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Made in us
Nasty Nob




Crescent City Fl..

It's 2023 how's your progress going?

For myself I am under 200Lbs in the morning now. It looks like I have dropped 10 to 11 lbs since I started working on weight loss last year and have been walking again between 10 and 12 miles a week. No blisters problems yet but I am also walking a 2/1 mile split schedule every other day with a 3 mile walk on the other days and it's not been in the high 90's which has definitely been helpful.
I've changed up my supplements a bit I've added the GNC Mega Man Energy & Metabolism, 2 pills a day one in the morning and one at around lunch as it's a 2 a day and added Nitelean, a one a day before bed. I can see they are working and I've not been neglecting my walks.
I've had a lot of boot issues last year but my hikers have been stellar I have had a few hot spots but thankfully no blisters. I've ben doing squats and a bit of weights but not consistently yet. I'm avoiding setting weight goals as that feels too complicated but I do hope to get back down to 185 this year if it's possible.

Hope you all are sticking with it.

Sigh, Yet another doomed attempt by man to bridge the gap between the material and spiritual worlds 
   
Made in eu
Frenzied Berserker Terminator




Southampton, UK

I'm getting back into walking again this year. In 2020 and 2021 I did 26 mile charity treks to raise money for the Alzheimers Society. I had to take last year off after a knee injury stopped me training for a couple of months. But I just signed up to do it again this year.
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





After losing approx 30 lbs over the course of 21-22, I have plateaud a bit at 220lbs.

Honestly, I am hoping/working toward getting down to 180, which I feel is a healthier goal than 19 yo me had for the same activity (cycling).

This year I am planning on signing up for 3 large cycling events in my area, the last one of the year being a century ride out to our coast. 2 of them are charity supporting rides, so there is a bit of feel-good factor in doing those specifically, but realistically, these events are "training" for STP in 2024 (I would do it this year, but the logistics of dealing with the grots made it infeasible)

So, I guess my goals for the year are to become more of a "real" cyclist by increasing my long distance riding up into the metric and imperial century range
   
Made in gb
Thane of Dol Guldur





Bodt

I've gained weight last year, now about 91kg/200lb. My lifts have gone up quite a lot and I don't think I look fatter than before so I'm assuming that it's mainly functional weight.

Chasing a 4 plate (405) squat. Currently on 170kg (375)

Deadlift has plateaued a little at 210kg.

Bench has increased to 120kg.

Unfortunately I have injured something in my shoulder/arm, and also twinged something in my hip flexor/adductor, so I will have to dial back and focus on a bit of rehab for those.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2023/02/05 11:16:54


Heresy World Eaters/Emperors Children

Instagram: nagrakali_love_songs 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Some early sun today, making a change from slate grey skies.

Made the best of it with a two hour bimble of around 8, maybe 9km.

Pleasantly out of puff when I got home, so I know it did the job. Also got to fuss two puppies, both of whom I’d rated 16/10 and would definitely fuss again!

   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





Lost two stone last year and changed my diet for the better.

There's been many hurdles along the way, but I seem to be back on track and got my sights set on that third stone...

Casual gaming, mostly solo-coop these days.

 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Trying to hit the elliptical every day for 45 min for the next two months! So far, so good

The goal is a race at the end of that timeframe… I got 3rd last year, would love to win it this year!
   
Made in us
Grim Dark Angels Interrogator-Chaplain






A Protoss colony world

Man, all you guys talking about gains and how you're all able to lift all that and here my fat ass is at like 350+ lbs needing desperately to lose A LOT of weight before I end up having a heart attack or something. I've got a gym membership but even though it's easy walking distance from my apartment I hardly ever go. Motivation is my struggle; I know I won't have the energy or will to exercise after work because I'll be tired from work, so really I should go before work but I'm never wanting to get out of bed that early. Something's gotta give though, I don't like how hard it is to even get into my car these days (although that is also because it's a small car and I'm decently tall). I also eat way too much, it's like a psychological addiction or something because I feel the urge to eat even when I'm not hungry. The root cause of my weight problem, no doubt.

