Any of you kids have trouble fighting weight problems?

[keg in kc]

I'm just blowing off a little steam tonight, this has been bothering me for a while and I'm a little frustrated tonight so bear with me...

I'm 27, 6'0 and I'm somewhere between 230 and 235 pounds with a 42-44 inch waist. My fiance has also had some weight problems since we've been together, but she's gotten back into fitness, teaches aerobics, has managed to lose a pretty good chunk of weight and is looking pretty good again.

And now I feel like friggin Moby Dick...

I just can't seem to kick it. I don't over eat, in fact I under eat, and my metabalism is so slow now that sometimes I think stuff just bypasses my stomach and goes straight to my spare tire. I've started exercising (again...) trying to break my long sedentary streak (this is my 936th post since the middle of Februray, that should tell you something...). And I'm pretty sure I'm going to give up on it, like I have every other time over the last decade (when I tore my ACL that was pretty much the end of it - I was actually a legitimate pro baseball pitching prospect prior to that...).

God I'm so p!ssed-off at myself right now!

Like writing this is just something I need to "put up or shut up" about. But damn I'm p!ssed-off tonight and I needed to get that out of my system...

Okay, sorry about that. Returning to normal now...

[Pitt Gorilla]

keg,
I hear ya' brother. I've put on a lot of muscle lately, but I just can't get rid of the "cover." It just never seems to get any better. no matter what I do. I should say that my eating habbits are crap, though. Anyway, good luck. Let me know if I can help at all. I know quite a few good weight lifting programs that keep me going 6-7 days a week. We're pulling for ya.....

[California Injun]

I heard a fat comedien say this once...

"When the hole that takes in food is bigger than the hole that gets rid of it, you are gonna be fat!"

To lose weight you need to increase you metabolism. This can be accomplished by exchanging your fat for muscle. Muscle requires more energy (aka calories) to operate than blubber.

This means your body will burn calories even while you are sleeping at a faster rate if you add some muscle to that frame of yours.

How you do it is up to you. Dieting is a *****.

Another tip is to drink H20... lots of it. It temporarily fills your gut to stave off those cravings while assisting with elimination of wastes.

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Kyle,

Have you talked to JQ lately, he could help ya out, isn't he a fitness guru or something? And I heard that one guy on 810 on Weds is pretty good. That coach K. You could call him and ask him for advice.

My advice...just eat when you're supposed to eat, don't snack in between, and do not under eat, that, I know, is a no no. And like Cali mentioned, drink plenty of water, and try to be active, exercise, play basketball, or football or etc. And don't diet. Because if you do, after you lose the weight, you will start eating heavy again to fill the craves and you'll think you won't gain it back, but you will. Also why, is so you can eat the same food you always eat (whatever that is) but have more will power to know when to stop. Also...do not eat before you go to sleep, thats a bad thing too. And pop...no pop, that'll get you dehydrated and it will also add more pounds. Hope I helped. Good luck to ya.

[keg in kc]

Thanks for the advice, guys. Wasn't really expecting any since I was basically venting, but hey, I apreciate it... ;)

Cody - I [i]live[/i] with a fitness guru, and, believe it or not I could probably qualify as one myself, but I lack one important thing, that being motivation. I just can't motivate myself to do what I need to do. It's the same problem I've faced since, well, forever. I actually (honestly) believe it's a psychological response to parents that could never compliment me for anything (nothing was ever good enough, and that has carried-over into my self-image...) so I just don't feel motivated to do anything, because whatever I do won't be good enough anyway. It's a vicious circle I need to get the he!l out of...

I don't snack. I drink betwee 120 and 200 oz of water/day (nothing but water and occasional milk and OJ goes in me, excepting alcohol...). I don't drink soda more than once a week, if that often. I don't drink alcohol much, although I [i]have[/i] had about 8 shots of Jack in the last 2 hours (hmm, probably why I started this thread in the first place)...

