The '2008 is my year to lose weight!' thread

Ok here is an update

Going back to work full time has messed up my eating and work out habits during the month of September.

Eating 6 times a day is out of the question. M-F I barely get 3-4 meals, 3 at the most.

Sat and Sun I am ok with work out and eating.

This is how it's working out with work.

-M,W,F: I get NO BREAK until 12:30pm and that's only 1 30 minute break.
Those days I eat a large breakfast and a fair sized lunch.

-T,R: I have an hour break from 8:30-9:30, then a 90 minute break from 12:30-2pm.
Those days I eat a light breakfast and a light lunch.

Light breakfast would be raise brand or other cereal with NO Sugar and milk.
Light lunch would be one of those Cambel's microwavable soup (tomato soup.).

Large breakfast would be a turkey egg omelet (2 eggs, with about 3-4 slices of turkey) sandwich with either water, milk or OJ.
Large lunch would be those small microwavable lunch meals (turkey and MP, Ravioli, etc).

Already I have noticed my body not liking going off the 6 meal mode I set it at as I already feel dizzy, headache, temporary loss of focus, jolts, or even bumping into things in the lab. I have spoke to my boss about this and she's cool with letting me go take a quick 10 minute break every 3-4 hrs.

Break snack would be either snickers, fuit/bran bar, or other granola bar from target.

I have also snacked on those gold fish (cheese).

Suggestions?
 
[quote name='EDiddy0042']cottage cheese and oatmeal. not seeing many fruits and vegetables on there either.[/quote]


Oatmeal I can do in the morning. Yea I need more veggies.
 
wow... how everyone dropped off the face of the workout world...lol...Another 5k saturday, much closer to home... some Red Sox former player is supposed to be there, guess I can bring my cap with me to get signed...

Will attempt to run 14 miles on sunday as I transition to much longer runs for the marathon, ran an easy 10 miles in a 7:45 pace yesterday... weather was perfect, starting to take along hard candy for these long runs as well as have sport drinks by my car... I dont want to have happen to me on a 26 mile run what I had in a half marathon... leg cramps at the very end... in all fairness, all they had at that run was water... at the marathon Im running they said fluid stations will have water, gatorade, bananas, and hard candy... Ill still load up on sodium and potassium the way I will with carbs for this race

BTW... officially finished 5th out of about 240 runners last saturday... Im happy...top tens were once never possible by me
 
I've had several really bad swollen lymph nodes under my arm from an infection i got in my hand from a tiny cut, so i haven't been able to lift weights at all since i school started back. As of now almost all of the swelling is gone, the pain when moving it is gone so i can lift again. Now i have to get back into a routine.

This week I hit the gym twice, plus the twice that i had to go for my weight lifting class. I didn't do a whole lot because i wanted to see how the whole lymph node situation would act towards me lifting again, as i tried lifting a few weeks ago which resulted in pain and more swelling.

But this week went well and it felt really good to get back in the gym and lift. I've been doing nothing but legs since i've been hurt, and like most people thats what i hate most about lifting so being able to do some upper body again felt good.
 
Oh I'm still working out...and running just not as much and haven't hit any races...gas prices, college football, etc...but i'm seeing gains at the gym. arms are starting to look pretty good and noticing some definition in the chest. will probably use some of the winter months to bulk since i won't be able to get as many miles in as the summer.
 
[quote name='specialk']Oh I'm still working out...and running just not as much and haven't hit any races...gas prices, college football, etc...but i'm seeing gains at the gym. arms are starting to look pretty good and noticing some definition in the chest. will probably use some of the winter months to bulk since i won't be able to get as many miles in as the summer.[/QUOTE]

Its much better to run in the winter than it is in the summer... I dont run outside as much in the summer unless it is very very early... take advantage of the cool weather... there is a reason we have more races here now than during the summer
 
[quote name='zman73']Its much better to run in the winter than it is in the summer... I dont run outside as much in the summer unless it is very very early... take advantage of the cool weather... there is a reason we have more races here now than during the summer[/QUOTE]

Oh I know...I actually ran last night. And I'm still gonna run when I can but my job picks up in the fall so it doesn't allow me as much free time as I had during the summer. I went a few days last week without running and I started to get stir crazy, which is good because I think that will keep me honest in wanting to run.
 
