Weight Loss

[scumdevils86]

How tall are you?

I unfortunately haven't put in enough effort to lose as much weight as I wanted to before my wedding. I will have lost about 25 lbs total (now at 6'2" 223 lbs) but most of that was last fall and winter. I wanted to lose about 40-45 lbs. I'm going to keep working at it over the summer though.

5'7", (thanks mom)

I'm around 30-31 BMI which is unacceptable for me. BMI has some problems but it is a good general proxy for cardiac risk and is easy to understand.

I'd be happy to be around 26, which per BMI is overweight, but when adjusted for aging is high side of normal as a male enters their forties. The cardiac risk is negligible at that point with regular exercise and high fiber low fat diet. (Better to be fit and overweight rather than a skinny couch potato, when you review the research from cardiologist Carl Lavie).

Yeah I think we're pretty much on the same page BMI wise. My BMI currently is 29-30 and my goal weight of around 195 to 200 puts me at a BMI of 25-26. Now that I'm 30 I'm trying to take some of this stuff more seriously, especially with the disastrous level of heart problems in my family history. Though to be fair every one of them was a lifelong smoker and I am not at all.

[Chicat]

Anyone see that study that says that one minute of furious exercise is just as effective as 45 minutes of moderate exertion?

Awesome news for me. The daily "jump around on one foot while screaming in pain" that I go through after stepping on my kids Legos in my bare feet now has a beneficial purpose.

[azgreg]

Anyone see that study that says that one minute of furious exercise is just as effective as 45 minutes of moderate exertion?

Awesome news for me. The daily "jump around on one foot while screaming in pain" that I go through after stepping on my kids Legos in my bare feet now has a beneficial purpose.

Here you go Chi.

[Chicat]

Can I wear slippers?

[azgreg]

Nope.

[Chicat]

Fuck that noise...

[ALASKACAT]

Some Austrailian is going a whole year eating nothing but potatoes. http://metro.co.uk/2016/02/03/australia ... 6-5659864/" target="_blank

FAQ about his diet. http://www.spudfit.com/#!blank/vivc0" target="_blank

His rules: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-s2IoefPZ4" target="_blank

Here is a youtube (Start at the Six minute mark) from a Doctor that explains that there is plenty of protein, vitamins, calcium ect. from eating just potatoes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9owZU_n5Do" target="_blank

Facinating and simple and you can eat as much as you can provided you don't add any fatty condiments.

[PieceOfMeat]

Anyone see that study that says that one minute of furious exercise is just as effective as 45 minutes of moderate exertion?

Awesome news for me. The daily "jump around on one foot while screaming in pain" that I go through after stepping on my kids Legos in my bare feet now has a beneficial purpose.

Here you go Chi.

[CalStateTempe]

I hate the gym. It an inefficient waste of time. Not the gym itself, but everything that goes into going to the gym, dressing at the gym, leaving the gym for work or home, showering etc etc.

I wanna turn one half of my two car garage into a little work out area. A precor, bike, some kettle bells, and a bench. With a tv and ac. In Sac. Would save me a ton of time and motivate me to work out more.

I am a crazy? Anyone ever do this?

Still need to get clearance from the wife.

[Chicat]

You want to cut your garage space in half? Yes, you're crazy.

[CalStateTempe]

I figure one car in the garage the other on the street.

Of course I've never owed a garage in my adult life till now so I really probably can't appreciate the storage aspects of it yet.

My wife is going to hate this idea.

[azgreg]

You want to cut your garage space in half? Yes, you're crazy.

Agreed. Everyone knows garages are used to store useless/worthless crap.

[Chicat]

I figure one car in the garage the other on the street.

Of course I've never owed a garage in my adult life till now so I really probably can't appreciate the storage aspects of it yet.

My wife is going to hate this idea.

Greg knows what's up. I have a three car garage and for a while this summer I could only get one car in it.

[azgreg]

I figure one car in the garage the other on the street.

Of course I've never owed a garage in my adult life till now so I really probably can't appreciate the storage aspects of it yet.

My wife is going to hate this idea.

Greg knows what's up. I have a three car garage and for a while this summer I could only get one car in it.

My cars have forgotten what the inside of my garage looks like.