So I have some good things. I just have to get myself back into eating again. 8 years of eating once a day is tough to beat...

Somehow I have to motivate myself to actually [i]do[/i] what I know I need to do. I'm hopefully going to start a regular weight-lifting regimen on monday, and going to try to continue a regular usage of my recumbent bike (30 min every 2 days) and regular walks.


Injun - you're right on. Metabalism is the key, and water is terrific. Dieting is basically useless - just need to be conscious about what I eat (no fast food, less junk, much, much more fruit...). And I need to get back to 3 squares/day, if not a regimen of 5 or 6 smaller meals/day, whichever works best for me...

Pitt - if you're having trouble losing the "cover" make sure you're getting enough aerobic exercise. I don't mean step classes or tai-bo, I just mean doing something (walking, running, biking, swimming) that's getting your heartrate up for a period of time. Do that in conjunction with your weight work (and fix whatever you think is wrong with your diet) and you'll be fine...


My problem: patience and motivation.

In other words I need to put up or shut up...

[Chiefs Pantalones]

Don't put yourself down, Kyle. What you just did, some people will never do...you admitted your problem. You said that you aren't motivated or patient enough. Thats the first step (being patient) and I believe that patience is indeed a virtue. And to motivate, get a parter to always be by you or to keep you straight, have your fiance be your partner. And once you start the process and start seeing results, you will want to keep on doing it, believe me, I used to be a tooth pick, but know I work out (for awhile) but I used to not be that motivated, but once I started seeing results, I wanted to keep on doing it. You have to be patient, start from the bottom...it has to rain before the flowers bloom.

CG

as it says below...have faith
you can do it, Kyle

[Otter]

Keg,

For what its worth, I'll tell you what got me motivated to start working out again.

I took a picture of myself with nothing on but a pair of skivies (shut up you perverts), totally relaxed and not sucking in the old belly at all. I kept it next to my bed and when I couldn't find the motivation to work out in the morning I looked at it and it gave me a little boot in the derier.

My girlfriend, at the time, was a competition swimmer and I felt like a turd when she'd see me in my birthday suit. Plus it gives you an idea how other people are seeing you.

But here I sit right now drinking a Yuengling Lager and haven't worked out since Monday. BTW - Lager is an east coast beer, ever hear of it?

Anyway, that little humilation I put upon myself helped even to this day.

Just my 2 cents.

[keg in kc]

Can't say I'm familiar with Yeungling Lager, otter. Where is it from exactly?

On another beer note, Tracy (fiance) picked-up a 12 pack of Boulevard Pale Ale this week (I usually drink Unfiltered Wheat when I'm in a non-Guinness mood...) and I have to say I really enjoyed that.

I think tomorrow we're going to the Lucky Brew Grill (somewhere in the KC area...), it's her birthday, so I'll give a report on that if we go...

Birthday and mother's day in conjuction (I give her mother's day stuff from our 2 dogs...) - lucky me. Of course my birthday is the day after Valentine's day, so she has it much, much worse...


Otter, that's some good advice. I think I'll have her shoot me (w/ camera) tomorrow. I hate looking at myself in the mirror, so I'd imagine that a photograph will be some fierce impetus...

[Otter]

Keg,

Its a east coast beer from a town I can almost guarantee you never heard of, Pottsville Pennsylvania.

[url="http://www.yuengling.com/beers.htm"]Yuengling Beer[/url]

I'm off to bed. But I'll warn you: If you have the picture taken, be prepared for a hard dose of reality. Its not pretty, but it will motivate you.

Good luck brother!

[Chiefs Pantalones]

I'm off to bed too, good night all, and Happy Birthday to your fiance, Kyle. Have a good time!

[keg in kc]

Okay, Otter, seeing those bottles, I can say that I've had the lager and, I believe, the porter. I think I recall that it was some good stuff, but to be honest it's probably been 5 years since I had it.

Odd that I'd remember it once I'd seen the bottle, but that's how my brain works...