5k this morning... finished 4th out of 210 runners... kinda nice to be near the top.... 19:39 official time... first place in my age group which was pretty cool considering there were 4 guys in the top 9 from my age group
 
good job Zman!

Anyways in another 2 weeks it will be 90 days since I started working out.

So far this is what I have seen as a result.

Bigger calves

Thieghs seem less fatty :|

Upper chest seems to be a bit firmer and wider.

man boobs getting a bit smaller


Upper back seems more firmer

Lower back seems more firmer.

Both arms seem to get a bit firmer/bigger

belly seems to still be big, stays big even after a meal :( ack.

Starting to fit BACK into some of my other pants!

Button shirts I wore for work seem to be more spacey than before!
 
I was at 247 yesterday morning, only 7 lbs away from my goal. Almost time to set a new one.
I hurt my lower back last week though, so I haven't been able to run or do some lifts (squats or deadlift).
Keep up the good work everyone.
 
Some of us (myself included) are trying to gain or at least hold firm to our weights, while keeping in shape... not surprised to see so many people slow down or quit on their workout routines... It is hard as hell for me, thats why I have to have a tangible goal to work for... in this case its running a marathon... its very easy to get off track for whatever reason, I feel guilty if I miss a day I was planning on working out on

I have to eat so much just to break even, not Michael Phelps type caloric intake, but I burned over 2000 calories in under two hours today (15 mile rum), granted I consumed a sports drink, some jolly ranchers, and squeeze candy to keep the calories coming, but the amount I consumed was at best 500 calories... good thing was I didnt get any cramps like I didnt in the 13.1 mile half marathon I ran last year... realizing Ill need to load up on potassium and sodium was well as carbs before any long run... and I sure as hell will take advantage of the snacks and drinks along the course during this run... will add a couple miles to this long run (which is ran on sunday mornings when NOTHING is going on and I can enjoy the quiet) every week until I get to about a 25 mile practice run a few weeks before the marathon... that will take me up to 3 1/2 hours of non stop running... glad I have an ipod
 
Someone on here had recommended the Abs Diet book a little while back, I think...I picked it up before my business trip last week and I've been reading it.

There's a lot of really good info in it...especially with regards to the "superfoods" and incorporating them into your meals. Lots of tips for revving up your metabolism so you can burn more fat at rest, too.

I did Fatkins a few years back and, while I lost weight on it, the program really left me at a loss on how to eat. I don't fucking know what's good for me anymore. This book has helped a lot...I'd definitely recommend it.
 
19:22 this morning in a humid 5k run... only good for 3rd in age group and twentieth overall... but it was my second best 5k ever and I improved upon last weeks time by 17 seconds

I ran this race last year (my first race in years) in 20:58... hopefully I can continue to improve
 
I've been hovering around 195-200 this past month. However, I think I gained 5 pounds of muscle.

I always mix up cardio and weight training during my time in the gym. Also, I don't eat more than 1000-1200 calories daily.

Should I keep doing what I'm doing and don't care about losing weight but looking good and healthy?
 
[quote name='vlv723']I've been hovering around 195-200 this past month. However, I think I gained 5 pounds of muscle.

I always mix up cardio and weight training during my time in the gym. Also, I don't eat more than 1000-1200 calories daily.

Should I keep doing what I'm doing and don't care about losing weight but looking good and healthy?[/QUOTE]

If you are replacing fat with muscle, that is always a good thing, you might want to eventually up your caloric intake.... I did a search and found out with my lifestyle, I needed about 3500 calories a day to break even with my active lifestyle (ran 17.5 miles today)... I have to consume sports drinks and candy and other goodies WHILE I run... right now im doing about 90% cardio to prepare for 26.2 miles, once it is over, I will introduce a lot more weights back into my routine while keeping up a running schedule that would allow me to do a couple half marathons over the following months
 
