Weight Loss Thread
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Fifey
Trakanon Raider
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Its the way this board operates, theres a shit load of armchair quarterbacks. I'll say that I'd say it's a smart move to incorporate lifting or another strenuous activity but f it's working for him, it's better than nothing. Eventually he will hit the wall and have to decide what he wants.
Khane
Got something right about marriage
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The only problem I have with "better than nothing" advice is... it always fails. Not because you don't see results for a little while, or there's no way you can lose weight that way. But rather because when you are severly overweight and can only manage to lose 10 lbs every 2 months if you have one bad week you're going to gain it all back and completely fall off the wagon.
If you're 50+ lbs overweight you will be able to lose 5+ lbs a week with relatively little effort. So if you can't manage to lose 10lbs per month at that level you're doomed to fail.
That being said I honestly think it's better practice to encourage people who have never been active and never been athletic to NOT go to the gym. How you eat is 99.9% of the battle and when someone who has no idea how little they are burning by walking thinks they are cracking the weight loss code because they spent 30 minutes taking a stroll around the block they tend to reward themselves... with more food. So much more food that they gain weight instead of losing.
If you're 50+ lbs overweight you will be able to lose 5+ lbs a week with relatively little effort. So if you can't manage to lose 10lbs per month at that level you're doomed to fail.
That being said I honestly think it's better practice to encourage people who have never been active and never been athletic to NOT go to the gym. How you eat is 99.9% of the battle and when someone who has no idea how little they are burning by walking thinks they are cracking the weight loss code because they spent 30 minutes taking a stroll around the block they tend to reward themselves... with more food. So much more food that they gain weight instead of losing.
Eidal
Molten Core Raider
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Lol at this post. Raising the discussion of actual benefits derived from walking versus any other form of activity = elitist. Makes sense, my father called me a gymrat because I spend 3 hours there a week.
Cad
scientia potentia est
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Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
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I need to start working out a bit more. Right now I work out 0%..
I got the type 2 diabeetus, and my medicine alone is not really getting me where I want - so I decided to fix up my diet and start working out a few times a week. I have a small gym setup in the basement with some power blocks, a treadmill, a bench, enough to get started.
I'm not big by any means, 225 at 6'3" - I'm sort of like skinny fat I guess, maybe chubby fat.
I'm hoping that lifting 3x a week and running 2x a week will help me get towards my goal. While the weight loss is nice, I really am doing this to lower my sugar.
I got the type 2 diabeetus, and my medicine alone is not really getting me where I want - so I decided to fix up my diet and start working out a few times a week. I have a small gym setup in the basement with some power blocks, a treadmill, a bench, enough to get started.
I'm not big by any means, 225 at 6'3" - I'm sort of like skinny fat I guess, maybe chubby fat.
I'm hoping that lifting 3x a week and running 2x a week will help me get towards my goal. While the weight loss is nice, I really am doing this to lower my sugar.
Cad
scientia potentia est
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God, you guys are brutal... but I love it. I didn't know that such a quick 3x/week workout could offer benefits, so I'm starting the weights today.
Quick question about that beginners lifting program linked earlier: when they suggest 8-10 reps, does that mean you should be doing the most possible weight that causes you to fail in the 8-10 range, or should it be lighter weights, and just stop at 10, even if you could do more?
Also my story, (since it relates to the walking is not exercise discussion): March 2015, I'm 6'7, 250 lbs. Fair to bad shape from a winter of not doing much. My work has a program to put $$ into my HSA the more I exercise, based on a pedometer they gave us. Advance 7 months, I've been at 210 since before thanksgiving, and have held it through the holidays.
What I have been doing:
1. Cut about 500-800 calories per day, mostly by dumping snacks. I've stopped eating pop tarts for breakfast and Snickers bars at work. I'm not at all careful about normal meals, but I've cut snacking almost to zero.
2. Walked a lot. By a lot, I mean I walk 2x per day. I do a 4 mph pace minimum, on a hilly 3 mile route over lunch, and 4.3-4.4 on my flat 4 mile route in the evening. I never planned to walk this much, it just sort of happened that way. I used to run/bike/swim years ago, but I was <190 lbs then, so I didn't want my 250 pound carcass to destroy my knees. Well, I can run now (just did a 1.5 mile run Saturday) but I really enjoy walking. It's pretty clear to me that I have an addictive personality (hello MMOs).
3. I stopped rewarding myself for success by eating. The first few weeks I was trying to lose, I did this, and I was like a yo-yo. Now the reward I get is tightening my belt one more notch.
4. Convinced myself that hunger is good. I got to the point where I was never hungry because of all the snacks. Now, if it's 3:00pm and I'm feeling like I could use some food, I congratulate myself.
So I'm going to defend walking a little. I'll trust people who claim that casual walking is not doing much, but by really pushing the pace, and/or doing a hilly route, I'm feel I'm doing alotmore good than some here say. But even if I'm wrong, and my weight loss is due almost entirely to diet, I'm still going to keep walking. Even if it's not good for the body, it's done wonders for my spirit and mind.
