Weight Loss and Diet Support Group

[Draka]

Draka reminded me about this thread!

I've been making a conscious effort to get my weight down for a while now... ever since I started pilot training. I'd been noticing for a while that I was starting to get a spare tire, but I never really did anything about it.

When I started training, my instructor asked me my weight - it's important for balance in a small plane. At the time, I was around 210, so I told him. He offhandedly said that it was close to the limit but OK... but if I gained 10 more pounds, I'd have to use a larger plane for my lessons.

Bigger airplanes cost more money to rent, so I realized that I now had financial incentive to get a bit of a buffer between me and that weight limit.

When I started dieting officially, my weight was 208. I've set my target as 185; going by BMI, it's still technically just in the "obese" range, but I'm okay with that - I'm fairly sure that I've built up more muscle mass than average through my martial arts, so I'm not taking BMI values as anything other than a rough guideline.

And as of today, my weight is 196.8, which is close enough to my halfway point that I'm calling it halfway.

I started at the beginning of August, so I've averaged about 5.6 pounds per month so far.

I don't find BMI to be quite as accurate or as much to worry about as actual body fat percentage. Especially if you know you are quite muscular. When I was in the Navy I was ALWAYS considered overweight and had to be checked for body fat percentage at every PRT. I was ALWAYS far under body fat limits. I was much more muscle than fat and that was what was causing my being overweight. If you're curious you can always try this: Online Body Fat Percentage Calculator Instead of just giving you a number of what some chart says your BMI is, this will figure what your approximate body fat percentage is. And these charts: Body Fat Percentage Charts for Men and Women Will tell you what those percentages mean.

 

[Draka]

BTW Penguin, how have you been doing it? Exercise program? Certain diet? Diet pills or drinks?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't find BMI to be quite as accurate or as much to worry about as actual body fat percentage. Especially if you know you are quite muscular.

I wouldn't say "quite" muscular, but I think I'm a bit above average now.

When I was in the Navy I was ALWAYS considered overweight and had to be checked for body fat percentage at every PRT. I was ALWAYS far under body fat limits. I was much more muscle than fat and that was what was causing my being overweight. If you're curious you can always try this: Online Body Fat Percentage Calculator Instead of just giving you a number of what some chart says your BMI is, this will figure what your approximate body fat percentage is. And these charts: Body Fat Percentage Charts for Men and Women Will tell you what those percentages mean.

Hmm. Going by my measurements from memory, I'm at the higher end of "healthy range". I'll have to get my tape measure out and check for real when I have a chance, since I think my waist measurement has changed a bit over the last few months.

Edit: thanks for letting me know about that. I always assumed that measuring body fat involved calipers and stuff. I didn't know there were online calculators for it.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

BTW Penguin, how have you been doing it? Exercise program? Certain diet? Diet pills or drinks?

No specifically "diet" foods.

I had noticed that I was getting into a bad habit before: I'm not really into cooking just for myself, so with my wife away for her job, I'd have a lot of pre-packaged foods that tended to be high in things like calories, fat and sodium, so most of my diet change was just reducing the amount of this stuff.

The two big things I've been doing:

- make a conscious effort to do my full amount of martial arts training (2-hour sessions, twice a week) and try to do other physical activity when I can.
- avoid (or at least significantly reduce) junk food and increase the proportion of vegetables in my diet.

Also, I followed Sententia's advice and got the "Lose it!" calorie/weight tracker app for my iPod. I don't use the calorie tracker part now as much as I used to, but when I got started, it helped me get an idea of how to eat with my goal in mind. Also, since it comes with built-in nutritional information for a lot of restaurant chains, I was able to better spot the things that seemed healthy at first glance but actually aren't: for instance, did you know that the large Greek salad at Boston Pizza has more calories and sodium than KFC's Double Down? :cover:

 

[Draka]

I wouldn't say "quite" muscular, but I think I'm a bit above average now.


Hmm. Going by my measurements from memory, I'm at the higher end of "healthy range". I'll have to get my tape measure out and check for real when I have a chance, since I think my waist measurement has changed a bit over the last few months.

Edit: thanks for letting me know about that. I always assumed that measuring body fat involved calipers and stuff. I didn't know there were online calculators for it.

The calculator is based upon the Navy method for measuring body fat. When I would weigh in for PRTs they didn't use calipers, they used measuring tape and a mathematical formula.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

The calculator is based upon the Navy method for measuring body fat. When I would weigh in for PRTs they didn't use calipers, they used measuring tape and a mathematical formula.

Heh... I didn't say my assumption was an informed assumption.

 

[Draka]

No specifically "diet" foods.

