D-Angle's diary: the road back

D

D-Angle

New member
Well this is the start of my diary, following me trying to get back in the shape I used to be.

First of all, my main goal is inches, not pounds. I used to bodybuild and have a fair bit of muscle tissue, so don't see much point in weighing myself. My aims are how short a measuring tape I can use, and how happy I am with what I see in the mirror.

There are several things I am going to change in my life. The first is my job, which is the main reason for me gaining so much weight. I work odd shifts, 8am-2:30pm one week, 1:30pm-8pm the next. One week I work Satuday and Sunday, another week I work Saturday, and two other weekends I have the full weekend off. My body has no idea what is happening next and what it should be prepared for!

I am also going to start a regular exercise routine. I have to join a gym, there are too many distractions at home. An ex-colleague works at a gym near me, and the sight of her is great motivation, if you know what I mean. ;)

My diet is the tough one, partly because of my job, but also because I don't know much about what to eat or when to eat it. I am also a picky eater, and have always struggled to like vegetables. Guess it's time I learn. :)
 
Hi

HI welcome

Good luck with your goals hope you achieve them. Just thort i'd drop in with a welcome.

neways waiting to read an update of the progress.

Nyt

:)
 
Hi

I see that you have started your diary.

You can set up a ticker (like we have for our signatures) for waist measurements too - so do not feel that you are limiting your motivational tool options.

A lot of us take measurements. Remember not to measure just 2 or 3 places. You get a much better picture of how your shape is altering if you measure from a whole heap of places. I track 13 different measurements.

I would say that the majority of us do both as sometimes you can see changes with one but not the other and it is nice to see that something is happening when you are working very hard.

I am sure that you will enjoy going to the gym - and it is great that you will see someone that you know when you go. It should help to motivate you to go!:D

If you check other people's diaries you will see what other people are eating. A lot of us post our food. That may give you some ideas.

Many of us do not spend all day eating vegetables or salad (although I will probably have salad tonight).

Personally I have a very repetitive diet - which is geared towards food that I like, my daily routine and weight loss. My situation is a little unusual in that I do not work - but I walk excessive distances each day. I weigh every day and have analysed my records. I have noticed that some meals give me a very regular weight loss the next day. I have got so that I tend to go for these meals that have a track record of working well for me.

I hope that things have started well for you. Good luck in your project.

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
I have just been thinking. It is so much easier to stay motivated if you are seeing results and so much easier to see weight loss results on the scales than on a tape measure.

I would encourage you to use the scales.

I fully accept the fact that you are striving to see a change in inches - and that you are not too concerned about the pounds coming off as long as you get a result in inches.

I also fully accept that as a former body builder - your muscle mass may make conventional indications regarding an appropriate weight / height ratio and BMI fairly null and void.

You dont need to publish the weight or track your way towards any weight in particular - I just think that it is nice to see some sort of change as an indication that the work is paying off.

Maybe Steve can give you some advice. He is very well read - has a diary - hangs out in the advanced weight loss area - and is a trainer whose personal goal is to improve his already impressive physique. He has however never personally needed to lose weight - his target is to gain weight.

Think it over. I dont want you losing your motivation if results are slow in hitting the tape measure. If you work hard you see movement at the scales on an almost daily basis.

Take care
Margaret
 
Hi, thanks for all the encouragement and tips.

Well first thing I am going to try is up my water intake considerably. I definitely haven't been getting enough water, and have been prone to kidney infections in the past, especially at this time of year when the weather turns cold.

Looks like I will be swapping my cable TV subscription for a gym membership. Oh well, there's never anything on anyway.

I might try weighing myself as you suggest Omega, I'm still a bit sceptical of it though. I am in the unfortunate position of being overweight AND big-boned! :D

5 2ltr bottles of Asda smartprice water purchased, plan is to drink one a day starting tomorrow. Just realised I need to buy a measuring tape too! I'm planning to measure my waist, neck, chest and thighs to start with.
 
D-Angle said:
My diet is the tough one, partly because of my job, but also because I don't know much about what to eat or when to eat it. I am also a picky eater, and have always struggled to like vegetables. Guess it's time I learn. :)
Click to expand...
Read the stickied threads in nutrition.. there's honestly nothing you shouldn't eat -there are probably some better choices than others - but it's total calories that count - not necessarily where they come from... try using an online food diary like or one of the 100s of other free sites available to track your calories..

as for not liking vegetables...well - best advice i can give youthere is experiment with preparation.. there's tons of vegetables out there - a lot of people get putoff by the musiness of canned veggies... or the texture of frozen.. try fresh veggies -with just a bit of olive oil and roasting them in the oven for about 15 minutes - makes 'em taste wonderfully...
 
Be sure to listen to Mal. She knows a thing or two about losing weight. She has lost quite a bit more weight than me - and I am no beginner.

Other measurements that may interest you: bicep, wrist, ankle, calf. Your choice!

Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day is a good idea. I will warn you that you may well find yourself going to the toilet a bit more at first.

I used to drink a lot of diet cola and have cut that down a lot. Even though there are next to no calories it really doesnt help you lose weight.

If you are overweight and big boned you know that you will be ok if you dont lose too much weight - which doesnt sound so bad to me.

I am in the less fortunate position of being undeniably big (ok very morbidly obese when I started and officially still obese now - I look forward to becoming "overweight" in about 10 pounds time) - and I know that I am small boned under it all. It means that I have to go for a target weight towards the lower end of the range. I know that I am small boned because I was of a "normal" build until my mid twenties.

