I had a high metabolism until my mid 20's. I'm about 5'9" and 175 was my ideal weight. Sadly in the last year because of some life changes, I have ballooned up near 200 lbs!
I felt like shit, tired, etc.
Any time I was hungry I hit up a drive thru. I ate takeout all the damn time.
The shirts that fit me a year ago now look as if they are hanging on for dear life and the button might pop off and take out an eye.
I also drank lots, having up to a 5th of bourbon over a week or even a weekend.

Well I haven't given up on drinking completely but i have cut back to 2 beers in the last week. I have been on my Concept 2 rower until I am sweating in places I didn't know I could.
I have been making protein smoothies for meals, watching what I eat, consuming smaller portions.

In the last couple weeks I have gone from 195 peak to about 188. And I feel much better. I'm hoping to be down into the 175 range by October.

I think the biggest help has been the rowing machine (I've put over 2.3 million meters on it since I got it, woooo) which really makes me sweat, cutting out the booze, smaller meals of better quality.

I haven't visited a food drive thru in 2 weeks, which is a strange departure from my a few times in a week habit.

I really, really want to have a drink, I miss getting buzzed on Bulleit.
But i'm going to power through this.

Good for you.

I'm waiting for inspiration to do the same thing.

I know how you feel. Right before I had cancer in 2003, I had almost gotten to 195 lbs, and I am small framed. It was all in my gut.

After going through all the chemo, radiation, etc, I weighed 110. I am 5'9" tall.

Gradually I have gained back, right now I am 170.

I feel so much better when I am in the 155-165 weight range. I am not eating as much,and stay very , very active, but not losing weight.

Good luck to you, I know your struggle.

Keep it up. I just went through a major weight loss(155lbs) and I found the diet is more important than the excercise. You can't excercise enough to compensate for a bad diet. Good luck to you in making your goal, do what works for you.

Losing weight, and keeping it off, means a lifestyle change. Unfortunately, you're not "done" when you like the numbers that are on the scale. You need to continue doing what got you there in order to stay there.

A little over a year ago, I was over 210lbs. At 5'10", I was feeling lousy and the weight that had gradually piled up was starting to take its toll. The beginnings of sleep apnea, acid reflux, and generally feeling like crap. I was so badly out of shape that I couldn't handle much more than a flight of stairs.

Clothes weren't fitting any more, and I really wasn't liking how I looked.

In my case, alcohol wasn't much of an issue. I rarely drink. But, I like food. No, I love food. I could dial back portions, but an extended diet wasn't going to work. I'd eventually stop dieting and be back where I started.

So, one day, I stepped outside and went running. Sort of. I shuffled, coughed, wheezed, and stumbled my way through a couple miles. I did it again the next day, and the day after that, and again, and again. The distance got longer, and I got stronger and faster. I started dropping weight. Five pounds came off within two weeks. Five more came off within another month. Then I'd lose one or two pounds a week, consistently, for the about the next 3 months. After dropping almost 25 pounds, my weight leveled off. But, I kept on running.

I started doing races - 5ks, 10ks, a half marathon.

I now run about 35-40 miles a week now. I listen to podcasts and audiobooks as I pound pavement. And I eat pretty much whatever I feel like! Sort of. No fast food and crap, but real food.

No more acid reflux, I sleep so much better. The time I spend unplugged and listening to books is a great way to recharge my mental batteries. Clothes that were too tight are now too loose.

For me, adopting a cardio workout is the only thing that could work. I stopped soda a long time ago. And I stay away from other sources of sugar as best I can. I sneak a cookie here and there, but I try not to keep bad stuff in the house.

With my daily runs burning 1000+ calories (depending on the day, I'll typically run between 7-10 miles per day now), I can eat real food - actually I need to eat pretty well in order to make it through the runs.

