New to MFP
pgmayer
Posts: 53
I just got a new bike today....... and am going to get serious about losing some weight. The bike is designed for seriously overweight people......which would be me.
I am going to be 60 years old in a couple of weeks...... I am 6' 5" and weigh 352 lbs. My feet, ankles and legs hurt almost all the time from carrying this weight around. It's been just the last six months that it has been painful like this and I am sure it is the weight in combination with my age. When you are young your body will handle it.....but not anymore. I just don't feel like doing anything anymore..... so I spend my nights watching TV and eating and drinking. Gee, I wonder why I am fat and out of shape.
Today is a new day...... I know that my ideal weight is 188 lbs. That is what I swam at in college. Yea, I actually used to be an athlete!!
188 lbs is 164 lbs from where I am right now. That is almost 46.5% of my current weight. That is a scarey amount. I hope to take it in......."smaller bites.". My first goal is to get under 300 lbs by sometime this fall. Come to think of it...... "Smaller Bites" may be a good motto for me.
It's good to see there are some men on this site..........
Phil
352 / 352 / 299 (starting weight / current weight / goal weight)
I hope to see that middle number go down......I'm goin' for a bike ride after work tonight!!
How often do you weigh in?
I am going to be 60 years old in a couple of weeks...... I am 6' 5" and weigh 352 lbs. My feet, ankles and legs hurt almost all the time from carrying this weight around. It's been just the last six months that it has been painful like this and I am sure it is the weight in combination with my age. When you are young your body will handle it.....but not anymore. I just don't feel like doing anything anymore..... so I spend my nights watching TV and eating and drinking. Gee, I wonder why I am fat and out of shape.
Today is a new day...... I know that my ideal weight is 188 lbs. That is what I swam at in college. Yea, I actually used to be an athlete!!
188 lbs is 164 lbs from where I am right now. That is almost 46.5% of my current weight. That is a scarey amount. I hope to take it in......."smaller bites.". My first goal is to get under 300 lbs by sometime this fall. Come to think of it...... "Smaller Bites" may be a good motto for me.
It's good to see there are some men on this site..........
Phil
352 / 352 / 299 (starting weight / current weight / goal weight)
I hope to see that middle number go down......I'm goin' for a bike ride after work tonight!!
How often do you weigh in?
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Replies
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Welcome! And I think the bike will be good for you and your joints (that is if you ride it and don't use it as a clothes rack). Just kidding...
I weigh in about once a week. But my work and travel schedule sometimes pushes that to once ever two weeks. I have a goal of losing about 2 lbs a week. When you have a lot to lose, you may be able to drop more per week, but realize that the faster it comes off, the more likely you are to peter out. Find a comfortable pace and keep at it.
Enjoy and good luck!0 -
Phil
352 / 352 / 299 (starting weight / current weight / goal weight)
I hope to see that middle number go down......I'm goin' for a bike ride after work tonight!!
How often do you weigh in?
Welcome Phil.
We usually have a weekly thread that you can check in (once or twice) and for the last two months we've had a monthly challenge thread. Best part I like about this group is none of us seem to be judgemental,
If you ask me how often I weigh myself, the answer is probably going to be 2-3 times a day. But, I know weight fluctuates and I only record my weight on Friday's, usually after shower, before coffee. Then I'll post in our weekly thread. Check in every week. It helps keep me progressing.
I'm really loving the monthly challenge thread. The challenge isn't a competition, but rather a challenge for yourself. Set your goal for the month and see if you can do it.
Again, welcome to the group!
-Kevin
SW - 247
CW - 202
GW - 1850 -
Thanks for the welcome Kevin and ??? " you obviously Irish guy".......
I rode my bike last night for 50 minutes. I was not pushing it too hard. I logged it as a "leisurely bike ride".
I may have to adjust the seat and the handle bars as I did get pretty sore in the back of my upper arms from leaning down on the bar. Also, the seat is set where it's supposed to be..... it's just that at that height it is a little hard to get on and off. I'm thinking I'll leave it as is though. The fact is..... my arms hurt because I am out of shape.......and the bike is hard to get on and off of because I am just to flippin' fat! I am determined to stay with it.
Right now, I my goal is to lose two pounds a week. That means I will hit my first goal of 299 lbs around Thanksgiving. That seems a long way off so the monthly challenges will be good for more short term goals.
I am happy to hear that the monthly challenge is not a competitive thing. Right now my only competition is my lazy-@$$ self! I gotta beat that guy into submission. I will need friends to help me because he can be a beast!!
