(MORE!) Weight Loss

[Paul Bunyan]

Great job on setting a goal and believing in yourself. The hardest part is making the decision to commit..

You have to walk through hell to get to heaven..GREAT JOB

[tubbs]

this s a great thread and kudos to all who have the power to stick to a diet or totally change your eating habits. I guess I am on the lucky side of things, so far. I am 54, weigh 225, could use to loose 20 or so lbs, get under the 200's. I was at 200 to 210 for the longest time, just in the last few years have I shot up over the 220's, I drink diet coke like it going out of style, I don't read any labels or count calories, all I do when I get in the 220's like I am now, is just push away from the table after 1 plate. I don't finish things like the wife asks and I have a light snack later on in the evening. that seems to keep everything in control. had my physical in December and all the numbers were the best they have been in a long time, and they are GOOD numbers. so far this has kept my weight gain under some kind of control. I really need to work on my cardio....

again, God Bless you all that have the power to stick to it and shed the weight. take it from the people who posted, if your at a comfortable weight, but see that scale climbing a little every day, do something about it now before it gets harder and you have to take drastic measures!!

[Agent G]

this s a great thread and kudos to all who have the power to stick to a diet or totally change your eating habits. I guess I am on the lucky side of things, so far. I am 54, weigh 225, could use to loose 20 or so lbs, get under the 200's. I was at 200 to 210 for the longest time, just in the last few years have I shot up over the 220's, I drink diet coke like it going out of style, I don't read any labels or count calories, all I do when I get in the 220's like I am now, is just push away from the table after 1 plate. I don't finish things like the wife asks and I have a light snack later on in the evening. that seems to keep everything in control. had my physical in December and all the numbers were the best they have been in a long time, and they are GOOD numbers. so far this has kept my weight gain under some kind of control. I really need to work on my cardio....

again, God Bless you all that have the power to stick to it and shed the weight. take it from the people who posted, if your at a comfortable weight, but see that scale climbing a little every day, do something about it now before it gets harder and you have to take drastic measures!!

Al ditch the Diet Coke. I switched to flavored bottled water and am losing weight at a steady pace now. Before I stopped drinking the soda pop I could do everything right but just couldn't lose.

The other thing, walk. My knees are bad. all that abuse as a young'un caught up to me, so running is out of the question anymore. I take the dog and go on long walks in my neighborhood. We are in the foothills here so I get the benefit of inclines.

MrsG is a marathon runner from way back so I just listen to her.

G

[tubbs]

Al ditch the Diet Coke. I switched to flavored bottled water and am losing weight at a steady pace now. Before I stopped drinking the soda pop I could do everything right but just couldn't lose.

The other thing, walk. My knees are bad. all that abuse as a young'un caught up to me, so running is out of the question anymore. I take the dog and go on long walks in my neighborhood. We are in the foothills here so I get the benefit of inclines.

MrsG is a marathon runner from way back so I just listen to her.

G

I hear you, but that is my one crutch, love it, have 4 cans down by 9 AM. but them maybe 1 or 2 more the rest of the day. my knees are shot also but I will not admit it. I work out (yea, sounds funny) with my dog every morning. chase him around our 5 acres, don't like the cold though, that would help tremendously if I lived in a warmer weather climate year round. would help with my Psoriasis also. having that for 40+ years with the arthritis that goes with it really cuts down on the outdoor activity.

thanks for the advice, any houses for sale on your street?

[JTalmage]

Keep up the good work! I myself have found myself struggling w/ weight the past 5 years. I went from being 6' and 180lbs in a 34-36 waist pants to being 240lbs and in a size 40 waist pants. In just over 3 and a half years. Desk jobs are a killer!!!!!

I thought I had it under control in fall of 2010, and at the time I went from 230lbs down to 199, but then Thanksgiving and Christmas hit me back to back... and I fell off the wagon... theres just something about those christmas cookies!

I've yet to find the same motivation I had in 2010... I think it's something about also being nearly 4 years older... ugh. To think I'll only be 28 this year.

I'm not a fruit and veggie eater, cant stand them... but my Mt Dew and chicken sandwich breakfast is taking its toll... I'm the kind of person who cant get up in the morning very well so I have virtually no time to prepare breakfast and lunch for myself... so its gas station breakfast and fast food lunch... and its caught up to me. Starting with sciatic nerve pain on my left side... and knee issues... luckily blood pressure is good though.

