Are you over weight? Solution here.

[nickbits]

I've put on 20lbs this year and I've been running about 100 miles a month.

 

[Jeff7]

Ask an overweight person if they have tried exercise. Most will say yes. What happened? They stopped. Why? Over complication of the activity.

Or simple boredom.


"Okay....the body is busy moving. Just Brain here to coordinate it and do a hell of a lot of nothing else at all."

30-60 seconds later......
So. Bored. Is this done yet? Have my muscles been convinced yet that they do still serve a useful purpose, and should not atrophy?

Just sitting quietly with an idle mind can indeed be nice. Sitting. Still. Quiet.
Exercising, you get the idle mind, but you're being jostled around rather uncomfortably for the duration.

Stupid evolution. I have ample food now, and it's available quite consistently. I don't need to eliminate unused muscles to conserve precious energy!



(And even back when I was in considerably better shape than I am now, physical activity always left me feeling badly drained and just lousy. I have never known this "high" that allegedly exists from a session of exercise.)

 

[darkswordsman17]

Why is there is more fatness in the south? Fried food? Worse habits?

Culture is some of it (used to certain foods and yeah fried food is pretty big down there), and also education. I believe many of those states also are lower on income indexes, so it's comprehensive set of factors.

you can exercise all you want, if your still eating like shit your not going to loose that much weight if any.

That's a big part of the problem, people need to stop focusing so much on the weight and use more parameters to gauge their overall health. It's entirely possible for people to drastically improve their health without making a lot of weight change.

Diet and exercise are both important and necessary for overall health. Focusing solely on either one is a bad decision.

Walk a mile? You're outta your ever-loving mind.
I'd run it b4 I walked it.

Running is actually a pretty shitty activity itself. There are better ways of triggering similar caloric burn without the knee wear, especially for overweight people.

But for people that have a base fitness level, then yeah walking isn't a great exercise, and pushing yourself harder for a shorter period of time is actually healthier.

For losing weight, I think the optimal is short bursts of strenuous activity with resting in between, but people really need a solid base before they push too hard.

 

[moonbogg]

Moonbogg is right imo. People overcomplicate the shit out of this. I lost 80 pounds and kept most of it off by doing almost exactly what he said. I was in extremely good shape all throughout high school, so when I tried to workout again I got burned out because I was starting from a very fat condition instead of how I envisioned myself to be in high school. It just doesn't work. You have to do something really stupid and trivial over and over and over before you develop a habit, which is really the key.

Diet is clearly important, but exercise is the key to changing your lifestyle. Eating better food is much easier to will yourself to do when you're exercising because now it means something. Walking a mile is a trivial amount of calories, but if you're faced with a 12 oz. coke after doing it, you are more likely to not drink it because it will undue the mile you just walked. Now you've lost 2x.

People sit on their ass more these days than ever before. You should eat better and you should also get off your ass and go exercise. Starting with a slow walk is infinitely better than trying a stupidly complex exercise routine that won't last or pretending like you can cut out certain foods cold turkey. Giving yourself a reason to eat healthier food is the right way to do it and for most people a little bit of exercise is a great introductory reason.

I can stop at this post because it is exactly correct. The mile a day routine is about establishing consistency. I can only repeat what he said above, so I won't.

I did my exercise today. I managed 5 miles and it was tough. Took it slow and steady and focused on one thing: Finishing.

 

[squarecut1]

Stupid evolution. I have ample food now, and it's available quite consistently.

You're right. Evolution indeed is the root cause of it. Our bodies evolved in a very different environment. It is also the same reason we all eat too much. It is programmed into us.

 

[purbeast0]

easier solution than the OP - eat less and eat healthier.

 

[SP33Demon]

People don't realize one critical factor. The stronger you get, the more you will do with the same effort. Your progress will snowball. I remember how bad my legs burned when jogging half a lap. I remember feeling the fire inside my lungs from jogging only a short distance. I backed off and took it easy. I said, "you know what? fuck this hero shit. If I am going to change my life then I have to do this every day".
Now, today, I can run 5 miles and finish with a sprint on a good day, without stopping. Does that burn more calories than are in a soda? Did that happen over night?

If you are overweight, you are doing it wrong. You tried it your way and it failed you. Shut up and do it my way. Go outside, every day, and walk one mile.

One thing you're missing is the assumption that people will have the desire to turn a walk into a run like you do. The desire to improve their diet after that.

The average person wants to do the bare minimum, they don't have your desire. That's where this plan fails.

 

[RossMAN]

http://abc.go.com/shows/nightline/listing/2014-09/02-nightline-94-womans-weightloss-secret-hypnosis

 

[moonbogg]

One thing you're missing is the assumption that people will have the desire to turn a walk into a run like you do. The desire to improve their diet after that.

The average person wants to do the bare minimum, they don't have your desire. That's where this plan fails.

Then they can stay fat. Good luck. Arguing against a consistent routine of simple exercise is insane, especially in America...Also, only in America would you find such lunacy.

 

[KlokWyze]

I like the OP's motivation, but he is certainly wrong for many people. It's up to each individiual to determine what the solution is. Any proper health change would almost certainly involve both diet and exercise.