Phil0 -
Phil, you got this. You're an athlete; you know how to be disciplined. It's just a matter of getting momentum. Have you talked with a nutritionist or a dietitian about it? They can be of great help.
Sent you a friend request.
- Ben0 -
Welcome Phil. You've got a great attitude which is half the battle. As Kevin says, keep checking in here and let us know how you're doing. I weigh myself when I feel I've had a good couple of days and can expect a weight drop. Right now my body is fighting me like a whiny b**** and I haven't hit one of my goals that I'm so close too, but that's another story. Point is weigh in often enough to stay motivated, but understand that weight is going to fluctuate and use it as motivation to keep going. Good job, brother!0
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Ben (my first MFP "friend")...... and Kobi......."irish guy.....and Kevin.....thanks for the words.....
........, I did go see a nutritionist about a year ago as I am pre-diabetic and my physician suggested it. She encouraged me to eat a lower carbohydrate diet and gave me some model meals. It was helpful, but I've gotten away from it....... time to get back to her plan.....
I have two complete days in and am doing well. I've have my bike out for 80 minutes in two days. Feels good....... a little sore.....but a good kind of sore. I hope to get in another 30-50 minutes today.
Question: Do you guys do weight training?
I'm thinking of doing some body weight type stuff. It won't be anything too "Conan".......as it is a major effort for me to sit on the ground and then get up right now. Actually ...... that would probably be a good beginning strength training exercise for me........ sit down on the ground.... stretch.....then stand up........ sit down on the ground...... stretch.....then stand up....... 10X.... Ha! I'm pretty pathetic...... pathetic but determined. I am hoping determined wins the day.
I am slowly but surely coming up with a plan:
1) I've decided that I am going to weigh myself 2X per week...... once on Friday morning and once on Monday morning.......... to kind of check going into the weekend and coming out of the weekend. Seems like a good idea for me as weekends, especially in the summer with BBQ's and all, are particularly dangerous for me.
2) No alcohol after work....... I usually come home from work and have a drink. That drink alone is to unwind at the end of the day. I have a bike now...... that will be my "unwind." I am only going to drink socially........
3) Lower carbs....... I am going to work harder at what the nutritionist told me.... that is less breads, pastas, and deserts. More veggies, good meats, poultry, fish and whole grains ......
4) More sleep..... that means going to bed earlier. I am a night time eater..... it's like after 10:00 PM..... the Beast comes out in me and demands to be fed. So the plan is to go to bed earlier and DO NOT FEED THE BEAST!
5) And of course....... ride the bike....... when my weight gets down I will have more exercise options but for now....... RIDE THE BIKE!
That is enough for now......... just gotta stay the course!
Phil
352/352/2990 -
I had my first weigh in this morning.........down 15 lbs. Now...... I realize that was a complete fluke.....but I did weigh myself less than a week ago on the same scale. I do not expect that every week. That is a "Biggest Loser" number for weight loss.
I am hoping that at the beginning I have some nice losses. It is inspiring. I already feel better. Oh, my feet and ankles still hurt.....but 15 less lbs is 15 less lbs.....
Stay the course.......
Phil
352/337/2990 -
I had my first weigh in this morning.........down 15 lbs. Now...... I realize that was a complete fluke.....but I did weigh myself less than a week ago on the same scale. I do not expect that every week. That is a "Biggest Loser" number for weight loss.
I am hoping that at the beginning I have some nice losses. It is inspiring. I already feel better. Oh, my feet and ankles still hurt.....but 15 less lbs is 15 less lbs.....
Awesome Phil! It's not a fluke, but you are right that you won't always get 15 pound losses. I dropped 8 pounds in the first 5 days and 19 in the first 4 weeks. My progress has slowed considerably from that, although every once in a while I'll have a -4 lb week. I love those!
-Kevin0 -
Thanks Kevin!
Tomorrow is the 1st of July....... I plan to weigh in and work those goals that I set..... they are simple.... and I believe if I stick with them I will have good progress. So...for July:
1) Weigh myself 2X per week...... once on Friday morning and once on Monday morning.......... to kind of check going into the weekend and coming out of the weekend.
2) No alcohol after work....... I usually come home from work and have a drink.
3) Lower carbs....... more veggies, good sources of protein, whole grains.....
4) More sleep..... that means going to bed earlier. I am a night time eater..... it's like after 10:00 PM..... the Beast comes out in me and demands to be fed. So the plan is to go to bed earlier and DO NOT FEED THE BEAST!
