guitardude's weight loss adventure

guitardude · 06-12-2007, 11:53 AM

OK, so it's *really* not an adventure and maybe more like a lame attempt at making a joke.. but it was the first thing to come to mind so I went with it.

Seriously, I'm starting this thread to keep my progress tracking thread from getting any more polluted with the off topic chat. While losing weight is a worthwhile topic to be posting on, I felt like it didn't need to be in the PJ progress tracking thread.

I have a LOT of weight to lose. Before I went back to the doctor 3 weeks ago, I weighed something like 364 pounds. Talk about a shock, that WAS one for me. I've never weighed that much in all my life. Plus, I have developed constant pain in my left heel that the doctor says could be a heel spur or could be plantar fasciitis but hasn't made a definitive diagnosis. The pain has eased over the weeks and I think that is largely due to me wearing better shoes but I have also started altering my diet. Last time I weighed at the doctor's office I was 348 so at least it is coming off.

What I have been doing on my diet is to use the South Beach Diet guidelines for Phase 1, which is the strictest part of it. There were a couple of meals since starting that I did eat some stuff I shouldn't have, but I just got right back on it. The exercise part is what is going to be hard to stay with because I have been so sedentary for so many years. However, I know I must do this and will keep at it until it becomes a natural habit.

I go to the doctor tomorrow and hope the downward trend will continue to show. But if not, I will still persist in losing this weight until I get to where I want to be (175-180 lbs). Maybe more if the weight is solid.

Loki · 06-12-2007, 09:26 PM

Good luck Dude,
I hope you do lose your weight, others have done and you can too.

JonPop · 06-12-2007, 09:42 PM

Remember dude, an apple a day keeps the Loki away. Hee

Loki · 06-12-2007, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonPop

Remember dude, an apple a day keeps the Loki away. Hee

The Lokster will sneek up on Dude and take his apples

JonPop · 06-12-2007, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loki

The Lokster will sneek up on Dude and take his apples

Well ya did tell dude to eat a bushel of apples a day. I figured if he ate even one a day, you wouldn't yell at him.

solid_snake · 06-13-2007, 06:29 AM

Good for you guitardude, I hope you reach your goals.

My advice on exercise would be to really make sure you start slow and gradually increase the intensity. I've made the mistake of trying to go all out when beginning an exercise routine and it is no fun.

guitardude · 06-13-2007, 01:11 PM

JonPop, you are too funny! I got a good laugh out of that!

Seriously though, I do plan to start eating apples again as soon as I get through Phase 1 of the diet. I am a fruit lover and have missed eating apples, oranges, and such.

I'm really going to have to be careful about what kind of carbohydrates I put in my body. The natural tendency for me is to go for the convenient good tasting stuff but I know that it was that kind of behavior that got me here in the first place. So just like somebody once said, "If you want to BE different, you have to DO different". There's a lot of truth to that. And it applies to just about anything you need it to. PE included.

10 · 06-13-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitardude

JonPop, you are too funny! I got a good laugh out of that!

Seriously though, I do plan to start eating apples again as soon as I get through Phase 1 of the diet. I am a fruit lover and have missed eating apples, oranges, and such.

I'm really going to have to be careful about what kind of carbohydrates I put in my body. The natural tendency for me is to go for the convenient good tasting stuff but I know that it was that kind of behavior that got me here in the first place. So just like somebody once said, "If you want to BE different, you have to DO different". There's a lot of truth to that. And it applies to just about anything you need it to. PE included.

I've said it before and I'll gladly say it again: YOU CAN DO IT!

guitardude · 06-13-2007, 11:38 PM

I just got back from my doctor's appointment and it was encouraging. I've lost four more pounds since last week. I am a happy camper.

So now that I am at least going in the right direction as far as diet is concerned, I'm going to look at the exercise part of this.

I thought they had a weight room at my job that I would have free access to but have since found out that the room was taken away and now we don't have it. So, that means I'm going to have to come up with some other alternative. For now, I am just walking as briskly as I can but I'm going to find a way to get some resistance training in there, too.

JonPop · 06-13-2007, 11:43 PM

Good job dude. One step at a time, my friend.

Betterman · 06-13-2007, 11:44 PM

Way to go GD.

slickwillie · 06-14-2007, 12:39 PM

Something a friend of mine did years ago and lost 15pds was stopped eating fast food (he only had it once or twice a week on average) and switched to drinking diet soda (whenever he did have soda). The good part is that he wasn't 400pds either, but was still able to lost the weight in a reasonable amount of time. That's my 2 cents for the moment, so maybe that'll help out?

solid_snake · 06-14-2007, 07:28 PM

Brisk walking is a good start. Whenever I'm trying to lose some weight I start off by doing a 40 minute brisk walk once a day. Take some headphones with you and it will be over before you know it, I think the term is "Hiker's High". Then to step it up you can wear a backpack with some weights in it, I use old textbooks. Going one step further you can add ankle weights, but not until you legs are conditioned. It may not be hard cardio, but if you maintain a fast walk you will be burning plenty of calories.

guitardude · 06-17-2007, 07:52 PM

Hey guys,

Sorry for not posting in a few days but its been a rough last part of the week for me. You see, the work schedule I have is best described as a "rotating swing shift schedule of 4 successive weeks of of second, third then swing before the cycle starts again. And in each phase of the cycle, I have different off days.