[wyo-cat]

I hate the gym. It an inefficient waste of time. Not the gym itself, but everything that goes into going to the gym, dressing at the gym, leaving the gym for work or home, showering etc etc.

I wanna turn one half of my two car garage into a little work out area. A precor, bike, some kettle bells, and a bench. With a tv and ac. In Sac. Would save me a ton of time and motivate me to work out more.

I am a crazy? Anyone ever do this?

Still need to get clearance from the wife.

You ARE crazy. The Precor and bike are not good in the long run for you. Steady state cardio actually makes you fatter. Your body eats your muscle to survive.

Resistance training, done right of course, builds muscle and when your body goes looking for glycogen, it finds it stored in your fat cells and voila... Fat loss!!

Go to the gym and go old school, think squats and deadlifts. Glenn Parker hooked me up with his weight lifting routine, and it's beautifully simple. One big lift per day mixed with some other smaller lifts for a 1/2 hour to 45 mins in the gym per day including warm up and finisher to kick up the EPOC, aka afterburn. Google "metabolic finisher" and there's a bunch to choose from. I like "Death by Medicine Ball."

A typical week would be:

Monday, squat. Tuesday, bench. Wednesday, deadlift. Thursday, strict military press. Friday, Bulgarian split squat and lunges. Hike Saturday and rest Sunday. I'm still customizing this for me, but I like it so far.

Forget the garage deal and grab an Olympic bar!

[Longhorned]

No wonder I was at my most slender when I used to lift free weights.

[Chicat]

How much does she charge for the Bulgarian Split Squat? And is it messy? Thanks in advance.

[CalStateTempe]

Dude wyo. thanks for the clutch post. I know jack shit about fitness training.

Good stuff above, thanks again.

[pokinmik]

I hate the gym. It an inefficient waste of time. Not the gym itself, but everything that goes into going to the gym, dressing at the gym, leaving the gym for work or home, showering etc etc.

I wanna turn one half of my two car garage into a little work out area. A precor, bike, some kettle bells, and a bench. With a tv and ac. In Sac. Would save me a ton of time and motivate me to work out more.

I am a crazy? Anyone ever do this?

Still need to get clearance from the wife.

The gym is a pain in the ass as far as getting dressed and driving there and all that. Luckily my gym is right up the road so I can get in and get out, and then shower at home. But I did also do what you're thinking about... I converted about a 1/3 of my small 2 car garage into a gym area. I bought a carpet and some big foam puzzle tiles for cheap online to put on the floor, bought a $600 treadmill on Amazon, and have a bench and barbell and some other various workout items. It definitely helps having the small workout area inside the home for those days when I don't feel like dragging to the gym or I'm in a hurry.

Wyo-Cat gives great advice too. If you really want to get in shape you pretty much have to do the main exercises of deadlifts, squats, bench, and standing military press. Major focus should be on legs and core. It's amazing how your life will improve all around by strengthening your legs and core with these exercises. Definitely don't be ashamed or embarrassed to start with very light weight or no weight at all with the squats and deadlifts, it'll take a couple sessions before you get the "base layer" of muscle you'll need to be able to have proper form. They are both somewhat foreign movements at first for pretty much everyone I would think. Just keep at it and the proper motions will click in your head after awhile and you'll feel like a pro.

[BearDown89]

Down to 239 from 275 since February. I don't eat any carbs except those contained in Miller Lite on Fridays and Saturdays (and sometimes Sundays), but no bread, pasta, rice, chips, crackers, tortillas, etc. Nada. I pretty much eat salad, meat, Greek yogurt, eggs, Adams Natural peanut butter (spoon in jar on counter) and salad - Cobb salad and lots of blue cheese. Did I mention Cobb salad?

For cardio I do the elyptical for an hour at a time. I'm up to 75% of available incline and 80% of available resistance. It's a pretty vigorous workout. I really don't find it that boring - there's a tv and other media built in, or I can rock out. I get into it and imagine the fat melting from my belly. For lifting I focus on big muscle groups - chest, back, legs and try to mix up the exercises, adding and subtracting, trying new things as boredom or interest dictates. Adding in core stuff now. Been plateaued at 238-242 for about 6 weeks now and really need to shake it up. Starting to really see good tone and shape in my chest, shoulders, arms and even my back, but the belly fat hangs on . . . Chatted with one of the floor trainers at the Y yesterday and he had me stand/balance on the bosu ball (upside down) and throw a medicine ball against the wall catching it on the bounce back, alternating right/left, all while balancing on the bosu and focusing on using my core to twist and throw as opposed to my arms. Holy shit. 30-50 reps of that for 3 sets and I'm sore like a mother today. Poured sweat and there's a lot of cardio in there too. Going to continue to mix in some of those new-fangled alternative exercises for jump start to release the belly fat.

