Weight loss 2

[BREWSTERS]

A while back I tried losing weight as a challenge - http://www.acorndomains.co.uk/general-board/97403-losing-weight.html

I lost 4kg then plateaud; couldn't shift any more. I slipped back into my old ways and put a couple of kgs back on.

I should've paid more attention to the advice given in that thread.

A few weeks ago I decided enough was enough and that I AM going to get my six pack back. I wanted to do bodyweight exercises as I don't have time for gyms and don't like them anyway (used to spend hours and hours in them 20 years ago). Googling 6-pack I found a site and started reading - it made perfect sense. It was more biased towards nutrition than the exercises, which it recommends you only do 2-3 times a week anyway until your muscle recovery time is fast enough to allow more.

Anyway, boring story short, I've been following the nutritional advice which is fantastic...it explains what to eat and why - how so called healthy foods and fats can be really bad not just for weight loss but your health in general, and why the reverse is true of so-called 'bad' fats - it's a real eye opener. I'm eating 4-5 small balanced meals a day, and I'm doing some bodyweight exercises 3 times a week, for literally 15 minutes. Going from one straight into the next and 15 minutes is all I can do...I'm knackered after that and ache the day after. Results - I've got below 100kgs for the first time in years (99.8kgs); I can feel my whole body firming up; got more energy; I'm eating well...loving it! Target is to get below 10% body fat so I can see my abs again.

The thing is, I paid for the system which is fine, I'm glad I did - in fact I promote it through their affiliate system now - but the same basic information had been offered in my previous thread (especially by Murph) so thanks guys, I should've paid more attention at the time!

 

[davedevelopment]

I'm back on the wagon again, seem we both have the same good progress, plateau, slide off the wagon cycle!

I'm going to be hitting the gym as much as I can, experimenting with carb-backloading, and formulating my own diet plan based on what I've learned over the years. Steak and eggs for breakfast today, was awesome.

My aim is to drop a stone or two quickly, then ease up but try and change my lifestyle more permanently.

 

[Systreg]

I've lost a stone in weight just recently, decided enough was enough (again). The first step was to cut my smoking down, as I was too breathless to do anything much after having had breathing problems a while back, all I've been doing is playing football in the garden when it isn't raining, or in the driveway if it had been raining, for at least an hour a day, add in a bit of mad running on the spot and jumping up and down stuff, even did a few flat out sprints down the lane and to the end of the garden and back (102 metres).

Timed myself on a stopwatch for the 102 metre sprints, best time was 22 seconds, I wont bother with Rio 2016 haha. Not too bad though considering how much I smoke and the breathing problems I've had before and I'm in my mid 40's. Also, the garden (rough land at the back) isn't flat, it's pretty uneven and it's on a slope, it took me 8 seconds to run first 51 metres downhill and 14 seconds back up the slope to the start, reckon I would be a couple of seconds quicker wearing running spikes, or using a garden fork for balance

I also started going back on the bike rollers and got up to doing 20 miles in 57 minutes, my smoking went from 60 - 80 roll-ups per day to 12 - 15.

I cut out all sugar in coffee, limited myself to just an occasional bit of chocolate/cake/biscuits etc, and I started eating nothing much else than hot salads every day.

For my dinner each day I have 1 tomato, 16 slices of cucumber, 1 whole red onion, a fair bit of iceberg lettuce and occasionally half an avocado, I add about a 1/4 of a bottle of tomato sauce to that, salt, pepper, chilli powder and loads of balsamic vinegar and lemon juice, crush up 6 Ryvita biscuits in to it to bulk it up a bit, mix it all together and stick it in the microwave for 2 minutes, very tasty and I don't get bored with it, might not suite everyone

I started on Jun 30th at 14 stone 10lbs and as of Sep 17th I was 13 stone 9lbs

I've fallen off the healthy wagon in the last week or so, my weight remains the same but my smoking has gone right back up, probably about 40 a day again at the moment, and I haven't been playing football/exercising/on bike, I need to get back in to positive mode again shortly and crack on with it.

 

[Aegean]

@Brewsters - well done, you should be very proud of yourself!

