Saving my life

C

ciscokid1024

New member
Hello. I am starting this log to help with my motivation and dedication to lose weight. I have high blood pressure and I am on medication and it's still pretty high so I need to lose the weight.

I am male, 39 years old, 6 feet tall, and currently 288 lbs. My goal is to lose 100 lbs and get down to 185 lbs or so. I have tried a bunch of different diets, but even when I lose weight I gain it back. I was able to lose about 50 lbs a few years ago on Atkins, but I put it back as soon as I wasn't strict.

I exercise pretty regularly, but that doesn't help me lose weight unless I cut the calories. I plan to use Fitday to track my calories and try to eat vegetables, fruits, and high fiber foods with protein and good fats. I plan to lift weights 3x a week and do cardio the other 4.

The biggest problems I have with food is the emotional/comfort eating and feeling hungry all the time when I diet. Any ideas, critiques, or encouragement is always welcome. :)

Thanks! Tim
 
Hello!

Looks like you have a good plan! You might want to start up a diary so that you can log your ups and downs...

As far as emotional eating goes.. I read somewhere that you can put notes on the fridge or cabinets that say "The Answer is not Here" and look for something else that will sooth your mood... like going for a walk or reading... just something that will get your mind off the food and put a note that says "The answer is here" on one of those things... even a gym bag or workout video. This might also help in identifying when you are eating when you are hungry and when you are eating emotionaly.

I hope this was helpful! Welcome to the forum!

~MissD
 
consistency is what will get you results... i'd spend some time reading the stikcied threads and figure out what a reasonable calorie goal is for yourself -one you can stick with for the rest of your life... and a moderate exerecise plan.

There's a ton of good info on this site at your disposal... use it...

and welcome to the site
 
If you always feel hungry when you diet ask yourself some questions. Do you feel hungry simply because your "dieting?" Like, is it a psychological thing? or do you need snacks to curb your hunger. I carry lipton cup of soup packets with me, in my purse or pocket, they are only 45 calories and usually do the trick to curb my hunger pains. Also, a nice hot cup of tea or an 8 oz glass of water have helped me through tough times before. and when all else fails, mushrooms dipped in mustard, very low cal.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I think my hunger is physical and emotional so all of the tips will help. I know I have to take it one step at a time so little things may be able to keep me on track.
 
Monday 7-28-08

walked for 40 min around a 3.0 mph pace

Calories Eaten Today
grams cals %total
Total: 2692
Fat: 124 1114 39%
Sat: 80 722 25%
Poly: 2 22 1%
Mono: 12 107 4%
Carbs: 285 953 33%
Fiber: 47 0 0%
Protein: 142 569 20%
sugar Alcohol: 36 255 9%

Maybe not the best start, but it's a start.
 
a lot of saturated fat but otherwise it's not a bad day at all - that fiber number does me proud... (i like it when people get lots of fiber :) happy digestive systems make for a happy mal :D good protein too...

How would you have change the day? and what would you do differently tomorrow?
 
Welcome - you have a good plan laid out and Fitday will definitely help you to see where you need to make changes. From you post, it seems the fat is a bit high and the pro and carbs a bit low. The calorie amount looks good to me.

Any start is always a good one. One thing that helps me, is to break down my calories into 5 meals. or think of it as 3 meals and 2 snacks. That way you don't have time to get too hungry.

Low Fat sting cheese with a peice of fruit or some veggies, is always a good snack and easy to carry.

I also like cottage cheese and radishes.

Aim to have some protein at each meal/snack.

And read labels so you know what you are eating.

GL and keep us updated.
 
maleficent said:
a lot of saturated fat but otherwise it's not a bad day at all - that fiber number does me proud... (i like it when people get lots of fiber :) happy digestive systems make for a happy mal :D good protein too...

How would you have change the day? and what would you do differently tomorrow?
Click to expand...

Just what you said, get the saturated fat down. I plan to try to keep the fiber number up so I will feel full, but not eat as much.
 
bigdogmom said:
Welcome - you have a good plan laid out and Fitday will definitely help you to see where you need to make changes. From you post, it seems the fat is a bit high and the pro and carbs a bit low. The calorie amount looks good to me.

Any start is always a good one. One thing that helps me, is to break down my calories into 5 meals. or think of it as 3 meals and 2 snacks. That way you don't have time to get too hungry.

Low Fat sting cheese with a peice of fruit or some veggies, is always a good snack and easy to carry.

I also like cottage cheese and radishes.

Aim to have some protein at each meal/snack.

And read labels so you know what you are eating.

GL and keep us updated.
Click to expand...

Those are all great suggestions. I will try to incorporate them. Thanks!
 
Still Going

I didn't post for a couple days because I was a little down. I tried counting calories, but I kept feeling hungry all the time. I didn't feel like working out either. Yesterday I did a good workout and decided I would get back on the low-carb plan and only eat basically meat and vegtables. I know it is very short term but I weighed 280 this morining which is 8 lbs down so I feel pretty positive.
Here is the workout:

warm-up 5 min on exersise bike on 10
Knee prehab: step ups, band tke, hamstring stretch and the stretch where you squat down and push your knees apart; don't really know what that's called.