Going to the gym is a pain in the ass. It is what it is. I don't like to be in a hurry. I keep a locker there and they do laundry so I don't have pack/carry a gym bag. By the time I change, workout, get a steam in (the best part), shower, dress, visit and ogle it's 2+ hours easy. It's a grind, but it's either that or be fat mouth-breathing diabetic. I did all of this in 2011 and got down to 225. Then I met the Friendly Canadian GF and romance and cooking ensued. I fattened right back up. It's definitely a little harder this time around with 5 extra years on the clock, but when the clothes fit better it keeps me going . . . and the ogling.

[UALoco]

Great thread..too bad it took me so long to find it.

I am 43 and have lost and gained weight my whole life. I hit a high of 270 in 2013 and waffled between there and 260 since then even with working out, dieting, fitbit tracking, weighing in, all that jazz. My appetite always got the best of me and whenever I got depressed and/or stressed, I would take pity on myself with food. I got serious in February when I hit 272 and got diagnosed with sleep apnea. Basically, I was choking and depriving my brain of oxygen every night. I got a CPAP machine and decided to get serious. I am taking Phen Phen for the appetite and I am working out at least 3-4 times a week at the gym. I don't count calories, I just focus on eating small meals(shakes, salads, fruits, veggies, chicken) and never filling myself. The Phen Phen works because I stopped taking it and I felt crazy hungry again. So far I am down to 250 since February. My goal is to get to 200 by my birthday next February.

At the gym, I spend most of my time running...30 min at 4.2 to 4.6 mph. Burns about 400-500 calories. After running, most of the time I was too pooped to lift weights. I decided to buy a treadmill so I could run anytime and now whenever I go to the gym, I focus on weight training. I have now converted my office into a gym. I bought foam tiles that look like wood here: http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/interl ... -tile.html I got the Onyx. They look great. I'll post pictures after I receive delivery of my new functional trainer. This is the one I got here: https://www.bodycraft.com/hft-functional-trainer.html Got 1k off that price though. You can work all the muscle groups with this machine. The trainer I spoke to preferred this over dumbells/bar bells/benches because many times you are doing those exercises laying or sitting down. He also said to stay away from the machines, they focus too much on a single muscle/movement that could result in injuries because you don't work your stabilizer muscles. The plan with this machine, I am standing up and use my legs and core to keep me balanced. I hope to post my update in a few months with the results. (I know, it is a lot of money. I figure I will save time and money, especially since I pay for my gym membership and my wife's. Also, my kids are getting to workout age...Ka-ching..more memberships. I figure the home gym will save me $$ in the long run. And I love watching/listening to my shows/videos/music and not worry about headphones or anything. I can also workout in my tshirt and compression short underwear...don't have to worry about getting a lot of gym clothes dirty or even combing my hair.)

I will eventually have the ween myself off the phen phen. I do feel my stomach getting smaller. When I hit my goal I will probably switch to OTC appetite suppressants and then eventually hope to rid myself of any help. Right now though, I have to lose this weight because it was slowly killing me.

[97cats]

last year at this time i weighed 252

this morning i weighed in at 207

reporting back in almost a year to the date from the post above, and im just a shade above 200lbs. so i basically weigh the exact same amount today as i did in college -- i turned 41 two weeks ago.

[Longhorned]

That's awesome, J. It's just permanently you.

[wyo-cat]

@UALoco,

Try the LCHF way of eating. Low Carb, High Fat. The combination works to keep blood sugar in check and eating fat keeps you satiated.

See if it can get you weaned of the phen phen. There's no calories to count and it's pretty easy to do small mods and eat basically what the fam does.

Check out http://www.dietdoctor.com" target="_blank he's got lots of free info. Maybe it can work for you.

Cheers!!

