Overdue Dieting/workout routine (pictures)
 

Hi, my name is Shauk, and I'm a fatty.
I'm not gonna go into details into my history of weight gain and loss, i'm just gonna cut the shit and say I wanna lose it as fast as possible, if that means 8 lbs a month then damnit, thats what it's gonna be.

I'm 6'6" and I float 300 lbs even, flux about 5 lbs a day, some days ill be 295, some ill be 305.

How much time do I need to dedicate to this?

heres what I have available to me, no kitchen, pretty much whatever non-perishables a store would have, every fast food chain known to man in this area probably (no chik-fil-a or in & out's here tho, which is good for me imo)
A weight set but no bench, just the bar and like 100lbs or so.

My schedule is pretty odd. For example, this week.

Monday OFF (usually spent looking for another job, again, not at home)
Tuesday 5pm-10pm
Wednesday OFF (driving 2 hours away to see my father this week)
Thursday 5-10pm
Friday 11am-10pm (2 hour break from 2-4 but on call)
Saturday 11am-10pm (2 hour break from 2-4 but on call)
Sunday 11am-10pm (2 hour break from 2-4 but on call)

thats the general outline, but sometimes I get off early or start breaks a little early depending on the load.. like right now it's 130 and i'm across the street from where I work at some lil coffee shop writing this cuz my break started at 1 today instead.

I'm also at a loss of what to do physcially to work out. I'm comfortable with weights, but I'm not comfortable at all with things like Jogging, I can do biking but my bike is pretty much too small for me (I'm a big guy)


other questions, which is bound to cause more weight loss? Diet Soda or some sort of Diet energy drink? or something like a Sobe, I know water is probably the best option but Flavor is desireable as well right? meh

so here's some pictures someone took of me while I was hanging out at some hotel party.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...0PAX/img53.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...0PAX/img52.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...0PAX/img63.jpg

I would like to target my torso area I suppose, and I got a bit of a chin starting to form, I just looked in the mirror today while getting ready for work and was like "ugh, I hate feeling like shit every day" so.. :shakehead:

It sounds like you want to go extreme. So be it. Here is my input.

• Drink lots (up to 8 cups daily) of water and green tea (real tea, no sugar; if you absolutely need flavour, add 100% fruit juice to sparkling water (50/50))
• Eat lots of fibre (that means whole wheat, whole grain)
• Eat less meat (especially beef and pork; replace some if not all of it with vegetarian options)

I would stay away from diet sodas and energy drinks. Black coffee and green tea are zero-calorie beverages that will kickstart your metabolism, therefore making them ideal.

And to get more comprehensive, try this book:The Abs Diet, by David Zinczenko, with Ted Spiker. One of my hobbies is nutrition, and what I found in this book made a lot of sense and is easy to follow. And I'm sure you can customize the exercises out of it to fit your setup.

Another book to try is Eating Well for Optimum Health by Andrew Weil. This guy is a research medical doctor and dropped a lot of weight following his own advice, which is built for long-term living. He's one of my heroes.

I have many, many guidelines and optimizations regarding diet and exercise. It might be best to ask specific questions. If you aren't sure about something, go ahead and ask.

First off... a little anatomy:

You can't "target" an area of your anatomy despite all the bullshit that magazines would like you to think with their headlines. The human body stores fat in certain locations first and expands to others as necessary. As a man, your gut will be the last thing to go in your body's fight to keep extra insulation on you. Women get it in their asses, thighs, and the backs of their arms. Guys get the barrel gut but will still have chicken arms and legs.

You just have to give your body an overall workout... your body will reduce the reserve fuel tank based on such a plan.

/info

Between the last two posts, there is very little to add other than to emphasize that you should stick to water and avoid pop... diet or otherwise.

Quick on-the-go foods, like I told you in shout, are essential.

--Clif Bars (buy them by the box, save some dough)
--Fruit (apples, pears, dried fruit)
--Protein shakes/meal replacements (think SlimFast and other choices, see: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/artic...1776-1,00.html)
--fresh veggies (carrots, celery, packaged peas, a bag of packaged salad makes a good meal to go
--Sandwiches (whole wheat bread, lean meats, mustard, no cheese, load it up with veggies)
--Soup (broth-based, not cream-based)
--Whole-grain crackers
--Nuts (pre-measure portions as eating too many negates the positives of nuts)
--Reduced-fat string cheese

Here is a list of 100 healthy packaged foods, as compiled by Women's Health magazine: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/artic...1873-1,00.html

Given the good info I've gotten out of Women's Health, I'd recommend picking up a copy of Men's Health. The books Baraka mentioned are good reads. The Abs Diet is, in my opinion, common-sense oriented and full of good tips.

If you like cheese, go cottage cheese as well. Even no-fat tastes pretty good.

The most versatile cardio you can do is running. I feel like every human should learn how to do some long distance runs and since last year I've built up from nothing to sustaining a 5km run with a small 2min. break in the middle.

The basic idea behind starting a running program is to use intervals of walking and jogging. You can probably find a whole bunch of programs on the internet, but I started by walking for 1 minute, then jogging for 30 seconds, then walking for a minute, jogging for 30 secs, etc., and repeating this until I got a total of 15mins. Eventually I was jogging 1 minute on one minute off. You get the idea... slowly build up your jogging time and keep those minute breaks in there.

Now keep in mind that cardio is important, but I'd say that weight loss begins with resistance training. You'll get a lot more calorie burn out of a weights workout, so get that sorted out first, then add the cardio afterwords or on off days.

well i'm trying to get my diet in check first. I think I'm a fairly muscular type underneath the chunk. I did a lot of labor work for a few years.

I'm going to go ahead and say that I don't get enough intake of what I actually need, and probably an excess of what I don't need.

I just started using the journal thing here so if you guys wanna help me out as far as figuring out how I should approach this, I'll be keeping an eye on that.

today i had a veggie sub with no cheese and just mustard (pickle/olive/lettuce/tomato)(wheat bread) nothing else.
A Diet Dr Pepper
and
1x Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito from taco bell

http://www.yum.com/nutrition/menu.asp?brandID_Abbr=5_TB (Taco bell nutrition info)
http://www.subway.com/applications/N...px?id=sandwich

and the dt dp just had lots of zeros on it, so I dunno.

could someone explain in detail what is "bad" about diet soda? I drink lots of water (I work by a 550 degree oven when i'm not driving, I have to) so its not replacing my desire to go thru a lot of water or anything. Doesn't seem to have any real nutritional value tho

I'm not sure what I should stay away from, or whats ok, or even what range i should stay in for food.

so yeah according to those sites I linked, I'm guessing the cheesy bean and rice isn't such a great idea?

230 calories 3g fat at subway
470 calories 20g fat at taco bell

quite the contrast :\

thats all i've had to eat today though and that seems really low overall. I'm not hungry though.

Yeah I think my thing with running is that I dont feel like I have a "running" build/body

I have some issues (unknown) with my knees putting me in a lot of pain after a long bike ride, or strangely enough, sex, basically any activity which strains those muscles. it may very well be related to my weight. But it's been like this for years. I also get the pain in my knees if I let my legs sit still for too long as well. Like driving to Seattle or something. It hurts to the point that I either have to engage cruise control and straighten my legs out to the passenger side of the car (dangerous, so I don't really exercise this option much) or just getting out and walking for 10 minutes.