[quote name='zman73']If you are replacing fat with muscle, that is always a good thing, you might want to eventually up your caloric intake.... I did a search and found out with my lifestyle, I needed about 3500 calories a day to break even with my active lifestyle (ran 17.5 miles today)... I have to consume sports drinks and candy and other goodies WHILE I run... right now im doing about 90% cardio to prepare for 26.2 miles, once it is over, I will introduce a lot more weights back into my routine while keeping up a running schedule that would allow me to do a couple half marathons over the following months[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure about the calorie intake. I'm mixing both weight loss and muscle. Realistically, my goal is to hit 160 lbs and then build muscle from there. According to the BMI, I should be at least 140 lbs. to be just below the overweight level. (Or 24 point something BMI)

Friends and family who saw me recently were impressed how much I lost but I still need to keep going. I feel guilty the last 2 nights because I had Taco Bell and Burger King, respectively. (I had intake about 500-600 calories prior to those "forthmeals")

I didn't miss a gym session this week. Today was my lower body weight training and then tomorrow is the upper body, along with 30 minutes cardio before and 15 minutes after.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
wow... this thread sure came to a screeching halt... my marathon training is still progressing as planned... about 5 1/2 weeks from the big day... gonna get my wife to participate in the 5k, so at least the better part of the first hour she will not be bored
 
I'm keeping my weight steady now, which is a surprise to me because I've been taking creatine and haven't hit the cardio I did in the summer (I know, I know, but work's been busy and Saturdays I have season tix to Vandy games so it's been awhile since I raced) So I think I'm going to try and get some muscle mass and definition this winter. How's everyone else doing?

And Z, definitely wishing you luck in the marathon...I'm looking at a half in March.
 
Ugh. I took about 3 weeks off from the gym due to car trouble and sheer laziness. I've been going this week but what I really hate is everyone asking "where have you been?" like I've committed a crime or something. I also hate the fact that I've gained at least 5lbs. in the last month and I have to go through being semi-sore. Times like this reminds me why it's never a good idea to take a break for longer than a week at a time... It will take me until Christmas to get beck to where I was a month ago - so annoying.
 
I've been making some good progress it seems. Started actively trying to lose some weight back in August. I was at about 225 then , and now I seem to be sitting at around 205. Wanna try to get to at least get under 200 by the end of the year , if not a bit lower.

Question , what's a good way to build leg strength? Squats?
 
[quote name='specialk']I'm keeping my weight steady now, which is a surprise to me because I've been taking creatine and haven't hit the cardio I did in the summer (I know, I know, but work's been busy and Saturdays I have season tix to Vandy games so it's been awhile since I raced) So I think I'm going to try and get some muscle mass and definition this winter. How's everyone else doing?

And Z, definitely wishing you luck in the marathon...I'm looking at a half in March.[/QUOTE]

The sense of accomplishment you get from crossing that finish line after a long race is like nothing else... I didn't prepare myself like I should have diet wise before the run and a half mile from finishing had horrid leg cramps... I took gels during the run, but would have been better served during and before racing loading up on potassium and sodium... Luckily my marathon will have sports drinks, bananas and other goodies every 2 miles... I will be over cautious and will eat much more beforehand. I will probably run a half a couple weeks after the marathon and then call it a year for racing... I'm refraining from any more races the days before my long runs, but after this weeks 20 and next weeks 23... I taper off to recoup before the big race so I could run a race before, there is a ten miler the week before the marathon, but I'll probably skip it
 
[quote name='StarKnightX']I've been making some good progress it seems. Started actively trying to lose some weight back in August. I was at about 225 then , and now I seem to be sitting at around 205. Wanna try to get to at least get under 200 by the end of the year , if not a bit lower.

Question , what's a good way to build leg strength? Squats?[/quote]

Squats, front squats, lunges, leg press. Aim for 6-8 reps for strength. Don't try doing all of these moves in one workout either. It won't turn out well at all.
 
Just saw this thread and wanted to wish you guys luck! In January of this year I joined a "Biggest Loser" contest at work. I started at 230 and when the contest ended in March I was 190. So far I've kept the weight off and am quite happy about it. My exercise was walking! About 4 miles/day, 5 days/week. That and portion control are what did it. Keep it up everyone.
 