[scumdevils86]

a year ago I was up to almost 250...lost almost 30 lbs by the first of the year...have slowly put about 10 lbs back on since then. i've been able to keep it in check but I still have a fleeting desire to be back to about 200 permanently. instead of hovering around 225-230.

[ASUCatFan]

I cut way back on my drinking (from 2-3 beers a night to social situations only), and have lost about ten pounds since the beginning of July with no other lifestyle changes. Went from 222 to 212 on my bathroom scale in that time. I was at a healthy body weight before, but a bit on the doughy side.

Maybe I should join a gym...

[Zero]

Stopped nightly boozing, started eating low carb (i'd kill for pasta or pizza) and have dropped 15 pounds in 5 weeks. Wish I had started sooner.

[UALoco]

update...30 lbs down since February...averaging 2-3 pounds loss per week. family and friends starting to notice.

[scumdevils86]

I'm honestly surprised I've only gained about 4 lbs in the last 4 months since I haven't been that careful at all

[JMarkJohns]

So, as all you know I've had some upheaval related to jobs in recent years. All that stress contributed to a pretty drastic weight gain.

It's been a year since I removed myself from that and in the year, I started a healthy habits process to not just losing weight, but making radical changes to my life, health, and ultimately weight loss...

Yesterday I officially dropped beneath 240 for the first time in 10 years.

239. I'm basically 25 pounds from a healthy standard, and I'm 40 pounds from my initial college weight.



I still eat pizza. I had a hamburger yesterday. I'm going to have lasagna Thursday for my birthday.

But since the habits took root in January I've lost 40 pounds.

I just drink lots of water rather than Soda/Tea/Coffee.

I eat 20 servings of Fruits of Vegetables weekly.

I eat a bowl of low sugar cereal a day.

I avoid fast food like the plague.

I have 7 servings of chicken, pork, fish weekly.

Limit pizza to once a week.

Limit hamburgers to once a week.

I've replaced the type of cheeses I use to more expensive but more flavorful cheese that doesn't need the quantity, and I now save money long term and I eat less cheese for better flavor.

And I walk a lot. I do household construction projects that require basic up/down/lift muscles.

I haven't gone to a gym. I don't kill myself on diet.

I just eat healthier, more flavorful foods that happen to be better for me in smaller quantities with more daily activity.

People are absolutely noticing. I just bought 44s and they are starting to fall off.

I'll post some pics in January.

By then I hope to be around 230.

But this is the best I've felt in years. Maybe as long as a decade or more...

Maybe Flagstaff/NAU was that girl you love, who likes ya back, and the chemistry is there when good, but who just isn't good for you. I went from 240-280 while there over 8 years. A lot of it was me, specially not eating right. But I went on tons of hikes. Even went to a gym for several years (and actually went).

I'm optimistic the changes made are habits now. I honestly find myself reaching for carrots or apples now before looking for chips, which I only purchase if I have intent to use them quick for like a BBQ.

[Zero]

update...30 lbs down since February...averaging 2-3 pounds loss per week. family and friends starting to notice.

Awesome man! These coming months are the hardest but it is worth it.

[Zero]

That is bad ass JMark. Good for you

[JMarkJohns]

I had been making changes for a few months. Having salads, eating apples, but still hadn't seen results. I celebrated a cousin's graduation in Albuquerque in early December, had a picture taken of me holding a "Reserved for Bryan Cranston" parking sign that another cousin got while working lot security...

I was sitting down, and I looked horrible. I couldn't believe it was me.

Standing, my weight distributes more evenly, so I never quite saw how big I was at 280-ish.

That picture more than anything prompted me to get serious.

A picture of a Breaking Bad fanboy holding a trinket of epic Breaking Bad lore and I haven't shown anyone because of the fat blob I was.

When I post photos in a few months, that'll be my before.

[UALoco]

Great thread..too bad it took me so long to find it.

I am 43 and have lost and gained weight my whole life. I hit a high of 270 in 2013 and waffled between there and 260 since then even with working out, dieting, fitbit tracking, weighing in, all that jazz. My appetite always got the best of me and whenever I got depressed and/or stressed, I would take pity on myself with food. I got serious in February when I hit 272 and got diagnosed with sleep apnea. Basically, I was choking and depriving my brain of oxygen every night. I got a CPAP machine and decided to get serious. I am taking Phen Phen for the appetite and I am working out at least 3-4 times a week at the gym. I don't count calories, I just focus on eating small meals(shakes, salads, fruits, veggies, chicken) and never filling myself. The Phen Phen works because I stopped taking it and I felt crazy hungry again. So far I am down to 250 since February. My goal is to get to 200 by my birthday next February.