I'm not looking forward to that photo.

[CrazyHorse]

To establish new habits could be helpful.

I was 150 lbs most of my teen years and then till 25 or so. Then my metabolism slowed as yours has. Your body does not prodiuce growth hormones the way it used to so energy is not in abundance. After 25 I grew to be about 210. Though this is not big for some guys, it was for me and the amount of lean body mass that I allways had.

You have to eat better. It is that simple. But you can do it by establishing new habits.

1. Eat your large meal in the morning.

We are programed to eat big for supper. It is treated as an event. If you eat a huge breakfast it is much better and you will be more likely to burn it off during the day.

2. No carbs after 6 pm.

Especially processed carbs. When you are in front of the TV you will not expend the energy needed to burn it off. Thus most or all will store as fat. If you are going to eat carbs, make it early in the day, and at night a baked potato at most. (before 6)

3. Eat small, but may times a day.

Your body will burn the bulk of what it is going to burn within about 2 to 3 hours after eating. If you body burns 350 calories in that time but you ate 600 guess what? But if you eat 300, then 300 again in a 2 or 3 hours, then it will be less likely to store up. If you eat 600 then wait 6 hours to eat, you will burn 300 store 300 then your body may use what it stored before you eat again. This is what most people do.

But if you don't store it, you don't have to lose it.

If you wanted the info, there it is. One thing is for sure, you can eat the things you want if you eat them at the right time. If you want to eat more, you have to build the machine to burn the additionl calories/carbs.

I lost 40 lbs in 2 years and weighed in at 170. Since then I have gained 10 lbs. of lean mass. I am now 180 and somewhere between 8 to 10% body fat. That is very lean for a 35 year old male. To gain muscle you would have to be VERY strict in your diet. And would need to speak to someone that is educated in those matters. Not just some musclehead at the gym, which is kinda what I am.

Good luck.

Dan

[BIG_DADDY]

Keg,

That metabolism is going to just keep getting slower too. I am 38 yrs. old 6'3" 230pds. with a 32" waist. I ran health clubs my entire life (until 3 yrs. ago) and was trainer for the high end clients. I can tell you that you are getting some good information in this thread. (especially from Dan) If you would like to give me a call sometime I will go over many thing that will help you, as well as products that will help too. It would take too long to type all the things that I would like to go over with you. Just send me a smoke signal if you are interested. Good luck

[Frazod]

I've pretty much devolved into a fat bastard over the years. I've gained 100 pounds since high school. I was bone thin back then.

I never played sports and outside of two months of bootcamp, never regularly exercised. I have a dusty treadmill that was probably used a grand total of 6 hours before it became a place to hang shirts ready for ironing.

I remember when I came out of bootcamp, I was in great shape - I didn't smoke yet, weighed 145, and could run all day. I wish the Navy had stressed physical fitness like other branches of the service do, but they really didn't stress it at all. I was well on my way to fat bastardness when I got out after six years.

Of course, ALL OF THIS IS MY FAULT. I smoke, I eat too much and I don't get enough exercise. I blame no one but me for my problems in this area - good old conservative responsibility in action.

When I move, I'll have no choice but to get more exercise, which is a good thing - I'll be walking a mile to the train station (each way) every day and then seven blocks from the train station to my office (each way). I have no doubt that I'll hate it, but if that doesn't take the weight off, nothing will. Mandatory exercise is the only thing that will work for me.

Plus, after I move, I really do plan to quit smoking - I don't want to turn walls I actually own yellow with cigarette smoke. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to it.

[hitman3283]

yo keg, theonly way to speed up your metabolism is to run, running in itself speed up your metabolism, and another big thing is to drink only water 50% of body fat is from water, so the more you drink the more you piss out, and the less you have , therefore helping you drop excess pounds. I work in a fitness center, and i have picked up these things from health food people. good luck.......oh and if you really want to loose weight try and i know thta snot that easy but try not to eat that fatnig foods too much. good luck