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We do not need the insults and offers of violence. Thanks.

One of the first things I recommend to an individual who gets popped on our Height and weight program (Dang you Red I can't use Chub Scouts title) is to drink freaking water. Lots of water. Granted your going to piss the Nile but once the body notices after a couple week your maintinaing the same water level in your body then its going to more likely release "water weight" and cardio. Ride a bike, throw on some body armor, lay off the "Dew...that means Red Dew to...

I've started to gain weight as I've gotten closer to thirty, but I'm still a skinny fether by anyone's measure.

I reckon if I don't cut down on the beer (sob) I'll probably be a bit fatter by next year.

I think the need for lots of exercise can be over stated. It's certainly good for your cardiovascular system and it helps to build strength and muscle tone, but if you want to lose weight, you need to control your calorie intake. Quite simply, you need to spend part of each day being hungry, otherwise, you will not burn off the fat. I'm not talking about an extreme starvation diet, but perhaps 4-5 hours where you would like to eat something, but don't. Then, a moderate portion size. Most of the obese people I know go for huge portions of food. If you eat smaller portions, you still get to enjoy the food without overloading on calories.

It's common sense, of course, but I realise it can be difficult to change a lifestyle once it's ingrained. I've found little time for exercise this past year between working late and doing german courses in my spare time.

I grew up overweight. I think that I was a bit over 200lbs at the end of my eighth grade year (14 years old iirc). Four years later, I've grown to 6'-4" and my weight has remained around 200lbs, however has shifted considerably from fat to muscle. I can't recommend the paleo diet enough (no dairy, no grains, no processed foods, etc.). I don't do a ton of cardio, as I get much better results by sticking to well-rounded body weight circuits which usually consist of a lot of plyometrics.
I've kicked my workouts and dieting into overdrive as I prepare to begin participating in the Army ROTC program in the fall. I've always thought that joining a kickboxing club would be a good idea but haven't pushed myself into it.

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
I think that I was a bit over 200lbs at the end of my eighth grade year (14 years old iirc). Four years later, I've grown to 6'-4" and my weight has remained around 200lbs, however has shifted considerably from fat to muscle.

I also can't recommend being 18 enough; it really helps.

 Ahtman wrote:

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
I think that I was a bit over 200lbs at the end of my eighth grade year (14 years old iirc). Four years later, I've grown to 6'-4" and my weight has remained around 200lbs, however has shifted considerably from fat to muscle.

I also can't recommend being 18 enough; it really helps.

Agreed, the metabolism thing is definitely in my favor at the moment.

I lost over two stone with a simple diet that involved having a lean, low calorie breakfast, a lean lunch, and a normal (though not excessive) dinner; suffice to say I kept snacks and junk food to an absolute minimum.

I think obesity's largely a "consuming more calories than you burn" disorder.

Go for a run.

Disorder.

Obesity disgusts me.

Being overweight depresses people, depressed people suffer with inertia.

Being overweight makes people self conscious, self conscious people don't want to be seen, especially engaged in physical exercise, for fear of ridicule.

I was around 17 stone when I left the UK, big fatso, drank tons of beer, ate gak fast food, sat on my arse all day in the office, at a bar or at home on the computer or in front of the tv.

I have dropped about 55 lbs in weight since coming to America, down to about 13 stone. Because I got a job in retail for 2 years, you walk about 13 miles every day, spend a lot of time up and down ladders and for me, working in a DIY store (and being a bloke) doing lots of car loading and downstocking, so throwing bags of soil around, carrying table saws around on your shoulders, juggling generators etc.

I still eat plenty and eat well, I love eating out and enjoy well cooked rich foods immensely, but was also blessed with loving fresh food, salads, veg and fruit.

The older I get, the more I see of other people, the more I'm convinced that diet and dieting comes a very poor second place to exercise and movement (although sudden dietary changes can be very useful for kickstarting weight loss). I also understand the stigma, self consciousness and depression/poor self image that comes with being overweight and it sucks, it utterly blows to dislike yourself as much as I did and have seen in others. But ultimately it does amount to what do you want to do about it and really, how much do you want to do it? Picking on people or being arrogant about heavy people is a low thing and any one of you are a broken limb or a life changing event away (including just getting older, I was a skinny goth at 18 folks) from putting on the weight and finding out for yourself.


Edit: I don't think obesity is either a disorder of the mind or a disease, it's an unpleasant side effect from western culture's overabundance of food and shift to sedentary lifestyle.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:


Edit: I don't think obesity is either a disorder of the mind or a disease, it's an unpleasant side effect from western culture's overabundance of food and shift to sedentary lifestyle.

I'm willing to argue that it's not a matter of an overabundance of food, rather than the contents of our food. the typical diet, since the dawn of farming and "mass-produced food" consists heavily of grains, dairy and starches. Grains, legumes and potatoes (all of which are commonly available due to farming) carry large amounts of the proteins called lectins which lead to the body storing more fat (not to mention cause gastrointestinal distress). Dairy is high in fat, which is good if you are a newborn calf, or wherever else you are getting your milk. Milk really isn't terribly good for the digestive system of human beings and I can't really see a reason why we are the only species to consume milk after infancy.

