97 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

The challenge with losing weight isn't just discipline, but survival, depending on your situation. The average American consumes 3,700+ calories a day. To cut that under 2,000 and lose weight, you are losing energy, focus, can become irritable, etc. It's pretty miserable. Especially when you ARE a big guy and you need that energy.

 

The better thing to do is taper down your caloric intake. Measure what you tend to eat by calories. Be honest about it. And then scale down slowly. Maybe shave an average of 250 calories (daily) for week 1, and if you're feeling ok, chop another 250 off the next week... etc.

 

If you're exercising, it's even more important to taper your caloric intake.

 

Anyway, that's been my issue. I'm not patient. So I always bite off more than I can chew when I start a diet, am completely miserable and unproductive, and then slip up. Throw my arms up, and say, I can't do it. Now that I finally am understanding the value and importance of moderation and discipline, I'm starting to make progress by just cutting out little things here and there and taking it slowly/one day at a time.

 

But trust me when I tell you, for certain people, losing weight isn't even close to easy.

[SportsGuy]

Disagree about the workout thing. Yes, you can lose weight without working out, but you won't look better. You'll still be flabby.

But that has nothing to do with losing weight.

 

You are talking about 2 different things.

[Russ]

Disagree about the workout thing. Yes, you can lose weight without working out, but you won't look better. You'll still be flabby.

But that has nothing to do with losing weight.
 
You are talking about 2 different things.

Okay. But why would you want to lose weight if not to be healthier and better looking?

[SportsGuy]

The challenge with losing weight isn't just discipline, but survival, depending on your situation. The average American consumes 3,700+ calories a day. To cut that under 2,000 and lose weight, you are losing energy, focus, can become irritable, etc. It's pretty miserable. Especially when you ARE a big guy and you need that energy.

 

The better thing to do is taper down your caloric intake. Measure what you tend to eat by calories. Be honest about it. And then scale down slowly. Maybe shave an average of 250 calories (daily) for week 1, and if you're feeling ok, chop another 250 off the next week... etc.

 

If you're exercising, it's even more important to taper your caloric intake.

 

Anyway, that's been my issue. I'm not patient. So I always bite off more than I can chew when I start a diet, am completely miserable and unproductive, and then slip up. Throw my arms up, and say, I can't do it. Now that I finally am understanding the value and importance of moderation and discipline, I'm starting to make progress by just cutting out little things here and there and taking it slowly/one day at a time.

 

But trust me when I tell you, for certain people, losing weight isn't even close to easy.

Is that true?

 

Good lord, until I really paid attention to things, I never knew how many calories I was consuming.  But 3700 a day is an insane amount.  That is so much bad food.  No wonder our country is so obese!  LOL

 

I disagree with your point here though....and when I say that, I mean I disagree with you that it is a long term issue.  I do agree that its an issue in the beginning but again, that goes back to the discipline.  You just have to put up with it. And once you put up with it, it starts to become a routine and then you will be fine.

 

Its all about getting into that routine and dealing with it.  Once you do that, its smooth sailing.

[SportsGuy]

Okay. But why would you want to lose weight if not to be healthier and better looking?

Losing weight unquestionably makes you healthier.  

 

In terms of better looking, I guess that depends on your own level of vanity.  If you lose 50lbs, you will look better...in clothes.  Once your shirt is off, year it can be an issue but that's up to you whether you give a shit about that or not.

 

Working out does obviously give you the health benefits of strengthening your heart and things like that.  But a lot of it is vanity.  If you don't care about that, its meaningless.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I agree with that Rob - end of the day, if you "just do it" and suck it up, it will get easier and routine. I lost over 100 lbs in my 20's. First couple weeks... hell. Then for a couple months it's better but you're kind of tired and worn a little, then it clicks and it's a new normal.

[SportsGuy]

I agree with that Rob - end of the day, if you "just do it" and suck it up, it will get easier and routine. I lost over 100 lbs in my 20's. First couple weeks... hell. Then for a couple months it's better but you're kind of tired and worn a little, then it clicks and it's a new normal.

Yep.

 

I have lost 50 lbs at 2 different times in the last 15 years.  This time though, I am keeping it off (although I want to lose another 15lbs) because I have just learned how to eat better.

 

Also, as I have gotten older, I am getting into cooking and things like that, which is expanding my tastes.  I am still probably too picky and dislike many "healthy" foods so I just have a lot of repetition in my diet but its what I have to do if I don't want to go back to being what I was.  

 

I actually wish I could lift more weights but between multiple herniated discs and an elbow that has tears all in it, I just can't lift heavy weights anymore.  

[You Play to Win the Game]

Is that true?

