My diet/exercise program **Update - I made my goal!!**

[wuzzzer]

Some of you may remember about two years ago when I posted about being on a diet and exercise program. Well, that lasted for about 5 months and then I started working 60+ hours a week and fell out of my routine. I had been down to 178 pounds from a little over 200 (I'm 5 foot 10). Well, I ended up gaining all the weight back.

Thanks to a co-worker who is dieting and inspiration from watching the show The Biggest Loser, I decided to get back into what I was doing before. I cut out all snacking after supper, am eating a balanced diet of meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit for lunch and supper and a bowl of healthy cereal for breakfast. I've already cut out all soda over a year ago and drink only water, milk and coffee now and then.

Last time I did this I really worked out hard with weights and ended up hurting my back really bad. This time I'm taking it easier and doing things like running/walking and cardio-type exercise. Tonight I actually ran for over a mile for the first time in my life without stopping! Each time I'm running I'm adding more distance. I never understood why people liked running in the past but I really enjoy it now. I feel great afterwards.

My official weigh-in days are Wednesday mornings. As of last week Wednesday (after dieting and exercising for two weeks) I already lost 12.5 pounds. 7.5 the first week and 5.0 the next week. Tomorrow I'll weigh in again and see how week 3 went. I started at 208.5 and my goal is to get back down to 178 by the end of June. If I average 1.8 pounds per week lost I'll make my goal by then.

Everyone tells me that I don't need to lose the weight. I always was overweight my whole life and even when I was down to 178 I still viewed myself as overweight. Not in any anorexic type of viewpoint, its just that when you've been overweight you're entire life you pretty much assume you'll be that way forever.

I'll keep everyone posted to my progress if you'd like. I'd love to hear other people's stories as well. Its good to work together on things like this!

[germerikan]

Good luck!!!

I started myself a while ago but also due to work, I just went freelance, slacked off. 2 weeks ago I started again also. I also have to drive a lot in my work, around 4 to 5 hours a day at least and that is not good for the figure. I would like to run again but have to get the knee back in order. I ran 5 to 7 miles a day when I was in the Army but got out and just did only occasional PT then blew my cart and lig in the right knee now have minucus scars. The only way to loose is to keep it up!!!

I´m 5-11 and 220 now with 37% fat and 38% muscle mass, I would just like to drop the fat to about 20% the weight does not bother me if the muscle can move it.

[DU73]

good luck.. stick with it, I know at times it feels pointless but if you stick with it you will get the results you want. during my weight loss journey, i treated myself every week to something so when i felt tempted i thought just a few more days for my treat.

I know the weight loss journey all too well. took me 3 years but I did it, over 100 pounds I lost. No specific diet and no training routine and no gym. just watching what i ate and exercise daily, either at home re treadmill/exercise bike or on the street re walking but i really put in the effort.. though in that 3 year period at times I felt like i went to hell and back a few times.

Some people will live their entire life and never knowing what its like to be overweight and some people can eat what ever they want with no exercise and still maintain a great figure.. i envy these people so much and they have no idea how lucky they are.

Anyway I said my peice. good luck and stick with it. you want to do more when you see the results. and i hated the scales. to me they are the enemy. i hardly ever weighed myself.

i went from being approx 300 pounds to 160 pounds and now maintained this weight for over 5 years. it hasnt been easy to say the least.

Good luck

[Budman]

if anyone needs help at this check out sparkpeople.com, i believe its still free to join

[SilverSport]

wuzzer...thanks for posting this...trying to do the same...was doing the work out thing and hurt myself as well (anyone else try to picke up where they left off years ago and wonder why they hurt themselves???...[]...promotion added stress and then threats of serious cut backs and pay cuts (more stress [*-)])...caused, along with my knee jerk reaction to it, the state I have allowed myself to be in today...I am really t r y i n g to do it right...thanks for posting this...good luck with yours!

Bill

[wuzzzer]

Official weigh in #3 - 192.5 pounds - down another 3.5!

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I hope everyone else is successful as well!

[JJkizak]

Iv'e been on mine for about 6 years now straight. Once on you can never get off.

JJK

[Marvel]

I've been one of those blessed with not having to work hard at keeping my weight down. I'm 5' 8" and 153lbs. It fluctuates up or down about 4 lbs. I would really like to be between 145-150. Due to the stress while my wife was sick, I got to 145, and it actually felt really good for me. Once I hit 45 years of age, I noticed I could gain too easily, but over the past three years, I've stopped drinking sodas (not completely, but seldom), cut out most sugar, and have a lot higher fluid intake each day, mostly green tea. I put no sugar in my coffee or tea- avoid aspartame like it's the plague.

I'll be 60 in June, and am trying to get more excercise in. My GF is 48 and started jogging again every morning, plus not eating a heavy meal in the evening. She is only 4' 11", so any weight shows really quickly.

It's hard to be diligent about it. All I can say is congratulations for what you've accomplished and don't give up.

Bruce

[toddvj]

Tonight I actually ran for over a mile for the first time in my life without stopping!