5) And of course....... ride the bike....... when my weight gets down I will have more exercise options but for now....... RIDE THE BIKE!
6) I will also resolve to look at these goals every morning as a reminder.
That is enough for now......... just gotta stay the course.
Kevin....... enjoy the day. It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon here in Minnesota.....I'm going for a bike ride!!
Phil
352/337/2990 -
1) Weigh myself 2X per week...... once on Friday morning and once on Monday morning.......... to kind of check going into the weekend and coming out of the weekend.
I do that too. Friday's weight is the one that I record. Monday's weight is my weekend's damage assessment. I take my Monday weight with a grain of salt though. I can easily take on 3-4 lbs during the weekend. Then, I work my tail off for the next Friday.Kevin....... enjoy the day. It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon here in Minnesota.....I'm going for a bike ride!!
Of course, I'm talking about a different kind of bike, but it's nice here in Louisiana, I might just give mine a quick wash and take it for a ride. :happy:0 -
Phil - as everyone else has said, welcome! Remember, we're all at different points in our lives, different lifestyles, habits, metabolisms, everything. What works for one may not necessarily work for another; the trick is to find out what works for you. Kind of like a 12-step program, as Kevin said we don't judge or offer advice, we just tell our stories and offer support. Take what you want and leave the rest!
For example, you were asking about the weigh-in schedule. For me, it got too discouraging to not see results every day, so I only weigh in once every few weeks. My belt and my clothes tell me how I'm doing; no one asks me my number, and I don't share it with anyone (outside of MFP), so who cares? I just keep to the program as best I can, keep it fresh, mix up the exercises as I go along. I'm 54, came here for the same reasons as most of us. Good luck!0 -
Thanks for the encouragement.
My brother and sister are seriously into Harley's. They love their bikes. I've never ridden one. I got my own kind of bike now.....old school.
Weighed in at 331 this morning. This is my starting point for July.
I would like to end July under 320 lbs.
Stay the course....
Phil 352/331/2990 -
I do light weight training as part of my running routine. Monday is a recovery day (long run on Sunday) so I stretch and do strength that day, then I do a full strength routine on Thursday. I focus on light weights, good form, and high reps.
Also, I've been seeing your cardio routines showing up in my news feed - looks awesome!0 -
I have been doing good with light cardio......leisurely bike rides and walks........ that is what I have to start with.
I haven't done any resistance training at all yet. I do have some old dumbbells in the basement. Maybe I should chase the spiders of them and dust 'em down real good and put them to use! I mean, I think that was what I bought them for...... :happy:
Phil
352/331/2990 -
I have been doing good with light cardio......leisurely bike rides and walks........ that is what I have to start with.
I haven't done any resistance training at all yet. I do have some old dumbbells in the basement. Maybe I should chase the spiders of them and dust 'em down real good and put them to use! I mean, I think that was what I bought them for...... :happy:
Phil
352/331/299
Like anything else, ease into additions to your workouts. You don't want to burn yourself out or overtrain.
That said, you very much should look to add resistance training into your program. My only real concern is your focus on the scale. It is possible to lose fat and not lose weight, especially when you're lifting weights. However, when you do add muscle, you'll be burning more calories every day and that will make a huge difference over time.0 -
Just hit my Danger Zone weight. Starting over again. I need to get back on track NOW, TODAY. I am comitting to document all my food, and I will check in regularly. Never too old to Rock and Roll!0
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Welcome!0
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Just hit my Danger Zone weight. Starting over again. I need to get back on track NOW, TODAY. I am comitting to document all my food, and I will check in regularly. Never too old to Rock and Roll!
Your "Danger Zone Weight" must be similar to my "Oh-Hell-No" moment. :laugh: Welcome the group!0 -
I was gone on vacation all last week. I was able to log my food on the phone app but unable to access the Community Discussions. Well, I am back. I did pretty well eating and exercising. I thought I would be down a couple of pounds but instead I gained a pound. That was a disappointment.
It is really hot and muggy here in MN today. But I will get out and get some exercise. Gotta get back on my bike !
Phil
352/331/2990 -
july 15..... walked a little more than 2 miles......it was a hot muggy walk but I am glad I did it.........it felt so good to take off my shoes and let my feet breath!
Life's little pleasures.....
Phil
352/328/2990 -
I got off to a great start on MFP.......but lately I have been struggling.
The end of July is very difficult for my wife and I........ today is the 32nd anniversary of the death of our youngest son (at that time), Ryan, from acute myelogenous leukemia. Though the memory of him starts to fade....... it seems to still affect us....... it never goes away..... and I would not want it to go away. It just is hard....... painful.