 

Good lord, until I really paid attention to things, I never knew how many calories I was consuming.  But 3700 a day is an insane amount.  That is so much bad food.  No wonder our country is so obese!  LOL

 

I disagree with your point here though....and when I say that, I mean I disagree with you that it is a long term issue.  I do agree that its an issue in the beginning but again, that goes back to the discipline.  You just have to put up with it. And once you put up with it, it starts to become a routine and then you will be fine.

 

Its all about getting into that routine and dealing with it.  Once you do that, its smooth sailing.

 

Yep. Even China is over 3,000 a day now, which is very new for them. The first generation of Chinese are experiencing diabetes, heart issues, etc. The good news about this is that more of the developed world is now being forced to invest in health care infrastructure. This should give Americans more options down the road, and hopefully, eventually, drive health care down with more international competition. I'm not holding my breath though.

 

http://chartsbin.com/view/1150 Here's a chart of all the countries and their consumption. Funny that Ireland consumes more than the UK. Damn drunks.

[RShack]

One of McLuhan's insights is that something becomes an art form only when its obsolete... so, for example, it was after mechanical devices became secondary to computer control of said devices that the then-new M.E. bldg at GT featured gears as a design element in their big lecture hall... it's relevance here is that the idea of "working out" only became mainstream after it became normal that people mainly do their actual work with their heads much more than with their bodies... before that, it wasn't commonplace for people to be concerned with being in shape... but now that being in shape is not relevant to daily survival (just long term survival), it's a near-art-form...

 

As for the relevance of working out re: weight loss... working out doesn't burn enough calories for it to matter on its own... the only real relevance is that it's one way to get your metabolism into fat-burning mode... but their are others... intermittent fasting being another way to do it...

[NewMarketSean]

I'm going to try to drink less.

 

That'll be hard to do with a kegerator in my basement but it's something I need to do.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Is that true?

 

Good lord, until I really paid attention to things, I never knew how many calories I was consuming.  But 3700 a day is an insane amount.  That is so much bad food.  No wonder our country is so obese!  LOL

 

Found this link...

 

http://healthyeating...ation-1867.html

 

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, men ages 19 and older reported consuming an average of 2,640 calories and women reported consuming an average of 1,785 calories each day based on national survey, self-reported data. However, the same source reports that studies suggest actual calorie consumption among men and women in the U.S. may be higher than reports show due to underreporting of energy intake, especially in overweight and obese populations.

 

The amount of calories men require each day varies based on their age and activity level. Calorie recommendations decrease with age. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends men consume 2,000 to 2,600 calories if they’re sedentary, 2,200 to 2,800 calories if they’re moderately active and 2,400 to 3,000 calories per day if they are active.

 

Because women generally have a smaller frame and less lean body mass than men, they usually require fewer calories. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends women consume 1,600 to 2,000 calories if they are sedentary, 1,800 to 2,200 calories if they’re moderately active and 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day if they are active.

 

 

 

The key with goal setting is to focus on behaviors necessary to achieve the goal and not the actual goal.

[Pedro Cerrano]

A friend of a friend claims he lost close to 50 pounds simply cutting out sodas and walking an hour or so every day.

 

Just FYI.

[NewMarketSean]

Yeah if someone drinks a lot of soda, just cutting that out will be the biggest factor.

[SportsGuy]

A friend of a friend claims he lost close to 50 pounds simply cutting out sodas and walking an hour or so every day.

Just FYI.

I can believe that especially if he drank a lot of soda.

Get rid of soda and fast food. That alone would be a huge help if you are one that consumes a lot of that.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Alcohol too. Going to a Ravens game and drinking 10 beers just kills you

[NewMarketSean]

I want to really try to learn Spanish.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Alcohol too. Going to a Ravens game and drinking 10 beers just kills you

That's well over 1,000 in calories... even for Coors Light. Giving up beer has definitely helped me a lot. Especially given what alcohol especially does to your metabolism. And the fact that I don't have 3 or 4 beers, I have 10-12.

[RShack]

That's well over 1,000 in calories... even for Coors Light. Giving up beer has definitely helped me a lot. Especially given what alcohol especially does to your metabolism. And the fact that I don't have 3 or 4 beers, I have 10-12.

 

You know that's pretty crazy... and for reasons that having zip to do with weight gain...  right?   (Even 4 instead of 1 or 2 ain't good...)

[You Play to Win the Game]

No doubt. Fortunately it was only one day a week for me, Saturday's, but no more. I felt like complete and total shit every Sunday for years.

[SportsGuy]

I want to really try to learn Spanish.

Would love to learn another language...just don't have the time to do it.

 

I want my kid learning spanish at a young age though.