I had noticed that I was getting into a bad habit before: I'm not really into cooking just for myself, so with my wife away for her job, I'd have a lot of pre-packaged foods that tended to be high in things like calories, fat and sodium, so most of my diet change was just reducing the amount of this stuff.

The two big things I've been doing:

- make a conscious effort to do my full amount of martial arts training (2-hour sessions, twice a week) and try to do other physical activity when I can.
- avoid (or at least significantly reduce) junk food and increase the proportion of vegetables in my diet.

Also, I followed Sententia's advice and got the "Lose it!" calorie/weight tracker app for my iPod. I don't use the calorie tracker part now as much as I used to, but when I got started, it helped me get an idea of how to eat with my goal in mind. Also, since it comes with built-in nutritional information for a lot of restaurant chains, I was able to better spot the things that seemed healthy at first glance but actually aren't: for instance, did you know that the large Greek salad at Boston Pizza has more calories and sodium than KFC's Double Down? :cover:

I believe it. I've noticed a lot of those salads at restaurants have a lot more calories than one might think would be in a salad. Since my diet is entirely calorie based I've been paying attention to things like that. I actually don't eat out very often, rarely in fact. When I do want to grab some fast food for my family I usually go to Wendy's. Their nutritional facts are quite thorough and up on display on a huge chart right by their counter. They also have one of the best online menus and nutritional charts I think I've seen for a restaurant. I like to get their half BLT Cobb salad, no bleu cheese, no dressing. It's actually very good, fills me up, and only roughly 200 calories.

 

[Draka]

60lbs down now but feeling a plateau of sorts. My fault. Slacked off on the exercise regimen for the past couple weeks. Need to throw myself back into it full force. Currently 155 and am striving to lose 15 to 20 more lbs. I'm actually not looking so bad now but want to be even trimmer, firmer.

 

[Draka]

The last post was last Sunday. I had said I need to throw myself into a workout regimen. I have. Monday I started the Weider X-Factor:ST workout program. I have completed week 1 and am today on my first rest day (you rotate their workout every other day with your own cardio workout of your choosing). Looking forward to week 2 and seeing my body change over the next few weeks.

This is what I'm using: Weider X-Factor ST - Weider

 

[Draka]

I have been using myfitnesspal for a few months now and am curious as to if anyone else here is using it and would like to connect.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I've lost about 40 pounds this year, mostly from adjusting my diet to be more healthy. And all I really did was cut back on sugar, caffiene, and red meat. I was watching sodium for a while, but eventually I realized what I normally eat doesn't contain that much sodium anyways, and because I rarely salt or season anything I quit watching it again. I also got my blood pressure and resting heart rate down. I also haven't exercised nearly as much as I was last year when I was doing 2 to 4 hours a day.
Unfortunately I was hit with chest pains on my left side, and although I'm pretty sure it's not heart related (my sister who is a physicians assistant also agrees it's probably not cardiovascular), I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to get checked out and hopefully I'll be able to get back to my exercise regiment.

 

[illykitty]

Well this is a new begining for me. I'm 150 pounds, 5'5" so I'm overweight. I'm giving myself small goals but overall goal would be to go down to 120 pounds.

I've started taekwondo on Monday, will have sessions 2 times a week. I'm hoping to feel good enough to put in some extra exercise, like cardio (I get out of breath fast) and some yoga and strength augmenting stuff. But for now, just going to taekwondo is a huge step! I have social anxiety so it's really challenging and I am admitingly on the lazy side.

Food wise I'm already quite healthy but need to cut down on portions and try to not pig out when I'm at a restaurant. Stop eating when I'm starting to get full, not when I'm full. Hopefully I can do that. Sounds simple but hard in practise. My mom always told me to finish my plate and gave out seconds.

 

[Me Myself]

Oh Oh I like this!

As some have hear already, I am trying to get six pack abs, so would this be a good thread to talk about my progress and whine about my insecurities about it ?

I haven´t been measuring it pounds... but I´ve lost 9 cms (3 and a half inches approximately) of waist this month! and while I am not as close as I expected from abs for this date, I can kind of see some lines of what will become them... hopefully by end of this new month! >.<

Would a picture of my belly be too much for this thread? I do need some support

 

[Draka]

If you'd like to post pics feel free. I'd post my before pics if I still had them. My son accidentally erased them when he decided to play with mommy's camera without her permission

Being the photographer of the family it is extremely rare for there to be any pics of me unless I actually set up to take pics of me and that rarely happens. So there aren't really any pics of me in my chunky-chunky glory. I did take some on purpose to chronicle my weight-loss but my son deleted them. I have no proof of my accomplishments. :sad4:

 

[Draka]

I've lost about 40 pounds this year, mostly from adjusting my diet to be more healthy. And all I really did was cut back on sugar, caffiene, and red meat. I was watching sodium for a while, but eventually I realized what I normally eat doesn't contain that much sodium anyways, and because I rarely salt or season anything I quit watching it again. I also got my blood pressure and resting heart rate down. I also haven't exercised nearly as much as I was last year when I was doing 2 to 4 hours a day.
Unfortunately I was hit with chest pains on my left side, and although I'm pretty sure it's not heart related (my sister who is a physicians assistant also agrees it's probably not cardiovascular), I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to get checked out and hopefully I'll be able to get back to my exercise regiment.