Zman - What kind of weight training to do you do? I found when I was running that I had pretty much hit the proverbial wall on gains and what not. I haven't ran as much and found that my arms are a little bigger (duh, less fat being burned) but I was wondering if there was a nice balance of having muscle and still running. During the summer everyone said I should focus on one or the other. I would hear running would tear down any muscle built and muscle would slow me down running.
 
When I had started back at the gym, I was just going for appearance, heavier weights and so forth, Ive read alot about weight training for runners emphasizing lower weight higher reps... so when I actually do weights, thats how I do it... my knees make certain items like leg extensions difficult... since Im marathon training, I dont see any gain in size at all... there is a balance to be had, but Im sure im not there with my little stick legs lol...

Summer, there is generally less races so I do more weights.. after this run in a month, Im going to up my weight training... its just very hard for me to gain weight... my weight training is very sparse now, as I am bored with the gym and love running outdoors... for my legs I try to run alot of hills and when at the gym, do alot of cross training

Had the "Perfect" run this evening... 8.5 miles, hilly route... didnt tire... temps in the low 60's to upper 50's... most importantly , it didnt hurt one bit in my knees... I felt like I had new knees, I rarely smile during an entire run... but it was so easy... it was better than the 18.5 miler I ran sunday (I was trying for 20 and couldnt do it)... that good feeling you get from running? I had it the entire hour, I had to text my hot running buddy to tell her all about it
 
finally back to lifting everyday. I stopped lifting when i went home for the summer so starting back going to the gym everyday was hard when i came back to school.

What really sucked was realizing i'm not as strong as i was when i left for the summer. Struggling to lift what you would normally have easily done a few months prior is no fun.

This semester is going to be alot better than last though as i have a much healthier diet. Last semester i got pretty big (for me), as i got up to about 165lbs at my weights peak. When i came back from the summer of no working out and alot of sweating i was weighting 140-145 :(

Last semester i was taking creatine before working out, 3 protein shakes throughout the day afterwards, plus NOS pills, 2 hamburgers for lunch, and a whole medium hand tossed pepperoni pizza from dominoes for supper.

While it all tasted great, it wasn't looking great. I did get alot bigger but had no definition etc.


This semester i've been buying groceries instead of eating out. Yogurt, turkey breast sandwiches, etc and no protein shakes.

When i first came back i was struggling to get 2 sets of 165lbs on bench. I started taking creatine again and the next time i was at the gym for my chest workout i easily did a sets of 165, 170, and 175lbs on bench. That was last week, this week i went back and managed to do a set of 175, 180, 185, and tried 190 on my last set and got 2.5 reps the others were sets of 7-8

This is good because last semester i worked out the whole semester and was only up to 165 by the end of the semester. I've only been back at working out for like 3 weeks and i've blown past this. I'm actually really happy about these results so far as i believe i maxed out at like 175 last year and i'm easily able to do much more now.

Many people don't believe creatine actually helps, but i really believe much of these strength gains were greatly helped by taking the creatine as i struggled to lift 25 lbs less without it but had a fairly easy time with it.
 
Does anyone want to post before and after pictures? I have taken a few when I started to 3 months later. I noticed some body slimming, but the belly seems to be a bit smaller.
 
I just bought a bottle of arthritis strength tylenol today... I hate having to use anything, but I was in pain yesterday, and didnt complete 1/4 of the 20 miles I was planning... so I want to take away the pain, and will try to complete the run tomorrow (getting out of work early to do so)... 26 days til the marathon, if I cant complete a 20-22 miler beforehand, I may have to opt for a half marathon, Id hate to have to do so
 
21.5 miles... now I get to taper off the mileage for the next few weeks and go for 26.2... my legs are tired, but didnt cramp
 
i lost 22 pounds in like 2 months by just eating a little bit better... and if u have friends u guys shud just play football like once a week and ur pounds will drop
 
Man I am getting this crazy ass pain on my left arm a day or two after a work out. Hurts like hell and took pain meds. It is usually gone by the 3rd day.

