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cmstaley1
cmstaley1 Posts: 32
in Motivation and Support
Hey guys, hows it going? I am new to the site and restarting my journey to being fit and healthy. To give you some background. About 5-6 years ago I was roughly 350lbs. I started doing Body For Life (BFL) and had great success. After 2 years or so I was down to about 255lbs and pretty fit overall. I was happy with where I was at, even though I could have probably dropped another 20lbs or so and began maintance mode. I still went to the gym 5-6 day a week and ate clean with one cheat day.

Fast Forward to March of 2009 I lost my Dad in a car accident and things started to go down hill for me. Even after 2 years or so I can't say I am completely out of my funk but I know its time things change. I remember how happy I was when I weighed less and want to get to that point again. So here I am today at 316lbs ready to get back to 255lbs and beyond.

My goal is to get to around 235lbs I don't think I have a set weight that I need to be at. I just know when I get to a maintance point I will know. The one goal I do have is to become a BFL champion. If any of you are familiar with BFL they do a yearly contest they choose division and grand champions. I attempted twice both times at fairly high weights so I really didn't expect to win but I did get an honorable mentinon type of thing once. So once I get myself down to a resonable weight again I will turn in one last form.

To make a long story longer. One of the things that really motivated me and kept me in it was a message board with a tight knight group of other BFL followers. Every day we checked in chatted and gave each other support. I would like to continue that here. So if any one would like to join my little Group with in a Group feel free. It doesn't matter if your goal is to lose 10lbs, 100lbs, or start rock climbing it is all about support.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

Craig

Replies

  • frugal2
    frugal2 Posts: 24 Member
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    That's totally awesome that you got honorable mention! I'm familiar with BFL. I had thought about trying that too, but i just didn't have to motivation to keep it going. I'll join your group.
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    Welcome aboard frugal2! You should definiately enter the BFL contest. Judging by your wight loss goals you would do really well.

    This is the book I read when I first started explains it all.
    http://www.amazon.com/Body-Life-Mental-Physical-Strength/dp/0060193395/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301279451&sr=8-1

    ...but now you can get most of the info off their website. Plus if you have any questions about it I can help.
    http://bodyforlife.com/
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    First couple days have gone well overall. I have kept my calories in check my goal is 1500-1800 a day both days I have been below 1700. Monday I had a basketball game to go to so I didn't work out and today was a long day at work so didn't make it to the gym. Need to go the rest of the week to hit my goal of going to the gym 5 days per. No excuse only solutions. Tonight I plan on hitting the sack early so I am rested and ready to go for tomorrow. Hope everyone is doing well! See you tomorrow.
  • frugal2
    frugal2 Posts: 24 Member
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    I need to focus more on my workouts, but i haven't been lately. I've been prioritizing my time spent and I've set my goal to at least moving (minimum would be a brisk walk) for 30min 3x/wk. but i know that's not enough becuase i lose muscle mass. I'm totally aware of all this, i have all the knowledge, i'm just having a hard time executing. maybe i'll get it this weekend. I'll just make myself work out on sat & sun bc it's always the first couple days of starting a program that's the hardest, right?

    WOW, 1500-1800 seems low for a guy! i'm at 1200 and it hasn't been too difficult, but I am having a hard time getting in enough fat & protein because I like volume/bulk to not feel deprived, so i've been choosing veggies/fruit mostly. Maybe i would crave less if i had protein and fat....hmm...i'll have to try to get some in and see what happens.
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    Yeah 1500-1800 is low at my weight I should probably be around 2000 or so. This is kind of an experiment for me I guess. To see what is possible / healthy. Alot of people at my work have been loosing tons of weight on the F.A.S.T diet http://www.meanestmanindieting.com/ Which is basically calorie counting exersize and accountability. After talking to some of the guys at work it seemed this is the calorie range they want most of the guys in, the ladies around 1200.

    Last week I didn't exersize once but was happy I kept my eating good. Went to the gym tonight for some upperbody work and just hoping to keep the momentum going. I know if I keep it up for a month it will become habit.

    You are right about strenght training you need to keep your muscle to burn more fat. If you want low calorie protien I would definately reccomend chicken breasts and pure protien bars (walmart/Sams carries them) http://www.pureprotein.net/. As far as protien bars they are the best I have tasted. I have one of those bars every morning for breakfast, if I am busy at work they get me through to lunch.
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    http://fitnessstride.com/index.html

    Interesting fitness aid that I saw on "Shark Tank: Last week. If I were a woman and wore a skirt to work I would definately buy one. You can hide this thing under your skirt and burn more calories walking around at work. I just don't think it would look great with a suit or dress pants. Might get it some day when running alone becomes too easy :wink:
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    So last night I entered in my bicycling for the first time on this site to see how many calories I burned. I was really surprised that for 40 mins of cycling between 10-12mph they estimated I burned 750 calories. It seemed like a lot compared to other exercizes. So I did some research on top calorie burning exercises and this is what I found.