As far as losing cable TV goes - you wont spend time in the motivating company of ex-colleagues by staying at home and watching television. It doesnt sound a hard choice to me!

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
a-n-g-e-l said:
HEHE i can relate but i still weigh myself 100 times a day just to see if it changes a tiny bit. the joys of trying to lose weight.

x
Click to expand...
It's actually a bit of a help to my motivation, accepting that I'll always be a big chap, no matter what. But there's all different kinds of big that you can be. :)
 
Feeling pretty chuffed today, I am seeing some small results!

I have been sticking with the water thing so far. Yep, I am going to the toilet a lot more, and I seem to be getting some mild headaches, but aside from that I feel a lot better in general, I have become less lethargic and am much more 'mobile' than I was.

A great thing happened this morning - I ran for the bus! Normally the best I can do is an awkward waddle which leaves me out of breath, but I ran, properly, and only felt a bit winded afterwards.

I can see a small difference in the mirror as well. Hopefully my weight has 'topped out' now nd I can start getting it down. :)
 
Well done for sticking to the water. It is most definitely difficult at first - but it does get easier after a while.

Some people think that the water is more palatable if they put a few drops of lemon juice in. I personally dont bother.

I eat quite a lot of raisins (an astoundingly high proportion of my daily calorie intake) and I plough my way through the bulk of my water while I eat my raisins watching television.

It is great that you are feeling a lot better in general.

It is wonderful that you were able to run for the bus and see a major difference in your level of fitness. I havent tried to run in a very long time. I am still of the mindset that it could kill me. Maybe one of these days I will see what happens. I think that I will drop another couple of stones first.

There is a big difference between 21 stone and 12 stone and sometimes it takes the mind a little time to catch up.

Apart from your water - have you made any changes to your diet. You said that it was difficult because you work shifts.

Do you take a packed lunch with you for your meal at work? If so what do you take?

We may be able to think of ways that it could be improved while you sort out other things (e.g. you said that you were looking for a new job).

Have you signed on at the gym yet?
Have you started an exercise program of any type?

I do a great deal of walking and wear a pedometer all the time. You can do things like that without getting round to joining the gym yet.

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
Hi,

I haven't really changed my diet much at all apart from the water so far, which is why I was surprised to see a difference. I haven't joined the gym yet but I have been trying to get out for a walk when I can.

I take a small lunch wth me to work, today I just took some crisps and a flapjack. I am trying to eat enough to keep my metabolism awake and not go too crazy on top of that. :)
 
Hi

Water does make a big difference - I know because I do the 2 litres of water thing.

Food can make a difference too.

Crisps really are not that great a nutritional choice and I am amazed that you can get by with just a bag of crisps and a flapjack. I know that I have a decent appetite but that wouldnt keep me satisfied for very long.

I am beginning to wonder if you will be eating enough when you start exercising. You can calculate how many calories your body should be burning up by a/ existing and b/ doing your current exercise level. Then you reduce it to get the amount of calories to eat and still lose weight. I am afraid that this does involve you weighing yourself. There are lots of websites for looking up calories - so you can look up the kind of food that you eat.





I would have thought that fruit would be a better choice than crisps for you. I am not sure that I could get by on a flapjack and a banana though.

I dont have the problem of having to pack it to carry to work - but I have a banana (107 cal) and a big bowl with 3 weetabix, some granulated sweetener and 1/3 litre of skimmed milk (317 cal). I do know that when I was working I used to sometimes keep cereal at the office and some milk in a fridge there so it may be an option worth you considering.

Authorities say that we should try to have 5 portions of fruit or veg a day.


Sometimes I have a packet of cooked ham or turkey in the middle of the afternoon.

Getting out for a walk is an excellent idea. It is basically free and enormously effective. I definitely credit walking with my weight loss. Any walking that you can do will only help matters.

Good luck

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
Well I haven't lost any more ths week, my measurements have stayed the same. I have had a couple of weak moments and eaten some crap though, so staying at the same size rather than getting bigger AGAIN is fairly satisfying. I have bought a pedometer that should be delivered soon, and I have just had some money come in so I should be able to join the gym now! Am working all weekend so I might have to wait until Monday to do it.

I am sticking to the water thing though, and feel a lot better in myself for it. I feel more 'mobile' and can walk and move much better than I did.
 
Christmas time is here and we are all having weak moments and eating a few crap things. I had a piece of stollen the other day...

I have said to a number of people that I am going to count it a major success if I get to 2nd January and have the same weight as I had on 1st December. Even skinny people put on weight over christmas so if we get through it without gaining anything we will have achieved a lot.

I am pleased that the water is working well for you. A lot of people find quite definite benefits to drinking water.

The pedometer and gym membership are both big positive steps forward.

Stick with it and I am sure that you will see some great results soon.

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
Well I have found it difficult to do the water thing this week as I had a week off work, still lost half an inch though. :)

I bought a pedometer too, does anyone have an idea of what I should be aiming for every day?
 
Well done on the inch loss. :party:

The water thing is difficult. Just keep trying and do it when you can.

Lots of authorities say we should all aim to do at least 10,000 steps a day.

The UK average is 5,000.

Most days I aim to get an average of 30,000 steps - but I often dont quite get there. I get noticeably more 29,000s than 31,000s. I am just eccentric though. My point is that there is no real upper limit.

Take care
Best wishes
Margaret
 
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