Also, I don't like to sound like I'm making excuses, I'm genuinely curious, if my body type has anything to do with my difficulty with running. I dont imagine 300 lbs slamming down on your feet again and again is going to be pleasant for anyone, with huge strides and clumsy size 16 feet :p I dunno, the logistics of it don't make sense to me. I'd be ok with something else for cardio but running doesn't "feel" like an option to me right now because of the knees/size issue I feel might be preventing me from doing things without causing me a lot of pain.

I can do without cheese really, I like it but it's not a big thing to me.

The only thing I can speak to about getting rid of Diet Pop is the way it'll control your sweet-tooth. We don't need to add sugar to our diets. There is more than enough in carbs and fruits. If you can start getting rid of sweet things in your diet, you can gain control over your cravings.

Now, I know there's only artificial sweeteners in diet soda, but a part of your health improvement will have to come from a move to whole and natural foods. That's the only way to do it right.

As for the running, I wouldn't want you to injure yourself, but I'd try a short program. How about 5 minutes with the intervals like I mentioned? If you're not ready for even that, then I have a good feeling that if you can get weight training on your legs, your knees will improve to the point where you might hurt less.

On that subject, last but not least is stretching - an essential part of any fitness program. Look up some good leg stretches. I find, for my knees to feel at ease, I need to get in a good calf stretch and a good quad stretch.

Shauk, here are the drawbacks of each of your food choices:

Your veggie sub, though a good start, is out of balance. It is too low in complete proteins. Try adding either turkey or chicken. The stores around Toronto have been carrying veggie patties, which I think have beans in them. Not sure. But here is the profile of a 6" "veggie-max" according to CalorieKing.com: Cal. 390/8g fat/24g protein.

Your bean and rice burrito, though I'm sure was delicious, has this going on:

1. Creamy jalapeno sauce
2. Nacho cheese sauce
3. Three-cheese blend

Three strikes, you're out. Try choosing something more healthful, such as the "fresco" bean burrito (330 cal./7g fat/12g protein) or the "fresco" spicy chicken soft taco (180 cal./6g fat/10g protein). You could even eat two of the soft tacos and still come out ahead of that bean burrito you ate.

There are various reasons to stay away from diet sodas. Personally, I do so for two reasons: I hate the taste of aspartame, and I don't like ingesting those kinds of chemicals if I can avoid it. Stick to natural foods and beverages as much as you can, you will be better off in the long run. Sodas of any kind lack the good chemicals, such as those found in coffee and tea.

All kinds of research has shown that both coffee and tea are loaded with antioxidants, and tea especially is a promising beverage that may help fight cancer and heart disease. What's more, is that green tea has been found to help metabolism due to the abundance of a chemical called epigallocatechingallate (EGCG), as has caffeine in general. EGCG is a catechin, which is found in all tea, but green tea in particular is especially rich in EGCG, the most powerful kind. The net effect of green tea is small, but it is one of many things you can do to give you an advantage over fat burning.

EDIT: If you have a sweet tooth and can beat it, acquiring a taste for green tea is a wonderful thing. It is one of my favourite beverages. It has a wonderful flavour that you really look forward to when you enjoy it often enough. It is meant to be drank without any additives; its flavour is that subtle and delicate. I drink it at work, at least once or twice a day, after my morning coffee. Tea can be really cheap, too, especially when compared to soda. If you buy it in the right amount, it can be as cheap as CDN$0.12 a cup.

I just throw a Splenda packet in tea, and I prefer my coffee black with skim milk.

If you can't conquer your sweet tooth--get used to artificial sweeteners. But don't fool yourself into thinking you can eat sugar-free junk food--read the label. It's still junk food. But having some light yogurt or Splenda in your tea or a diet soda is better than the alternative.

Since we are on the subject of diet, here are my personal top five essential foods to always have in the house as far as fitness goes:

1. peanut butter - Made with just peanuts and nothing else. Check the ingredients list - no Kraft or Jif bullshit!

2. whole grain bread

3. romaine lettuce - I make a dressing with olive oil, salt and balsamic vinegar. Salad helps keep me moving, if you catch my drift!

4. granola - A great snack for an active person and it consists mainly of Baraka_Guru's favourite food: oats! I get something from the bulk food store that has whole ingredients in it. It can be easy to find conventional store bought granolas with bad oils in them. I also don't like this new trend of putting puffed rice and vanilla flavour in granola.... bleccchh.

5. and most importantly.... eggs!! I read somewhere this is the best source of protein, hands down. When I make an omelette, I've been using one egg and filling in the rest with egg whites from a carton (I imagine this is pretty easy to find nowadays) to help cut down on the cholesterol.

So obviously this list has a high allergic factor for those prone to that, but I think these are very key foods. They are, however, a personal list.

Righteous list, bro.

Seeing as how this is much like my diet... I can also attest to it working well. Tuna, yogurt, raisins, cranberries, carrots, and almonds are also my friend.

If you feel like a hippie eating it... it is probably good for you. :thumbsup:

Just bear in mind that Splenda isn't actually zero calories. It's technically 2 calories per teaspoon, but due to government regulations, if it's under 5 calories, it can be labeled 0 calories. Don't ask me why.

Here is a comparison of Splenda to white granulated sugar:

• White sugar (100g): 387 calories, 100g carbohydrates
• Splenda (100g): 391 calories, 97.7 carbohydrates

Splenda is basically fluffy sugar. A teaspoon of Splenda is 0.5g, while a teaspoon of sugar is around 5g. So if you add a packet of Splenda to anything, it is 2 calories, which does put you ahead 18 calories over the sugar. But my previous concern remains: Sucralose is an artificial substance.

I add honey to my black teas. Honey is good because of anti-oxidants, amongst other things. Only a touch of honey is required to take the edge off of the teas' bitterness.

I do like how you handle your coffee. Skim milk is a health food in my view. I recently started buying powdered skim milk to make shakes with. But I recently went from black coffee to light cream and a teaspoon of demerara sugar. This is purely for flavour...nutrition concerns aside. :devious:



And, aberkok, haven't I preached to you about spinach over lettuce yet? :)

I lived with a vegetarian woman for 5 years, I've acquired the taste.

Baraka, thanks for that list, I actually like everything on that list, but I'm guessing my own acquisition of lettuce will be difficult as I really have no place to put it, and I'm not really going to chow down an an entire head in one sitting :p

tho I guess it would still be cheaper than buying a premade salad at some diner if I just ate a reasonable amount and chucked the rest.

heres a lil Q&A (or rather the Q's if you could help out with the A's)

Q, how bad is it to eat someplace like a mongolian BBQ? I usually load up with noodles, mongolian fire oil, and tofu. Seems healthy enough, but I'm guessing the oil could be the wild card in that?

Q, I guess it's bad to eat late at night because your metabolism sucks while you're sleeping but if you're really hungry or know that you're coming in too low for the daily intake due to missing a meal or something due to work/life etc.. what kind of food would be good?

