Those of us who are Obese

Mannerizms07

I am currently attempting to lose as much as I can. I am currently down 22lbs - a bit feat for me. My starting weight was at my heaviest 272; I am currently down to 250lbs. Anyone have any good ideas to help with lose a large amount of weight (again being obese not looking to lose weight fast) and the best advice in doing so?

Currently I walk a 1/2 mile a day currently and ride an indoor cycle for 30-45 minutes 4 days a week. I have been doing some work outs at work (push ups against wall, tricept dips on my chair, and finally attempting to do modified lunges.)

In December I dislocated my knee, 2 days before my birthday no less!! But I have been doing the low carb diet with the work outs and seem to be doing better.


Please share your stories/ideas/support here!

malibu927

Your weight loss is going to come from your calorie deficit. I started right about where you are now (248), walked 2-4 miles twice a week on my days off work (work days I get more than that in) and then incorporated lifting. I lost 65 pounds in 15 months. As long as you're ensuring you're eating less than you burn throughout the entire day, you will lose.

JeromeBarry1

My starting weight 2+ years ago with mfp was 272. You're doing a nice amount of cardiovascular exercise and that's good for your heart, which is a very big deal. The women here who've lost lots of weight and look stunningly gorgeous say repeatedly that to look like them a lady must lift. One attributes it all to rowing, but she's old. The young ones lift to keep and build muscle and muscle is what makes a body shapely.

JoRocka

You're already doing the work- really the biggest tip now for you is "have patience" and keep it up.

You're already on the right path- and you've done a great job with the weight you've lost- so now to just keep it up you just have to keep going!! you are doing a great job!

Mannerizms07

I am actually looking to buy a bike when I get my taxes back, this way I will be riding the bike to and from work daily... summer is going to be a killer for me (I live in Arizona, gets to 114+ daily!) but looking to add something a little extra to my work outs! I have seen to stop depending on the scale as I am seeing myself starting to tighten in my midsection!

middlehaitch

Oh my @JeromeBarry1, I can't help but laugh. The one that is 'old' is younger than me- it is all relative, otherwise I'm very old

@Mannerizms07, your calorie deficit is going have the greatest impact on your weight loss so take the time to learn how to log accurately using a food scale.

Increasing your daily activity can have a influence on your calorie burn. Try to just move around a little more every day.

You have got your cardio going, and have got a start on strength training with the body work you are doing. Try using a well established programme instead of winging it. Nerdfitness.com had a good bodyweight programme for beginners that isn't too long or complex. You can start with simplified variations of the moves and work towards completing as written.

Don't do too much too soon. It is easy to injure yourself or burn out, baby steps.

Cheers, h.

firef1y72

In November 2015 I finally plucked up the courage to step on the scales to discover I weighed in at just under 290lb. At 5'2" that put me in the super morbidly obese category and I could barely walk needing crutches to get across the room. Today I've been maintaining my weight at 150lb (+-2lb) for 5 months, still slightly overweight by bmi standards but with 27% bodyfat (and dropping) and training for a marathon I'm happy with where I am.

People stop me in the street and ask me what my secret is and are often disapointed with my answer, which is simply eat less and move a hell of a lot more. I've not banned any food, right from the start if I wanted chocolate and I had the calories for it I ate it, if I didn't have the calories and really wanted it then I moved more so I could still have it. I set my goal weight loss as 1lb/week, linked my fitbit up to my account and started to learn what foods filled me up and which didn't. Low carb wouldn't have worked for me but if it's working for you then great but remember it's the Calorie deficit that causes weight loss.

As for strength training, while I'd done a little in the first few months I didn't start a progressive program until about 6 months in and I wish I'd started sooner. Not only is it something I enjoy (and miss now I'm marathon training something had to give) but it's made my legs look fantastic.

One thing I will warn about, if only because nothing really prepared me is loose skin. I do have quite a lot and it took me a while to come to terms with it. While it is slowly reducing it's still there, but I'm learning to accept it and look on it as a bit of a battle scar.

apullum

Lots of us here started out as quite obese. My starting BMI was 42; it’s now 22.

Working out is great, but you don’t have to do it to lose weight. Low carb is fine if you like it, but you don’t have to do that either. All you have to do is consistently eat within the calorie goal MFP sets for you. That’s both very simple and very complicated.

It’s a simple concept, but in practice it takes commitment and patience. If you’re looking to lose a large amount of weight, then you need a sustainable routine. Are you happy about the idea of keeping up your current way of eating for many years? If yes, then that’s perfect. If no, then you have to find a new plan that’s sustainable for you over the long term.

It took me 2.5 years to lose 100 pounds and now that I’m in maintenance, I still weigh and log all my food. Losing the weight is just the beginning. The process of losing weight teaches you the skills you’ll need to maintain your new weight. It’s training for the rest of your life.