Front squat
10x95
5x135
5x185
4x225 - didn't feel like I could get the last one, almost lost #4

Zercher Squat
5x135
5x185
2x225
2x225
5x225 - kept having trouble with elbows hitting knees, got elbows in tight for the last set and got deeper

Back Squat
5x135
5x225
5x275
5x315 - first rep was a little high, I think the rest were paralel - felt good

30 min break to drop my son off at football practice

shoulder pre-hab: band pull-aparts, pull-downs, dislocates, and press-ups x 2, posterior capsule stretch

Barbell Bench Press
5x135
5x135
3x225
5x225 - these were hard to get going w/o a lift-off

Dumbell Bench Press
10x225

BOR, OH grip about as wide as BP - did them fast as i could on the way up
5x115
5x165
5x185
5x205
 
I cut out the weight lifting and I have been walking or riding and exercise bike for at least two hours a day and I have been sticking to Atkins and I am starting to lose weight. I am trying to spend more time moving at a lower intensity. It seems like if I work out too hard I just get too hungry and eat too much so I don't lose any weight.

I am feeling pretty good and I hope I can stick with it until I get to my goal.
 
Hi fellow hypertensive guy!

Like you when I started I wanted to do it all, weightlifting, walking stretching and just in general ramping up the exercise level. My problem was not so much hunger as fatigue. So now I do an hour walk each morning 3.5 mph pace (which I have worked up to) and in the evening I do a half hour of cardio. (just started that last week). After the cardio I do a very short routine to help stretch and strengthen my arms and shoulders.

It's still a big investment in time, but if I live longer as a result then I have the time.

The hunger issue is tough. I am trying to keep to 2000 calories a day. One thing that helped me a great deal was to separate actual feelings of physical hunger from emotional hunger and feelings of deprivation. Eating a big chunk of my calories at breakfast helped too.

Without actually being on the Low Carb diet I am drifting that way. I'm lots fuller with 2 cups of steamed broccoli than a third of a cup of rice. Fortunately I like all veggies.

Well good luck and keep posting (even if things are a challenge).

Best of Luck!

David
Who's BP was up to 225/125 a month ago today. This am it is 121/74
 
Heya Cisco! Great job so far!

Yeah, if I were you, I would stick with the lower intensity workouts just because you're restricting calories as well. That way you won't get burnt out.

I'll keep an eye on you because my mother is also doing the low carb thing. :D

:gnorsi:
 
DCarr10760 said:
Hi fellow hypertensive guy!
David
Who's BP was up to 225/125 a month ago today. This am it is 121/74
Click to expand...

Hi David,
Can you give me some more details on your diet? Are you following the DASH diet or something else?
Do you eat more calories at breakfast and then less at lunch and dinner?
Any details you could provide would help because that is a really dramatic change in BP for one month.
Thanks!
 
I have been on an off my diet lately. I find it so hard to not overeat. I feel like I am always hungry.

I have been growing a beard for about a year and I liked it mostly because it hid my double chin. I shaved the beard this weekend so I can stay motivated to lose the double chin and not just hide it.
 
Welcome back. Dont stray away again. We will keep you straight!

Eat more protein and more fruit. It keeps you full feeling longer. I eat a ton and stay under 2k calories a day. Just eat clean. Don't be afraid to have a small meal instead of a snack.
 
So, today is my 40th Birthday

So, today is my 40th Birthday. I have been trying to lose weight this year in anticipation of turning 40. I have been on and off working out and on and off dieting and the result was just about no weight loss.

So, today I am rededicating myself to weight loss. My goal is to weigh 185 or less by my 41st birthday. I am planning to workout at least once a day and use Atkins to at least get the process started and later to work in low-carb, high fiber foods as long as I can keep losing weight.

I am going to try to focus on the positive. If I am really hungry I will try to find or buy something tasty to eat that is still on my diet. I am going to really work to minimize any alcohol consumption so I will try to find fun things to do that involve activity and not just hanging out and drinking a beer.

I am also planning to try some new activities and just get out and do stuff instead of sitting at home watching TV. I want to have a lifestyle where I do a lot of moving and than I won't have to think of it so much as "working out."
 
CiscoKid - Happy Birthday!

Sticking to something that is overly restrictive on one area or another is tough. When you eat grains, go for the whole grain, brown rice, whole wheat bread, rolled oats (not instant) They will fill you up better and longer and they have the added fiber punch. Don't be afraid to eat some. I'm not a huge carb eater, but I do have oatmeal with breakfast and toss in a tsp of peanut butter (healthy fats) and protein powder. Keeps me full for quite a long time.

As to the alcohol, that could be what's holding you back. Think of the calories in each beer or mixed drink. you could be replacing those with real food. You'd consume less, fell better and feel fuller and bingo the weight will come off.

Keep up the good work. It's a tough process.
 
Thanks bigdogmom. It is a hard process. I find that the hardest part is the evening. No matter what I eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner I seem to be hungry in the evening and that is when my motivation and will power goes down. Especially if I have a beer or two.
And some point it is just hard to be hungry or not eat something that tastes good.
I am going to keep trying though.
 
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