Currently I'm off on Thursdays and Fridays and work third Saturday through Thursday morning. On my off days, I usually try to spend a day (or a part of it) with my mother and the other day I am working with a friend of mine to get a recording studio started. So as a general rule of thumb, I am usually always having to do something but this is because mainly I am trying to make a career change so that my personal life can be better than it is (I don't have much of one).

When I was visiting mom last Thursday, I got an unexpected phone call with some bad news. Turns out that one of my best friends passed away from a massive heart attack. He was not found until last Thursday. The coroner estimated that time of death was sometime last Sunday so by the time they found him, his body was already decomposing

They didn't suspect foul play so an autopsy wasn't performed. They had a graveside service the following morning and needless to say, I was in shock. I mean, the guy did have some problems and was on disability but as far as I knew, there was nothing going on in his life that could explain this.

In addition to him being a close friend, he was an excellent musician and I was planning on using him for some studio work. He was looking forward to that and was, for the most part, trying to maintain a positive attitude about his situation and life in general. So for me, hearing this news was like a double whammy. And I hate to admit it, but I totally wrecked my diet these past few days. I guess it was too much for me to handle but for whatever reason, it was done.

I'm going to pick back up and start again on my weight loss and PE goals, though. I am determined to follow through with this no matter how long it takes. Or no matter how many times I mess up. One of my biggest problems is not following through on something. It's not the only problem I have but its one I am going to have to stay focused on and persist until I overcome the problem. I think if I can learn to do that, then eventually many issues will take care of themselves.

Speaking of exercise, I did some research and found there is a gym not too far from where I live that's open 24/7 and has all kinds of cardio, strength training and aquatic equipment among other things. I've fired an email off to them asking if I have to sign a fixed length contract to join. I'm hoping they will do month to month because I'm expecting to be moving in a few months and don't need to be bound by something I won't get the use of. So for now, I'm just walking until I can find a place that fits my needs.

More on this later. Stay tuned.

guitardude · 06-19-2007, 11:39 PM

Well, that gym's rates were way too much for me to handle. It was going to be $149 to sign up and then $69/mo. But they were really pushing hard for personal training which was *really* expensive. I'm checking into the local Y and see what they have to offer.

italiananglo69 · 06-20-2007, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solid_snake

Brisk walking is a good start. Whenever I'm trying to lose some weight I start off by doing a 40 minute brisk walk once a day. Take some headphones with you and it will be over before you know it, I think the term is "Hiker's High". Then to step it up you can wear a backpack with some weights in it, I use old textbooks. Going one step further you can add ankle weights, but not until you legs are conditioned. It may not be hard cardio, but if you maintain a fast walk you will be burning plenty of calories.

He's right about the walking if you do 45-60 minutes you should take off about 40lbs or more in a year.

solid_snake · 06-20-2007, 07:35 AM

Sorry to hear about your friend guitardude. Instead of indulging to deal with the grief, think about what advice your friend would give you concerning your health. Despite weight, heart health takes hard work. All of us know that those who have passed from cardiovascular failure would tell us to take better care of ourselves. A healthy lifestyle isn't a scheduled thing you do and finish, it's just that, a lifestyle . The best advice I can give are these two things; start slow and gradually increase intensity, find an active sport you truly enjoy and consistently participate in it.

guitardude · 06-20-2007, 01:28 PM

You're right solid_snake; I know exactly what he would say (and has said). So, I am going to continue doing the walking simply because it is really all I think I can safely handle right now. But I am looking for a facility that has an indoor pool at least so I can get some swimming in as well, just to break up or add to the cardio I am doing.

Day before yesterday, I turned a certain way at work on a trouble call and started having lower back pain. I wasn't doing anything strenuous at all, either. I've been walking carefully since and hope it goes away soon. It's just another indication of how bad out of shape I am and how much I've got to stay focused on achieving the best health and body weight I can. I've been fortunate in the fact that even for the weight I am, my blood chemistry is suprisingly good. Kidneys are functioning normally and blood sugar is very good. I've dropped the ball on getting in shape a lot of times in the past. But I can't do it any longer and expect to remain in good health.

I'm working on a resistance routine to start after a few more weeks of walking. But since I don't have room in my apartment for free weights or any kind of exercise machine, I'm going to have to find another way to get that part done. I'll need to join a gym or the Y to start resistance training to help tone the skin as I lose weight. I don't want to put that part off too long. I can (and plan to) start real easy and work my way up. Or, I just thought of something else; I have some Tae-Bo DVDs I may be able to use to substitute for resistance training. If not a substitute, maybe they can be an intermediate step to resistance training.

