Help me shed the weight! I'm a newbie.

O

OCDP

New member
Hi there,

A quick introduction, I am a 23 year old male, 5"7-5"8 and 220lbs!!! I used to be a steady 206 for the longest time, but since January I have somehow went all the way to 220.

I am the unhappiest I have ever been in my life with my weight, I have a very hard time looking at myself in the mirror. Things need to change and they need to change now! The problem is? I don't know where or how to start (I know how bad that sounds)

At home I have an elliptical and a treadmil, hopefully these two pieces of equipment help me lose some weight. I am here to ask a few things.. first being, which piece of equipment will help me lose weight faster? If that's not the most important thing to look at, then which machine is best for me to use right now? I want to lose some pounds as quick as I can. I'd like to get to 200 as my first goal and then at least 180 in the future. I know this is all going to take hard work, determiniation and motivation, I think I have it in me.

The first thing I'd like to sort out is my exercise regimen.. which machine, how long, how many times per week, etc, etc.. then I would like to look at my diet. I am curious about the foods I should be eating. I have no idea where to start. I love fruit and veggies, but which ones are best? I know some fruits have lots of sugars which prevent weight loss, same with veggies like carrots? Which are the best to eat while losing weight? What are good snack items? What are some good breakfast/lunch/dinner ideas? If I knew exactly what to eat or had a good idea I'd feel a lot more confident in my weight loss. Example, for lunch I will eat a can of chunk light tuna with a tablespoon of mayo, possibly by itself or on whole grain toast.. I know the mayo is the killer but overall it would seem to be a decent meal?

Anyways, I'll wrap it up there. I am basically lost as to which machine to use, and what foods I should be eating while I am starting the exercising up.. lots of things to figure out but I honestly NEED to lose this weight now while I have this motivation.

Thanks for reading !
 
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Well I have searched around for a little bit this morning at work and have found a few things I am going to start trying.

In the mornings I'll try a low fat blueberry smoothie. Basically it's blueberries, low fat vanilla yogurt, milk, ice cubes and honey. I think I'll skip the honey, or if I do add it I will use much less. Some people add cinamon and apple or orange juice ( i assume to get some vitamins out of it, not sure about the cinamon? antioxidants or flavour?)

For lunches I will use some tuna (less mayo, or none) whole grain breads, whole grain tortillas, salads, veggies, fruits, granola bars (kashi seem to be a good bet - low sugar, high fiber, high protein) nut-free trail mix, rice cakes. I have ideas going at least.. time for portion control, etc, etc. Dinners are a whole other thing, I need to see what would be best there.

Also it appears the elliptical trainer might be a better bet for exercising. From what I have read it seems it works your whole body and in turn burns more calories.. this is just from a quick read from some website. I know it's all about calories in vs. calories out in terms of working out. It's nice that I have the option of using either the elliptical or the treadmil, still any input would be appreciated.

It's a lot to figure out, hopefully I am on the right path so far.. I am very determined to make this work. Please give me feedback, suggestions, anything and everything is welcome and greatly appreciated!
 
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I know from personal experience and through my own journey to get to 190 from the 260 I was, right now I am at 219. I find boxing gets the blood pumping and the heart rate up, it is the latest craze, and you know what it works. 30 second drills with rests in between has melted away the stomach fat on me. I still have close to 30 lbs to go. The boxing also boosts your confidence levels a whole lot. I know it has for me. Plus its fun. Take out some anger on a punching bag. As you get better, you throw some knees and kicks into the routine and you'll really put up a sweat. They say you can burn more calories in a half hour than with most cardio exercises. As much as doubled, but don't over do it.

Believe me I have looked around for the best cardio workouts, because I too want to get rid of this fat and have a better looking physique.

All that work will be for none without a good diet. Find one that works for you.

A bag will run you $140.00, bracket $20 and gloves for about $30. Mind you that is Canadian dollars.

Good luck!!
 
Very interesting, that's something I would have never thought of and it does sound kind of fun. What kind of exercises do you do while you box though? All's I could see myself doing is just throwing punches over and over and over haha.

I am kind of intrigued by this as something to add to other cardio work outs..

The price isn't too bad considering, I think my friend has one he doesn't use anymore, maybe I could snag it from him. I'm in Canada also, where would be a good place to look for one brand new?

I am trying to plan and figure out what kind of foods to eat, I am very clueless there.. so far the best I have gotten to figuring out is snacks as I am a huge snacker.. so I need to cut them out and change what I am eating when I do snack.. lunches are also fairly easy to change up, but dinner will be the tricky one.

Thanks again for the suggestion, I am definitely interested.
 
Hi there!
First, you are motivated and that is what you need the most, so that's great!!
I will tell you what I know, and others will too. I am sure you will find the information and support you need in no time :)

Loosing weight is a energy equation. Energy that we count in the form of calories. Your body need energy/calories to function, and you burn energy/calories all day as well! To loose weight, you have to burn more calories than you take in. A lot of times, people start excersizing, and think "oh, i can eat this extra granola bar tonight since i exercised today! They end up eating more calories than they burnt, even if they worked out, so we always have to be careful!!!

