Hello all. My name is Kelly, I'm 58 years on this sphere and am no novice at dieting. My best weight is 190 - 195 lbs. - at least that's what it was when I was 22 and in top condition.
I'm starting my third week on the IP plan and so far, so good - I haven't attacked a sack of chips in the grocery store or anything like that. 15 pounds down has made a lot of difference and I think my body must go a bit off kilter with too many carbs as I feel very much better and energized with virtually no carbs, sugars, and the higher protein intake. I'm sure the vitamins don't hurt either.
Anyway, I glad to find the men's section and the encouragement and support of like minded men wanting and needing to shed some poundage!
Welcome! I've been on the IP program since 12/29 and down 85lbs. I feel great, but really looking forward to moving on to phase II, then III in a few more pounds. I remember the encouragement of seeing positive results and some pounds dropping in the first few weeks. Just the little things like my pants not digging into my stomach kept me going on day to day. Keep it up, it works if you don't give into any rationalizations to eat those chips! Good Luck!
So why am I here? Its an involved story you don't want to hear all about but I am going to tell you anyway
First off I have never in my life been thin. The last time I weighed under 200lbs was around grade 9. I was around 250 at age 20-21. About 4 weeks ago I stepped on the scale and broke 300, 302 to be exact. In my early 20's I did do a fair amount of weightlifting. I worked out straight for strength, never ever cardio or fat loss. Just muscle building. I was a bouncer back then so the size was a benifit really. I have always been chubby so I never REALLY wanted to lose weight, I was use to it, it was a part of my life. I also have multiple sclerosis which greatly impacts my fatigue level. If you think you get winded easily due to being heavy try it with a disease that can do the same thing. So thats another reason Ive avoided exercise.
Anyway seeing 302 on the scale gave me pause. I am getting older and getting bigger, the MS is getting stronger so for the first time in my life I am thinking about my health. This is big reason I have decided to lose weight.
There is a second reason however. There is a girl that by some insane miracle seems interested in me. She however is 24 and extremely attractive. I honestly think she deserves better then me. Its not a nice thing to say and if she ever saw this I think she would kill me but its true. I am honest to a fault. I never lie to myself or people so this isnt some ploy for pity, its just a fact.
All that being said I feel I do need some kind of support. I dont have a single over weight friend I can like diet with or understand what its like and how hard it can be. I tell them I am dieting and they say great but then want to go get pizza. The girl I mentioned above likes to bake (God help me) and wants to bring me things.
So for the past 4 weeks ive been dieting and 2 weeks ago I started doing a short 12 minute intensive cardio work out I got from a fitness website. I do this before work 6 days a week. I own my own buisness and work 6 days a week, no time for a gym.
To the end of my rambling. I weighed in at 284 this morning, so 18lbs. Over all a great number however I wieghed 284 last week I dont understand it either, Ive eaten well and I even did a lot more exercise. On Saturday I had a long hike/fishing trip, great work out,k very sore but no weight loss. Its times like this I get discouraged and stop.
Welcome to the forum - there are a few of us men hanging around here, doing the same thing you are, looking for support and information.
I'm pretty new to the forum and the plan I'm on but not to dieting. While my life story is quite different from yours (I was a skinny little kid who didn't really "grow" until after high school), the end result is the same - overweight and out of shape. I'm not dealing with any obstacle like MS so I can only empathize with you there - no advice. At my age, 58, I too am in a preventative mindset as regards my health - I don't need to be carrying around an extra 50 lbs with me all the time!
You sound committed and that is what it takes (trust me, I've been on more than my share of diets in the last 25 years).
I'm using the Ideal Protein plan and it seems to be working for me - although with a few bumps. I certainly don't intend to recommend it to you - you need to figure out what works best for you. For me, while IP is expensive, it is also motivating to stay on plan (OP) since I have $$ invested. I'm not getting too hungry and am staying away from those "foods" that are at the root of my weight problem.
Anyway - hang in there and browse around the forums - there are lots of ways to do this successfully but all of them are based on a few simple principles. Eat less; Eat better; be sensible and responsible; don't ever give up!
Hey All!
Im 23 years old from Canada. I'm 5'9 and am currently close to 210 lbs.At my thinest I was 145 and my goal for my upcoming wedding is about 170-180, with my weightloss journey continuing after my wedding as well.
My name is Jacob, and I am 30 yrs old. I have struggled with my weight all of my life, and believed that I had finally got control over it by my late teens. But after ten years of caring for and burying ailing family members and falling into a deep depression, I found myself almost 29 years old, and tipping the scales at 600 pounds. How did I even get here? I would think to myself. And I gave up all hope that my life (which surely wouldn't last very long at the rate that I was going) would ever be any different. When my size 66 jeans became so tight that I could barely sit down in them, I knew something had to be done.
I consulted my doctor and he put me on a balanced, nutritious meal plan, and slowly but surely I began to move as much as I could. Now, in the beginning, moving was difficult and painful. I remember just walking the hundred feet or so into the grocery store would render me so winded that I would have to stop for several minutes and pretend to browse that first display in order to catch my breath. Trying to do thirty minutes of any exercise was too difficult, and I felt defeated. I finally decided, instead, that I would simply start by doing what I could do. Two minutes at a time, ten times throughout the day. And I slowly built up over time, until walking around the neighborhood was manageable. Soon short walks became long walks, and long walks became hikes, and I knew that it was finally time for me to join a gym. I went every day even though it was hard in the beginning to get over being self conscious and feeling judged by the muscled he-gods around me. I made exercise a priority, just part of my routine, splitting my time between vigorous cardio and weight training.
