Skipping breakfast is the worst thing when trying to be in better shape. As Vito mentioned earlier you need to fuel the fire, or metabolism in this case. Skipping breakfast will delay your body in burning energy and calories and promoting muscle growth. Even just a piece of wheat toast and a banana will start it up for the day.
One more thing. Start a new thread here with your progress. Keep us updated and it will keep you motivated. I am torn on the whole slow change vs ease in to it. One year ago I mowed the lawn in the summer heat, looked at the treadmill sitting there. I laced up my running shoes and started right then and there and haven't quite since. I just wanted to get in better shape and that day was the day my mind wanted to do it. I was a big Coke drinker as well and quite frankly i pretty much decided to have one a day at lunch was OK. It works for me and at 120 calories a can, its not too bad. Plus at lunch I figure I have all day to work it off. I should add I started with just walking and have been running now after I got my aerobic fitness levels up and weight down. Im going to be 40 and I am in better shape then 30 and excited to switch up to more aerobic/weight routines. I find the key is lose the weight first with walking before going crazy. Evening strolls while good for aiding dinner digestion is good, but get a treadmill and go for 30-40 minutes 5-6 days a week of vigorous walking at peak heart rate. Good luck and congratulations for wanting it.
I thought about that but not sure Justin or others would like me burdening the site with my quest...especially a day by day type post. Figured I would just throw a detailed post up in a couple weeks on the progress to not bore everyone too much. Then if anyone sees something I could be doing better, they can add to it. I will start a daily journal ( note book ) for my use though so I can keep track of things and for motivation. Then I can see what works and tweek things as I go along. Tim
Oh and my last weekend of this old life style consisted of pigging out on the wifes cooking, boozing, smoking, quite a few dews and sitting on the couch today watching TV ( free HBO ). I feel like crap right now. LOL I am down to a pack and a half of smokes. Gonna save the last pack ( unopened )... date it... leave on the desk here as a reminder of my evil past. I did spend 5 hours cutting trees and hauling them out on Saturday with Tyler so it wasn't a compete binge or waste. Still think I can do it ?? Tim
Tim, small moves every day pay big dividends. Don't worry about a herculean effort every day trying to modify everything you do in life. Just make small moves and let it be gradual. I KNOW you will feel better come hunting season. If a man of your age (not old at all) can work like you do right now and you smoke, drink enough mountain dew per day to satiate a small country, and feel like you are 50 lbs overweight....just imagine what kind of workhorse you will be like when you kick and/or reduce your cigarette intake, lose 20-30 lbs, and only drink 2-3 MD's a day. You are going to be a monster! I look forward to hearing of your success.
You can definitely do it. And if you stumble just get back up and on track. A big mistake people make is when they have a bad day a go back to a bad habit they beat themselves up over it and give it up. Don't beat yourself up over it and just get back to your good habits.
Some good advice so far, a couple others that I'll add that I've found helpful. Drink a glass of water before each meal/snack. You need water to burn the fuel and also to stay healthy, hydrated and mobile (think of water as oil for the joints, amongst other things) if you can increase cardio exercise. Walking or swimming (if you have a pool) are low impact. I have the bad knees too, but am trying to minimally put some walking time in during the cooler parts of the day. If you have time and the discipline, keep a journal of your exercise (Walked 30 minutes). With a son that's type 1 diabetic, the whole family has learned a lot about counting carbs in the meals, which we've been able to use to make better choices, like Vito laid out above. E.g. A nice piece of grilled fish (no oil, no butter), a big salad (lite dressing or a vinegrette) and another side like squash makes a super low carb meal.
I have been doing what you are describing and have lost almost 40 pounds since April 1. Others have more expertise so I'll leave you with their advice. For me, I was told by my doctor to do some healthier things. A few things I have learned. Get rid of any thought of being on a diet and plan to change your diet... permanently. Communicate with your wife what you can and can't eat or conflict will occur. Mine cooked me lasagna one night and didn't understand why I wouldn't eat it. That was a bad night sleeping back to back. I have learned to eat when hungry, and to stop when I no longer am. I do not eat to get full anymore. I don't go to restaurants much at all anymore. Restaurants are interested in making money, not in your health. Bottom line is 3500 calories is equal to one pound. Each time you burn 3500 more calories than you eat, you will lose one pound. Losing water weight is not losing weight, it is dehydration. Proper diet and hydration are essential to losing fat and maintaining your energy levels. Finally, there is no shame in seeing your doctor and if you are approaching 50 you should have been doing so all along. Make an appointment, get a checkup and ask his advice about your diet plan. Finally quit poisoning yourself with the smokes... it is a lifestyle change you need. Good luck, you can do it. By the way I turn 50 in January. I am also 6' 1 and 3/4" and was about 225lb when I started, I was 177lb this morning. I have been under a cardiologists care the past year and a half and he released me from care this past Friday.
Thanks, its really fun to me. I wasn't allowed to exercise until recently because of an eye condition and that is how I gained weight in the first place.
Yup, give up the smokes. I did on Nov 4th. I immediately gained 25 pounds by Feb. I still have weird things... like today. I was driving down the road after 8 months of smoke free and reached for the console. My thought when I looked, where in the hell are my cigs. You have to laugh. I made it through 8 days of fishing with a buddy in Canada who smokes without really wanting one. That tells you what you're up against. I've had other health issues that kept me from doing any exercise.... but hopefully that changed with the stent I had put in 2 weeks ago. I got to start shedding weight too. My problem is age 68. It's not as easy to lose 30 pounds as it once was.. I just want to get more fit and better. Screw the weight at this point. IF I get fit and stay at it, it'll come off. I've stopped eating junk like cheese. Never really did sweets or sodas. Now if I make a twice baked potatoe... I only eat half today and maybe the other half a day or 2 later. Weight has stopped going up. I need to get more fit to make it start to go down. Sorry, I still have to have my totties. I start some cardio rehab, just a couple days, on the 17th. I'm going to assume they'll tell me to give up life as I know it. We''ll see. The nice thing about being 68..... you can tell them all you feel a modification of their plan is in order. I don't want to live to be 120.
Update... When I posted this thread, I weighed 258 lbs. As of tonight, I weigh 228. Got not quite a month to drop 20 more lbs before my 50th to hit my goal of 50 lbs. Still smoking and drinking dew but that ends tomorrow night. There are no excuses now. I am eating better and will start exercising now that harvest is over. Weekends off and back to somewhat normal hours now. Work has been the biggest influence for the weight lose. Been working my *** off... literally. Not sure if I will get the next 20 lbs off by my birthday but going to give it heck. I've had a lot more energy at work. Today was a nasty gruel and I still had energy to spare when it ended. Last July... I would have been hurting half way though the day. I feel a lot better then I did when I turned 40. Alot less back pains and knee pains. My oldest daughter gets married next June 29th. I will be at the 200 lb mark or under to look good in the tux that I walk her down the isle in. I will have not smoked for over half a year. That is my new goal. Tim
Good job on the weight loss, it's amazing how addicting losing weight can be once you start. Quitting smoking will give you that feeling x 10. Along with the exercise, you'll be riding the natural endorphin for weeks!
Tim...good job my friend. That's awesome what you have achieved. Please stop smoking. My dad (who is 70) smoked most of his life. Other than having COPD, he is in good health but COPD is a b!tch and he gets out of breath very easily. He quit smoking maybe when he was mid-50s ( cold turkey) but the damage was already done.
