I feel fat and want to do something about it, what finally motivated you?

[lokiju]

I'm 29 years old, will be 30 next April and weigh 245lbs and am 6' 3" and just feel like a bloated fat ass more and more as the days go by.

I know everyone has the excuse of being to busy or tired or unmotivated and those all do apply to me but I also know that it's not going to change until I take it by the balls and doing something about it. I have an elliptical in the garage I can dust off and put in a room with HVAC and a TV or whatever. I just can't figure out how to find the drive and time. I work till 5:30PM at least, get home at 6:30PM the soonest, make dinner, play with my kid, feed and put him to bed and clean up the mess from dinner and then it's 9PM.

So I have 1 free hour at most each day usually which I usually like to use to spend time with my wife.

How in the hell do I fit an exercise routine into that?

Maybe just changing my diet would be a better starting point?

For those that weighed more than they wanted and did something about it, what was your "trick" or tipping point?

 

[Deeko]

1) Exercise with your wife? Seems like you'd be killing 2 (3?) birds with one stone.

2) Changing your diet is definitely a better starting point as chances are it will have CONSIDERABLY more effect than a little time on an elliptical.

3) I weighed less than I wanted to, not more. I started going to the gym because I had the opposite issue with working out....I was bored. It filled my time.

 

[WannaFly]

I've just begun my weightl oss journey and have lost about 25 pounds, and for me, 90% of my success has been thanks to my diet. Eating all the right foods and making every calorie count.

I had been going to the gym constantly 2-3 times a week for 6-8 months and had no weight loss, once i started eagle-eying what I ate is when I really started to lost weight.

the other thing I've done recently is I've changed my schedule, and now work out from 6-7 AM. I preferred working out at night but it did put a cramp in my schedule, so i'm used to this now.

 

[brikis98]

(1) You don't find time for diet and exercise, you make time for them. If you see it as just something you "fit in" when you have time, you will fail miserably. If you care about your health and quality of life, diet and exercise need to be a set in stone, not skippable, no excuses part of your schedule, as much as is going to work, taking care of your kids, etc.

(2) If weight loss is your goal, then your number one priority should unquestionably be diet. Read through the fat loss sticky and get started ASAP. Learn to eat the right type of food in the right quantities first and the weight will come off with or without exercise.

(3) If improving your fitness is also a goal, then eventually adding some exercise is also a good idea. Some steady state cardio (elliptical) is a small step in the right direction, but it'll produce pretty unimpressive results. If you really want to see a change in your fitness, gradually add weight training (which is also important during weight loss to help preserve muscle mass) and higher intensity exercise into your routine.

(4) You may think your schedule is tight, but there are plenty of places you could fit in exercise. Workouts don't have to be long - most Crossfit workouts, for example, are under 20 minutes, which is plenty of time to absolutely kick your ass and produce some awesome improvements in fitness. 2-3 days a week will be PLENTY to start. You could exercise in the morning before work, during lunch, after the kids are in bed, and of course, on the weekends. You can workout with your wife or even the kids (depending on their age) - sports are a fantastic way to get in shape and a great way to bond with your kids, teach them something new, get the whole family active, etc.

(5) With regards to motivation, make sure to read through this thread. Setting concrete & measurable goals, tracking progress towards them, keeping your exercise fun & varied, and making a competition out of it all can be great tools to get you going.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Clean up your diet, read the fat loss sticky (it's no longer a sticky, so just search for it). No junk food whatsoever, eat out less (because most of the eat out places are delicious, but unhealthy), cut out soda and switch to water, cut down on highly processed food, more fruits and veggies, I find apples very filling, read nutritional food labels religiously, you'd be surprised how many calories there are in butter or ranch (this is the reason why I try to put as little ranch on my salads as possible). Eat smaller portions but more often.

As far as exercise goes like brikis98 has said above you do not fit exercise in your routine, if it's really important to you, you make time for it. I do not have TV at all for example. I still watch series or a movie, but only at the end of the day, and only after everything else is done including exercise. Exercise is more of a priority to me than watching TV or playing video games. I wake up 45 minutes early and do some morning exercise. I used to take a small run, but now that it's cold, I just do aerobic exercises in the morning, mainly burpees, sit-ups and stretching. After I come home from work, I exercise again, I do standard pullups, reverse grip pullups, and I just got rings, I try to do dips (can only do 2 right now) and just do L-sit. It may not seem like much, but it all adds up, and best of all, it's all bodyweight exercized right in your home, no gym membership necessary, and no wasting time going to/from gym.

 

[RagingBITCH]

It's a lifestyle change, simply put. You have to want to make the change. There's no push or desire that drives everyone. Simply put - regardless of anyone else's opinion - you have to want it. I see far too many people give up because they think they want it but they don't. They want the quick fix two week diet to lose 5lbs before a trip to Mexico. No one should have to tell you to make the change - you have to want it. (Notice the re-occuring theme?)