AnnPT77

I started at obese, age 59. I'm now 62, maintaining a healthy weight. This is my very best - heartfelt! - advice:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm

You absolutely can achieve your health goals . . . and it's so worthwhile.

Mannerizms07

So I started doing a toning/strength training I will focus on one part of my body (per day) and this is for 3 days a week (due to my work schedule) the other 4 days is straight cardio (riding my indoor cycle then adding my bike when I use that to go to work!)

tess5036

I started at about 260 lbs, that was 14 months ago, I'm now 166, but still got a way to go.

You've made a great start, the key is finding what works for you, and what you are happy with. If it's not comfortable and you are not happy with it, then you won't sustain it in the long term.

I made small changes, and then kept adding to them over time. I don't drink any sugared drinks, and stay active. I found I loved the gym, that has become a habit. Find what you like to do and make sure it develops into a long term habit. Motivation can come and go, but habits stay. I tried different gym classes, and now regularly do Zumba and BodyCombat. I also like the treadmill and rowing machine, easier to use with headphones watch TV or with a you tube playlist.

As everyone says, the most important thing is the calorie deficit. Exercise does help, it increases health, and also helps to increase the deficit a bit.

I would also advocate lifting, I'm sure it has helped me retain muscle during weight loss, and I feel much better for it.

Good luck,

estherdragonbat

I started at 254 lbs just under 16 months ago. I'm now 154.2 and closing fast on goal (130). Currently—and I have built up to this over time—I try to walk two hours daily. If I don't get at least 90 minutes, I get on the fitness glider for 65 minutes. I also strength train with dumbbells ranging from 3 to 17.5lbs (will be moving up to 20 for lateral rows in about 2 weeks), body-weight, and a few other bits of inexpensive equipment, like a stability ball, cardio step, and a couple of medicine balls.

I've opted to lose weight a bit slower than I have to so I don't feel as deprived. At my heaviest, I'd set MFP to lose 1lb/week, though 2 would have still been safe. For the last little bit, I've been at 1/2-lb/week and I'm just getting to the point where that's the maximum I should be shooting for. The only conscious modification I've made to my diet has been keeping homemade desserts to 200 calories or fewer per serving. Unconsciously, over time, there are foods that I've stopped buying, either because they aren't worth the calories, they don't have the nutritional 'bang' I'm looking for in my calorie 'bucks', or I honestly don't have any clue how to calculate the calories, but I know they're high. (The restaurant that brings its servings of gnocchi al pesto in an overflowing salad bowl? I'm going to order pizza or ricotta caneloni instead. At least I can ballpark it.) But that came slow. And early on, I managed to get into the mindset that "A treat is not a cheat. It's a choice. And if I can fit it into my calories, and I want it, then I can totally have it."

As others have said, baby steps, small changes over time, cumulative results.

gtm197

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

One attributes it all to rowing, but she's old. The young ones lift to keep and build muscle and muscle is what makes a body shapely.

I’m 65 and lift 3-4x a week. 65 is not old my friend. Not sure what point you’re making by saying “but she’s old, the young ones lift....”

AnnPT77

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

My starting weight 2+ years ago with mfp was 272. You're doing a nice amount of cardiovascular exercise and that's good for your heart, which is a very big deal. The women here who've lost lots of weight and look stunningly gorgeous say repeatedly that to look like them a lady must lift. One attributes it all to rowing, but she's old. The young ones lift to keep and build muscle and muscle is what makes a body shapely.

Heh.

Rowing is high-rep, low resistance strength exercise: 1000+ reps per hour of body weight plus boat weight plus friction, legs-back-arms, horizontally, for an hour plus at a time, multiple days a week. Most rowers also lift, at least some. I do . . . some. (Never gonna be stunningly gorgeous, though: Not my wheelhouse. ).

Not sure what age has to do with this . . . probably nothing, outside of what youth-centric people might evaluate as "stunningly gorgeous". Smart people know that age is a victory, not a disability.

Heh.

OP: I have some osteoarthritis and a torn meniscus in one knee, and am deferring surgery as long as practical. It limits what I can do, but doesn't prevent me being active, and didn't prevent losing from obese to a bodyweight currently around BMI 22. You're on a good course.

seltzermint555

I just wanted to chime in here that I LOVE your saying you don't care about losing the weight particularly fast...you sound like your head is in the right place & you will succeed, although perhaps I am inclined to say this because that is exactly how I began...slow and steady!

That is almost exactly what I did, the walking daily. Mine varied a lot though. For the first couple years I was walking 3-4 miles (taking me about 2 hours) about 3 times per week. Then I switched to walking for 30 minutes 5-6 days per week. Currently I take about four 30 minute walks and 1-2 hourlong more difficult hikes every week.

I made it from 307 to current 170 (dipped lower into 160s for awhile but have maintained here for 4 years now). It took me about 3-5 years to lose it.

Mannerizms07

Well I want to post the work outs I have been doing (and honestly I LOVE them!)