Your whole life? That's kinda hard to believe. You must've done it in Jr. High/High School.

Anyway, I'm starting a diet/exercise routine myself. I've got a bit more to lose than you. I'm about 5'10" and would like to get down to 180-190 (I have a pretty muscular build). Let's just say to get there I need to lose 60-70lbs. I've done it before, just never stuck to it. I know for a fact I couldn't run a mile right now. I get winded going up a flight of stairs. About 6-7 years ago I was running 5 miles almost every day. I also have Diabetes to worry about. My brother was diagnosed with it at 40, I'm 38. It's time.

[dtel]

Well congratulations for even trying, it sounds like it's working keep it up !

I need to start myself, I need to clean up the workshop to get to the exercise machine. Doing some exercise makes me feel better and I get more active overall, I tend to slightly cut back on the eating, not really a diet just cut back a little.

Although I feel like I am in no shape to exercise !

I am 6' 3" and 277 ,I usually gain weight in the winter, so it's time to lose some ! [:'(]

[CECAA850]

Good job wuzzer, keep it up ! ! !

[wuzzzer]

Tonight I actually ran for over a mile for the first time in my life without stopping!

Your whole life? That's kinda hard to believe. You must've done it in Jr. High/High School.

Yes, I did "run" a mile in high school that consisted of running probably 3-4 blocks and walking the rest of the way. I know for a fact that prior to Tuesday night I had never run an entire mile without stopping. I know that might sound pathetic, but it is what it is. I'll be 34 in a couple weeks and I want to live a long, healthy life.

[Tarheel]

[Y] Wuzzzer

The diet that has always worked for me is the Atkins Diet. I have been doing a variation of it since the 70s. The most annoying part of the diet is people telling me how bad the Atkins diet is for me. I usually ask them if they have read the books and reviewed the research and the answer is "no but meat, eggs, and cheese can't be good for you". The guy in the office next to mine has lost 25 pounds in 5 weeks and other friends have lost more. I am not that overweight at 6'1, 192 pounds so I use it to lose ten pounds once a year....the same 10 over and over[] The great part of the diet to me is I start losing my appetite after a few days and after the glycogen is burned off you get an incredible energy boost while my cholesterol and triglycerides improve!

[Daddy Dee]

Congrats wuzzer.

It's all about lifestyle change.

Something for me to grab hold of.

[Bigdnfay1]

Way to go wuzzer.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about six months. I had no choice but to make a change. Dropped the sodas and sugar, went to 5 small meals a day. Walk around the block every afternoon after work. It has really made a difference. Went from 252 down to 222 so far and my numbers are looking real good now. It was hard for me to believe that such small changes could make such a big difference.

To all trying to loose a few pounds, BEST OF LUCK You can do it.

Not so Big D

[askbob1]

my situation sounds very similar to yours wuzzer. I'm 35, 5'11" and for the last several years, my weight hung around 195-200. not overly heavy, but getting uncomfortable for me. a little over a year ago i started running 3-4 times per week and just slightly cut down my food intake. i was down to 176 pounds in less than 3 months!! before attempting this, i hadn't run ANY since high school and even then i despised it. at first, i could barely run a half mile before having to walk. slowly i could run a decent mile and more. then usually walking 1 mile to cool down while your heartrate is still up. what i was really amazed by the most was the 'wanting' to run more. the endorphins your brain releases really does cut stress way down.

fast forward 1 year to today..... after a somewhat stressful year with work and other things, i stopped running when it was too cold last winter and over the last year, i gained all the weight back to where i started! my eating has picked up only slightly. i am starting to run again this week with more time to put forth the effort again. looking forward to getting into my 'smaller' clothes i had bought over a year ago!! running works better than i had ever imagined with more good side effects than i thought possible. something i found out too wuzzer... go to a good shoe store that specializes in running shoes. a good store will have someone with a trained eye that will watch you run back and forth a few times to determine how your foot and ankle 'move' and which shoe has the support where you need it. that was the best $90 i spent on myself.

[Don Richard]

A few years ago I lost 20 lbs without trying to. My doctor found that I had borderline high cholesterol and suggested I try a cholesterol lowering diet before he put me on meds. No pig meat, no fried food, limited beef, less sugar and starches. More fish and fowl, more vegetables and fruit. Within 6 months cholesterol in normal range, plus 20 less pounds as a bonus. Never felt better since I was in my 20s. Good luck!

[wuzzzer]

Weigh-in #4 this morning - lost another 2.5 pounds. Down to 190.0 from 208.5 since April 1st.

Ran last night and exercised for 45 minutes this morning. I felt great when I went to work, had tons of energy. No coffee needed here!

[wuzzzer]

Today's weigh in - 186.0 - down another 4.0 pounds. 8 more pounds to go. I was hoping to be at my goal weight of 178 by the end of June. Looks like the end of May might be possible! [pi]

22.5 pounds lost since April 1st.

[dtel]

Congratulations on the 22.5 pounds that's great, it's tough to lose weight. [Y]