It's ok not to know where to start, but giving and making up excuses is crap.

Diet is the easiest and hardest thing to change for most people. They can easily lose weight simply by cutting out the processed foods they've grown accustomed to. Exercise should be added slowly and gradually ramp it up. Start small like a walk with your wife or kids after dinner.

 

[Titan]

Diet is so much more important than exercise, though you should get both. Learn to eat clean and see how much better you feel. If you can drop all coffee and added sugar from your diet for 2 weeks you will feel amazing.

Do you shower daily? Fit a 30 minute workout in before your shower, makes it the most convenient. You don't need more than 20 minutes of intense weight training 3 times a week. Intensity is key, short breaks between sets. Have a written plan and just do it. COnsult a good trainer if you need a plan.

Oh, and motivating myself is never easy. Addictive and self-pleasing behaviors can have their hooks set in deep. I first learned to eat a proper diet after I burned out at my job and didn't believe how much I weighed when I saw the doctor. Physical health is just one aspect of things. I started working when the GF told me it was important for me to, and I did a bit. But once the GF broke up with me, I got my arse in gear. Can't find new wimmenz looking like a tubby!

 

[lokiju]

Lots of great advice in here, I really do appericeate it.

I signed up for http://www.fatsecret.com and have the app on my Droid also and am now logging every single thing I consume to identify exactly what I'm doing wrong and how to go about adjusting it.

Yesterday I had a total of ...

Total Calories: 2283

Fat(g) 69.51

Carbs(g) 354.51

Prot(g) 70.88

The carbs really was high than a normal day due to eating out for lunch yesterday, which I don't usually do.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Lots of great advice in here, I really do appericeate it.

I signed up for http://www.fatsecret.com and have the app on my Droid also and am now logging every single thing I consume to identify exactly what I'm doing wrong and how to go about adjusting it.

Yesterday I had a total of ...

Total Calories: 2283

Fat(g) 69.51

Carbs(g) 354.51

Prot(g) 70.88

The carbs really was high than a normal day due to eating out for lunch yesterday, which I don't usually do.

Was that a normal day for you or do you typically eat more? Also, if you ate out for lunch, did you get the restaurant's calorie count or did you guesstimate? Often times, dishes from restaurants contain many, many more calories than you expect. Also, your protein intake is fairly low. If you haven't already, read the fat loss sticky for some info. If you read the sticky, measure everything out, track it, and get on a resistance training program, I can guarantee you'll start losing weight. Take the first steps, man - especially while your will power is highest

 

[lokiju]

Was that a normal day for you or do you typically eat more? Also, if you ate out for lunch, did you get the restaurant's calorie count or did you guesstimate? Often times, dishes from restaurants contain many, many more calories than you expect. Also, your protein intake is fairly low. If you haven't already, read the fat loss sticky for some info. If you read the sticky, measure everything out, track it, and get on a resistance training program, I can guarantee you'll start losing weight. Take the first steps, man - especially while your will power is highest

It wasn't normal in the sense that I almost never go out to eat for lunch.

I usually eat a lean cuisine of sorts or a Starkist lunch to go kit (which I just had).

I did do a best guess as the restaurant I went to did not report their nutritional values anywhere that I could find them.

 

[JellyBaby]

Sadly, for too many people a medical "wake up call" starts off the journey of changing habits for good health. Being proactive is a HUGE boon.

As other said you make time for exercise and stop making excuses. It's hard but so worth it. Heart failure, stroke, diabetes, kidney problems, etc. etc is even harder.

I feel the keys are exercise, diet/nutrition, stress management and adequate sleep. Start exercising regularly, at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes (build up to that if you're not there) and log what you eat (I use Fitday.com, sounds like you have something already).

Start simple. Build up gradually. Set realistic goals. Make the time for it. Know that the health benefits make it a no brainer. Get the wife involved too. Buy her an exercise video for Christmas. If you're into reading, pick up some good books on diet and nutrition. Helps keep ya motivated.

 

[spamsk8r]

Diet, diet, diet. Clean diet is key. You need to get at least 150 grams of protein a day to maintain muscle mass, and the carbs need to come way down. Here are some general rules on how to make good food choices:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.
Don't eat anything from a bag, box, tin, etc.
If someone 150 years ago wouldn't recognize it as food, it probably isn't good for you.

So basically stick with whole foods (and yes, this means learning to cook and plan ahead of time) and watch your intake. I would recommend shooting for less than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day. So if you went with 150g protein and 150g carbs per day, that's 1200 calories (each gram of protein and carb has 4 calories). You probably want to shoot for 2200-2500 calories per day (depending on your personal metabolism) so that leaves between 1000 and 1400 calories from fat (roughly 100-140 grams). This is just an example, but it's a decent starting point to shoot for.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Diet, diet, diet. Clean diet is key. You need to get at least 150 grams of protein a day to maintain muscle mass, and the carbs need to come way down. Here are some general rules on how to make good food choices:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar.
Don't eat anything from a bag, box, tin, etc.
If someone 150 years ago wouldn't recognize it as food, it probably isn't good for you.