Q, Vitamin capsules, Some of my previous experience with vegetarians basically said they had to rely on these for protein because they didn't really like the natural sources of it. Are these a good idea in general anyway?

Q, Green tea "on the go"? Are there any popular outlets for this kind of drink? Again, not really able to make it myself with the lack of a kitchen. I could keep an eye out for it but I'm pretty sure most places are of the mcdonalds iced tea variety.

Q, I alluded to this before but I guess I should straight out ask, what kind of intake should I be aiming for in terms of calories/fat and should I be looking at other factors when considering weight loss besides just those 2 things? I don't really worry about the cholesterol content in eggs because if you knew how I was eating before you'd probably be shocked that I'm still standing. (I could be the poster child for the sequel to "Super Size Me" probably)


thanks guys :)

I've suffered from diabetes combined with insulin resistance since I was 12 years old if there's one thing I have become conscious about it's my diet.

Diet drinks are generally bad for you because the majority have a very high salt content, atleast the ones I have looked at do.

If your sweet tooth is nagging at you fruit yoghurts are a nice substitute for lollies / icecream etc. I'd advise towards the peach and mango flavours rather then the berry ones as the peach ones seem to have about 1/2 the sugar content.

Fruit and vegetables of almost any kind is good as long as it's fresh (a noticeable exception to this is watermelon). Dried fruits seem to be high in sugars though this may just be a brand thing (I use a dehydrater and dry my own).

Try to move away from the basic 3 meal a day which most people know and love, it's more effective for your body to have 5 smaller meals a day then 3. It balances out the glucose levels of your body.

As for the jogging the weight might be an issue, I have knee problems of my own so stairs / biking is almost impossible for me. I've found rowing and elliptical machines are great though - play around with different types of equipment if you have the opportunity, may not be possible ofcourse as that mainly depends on a gym membership of some kind.


Sorry just read the Q&A section so will add to my previous post

1.) Late night snacks aren't a good thing this is true but there are some things you can eat which are not going to do a great deal of damage, mainly low GI but very filling foods. Personally I tend towards bananas and / or toast (two pieces of toast with a mashed banana in between, so good)

2.) Depends on the type of vitamin that you are talking about, personally I take a few daily so I can't say not to but if you're on any other types of medication TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST (sorry for caps but can't emphasise that enough). Herbal medications and vitamins do interact with prescription meds.

3.) Most cafes here (even McCafe) sell green tea, not sure if I can think of anywhere that does it drive through style though. This may just be and Aussie phenomenon though. As for not being able to make it yourself all you need is a jar, tea cup and an electric kettle, couple of leaves in the bottom wait for them to settle then drink add more water when you want more tea. Admittedly some types of tea are more complex and require more preparation though so make sure you read the instructions first.

If running isn't your thing Shauk, you can always do the US army paratrooper thing:

Get yourself a backpack and load it with like 50 pounds and just walk four-six-eight miles. That'll get ya buff quick.

eh, I'm seriously thinking about getting a membership to a gym or something for my breaks from work and stuff. I don't know how much that stuff runs but it'd have to wait till I have some more money, I don't think they are very cheap these days.

Get Dance Dance Revolution instead of Guitar Hero.

You know, I was thinking... your biggest obstacle is the lack of a kitchen. You're also missing a fridge I think (not sure).

Since this is a long term life change, you need to make a kitchen a priority. Obviously it's a rent issue, but your next place (and find one soon), has to have a proper food prep and storage area.

Let me refine that - drink 8 cups of COLD water daily. The extra work your body has to do to process very cold water is real trick.

Though you should drink 8 oz of hot water in the morning to stimulate peristalsis.

Fresco style saved my butt today :p

Went on craigslist and saw a listing for a free weight bench, drove out to get it and it was gone already :(

forgot to bring any snacks and so I wound up at taco bell again

2 fresco style grande soft tacos

720 cal 29 fat

eh, still high but I dont think i'll be eating agian until I get off work and I got some peanut butter sammiches and applesauce waiting for me at home.

should top off 13-1500 cal today.

not sure what kinda fat intake is good or not tho.

still I KNOW its lower because the way I used to eat was 3 regular beef & potato burritos and a XL cherry pepsi every night.

random pizza from work 3-4 slices a day

other junk food for snacks, candy and the like.

wouldnt be suprised if I was packing 3500-4k in a day as of a week ago

I think you should be eating 2500ish on a diet. Coming from a former athelete who had gotten out of shape. My wife, a doctor with an interest/specialty in nutrition said "6'6" at 300; no lower than 2500, more if he's exercising"

When I was losing weight/getting back into shape, I was at about 2300, and I was 6'/230. That was seriously pushing it on the low end. Too little caloric intake is almost as bad as too high.

Too low for a big guy. If you were legitamately doing 3500 cals previously, I'd go in 500 cal increments downwards, no lower than 2000 cals, to find a comfort zone.

When you restrict calories too severely, you'll end up losing more muscle mass than fat, which is no good for any man.

For me, I aim for a 40-40-20 split between calories from protein-carbs-fat and that works really well for my individual needs. Others may suggest different ratios, but never more than 30% fat, for sure.

Good advice, Bossnass and highthief. To put it another way, Shauk, you're okay to eat between 60 and 80g of fat. Try to keep the saturates low, and aim for things cooked in or made with canola or olive oil if you can. Fish fats like those found in salmon and some tuna are good too. If you don't mind them (or even like them), eat sardines and herring. Other good sources of fat are almonds and walnuts, etc.

Fat provides beneficial nutrition if you eat the right kind, and they do well to keep you feeling full. Remember, you can eat around 60g per day and still be eating healthfully.

There is no way you will lose weight and not feel like you are starving yourself without a kitchen. Non-perishables and restaurant food are designed to not fill you up and go through you very quickly - so that you return and eat more. A lot of overweight people (including myself) just never cooked, so they think that they need to eat a lot more than they really do to feel full.

Also, just walk or do Ashtanga yoga (DVD is like $15) for half an hour a day if you're not into strenous exercise. Walking for half an hour is almost as effective as running a mile or two.

mfh, not to outright discredit you or anything but the whole like about non perishables and resaurant food being designed to not fill you up seems to be a bit of a broad statement. Do you have anything to back this up?

anyways, todays intake (no math, just names)

1 bowl of kellog's spongebob squarepants cereal
unspecified amount of raisins
6 in turkey sub w/honey mustard and 3 cups of water
3 cups of applesauce
3 more cups of water.
I think thats it, I spent most of the time visiting my dad or walking around stores and such.

edit: the following day

1 cup coffee mixed w/french vanilla
3 servings of raisins

bottle of water

fresco grande taco
fresco cheesy bean and rice

no dinner yet.
think imma go make that now.

hrm, so.. I just noticed that the nutrtion info on the spicy chicken soft taco seems fudged..

http://www.yum.com/nutrition/results...5&BrandAbbr=TB

put in a regular and a fresco on the tray and calculate it and despite having the exact same ingredients, somehow it manages to still be "better" for you by calling it fresco style? I'm confused.

nevermind, i'm a tard, i misread it. Apparently the difference is another serving of fresco salsa on top of the already existing fresco salsa.


ok then :p

/yoink

Have you considered a low-carb diet?