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
I can't really see a reason why we are the only species to consume milk after infancy.

We are the only species to lots of things after infancy; seems an odd metric. But if we have to have a reason, it is becuase we are also the only species to make chocolate chip cookies.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:

Edit: I don't think obesity is either a disorder of the mind or a disease, it's an unpleasant side effect from western culture's overabundance of food and shift to sedentary lifestyle.

There was a study mentioned on the radio earlier in the week that came to the conclusion that the average Brition is 2 stone heavier than 30 years ago yet eats approximately 500 less calories a day. Basically people are far more sedate than is good for them.

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:
(including just getting older, I was a skinny goth at 18 folks)

I demand to see a picture of a goth MGS

Personally I think a large part of it is the human body is built to survive famine and hunting.

Our bodies are basically constantly telling our brains "Yes, I have enough food for now, but what if it stops tomorrow!!!!!!!!!".

That and "Yes, we may be sat down now, but any moment we could be attacked by a lion or have to migrate!!!!! Better make sure we have enough food for that!!!!"

Thats one of the problems with dieting, If you cut down too much your body goes in to a panic mode and starts saying to your brain "LOOK I TOLD YOU!!!!! FAMINE!!!! NEXT TIME THERE IS FOOD EAT LOTTTTTSSSSS!!!!" Which is why people who crash diet normally put the weight, and more, back on very fast.

obesity is neither a mental disorder nor a disease, it is an self inflicted condition (99% of the time, glandular/ect issues aside)

just like smoking isnt a disease/disorder..

you might be able to make the argument that they are "addicted" to food, except we are all addicted to food/air/water.

I wouldnt call being obese a disease or mental disorder, thats just PC'ing it up to the extreme. If you are way too over weight due to lifestyle choices, that is not a disease or mental disorder,

that is lacking will power/drive/motivation to keep your body healthy, and while lacking those certainly isnt indicative of a healthy mental state, it isnt a mental disorder. you dont need pills/doctors/ect you need WILLPOWER and to put down the fork and pick up some weights.

Fat and lazy is the term you are looking for, not disease or mental disorder. People with diseases or disorders cannot help it, fat people can.



also... if you cannot run in boots you lose your man card... thats how you get the feet of steel, I normally run in weighted boots or steel toes so that when I run in sneakers it feels like my feet are clouds.

 easysauce wrote:
also... if you cannot run in boots you lose your man card... thats how you get the feet of steel, I normally run in weighted boots or steel toes so that when I run in sneakers it feels like my feet are clouds.

I strongly recommend against this unless you have to.

 easysauce wrote:
*snip*

There is so much angst in that post... I like you called me fat and lazy and said I don't have any willpower. By calculation of my BMI I'm obese, I'm a shorter guy (5 foot 9 inches) and I weigh 248 at last weigh in. I eat very well (albeit this is only within the past year), and yet I don't lose weight very much. So do I still need to put down the fork? On an average day I have a piece of gluten free toast and some fruit in the morning, I have a small sandwich, an apple, and maybe some nuts or a small piece of dark chocolate (like those small pieces you give out on Halloween), and then dinner is usually baked chicken or fish, some white or brown rice, and some sort of vegetable. I drink water and tea like it's going out of style. My weight is entirely based on my sedentary office worker lifestyle, I walk about a mile in the evenings and try to ride my bike once a week (this has been a past month thing)... There are plenty of causes to people being obese, my father was overweight because gluten and carbs would spike his diabetes, he's cut out most of that stuff, and while he still has a gut, the man has reached 200 pounds, but due to his age, years of unhealthy lifestyle, and medical complications due to a surgery he had 2 years ago, walking is a royal pain.

But just to label anyone and everyone that is overweight as a lazy person with no willpower is extremely disingenuous to people that try to change their life style and can't seem to get results.

Bad knees and a bad back are not a reason to be over weight though, just an excuse. I have to pick up on this as this is one of the reasons we have this problem. Always an excuse. Bad knees and a bad back limit the type of exercise you can do, not the amount, or mean you have to eat a lot.

Help me out. What aerobic activity can you do with bad knees and a bad back again?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 MeanGreenStompa wrote:
Being overweight depresses people, depressed people suffer with inertia.

Being overweight makes people self conscious, self conscious people don't want to be seen, especially engaged in physical exercise, for fear of ridicule.

I was around 17 stone when I left the UK, big fatso, drank tons of beer, ate gak fast food, sat on my arse all day in the office, at a bar or at home on the computer or in front of the tv.