Then six years ago..... our youngest son, Stephen, (born the year )after Ryan's death........ Stephen died in a car accident. He was 25 years old and left a young wife and a two daughters, four years old and two years old. An almost unbearable blow for us.
It seems that at this time of year...... I am overcome with melancholy. I have very low energy......... a sadness. And I try to assuage it with food...... I am an emotional eater. That is a fact. And I always gain weight at this time of year and around the holidays. Now that I am aware of it....... I can pay attention........ adjust.......
Bottom line...... I have to stay the course. Eating and drinking provide a temporary relief.....but in the end...... drains me even more of my energy and desire for life.
This is serious stuff........ I have to be tender with myself...... but I also know that it is important to .....
....STAY THE COURSE......
Phil0 -
I had a good day yesterday...... I am trying to eat low carb...... it seems to be the diet that helps me to feel at my best. I am trying to get to being a real fat burner.
My goals are to eat a net 25 grams of carbs a day. I realize that is low.....but it is a goal. Yesterday, I was at 30 grams. I feel good today.
I walked for 45 minutes yesterday and would like to walk half an hour today and bike for 45 minutes or so.....
It is a gorgeous day here in Minnesota....
Phil
352/328/2990 -
Hey Phil,
Sending you a friend request as I see that we have very similar profiles and goals.
I'm a former athlete myself. Swimming and water polo in HS and rowing in my college years.
I'm 51 years old, 6'3" and hit a peak weight of just under 350#'s.
Currently I'm in the 280 range and working at getting off 10 pounds at a time to get myself back into more reasonable condition.
Got myself back into the pool in late 2012 and even got started back with a master's water polo program. That's been a trip because I'm certainly old and slow and the bulk of the other players are either recent grads from the University of Texas varsity team and even a few current players. Had an interesting moment during one recent scrimmage when I realized that the opposing player that I was guarding was born in 1994 - exactly 14 years since the last time that I had competitively played the sport in 1980. The first few scrimmages I almost died, literally! Been getting better all of the time, however, and I've been having a blast trying to keep up.
In any event, just wanted to say keep at it. This lifestyle change is totally worth it.
I also did want to acknowledge that I feel for you with respect to the loss of your sons. I have two boys myself and I can only imagine the challenges that you face in that area of your life.
I know from my own experience that getting your body moving, and releasing those endorphins, can really help keep the mental state when dealing with depression/melancholy/sadness.
Go ahead and accept the FR and let's work towards keeping each other motivated and accountable.
Take care.
David
SkinnyBubbaGaar0 -
David,
Thanks for the encouragement. We do have a lot in common. I swam in high school and in college......played some water polo in lifeguard league...... and even did some rowing competition as a lifeguard. I was pretty dang good at it. I beat a guy one year in a lifeguard rowing contest, who the next year rowed crew for the University of Wisconsin in the Henley Regatta in England. It was around 1972 or so.
I am 6' 5" and right now weigh 327 lbs. My all time high was about 370 lbs. Back in 2007 I dropped over a hundred pounds and got down to 255. Then after my son died, well, that is not an excuse, but it does help me to identify that I use food as a painkiller.
I am really working hard to correct that. It will be a process........ but now that I am sixty years old, I realize that I am going to have to gradually increase my physical activity. This ol' body just ain't got the overdrive gear anymore. I have to show it a little respect and even some tenderness!
Last weekend I went to visit my grandkids..... I took four of them to the pool. They are eight, seven, five and four years old. I was having a grand old time with them, wresting, throwing them around, chasing them around the pool, launching them for back flips, etc. We were there for three hours. Right before we left, I was feeling the exhaustion and lamenting what kind of shape I was in, when my son told me he had to go home to get something.
He said, "I'll see you later dad."
My son is thirty-five years old and there was this young mother there with her four year old son.
She said to him, "That's your dad?!? No way .......how old is he?"
My son said, "He's sixty..." She did not believe it.
She came up to me and said, "Are you really sixty?"
"Yes"
"My dad is sixty-three....... he could not ever play with the kids the way you play with your grand kids. I can't believe your sixty and his dad (pointing to my son) !!"
Well, ..... that made my day...... but.....
I still have a lot of work to do....... a LOT of work to do. But maybe I am not as pathetic as I thought.
I cannot, however, see myself playing water polo!! That is amazing........ I don't even like to swim laps because once you have swum at a competitive level....... and you find yourself more than a hundred pounds more than you were, well, it's like a barge vs a speedboat. It just isn't any fun. Maybe I'll swim laps again.......but I need to lose a lot more weight!