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Cardio on my indoor cylce 25-35 minutes, walk for 45 mins - 2 hours (permitting my work hours)

Thursday: Arm workouts
Friday: Chest Workouts
Saturday: Leg day (beast mode!)


I felt so much more energenic after doing these now. I am just frustrated this week as my cardio is really being messed up from people calling out constantly (sometimes/ALL the time, being a manager sucks!) But I will make it up if I ever get days off!

cwolfman13

gtm197 wrote: »

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

One attributes it all to rowing, but she's old. The young ones lift to keep and build muscle and muscle is what makes a body shapely.

I’m 65 and lift 3-4x a week. 65 is not old my friend. Not sure what point you’re making by saying “but she’s old, the young ones lift....”

Think he was making an inside joke...

Okiludy

I started out at 300 and am now at 240. I also have a powerlifting total of 1145 and am working on hitting a 1200 total by the end of this year. I am not losing more as weight loss effects my lifts and I have a 38" waist now and will likely hit 36" by April at the same weight.

My advice would be 3 main things.
1. Calorie deficit is more important than anything else for weight loss. Keto, intermittent fasting, or any other trendy diet doesn't really matter as long as you are in a deficit.
2. Start a beginner program from http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1 . It really doesn't matter the one you pick, but I do prefer Starting Strength. The reason is you will lose muscle during a weight loss. You can combat this by lifting. The beginner programs listed here work. Many of us have tried them and proven that they do work.
3. This brings me to the something many don't think of with exercise and training. You need your recovery. Make sure not to sabotage your progress by not sleeping enough or trying to lose to quick. Once you start seeing the progress you might think if I go a bit more into deficit I'll lose faster or I can train 7 days a week. This is not healthy and if training cardio or strength it can *kitten* up what you are attempting to accomplish.

middlehaitch

Mannerizms07 wrote: »

Well I want to post the work outs I have been doing (and honestly I LOVE them!)

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Cardio on my indoor cylce 25-35 minutes, walk for 45 mins - 2 hours (permitting my work hours)

Thursday: Arm workouts
Friday: Chest Workouts
Saturday: Leg day (beast mode!)


I felt so much more energenic after doing these now. I am just frustrated this week as my cardio is really being messed up from people calling out constantly (sometimes/ALL the time, being a manager sucks!) But I will make it up if I ever get days off!

It is great that you have started resistant training, but working one body at a time, so only once a week really is not optimal.

You would do much better doing a full body work out on those 3 days then all muscles will be strengthened equally including those muscles you don't think about that help with stabilization.

I mentioned Nerdfitness up thread, if that does not suit you look at other programmes that work the whole body.

There are a lot in YouTube, different fitness sites, and listed in this thread-
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

It is of course totally up to you, I, from personal experience, think you would do better, and see better results, following an established full body workout.

Cheers, h.

Posted same time as @Okiludy, totally agree with point 3. Rest, recovery, and fuelling are as important as the workouts. Burnout can really sabotage ones goals.

sijomial

Mannerizms07 wrote: »

Well I want to post the work outs I have been doing (and honestly I LOVE them!)

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Cardio on my indoor cylce 25-35 minutes, walk for 45 mins - 2 hours (permitting my work hours)

Thursday: Arm workouts
Friday: Chest Workouts
Saturday: Leg day (beast mode!)


I felt so much more energenic after doing these now. I am just frustrated this week as my cardio is really being messed up from people calling out constantly (sometimes/ALL the time, being a manager sucks!) But I will make it up if I ever get days off!

You need to find a balance between loving your workouts and doing a routine that's effective - because that is a simply awful lifting routine.
Sorry but you could use your time so much more efficiently and why you do consecutive cardio and then consecutive strength workouts is a complete mystery.

thesatchito

Hey, they say this all the time but it’s worth repeating, your weight loss is 70% in the kitchen and 30% at the gym. You can’t be completely healthy without exercise but for losing weight is mostly about what you eat.

I was about 350lb at my heaviest and I did the low carb diet for a while but it only took me to around 280lb. My advice here is the same my doctor gave me, you can only get so far with low carb because it can be deceiving! One day you’re eating bacon and is perfectly fine but the next day you will start gaining weight because you’re not having a considerable calorie deficit.

There’s no way around it, you have to eat less calories than what you use, period.

MyFitnessPal helped me get to 238lb and my goal is 210 (I’m 6ft tall), it’s all about combining the foods you eat and not going over the calorie limit, the bulk of what I eat nowadays are veggies and different kind of proteins (chicken, beef, protein bars as snacks) but last night I had a banana muffin and it’s totally fine because I saved some calories having coffee without milk in the morning and my lunch salad without my regular piece of bread to go with it. Find combos that work for you.

One last tip, I usually put plenty of hot sauce on my food, or eat jalapenos or other peppers because the spiciness makes me feel more satisfied, maybe because when your mouth is on fire you can’t just inhale your plate, you have to pace yourself lol!

Kee it up!!!!