Quick question about that beginners lifting program linked earlier: when they suggest 8-10 reps, does that mean you should be doing the most possible weight that causes you to fail in the 8-10 range, or should it be lighter weights, and just stop at 10, even if you could do more?
Also my story, (since it relates to the walking is not exercise discussion): March 2015, I'm 6'7, 250 lbs. Fair to bad shape from a winter of not doing much. My work has a program to put $$ into my HSA the more I exercise, based on a pedometer they gave us. Advance 7 months, I've been at 210 since before thanksgiving, and have held it through the holidays.
What I have been doing:
1. Cut about 500-800 calories per day, mostly by dumping snacks. I've stopped eating pop tarts for breakfast and Snickers bars at work. I'm not at all careful about normal meals, but I've cut snacking almost to zero.
2. Walked a lot. By a lot, I mean I walk 2x per day. I do a 4 mph pace minimum, on a hilly 3 mile route over lunch, and 4.3-4.4 on my flat 4 mile route in the evening. I never planned to walk this much, it just sort of happened that way. I used to run/bike/swim years ago, but I was <190 lbs then, so I didn't want my 250 pound carcass to destroy my knees. Well, I can run now (just did a 1.5 mile run Saturday) but I really enjoy walking. It's pretty clear to me that I have an addictive personality (hello MMOs).
3. I stopped rewarding myself for success by eating. The first few weeks I was trying to lose, I did this, and I was like a yo-yo. Now the reward I get is tightening my belt one more notch.
4. Convinced myself that hunger is good. I got to the point where I was never hungry because of all the snacks. Now, if it's 3:00pm and I'm feeling like I could use some food, I congratulate myself.
So I'm going to defend walking a little. I'll trust people who claim that casual walking is not doing much, but by really pushing the pace, and/or doing a hilly route, I'm feel I'm doing alotmore good than some here say. But even if I'm wrong, and my weight loss is due almost entirely to diet, I'm still going to keep walking. Even if it's not good for the body, it's done wonders for my spirit and mind.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
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I don't know what my cholesterol levels are at, I don't get my formal blood test until January.
In case anyone missed my debacle - I decided to stop taking meds for an extended period, got blackout drunk at my brother's wedding and woke up at the hospital being pumped full of insulin.
Right now I'm fasting at 180mg/dL, I was around 300 when I was sent to the hospital and only came down to about 250.
McQueen
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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I don't like lifting to failure very often, and definitely not until the last set. Find something that feels challenging in the 8-10 rep range, but that you can reasonably do for 3-4 sets. Get comfortable with your chosen routine before you decide if you really want or need to lift until failure.
Foggy
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Regarding lifting until failure, after you lift enough (it doesn't take much), you will learn by how your body feels when you are risk of failing on a rep. Since I lift alone (namely bench), I just stop instead of risking that additional rep.
But you should have a weight that you cannot lift an 11th time if you are going for 8 to 10. General rule is, if you can get to your rep goal, lets say 10, then next time you do that lift add the smallest amount of weight possible. Keep that weight until you can do your rep goal. Add more weight, rinse repeat.
But you should have a weight that you cannot lift an 11th time if you are going for 8 to 10. General rule is, if you can get to your rep goal, lets say 10, then next time you do that lift add the smallest amount of weight possible. Keep that weight until you can do your rep goal. Add more weight, rinse repeat.
Rezz
Mr. Poopybutthole
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Not to be that guy (But since I was one of the people saying walking wasn't really useful as a weight loss mechanic, hey!) If you were cutting 500-800 calories a day, you would have lost between 28-44.8 bls without walking regardless, due to how calories work. Now, I don't know if you were eating 500-800 calories on top of what your maintenance was and were steadily gaining 1-1.5lbs every week prior to starting to walk, but this is pretty much explaining exactly why it has more of a placebo effect hah. You'll notice (if you maintain your current routine) much better gains with those 1.5 mile runs than walking 6-7 miles, and spend substantially less time doing so. Granted, since it appears you're using it as a time killer, hey, more power to ya. But as a weight loss mechanic, walking is slightly above changing literally nothing in a diet/routine when it comes to losing mass.
re: sets/reps, when you start out, you want to do something that when you get to the last rep of the last set (set goals, don't do burnouts at first) and it is a struggle (but you can) finish it? That's good. When you no longer struggle, up the weight and go back to pushing for no struggle on the last rep of the last set. I do sets of 8, but I struggle on the 8th on the first, and have to really work on each set, where the last one is effectively my arm stalling and going "nope!" I'll stick with that weight until I can finish all three sets of 8 (struggle or no) and then up the weight a little. When you start with weights, you'll get "gains" a lot faster even with minimal work, so you'll be upping your weight probably every week when the specified day comes around again. For the second part, if you pick up the weight and think "this is too light" put it down and get a heavier one. Then after your first set if you were struggling a bunch, go back to the slightly lighter weight, and find that happy median so that you can finish your sets and struggle on the last rep. I personally like 8s better than 10s, and when I'm doing extra heavy stuff I"ll do a 6/8/6 cycle. I'm not going for power lifter growth, but I'm not into doing cardio while holding a barbell either~
If you are benching without a spotter, you -definitely- don't want to be struggling with the weights, so put on something that "feels" heavy but you can still move with little risk of dropping it on your head. Depending on how much you have done before in the gym, I'd start really light (115-145) and see what you can do. Then up the weight incrementally as you move along.