The best way to loose weight and keep it off, is to change our lifestyle. To eat better AND exercise! Both at the same time. Not one or the other. There should never be such thing as "going on a diet" because those are always temporary. Changing our "diet" is what we need to do. A diet really is what we put in our body each day.

A healthy diet is proportionate. A good tip is to take a plate, and divide it in 3. Half you fill with veggies. 1/3 you fill with a lean protein, and the other 1/3 you fill with a complex carb. By complex carb, i mean lots of fiber, whole grain. Avoid anything white (sugar, flour, starch) because they turn into sugar in your body! Fiber filled food will make you feel fuller longer. Fiber one cereal is one of my favorite for exemple.

That said, when you do exercise and eat better, your body will get stronger, your cholesterol count lower, your energy level will rise, and your overall fitness will get so much better!! its not only a physical miracle, but from the inside too!! The more you move, the more energy you will have. The more we sit and become sedentary, the sleepier we are, the lazier we feel! Its a vicious cycle only us can break for ourselves!

As for exercise, if you want to first focus on fat loss, you need cardio. Its been proven that doing one hour on a threadmill at the same pace does not do much good. The best way to see results and really get stronger is by doing what is called "Intense Interval Cardio workout". Go on youtube and you'll find videos that shows you how. Its basically going on a threadmill and starting slow, then sprint as fast as you can for 90 seconds, then quickly get to a resting point again to where you feel you can sprint again. Repeat 6-7 times. It should only take about 20 mins! Its proven to be much more sufficient. That would be a good way to start.

Cardio is good, but if you want to look your best, you also need strength training. I am not talking about getting all buff and sick looking (sorry for those who loves the overly muscular guys... im not one of them) hahaha I am talking about just having a tone, hard body. Nothing crazy, and believe it or not, its easier than you think! There are tuns and tuns of programs out there on DVD"s for this, that you can do at home for less than 50 mins a day.

I think a good workout regimen for you would be to do Interval cardio 3x a week in the morning, than later at night do some strength training :) Alternate lower body and upper body. One day you do one, the next day you do the other. the other 4 days that you dont do cardio, you could do Abdominal workouts.

I have spent more than 2.5 hours working out every day in the past... i found that its NOT needed!!!

Educate yourself and read all you can on weight loss and fitness and you will get all the motivation and excitement that you need!!

OH, one last thing... dont be so hard on yourself... I am sure you are a very attractive guy just the way you are and you are your hardest critique. A lot of women are not that much attracted to those buff models on Tv. Just be you, and feel better for you! Dont hate the way you look! Mirrors lie!
 
Wow! Thanks for the great detailed reply, I appreciate that.

I am definitely going to struggle with all of this, that's a given. This is a lifestyle change as you said, not a temporary "let's shed 50 pounds and go back to my old ways" I need to make permanent changes. Ahh to be back at my 196lbs a couple years ago when the rule "everything in moderation" still applied.. that quickly went out the window. I pray I can get 50lbs off, it's not impossible.

I am going to try to get myself on the treadmil in the mornings as soon as I wake up, before showering and breakfast (THAT is going to be a real challenge!) But I am very, very intereted in doing the "Intense Interval Cardio workout" I will YouTube it and learn more. I am somewhat concerned about it though? It does seem kind of hard on your body and moreso your heart?? Could there be any risks to this kind of workout?

Would it be wise to try and do the Intense Interval Cardio workout 3x a week then do regular elliptical workouts inbetween? What are some good abdominal exercises (I assume situps would be one?) For now I want to focus on weight loss before weight training. I'll take baby steps into all of that, but I really want to focus on fat burning. Thanks a bunch for letting me in on this workout, I would have never know and yet it seems so popular. I think 3x a week of Intense Interval Cardio, 1-2x elliptical workouts, and then abdominal workouts inbetween??

As for being hard on myself.. I can't help it really. I see myself in pictures and I am just not happy with how I look. My face has gotten so damn chubby! I could put pictures of myself in front of me while I workout and I swear I would never fail haha . I am not being hard on myself, I am just facing reality. I know myself I've gained weight, friends adn family have noticed.. it's just that time to really start making changes, otherwise, nothing will get done and I'll keep getting bigger.. it's inevitable.

So far today I've had a small salad with a very small amount of dressing and a kashi granola bar. So I've had some fibre and protein (not much) Tonight I'll add in some fruit and veggies, hopefully get more protein from dinner. I bought a bunch of healthy snacks at lunch.
 
That all sounds great!! i think its a good idea to do the Intense Interval 3X and the Elliptical the other days! In fact, i'll do it right along with you, as i really got to get back into cardio myself!!
I to, dont like what i see on pictures mostly and the mirror. I have lost weight and am very fit, but I KNOW i can do better!?!

