my pants fit a little better.  And, I have dropped down to 218.8 pounds from 222.2.  That's 3.4 pounds in the first week.

As I mentioned above, I will start my exercise routine tonight.  This will consist of a 30 minute circuit that consists of lifting weights at several stations with little resting time in between each station.  This gets your hear rate up and builds muscle at the same time.  I will do the circuit 3 times a week.  I will then walk for 45 minutes on an inclined treadmill on the days I'm not doing the circuit, except for Sunday.

With adding in the exercise I should be able to keep my pace of losing 3 to 4 pounds next week.  Though, I won't care if it doesn't happen if I notice my waist getting smaller.

[Tyler]

One other thing Tyler, is drink LOTS of water... the recommendations have changed throughout the years, but if you drink approximately 2 liters per day it will help keep you flushed out and keep you at the proper hydration level.

On days that you hit the gym, you may need to drink more...

Yes, this also one thing I've changed.  I'm drinking much more water, milk, and tea now versus diet soft drinks.  I've cut out almost all of the diet sodas out of my diet, with exception of my energy drinks that contain only 8 calories, no sugar (splenda), and a day's supply of vitamin B and then some.