For those of you who are losing weight, how do you stay motivated to keep working out, and what do you do to resist snack cravings? I'm at the end of my rope here, it's like I know what I need to do but I don't have the willpower to actually do it. I'd like to lose at least 50 pounds this year, preferably more if it's safe to lose it that fast. It's been years since I've been under 300.

My armies (re-counted and updated on 11/1/23, including modeled wargear options):
Dark Angels: ~15000 Astra Militarum: ~1200 | Adeptus Custodes: ~1900 | Imperial Knights: ~2000 | Sisters of Battle: ~3500 | Leagues of Votann: ~1200 | Tyranids: ~2600 | Stormcast Eternals: ~5000
Check out my P&M Blogs: ZergSmasher's P&M Blog | Imperial Knights blog | Board Games blog | Total models painted in 2023: 40 | Total models painted in 2024: 7 | Current main painting project: Dark Angels
 Mr_Rose wrote:
Who doesn’t love crazy mutant squawk-puppies? Eh? Nobody, that’s who.
 
   
Made in gb
Frenzied Berserker Terminator




Southampton, UK

Yeah I feel for you mate. I'm pretty similar in terms of motivation and eating.

It really helped me to sign up to a charity event. I collected a load of sponsors early on, so felt I couldn't back out because people were supporting me. And I intentionally signed up for something beyond my capabilities to push me - there was also a 13 mile option but I thought I could do that! I had something like 9 months to get ready for it, and just started walking every weekend. At first a couple of miles would leave me sweaty and knackered, but it soon built up and I'd be spending every Saturday morning doing a 12 mile walk over 3 hours or so. The actual event was bloody hard but I did it - twice now, and doing the third one this year. And I've raised about £1200 for charity so far.
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Zerg, many of us are in the same boat! As Crispy said, signing up for an event / goal (even a walk!) really helps. This spurred me on last year, but then I fell off the wagon, and it coming up again has me motivated to climb back on
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

 ZergSmasher wrote:
Man, all you guys talking about gains and how you're all able to lift all that and here my fat ass is at like 350+ lbs needing desperately to lose A LOT of weight before I end up having a heart attack or something. I've got a gym membership but even though it's easy walking distance from my apartment I hardly ever go. Motivation is my struggle; I know I won't have the energy or will to exercise after work because I'll be tired from work, so really I should go before work but I'm never wanting to get out of bed that early. Something's gotta give though, I don't like how hard it is to even get into my car these days (although that is also because it's a small car and I'm decently tall). I also eat way too much, it's like a psychological addiction or something because I feel the urge to eat even when I'm not hungry. The root cause of my weight problem, no doubt.

For those of you who are losing weight, how do you stay motivated to keep working out, and what do you do to resist snack cravings? I'm at the end of my rope here, it's like I know what I need to do but I don't have the willpower to actually do it. I'd like to lose at least 50 pounds this year, preferably more if it's safe to lose it that fast. It's been years since I've been under 300.



I think there's few things you can try:

1) Please consider consulting a professional. The gym might have professional trainers/contacts you can work with or your doctor is also a very good place to get advice and referrals and information. This is to ground you and give you a sensible professional base line which you can build any self-learning (internet research, asking people) advice upon. It can help you set meaningful goals and targets as well as give you professional correct advice regarding things like diet advice and such. It's not saying that you can't learn more on your own, just that its very sensible to have known professional advice alongside it. Otherwise you can risk falling into traps such as extreme diets that might appear to work but could be setting you up for a big fail later on.

2) Food diary. When you eat write down what, how much and when and keep it in a single book for reference. This can really help you see what you really are eating and the portions and can form part of a tool in helping you curtail your eating habits.

3) Plan your meals. One big risk is that because food is so easily accessible you can buy what you want when you want and this means you can often have little appreciation for what you are eating. Along with a food diary; set yourself up with a formal meal plan. Plan the next week's worth of meals and snacks, buy what you need and ration it out. At first this won't be able cutting huge amounts of food out, but more just about making what you do eat formal and managed. Get used to managing it and then you can start to make changes. This might mean swapping one food for a more healthy option; cutting an unhealthy snack out; reducing a portion size etc....