With Thanksgiving a few weeks away...anyone here who has worked so hard to lose weight kind of worried that they will gain a few pounds that night?

grr..

suggestions for having a nice thanksgiving meal without crashing the diet?
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']Man I am getting this crazy ass pain on my left arm a day or two after a work out. Hurts like hell and took pain meds. It is usually gone by the 3rd day.

With Thanksgiving a few weeks away...anyone here who has worked so hard to lose weight kind of worried that they will gain a few pounds that night?

grr..

suggestions for having a nice thanksgiving meal without crashing the diet?[/quote]

Does that pain seem unusual to the normal fatigue pain you experience? If so, hold off on your arms for a week so that it can recover. People forget that resting is also a crucial part of exercise. Also, as you get older, the refraction period for healing will take longer (especially if you're 30+ yrs old). If, after that week, the pain is gone, resume your workout as normal. If the pain is still there, you might consider 2 things: hold off another week and see if the pain goes away or consult a sports medicine doc/physical therapist for possible causes.

As for Thanksgiving & Xmas (or whatever end-of-year holiday you celebrate), I don't see them as big problems food-wise. If you've been consistently working out hard and losing the pounds/building muscle, your metabolism should still be furnace-hot at burning calories so 1 cheat meal at the end of the month shouldn't be too big a hit. All you gotta do is work hard again the week after Thanksgiving & Xmas and you shouldn't experience too harsh a dip in body proportion. Besides, weight is a misleading indicator of overall physical fitness anyway so you should just concentrate on building muscle & stamina. Your metabolism should take care of the fat-burning & weight reduction in the process.

As for particular suggestions, eat the turkey w/o the skin and lighten up on the gravy. Mashed potatoes aren't bad if kept to a minimum. Stay away from the cranberry sauce. Rice pilaf is a nice alternative to turkey sides such as potatoes or cole slaw. Truthfully, I think you can eat pretty much whatever you want, as long as it's in moderation.
 
[quote name='jaykrue']Does that pain seem unusual to the normal fatigue pain you experience? If so, hold off on your arms for a week so that it can recover. People forget that resting is also a crucial part of exercise. Also, as you get older, the refraction period for healing will take longer (especially if you're 30+ yrs old). If, after that week, the pain is gone, resume your workout as normal. If the pain is still there, you might consider 2 things: hold off another week and see if the pain goes away or consult a sports medicine doc/physical therapist for possible causes.[/quote]

Here is where it hurts
ouch.jpg


I haven't worked out since Sunday.

Pain meds aren't doing squat now :(
 
Out of curiosity, I stepped on the scale and saw that I was 192!! WHAT?!?! I have lost 10 pounds in nearly a month since I first reported I lost 10 pounds in 3 months. My pot belly has shrunk a bit, but still fatty. Everything above my stomach is becoming more defined. Calves and thighs are getting bigger and I feel less fat and more muscle underneath the skin.

Btw, I started drinking Muscle Milk this morning. Not too bad. I wonder if I should really drink this everytime I work out or once in awhile? 9 bucks for a 4 pack :O
 
Ive been really tapering off on the working out to kinda regroup for the marathon... on the 29th... so todays run for 2 hours straight through very hilly terrain was very very important for me personally... and gave me a chance to try out some of these electrolyte chews I had picked up the day before... ran it perfectly, didnt tire out, joints are a little achy, but running up so many hills does it to me, the actual marathon I hear is very flat

Beautiful weather in the low 50's, Im set on what Im probably going to wear, a nice long sleeve tech type shirt that wont bloody up the nipples like cotton does, similar socks to prevent blistering, nice shorts that will prevent any excess rubbing, a nice jogging cap, and a new GPS watch so I will always know where I stand in the race, and will carry along my iphone to listen to if I get bored... Will also carry my assorted gels, candies, and chews on me in some way, I hear safety pinning them to your shorts is pretty effective... only other precaution I will go through will be greasing up certain areas such as between toes and inner thighs to prevent rubbing which from experience is very painful (forgot this during my 21.5 mile run a couple weeks ago... big mistake) My wife will provide me with an IV before the run so Im loaded up on electrolytes and other goodies I need. Paid the $30 entry fee friday... so I guess Im all set now, this was the last big hurdle, a decent challenging run. This saturday will go a much more manageable 10 miles
 
I was thinking about the 205...not sure about the HR monitor. You do much training with that?

