Getting fit and shedding pounds

[RJ Fan club]

 

This.

 

I've finally got myself on a proper health kick - which has been pretty much an annual aim that usually lasts about a fortnight before I get bored over the lack of progress - and I'm fucking loving it. Started it in June' date=' and I've lost just over 20 pounds, and that's without taking it as seriously as I could have.

 

Despite my size - as many of you know I'm a big unit - I don't actually eat that unhealthily - although I do have a serious sweet tooth - but my metabolism is ridiculously slow, and I always used to eat late at night. So, I analysed my diet and made some simple changes which I felt wouldn't really affect me: I majorly cut out carbs (I've had bread and/or potatoes maybe once in the past two months, and don't have pasta that much - not that I did, anyway), only have one sugar in my tea, or none if I have coffee, and made sure I drank plenty of water (I'd always make sure I'd drink at least a two litre bottle a day, and have a smaller one to carry round with me if I went anywhere.

 

Being Chinese I can't live without rice and/or noodles, but I try to alternate and have a day on/day off with them, and otherwise I just stick to a high protein diet (all whilst keeping to 1800 calories a day). When it comes to being peckish late at night I'll have a bowl of Special K or a bit of fruit, something like that. Just making subtle changes to certain recipes has been huge, and having to discover new dishes to cook, etc, has been really exciting for me as I'm the cook in the house. I've found cutting down on the carbs has been huge for me. I've just done the sensible things like eating more fruit and veg, and cutting down my portions a bit, too.

 

The one key thing I've found is that, from a mental aspect to keep me motivated and on track, I don't deprive myself of things that I really enjoy or fancy. I'll still have stuff like bacon, scrambled eggs and tomato a few times a week for breakky. If I want a pizza, I'll have one - but I've never been big on processed foods or anything, anyway. In that sense, I don't see what I'm doing as being on a diet, as I haven't cut out anything that I really love; I see it as a lifestyle change. I must be boring my mates because its all I talk about when I'm out, but I've finally got myself motivated and am loving it.

 

I've played footy two or three times a week for the past few years, and had started doing some upper body stuff with my free weights at home, but it's too easy to forget one night or to skip a set of reps when I'm at home, so finally joined the gym last week and am really going hard at it, perhaps too much, although if my body can handle it I'm gonna stick with it - still tailoring my workout to suit me, really. Tend to start with a 10k cycle on a high incline, then go for an hour or so of weights, work the full body (my legs are fine with all the work because I've always been active despite being heavy so they have plenty of muscle, but my chest is the big one that's always stiff afterwards). Finish off with 5k on the rowing machine. It's intense, and I'm enjoying the challenge. Planning on doing that four times a week, alternating between the days I play footy.

 

The only thing I would add, and this thread definitely proves it, is that everyone's body is different, and what works for the goose may not work for the gander. Advice is great and all, but people on here are arguing their views on weight loss and the like so vehemently, largely because they've been successful at it with that particular method, but as someone who has struggled to lose weight in the past, the best advice I can give is that you need to try different things, and not be discouraged if you don't get results straight away, until you find a diet and exercise plan that works for you and you enjoy.

 

I'm hoping to lose at least another three stone before Christmas, which I think is entirely feasible considering my steady weight loss so far and the fact that I've only amped up the exercise considerably this past week. The best part of all of this is that I'm feeling fucking fantastic.[/quote']

 

That is top work la. Good stuff

[Section_31]

Great stuff Woo, made up for you.

 

I went to A&E with chest pains a few weeks back and was told I had high blood pressure and ccholesterol so had to start dieting.

 

I've lost about 16 lbs in two months, not a huge amount - it came off very quick at first but has slowed to a crawl, which is why I usually give up.

 

I've lost it by just cutting out the shit, don't really eat between meals or have fried food, don't have sweets - never really had a sweet tooth anyway - and have swapped white bread for brown.

 

My metabolism is terrible. I eat by far the least shit of anyone I know and don't particularly love food, I realise how little when I'm around someone who does and I hear them going on about a meal they had at a certain place at the weekend, I couldn't give a fuck.

 

I lost a couple of stone in my early 20s through doing what I'm doing now, but the second I eased off, had one burger at the weekend or had a flapjack in the canteen in uni, I'd start putting the weight back on.

[Rush 346]

Great stuff Woo, made up for you.

 

I went to A&E with chest pains a few weeks back and was told I had high blood pressure and ccholesterol so had to start dieting.