I recently got a pretty nasty stomach bug thats going around and lost 10lbs overnight, and so I've been eating yogurt, granola bars, and... yes... an occasional apple (even though it tastes like grape!) and I've already cut down on a lot (but not all) of my pop drinking. the evening snacking is hard when I'm playing Grand Theft Auto online w/ my buddies.. but I'm working on it... plus.... beer... I like beer.

Anywho... I'm with ya... it sucks lol

Edited January 8, 2014 by JTalmage

[Ramfins59]

Congratulations Bill. Keep up the great work.

[Tom Geiger]

Congrats Bill! You will need to wear a nametag to shows this year because people will not recognize you!

[MrObsessive]

Congrats Bill! You will need to wear a nametag to shows this year because people will not recognize you!

:lol:

[ZTony8]

I've been lucky.I've been relatively slender most of my life.I'm 6'1",right now about 170 pounds(was at 165 but cheese puffs took care of that!).Heaviest I've ever been was 190,back when I was married.Being that weight was,for me,uncomfortable because most of it was at my waist.It was an effort to bend over to tie my shoelaces.

My weight loss was gradual and my weight would fluctuate over the years.Best part of this was that I mostly continued to eat what I always ate-I just ate less,started drinking flavored water,and cut down on the sugary pop and the amount of cheese puffs.Being physically active also helps-I live about 7 blocks from where I work so I walk to and from work every day,including lunch time,a totaI daily distance of 2 miles.

Harry,you bring up a good point about needing fewer calories as a person ages.I wonder if being encouraged to eat everything when a person is young and growing doesn't set up a behavior pattern that lasts into our later years and makes efforts to lose weight difficult ,especially for those with lower metabolisms.

I tell people that I shed 250 pounds once.When they ask how I say "Divorced the wife!"

Edited January 17, 2014 by ZTony8

[FASTBACK340]

I tell people that I shed 250 pounds once.When they ask how I say "Divorced the wife!"

And I joke about gaining back 115lbs. in one-shot when I got married 11 yrs. ago!

Edited January 17, 2014 by FASTBACK340

[Danno]

Best I've ever done was lose 6 pounds in 15 minutes.

Weighed in at doctor's office and couldn't believe the amount the nurse announced. Went directly home afterward and weighed in again. Six pounds gone!

[High octane]

Congrats Bill as you made a great accomplishment. And yes you are a nice guy as I've talked to you a couple of times at the Toledo shows when they were held in Maumee. I really liked it when you showed me your roll up windows, just awesome! I almost missed the Milwaukee NNL last year as I was so sick, I thought that I'd have to have my wife take me to the ER and surgery would be in order. I did have it checked out the next day and was told to go on a "bland" diet. Whew, had me scared. I did change my ways as far as eating habits and cut back on a lot of junk food and fried foods as well. I still cheat occasionally, but I really feel better and no more pains.

[Ron Hamilton]

John Agugliaro's Barracuda build turned into an interesting discussion about weight loss. Those of you that have known me for some time know that I was a BIG BOY!! I hit an all time high weight of 330 lbs sometime around springtime of '09 and that's when I had a number of health scares that made me really take notice of how I looked, and more importantly, how I was feeling.

One of those health scares was a recurring numbness in the left side of my left foot. Now, diabetes runs rampant on BOTH side of my family, and one that had me worried as didn't want to fall into the trap of taking insulin, worrying about worsening foot troubles with possible amputation of toes, limbs, etc.

Not to mention, I was always having headaches, backaches, knee troubles, high blood pressure, and the list goes on.

Well, I clamped down and made first and foremost a complete change in what I was eating. No more fried stuff everyday, cut waaaaaay back on the dairy (I was drinking a gallon of milk every couple days), cut way back on the starches, and started eating strictly single ingredient foods, and shunned (still do) packaged and boxed stuff.

I do have a weekly "cheat day" which for the better part of the day before nightfall, I'll have pretty much anything I want within reason. I might have pancakes for breakfast, chocolate chip cookies for a snack, fried chicken for dinner with a baked potato, and for dessert maybe a slice of cheesecake with ice cream. Yesterday was the cheat day, so today it's back to normal-------and I don't want to see any of that stuff until the next cheat day which is usually Saturday's.