You can do it!! Do one change at a time and as for the food, only the first 2 weeks are hard, really! Be careful not to starve yourself all day, because you will be starving at night when you should be eating less!! I did that way too many times and still do, simply because i am never hungry for breakfast and always skip it.

I dont think you can damage your heart with the interval intensity because 1)you only sprint for 90 seconds (start with 30 seconds the first 2 days, then add seconds as you go) I have a heart condition myself and its not affecting me. I think you'd have to have a history of heart attack for it to be dangerous, but im not sure. They use this method on the popular show "The Biggest loser".

Ahhh Abs work!!! I'll be honest with you, Sit ups sucks. haha I had 5 pregnancies and did 600 a day at some point and NEVER got a flat belly. I started doing core exercise, planks, push ups, side push ups, and i got results!!! Look on youtube for abs exercise and you'll find so many!! Definitaly dont loose your time doing 500 sits ups a day! My moto is "if it doesnt hurt, its not working". My abs routine makes me cringe and brings me to tears sometimes, literally (but that's from my c section scar, you wont have to worry about that) but it works and I have abs definition :)

Food is my downfall. I love pasta and bread. Its hard to stay away from them! I found that if i pick one day of the week where i can have all the pasta i want (in moderation of course haha) then its not so hard.

My husband is 6'7 and weigh 290 pounds. Like you, he feels fat. I fell head over heel for him because i love "big guys", so again, dont be so hard on yourself. You are so right tho, its all about how WE feel about ourselves. We just Know it when we are not what we are supposed, or should be!!

You'll get there!! Remember that muscles weigh more than fat and even if you will only do cardio until you reach your goal weight, you might gain a few pounds in the beginning, because you'll get some muscles in your legs from the running. Dont freak and think you are gaining weight. Measure your problems areas instead and re-measure every week.
 
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I think you have your priorities reversed as, in my opinion, the diet will give you the most results for your efforts. Burning calories takes a lot of work.

Start out by making a few small changes, like replacing soft drinks with water, coffee, skim milk, or something more nutritious like that. Cut back on the sweets. Start keeping track of what you are eating during the day, just to be more aware. That alone will probably get you started.

If you are clueless about how to plan a nutritious, balanced meal, the best thing might be to download a meal plan from the internet, say about 2000 or 2200 calories would probably be about right for you. Just do an internet search and find some.

As you get more educated about nutrition, you will want to tailor the meal plan to your own tastes and preferences. There are tools available for tracking your calories and other nutrition, such as or you could sign up for an account on an online diet journal.

As far as the exercise is concerned, I would recommend choosing something you like and will stick with for years. Think long term.

When you say
I honestly NEED to lose this weight now while I have this motivation
Click to expand...
that is kind of a danger sign. You need to be thinking about a permanent lifestyle change, not a crash program.
 
When it comes to boxing for cardio I make up some combinations, like left left, with a big right. I also do 30 second drills of back and forth punches one after the other. It really gets the blood pumping and the heart rate going. The drills are the best, it gets your whole body into it. Through some knees into the bag and it'll work your mid section too.

I do this workout everyday. 30 minutes on the weekdays followed by resistance training on a gym, that way when the fat is gone, I am not a skinny little tooth pick. I do another 30 minutes of that, mostly upper body. Again that is me though. I use a gym, but a good set of weights will do just fine. On the weekend I do 45 minutes of the cardio (boxing), with still 30 minutes of resistance.

As for where, I got mine at Canadian Tire, as well as the bracket and the gloves, since my basement has an unfinished ceiling I got a bracket that mounts direct to the floor joist. There are others out there that are more pricey and they mount on free standing floor frames, they'll run you about $350.00 to $400.00. There are some good buy and sell sites like kijiji.ca where you can used bags, but depending on how hard the person boxed on it, it could be worn down. So I recommend getting a new 70 lb bag.

I too am a huge snacker, when I watch a movie or on the computer. What I do is make sure that those salty snacks are not in the house, and instead I have celery sticks, baby carrots and various fruits, like apples, pears, grapes and even watermelon. Heck, who doesn't like this kind of stuff, with the fruit cut or chop it up and use it as a snack instead.

My breakfast consists of a bowl of raisin bran and a protein shake. Protein shakes are not for everyone, but for what I am trying to attain, it's for me. I snack on veggies throughout the day at my desk. My dinner's always have lean cuts of meat, vegetables (steamed), brown rice. Pasta at times, but whole wheat pasta. Everything is low fat and gives back in the way of nutrients.

After my boxing workout I have another protein shake. When you do the boxing is really up to you, or any cardio workout for that matter. I do mine when I get home from work before dinner, I find I am more empty at that time and get the most out of my workouts. For some it is first thing in the morning, for me, my body does not handle it very well and my workouts are not near as intense.

I hope this gives you a few ideas to help you towards your goal.

Good luck!
 
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