I have dropped about 55 lbs in weight since coming to America, down to about 13 stone. Because I got a job in retail for 2 years, you walk about 13 miles every day, spend a lot of time up and down ladders and for me, working in a DIY store (and being a bloke) doing lots of car loading and downstocking, so throwing bags of soil around, carrying table saws around on your shoulders, juggling generators etc.

I still eat plenty and eat well, I love eating out and enjoy well cooked rich foods immensely, but was also blessed with loving fresh food, salads, veg and fruit.

The older I get, the more I see of other people, the more I'm convinced that diet and dieting comes a very poor second place to exercise and movement (although sudden dietary changes can be very useful for kickstarting weight loss). I also understand the stigma, self consciousness and depression/poor self image that comes with being overweight and it sucks, it utterly blows to dislike yourself as much as I did and have seen in others. But ultimately it does amount to what do you want to do about it and really, how much do you want to do it? Picking on people or being arrogant about heavy people is a low thing and any one of you are a broken limb or a life changing event away (including just getting older, I was a skinny goth at 18 folks) from putting on the weight and finding out for yourself.


Edit: I don't think obesity is either a disorder of the mind or a disease, it's an unpleasant side effect from western culture's overabundance of food and shift to sedentary lifestyle.

No no, you can admit. You lost so much weight because we have crappy beer, and you can't choke down the swill that passes as American beer.

Would also say neither.

Too efficient metabolism could be a good claim.

1) Figuring out the calorie intake you need in a day.

2) Making time for some exercise is mandatory.

3) Smaller more frequent snacks/meals make the stomach smaller so you cannot overindulge as easily. Managing hunger is the hardest thing for some people.

Added views:

My brother does the same activity level as me but if I ate as much as he did I would be dead in a year: he counts calories to keep moving, burns more just breathing than I do walking.

Guy I know at work I hardly see him eat anything and is huge. Either binges at night or he can gain 5 lbs from a salad. Ancestors must have lived in a desert.

Found the solution is simple: I do enough during the day for 2000 calories just to maintain my weight. 1800 if I want to slowly lose weight. Lost over 50lbs and still have a ways to go. Something that works: try to eat most fat/protein food and carbohydrate in separate meals. Pain to prepare (only reason I am not doing it now) but I could not argue the results.

Doing a ton of activities now (thanks my highly active sons), lost some more gut, gained more muscle so weight is not moving anywhere at the moment but I look better.

 Frazzled wrote:

Help me out. What aerobic activity can you do with bad knees and a bad back again?

Swimming, you can also do cycling as its usually the impact that does the damage rather than the mechanical motion, this depends on the injury though.

If your knees are really, really bad (as in you don't have any cartilage left) then you could do upper body cardio, its a lot less fun but it gets the job done.

Said it before, saying it again: burn more calories than you take in, weight comes off. Take in more than you burn, weight goes on. You can eat bacon, eggs, and Big Macs exclusively and still wind up skinny, provided you engage in enough exercise to burn them off. You won't be healthy, but you won't be obese. Similarly, you can eat nothing but brown rice and asparagus and still gain weight, as long as you eat enough of it and never move.

Want to lose weight? Go get sweaty and miserable. Often.

 Frazzled wrote:
Help me out. What aerobic activity can you do with bad knees and a bad back again?

Swimming.

Swimming hurts my back.

 Frazzled wrote:

Bad knees and a bad back are not a reason to be over weight though, just an excuse. I have to pick up on this as this is one of the reasons we have this problem. Always an excuse. Bad knees and a bad back limit the type of exercise you can do, not the amount, or mean you have to eat a lot.

Help me out. What aerobic activity can you do with bad knees and a bad back again?

Twelve ounce curls!

Wiener dog deadlift!!!

Strangely after burned out knees and some recent accidents, its actually easier for me to lift weights then do anything other than a slow walk.

 Frazzled wrote:

Help me out. What aerobic activity can you do with bad knees and a bad back again?

Cycling. And if that isn't your thing you can always do some high intensity lifting.

Of course this assumes your knees and back are paramount concerns.

Help me out. What aerobic activity can you do with bad knees and a bad back again?

Dogma...... ......you missed the entire point.
Frazz ..... .... nice

Get yourself a turbo trainer Fraz. I have a knackered knee as a legacy of my time spent in Her Majesty's Forces and I find 20-30 mins a day on the stationary bike and a sensible diet works wonders. I have lost over a stone in just over a month or so.

 Jihadin wrote:

Dogma...... ......you missed the entire point.

That it gets harder to be "fit" when you get old? That isn't a physical issue, it is a matter of priority.

 filbert wrote:
Get yourself a turbo trainer Fraz. I have a knackered knee as a legacy of my time spent in Her Majesty's Forces and I find 20-30 mins a day on the stationary bike and a sensible diet works wonders. I have lost over a stone in just over a month or so.

Riding a bicycle more than slowly in a dead calm makes me want to shoot myself and by that I mean shoot everyone else! I think the cartilege (spelling) is burned out and sounds crunchy when I move it.