At the gym, I spend most of my time running...30 min at 4.2 to 4.6 mph. Burns about 400-500 calories. After running, most of the time I was too pooped to lift weights. I decided to buy a treadmill so I could run anytime and now whenever I go to the gym, I focus on weight training. I have now converted my office into a gym. I bought foam tiles that look like wood here: http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/interl ... -tile.html I got the Onyx. They look great. I'll post pictures after I receive delivery of my new functional trainer. This is the one I got here: https://www.bodycraft.com/hft-functional-trainer.html Got 1k off that price though. You can work all the muscle groups with this machine. The trainer I spoke to preferred this over dumbells/bar bells/benches because many times you are doing those exercises laying or sitting down. He also said to stay away from the machines, they focus too much on a single muscle/movement that could result in injuries because you don't work your stabilizer muscles. The plan with this machine, I am standing up and use my legs and core to keep me balanced. I hope to post my update in a few months with the results. (I know, it is a lot of money. I figure I will save time and money, especially since I pay for my gym membership and my wife's. Also, my kids are getting to workout age...Ka-ching..more memberships. I figure the home gym will save me $$ in the long run. And I love watching/listening to my shows/videos/music and not worry about headphones or anything. I can also workout in my tshirt and compression short underwear...don't have to worry about getting a lot of gym clothes dirty or even combing my hair.)

I will eventually have the ween myself off the phen phen. I do feel my stomach getting smaller. When I hit my goal I will probably switch to OTC appetite suppressants and then eventually hope to rid myself of any help. Right now though, I have to lose this weight because it was slowly killing me.

update..Since Feb, I've lost 43 lbs. Started at 273 and now I am 230. I've been struggling a lot since I hit 235..where I was losing 1-2 lbs a week, I am now losing .5 lb a week.. It is in the right direction but very frustrating given how much I am working out and how much I "deny" myself. I take about 1/2 the Phen Phen I used to in order to ween myself off. I slip-up a lil more but I am sleeping better.

My scale also tells me my lean weight and I noticed that it hasn't been moving much, even though I have been lifting a lot more. I went to the doctor and he tried to talk me out of it but I got my T tested. I read that 1/5 men tested are not low but I WAS!! It explains so much. Lack of energy, bouts of depression, weight gain, low libido..all that shit. I am so happy to get an answer. I will talk to him next week to talk next steps. I hope he "ok's" therapy. He tends to be conservative. If not, I will have to take matters in my own hands. ...Can't wait to hit Cancun in May in shape!!!

[84Cat]

[Zero]

Nice man! This is the hardest time of year for weight loss. Keep killing it.

[wyo-cat]

Great thread..too bad it took me so long to find it.

I am 43 and have lost and gained weight my whole life. I hit a high of 270 in 2013 and waffled between there and 260 since then even with working out, dieting, fitbit tracking, weighing in, all that jazz. My appetite always got the best of me and whenever I got depressed and/or stressed, I would take pity on myself with food. I got serious in February when I hit 272 and got diagnosed with sleep apnea. Basically, I was choking and depriving my brain of oxygen every night. I got a CPAP machine and decided to get serious. I am taking Phen Phen for the appetite and I am working out at least 3-4 times a week at the gym. I don't count calories, I just focus on eating small meals(shakes, salads, fruits, veggies, chicken) and never filling myself. The Phen Phen works because I stopped taking it and I felt crazy hungry again. So far I am down to 250 since February. My goal is to get to 200 by my birthday next February.

