Finally Out of Hideout, Ex-Obese Seeks Mutual Support & Inspiration

[EdMohaideen]

Hey everybody,

Just joined after being a passive reader. I guess I should share a little bit about myself here. My name is Ed I'm a almost 26. I'm finally on my way to have a total lifestyle change after facing the fact that many of my family members consistently suffer from fat-related diseases.

I was a yo-yo weight gainer, the biggest number on the scale I have is 253 lbs. At only 5'11", that's damn heavy.

Not long ago after my aunt was hospitalized due to heart attack, I knew I need to change. Now it's more than a vanity issue or self-confidence; my life & health are in jeopardy. My Grandpa died only at 64, which is kind of early for people of my race. Heart disease has a strong hereditary predisposition link. I now knew with both my Mom and Grandpa, heart diseases are in my genes, something I could not change.

But that doesn't mean I can't do anything!

But the challenge is not on taking action. the challenge is more to finding the right info. I've tried so many things. Some of 'em work & some don't. I grew fed up of all the contradicting advice even from the so-called experts. But in this process I realize that being healthy is not about just diet & exercise; it's about lifestyle.

Right after I finally get this, I managed to change my attitude on fitness & fitness knowledge. Like in the medical field, the 'experts' opinions should just be that; opinions. They can be contradicting advice. And when we receive some advice we should consider the source's credibility. If they don't have credibility, we should ask the references.

So instead of just following everyone's advice, I screen test. Instead of worrying which advice is true or false, I keep in mind that doing whatever kind of effort is fitness is better than procrastination. If you wait to take action after you find the'right' stuff, you won't start anything. So I stop worrying about the details like duration/interval too much, just do it, and allocate some time to do my own extensive research.

By taking advice with a pinch of salt and not allowing knowledge imperfection stopping me, I finally see result.

Now, my weight is just around 170 for the past 5 years. I believe that I've yet to reach my peak condition. I'm still trying to improve my fitness & joining this forum is just my journey. The fact is, we need each other, not just for advice, but also for motivation. The moment I had a real training partner, I start being consistent. The moment I had a small weight loss community, there's go turning (gaining) back, since I need to walk the talk.

Now, I hope by joining this forum, we can stick together & inspire each other.

Nice meeting you guys.

Ed

p.s: since I'm a noob in this forum, I'm not clear about links in signature. I've read the rules, but with English not being my first language, i can't figure this out. So if you admin guys find something wrong with my posting, please inform me. Thanks.

 

[no-face]

Hello Ed!

Thanks for posting! You're right in that experts contradict advice all the time. The important thing isn't to go stagnant waiting for the "right" answer to come along. There isn't one! Or, if there is, only the person doing it can say whether or not it is right for them.

I was athletic in high school and my weight was a consistent 150lbs (160lbs when off season and not training routinely), so I'm first attempting some of what I was doing then to drop the 50lbs I've gained in the last 10 years. So far, the scale isn't cooperating, but my clothes are! I look slimmer and pants that used to be snug are becoming loose. Obviously I must be doing something right, but I'm so attached to the scale that it's slightly disheartening. It's just something I need to let go, and calculate my weight loss by the inches I'm losing around, not the lbs I'm losing. And I didn't need an expert to tell me that! It's just what I found works right for me.

I have a question, how long did it take you to drop the weight off, and what was it that "worked" for you?

 

[EdMohaideen]

Hi no-face,

My pleasure, man.

People can see my progress in about 2 months. I can see progress in a month. But to keep yourself motivated, focus on what you FEEL right after workout (that post-workout high) or the next day. If we target looks, we'll be de-motivated if nothing happens since 1 month can be such a long time. If you realize how fresh you feel the next day, how positive you feel accomplishing your weight loss plan, you'll be motivated throughout the journey.

What worked for me?

Based on my experience, we need to have the right combination of 'diet', workout, rest & supplement (if ur serious). For me people who wanna be healthy, not serious performance athletes don't need to buy supplements. Some of 'em have questionable side-effects. But hey, let's don't call it 'diet', cuz people have given it a bad name.

My mistake all this while is I try to implement only 1 stuff at a time; 1 time I only diet, 1 time I only workout, & let's not talk about rest. I was totally ignoring the resting before this.

IMHO, nutrition is the #1 factor in any fitness goal. Yup, we can never be accurate in calorie counting, but we need to have a strategic calorie deficit if we wanna get lean, since what we eat is our fuel. #2 is my favorite part: workout! Then it's rest #3.

I've been through a lot of phase in weight loss &/or muscle building. But basically:

1. Create a daily calorie deficit of 500-1000, not more, not less
2. Eat a small balanced meal every 2-4 hours (if you're too busy, meal replacements can do the trick)
3. Get a full body workout plan that doesn't train your individual muscle in isolation (actually there's no such thing as 100% muscle isolation. I'm referring to those workouts done with the focus of 1 body part per day).
4. Lift lighter weights with more reps (from 12 up to 21 the most)
5. Do HIIT or Tabata instead of long boring cardio for starters.
6. Get a 6-8 hours of sleep, no excuse. If it happens I can't make it, I'll try to replace it with some afternoon naps here & there.

Now, that list is far from complete. But that's the basics that works for me.

Hope this helps

Ed