If you're looking for a fast way to loose weight its the way to go. I averaged about 5lbs a week when I did it. Lost a bit over 70lbs during the course of two years I did it off and on (low carb at thanksgiving/christmas just don't work). I've kept it off for 3 years now with no effort.

Wow...get rid of the Spongebob Squarepants cereal. For real. Cereal with marshmallows of any kind does not constitute cereal that is appropriate for a healthy diet.

You should be eating cereal with fiber--LOTS of fiber, if you can stand it. I eat Nature's Path Optimum Slim, with a whopping 11g of fiber.

And there's no need to go low-carb, but seriously, Shauk--eat some whole grains! There are no whole grains in your diet! Fiber, fiber, fiber--lots of whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables. Apples and bananas are portable. Clif Bars are portable. A bag of salad makes an easy lunch or dinner.

More info on the health benefits of fiber: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fiber.html

Fitday.com has a great diet tracker that I think could really help you set some goals and maintain them. You should be aiming for at least 30g-38g of fiber a day.

i had the cereal at my dad's

in any case, I dont see what is so unhealthy about it.

http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutriti...0a1598d537bfea

nutrition info is pretty nil though.

anyways I've been eating mostly peanutbutter/banana sandwiches on wheat.
salads, some chicken, some garden, light sesame.
if I have to hit a drive through i've been pretty much getting the spicy chicken soft taco from taco bell or a veggie footlong at subway on wheat

What onesnowyowl said.

My sugary crap cereal:
http://www.honeynutcheerios.com/Images/pop_nutri.jpg

Your Cereal:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 0.751 cup / 30g / 1.1 oz
Amount per Serving
Calories 120 Calories from Fat 10
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 120mg 5%
Potassium 40mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 13g
Protein 2g 4%
Vitamin A 10%
Vitamin C 25%
Calcium 0%

My healthy significant other's cereal of choice (when she eats cereal)
Serving Size: 3/4 cup (39g/1.4oz)
Calories 110
Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Potassium 480mg
Total Carbohydrate 30g
Dietary Fiber 10g
Soluble Fiber 1g
Insoluble Fiber 9g
Sugars 6g
Protein 13g


Low fat is good, but high sugar and no fiber is bad.

Ok so my body is rejecting this diet or something I dont know.

I woke up around 10:30 am and didn't have to be at work until 4pm. that entire duration I hadn't even realized that I didn't eat, I wasn't hungry. Didn't occur to me to get anything. I grabbed an oatmeal raisin cookie on the way out, was pretty much the only snack food around.

I got to work and we were kinda busy but around 6pm or so I as able to sneak in eating a chicken ceasar salad with light non fat dressing. it is now 4 am and thats it.

why the hell am I not able to maintain an appetite anymore? I'm eating less than ever and all of a sudden i'm NEVER HUNGRY? it's been like this for weeks now :(

I seriously don't understand what happened here, it's a weird transition for me because i'm very used to the sensation of being hungry.

is it stress? I've been kinda flipping out about getting ready for my move and such. Is it my work schedule? i sleep in late and work late and I'm basically 4-5 hours behind the norm when it comes to meals. I've been kind of stir crazy about it too since I don't have a scale either. I wonder if that's causing me to over worry about what I eat subconciously and causing me to just not be hungry at all.

I dunno.

I'm tired right now though, been a long day. I guess I'll check back on this thread tomorrow. (or today, depending on how you look at it)

If you are not comfortable running, hop on an elliptical.

If you really want to lose weight, you have to burn calories....a pound of body fat has approximately 3,000 calories. So to lose a pound, you have to burn 3,000 more calories than you consume.

The more out of breath you are when you work out, the faster you are burning calories (increase in respiration corrosponds to increase in metabolic consumption). Also, not to insult your intelligence, the longer you work out, the more calories you burn. But it isn't all upfront. If you do a (hard) aerobic workout for an hour, you will burn a lot of calories upfront, but you will also boost your metabolism which will continue to burn extra calories for you during the rest of the day.

Force yourself to get on a treadmill or elliptical for an hour. Go whatever pace puts you out of breath but can be maintained. You will probably be sore and tired afterwards, for the first couple times. After that, you will still feel a little tired when you finish, but you will find that you feel much better (those endorphins kicking in) overall and it won't be such a chore anymore.

Lifting weights can also help, though aerobic excercise really needs to be the backbone of whatever you do.

Oops, didn't realize the thread had progressed so much.

To respond to your last post: That's normal. Your body will adapt, and as long as you give it some fuel, it can burn fat without any serious hunger issues.

Every time I have gone long periods of time without food, my body sort of settles into a routine. It is only when I am used to eating large meals all the time that I really get hungry, unless I have been doing some serious work.

I very successfully dropped about 30 lbs by reducing my total caloric intake, and refocussing what I eat to include complex carbs, lots of vegetables and meat. Chicken, beef, pork, but not processed (high salt or high fat) lunch meats like black forest ham.

I felt I was hungry a lot, but then started to snack on high protein items such as peanuts ( a bag of them for a buck) which makes you feel full. I also tired to eat lunches with little bread such as a chicken caesar salad, or cabage rolls.

I also started running longer. I know you don't like it, but at a beginner level, y ou don't need to do too much to get an aerobic workout, and eventually you will prolong your workouts. Weight lifting also boosts your metabolism long past the duration of the workout.

Cheese is a perfect snack, aim for low fat but a couple of onzes of brie or havarti will keep you from being hungry too.


As for pop (or soda as you call it) I stay away from all such fizzy drinks because the sugar in the non-diet drinks is excessive (your insulin shouldn't have to deal with that) and the aspartame in the diet drinks a) tastes bad & b) i just don't trust the chemical

Aslo the carbonation can destroy the enamel on your teeth (everything from perrier to pop). something about its acidity.

so, reduced calory diet (not a lot) + high fibre + complex carb(the fewer carbs the better) + protein (by a powder and make smoothies) + increased physical exercise = manageable weight.

Hi Shauk! Nice pics, you are a hottie (really!).

If you want to keep the weight off, you'll have to change your lifestyle. Eating healthy, moving more, you know. It'll keep you fit and possibly extend your life or at least decrease your risk for stuff like diabetes and high blood pressure. Plus, it's a long-term plan you can stick with til you're dead.

Anyway, this is what I advise (and take everything as slowly as you need)...

DIET...

1. EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST. This will kick start your metabolism. It should have complex carbs (muesli is fine, Squarepants cereal is NOT; steel cut oats over instant oatmeal), some protein (melty cheese toast, eggs), and fruit/veg (green pepper and onion omelette). I've heard that green tea can boost your metabolism, too, and I'd recommend it over coffee. I'm also gonna recommend replacing artificial sweeteners with honey. Honey's got a flavor all its own and it has some antioxidants whereas sugar has none. Try to get it as unadulterated as possible (in general, treat your food like a potential sex partner - the more it's been around the block, the less inclined you should be to errr... put it in you).