4) Small changes. One risk people have is that they try to go all out - big diets, big exercise pushes, big targets. Unless you get advice of this kind and are monitored by a medical professional, big shifts aren't often a good approach. They can be dangerous or can line you up for sickness/injury which can set you way back.
A small change might be looking at your food diary and seeing that you always have mayo with your sandwiches. Cut the mayo out and keep it out. Small change, not a huge amount of food less ,but it is less.
It could also be walking for 30 mins once a week, perhaps walk to and from work or the gym or such. Then after a while go walking a second time, then a third, go walking for longer etc... This can be a nice one to start at this time of year and steadily increase the time as the weather warms and the days get longer.

Weight loss is all about tipping the scales.

Smaller changes can also be easier to maintain and stick too because they more easily get formed as habits.

5) Trainer - gym membership is one thing, but having no real structure, reason or pressure to attend can make it easy to give yourself excuses. Too lazy to get up early; too tiered after work; want a rest on the weekend; too cold today blah blah excuses.
We all do them. So break that cycle. Paying for a trainer can help add pressure and make you get there, make you turn up. Plus a proper trainer can work with you and develop exercises which can help you develop your muscles in a steady gain aspect.

6) Don't overlook Yoga/Polartes and such. Exercise doesn't have to be running and weights. Stretch based exercise can be very good if you're far less mobile. It can help you build up a limberness in your body and help you build up the muscle that you need to approach other forms of exercise.

7) If food is a mental crutch I'd also strongly suggest that you get some counselling support. This could be as simple as joining a weight loss group at the gym. You already recognise that food is a support/coping mechanism for you and that's a big thing to realise. The next step is getting the right help in addressing that. It might mean finding something else that can be that moment of joy and support for you which gives you what you're after without increasing your weight and leading you down the spiral of being depressed over weightgain; seeking comfort in food for the release of happy feelings in the mind; which leads to more weightgain and depression. It's a brutal cycle and sometimes you need some help breaking it.

8) Goals. This should come along with part of the professional elements I've noted above. Goals can be great things to set and to work toward and can give you a focus. The best kind are often small easy to achieve goals. They give you that moment of joy at achieving them and when they are many and small steps they are easier to move up through. Big goals can be great too, but can have more risk that you pin all your hopes on them and then can be crushing when you fail.

A simple goal could just be to cut one food from your weekly shopping - cut the mayo out of the shopping list for example.



Habitual behaviours can be tricky to change no matter what they are.
Small changes that become part of new habits are one of the best approaches. They can allow you to make long term changes that eventually don't feel like a change or pressure and mean that you can not only work toward losing weight, but also a change in your life style and habits that is easier to maintain in the long term.
One of the big pitfalls people can fall into is going on a massive diet and a massive short term change in life style; hitting their weight goal and then drifting right back into the previous bad habits. Because they haven't really broken the habits, just put them on extreme pause. Which can lead to people going up and down in weight and that's no good physically nor mentally.

Work toward those habitual changes and focus on those steady small targets that in the end will add up to a big change

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2023/02/17 17:40:10


A Blog in Miniature

3D Printing, hobbying and model fun! 
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka





Overread has great advice for you, Zerg.

I'm guessing that you have taken on a lot of things, and are getting buried because of it. Three things - small things - I can recommend right now...

1) Hydration is king. If you're drinking more coffee'n'fizz - anything else - more than water, then that ain't good. Your insides will take much longer to flush things out, and you'll be losing sleep more than you think. I now drink just water and watered down cranberry juice, and I've not had any "trouble" since.

2) Stress and anxiety is horrible, and make us feel helpless. A friend taught me to spend more time breathing in through the nose rather than the mouth, and dammit it works.

3) Right now, it's 5:30pm and I haven't had any fresh air today; too busy programming and now replying to the good people here on dakka. I need time to myself and well, I guess its time for a short walk. Zerg, treat yourself once a day...

...keep checking in on this thread. Let us know how you're doing.

Casual gaming, mostly solo-coop these days.

 
   
Made in us
Nasty Nob




Crescent City Fl..

That's a lot of what I would call solid advice.
Zerg, If you have a slot in your day in the Am or the PM use it. Motivation can be difficult but you're doing this, what ever it is, for yourself.