 

I've lost about 16 lbs in two months, not a huge amount - it came off very quick at first but has slowed to a crawl, which is why I usually give up.

 

I've lost it by just cutting out the shit, don't really eat between meals or have fried food, don't have sweets - never really had a sweet tooth anyway - and have swapped white bread for brown.

 

My metabolism is terrible. I eat by far the least shit of anyone I know and don't particularly love food, I realise how little when I'm around someone who does and I hear them going on about a meal they had at a certain place at the weekend, I couldn't give a fuck.

 

I lost a couple of stone in my early 20s through doing what I'm doing now, but the second I eased off, had one burger at the weekend or had a flapjack in the canteen in uni, I'd start putting the weight back on.

 

How bad was the chest pain? Take it was more than intermittent if you went to A and E, did you think it was a heart attack then?

[Rush 346]

Just done today's row and have found the re-row function really good. Basically you row against any of your previous times with a little pace boat on screen to race against. It's dead good for helping you to push yourself and I've quickly taken my record from a pretty shit 4.28 for a km to 4.02 and will deffo get it under the 4 min mark next time.

 

So far I've just been doing two 1k races one after the other with about three mins recovery between. I had bad jelly legs today after my second row. I do feel good though.

 

Might try and change things up a bit by doing a longer, less frenetic, distance row tomorrow. Maybe 5k.

 

How much was the rower Paul? What model is it?

[Section_31]

How bad was the chest pain? Take it was more than intermittent if you went to A and E, did you think it was a heart attack then?

 

It'd been going on for a few weeks. I was getting cramps in my shoulder and back, it was not really a pain in my chest more a strong flutter, and sometimes I'd get that feeling you get when you're nodding off to sleep and you get a sudden shock, but I'd get it while I was driving!

 

I'd made a legit GP appointment but they kept cancelling it, so after staying up all night with t his shit I went straight after work. The triage nurse - who usually just take your blood pressure and tell you to sit back down - told me to go and lie down then they scanned my shit and gave me the news. Don't usually go to A&E on a whim, think I've only ever been twice in my life - but my spider sense was tingling.

 

I've also had to give up coffee.

[TheHowieLama]

Dan Dan - you lost 70 lbs? From 14 stone to 9??!!!

 

How tall are you fella?

[Paul]

 

How much was the rower Paul? What model is it?

 

Concept 2 Model E. It was a lot (don't want to say how much but I'm sure you can find the price online) but we justified it to ourselves because we had the money saved and it's cheaper than a family gym pass for a year.

[Paul]

 

It'd been going on for a few weeks. I was getting cramps in my shoulder and back' date=' it was not really a pain in my chest more a strong flutter, and sometimes I'd get that feeling you get when you're nodding off to sleep and you get a sudden shock, but I'd get it while I was driving!

 

I'd made a legit GP appointment but they kept cancelling it, so after staying up all night with t his shit I went straight after work. The triage nurse - who usually just take your blood pressure and tell you to sit back down - told me to go and lie down then they scanned my shit and gave me the news. Don't usually go to A&E on a whim, think I've only ever been twice in my life - but my spider sense was tingling.

 

I've also had to give up coffee.[/quote']

 

Fucking hell mate. Have they not said any more about why you've had the pains though? Sounds a bit of a fob off from what you've written above.

[Section_31]

Fucking hell mate. Have they not said any more about why you've had the pains though? Sounds a bit of a fob off from what you've written above.

 

I was told to go to my GP who basically said 'you're overweight and you drink too much coffee', which is something of their default position, and they simply do not believe you when you tell them you don't eat much shit. They told me to go back when I'd lost some weight to have my blood pressure taken again but I can't be arsed, besides which the pains have stopped - I think some of it was work related stress, and that's about to be dealt with.

[Paul]

 

I was told to go to my GP who basically said 'you're overweight and you drink too much coffee'' date=' which is something of their default position, and they simply do not believe you when you tell them you don't eat much shit. They told me to go back when I'd lost some weight to have my blood pressure taken again but I can't be arsed, besides which the pains have stopped - I think some of it was work related stress, and that's about to be dealt with.[/quote']

 

Don't let them fob you off Mark. Get yourself referred to a cardiologist. Chest pain deffo needs checking out properly.

[Tossed and blown]

Don't let them fob you off Mark. Get yourself referred to a cardiologist. Chest pain deffo needs checking out properly.