So basically stick with whole foods (and yes, this means learning to cook and plan ahead of time) and watch your intake. I would recommend shooting for less than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day. So if you went with 150g protein and 150g carbs per day, that's 1200 calories (each gram of protein and carb has 4 calories). You probably want to shoot for 2200-2500 calories per day (depending on your personal metabolism) so that leaves between 1000 and 1400 calories from fat (roughly 100-140 grams). This is just an example, but it's a decent starting point to shoot for.

I agree entirely with the post, except for the breakdown of macronutrient intake. I'd shoot for a bit more calories from good carbohydrate sources, especially if he takes up any kind of cardio. I wouldn't increase it much more, but would suggest at least 200g. I try to split all my macro's exactly into thirds. If I'm doing extra activity, I consume some extra carbs. Just don't lean too heavily on any one macro.

 

[spamsk8r]

I agree entirely with the post, except for the breakdown of macronutrient intake. I'd shoot for a bit more calories from good carbohydrate sources, especially if he takes up any kind of cardio. I wouldn't increase it much more, but would suggest at least 200g. I try to split all my macro's exactly into thirds. If I'm doing extra activity, I consume some extra carbs. Just don't lean too heavily on any one macro.

Yeah, it definitely depends on activity level. Endurance athletes can get away with more carbs, but they're still insulin spiking and make it harder to lose adipose tissue. I was basing my suggestions on the guidelines at http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/ which are actually even a bit more restrictive than I put forth. Also, I read a post by Robb Wolf (which I can't find offhand at the moment) that gave similar guidelines for those wanting to lean out versus those wanting to maintain or even gain weight.

 

[Kipper]

I'm surprised that nobody here has mentioned that he could exercise with his kid (son?). Kids tend to be move. A lot...and keeping up with them is no easy task. As the saying goes, children grow up in their parents' shadows (or something like that). Overweight children with one overweight parent have a FOURFOLD risk of carrying weight into adulthood. The "exercise" doesn't have to involve weight lifting or running. Involve it in the activity with your son. Make it a total family thing. Instead of watching TV, play a basketball game. Take him to the zoo. Build physical activity into your socializing time. This is win-win. Your family becomes more active and you build stronger familial support for weight loss.

There are also ways you can increase activity in your life without sacrificing an inordinate amount of time. Look around your life and see where automation has made things easier: wash your dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher; walk to the corner store instead of hopping in the car; use mass transit; park further away from the entrance to the store instead of driving around the lot for five minutes looking for a spot ten feet closer to the door; carry a shopping basket instead of using a cart; take the stairs up and down from your office; use stairs instead of elevators and escalators. Might seem like small changes here and there, but they add up.

I should also add that it's fairly common for family to be watching TV while they eat dinner. Turn off the TV. Dinner is time to eat, not time to watch TV shows. TiVO exists for a reason.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

When I couldn't comfortably sit in a chair and tie my shoes was the breaking point for me. I went from 215->155 without any excersize and down to my current 130 only riding my bike a bit everyday (30 minutes) and doing pt 3 days a week. Just figure out how much you burn and eat less you will lose weight. If you're gaining weight still it's because you're not calculating the numbers right and should adjust (or you're cheating and thinking it doesn't make a difference).

 

[lokiju]

I'm surprised that nobody here has mentioned that he could exercise with his kid (son?).

I didn't mention it but he's only 5 months old so really can't do much with him other than take care of him.

 

[MyThirdEye]

1) not getting laid
2) being told that i'm fat by peers

I lost ~60 lbs, and have put on about 15 lbs of muscle, while slowly losing fat and retaining and building the muscle i have gained!

I feel much more confident now.
and have a girlfriend, and get laid much more.

 

[Pantlegz]

1) not getting laid
2) being told that i'm fat by peers

I lost ~60 lbs, and have put on about 15 lbs of muscle, while slowly losing fat and retaining and building the muscle i have gained!

I feel much more confident now.
and have a girlfriend, and get laid much more.

+1 I was getting turned down by girls I thought I was doing a favor bc I was fat. going from 265 to 215 has been an amazing change. I don't have a girlfriend but definitely getting laid more which is a nice plus Also had family I hadn't seen in about a year in for Thanksgiving and they were amazed at how much weight I lost, made my day.

 

[Kipper]

I didn't mention it but he's only 5 months old so really can't do much with him other than take care of him.

Just because your six month old can't run around doesn't mean you can't be active WITH him. Strap him to your back and take him outside for a walk/jog/etc. Build activity into the interaction.

 

[kamper]

Just because your six month old can't run around doesn't mean you can't be active WITH him. Strap him to your back and take him outside for a walk/jog/etc. Build activity into the interaction.

Or put him on your back and do pushups. That way, as he grows, you get stronger.