    1. Running
    Running is one of best activities you can do. It doesn't require special equipment (except some quality shoes) and you can do it anywhere. Best of all, you burn serious calories, especially if you add hills and sprints. A 145-lb person can burn 300 (at 5.2 mph) in 30 minutes. The downside is, it takes lots of practice and you should watch your knees and ankles for any discomfort or pain.

    2. Cross-Country Skiing
    Whether you're on a gym machine or swooshing over miles of snow, cross-country skiing is an incredible cardio exercise. What makes it so great is that it involves your upper and lower body, which means it doesn't take much to get your heart rate soaring. A 145-lb person burns about 330 calories during 30 minutes of skiing. The downside is: it's HARD. Take your time and ease into it.

    3. Bicycling
    Outdoors or indoors, cycling gives some great cardio. Using all the power in your legs, you'll increase endurance while burning lots of calories, anywhere from 250-500 in 30 minutes, depending on how fast you go and how high your resistance is.

    4. Elliptical Trainer
    The elliptical trainer is a great way to build endurance while protecting your aching joints from high impact activities. Plus, if you use one with arms, it's just like using a cross-country ski machine. The elliptical trainer is also a good choice for runners looking for a break from pounding the pavement. A 145-lb person burns about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

    5. Swimming
    Swimming, like cross-country skiing, is a full body exercise. The more body parts you involve in your workout, the more calories you'll burn. Spend 30 minutes doing the breastroke and you'll burn almost 400 calories. Best of all, your joints are fully supported so you don't have to worry about high-impact injuries. It's also great cross-training for other cardio activities.

    6. Step Aerobics
    Step aerobics has yet to lose its luster for many gym-goers and it's a good thing. Step is one tough workout that targets your legs, butt and hips while burning almost 400 calories in 30 minutes (during high intensity sessions). Though it might look complicated, step is easy to learn if you start with a beginner class or video.

    7. Rowing
    This is an often overlooked machine in the gym because most people are confused about how it works. Vigorous rowing can really get your heart rate up while working your arms like crazy. Plus, it's probably not something you do very often which means you'll burn even more calories. In 30 minutes, a 145-lb person can burn about 300 calories. That's if you do it with a little oomph.

    8. Rock Climbing
    Rock climbing burns a whopping 380 calories in 30 minutes, but this isn't an activity for the faint of heart. Though you use strength and power with your arms and legs, rock climbing has a high learning curve and requires lots of special equipment and techniques so you don't hurt yourself. Mental strength is a plus!

    9. Walking
    If you put a little oomph into it, walking is a great exercise, burning about 180 calories in 30 minutes. Adding hills, sprints or even a few minutes of jogging can increase the amount of calories you burn. Make sure you walk briskly--pretend you're trying to catch a bus--and keep you head up, back straight and swing your arms.

    10. Handball
    Okay, I'm not just putting this in here because my husband plays handball (and very well, I might add). Similar to racquetball (but without the racquet), the side-to-side sprints will get your heart rate up as well as strengthen your legs. The learning curve is high, so plan on practicing a lot before you can even hit that little ball. A 145-lb person burns over 400 calories in 30 minutes.

    Even though Swimmming is up there I really thought it would be #1 calorie wise.
  • frugal2
    frugal2 Posts: 24 Member
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    That fitness stride thing is really funny! I don't know if i am confident enough to wear something like that around. It looks kind of ridiculous! and $50?! I'd try it maybe if it were $25 for just the bands. It would also be a really good Christmas gift exchange item!
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
    Options
    So last night I entered in my bicycling for the first time on this site to see how many calories I burned. I was really surprised that for 40 mins of cycling between 10-12mph they estimated I burned 750 calories. It seemed like a lot compared to other exercizes. So I did some research on top calorie burning exercises and this is what I found.

    1. Running
    Running is one of best activities you can do. It doesn't require special equipment (except some quality shoes) and you can do it anywhere. Best of all, you burn serious calories, especially if you add hills and sprints. A 145-lb person can burn 300 (at 5.2 mph) in 30 minutes. The downside is, it takes lots of practice and you should watch your knees and ankles for any discomfort or pain.

    2. Cross-Country Skiing
    Whether you're on a gym machine or swooshing over miles of snow, cross-country skiing is an incredible cardio exercise. What makes it so great is that it involves your upper and lower body, which means it doesn't take much to get your heart rate soaring. A 145-lb person burns about 330 calories during 30 minutes of skiing. The downside is: it's HARD. Take your time and ease into it.