So, if you like the rowing, and you can keep with it, then that's your cornerstone. Make it part of your daily routine. Avoid fast food, avoid alcohol and sugary drinks. When you start working out hard, you'll start needing to eat in such a way to fuel your workout. Try to get there - to that level. Sure, that's a diet, but it's more like eating the "right" stuff over junk food, instead of existing on wheat grass juice and kale salad each day, every day.

For me, it took almost a year to finally reach the point where this is now natural and "easy."

Good luck, stay with it, put in the work, and reap the benefits. You'll be so glad you did it.

One of the exercises we did in a Dietetics & Metabolism class, was to familiarize with the straight calories in various foods. It took a while but we each established a WAG 'yearly dietary intake' from meals.

Then we were assigned various hypothetical calorie intake scenarios.

I was amazed to learn my theoretical beer calorie intake was nearly equal to my food intake for the previous 4 years.

Further astonishment came in calculating that according to the amount of extra fat I was packing around, I could have existed on either my beer or my burgers, but not both (!) and been considerably thinner.

That class was quite an education.

Congrats! Nice job on the rower. How long you had it?

If you get bored with the rower, try road cycling.
I'm a rider, but eat what I want whenever I want. I'm about to really watch my intake and see how fast I can lose about 40.

The last time I did it, the weight just fell off, to the point of it feeling like too much too fast.

Congrats. You are on the right path. I've lost another 25 lbs on my journey to my kick ass weight.

Congrats and good luck!

Try to make protein the major part of your meals.

Less carbs and more water. Obviously try to eliminate as much as possible snacks and booze.

In terms of workouts - try to focus more on strength (weights) / less on endurance (long running).

It's worth it! Your mental outlook is definitely tied to your physical condition.

---------------------------------

205# was my top, BP 145/95 ... eventually I got into the lower 190s and BP manageable.

In May a customer poked fun at my developing chest and gut so I cranked it up. Weights, sit-ups, and mostly a raw food diet. Occasional hoagie or burger. Nearly no fries or chips. Had a cheese steak Monday on a job, the first in two years; chef made it for me perfectly; steak, cheese, pepper, on a scooped roll, toasted.

This morning I was 178; have not yet broken 176, and without cardio, it probably will not happen.

No real cravings for beer; ice cream, cookies, Twix bars, things like that. I substitute with peanut butter on toast open-face with cinnamon sugar on top. Or a couple grapefruit, sectioned. Worse case scenario, baked beans drenched in maple syrup.

That much alcohol and fast food will do it, especially when you're not getting exercise.

It's good to hear that things are on the upswing.

Do try to cut out the fast food, and if you're going to drink - drinking less whiskey is better than some equivalent amount of beer, beer often has 1.5x more calories than an equivalent amount of whiskey (a shot versus a 12oz beer, for instance).

Good to hear your keeping positive and focused. I will share my story in hopes it helps you with your goal.

A year ago I was 45 yo, 6'1" and 265, clearly overweight. My knees, hips and back where getting to the point that I hurt all the time. Well my wife is a marathon runner and has been working with a trainer for 18 months. I decided it was time to do something. I started by cutting high fructose corn syrup out of my diet. that helped drop 7-10 pounds, but not enough. So then it was time to see my wife's trainer! She evaluated me and made some recommendations. (Here is where to pay attention) First recommendation, exercise 4-5 days a week. even 20 minutes a day. As time goes on you will want more and more. Second, cut all un natural sugars out of your diet. THIS TOTALLY SUCKED, I love it in my coffee, cake and those damn gummy bears. for 10 days it was like I was a junkie trying to kick my habit. At least I guess thats what it feels like. once I was started she recommended the diet change. Portioned protein 3 times day along with the right vegetables, fats and prescribed carbs. 2 snacks mid morning and early afternoon, I prefer nuts or fruits. Protein. shakes are a great afternoon filler.

To be transparent, I did cut all the beer out of my diet for almost 60 days. I will have a vodka and soda or a occasional beer with dinner but nothing like before.

