Weight loss support thread

amadeus said:
Progress since my last post: I recently got a raise, so I'll be able to afford much healthier food and that on its own should help me lose a few pounds. Adulthood is getting excited about asparagus.

I've also been taking short walks at least 4 times a week. It's all I can manage right now in terms of exercise, but it feels good to move.
Click to expand...

I recommend getting those frozen mixed vegetables in a bag (with nothing added). Just dump them in a bowl and microwave and you're good to go.
 
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: Jerk Sauce and Internet War Criminal
So after half a decade of being a sack of potatoes to make up for the decade of supertwinkdom I had to maintain to stay in business, I decided I wanted to remodel things back at the end of May, although maybe a bit different this time (I'm in my mid 30's now, "supertwink" probably isn't the right look to be holding onto but "possibly pregnant spare tire" wasn't attractive either).

First stage was setting the goal to drop the spare tire and make things a bit easier for pushing the bodyweight stuff. I set the goal as about 30 lbs. by the end of August, and I'm through 23 of those now (for the record, I'm a bit north of six feet tall, so it's not as big a fluctuation as some might think). Getting there has been pretty straightforward: I got my ass on MFP and have been keeping track of things fairly religiously (besides a single day where my entire diet was alcohol by the poolside, where there's no way I'm staying on top of tracking that) there. I cut my liter-a-day soda habit to where I might have one once a week, and I have tea in the morning instead. I strapped on a Fitbit Charge HR and I walk for about two hours every morning now (my time is rather cheap ever since I retired, so two hour walks are super okay).

As I enter month three, I'm stopping the excuses about the bodyweight stuff, which I've been dithering on. The starter bodyweight routine I'm using is the same as what IWC listed up above, where I'd originally gotten that list from a posting on Nerd Fitness. I spent some of the dithering time on improving my form, because initially the squats and lunges were absolute murder on my knees (the jokes write themselves, yes), and now that I weigh a decent bit less and am not being totally dumbfucky on form they're going better. I'm still having to compromise on the pushups and do kitchen counter pushups, though, since I've always had arms straight out a CLAMP character design and even at my best could only manage to squeeze out, like, three.

I plan to push the bodyweight stuff as far as I can go, and I have some more complete routines on that prepared for when I "get there", as well as an Iron Gym bar for when I'm not totally useless at attempting a pullup. I'm not aiming for super bulging stronk swole, but some decent arm size where I'm not mistaken for an easily broken china doll would be good.

So, how are everybody else's plans to lose weight going?
 
So, my diet has gone to shit lately because I've been working for over two weeks straight, with another two ahead of me, and somewhere along the line I just said "fuck it". I didn't get too far off-track, though, I'm not pigging out on junk food all day every day. Just indulging a little too much, too often.

The few times a week I manage to go to the gym I'm doing really well. I start with 2 miles on the stationary bike and then I do the core exercises my trainer showed me. I've been too scared to try the squats again, I'm waiting until I get a bit stronger for that, but I do at least two reps of everything else, three if I feel up to it. I can feel a difference but I'm not really seeing it yet, it's a little frustrating.

Also, I've stopped keeping soda in my fridge altogether. I have a few in my house in case my stomach is acting up but unless I eat out, which is maybe once a week, I don't really drink it anymore. So, win?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerk Sauce and Jubileus
fire_fly said:
The few times a week I manage to go to the gym I'm doing really well. I start with 2 miles on the stationary bike and then I do the core exercises my trainer showed me. I've been too scared to try the squats again, I'm waiting until I get a bit stronger for that, but I do at least two reps of everything else, three if I feel up to it. I can feel a difference but I'm not really seeing it yet, it's a little frustrating.
Click to expand...

That's the thing with exercise in general, it's a lot more about your mental state than it appears on the surface. With me I found it helpful to break it down, you're changing your lifestyle not employing a quick fix so I try to look at it more like 'If I put in the work, then the results will come'. Your focus needs to shift to the long term and what you would like to achieve, rather than stressing on the here and now. Easier said than done I know, but the more you do it the easier it gets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mark Corrigan, blastoiseplushie and Jubileus
Are there any work outs that are pointless? I'm just trying to get thin, are aerobics good?
 
Picklepower said:
Are there any work outs that are pointless? I'm just trying to get thin, are aerobics good?
Click to expand...
IWC or somebody a bit more versed can correct me if I'm wrong, but I always thought aerobics were more about limbering up and conditioning. It might help you lose weight, but I don't imagine it'd be more effective than cardio.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: Grandma Yolo
I'm sure that it's been mentioned before in this thread, but it's a proven fact that obesity is usually caused by comfort eating. People become fat because they instinctively eat shitty foods because it makes them feel good. imo, this explains the links between obesity and depression.

In fact, it's not uncommon for people who do finally lose the weight to just gain it all back because they can't break their old habits.
 
  • Agree
  • Feels
  • Informative
Reactions: GeorgeDaMoose, sharky, Cunty Boo Boo and 1 other person
Picklepower said:
Should I just lose weight by dieting? how much does working out help?
Click to expand...

This is just me, but if I can't go to a gym, I would just go for 30 minutes to an hour-long walks. It helps a little. Also drinking a lot of water helps too.
 
Any sort of cardio helps burn fat, but regular weight training also helps as muscle is more metabolically active than fat so you burn more calories at rest if you have more muscle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back