At the gym, I spend most of my time running...30 min at 4.2 to 4.6 mph. Burns about 400-500 calories. After running, most of the time I was too pooped to lift weights. I decided to buy a treadmill so I could run anytime and now whenever I go to the gym, I focus on weight training. I have now converted my office into a gym. I bought foam tiles that look like wood here: http://www.rubberflooringinc.com/interl ... -tile.html I got the Onyx. They look great. I'll post pictures after I receive delivery of my new functional trainer. This is the one I got here: https://www.bodycraft.com/hft-functional-trainer.html Got 1k off that price though. You can work all the muscle groups with this machine. The trainer I spoke to preferred this over dumbells/bar bells/benches because many times you are doing those exercises laying or sitting down. He also said to stay away from the machines, they focus too much on a single muscle/movement that could result in injuries because you don't work your stabilizer muscles. The plan with this machine, I am standing up and use my legs and core to keep me balanced. I hope to post my update in a few months with the results. (I know, it is a lot of money. I figure I will save time and money, especially since I pay for my gym membership and my wife's. Also, my kids are getting to workout age...Ka-ching..more memberships. I figure the home gym will save me $$ in the long run. And I love watching/listening to my shows/videos/music and not worry about headphones or anything. I can also workout in my tshirt and compression short underwear...don't have to worry about getting a lot of gym clothes dirty or even combing my hair.)

I will eventually have the ween myself off the phen phen. I do feel my stomach getting smaller. When I hit my goal I will probably switch to OTC appetite suppressants and then eventually hope to rid myself of any help. Right now though, I have to lose this weight because it was slowly killing me.

update..Since Feb, I've lost 43 lbs. Started at 273 and now I am 230. I've been struggling a lot since I hit 235..where I was losing 1-2 lbs a week, I am now losing .5 lb a week.. It is in the right direction but very frustrating given how much I am working out and how much I "deny" myself. I take about 1/2 the Phen Phen I used to in order to ween myself off. I slip-up a lil more but I am sleeping better.

My scale also tells me my lean weight and I noticed that it hasn't been moving much, even though I have been lifting a lot more. I went to the doctor and he tried to talk me out of it but I got my T tested. I read that 1/5 men tested are not low but I WAS!! It explains so much. Lack of energy, bouts of depression, weight gain, low libido..all that shit. I am so happy to get an answer. I will talk to him next week to talk next steps. I hope he "ok's" therapy. He tends to be conservative. If not, I will have to take matters in my own hands. ...Can't wait to hit Cancun in May in shape!!!

Nicely Done!!

When you hit a plateau, mix it up. One should only do 1 or 2 months of the same routine. My suggestion, actually what I started this week, is to add super and giant sets to increase my working time and decrease rest time. For example, I did all of my Olympic bar cleans, presses and combo moves then went into lateral raise, dumbbell military press and lat pull down with 60 sec rest between giant sets. So I did 9 sets of exercise with 2 minutes rest.

Also adding a metabolic finisher will increase your EPOC which is a he afterburn effect where your muscles attack your fat reserves. Good stuff!

Congrats and keep grinding, Loco!!

[UALoco]

[/quote]

Nicely Done!!

When you hit a plateau, mix it up. One should only do 1 or 2 months of the same routine. My suggestion, actually what I started this week, is to add super and giant sets to increase my working time and decrease rest time. For example, I did all of my Olympic bar cleans, presses and combo moves then went into lateral raise, dumbbell military press and lat pull down with 60 sec rest between giant sets. So I did 9 sets of exercise with 2 minutes rest.

Also adding a metabolic finisher will increase your EPOC which is a he afterburn effect where your muscles attack your fat reserves. Good stuff!

Congrats and keep grinding, Loco!![/quote]
Thanks for the tips. I haven't put a lot of thought into the weight training. Once I get my T levels in the right place, I have a friend who is gonna help me out with that angle. Now if someone has a good tip for the extra skin.....

[CalStateTempe]

Its not much, but I've lost 10 lbs since getting serious Jan 1st. would like to drop another 15-20 over the remainder of the year. 12/2016 was a personal high water mark.

Been getting in 10000 steps/day more days the less over the course of a week and keeping to a 1500 calorie/day diet with one reasonable cheat day a week.

Feels good. especially with new baby being born. Aiming to get more consistent with exercise over the next few weeks.