At 330 lbs and 6' 2" I was wearing a size 50 in pants and 3X shirts, and was busting out of those! I'm now down to 238-240, and wearing size 38-40 pants and a regular large shirt (XL's are too big).

OK, here's some pics for you............enjoy!

Here I am at the October '08 Toledo show........I don't remember the name of the fellow I was talking to. Needless to say, I would NEVER come outside shirtless!

A couple more pics from that show.....................

And here's how I am today...................

Please excuse the messy model room.........also I'm a nice guy so excuse the scowl as I have to take off the glasses to minimize the glare------I don't see well without them!

.............And yes, I do wear shorts in the house despite it being super cold outside!

BTW, I'm 52 years old, and it's never too late to do something about your health! It CAN be done------just find what works for you and keep at it! For me, this will be a life long battle among other things. I have to watch whenever I go grocery shopping, and I am an avid label reader! If there's certain ingredients that are on those labels.........back on the shelf it goes.

I'm a big believer also in the all natural approach to weight lifting/dieting. No drugs, pills, injections or any of that stuff. I think it does more harm than good in the long run.

Thanks for looking------comments and questions are most welcome!

You look great Bill. I have to do the same, so we can be confused with each other again. (lol!!!!!)

[MrObsessive]

OK, I got curious and stepped on the scale at work yesterday------I knew I had lost more weight but wasn't sure how much. The scale read 220 lbs, and that's down from the low 240's since the last time I made a post on this. I'm sure I'm about at the limit, but I'd like to see how things look if I lost another 5-8 lbs.

Here are a few pics I took this morning...........

Yeah, I had to do THAT pose!

The shorts I'm wearing are a size 40 and they're too big..........a couple years ago when I took those other pics you see, they were still pretty tight. I can get into a 38 very comfortably (some are too big), and probably into a 36 depending on the pants/manufacturer.

Nevertheless, the battle never ends nor will it ever end for me. Unfortunately, fat runs in the family but I've zeroed in on what puts the weight on (and keeps it there) and what works for me in taking/keeping it off. Now this being Saturday, it's another "cheat day" for me, so I'll indulge in some chocolate/peanut butter ice cream with a coupla three cookies later on. Then tomorrow it's back to normal for me as I don't wanna see that stuff till the next weekend.  

As I've mentioned before, for those of you who struggle with weight, I can certainly empathize as every situation is different, and not everything works for everyone. The key is to not give up, and to keep at it!

Thanks for lookin' folks!

[crazyjim]

You're wasting away to nothing Bill.  Keep up the fantastic work on your health.

[vamach1]

That's an amazing transformation and Mr. T would be envious of those guns.  Hats off to you and keep it going.  God Bless.

[Harry P.]

Geez, Bill... do you even still cast a shadow?

Seriously though... nice work. You should be proud of yourself. It takes a lot of self-discipline to do what you have done.

[blunc]

I have to agree with Harry on this, self discipline seems to be the key for me also...

that and sucky 12 hour night shifts.

being old...er adds to the problem due to reduced metabolism unless a person remains very active.

[Rob Hall]

My weight loss has been pretty small...I'm 45 and have managed to take off 25 pounds in the last year (from 250 down to 225)...want to take off another 25 pounds.  I credit it to eating better and walking a lot more (using Fitbit to track my steps).  A buddy of mine by working w a doctor and sticking to a controlled diet took off 185 pounds in about 10 months last year...pretty amazing.

[MrObsessive]

Actually Rob, that's pretty good! It's always best to lose the weight gradually over time (1-1½ lbs per week) than to try and lose a great deal in a short time. The weight didn't pile on overnight, and overnight is not how it's going to go and stay away. 

I've been reading some very interesting stories recently about the people who were contestants on "The Biggest Loser" and how most if not all of them have gained their weight back and then some! It's sad, but one has to make their changes part of their daily routine, and for me it's that I have to be ever watching what I buy at the grocery store.

'Cuz if it ain't in the house, I can't eat it!