Today I am very proud to say that I currently weigh 240 pounds (Yes! You read that right, I have lost a staggering 360 pounds... and I have earned each and every single one of them), and I am now comfortably in a size 38. I would like to eventually get down to 225 pounds, but am currently in no race to get there. My journey isn't over, nor will it ever be. This is something that I am going to struggle with every single day for the rest of my life. But I am okay with that. My life no longer feels hopeless, and the future is filled with possibilities and all it took was getting off of the couch and making the decision to change. Was it easy? No. Was it impossible? Absolutely not. I promise you: if I can do it, anyone can.
My problem now, after a lifetime of yo-yo dieting, is the constant fear I now have of relapse. Like everyone, I have my good days and my bad days, and know that finding a support network is going to be key to my successful maintenance. I don't quite have the courage yet to seek out a group in my area in person. But thought this might be a good step in that direction.
It isn't easy for me to express my emotions or to say that I "need help." But any and all support that I can get at this point would really help, and can only help me toward becoming my best self. Hopefully one day NOT living in this constant fear of falling back into old habits. I am new here, hoping to find support and share my struggles and triumphs, and to be accountable to something outside of myself.
I look forward to reading your stories and sharing our weight loss and maintenance journeys together.
I am 43, and currently weight 189 pounds. At 5'10" I am getting close to my goal of 180, but I have had weight issues all my adult life. About 7 years ago I got my heaviest, I hit 256 pounds. I had moved away, but when we moved back I was embarrassed when I went to visit a childhood friend who just about didn't recognize me. I knew something had to change.
My diet consisted of a lot of rich restaurant food. I started by walking, and then progressed to running. At the same time I read and started following the South Beach Diet book, it changed the way I saw food. I was able to get down to 184 pounds, and was running more than 12 Km. I started going to the gym and really liked the progress. Then winter came and I fell off the wagon, but not for the same reason a lot of people do. I love hockey, and officiate up to 150 games a year. I started thinking I didn't have to keep going with what worked and let my diet slide. When hockey season ended I didn't replace that activity with anything, and my diet slid some more. I got to 202 pounds and Plataead.
This spring (after hockey season) I decided to hit the gym and start running again. Since then I have dropped to 189 pounds, but more importantly to me I am much leaner. For the past 3 weeks my weight hasn't changed, but I have been keeping track of my fat % and it is dropping. That is more important to me than the number of pounds.
As far as diet goes, I went back to what I believe in. I look for lean protein, and low glycemic carbs. I am really making an effort to eat more green veggies, but man that is tough. Well, that is me!
I am 38 and currently 6'2, 255. Like a lot of people (I read through some of the other intros), I've been 'husky' as long as I can remember. I never really thought of myself as big though unless I saw a picture of myself with other people. Probably a bit of denial but what's done is done, can't go back and change it now.
I've tried different diets over the years with various results but would inevitably always fall off the wagon and gain the weight right back. I think my heaviest was around 268 a few months ago.
I finally got myself motivated enough to use the eliptical in my living room for something other than a coat rack and managed to get below 250. RL scheduling and boredom snuck in and I stopped doing that as well. I haven't gained all the weight back, but now at 255 I can tell it's trying.
I actually stumbled across this site looking for more information on ESE, IF, or whatever you want to call it. I've tried counting calories and/or going low-carb, but I've found they become too complicated for me. It's not that I'm dumb, it's just that I don't want to have to 'think' about eating. I do enough of that for work.
What appealed to me about ESE is just that...it's not complicated. Pick some time to fast and just drink water during that time...seems pretty straight-forward to me.
Anyway, looking forward to keeping in touch with you all and making a little less of me to go around.
Today I am very proud to say that I currently weigh 240 pounds (Yes! You read that right, I have lost a staggering 360 pounds... and I have earned each and every single one of them), and I am now comfortably in a size 38.
Just recently found the gents section, happy to be here.
I'm in my mid 40's,I have been heavy for decades, few months back I had a sudden epiphany when I stepped on a scale at 310lbs. I started calorie counting with my wife. Eventhough as a rule I could say I hated exercise, I slowly started walking and now average at least 5 miles per day without thinking twice about it. I think I am going to find winter challenging as it gets real cold in my parts and I just want to hibernate.
Looking forward to sharing the journey with you gentlemen.
jandro - glad you made it over here. Walking has gotta be the best exercise ever. I've got some routes through interesting parks and construction sites which I look forward to observing. Gotta watch out for stores along the way, such as Trader Joe's, that give out FREE samples, LOL.
My problem now, after a lifetime of yo-yo dieting, is the constant fear I now have of relapse. Like everyone, I have my good days and my bad days, and know that finding a support network is going to be key to my successful maintenance. I don't quite have the courage yet to seek out a group in my area in person. But thought this might be a good step in that direction.
Jacob
Jacob your story is nothing short of amazing, congratulations on the weight loss. I hear you about fear of relapse. I acknowledge that I am an emotional eater. Food makes me feel good when I am stressed. Yesterday for the first time in 5 months I had a bad moment of stress and reached for my lunch sandwich(it was just past breakfast ) Eventhough I ate it I knew I had to make up for at some point. No matter what anyone says it's a struggle, but it is manageable.
I dont understand it either, Ive eaten well and I even did a lot more exercise. On Saturday I had a long hike/fishing trip, great work out,k very sore but no weight loss. Its times like this I get discouraged and stop.