1a. Get a fridge and start making meals at home. I think the Zone diet has a pretty good guide to what proportions of what you should put into your body (it's a pain to measure everything but you can kind of get the idea). You get protein, all the veg you want, tons of fruit, grains, and a little fat. But I also think ideal diet varies person to person (e.g. some people can take more meat) so you'll have to experiment.

1b. Stay away from processed foods (that includes Taco Bell and diet soda) only because most is junk and the food in there is mostly stripped of nutrients. I like cheese though and I think it's just fine cuz you can get low-fat kinds (travesty!) or get some good pecarino/parm (NOT the green shaky can!) and just shave a little bit on your scrambled eggs for flavor. You want to eat stuff your body can use. Forget diet food (Special K, diet soda, Luna Bars) and forget those big iceberg lettuce salads that are drowned in dressing (iceberg has little nutritional value anyway - opt for spinach). Throw out the white bread and forget whole wheat bread (just a little bit healthier than white). Get some pumpernickel or rye - stuff that feels chunky in your mouth and not like wimpy fluff. Brown rice over white rice, lean meat, frozen veg over canned if you can't get fresh.

2. Stop drinking soda and JUICE. Juice is high-cal. Just stick to water. If you get bored with water, you can flavor it with some lemon, lime, orange slices or cucumber. Don't buy that flavored water stuff if you can avoid it - do it yourself. The above posters are right about diet soda - it feeds your sweet tooth and trains it to crave refined sugar, not natural sugar from fruit. If you drink milk, switch to skim or soy.

3. Keep fresh fruit and veg (celery and peanut butter or chopped peppers and hummus) on hand for snacking and to round out a meal. It really makes a difference when you cut out junk food AND you'll be getting a lot more vitamins & minerals. I personally think this is more healthy than power bars (also cuz power bars leave me hungry - I have to eat like, three!).

4. Prioritize nutritional value over calories. 200 cal of fruit is healthier than 100 cal of Weight Watcher's cookies.

5. You know... it seems like you have the time to take up cooking as a hobby... :) You might dig it! Ah yes, you can cook in a microwave if you don't have a stove. You can also get a rice cooker that doubles as a steamer to do some steamed vegetables and fish... and rice. If you do take up cooking, look into different ethnic cuisines - the American diet is ridiculous.

EXERCISE

1. Nice advice on the interval jogging from a poster already. I eased into running by lap swimming, actually. It's fun to be in the water and you can go at your own pace - it's also a low-impact, full body workout and burns just a little less than running if you're swimming hard. The only thing that sucks is you have to have a pool membership.

2. Just start moving more. Take a walk after dinner EVERY NIGHT. Take up tennis or basketball with a buddy. Take stairs instead of an elevator.

3. Gym memberships can be pricey but spring for one if you will use it. I never used mine enough to justify the monthly fee. I love the fact that you can go running anywhere at anytime (mostly). Anyway, if you want a gym membership, sometimes the big ones will do a month promotion where they'll discount or waive the horrendously large initial signers fee - check the net.

4. Buy yourself some workout gear if that will help motivate you.

5. Set up a routine that you can fit into your schedule. I do a morning or evening jog at least 3 times a week interspersed with pilates/yoga/weights on the other days. The muscle you build from weight training will burn more fat but the cardio is key to really reducing it. Generally, I think it's recommended to do cardio 3 times a week for 30 minutes at least.... But see how much you want to push yourself.

6. On running... Take it slow, walk when you need to and push yourself when you want to. Invest in a good pair of running shoes (used ONLY for running) and an iPod if that'll help. Stretch before and after (run with warm muscles). I used to hate running and sometimes I still head out the door reluctantly but there's nothing that compares to the feeling of running like a wild horse in the field. Idyllic, but true. You really feel the physical strength and abilities of your body. It's GRRRREAT!!!!

THE MOST IMPORTANTLY...

1. DO NOT OBSESS ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT ON THE SCALES!!! You will put on weight if you're building muscle (esp. cuz you're a guy) and you'll see the change more in your how your pants fit than on the scale. You can definitely lose a lot in a few weeks but it's a commitment to a total lifestyle change. The last thing you want to do is get on a yo-yo diet where you cut calories and gain them back later because diet food sucks.

Anyway, hope some of that helped - that's been my experience at least. Good luck, wish I could cook you some dinner in person! Oh, and keep us posted on your progress!!! Btw, I think there's some sit-up group effort here on TFP... and a distance as well. Post your numbers!

EDIT...
On your loss of appetite... damn boy, put away those cookies!!!! Get yo'self an APPLE! Even if it's oatmeal raisin.
A decrease in appetite is a side effect of a healthier diet. Better food with more fiber, complex carbs, etc. will stay with you longer than a sugar fix. Exercise will also decrease your appetite. Basically, getting your body into shape will make you more aware of how much and when you need to eat and you will also get the urge to work out.

But it sounds to me like your loss of appetite is temporary (like you were just not hungry one day) - don't rely on that for weight loss but don't eat more than you feel you need to. Eat breakfast and whatever you need to get through your day (and your daily exercise) but stop eating those cookies! :)

Here are a few websites (the Zone can be hard to follow but use it as a loose guideline)...

http://www.wildoats.com/u/Health/superfood_foods/
http://www.enterthezonediet.com/

thanks afterglow ;)

I can't really obsess about my weight cuz I don't even own a scale, I just went over to a freinds place and used theirs 2 weeks into it to see if it was working or if I needed to try something different. But after losing 8lbs in 2 weeks, I think I was doing something right.

I'm about a month into it at this point. again, my only real issue is finding an appetite. I will have a kitchen available to me in a month, if someone could do me a favor and give me a sample like 50-100$ shopping list and some recipes to go with it I'd be very grateful. I'm poor at cooking and even worse at shopping. This is a guy who's biggest trip to a grocery store included sandwich materials and a tub of ice cream. /embarrassed

I like the swimming tip. I like swimming actually, it's one of the ways I don't feel so tall and awkward. :)

I haven't had any soda since this thread started (aside from the one I wrote about) It's been nothing but water, water, more water. oh, and I had tea 2 times this month, no sugar.

I gotta go to work now though I'll check back on this thread, thanks guys.

I lost my appetite too. It's not a bad thing; part of it is your body adjusting to your change in diet. Take this opportunity to refamiliarize yourself with your hunger response, and how you feel when your blood sugar levels drop. Once you know this, you will know when it's time to eat.

It's important to get enough calories to keep your system running. To make sure of this, start logging your caloric intake and caloric output. You need to make sure your body is getting enough fuel.

Ugh, I'm nerdular enough to do this!!! :) My mom's a nutritionist, guess it passed on down to me. Anyway, I'll give you my general shopping list. It's two of us, we usually do maybe $50 every 2.5 weeks (although Berlin is fairly cheap compared to US cities). If you have a Trader Joe's near you, you can get some great shizz there for little $.

www.traderjoes.com

and my favorite cooking site (also focused on a healthy diet): Naked Chef...

http://www.jamieoliver.com/
he's on Food Network as well so you can search the site for his recipes
www.foodtv.com

Some tips for picking fresh produce
http://www.expertvillage.com/intervi...ck-produce.htm

GUIDELINES...