I do need a lot of encouragement.....we can help each other.
Thanks David.....
Stay the course!
Phil
352/327/2990 -
I have had a couple of rough weeks....... neglecting my eating and just flat out indulging. The past couple of days I've gotten back on track and have a slight gain of one pound.
I have been feeling this weight in my knees and ankles the past few days, so yesterday for exercise I headed to the pool. It felt very good to get in a good workout without stressing my knees, ankles and feet.
I am hoping to break the 300 lb barrier by Thanksgiving . That means I need to lose 30 lbs in 100 days. Yep, that's right it is one hundred days until Thanksgiving......which is my favorite holiday. That's right at 2 lbs a week. Do able!!!
It will be a good thing to get back under 300 lbs......... it will feel good to carry a lighter load.
Phil
352/328/2990 -
Hey Phil,
Just read this thread. I'm in since 8/1 after I fell off the wagon in December. I'm a native Minnesotan but now I've lived in Texas longer than I ever lived in Minnesota. The accent still comes out when I visit however.
I think coming on these forums is making a big difference for me and for you--reinforcement of any kind helps. I personally need to visit Mr. Scale everyday or I find my perceptions of what's happening tend to diverge from reality. Others don't have that issue and visit less often to prevent burnout. I think you have taken a big divot out of your weight already so Bravo for that. I'm on board for breaking that 300 barrier. We all have those former high water marks that we are struggling to get back to on our way to a GQ centerfold opportunity. I also relate to the nocturnal grazing penchant--must be the long winter nights we grew up with. Two main things for me are calorie control by logging consistantly--the physics are inescapable, and physical fitness (sweat everyday).
I'd be glad to be on your friend list.
Doug0 -
Phil,
first off welcome ... although I'm newer to The Male Stop than you ... but welcome anyhow. I'm in for helping each other out any way that makes sense and is helpful! Add me as a friend, send me a message, write on my wall ... whatever works for you!
I would consider adding some resistance training to your exercise routine ... What will happen as you lose weight by reducing your food intake is that your body will convert both body fat and muscle and use both for energy. You want to preserve as much muscle as you can. As Amisnercpa noted, muscle burns more calories than fat does, so maintaining muscle helps you keep your metabolism higher. Aside from that, you will want to look good and feel good as you lose weight and the resistance training will help immensely with that. Finally, resistance training releases cortisol into your body, which helps with fat loss as long as you are continuing the resistance training and making sure to eat some protein within 60 minutes or so after resistance training.
You absolutely should do the diet plan your dietician set up for you. I was borderline Type II diabetic and went to a low carb diet and solved that problem without any medication whatsoever.0 -
Doug and Eric,
Thanks for the input and the encouragement. I am still struggling.......but determined. Sometimes I think I try to do too much...... I just need to make one small change at a time........
All I know is that I am not enjoying being over 300 lbs....... it is not easy lugging all this around!
Phil0 -
Hey Phil,
Stay the course. Maybe you just need to readjust your plan. As you said, sometimes you try to do too much. Make small changes that you can maintain long term. From reading other MFP posts, it seems that slow and steady may be the best course. Like good BBQ, low and slow.
Use MFP's calculator, IIFYM.com calculator or fat2fitradio.com to set realistic calorie intake goals. Add exercise in increments that you can maintain. Since I started MFP my exercise has been erratic. Sometimes I workout 3-4 times a week, other times I go a week with no exercise. I'd like to settle at 3-4 30 to 40 minutes sessions a week. You can do this, you just need to find the plan the works for you. Set small goals. We didn't gain the extra weight overnight, probably took months/years, so take it slow.
Good luck.0 -
New to the site, but not new to trying to get my weight under control. May 24th I bought a pair of 35 waist pants. The ones in my profile pic. It is now September, and I never got a chance to wear those pants, but I can fit in a 30, 31s are still more comfortable. On Friday, I went shopping for dress shirt, and I had to buy slim fit, athletic cuts. Whoa Hoa! Now that I am getting to my goal weight, planning on harder workouts, and gaining some weight where I want it to be. Having had 3 back surgeries, I have to be very careful in the gym. I was always pretty lucky in the eating, and maintaining department, but the last back surgery, and being 47 has caught up with me. 5'9, goal weight of 155, will put me at high school weight. Just in time for class reunion. Stay with the gym, and I will be in better shape than high school. 1470 calories a day.0