Every little bit helps. While diet is incredibly meaningful it will be difficult to adjust in a timely manner and you may want to spend some time planning for those changes should you wish to make them.
Light exercise is something you can more or less jump into. No shame in just walking if that's where you decide to start.

There's a "Vet" organization
, can't recall which one doing a 48 mile road march over 31 days so participants can join in as they are able and participate as they are able. Easy money for anyone. If you want a challenge there's one right there. Load recommended is 45Lbs but that's optional.
I'll probably try for about 35Lbs myself because I'm old and broke down. I plan to put in 2 miles a day 5 days a week or a split 2/1 and a follow up of one mile the next for days I just hardly have the time.

I need to get my miles in before it gets ungodly hot out side, which it will in just a few short weeks. Because Florida, "land under the accursed day star. " and all that.

Sigh, Yet another doomed attempt by man to bridge the gap between the material and spiritual worlds 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





 Overread wrote:


2) Food diary. When you eat write down what, how much and when and keep it in a single book for reference. This can really help you see what you really are eating and the portions and can form part of a tool in helping you curtail your eating habits.

3) Plan your meals. snip
4) Small changes. snip

Smaller changes can also be easier to maintain and stick too because they more easily get formed as habits.

5) Trainer - gym membership is one thing, but having no real structure, reason or pressure to attend can make it easy to give yourself excuses. Too lazy to get up early; too tiered after work; want a rest on the weekend; too cold today blah blah excuses.
We all do them. So break that cycle. Paying for a trainer can help add pressure and make you get there, make you turn up. Plus a proper trainer can work with you and develop exercises which can help you develop your muscles in a steady gain aspect.

6) Don't overlook Yoga/Polartes and such. Exercise doesn't have to be running and weights. Stretch based exercise can be very good if you're far less mobile. It can help you build up a limberness in your body and help you build up the muscle that you need to approach other forms of exercise.


8) Goals. This should come along with part of the professional elements I've noted above. Goals can be great things to set and to work toward and can give you a focus. The best kind are often small easy to achieve goals. They give you that moment of joy at achieving them and when they are many and small steps they are easier to move up through. Big goals can be great too, but can have more risk that you pin all your hopes on them and then can be crushing when you fail.



All good suggestions, however I snipped some stuff for scrolling, but still wanted to address/add on to.

Meal planning is huge. When the wife and I sat down to update our budget, there was a huge bleed of our coffers, and eating out was a significant portion of it. As mentioned, these days it's too easy to say "I dont know what to do for dinner, and I'm tired from work, so lets just order X" Coming up with a daily meal plan is extremely helpful for budget purposes (and honestly, that can have a big impact on some folks mental health as well, if they are less stressed about funds). It's also helpful if you combine that with the food diary and you can pick up on trends. Like, I'm eating way too much of one specific food. Or, I'm bored of this one meal we've done 3 times in the last 4 weeks. It can help you choose out new recipes and new foods to broaden the horizon and learn more food making techniques. I'm no professional chef by any means, but I do enjoy the art/act of cooking, so finding new things to do and try has been something that has kept me going.

Small changes. This. 100% this. during college I was up to, at most 2 energy drinks per day, plus usually another can or two of soda. Gradually, I've cut down to the point where I have one energy drink a day. . . and IF I have a soda, it's generally part of a mixed drink, and that is maybe once or twice a month. I found that if I tried to totally cut out ALL drinks of a caffeinated type, cold turkey, within a week and a half I was back drinking them, and many times that rebound was initially worse than where I started. Eventually, I will cut out energy drinks entirely, but I'm not quite there yet.

The same is true of most other foods, even in the reverse. If, for example, you never ever eat carrots, and you set yourself the goal of picking up carrots, don't force yourself to eat them twice a day every day because they are healthy. . . You'll burn yourself out on eating carrots. Small steps, add (the example) carrots for one meal a week, then maybe 2 meals the next week. Experiment with different ways of preparing carrots between weeks, etc.

On trainers: if you think you don't have the money, or can't budget for a professional trainer, another potentially helpful thing can be groups. I have recently joined a small number of local and not so local cycling groups. There's motivation in progressing with, and encouraging another person doing the same thing as you are.