    3. Bicycling
    Outdoors or indoors, cycling gives some great cardio. Using all the power in your legs, you'll increase endurance while burning lots of calories, anywhere from 250-500 in 30 minutes, depending on how fast you go and how high your resistance is.

    4. Elliptical Trainer
    The elliptical trainer is a great way to build endurance while protecting your aching joints from high impact activities. Plus, if you use one with arms, it's just like using a cross-country ski machine. The elliptical trainer is also a good choice for runners looking for a break from pounding the pavement. A 145-lb person burns about 300 calories in 30 minutes.

    5. Swimming
    Swimming, like cross-country skiing, is a full body exercise. The more body parts you involve in your workout, the more calories you'll burn. Spend 30 minutes doing the breastroke and you'll burn almost 400 calories. Best of all, your joints are fully supported so you don't have to worry about high-impact injuries. It's also great cross-training for other cardio activities.

    6. Step Aerobics
    Step aerobics has yet to lose its luster for many gym-goers and it's a good thing. Step is one tough workout that targets your legs, butt and hips while burning almost 400 calories in 30 minutes (during high intensity sessions). Though it might look complicated, step is easy to learn if you start with a beginner class or video.

    7. Rowing
    This is an often overlooked machine in the gym because most people are confused about how it works. Vigorous rowing can really get your heart rate up while working your arms like crazy. Plus, it's probably not something you do very often which means you'll burn even more calories. In 30 minutes, a 145-lb person can burn about 300 calories. That's if you do it with a little oomph.

    8. Rock Climbing
    Rock climbing burns a whopping 380 calories in 30 minutes, but this isn't an activity for the faint of heart. Though you use strength and power with your arms and legs, rock climbing has a high learning curve and requires lots of special equipment and techniques so you don't hurt yourself. Mental strength is a plus!

    9. Walking
    If you put a little oomph into it, walking is a great exercise, burning about 180 calories in 30 minutes. Adding hills, sprints or even a few minutes of jogging can increase the amount of calories you burn. Make sure you walk briskly--pretend you're trying to catch a bus--and keep you head up, back straight and swing your arms.

    10. Handball
    Okay, I'm not just putting this in here because my husband plays handball (and very well, I might add). Similar to racquetball (but without the racquet), the side-to-side sprints will get your heart rate up as well as strengthen your legs. The learning curve is high, so plan on practicing a lot before you can even hit that little ball. A 145-lb person burns over 400 calories in 30 minutes.

    Even though Swimmming is up there I really thought it would be #1 calorie wise.
    Thanks for the list!:drinker:
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
    Options
    That fitness stride thing is really funny! I don't know if i am confident enough to wear something like that around. It looks kind of ridiculous! and $50?! I'd try it maybe if it were $25 for just the bands. It would also be a really good Christmas gift exchange item!

    Agreed it does look odd. I might be able to wear it around the house or doing yard work. I am sure it would draw some looks at the gym.
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    Went on a bike ride tonight I usually try to pay attention to the wind so that the first leg of my ride is into the wind and with the wind on the way back. I started out really strong not paying attention. I don't know why it didn't hit me when I was coasting along at 20 mph but it didn't. Until I turned around to head back. Lets just say the ride back was a little tougher! Either way it was a great ride.
  • cmstaley1
    cmstaley1 Posts: 32
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    So yesterday I made a discovery that most of you probably already know but I thought I would share. I came home from work hungry but wanted to go for a bike ride instead of cooking right away. By the time I came home I wasn't hungry at all in fact I had to make myself eat something. I thought back to my days of playing highschool football, coming home from practice at 6-7 at night exhausted not hungry at all many times I just went to bed without eating.

    It got me thinking is exercise an Appetite suppressant? Turns out Areobic exercise is.


    Source: I pasted the main info below
    http://www.ehow.com/facts_5632199_safest-form-appetite-suppressant_.html


    How Does Exercise Suppress Appetite?
    Exercise appears to suppress appetite by regulating hormones and blood protein levels. How exercise affects your particular body depends on whether you are thin or overweight, how often you exercise and what types of exercises you perform.

    Exercise Regulates Appetite Hormones
    A 2008 study by Loughborough University, in the United Kingdom, found that aerobic exercise increases your body's production of the hormones ghrelin and peptide YY, which control appetite. This was shown to be true in normal weight but not overweight people, as overweight people were less hungry even before exercising.

    Exercise Results in Higher Levels of Important Blood Protein
    For overweight people, a study at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital found that exercise can suppress appetite by increasing the levels of a blood protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Participants who had higher concentrations of BDNF were less hungry.

    What Types of Exercise Suppress Appetite?
    Aerobic exercise, as opposed to weight training, is responsible for suppressing appetite. This is true in thin and overweight individuals alike. Jogging, swimming, inline skating and biking are examples of aerobic exercise.

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