And what are your impressions of it? Like it? Love it?

And man, congrats on your training...definitely keep us up to date when you run your race.
 
[quote name='specialk']I was thinking about the 205...not sure about the HR monitor. You do much training with that?

And what are your impressions of it? Like it? Love it?

And man, congrats on your training...definitely keep us up to date when you run your race.[/QUOTE]

Just arrived from Amazon today (paid $190 for it which was one of the better prices out there, and I had a lower cost item already in my cart, so I wanted free shipping on that item), so Ill be using it tomorrow Im charging up now... kinda out of it today as one of my dogs passed away last night at the vet... I will be doing a lot of training with it, not sure Ill use the heart monitor too much with it as it would look goofy without a shirt.

It really is big, but better than the really old models, and on a lesser aesthetic level, it has red trim and Im gonna be decked out in red shorts and shoes for the run so Im set

Had a slight complication from the run on sunday from cold weather and friction... Was in a lot of pain when I hit the shower... without getting too much into detail
 
This is my first time posting in this thread, so I apologize if this was covered somewhere in the previous 51.5 pages.

Does anyone here do hang cleans? I started doing them, then I started doing them the RIGHT way (not using the arms so much) after that, and now I'm struggling to get the form down. I watch tutorials on how to do it, and it seems to require much more wrist and arm flexibility than I currently have. Has anyone else had this problem? Will flexibility improve as the movement is repeated, or would other exercises help more?
 
[quote name='ricknub']This is my first time posting in this thread, so I apologize if this was covered somewhere in the previous 51.5 pages.

Does anyone here do hang cleans? I started doing them, then I started doing them the RIGHT way (not using the arms so much) after that, and now I'm struggling to get the form down. I watch tutorials on how to do it, and it seems to require much more wrist and arm flexibility than I currently have. Has anyone else had this problem? Will flexibility improve as the movement is repeated, or would other exercises help more?[/quote]

I would recommend just continuing to do them. If you use proper form, you will adjust to them. There is a lot of wrist movement at the snapping position, so it could take a little while. Start with light weight until you get your form to perfection, and then begin adding on the plates. Hope this helps.
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']Out of curiosity, I stepped on the scale and saw that I was 192!! WHAT?!?! I have lost 10 pounds in nearly a month since I first reported I lost 10 pounds in 3 months. My pot belly has shrunk a bit, but still fatty. Everything above my stomach is becoming more defined. Calves and thighs are getting bigger and I feel less fat and more muscle underneath the skin.

Btw, I started drinking Muscle Milk this morning. Not too bad. I wonder if I should really drink this everytime I work out or once in awhile? 9 bucks for a 4 pack :O[/quote]

That's just what happens when you build muscle - you need more to burn more calories to maintain your body's current status quo. Keep at it but don't forget that you have to keep your body in a state of 'panic'. If it seems like your gains are getting less & less, your exercise routine might be too comfortable to your muscles so you'll need to change it up every once and a while (about every 5-6 months or so). However, be aware that strength gains will eventually reach diminishing returns due to hitting your theoretical peak (not to mention getting the fcuk old... like me).

[quote name='ITDEFX']Here is where it hurts
ouch.jpg


I haven't worked out since Sunday.

Pain meds aren't doing squat now :([/quote]

Well, it's almost been a week since you made this particular post. How's the shoulder/upper arm?

EDIT: Condolences to the zman about his dog.
 
[quote name='bmachine']Sorry to hear about your dog, Zman...that sucks. I'd be a mess. :([/QUOTE]

I still am a few days later... she was the mother of my youngest dog... Getting the cremated remains next week... with a wife who works late shifts, I always counted on my dogs to cheer me up... sucks... gonna dedicate my run in the marathon and in the Animal Rescue 5k next month to her
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top