[dovecanyoncat]

I want to commend all you guys on your good efforts. It sounds like most of you are hitting the inevitable slow down of a 40 year old(ish) metabolism trying to cope with sedentary urban life. It's rough. The really, really good thing you have going for you is the recognition that you need to do it at this age and how important it is to establish changes that you can sustain for the rest of your lives because as you age from here on it only becomes more crucial. I turn 60 this year, so I know it as a fact. I'm between 6' and 6' 1"...used to be a nudge over 6' 1" (y'all see already where this is going) and I naturally range between 195-205 depending on muscle %. I've always been ectomorphic and always done highly aerobic physically demanding work for a living. But I’ve retired, and age changes you unless you have won the genetic lottery (sorry for the Bill Walton reference). Here's the bad news guys: I have to work out 2 hours on top of a 6 mile walk every morning, 5 days a week without fail to prevent a relentless increase in my body mass… and I still have to keep carbs low 6 days out of the week. The 2 hours are 2/3s cardio but you simply must do weight training as well. Muscle mass keeps everything you use in mobility where it needs to be and burns fat much more efficiently. Cardio is crucial for heart and lungs but for weight loss try for high intensity interval training on the elliptical, tread or cycle machines. This will reduce the time at the gym. Pay attention to your target heart rates rather than the calorie burn count. At 60 I get my heart rate to 170 every session. (I lose a couple lbs. of water in sweat alone each time.) Shoot for 80% of your max heart rate (220 minus your age) and see how it feels, and as soon as you hit good heart rate numbers your good cholesterol will rise and your triglycerides will fall. My goal is to remain prescription drug free in my 60s (fingers crossed). Experiment with the Lewis and Clark diet: eat as much meat as you want but trim all the fat off and pair it with grilled vegetables. L&C’s party nearly starved to death when they got to the Pacific coast and had nothing to eat but elk meat: they shunned fish, there in abundance, and nearly went insane from a lack of fat in their diet. Metabolizing protein requires more energy and keeps your glucose lower and insulin production slower. Remember, when you see anything made of processed flour, corn (to a lesser degree) or potato your body doesn’t see it as much more than a Jolly Rancher.

In my 50s I used to work 14 hour days above 8000’ elevation and I was about 195 lbs. It’s a tough nut to rearrange life to make up for that lost exertion…but it only gets harder later on, so good on yas for starting the good habits now. My weakness is red wine and even with my workout regimen I simply won’t lose weight if I don’t cut out wine on weekdays. Give yourself one day a week to be an absolute debaucherous fucking pig or you’ll find yourself on the dreaded yo-yo.

Good job and keep it up!

[Spaceman Spiff]

I hate the gym. It an inefficient waste of time. Not the gym itself, but everything that goes into going to the gym, dressing at the gym, leaving the gym for work or home, showering etc etc.

I wanna turn one half of my two car garage into a little work out area. A precor, bike, some kettle bells, and a bench. With a tv and ac. In Sac. Would save me a ton of time and motivate me to work out more.

I am a crazy? Anyone ever do this?

Still need to get clearance from the wife.

Saw this late, but I built up a garage gym 2 years ago and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Base was a squat stand with flooring and a bench. I added an air bike and have since acquired farmer's walk handles and a yoke for strongman style stuff.

Love it. Just love it. FWIW, farmer's walk is the most underrated exercise known to man. If you do a home gym right, I don't know why anyone would go back to commercial.

[84Cat]

[Sid]

Jim Fixx disagrees.

[Longhorned]

Jim Fixx disagrees.

Plus, I'd rather trade 7 hours of not running for every hour of running.

[wyo-cat]

I hate the gym. It an inefficient waste of time. Not the gym itself, but everything that goes into going to the gym, dressing at the gym, leaving the gym for work or home, showering etc etc.

I wanna turn one half of my two car garage into a little work out area. A precor, bike, some kettle bells, and a bench. With a tv and ac. In Sac. Would save me a ton of time and motivate me to work out more.

I am a crazy? Anyone ever do this?

Still need to get clearance from the wife.

Saw this late, but I built up a garage gym 2 years ago and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Base was a squat stand with flooring and a bench. I added an air bike and have since acquired farmer's walk handles and a yoke for strongman style stuff.

Love it. Just love it. FWIW, farmer's walk is the most underrated exercise known to man. If you do a home gym right, I don't know why anyone would go back to commercial.

Farmers walk with a trap bar is the bomb. Load it up with 45# plates and rock and roll.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I hate the gym. It an inefficient waste of time. Not the gym itself, but everything that goes into going to the gym, dressing at the gym, leaving the gym for work or home, showering etc etc.