My goal is to get this fat off as quickly yet safely as possible. And since brisk walking is something I can do more or less every day, I'll continue to do that. But at the same time, I want to try to somewhat reshape my body (though I know I'll never have a "hunk" body) to where it at least looks decent. I think the combination of changing my diet to eating healthy and drinking primarily water and tea (to a lesser degree), along with going in the direction I'm planning on exercise-wise is the most efficient method to achieving this goal.

10 · 06-20-2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitardude

Well, that gym's rates were way too much for me to handle. It was going to be $149 to sign up and then $69/mo. But they were really pushing hard for personal training which was *really* expensive. I'm checking into the local Y and see what they have to offer.

That's because most gyms make bank on personal training services. I know, I tried it for a while and didn't like being "pushed" to sell, sell, sell. Hated it. So, I quit. You'll find a gym that's right for you bro.

And I'm truly sorry to hear about your friend. I don't want to sound crass, but use his untimely demise to really get youself together and stick to your goals. You'll do yourself a world of good.

kdub · 06-21-2007, 08:06 PM

A simple thing I used to say to some of our Thai boxing guys going for a fight and trying to cut weight was to simply put it this way.

1lb of body fat = 3500 kcal's (calories).

So to lose 1lb a week your body needs to defecit this amount every week. Thats it.

So walking 40 mins 5 times a week at a modeate pace and carrying the extra little bit that you do will take off a pound easy if you continue to eat what you eat just now. Get a cheap mp3 player and go a walk for an hour everynight before dinner or get out of bed an hour earlier. Stick this out for the first couple of weeks and your body will cope just fine and you will find it easy to continue with this amount of exercise.

For the diet bit, just do the same. Think of saving 500 kcals per day 1 portion of small fries from Mcdonalds. Thats another pound a week.

Drink tons of water through the day, which will suppress your hunger more and help flush the fat out your system quicker.

Fat burning is best done by low intensity exercise for long periods. The longer the better.

To help your metabolic rate lift weights and build muscle which uses more energy hence fat loss for free.

JonPop · 06-21-2007, 09:43 PM

This was excellent advice kdub. I'm sure that dude can put this into practice.....Right guitardude?

10 · 06-21-2007, 10:59 PM

That was excellent advice Kdub. It's losing those last few "vanity" pounds that are a bitch..........

Loki · 06-21-2007, 11:57 PM

Very good post kdub,

Vanity pounds, Good name for it, and you are right 10, they ARE a bitch to get rid of.

solid_snake · 06-22-2007, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitardude

I have some Tae-Bo DVDs I may be able to use to substitute for resistance training. If not a substitute, maybe they can be an intermediate step to resistance training.

I have what I'm pretty sure are the original Tae-Bo videos, they are on VHS and I picked them up at a garage sale dirt cheap. I've been using them for about two weeks now. There are three tapes, instructional, basic, and advanced. The instructional had some good tips on how to not injure yourself(like not snapping your elbow when punching, ect.) and is a "must watch" if you've never done any martial arts or boxing type activities. I watched the advanced tape, which is almost an hour, and quickly realized that it would be impossible to use unless I was already in good cardiovascular shape. The basic tape is about 20 minutes and gets a decent sweat going. I do 10-15 minutes of stretching on my own before I start it, I think the warm-up is too short(especially if you are starting an exercise program). After one week of doing that tape I added a resistance training routine. I also have a small space to workout in, so I use a sit-up bench that folds up and a resistance band. Searching online should yield an abundance of exercises you can do with these tools. Set short term goals and be prepared for this to be a long term process. Stay focused and you will definitely succeed.

Loki · 06-22-2007, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solid_snake

I have what I'm pretty sure are the original Tae-Bo videos, they are on VHS and I picked them up at a garage sale dirt cheap. I've been using them for about two weeks now. There are three tapes, instructional, basic, and advanced. The instructional had some good tips on how to not injure yourself(like not snapping your elbow when punching, ect.) and is a "must watch" if you've never done any martial arts or boxing type activities. I watched the advanced tape, which is almost an hour, and quickly realized that it would be impossible to use unless I was already in good cardiovascular shape. The basic tape is about 20 minutes and gets a decent sweat going. I do 10-15 minutes of stretching on my own before I start it, I think the warm-up is too short(especially if you are starting an exercise program). After one week of doing that tape I added a resistance training routine. I also have a small space to workout in, so I use a sit-up bench that folds up and a resistance band. Searching online should yield an abundance of exercises you can do with these tools. Set short term goals and be prepared for this to be a long term process. Stay focused and you will definitely succeed.

What MA style do you do, how long have you done MA and what rank are you?