Ok as of today I am running between 212-216 pounds and I have become a bit of a gym junkie. At my height and body type I still am not done, I need to be around 200#. So back to the Knees, hips and back. They feel pretty damn good. My free testosterone is up naturally making me feel better and my moods better. more energy and stamina than when I was in my early 20's.

Well after my rambling point is it is possible. if interested I would gladly share my diet regime. Go get iT.

Shawn

revision: I forgot about the water, Lots of water!

If I could kick my cravings for sweets I'd be set.

quote:

Originally posted by Leemur:
If I could kick my cravings for sweets I'd be set.

Amen, I substitute my sweets cravings with Almonds or pistachios.

Congratulations. Keep up the good work you will get there.
I am currently down 22Lbs in the last 9 weeks with 8Lbs to go.
I am 6'4" and had maintained 215Lbs to 220Lbs since August of 2004 after loosing over 65Lbs. Around December of 2016 I let my self go and gained 30Lbs so In June of this year I got back on plan. So far so good.

-2 boiled eggs in the morning
-chicken breast with broccoli for lunch
-chicken breast with broccoli for dinner
-only water no other liquids
-30-45 minute workout four times a week using only body weight.
-allow one cheat day every other week.

Simple.

Lean out and strengthen while increasing endurance.

Do this for 8 weeks and you will be amazed by the transformation.

Sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup as mentioned above) and carbs (which get turned into sugar) are your enemy. And exercise is your friend. I started running regularly about 12 years ago when my doc tried to push the blood pressure meds on me. Now running is my prescription. Lately, I've been running more and farther (out of work for ~2 months from a desk job) and I've lost about 10 pounds.

Keep it up -- it gets easier as it becomes a routine.

One night in January 2016 I couldn't sleep. I watched a documentary called That Sugar Film on Netflix or Amazon Prime, I don't recall which.

I turned it on to fall asleep and ended up staying up waaaaay later than I expected. Not only did I watch the entire film, I googled what it presented for a couple hours after it ended.

Long story short, as has been mentioned, refined sugar and simple carbs are making America fat.

IMO, being fat is a choice, pure and simple. Stop eating refined sugars and simple carbs and you won't be fat.

Also IMO, sugar and carbs are addictive. I literally went through a withdraw period cutting them out of my diet. The first couple weeks was brutal! After a couple months, it got much much easier.

I turn 40 in a couple months and I'm in the best shape of my life and I feel terrific. I was never fat, but never super lean/ripped either.

I was a 36" wasit, 6'1" 227 pounds. 18 months later I'm a 32" waist and 190 pounds. I still workout, but the food was the only thing I changed.

I can't say enough good things about cutting refined sugar and simple carbs. My blood work is impeccable and feel so much better.

I highly recommend everyone watch that documentary and decide not to be fat, you'll be grateful you did.

quote:

Originally posted by esdunbar:
One night in January 2016 I couldn't sleep. I watched a documentary called That Sugar Film on Netflix or Amazon Prime, I don't recall which.

I turned it on to fall asleep and ended up staying up waaaaay later than I expected. Not only did I watch the entire film, I googled what it presented for a couple hours after it ended.

Long story short, as has been mentioned, refined sugar and simple carbs are making America fat.

IMO, being fat is a choice, pure and simple. Stop eating refined sugars and simple carbs and you won't be fat.

Also IMO, sugar and carbs are addictive. I literally went through a withdraw period cutting them out of my diet. The first couple weeks was brutal! After a couple months, it got much much easier.

I turn 40 in a couple months and I'm in the best shape of my life and I feel terrific. I was never fat, but never super lean/ripped either.

I was a 36" wasit, 6'1" 227 pounds. 18 months later I'm a 32" waist and 190 pounds. I still workout, but the food was the only thing I changed.

I can't say enough good things about cutting refined sugar and simple carbs. My blood work is impeccable and feel so much better.

I highly recommend everyone watch that documentary and decide not to be fat, you'll be grateful you did.

Decent watch, I caught it on Amazon Prime.