 

Can't agree with this enough. AS A MINIMUM you need a holter monitor ECG / blood pressure recording and a cardiac echo. What you describe could well be an intermittent arrhythmia which could be a clue to a serious underlying problem.

 

The NHS: rubbish in, rubbish out.

[Woo]

Cheers, lads. These past two months have been a proper eye opener. Mad how simple changes can go such a long way. I'll be a proper sexy cunt by 2014.

[RedKnight]

I'm lithe and fit but I can't use a rowing machine as it causes my lower back to go stiff. Also I never seem to feel like I've done enough on the rowing machine, and the cross trainer to some extent, for me the only cardio that makes me feel like I've done a shift is running.

[TheHowieLama]

the only cardio that makes me feel like I've done a shift is running.

 

[RedKnight]

Sorry, I don't get it.

[TheBitch]

I spent 8 days surfing in Oz after drinking my way through SE Asia and most of the east coast of Oz. I was fucked.

[Hermes]

From 16st 9lb to 12st 3lb in 1 year whilst drinking 15 pints a week and eating 5 times a day. Maintained that weight now for 14 months.

 

Just check the calories on your food and aim for 2,200 a day, you'll lose 4 stone in a year. Eat 5 times a day and you won't feel hungry. I also do 500 stomach crunches every day and 230 push ups every other day. I now have a 6 pack too.

[Nunavut Patrick]

Cheers, lads. These past two months have been a proper eye opener. Mad how simple changes can go such a long way. I'll be a proper sexy cunt by 2014.

 

Who is to say you weren't a proper sexy cunt in 2012 when I met you?

 

Don't go changing Woo....

[Hermes]

Cheers, lads. These past two months have been a proper eye opener. Mad how simple changes can go such a long way. I'll be a proper sexy cunt by 2014.

 

Hope your plastic surgeon isn't charging by the day.

[TheHowieLama]

From 16st 9lb to 12st 3lb in 1 year whilst drinking 15 pints a week and eating 5 times a day. Maintained that weight now for 14 months.

 

Just check the calories on your food and aim for 2,200 a day, you'll lose 4 stone in a year. Eat 5 times a day and you won't feel hungry. I also do 500 stomach crunches every day and 230 push ups every other day. I now have a 6 pack too.

 

Pics or GTFO.

[VladimirIlyich]

I'm just amazed that Woo is actually Chinese. Woo'd have thunk it?

 

Well done with your weight loss mate.

[Anny Road]

From 16st 9lb to 12st 3lb in 1 year whilst drinking 15 pints a week and eating 5 times a day. Maintained that weight now for 14 months.

 

Just check the calories on your food and aim for 2,200 a day, you'll lose 4 stone in a year. Eat 5 times a day and you won't feel hungry. I also do 500 stomach crunches every day and 230 push ups every other day. I now have a 6 pack too.

 

2200 may work for you but not everyone can just pick a number out of the air. A 19 year old 6ft 6 labourer would need a few more than a 50 year old 5ft female typist. Plus doing sit ups does not give you a 6 pack. Losing layers of fat does and I suspect you diet had mote influence than your exercise.

[Guest Slim(fast)Shady]

Been going gym a year now...

 

at least 8x a week and love it....running in the morning about 5 miles piping hot shower...

 

then at 4pm back again...rowing my thing at the moment 5k in 21m 16secs.....takes some doing i believe...

 

But for any regular gym goers try 10k gym tri-athlon...

 

1.8 miles running

3.2 miles on bike

2k rowing

 

Think that adds up to 10k......but 27 mins is my time at the mo...some work out that if down without rests in between!

[Ezekiel 25:17]

I've finished my third official week with getting weighed, lost 5,5 and 3, will hopefully hit the stone next Monday, I go away in 5 weeks so by the point I hope to have hit my goal of 21 pounds.

[VladimirIlyich]

Been going gym a year now...

 

at least 8x a week and love it....running in the morning about 5 miles piping hot shower...

 

then at 4pm back again...rowing my thing at the moment 5k in 21m 16secs.....takes some doing i believe...

 

But for any regular gym goers try 10k gym tri-athlon...

 

1.8 miles running

3.2 miles on bike

2k rowing

 

Think that adds up to 10k......but 27 mins is my time at the mo...some work out that if down without rests in between!

 

That Triathlon idea is a good idea. When i was regular gym goer I did Treadmill,Bike,Rower,Treadmill. So i suppose this was similar,with a few lightish weight machine exercises thrown in. Used to work a treat.