Yoga/Pilates: heck yeah. . . Other things to consider, as I mentioned above, cycling. . . Well, categorically speaking, what I am actually suggesting is physical activity that is low impact on the joints and body. You can do more consecutive days of moderate cycling (30-40 minutes) than you can running for the same time. Same is true of other low impact activities, and that's honestly the change you're wanting to see, is something where the "recovery period" after you exercise is short enough that you can do it near daily.

Goals are also pretty important. This latest foray into exercise for me, I wasn't motivated by some external factor (in the past, I was receiving motivation by saying "it's so I can be better at rugby" or "my team needs me for X"), I was motivated by what I had noticed about myself, and wanted that to change. As the scale started tipping slightly lighter, there's definitely a brain response. Then when I dropped that first trouser size it was all, "yes please, I'll have some more of that"

   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
You can do more consecutive days of moderate cycling (30-40 minutes) than you can running for the same time. Same is true of other low impact activities, and that's honestly the change you're wanting to see, is something where the "recovery period" after you exercise is short enough that you can do it near daily.

That's what got me into doing cardio on an elliptical - less wear and tear, and you can do it daily or close to it

Unfortunately you don't get to see the countryside when doing it... although I did recently see an elliptical bike! Haven't looked up the cost, as I'm sure it's a gazillion dollars, but man that was sweet (and also kind of funny, since a bike is pretty much optimized as it is).
   
Made in us
Nasty Nob




Crescent City Fl..

As a general question. I'm wondering, if you could choose only one or the other would you buy a Rowing Machine or an elliptical.
I used the heck out of ellipticals years ago and have been thinking about buying one but I've also been thinking about a rowing machine and it's one or the other. Any thoughts on that?

Sigh, Yet another doomed attempt by man to bridge the gap between the material and spiritual worlds 
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

 warhead01 wrote:
As a general question. I'm wondering, if you could choose only one or the other would you buy a Rowing Machine or an elliptical.
I used the heck out of ellipticals years ago and have been thinking about buying one but I've also been thinking about a rowing machine and it's one or the other. Any thoughts on that?


I'd get a subscription to a local gym because it will give me way more machines I can use for variety without having big chunky machines taking up space at home. And if I decide to step away I can without it causing any impact at home.

Exercise bikes are the same - a lot of people get them, use them like crazy for a bit and then abandon them.



I'd also say that if you do really want one I'd be looking at what kind of exercises you're working toward in terms of what you want to build up for. A rowing machine is great if you're going to row, but if you want general muscle fitness for every day life the elliptical might just be far more practical in that sense of building muscle you'll use. Again you might try out a gym and just see which one you end up using the most there and which one gives you the right benefits before making a purchase.

A Blog in Miniature

3D Printing, hobbying and model fun! 
   
Made in gb
Junior Officer with Laspistol





The Shire(s)

 RiTides wrote:
 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
You can do more consecutive days of moderate cycling (30-40 minutes) than you can running for the same time. Same is true of other low impact activities, and that's honestly the change you're wanting to see, is something where the "recovery period" after you exercise is short enough that you can do it near daily.

That's what got me into doing cardio on an elliptical - less wear and tear, and you can do it daily or close to it

Unfortunately you don't get to see the countryside when doing it... although I did recently see an elliptical bike! Haven't looked up the cost, as I'm sure it's a gazillion dollars, but man that was sweet (and also kind of funny, since a bike is pretty much optimized as it is).

You can get more mechanical efficiency out of a bike by using mechanisms like a string bike over a conventional chainset, these have been around for awhile. My brother had a string bike nearly 15 years ago. However, they generally trade mechanical efficiency for reliability. The gains are not worth the cost for elite cycling (reliability and ease of repair are important when cycling hundreds of miles).

 ChargerIIC wrote:
If algae farm paste with a little bit of your grandfather in it isn't Grimdark I don't know what is.
 
   
Made in us
Nasty Nob




Crescent City Fl..

Not a fantastic month for me last month. Roughly 28 miles over 28 days, I skipped out for a week. started this months off with 2 miles this morning. Hopefully I'll make the 48 miles this month.

Sigh, Yet another doomed attempt by man to bridge the gap between the material and spiritual worlds 
   
 
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