I wanna turn one half of my two car garage into a little work out area. A precor, bike, some kettle bells, and a bench. With a tv and ac. In Sac. Would save me a ton of time and motivate me to work out more.

I am a crazy? Anyone ever do this?

Still need to get clearance from the wife.

Saw this late, but I built up a garage gym 2 years ago and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Base was a squat stand with flooring and a bench. I added an air bike and have since acquired farmer's walk handles and a yoke for strongman style stuff.

Love it. Just love it. FWIW, farmer's walk is the most underrated exercise known to man. If you do a home gym right, I don't know why anyone would go back to commercial.

Farmers walk with a trap bar is the bomb. Load it up with 45# plates and rock and roll.

I don't have a trap bar, but I've gotten up to 230 per hand on the individual handles. You'll definitely feel that in the morning.

[97cats]

good job, ALL on the efforts and continued efforts/successes -- this is one of my favorite threads as it rings true to me in a very personal way.

[CalStateTempe]

About three weeks into my mountaineering 6 day a week work out schedule and have my daily nutrition/meal plans up in running as well (with one cheat day a week) and I'm really starting to see the pounds fly off while maintsting muscle.

I work out in the morning so I'm super energized when I hit work and have cut my caffeine seriously back. Which is awesome. Equally crazy is I'm getting up about an 1hr earlier to fit it in, but I am way more efficient and energized during the day. I seriously wish I understood this while in school, rather than "putting it off" for another textbook chapter.

Feel great the days I work out and look forward to the next days work out because is a unique schedule that ramps up over 6 weeks and your rarely doing the same stuff twice while still building cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength. Been on some really cool hikes each of the past 4 saturdays and my efficiency is improving as well (average 3mph with a 15lb day pack, love the alltrails and cairn apps which track your route, progress, and give you tons of useful data to log)

I'm super stoaked...I'm about 2lbs away from being under my wedding weight and the lowest I've been in 10 years, this would be a significant personal goal for me.

It feels really good to set your mind to something that your trying to accomplish.

[84Cat]

Congrats CST! I started running since it gets too hot to go on long bike rides. It always feels good to be in shape.

[EVCat]

Moving in a few days, and will be next door, more or less, to a park with a gym at a discounted rate for people in my HOA. It's been at least 5 years since I did a good gym run, though last summer, I was at my lowest weight in years and was tight, if not bulky, from a simple regimen of push ups whenever I thought to do them (6 or 7 times a day), pull ups, and core work on a ball while watching TV. I was working from home and it was easy to do.

I went into the office with a job change in June 2016 at the best I have been since college. I was wearing a 34 waist but I wear a bit loose, so I was really a 32-32.5, down from the 36 waist I was wearing that had gotten snug from its original looseness. I had t-shirts I hadn't worn in a while that I was wearing again (one particular concert T was ridiculous when I bought it...it said L, but that was no L. I wore L...this shirt was like saran wrap. I called it a "Hipster Large"...I was able to wear it again). I went and bought me a pretty decent wardrobe for heading back into the office as I had old clothing from my last office run, and things change...my pants were too loose at the bottom, they had pleats, etc. Dropped a solid penny on those clothes, made sure to get my polo's "custom fit" (which is off the rack of course, but custom meaning I don't know what, just more flattering), bought slim fit pants, etc.

I cannot get into any of it now. Just 10 months later. Going back into the office meant eating at the café or out. I am in a support function away from teams (I am the sideways dotted line...I manage projects, not people), but they always come up here with birthday cake. My boss in Cali sends candy on major holidays and events. I am on a medication that dries my mouth (no, not pot...nothing that cool), so I have a bag of jolly ranchers and plow through a couple a day. I don't do my work outs because push ups in the office aren't quite as easy to pull off as at home and my pull up bar is not available (I am in a cube...a large one, but a cube nonetheless). And I put 15 back on like that. My 34 waist is starting to become tight...the slim fit stuff is out the window, and I am back to pulling material from my shirt out of my pants to create the illusion of space.

I HAVE to get back to it. I am not anyone's idea of fat, or even really that chubby. But I am not OK, either. I have broad shoulders and even a little weight is unflattering. And I am 45 and keep seeing people inexplicably die early.