1. Buy produce fresh. If you aren't going to use it for a week or so, you can get it a little raw (not ripe yet)... you know, like green bananas.

2. Fresh, then frozen, then canned. With cans, check labels for stuff like sugar syrup (e.g. canned pineapples) or oil (tuna) - you want the stuff in water.

3. You can freeze bread, freeze meat and freeze meals. If you're living single, invest in some ziplock bags of various sizes. I used to prep a week's worth of bagged salads to take to work on Sunday night. It's great cuz you can slice up a loaf of french bread, freeze it, and toast it later in the oven with some damn tasty bruschetta!

4. Get the good stuff. Treat your body right! I can be a real snob about food but it's worth it. It doesn't have to be more expensive but please get some good honey ham for sandwiches, not bologna! And NEEEEVVEEER buy iceberg lettuce (get a bagged spring mix or baby spinach for salad and sandwiches)! While I advocate no white bread, I love a good French bread... the pleasure sensation is the trade-off. No need to deprive yourself!

5. Pay attention to nutritional trade-offs as you switch over your diet. Red wine has antioxidants, white wine has none and has more calories. Dark chocolate has antioxidants, milk chocolate has little nutritional value.

6. Shop seasonally. You may as well enjoy nature's bounty! The stuff that's in season is the stuff that looks really good. It'll also allow you to switch up your diet so you don't get terribly bored (more on this later).

7. When you get your new kitchen, invest in spices and seasonings. Here's what I have in my cabinet.

- Olive Oil (tastier and healthier than canola or vegetable oil) - also good for making your own dressing
- Balsamic vinegar (for salads and bread dip and some cooking)
- Sea Salt (better tasting than table salt)
- Whole peppercorns (better tasting freshly ground)
- Paprika (good with fish), cumin (good for Mexican), Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, etc.), fennel, lemon pepper, cinnamon, honey, brown sugar, a shitload of red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper (although there is better out there), etc... but take a look at the spice aisle and see what you like. Rule of thumb, whole spices and fresh herbs give more flavor... but dried can do the trick as well. I keep a basil plant in the house cuz we use it so much and the dried tastes like fish food.
- Asian gear - this is only cuz we cook a lot of Asian stuff.. but here it is if you're interested in doing stir fry or pad thai or pho or whatever... Fish sauce, soy sauce, cooking sherry, sesame oil. If you want to cook Japanese, you can get some good Mirin. This stuff is nearly always cheaper at an Asian mart in the Asia-town section of your city. You also get much better ones. Spring for Tamari low-sodium soy sauce over Kikkoman if you can get it. Low-sodium, definitely. Don't get Kikkoman!

8. Invest in appliances. This is what I have.

- Blender: for smoothies, hummus and pureed soups
- Mortar & pestle: for grinding spices
- Toaster oven: because toast is awesome. Also good for reheating frozen bread.
- Microwave
- Rice cooker (preferable to cooking in a pot if you are, like me, forgetful) - worth it if you eat a lot of rice - otherwise you can cook rice in a pot or microwave
- Sweet-ass wok: get a good one from an Asian place. It is great for everything. You want one with a roundish bottom and edge so you can slide the stuff around easily.
- Salt and pepper grinder. Seriously, you will never go back to the pre-ground stuff.

9. This is my food list.. it varies season to season but these are the basics - since you won't be eating this much (my boyfriend eats enough for two), use your own discretion:

- Eggs
- Milk (this is the boyfriend, I'm lactose intolerant)
- Cheese - one hard parmesan, one to shave up for pizza, and occasionally sliced cheese for sandwiches
- Sandwich bread (the heartier, the better and tastier)
- Sandwich meat (buy what you'll use cuz it can spoil easily)
- Canned fish (canned salmon and tuna - salmon esp. is good for Omega-3s and the cans have edible bones which are a GREAT calcium source) - for tuna salad and what have you
- Canned tomatoes (for pasta)
- Pasta (whole grain is better)
- Rice (brown is better but I'm partial to jasmine)
- Basic Produce: Tomatoes, onions, salad greens (can be bagged) - for salad and sandwiches (baby spinach or spring/herb mix), garlic, ginger & green onions (if you're cooking Asian)
- Frozen berries (for smoothies - high in antioxidants)
- Yogurt (can be frozen but try to get low or non-fat) - for smoothies and eating
- Vegetables - colorful veg and dark greens are good: spinach/mustard greens (I'll stir them up in pasta or put them on pizza), green/red/yellow bell peppers (can use in EVERYTHING!), carrots (for snacking and cooking) - they have better nutritional content than celery, and I'm happy cuz butternut squash and pumpkin is in season (you can get butternut squash frozen, I believe)
- Fruits - whatever you like but try the seasonal stuff and weird stuff, too!: bananas (good sliced on muesli for breakfast or sliced in yogurt with a swirl of honey - damn, that's real girl food, it's tasty though!), lemons, limes (for cooking and spiking water), apples - go by what looks good.
- Meat - I get lean chicken breast mostly but also some lean ground pork or beef - it depends on what you want to eat. Fish is good, too, but I find chicken to be the most versatile - you can get big honking bags of it frozen. Since we're in Germany, we always have a salami in the fridge - good for pizza, flavoring pastas and sandwiches.
- Butter, not margarine. Mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup.
- Pre-made sauces... pesto, curry (get it canned), pizza
- Frozen veg - I use a broc, cauli, carrot mix - great for stir fry or just steaming up. I never seem to go through fresh fast enough!!
- Whole wheat crackers and pita bread for snacking

A rough guide to what we make ...

- Pizza. I think we try to do pizza once a week. You can make the dough from scratch (roughly 1.25 hrs of rise time) but it's also nice to get a bunch of flatbread (about 10" round) and do it on that - the flatbread's lower cal (less carbs). Spread some sauce on it (or drizzle some olive oil), whack on some veg (mushrooms, olives, cooked spinach, fresh basil torn up, etc.) and shave some cheese over.

- Pasta. Tinned tomatoes are fine but fresh is better. Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil, add tomatoes, add some chopped up bell peppers, add ground meat. Stir it up with the pasta and some spinach / mustard greens (gotta incorporate those where you can).

- Stir fry. Sautee onions, garlic, ginger, add veg (broc/cauli/carrots/bell peppers), add meat, add sauce (check recipes but most will call for soy and sherry). Do it up with some steamed rice. If you have a lot of leftover rice, you can do fried rice the next day (whack some chopped or ground meat, chopped onions, eggs, and a frozen peas/corn/carrot mix into the wok, then throw the rice in - add water if it's a little dry, season with salt/pepper/soy to taste). Stir-fry noodles are good too (but you need more oil).

- Curry. We eat a lot of curry. I dunno, it's good. You can buy cans of coconut milk and curry and just add meat and veg. Do it up with rice.

- Steamed fish and veg ... there's a lot you can do with this. I'll do my salmon with a coconut milk / wasabi sauce. But I'm a snob. Side of grains like a good hearty bread.. .mmm.

