Weight Loss Challenge

[Pyrate81]

2-3 years ago I lost 116 pounds dropping my weight from 316 down to 200. Over the last 2 years I've gained half of that back(260 lbs on January 1st). Weighed in today at 252.5 lbs.

I am doing a weight loss challenge at work. I am the heaviest contestant and the youngest contestant. With my body type and a little bit of hard work I can easily drop 5 lbs on a weekly basis(I've done it before and if I push hard, dropping 8-10 lbs in 1 week is doable). I am not going for 8-10 lbs/week, I am shooting for 5 lbs a week. I've started transitioning my eating lifestyle(again) to a healthier version.

Eating is half the battle. The other half is getting up off my "fat, lazy" butt and go for the loss. Unfortunately I lack some ability to hold myself accountable for certain things or staying motivated. I ask the forums for support over the next 4+ weeks of the challenge and and beyond. I ask also for someone to be a person I can "answer to" through PM or text. For some reason I am better motivated to do a good job when disappointing someone else is a factor.


I'm also thinking this thread should be updated on a daily basis, the routine will help prevent slacking.

I start training tomorrow morning. Weigh in is every Friday.


Comments, questions, concerns?

[zach_24_90]

Don't feel like you have to starve yourself. eating 2x as much healthy, lean food to fuel your body is better than eating 25% of what you normally eat in "regular" food. I'm basically in the same situation. Got to college at 230 dropped to 175 and then I turned that magic 21 and drinking all the time three years later I'm at 250. Getting married in 8 months. Time to get to work.

[Archimedes]

You can text me. We'll motivate each other! =]

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Why tomorrow?? Go for a walk tonight after dinner.

"Tomorrow" is the word that got you here in the first place.

[PolishPython]

Ill tell you this my house (My wife , Brother and I) all started weight watchers online. The app I use really helps keep me motivated and I am down about 13lbs in 3 weeks. I seem to hit a plateau on the weekends because it is out of the norm from my usual work schedule/eating. It is a great tool if you can do it . It does cost I think $55 for the first 3 months then $18 after that(cancel any time). If you cant do that then if you want you can pm me and I can break some things down for you. You can eat wheatever you want just as long as you stay within your points. Its all about portion control and how you want your points. For example I was a big soda drinker but 1 can of soda is like 4 points (dont quote me could be more) I would rather save those points for food so I drink a lot of water and home made ice tea with sweet and low instead of sugar. Good luck

[Pyrate81]

Good input so far. Ty.

Why tomorrow?? Go for a walk tonight after dinner.

"Tomorrow" is the word that got you here in the first place.

Or so you think...

I like the attitude.

I will be taking the dog on an extended walk at some point this evening. It is somtheng I started doing over the last week or so. I'll be starting back on 3+ mile jogs in the morning. I had beer with lunch which is not condusive to a good workout for me after work.


I looked up endomorph, not sure if that is me per se but when larger, it does describe my largeness. My weight is heavily in the stomach and thigh region with noticeable face weight lost and gained. Body type may have been the wrong word/phrase. What I meant was that I'm able to burn fat and calories quickly given my weight and size. Larger bodies burn calories and fat easier than smaller bodies(in most cases).


I may start food journaling again as well which helped before. Depends on how well things go/start off. Using a written diary allows me to add things up and retain information better of what I have/haven't done.

It's not a matter of knowing what to do. It's a matter of doing it.

[JLC]

Why tomorrow?? Go for a walk tonight after dinner.

"Tomorrow" is the word that got you here in the first place.

Indeed. "Tomorrow" is my kryptonite!

It's not a matter of knowing what to do. It's a matter of doing it.

This is where I'm at, too. I know WHAT to do to lose weight, and even how to lose it relatively quickly for my age and all. But KNOWING it and DOING it are two completely different things. I AM doing it...just not as consistently and flawlessly as I'd like. But a journey walked with slow and sometimes stumbling steps is still a journey forward. A journey only dreamed about doesn't get you anywhere at all.

[vangarret2000]

Indeed. "Tomorrow" is my kryptonite .

There is actually a reason for that. I don't have enough time to write a thorough explanation but to try and sum it up:

We instinctively live in te present. Goes bak to cave man days, living day To day to survive. No "I'll do my hunting tomorrow." You need to eat today do you hunt today. That instinct is still some what in us. If present you doesn't want I diet you say future me will start dieting tomorrow. But then when tomorrow comes, present you is there and present you still doesn't want to diet so you say future you will start dieting next week. Then next week comes and there is no future you it's still present you and present you still doesn't want to diet. So on and so on. If you want to do something you have to start today to really make it work because future you will always be in the future not the present.
Does that make sense?

[Pyrate81]

^^ makes sense to me. Interesting "spin"(for lack of a better term) on it.

[JLC]

There is actually a reason for that. I don't have enough time to write a thorough explanation but to try and sum it up:

We instinctively live in te present. Goes bak to cave man days, living day To day to survive. No "I'll do my hunting tomorrow." You need to eat today do you hunt today. That instinct is still some what in us. If present you doesn't want I diet you say future me will start dieting tomorrow. But then when tomorrow comes, present you is there and present you still doesn't want to diet so you say future you will start dieting next week. Then next week comes and there is no future you it's still present you and present you still doesn't want to diet. So on and so on. If you want to do something you have to start today to really make it work because future you will always be in the future not the present.
Does that make sense?

It does make sense. And it's something I've been aware of in myself, if not considered in those exact terms.

One of my big challenges is that the "wanting" is inconsistent. There are some days (sometimes many many days in a row) where the thing (in this case, weight loss) is wanted very badly, and worked toward. And then something just switches off and an apathy settles in that brings on the curse of "tomorrow."

That apathy is probably THE BIGGEST enemy of my life. I can fight very hard when I care about something. But how do you fight for something you don't care enough about to fight for? It's insidious and it's the one thing I really haven't figured out how to conquer. I can grit my teeth and push through it, but it's like trying to slog through a tar pit. I can keep it up and come out the other side if it doesn't last too long...but if it does...the fight gets too tiring and I'm stuck dead in the tar until the "caring" finally comes back strong enough to pull myself out yet again.



Sorry....don't mean to hijack the thread or anything! It's just been a long while since I had any sort of public discussion about this, and writing stuff like this really helps me dig into my own thoughts and feelings in a way that doesn't happen when I stay inside my own head all the time.