Sludig
Potato del Grande
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As someone not in shape, isn't a bench going to be better than some bodyweight stuff, namely pushups? 6'1 like 215. Since the pushup is closer to my total weight vs starting like 110 on a bench? Even during brief stint when I was young in the army, I was never great at pushups and situps have ALWAYS been a gigantic bitch for me. Running I was good at but now I hate quite a bit. Legs hurt so bad from it/shinsplints and with situps seems to aggravate my back a bit which I have some intermittant problems with.
Basically starting to grow too much gut but still skinny arms etc. Used to have mega metabolism, same height, 150 lbs and would eat 4 big macs back in the day when they were on special 2 for $3. In my mid 20's would kinda flirt around up to 210, then spend 8 months on good diet and minor excersize go back to 190.
Last year has been tough rebounding again. Life changes both between a pretty sedentary job and one where I can't run on a lunch or even really leave my spot prevents me from doing much there. The fixed position part comes into play where I've been basically skipping meals in favor of the little cheese snack crackers or protein bars because I can't always even so much as get to a microwave or fridge.
I'd pack proper lunches more but strangely part of my wife going to a gym and eating better is I end up eating worse. When I was trying to rebound succesfully before I'd just take frozen veggies with seasoning to microwave at my old job, and have a can of kidney beans for dinner or something. Now most dinners is 93/7 lean burger with frozen veggies. Sometimes I have a leftover patty for lunch at best. Outside of that maybe once a week ish We'll do something with leftovers, and another 1-2x week it's eating out because I'm home late or something.
So I need to for sure figure out improving my diet, but this time around I need to force myself into some kind of workout. I like the beginner thing posted above. New job more money, so I need to figure out if I want a gym or find a cheap bench. Currently just have a treadmill and her old total gym I'm not sure even has all the parts.
Basically starting to grow too much gut but still skinny arms etc. Used to have mega metabolism, same height, 150 lbs and would eat 4 big macs back in the day when they were on special 2 for $3. In my mid 20's would kinda flirt around up to 210, then spend 8 months on good diet and minor excersize go back to 190.
Last year has been tough rebounding again. Life changes both between a pretty sedentary job and one where I can't run on a lunch or even really leave my spot prevents me from doing much there. The fixed position part comes into play where I've been basically skipping meals in favor of the little cheese snack crackers or protein bars because I can't always even so much as get to a microwave or fridge.
I'd pack proper lunches more but strangely part of my wife going to a gym and eating better is I end up eating worse. When I was trying to rebound succesfully before I'd just take frozen veggies with seasoning to microwave at my old job, and have a can of kidney beans for dinner or something. Now most dinners is 93/7 lean burger with frozen veggies. Sometimes I have a leftover patty for lunch at best. Outside of that maybe once a week ish We'll do something with leftovers, and another 1-2x week it's eating out because I'm home late or something.
So I need to for sure figure out improving my diet, but this time around I need to force myself into some kind of workout. I like the beginner thing posted above. New job more money, so I need to figure out if I want a gym or find a cheap bench. Currently just have a treadmill and her old total gym I'm not sure even has all the parts.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
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If you can do any push-ups, they'll be better for you at your weight unless they cause physical pain. They'll supplement the bench on chest days. You could do bitch push-ups too, if you can't do standard ones. If you can't do any, the bench is fine.
Cad
scientia potentia est
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Go to the gym because unless you really invest there's lots of shit you can't really do at home effectively.
Also just cook up 5lbs of chicken each weekend, boil some broccoli and pre-portion it out in tupperware for the week. Buy a rice cooker:
And make rice each day to eat with your chicken. If it's just you, 1 cup is enough.
Make eggs for breakfast. 3-4 fried or scrambled is enough. Eat your chicken/rice/broccoli for lunch. Toss some low-calorie BBQ sauce on it if you want. Go workout after work. Have a protein shake made with almond milk for dinner.
If you actually follow that the weight will fall off of you like a disease.
Noodleface
A Mod Real Quick
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People always recommend a rice cooker - is it just an ease of use thing or is there another benefit I'm not aware of?
I always cooked mine in a pot because I hate clutter (as you know).
I always cooked mine in a pot because I hate clutter (as you know).
Kuriin
Just a Nurse
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My cholesterol:
Eat like a pig (pizza, velveta shells, etc.) is how you get this kind of cholesterol. lol
edit: Use a rice cooker...it's much easier than a pot, haha.