@Systreg - I also smoke roll-ups, around 40 thinnish ones a day, but I tried a simple trick to try and cut down. Basically I make a rolly but dont light it, but after I have made it I have a few puffs as if it were lit. My doc says a lot of my smoking habit might be connected with the rolly-making process. It sounds mad, but for me it actually worked, I'm down to around 8-10 real rollys a day.

 

[BREWSTERS]

Nice one!

One of the exercises it recommends is sprints instead of steady rate cardio like jogging. Sprint for so many seconds, then walk while you recover, then repeat as many times as you like. Makes sense if you'd rather have the physique of a sprinter than a marathon runner.

I've just looked back through my Paypal to find out when I bought the system - it was 10Sep12, so only 3 weeks - I must've been over 106kgs when I started, so about 2kgs of fat per week minimum when you take into account some muscle gain.

 

[Edwin]

I'm in the process of trying to lose some weight. 6kg (13lb) so far, in 6 weeks. Here's what I've been doing (in no specific order):
- Less meals out, more eating at home (i.e. I know exactly what goes into what I'm eating in terms of calories) - my wife's a big help here!
- No more diet sodas (I brew all sorts of herbal teas and let them go cold when I want an alternative to water at/between meals)
- Keep a stash of "tiny desserts" - I've tried doing without a sweet fix but I just can't so I keep things like chocolate biscuits, snack-size chocolate bars etc. and I allow myself <200kcal/day of these across (2 meals+snacks).
- No food after 8pm
- A bit more salad
- If I stop for "a little something" when I'm out shopping, it's a drink only i.e. no snacks.
- Look at the calories on things so that I have an idea of what I'm eating (and choose the lowest calorie version of competing products)
- Drink more water
- No more than 650kcal for dinner

So far it's working pretty well without adding in exercise or feeling hungry (which used to happen whenever I tried to "diet" and killed progress stone dead) - time will tell if I can stick to it and continue to make progress.

Oh, and I use wifi-enabled Withings bathroom scales which automatically send my weight/fat details to a web-based tracking account when I step on them each morning. That way I have an EXACT history.

 

[murph]

This is a field have some knowledge in

Edit: hit go too soon lol

Basics: Ditch all hi GI carbs. No sugar, white rice/bread, potatoes etc. go wholemeal everything. Calorie count, make sure that you eat approx 2000 cals per day and use exercise to create a big deficit 5 days a week. No carbs after lunch is a good one too. Exercise use HIIT as often as poss as it jacks your metabolism for 24hrs! Weight training is a must, the more muscle you have the more calls you burn doing nothing!

 

[BREWSTERS]

Check this out for functional strength; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY1CEBlQ8Dw&feature=related

Nice one Edwin! Those scales sound interesting.

 

[Systreg]

Basically I make a rolly but dont light it, but after I have made it I have a few puffs as if it were lit. My doc says a lot of my smoking habit might be connected with the rolly-making process. It sounds mad, but for me it actually worked, I'm down to around 8-10 real rollys a day.

Yes, the act of making the roll-up is a big part of it to me, I like the actual making of the smoke, I have tried what you suggested in not lighting it straight away, I just leave it in the ashtray for a while instead of having a few puffs before it's lighted, I then let the roll-up go out several times before I finish it.

Sitting at the computer is the killer for me, if I'm doing something I can go for hours without a smoke, sitting here I can smoke one after the other, I would do a lot better if I gave up the computer instead

One of the exercises it recommends is sprints instead of steady rate cardio like jogging. Sprint for so many seconds, then walk while you recover, then repeat as many times as you like. Makes sense if you'd rather have the physique of a sprinter than a marathon runner.

I like interval training, big sprint efforts, then lower intensity recovery whilst still maintaining a good pace, rinse and repeat. I did that a lot a few years ago when I was cycling a fair bit, I get bored on the bike rollers so it suits me doing that on there as well to keep me interested.

 

[davedevelopment]

This is a field have some knowledge in

Edit: hit go too soon lol

Basics: Ditch all hi GI carbs. No sugar, white rice/bread, potatoes etc. go wholemeal everything. Calorie count, make sure that you eat approx 2000 cals per day and use exercise to create a big deficit 5 days a week. No carbs after lunch is a good one too. Exercise use HIIT as often as poss as it jacks your metabolism for 24hrs! Weight training is a must, the more muscle you have the more calls you burn doing nothing!