Where I work we have an in-house Doctor and clinic. Back in February, I decided to pay her a visit to get some tests done, and this helps us out as we get a discount on our health insurance by doing so. I mentioned to her that I'd like to lose another 10-15 lbs or so, and while she didn't give me a "diet" per se, she gave me a calorie count which was around 2,180 calories per day.

Well, I happen to have an app on my phone (MyFitnessPal) which had those near exact calories listed per day! So, it was just a matter of me being more patient and following through, and letting time do its thing. 

I don't really count calories as strictly as I used to anymore..............I can tell by the type of food, and the portion sizes when enough's enough. There are some things I just don't flat out like anymore (greasy fried stuff).........probably because I've gotten away from eating that on a regular basis for so long.

True Story:

When I was at the Mid Atlantic NNL a month ago, before the show was over I decided to stop at the local McDonald's and "treat" myself since it was a Saturday, and it had been a long time since I had been to a McDonald's. What I got was their Chicken McNuggets "meal" along with fries and a soda. I believe the McNuggets was a 10 piece and the fries a "regular" size. I could only eat three of the nuggets and half the fries before I couldn't stand the way it tasted and I threw the rest of it out!  It tasted that bad to me that I literally threw over half of it away-----including the soda!

I guess I've gotten spoiled to how I fix food, and I suppose I've been "trained" to eating a certain way now that it's a good thing. 

I still like the occasional dark chocolate chip cookies though!  

[Tom Geiger]

Wow Bill!  You now weigh less than I do!  Pretty soon you will need to carry around a cinder block to avoid blowing away!    

[Rob Hall]

Yeah, it took me about 15 years to go from 185 to 250.  If I can get back under 200 before I'm 50, I'll be happy... I've tried to cut out fast food, overly processed food and sodas.  Eating more salads and trying to eat healthy snacks.  Since my work involves spending hours sitting in front of a computer, the tendency to snack on junk food has always been strong.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Rob Hall

[Oldmodelmaker]

Bill congrats on the transformation. You look fantastic.

[DaveM]

I needed to see this thread.  There's a reason I don't have pictures of myself on the 'net.  I ended up gaining about 75 lbs in the last three years.  I left a fairly physical job to take care of a relative 24/7.  Now, I can sit around and eat all I want and I don't really exercise.  I tend to do a lot of small things every day, like laundry, cleaning, personal care, transfering, driving my Mother to appointments and the like.  It keeps me busy and tired out, but I don't really burn off any more calories than I would on my lunch break at my old job.  I am currently 308 lbs.  I probably need to get back down to about 210 to really be happy.  I have had a couple of scary health issues the last couple of years, so it's time to take care of my weight while I still can.  I have reactive hypoglycemia, which is often a precursor to diabetes.  I have some cardiac issues from a combination of too much weight, cholesterol and high blood pressure.  Worse yet, I have a kidney issue which threatens to put me into renal failure at any time.  The most obvious solution is to lose weight and put less strain on my heart, pancreas and kidney.  (Yep, I only have one of those, now.)   I just got back from a pretty grim appointment with my Doctor this week, and I need to turn things around pretty deliberately. 

My biggest obstacle is the fact that I take care of somebody 24/7.  I can't get to the gym, or anything like that.  I was never a gym person anyways.  I would rather hop on my mountain bike and race up some hills, or take a long, fast walk.  (I think if I went running in my current state, something would fall off!)  I tried just spending an hour up on my feet, working with dumbells a few weeks back, but the activity made her too nervous.  I pretty much have to stay quiet and watch her.  Even doing housework, watching TV, or talking on the phone tends to upset her a bit.  During the day, we seem to be able to tolerate a bit more activity, but I am too busy getting things done to exercise.  I may try going just outside the room to work out a bit, but I need to be in direct contact and ready to jump if she needs help.  

I see what you mean about the grocery shopping.  I buy dessert for the week, and it's gone by Wednesday!  I probably won't do the cheat day myself, as that would mean having bad things in the house.  I have to cook low fat- sodium free for my Mother.  I think I'll start cooking that way for both of us.  

Thanks for the inspiration.  Here I go!

[Harry P.]

How ironic is it that everything that tastes delicious is bad for you, and everything that's good for you tastes like you're eating your lawn?

What a cruel joke God is playing on us...