Congrats of the 40lbs Shadow Wolf! Of course the main thing there is just being more healthy and that's always a good thing. I hope all turns out right for you at the doctor and that it was just some muscle spasm or nerve thing and not something serious.

Well this is a new begining for me. I'm 150 pounds, 5'5" so I'm overweight. I'm giving myself small goals but overall goal would be to go down to 120 pounds.

I've started taekwondo on Monday, will have sessions 2 times a week. I'm hoping to feel good enough to put in some extra exercise, like cardio (I get out of breath fast) and some yoga and strength augmenting stuff. But for now, just going to taekwondo is a huge step! I have social anxiety so it's really challenging and I am admitingly on the lazy side.

Food wise I'm already quite healthy but need to cut down on portions and try to not pig out when I'm at a restaurant. Stop eating when I'm starting to get full, not when I'm full. Hopefully I can do that. Sounds simple but hard in practise. My mom always told me to finish my plate and gave out seconds.

Portion control is such a key thing especially in those of us who have had it driven into us to finish everything on our plates. Another simple trick is to use smaller plates as well. Use a salad plate when eating certain dinners, especially pasta, it kind of works like an optical illusion in that it appears that you have more food as a smaller amount takes up more of the particular plate.

On a side note, I'm 5'4" and currently 153 (down from about 215) and don't think I could reasonably shoot for 120 myself. I originally thought about 135-140, though I'm thinking 145 could be okay depending on how well I transform my muscle mass. We'll just have to see. I've never been a thin girl, even as a teen. Always been muscular, strong. I'm all about where my bodyfat percentage ends up and how toned and strong my body gets. I'm not as concerned about the end number on the scale if everything else clicks into place. Know what I mean?

Oh Oh I like this!

As some have hear already, I am trying to get six pack abs, so would this be a good thread to talk about my progress and whine about my insecurities about it ?

I haven´t been measuring it pounds... but I´ve lost 9 cms (3 and a half inches approximately) of waist this month! and while I am not as close as I expected from abs for this date, I can kind of see some lines of what will become them... hopefully by end of this new month! >.<

Would a picture of my belly be too much for this thread? I do need some support

Would you like to share what kind of exercises you are doing to work towards your goal? Any particular kind of program you are following or just doing crunches and sit-ups and the like?

 

[Me Myself]

Hummm I thought I replied to that questoin yesterday Drak... wonders if I posted it in a completely inappropiate thread

 

[Me Myself]

I am eating each 3 hours, but eating little stuff. The diet goes good I think, as I have lost weight and people have noticed!

About the workout, lately I`ve been doing crunches skipping a day (the same that I workout other muscles, in the time of my weight lifting) . This crounches are not form floor level though, I put my body betweenn the mattress and the supporty of the mattress of the bed from my belt libne down, and then from my belt line up I crunch so the body starts very inclined and I do 3 sets of 12 reps with 10 extra lbs that I lift in it.

Gotta go now! I am having very limited comp time lately. Now I am almost 4 inches less of waist!

 

[Draka]

I am raising my daily calories. I think I've been so low for so long that I'm afraid my body has plateaued there and that I'm just getting used to that level. I need to switch things up, especially with the increased activity level I'm striving for.

 

[Me Myself]

I am raising my daily calories. I think I've been so low for so long that I'm afraid my body has plateaued there and that I'm just getting used to that level. I need to switch things up, especially with the increased activity level I'm striving for.

How`s your current fitness plan?

Maybe if you just eat the extra carbs on the days of workout?

 

[Draka]

How`s your current fitness plan?

Maybe if you just eat the extra carbs on the days of workout?

I'm working out everyday now. I walk every morning when I get up. In fact, I'm getting ready for my morning walk right now. I workout later in the day by doing either some intense cardio or strength training too depending on the day. I use to have weight lifting in the mix when I first started my weight loss trek and I'm planning on throwing that back in as well. I'm trying to treat these next few months like boot camp. I remember what real boot camp did for my body and I want to try to duplicate the results as much as I can. Which is why I'm not concerning myself as much with the end result on the scale as much as the body fat percentage now. When I went through boot camp I came out lean and strong and 9lbs heavier...but lost 10% body fat. I was lean bulk muscle, and I liked it.