All agreed except the carbs after lunch, I'm going the opposite way! I'm only hitting the carbs after a resistance workout and definitely no carbs in the morning.

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet, if you're in to hot food, some research says chilli can give you a tiny metabolism boost, I love the stuff so I tend to grind dried chilli on everything like salt and pepper!

 

[stellar73]

I'd put on best part of a stone over the last year however 2 months ago I adopted a very energetic pointer/staffie cross from the local dogs home. Been walking her 3 hours a day and the weight has just dropped off.

Unlike when I've been a gym member in the past (and quickly lapsed), I would feel far to guilty to not give the dog the walking she needs to it's the perfect solution

 

[boxerdog]

I would give my right arm to put on some weight, but its just impossible

 

[Sussexite]

Some terrific results there - well done everyone.

Been dieting and doing a bit of training before the hockey season starts.

No bread (ryvita etc instead - tastes very nice)
Beer, chocolate, cakes etc almost never

Eat whenever I feel like it (but only a smaller amount).

For training been doing interval and fartlek running (means speed play - you vary your pace which is fun).

Have lost 10lbs since I came back from hols in July :-D

 

[murph]

All agreed except the carbs after lunch, I'm going the opposite way! I'm only hitting the carbs after a resistance workout and definitely no carbs in the morning.

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet, if you're in to hot food, some research says chilli can give you a tiny metabolism boost, I love the stuff so I tend to grind dried chilli on everything like salt and pepper!

Well that was a first step suggestion. I find that most ppl really need to get used to not eating carbs with every meal before they can progress to days without em! It takes creativity!
For the more advanced dieting, carb cycling is really good! For instance I eat carbs every Monday and Thursday. This is porridge at brekkie, wholegrain rice at lunch and sugar free alpen (30g) pre workout. All other days I eat carbs only preworkout (put in the fuel for the activity ahead).
Agree chilli is great, it's the capsullium (prob wrong spelling lol). Also cocoa, so eat some 90% now and then

 

[davedevelopment]

Well that was a first step suggestion. I find that most ppl really need to get used to not eating carbs with every meal before they can progress to days without em! It takes creativity!
For the more advanced dieting, carb cycling is really good! For instance I eat carbs every Monday and Thursday. This is porridge at brekkie, wholegrain rice at lunch and sugar free alpen (30g) pre workout. All other days I eat carbs only preworkout (put in the fuel for the activity ahead).
Agree chilli is great, it's the capsullium (prob wrong spelling lol). Also cocoa, so eat some 90% now and then

Capsicum is the spelling

Didn't know about cocoa, will definitely give that a try, don't mind dark chocolate now and then and it will be a welcome treat.

 

[davedevelopment]

Been dieting and doing a bit of training before the hockey season starts.

Field hockey? I don't really know why I'm surprised when I bump in to other hockey players, albeit I'm now an ex-player, hoping to get back when the kids are a bit older.

Where do/have you played? I've played for Welton, which became Hull from about 1992 until a couple of years ago. I played a handful of games for our first XI in the northern premier, but that's as high a level as I got to.

 

[Sussexite]

Field hockey? ...Where do/have you played? I've played for Welton, which became Hull from about 1992 until a couple of years ago. I played a handful of games for our first XI in the northern premier, but that's as high a level as I got to.

I play for Chichester (vets). I remember once Welton came down to Chi for a HA Cup match when Welton was playing National League years ago. I watched (didn't play).

 

[murph]

Capsicum is the spelling

Didn't know about cocoa, will definitely give that a try, don't mind dark chocolate now and then and it will be a welcome treat.

thats the thing, drop the carbs and you can only get so much protein. The rest of your cals come from fat! Eat some 90

 

[newguy]

I injured my ankle earlier in the year and managed to put on a stone or so due to inactivity. I'm on the mend now and decided to start swimming since it's low impact. Started doing 14 lengths of the local 25m pool, but can now almost do a mile! As for diet I've started eating more protein, since it suppresses appetite. No added sugar on anything. No sweets, crisps, cakes or biscuits. Seems to be doing the trick!

 

[BREWSTERS]

Down to 97kg - 2.8kg off in the last 8 days. The biggest advantage I can feel is the amount of energy I've got...loving it!