- Soup / stew - it's the Big Pot philosophy. Put everything in a big pot and cook it. Some soups (e.g. butternut) you can puree in your blender so it tastes rich but is pretty low-cal and really healthy.
http://www.soupsong.com/

- Salad - make your own dressing and make a salad that appeals to you. It doesn't have to be rabbit food. (My current fave: torn up red leaf and arugula with fresh mozz, figs and schwarzwalder ham drizzled with olive oil and balsamic, salt, pepper. See? Snob snob snob. But it's good!).

- Smoothies - you can blend anything. Put in chopped (and peeled) fruit, add liquid (milk or water), blend and adjust (honey's good). Add yogurt if you want but a banana or half an avocado will give it a great creamy texture, too. You can make a batch and save some in your fridge.

- Salsa (chopped tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, pepper, chopped avocado) and hummus (pureed tahini, chickpeas, olive oil and a little garlic) for snacking

- Omelette - sautee your fillings first (onion, green pepper, tomato, diced ham), set aside, and do up your egg mix (whisked with a little milk) - add fillings when it's looking almost done, shave some cheese over, fold.

The more you cook the better (and more experimental) you'll get.

Hope this laundry list helps a little. It is tricky if you're eating single so just start out buying what you can use in a week (if it's produce) and go from there. Also, if there's food you dig, try making it at home one night (e.g. fajitas - sliced beef marinated in lime juice, chilies, cilantro, tequila, salt, pepper fried up with onions and sliced bell peppers served with warmed tortillas (which also freeze well, microwave to warm up)). Cooking with friends can be a lot of fun, too.

PS - we got all of our appliances on Craigslist for super cheap - sometimes ppl unload their cabinet goodies there too.

EDIT - sorry if this reads as dictator-y. It's just some advice and my experience. :)

EDIT 2: HOLY CRAP you're in SPOKANE!!!??? I used to live in Seattle. Ok man, no excuses! Washington has an AMAZING selection of produce (I grew up near Chicago - it can't compare) and awesome seafood. It's a great place to get healthy food.

EDIT 3: We also keep a big bottle of homemade iced green tea or lemon water in the fridge. If you make powerfully (sourfully?) lemony water, rinse afterwards with regular water cuz it can wear down the enamel on your teeth.

I'm moving to seattle in a month too, lol. nice :) I thank you very much for this post, I'll definitely be back to read this when it's time to shop again :) I appreciate the help, i'm such a food noob.

Seattle has a couple Trader Joe's (the one on Cap Hill is good) - you can get cheap produce in Chinatown if you go a bit east on Jackson (two/three blocks past Maynard away from the water). And you've gotta love the Safeways open til 3am or whatever odd hour it is... If you want to get good granola, you can get huge bags of it (flax, hemp too) from PCC which is also on Cap Hill - actually, there are a couple co-op hippie dippy stores that sell organic, plus the organic section in Safeway is pretty substantial.

It's a great place to live - one of my favorite cities ever!!

Once you get to Seattle, yes, go to TJ's, go to Safeway, and go to Freddy's--they also have a good organic selection. QFC also has a lot of organic and nutritional foods. Fred Meyers/QFC carry a store brand called Private Selection (Kroger's store brand) that offers premium deli meats. If you're in need of sandwich meats, I would suggest whatever Private Selection is on sale--it's high quality and the majority of their meats are low in fat. Fred Meyers also frequently has Clif Bars and organic bananas (my ultimate stand-by foods) on sale.

If you're close to downtown Seattle once you move, Pike Place Market has a great selection of fresh food of all kinds, and the crowds lessen in winter (it's kind of a tourist spot, obviously). There is also a great place to eat called the Soundview Cafe there, so take a Saturday, go down to the market, grab a bite to eat, and shop for some fruits and veggies. Plus, De Laurenti Specialty Foods is at the market--I really recommend them for perusing cheese, olives, and olive oils, as well as other Italian cooking goodies. They also have awesome pizza and paninis, if that's your thing.

afterglow's list of suggestions is excellent. Once you move, get a rice cooker. Brown rice is healthiest. I also really like Japanese rice (white shortgrain Calrose rice); it's not as healthy, but it is very filling, and goes well with stir-fry. Brown rice is great, though, because it can go with so many things--stir-fry, curries, black beans. We have a variety of rices for our rice cooker--Calrose, jasmine, brown. Yum yum.

And once you get to Seattle...Seattle is organized up into neighborhoods, which often center around one main commercial street. Take advantage of this. Walk, walk, walk. Get a bike--check Craiglist--put fenders on it, and ride that sucker. Incidental activity is great. Use it to your advantage!

Personally, I've tried to cut back on food consumption in general. I also drink water, whether I want it or not, and for snacks I've resorted to fruit or yogurt cups. Another thing that seems to be helping is eating SOMETHING for breakfast everyday, regardless of how small...

-Will

I've also been trying to lose a few pounds. It sounds like you're in a difficult spot, having some poor habits and no kitchen. Here's my advice, for now and for after you arrive in Seattle.

1. Drink tea. Twinings Earl Grey is my favorite but green is also an excellent choice. You don't need a kitchen for this. Just get an electric kettle and you're set. I take mine straight but you could add some honey. IT WILL NEVER TASTE AS GOOD AS POP, you're going to have to accept that. Make a habit of brewing a cup/pot of tea every time you feel like going to the shop for a pop, Sobe, energy drink, etc.

2. Walk more. Try to take a walk every day, through a park or through an area of your city you'd like to know better. You're more likely to get into jogging if you know the area well and know a few paths you enjoy.

3. Avoid Taco Bell. I know that every bite is a delicious orgy of salt and fat, but you MUST learn to say "no" to TB and other such places, even if you're feeling kind of hungry. If you're serious about losing weight, you should almost always opt for Subway and delis with healthy options.

Once you get a kitchen (and this really should be a priority), you'll have a lot more options. We'll take another stab at this then. Until then, try to develop healthy habits and don't expect immediate and stunning results. If you screw up a couple times, that's alright, just make sure you bounce back.

One final thing. My biggest obstacle has been not holding myself accountable in the here and now. When you see the beckoning visage of that unholy chihuahua, DON'T tell yourself "well, I'll have some TB now and make up for it later." Instead, be honest with yourself about what you need to do to get what you want. Don't try to justify your bad decisions. Acknowledge them for what they are, take a deep breath, and fix your problems.

I second QFC - the one on Cap Hill is 24 hrs! And I'd occasionally buy fancy gear (there's a great wine/truffle place) at Pike Place to supplement the cheapy goods from Chinatown (Uwajimaya is the upscale Asian market there if you're interested - grossly overpriced!).

If you take up running (and you SHOULD in Seattle)/walking/blading/skating, here are some great places to go (for a walk even) - btw, because Seattle is so hilly, you get a lot of variation in your training - I never had hip pain when I was running up/down but I get it when I do flat surfaces:

Along the waterfront (downtown) - this was my usual route from Jackson down to the newish Sculpture park - it's pretty flat but really scenic. I also used to do a run down 1st or 2nd Ave from Jackson and loop at Pike St - it gives you a hillier track and the streets are pretty deserted car-wise after 10pm. Sometimes the Pioneer Square crackheads holler at you but they are harmless.

