have you lost over 50 pounds?

At 50 now.

What are you doing currently to lose?

HI there

I lost 128lbs to get to my target weight almost 3 years ago. I fluctuate up and down with 18lbs but I am ok with that.

It's a life long committment and a lifestyle change which I have found for the better.

Good luck you can do it!!!

I've lost 80. And counting - working on the last 13 or so!

Patience.
Caloric Deficit.
Determination.
Eat enough.

That's all you need. No secrets.

You don't have 135 to lose - maybe 90-100, but as a guy who started off in the 270s too, you'll be fine.

Diet is more important for weight loss than exercise, but exercise allows you to eat more and can build more muscle/stop wasting the muscles you already have.

I started January 4, and am down 56.6 pounds so far. My goal is eating healthy and getting fit. I have a total of 129 pounds to lose and do not look upon this as a diet that will someday end, but as a new lifestyle to be maintained once I reach my goal.

I started January 4, and am down 56.6 pounds so far. My goal is eating healthy and getting fit. I have a total of 129 pounds to lose and do not look upon this as a diet that will someday end, but as a new lifestyle to be maintained once I reach my goal.

This!

Patience.
Caloric Deficit.
Determination.
Eat enough.

That's all you need. No secrets.

This ^^^^^ exactly also don't give up when it gets hard because it will get hard but the pay off in the end is so much more worth it then giving up. You will get annoyed and tired but remember once you reach your goal that feeling of accomplishment will make you remember all the Bull**** you went through and it will make you never want to go back! good luck on your journey stick to the boards lots of great people on here!

...but I feel intimidated of entering that section of the gym
and according to many there is where you cut down the gut

Focus on your intake first. Nothing wrong with working out, lifting, etc. I LOVE lifting, but table pushaways are the best workout for getting rid of a gut. There's no exercise that's going to make your gut go away specifically... nor the flabby underarms.. neck rolls... back-fat... any of that.

Patience.
Caloric Deficit.
Determination.
Eat enough.

That's all you need. No secrets.

Guy I now there is not secret; the thing I believe in learning a much of as you can to succeed in anything; so I would really appreciate any stories oh how you guys controlled your intakes at the beginning how did you feel what you started changing!

How I controlled my intake? It's simple. Count everything you eat. Everything. Weigh it. Get a food scale. If you can't count it, don't eat it.

Excellent post!!!

Also 'measure' it. If it says 120 calories for 1/4 cup then darn sure use the measure and make sure you don't get 3x that.

I have recovered enough of my loss to be at 50 lb down. I have another 130 to go. Feel free to add me as you friend. I would love to have some folks to encourage me and that I can encourage as well

I've spent a LOT of my life in the gym. I started when I was 17 (I'd messed around before then but got serious at 17) and gained a lot of muscle in a short period of time. Then over the years I was an on again / off again gym rat of sorts. I even had 700lbs of free weights in my living-room at one time. When I was 34 I benched 350lbs and my kids wanted to paint me green on Halloween because they said I looked like the Hulk.

So I know working out.

So, did I go to the gym to lose weight? Nope. I walked and cut my calories.

Truth is that weight training WILL help if you get in and increase your lean body mass and I won't argue with anyone who believes in doing that as a weight loss plan HOWEVER I am a FIRM believer in cutting calories to lose weight and here is why:

Most people aren't overweight who have a regular fitness routine and for the most part most who try to start a regular fitness routine in order to lose weight eventually quit and/or return to their previous lives before working out and gain the weight back. Perhaps because you can eat more when you work out when you quit it's just too easy to continue to eat more and gain the weight back.

Whereas, if you weren't going to the gym to begin with then you're asking yourself to change TWO things: your eating habits AND your activity level.

We get fat because we are not active and eat too much (I've never met a very active person who was also fat).

So, by cutting calories, which is something EVERYONE can do and it takes NO training, you/we can lose fat and chances are you'll learn to eat less in the process and likely be successful in keeping it off in the future, after all, you don't have to go anywhere or do anything you wouldn't normally do anyway. You just have to eat less.

I walk because I want to improve my cardiovascular system and it helps with the weight loss. However I had high blood pressure and I needed more then just weight loss.

Personally, I think walking is something almost everyone can do and should do. After all, it's good for you and it doesn't require anything but a road/path and a good pair of shoes.

Stay hungry!

I'm down 126 since being on here. Feel free to add me!

One of the first things you need to do is learn what healthy eating is. One of the biggest keys is lots of fruits and veggies. Whole grains, lean meats. and lots of water are also key. A good picture would be --visualize a plate. Half of that plate should be veggies/fruit, one quarter whole grains and one quarter meat. Portion control is also important. 4 oz of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. starch should be kept at a half cup. Keep in mind that corn is not a veggie, but a starch/grain. Most veggies are low calorie and can be eaten in unlimited quantities, but watch out for some of the higher calorie veggies.

I try to prelog my food at the beginning of the day and keep within my macros. then I stick to that plan. My calorie goal for each day is 1400 calories and I spread it over four meals a day