You can't be overweight by eating healthy... because you wouldn't be burning the calories. There for your diet is fucked up. They are inextricably linked.

 

[moonbogg]

I like the OP's motivation, but he is certainly wrong for many people. It's up to each individiual to determine what the solution is. Any proper health change would almost certainly involve both diet and exercise.

You can't be overweight by eating healthy... because you wouldn't be burning the calories. There for your diet is fucked up. They are inextricably linked.

I don't know about you, but that shit sounds like it might get complicated. Can I eat this? Can I eat that? Fuck it, I can walk a mile today, that's for sure.
For those that asked, I weighed about 240lbs and my height is about 5' 9". I now weight 175, but the weight loss is only a BY-PRODUCT of a different lifestyle. A lifestyle with consistent exercise at its core. Forget about the weight loss. Focus on changing your life. Get outside and walk a god damned mile, every day.

 

[KlokWyze]

I don't know about you, but that shit sounds like it might get complicated. Can I eat this? Can I eat that? Fuck it, I can walk a mile today, that's for sure.

I mean sure it's better than nothing, but you're just looking for an excuse to not try that hard, which is exactly why you're in the condition you are.

Working out more will just make you more hungry so in the end you have to watch your calories even more closely. Once you get into the habit of counting calories, it gets quite easy. The most annoying thing is actually measuring your food, but you can stick with prepacked food, drinks, etc.

Don't give up so easy. Excuses are just a form of quitting.

 

[Childs]

A lot of people get stuck in yo-yoing in weight because they diet and then stop which functions like binging. This is actually an established phenomenon, although I can't recall what term they call it now, but a lot of people trying to lose weight end up like that and then give up because they struggle to keep the changes or they focus on dieting in the spring for summer, and then resort to poor eating habits in the fall/winter.

I've stayed in the 210 to 220 lbs range for the last 6 months. Lowest I got was 205, but I looked really thin and people kept asking me if I was sick or something. Probably didn't help that I kept wearing my 2XL shirts. I would guess my diet now is much healthier than it was for the last 15 years or so. Now its just meat and veggies, no sugar. Thats how I lost the weight. And now that I know I can drop the weight at will, eating some good stuff every now and then isn't the end of the world.

There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with me health wise then I was 270 lbs. I could still hike 12 miles up mountains with good elevation changes, while carrying a backpack full of camera equipment and food. Or play an hour of basketball in 100 degree heat. I just looked really big in photos. Not offensive linemen big, but fat faced with a spare tire. Although 270 is getting in O line territory. Anyways, I have an exercise bike, and I used to do 60-90 min every other day. Its just boring, even in front of the TV. I find exercise harder to stick to than watching what I eat. I guess I should get a 24 hour fitness membership and play basketball. Without some sort of active competition I'm not interested in physical activity. Never have been.

 

[John Connor]

Can I exercise and eat a tub of ice cream?

 

[Howard]

I can't believe calories in < calories out anymore, and I don't think the energy consumption of the metabolism varies that drastically between people. I think there are other factors like insulin resistance and various genetic predispositions.

This is coming from a hardgainer. The contrary state must also be true...

 

[biostud]

The calories in < used = loose weight is pretty obvious, and while Moonbogs suggestion isn't new I think it raises a good point. Don't push yourself so hard that you drop the changes you want and don't beat yourself up by starting slowly and increase the amount of exercise as you feel you can do more. It is something you will need to do for the rest of your life if you want to stay healthy.

If you look at overall health it has been proven that doing exercise is (in most cases) more important than loosing extra weight.

Once you start exercising your muscles starts to grow and the resting metabolism of your body increases, since muscle fibers needs more energy than fat cells.

Another good way to change your intake of calories is to weigh carbohydrates and meat while preparing dinner. 60gr (dry weight) rice/pasta or 300 gr potatoes. 150-200 gr lean meat. Rest = all the vegetables you can eat. And try to hold back on added fat like oil and butter.
When you sit down to eat you know that you have the right amount of carbohydrates and right amount of protein, and you can eat all the vegetables you need to feel full. And you don't need to think about overeating/weight loss while you actually enjoy your dinner.

Takeaway = lots of carbohydrates + fat.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I try to walk often during summer, in winter it's harder to go for walks because of all the snow banks and the fact that it's so cold on exposed skin, though I think this winter I might take up snow shoeing or cross country skiing or something, just to have something to do and those are a bit more physical demanding than just walking so will help stay warm too.

 

[dighn]

also, eat less. jog half an hour, 300 cal burned. down 2 cans of soda, 320 cal back.

 

[squarecut1]

also, eat less. jog half an hour, 300 cal burned. down 2 cans of soda, 320 cal back.

Jogging like that regularly will wreck your joints, in most cases. Brisk walking is considered better

 

[biostud]

also, eat less. jog half an hour, 300 cal burned. down 2 cans of soda, 320 cal back.

yeah, soda is only for Saturdays.

 

[JEDI]

I've put on 20lbs this year and I've been running about 100 miles a month.

how did that happen?
you running less? eating more?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

you stated that it WASNT exercise as the reason why u lost weight.
yet walking up a hill to your campus and lots of stairs daily = what the OP stated? Start walking?