Greenlake - really lovely place - flattish run

Discovery Park - the best park in the world with the most beautiful view of the sunset over the Sound - a good uphill and then flattish area and then a run back downhill. At least hike this place. It's well worth it. If you walk everywhere you will get an ass of steel because damn, those hills be steep!

Skiing in the winter, YEAH!!! Oh btw, don't join All-Star Gym on Cherry? 4th?... err, near the library downtown. It sucks and it's hard to find the door to get in!!! Tiny pool - not worth it at all.

Faaaack, I loved living in the Northwest. People there are really open-minded, kind and health-conscious to boot! Such a good place. :)

Where in Seattle are you moving to?

PS. Love Oregon as well.

PPS. Regarding tea - if you dig it, there are some awesome tea shops in Pike Place (at least one I know of is on the north end). There's a lot of variety in tea from smoky lapsang souchong (tastes like liquid smoke but in a good way) to a fruity herbal hibiscus/rose hip to well.. everything. Anyway, worth checking out cuz you can lose your sweet tooth in time and I really feel your tastes buds start to pick up more nuances as a result. Tea and wine get to be really interesting.... soda, overpoweringly and disgustingly saccharine.

PPPS. If you do yogurt, bone up and get the plain kind. TJ's actually carries this really delicious French Cream yogurt (can't remember what it's called) but the cream rises to the top and it's a tasty indulgence once in awhile. You can mix it with a bit of honey, fruit or jam for taste. You really cut out a lot of calories when you add your own sugar. Plus you can use the plain as a side with spicy Indian food or in place of sour cream in tacos. Shit, I miss that yogurt.

Oregon is awesome. Washington's great too--I can't knock it, as a native of that fabulous state :)

Shauk, the fall apple crop is starting to hit stores. Take advantage of low apple prices to find an apple you like best--there are many to choose from.

I still sometimes crave a McChicken or ramen but my body always feels like crap after eating it.
You can indulge once in awhile but your body (on a healthy diet with exercise) will treat it as (thankfully) a temporary splurge rather than a McLifestyle. The key is limiting processed foods, refined sugars and trans fats. Once you've adjusted to eating well, you won't miss it at all.

moving to Renton to be specific, but that may change too, due to drama outlined in my journal. *shrug*

Rent rates suck

down to 282, and a size 44 from 300/48

eh, it's a start. still working at it :)

I've been following this workout regime for a while:
Workout: http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...ingworkout.htm
Dieting:
http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/magaz...urningdiet.htm

I love the workout and it's really structured, varied, and well thought. I must admit I don't follow the dieting much except that I cut back on unhealthy breakfasts/snacks and try to eat as much canned tuna as I can bear. I think the important thing here is a lifestyle shift, which for many people means going slow, and adjusting what you can potentially do for a long time. Compulsive dieting hurts the body a lot. From my perspective, diet changes that only last a couple of weeks hurt the body than staying on the same diet. So keep that in mind.

Edit: I have to say that I cut back on leg exercises in favor of another day in cardio (so now its 50% weights/ 50% eliptical), as I wasn't trying to gain mass but rather focus on losing fat and getting a six pack by next summer (it's slow, but i'm starting to see some definition donw there)

Oh, six pack abs are silly.

Once you get them... you wonder why you did all the work and starved yourself.

nice work!

Well done! Keep up the good work! :)

Reading this thread has made me realize it's time to kick my own ass. I have an Ab class in one hour. Here's to hoping I can move tomorrow. :D

Heh. Probably, but it's not like a goal, but rather a milestone. I did not set myself on the workout to get the six pack, but generally be healthier.

ok i'm wrong, I just remembered those weights I was spouting off before were my "naked" weight. the weight I took yesterday was with clothing.

i tried again after the shower today and it says 278. my clothes put on 4 pounds apparently ;P

Nice Shauk/..

274.5 with clothes on today.

this new job is pretty physical

waaaaah i'm stuck!

hasnt gone either way in days.

Hey have you started a workout routine? My boyfriend's been rocking this one lately... it's pretty short and you can do it at home with a workout band and some weights. Good for sculpting though (supposedly it's the workout they used for the cast of 300):

xxxafterglow, ballistic exercises (like the jumpsquats in the vid) are a very bad idea for someone who is new to working out. Shauk, I think starting with something like this would be a very fast way to hate working out or to injure yourself, especially given what you mentioned about your knees.

Also, it's taken me a year to work up to just barely doing 4 sets of 30 push-ups, so... I don't know how good you are at those, but this workout clearly isn't for people early on the journey.

Actually, that workout alone isn't designed to repeated over and over. The cast of 300 did that workout only a couple of times (maybe only once). The basis of that workout and the workout that the cast of 300 used is the exercise philosophy(?) called Crossfit. The idea behind crossfit is to engage in a wide variety of workouts. You're supposed to do different stuff every day. You can learn about it more here. I've had a positive personal experience with that work out and it's done wonders for my cardiovascular fitness (basically you do a shit load of different exercises, lifts, etc. in a short amount of time). Every single work out (except for the strength conditioning only days) has brought me to the point of vomiting, lol.

EDIT: Another advantage of crossfit is that it is scalable which means that the intensity of the workouts can be brought down to a level where beginners and the severely out of shape (such as myself when I started) can complete the workouts and not injure/kill themselves in the process.

You can start the program based on what is available on crossfit.com. However, if you can afford it, I'd recommend starting out an local crossfit affiliate (you can look one up on crossfit.com). A lot of the exercises (such as the squat, power clean, etc.) can injure you if you do not know how to do the proper form for them.

http://a216.ac-images.myspacecdn.com...b14d049577.jpg

mothafucking rocky theme goes HERE

Where are the dancing girls!?

Nice job, bro.

X's

Yerba mate helped me in addition to exercise and lifestyle change. I quit drinking and smoking marijuana a little over a year ago. I'm 50lbs lighter than I was 18 months ago. 5'5" and 225lbs is way too heavy. I try to keep my "carbon footprint" down too, I bicycle, walk, and bus every where.

That and I can see you dwarfing anime creatures.

I do. and... I dunno what the hell it is, it was sitting outside the sushi place in the mall and all these asian people were just taking like 50 gajjillion pictures of it with them and their friends/family cycling in and out of the picture one at a time, I was just like "meh, what the hell" and got a picture of me with it in case someone knew what the hell it was, haha, stupid reason I know but oh well.

You should do Godzilla poses next time. And "Which way is the beach?!" poses to amuse us.

http://www.snorgtees.com/images/ImHu..._Fullpic_4.jpg

I'll order this shirt and make it happen just for you.

X's

Hahaha, I could probably fit in there.

You got other pants, right?

Hey, I'm a bit late to this thread, but nice work for sure!!!
I'll be keeping an eye on this thread now. :)

yeah I got other pants. god damn that picture is ridiculous :p

resuming this thread. been off track, not sure what i'm at right now

I would suggest going to mypyramidtracker.gov and creating an account. With that website you can put in all of the food you eat and all of your activity and it will give you feedback. The foods are generalized so they're not always accurate but it does keep things simple.