Really? Walking to class from the dorm rooms was the reason I lost weight? C'mon now ol' chap you can't be serious. That isn't going to do shit as long as you're still scarfing down Pizza for your daily lunch and a fat burrito as your daily dinner. EVERYONE from the dorms had to walk to class.

The key is (and always will be) your diet. NOT the exercise. The exercise is simply a tool you can use to increase your weight loss speed.

 

[Kaido]

People weren't always over weight, but now they are. The reason isn't important. Really, it isn't. The solution is all that matters now. That solution consists of two principles: Simplicity and Consistency.

....the diet. Forget about it. Change it later, or don't. You need something that you can actually do, but more importantly, something you can do on a regular basis.
Exercise is your solution. If you are desperate and willing to go to any length to lose weight, then you will try the following because it worked for me, and that's more than what you got right now, right?

I think that there are a lot of ways to lose weight; it's a complex issue that doesn't have just one single approach. The most effective way I've seen is through a diet change. If you simply change your diet, you can be lean without even exercising. Ever see the same overweight guy at the gym on the treadmill year after year? He exercises, but refuses to change his diet, so he doesn't get the results he wants. But the reverse works, too - look at Michael Phelps: you can eat 6,000 calories a day of whatever food you want, if you don't mind exercising for 6 hours a day.

I remember reading that Men's Health said it takes 22,000 crunches to burn one pound of fat, which is a lot more effort than simply changing what you eat. But even if you don't want to change what you eat, you can still lose weight by managing the calories you take into your body - this guy made a whole documentary about losing weight while eating a diet of fast-food but keeping his daily intake to around 2,000 calories:

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Head-Tom-N.../dp/B005KGPZZO

During the film, Naughton goes on an all-fast-food diet, mainly eating food from McDonald's. For his daily dietary intake, he aims to keep his calories to around 2,000 and his carbohydrates to around 100 grams per day, but he does not restrict fat at all. He ends up eating about 100 grams of fat per day, of which about 50 grams are saturated. He also decides to walk six nights a week, instead of his usual three. After a month eating that way, he loses 12 pounds and his total cholesterol goes down. His HDL does go down, often thought to be undesirable.

Personally, I think the secret to success is going to bed early. Exercising is easy...when you feel good. Some people are naturally gifted with high energy & find consistency easy, but based on the number of overweight people in America, that isn't the case for most of us. Being consistent requires willpower. If your energy is high & you feel good, managing is willpower is easy because you can choose what you want to do - it puts you in the mood to do stuff!

The problem is, we all stay up late & are too tired the next day to enforce those decisions. So when you're tired, you don't have as much energy, which means your willpower is low - how many times have you eaten some junk food you know you really shouldn't have, or skipped exercise and said "I'm too tired to do this" or "I don't feel like it" instead of pushing through? Again, some people have naturally high energy & can just push through that fatigue barrier, but most of us say "tomorrow" because we're constantly too tired to deal with it today.

So from my experience, if you're struggling with being consistent at eating a good diet & exercising on a regular basis (meaning you're not naturally a high-energy person who can burn through things at will), you'll get better results by going to bed early & getting enough sleep so that you don't run into the "too tired, don't feel like it" wall. It's a difficult problem because we all have a little kid inside of us who doesn't want to go to bed early. Plus we have electric lights so we can stay up past dark, and there's all kinds of distractions like nightlife, Netflix, the Internet, etc. to keep us up all night. I think the energy formula goes something like this:

Early bedtime + sufficient hours of sleep = good mood (high energy + strong willpower from a solid night's sleep) = ability to have the power to enforce your decisions (instead of saying "I'm too tired" or "I don't feel like it")

I have yet to meet someone who struggles with exercising & eating right who doesn't stay up late. Start going to bed early & within a few days you'll be feeling good enough to feel like cooking & be able to be persistent at exercising. You have to decide if that sacrifice is worth it...a lot of fun stuff goes on at night, but at the same time, that means that you're going to have to fight yourself on everything you want to do that isn't easy because you'll be just tired enough that everything is a pain to follow through on.

 

[TwiceOver]

For me it was both. I used MyFitnessPal to realize that I was eating completely wrong then as I got that in order I started exercise. Now it is just a daily routine. Sure I slip up from time to time, but for me it is important to realize the slip up and correct immediately otherwise I'll go into a tailspin of stupid eating. Reasonable calories, lower carbs (doesn't have to be ultra low) and minor exercise will go a LONG way.

270 -> 180 everyone asks me what the "secret" is. The secret is, there isn't one. You know what to do.

I'm seriously inspired by those at the gym who work hard to lose a ton of weight. I found out one guy who is down ~170 pounds actually got his inspiration from reading about my story in or club newsletter. The guy is a beast now just killing it every day. I do kettle bells with a guy that is in his 60s, shredded. Love Steve.

 

[Kaido]

Can I exercise and eat a tub of ice cream?

Yes. I have a friend who does this. She calls it her "eat whatever I want and workout for 2 hours a day" plan :biggrin: No joke...it works for her. Requires an awful lot of motivation every day though...