Lose weight the easy way....

[Bluefront]

It's hard to lose weight and keep it off. Diets and pills get the weight off ok....but what a drag, and the long-term affects of the pills are unknown. Who wants to be on a diet forever? Here's how I'm doing it....it might not work for you, but it's working for me.

First off I'm about 6'5". For years I've held steady at 245/250 lbs. I think my best weight would be about 210/215. I put most of the weight on in college, sports stuff, weight-lifting, beer-drinking, etc.
All along I assumed if I stopped the beer thing, if I stopped lifting weights, I would go back to my ideal weight. Didn't work, diets only worked for a while....I stayed at 245.

Here's what worked for me...I stopped eating lunch. Where I work, it had to be a fast-food thing. The worst kind of food of course. About three monts ago, the guy I always went to lunch with, suddenly quit. So I decided to try this no-lunch diet. The most I have for lunch now is a soda...non-diet. At first it was difficult, and I was hungry all afternoon. When I got home I would eat a whole lot more for dinner. After I did this for a few weeks, it got easier. Now I don't get hungry in the afternoon....my dinners are the same as before. And I started losing weight.

Now here's the good part...I still eat the same things as before, no different foods, no pills, no exercise machines. I get plenty of exercise at my job, so I'm in pretty good shape in that respect. The one trick I started doing, is drinking more water during the day..a lot more. I think it keeps down the hunger. In any case I've lost 20 lbs in three months...with no sweat, no pills, and hardly any change in what I eat.
I just don't eat lunch.

I suspect the last 15 lbs I want to lose, will take longer. But it's working for me.....

 

[LordThing]

Wow....don't eat....who would have thought of that one.

 

[MrBond]

It sounds like you and I are on essentially the same diet, the "stop eating so much" diet . I'm 6'4" (was) 245 because of college food (living in the dorms didn't allow much healthy eating). I stopped snacking late at night and the desire is no longer with me. I still eat lunch, but it's usally a sandwhich that I make myself with some water and some Baked Lays. Since I cook for myself, I rarely feel like making a ton of food, so my suppers are usually small.

I'd definatly pick up the weightlifting again (no pun intended) because any weight you gain from it will be muscle mass. According to my BMI, I am overweight at 220, but I'm fairly lean so I'm not too worried about that.

 

[kherman]

Bluefront, that diet is going t mess with your metabolism and cause you to tkeep the weight.

Do a no carb diet. That thing is a miracle!!!

Right now I'm not on a diet, and need to get back on one, but I have done that no carb diet. It works wonders!! I forge the name odf the book, but it is imparitive that you read the book before starting the diet. You must also understand that you will get BAD migranes for 2 days after you start the diet. The migranes will persist for about 2-3 days in a VERY bad form. And then you'll have a minor head ache for about 4 more days. That was my experience though. Butthe migranes area asign that it is definitely working.

 

[bGIveNs33]

I agree that not eating lunch is not the healthiest way to do things, but a no carb diet isn't the best way either. Doctors are very confused about what exactly needs to be done to loose weight. The take in less calories than you burn approach works for some, but necessarily for others. Bluefront, if that approach is working for you, then go for it. Keep up that water drinking... that is one of the best things you can do to loose weight. And make sure you eat and nice breakfast.

 

[MrBond]

Bluefront, that diet is going t mess with your metabolism and cause you to tkeep the weight.

Like I said, I've been on a similar diet since May and I've not gained any weight back. You can't really even call it a diet, it's just a change in your eating habits. The problem with most diets is when you stop, the weight comes back. I suppose I could start eating MORE again, but I really have no desire to, so I don't see myself lapsing back into my old eating habits.

 

[Bluefront]

I think after doing this no-lunch thing for a few months, that it was a matter of habit. You go out to lunch with the guys, eat about the same thing out of habit, and do it even if you weren't particularly hungry. If you can break that lunch habit....only eat something if you're really hungry, you'll lose weight.
Just getting away from all those people eating big lunches, breaks you of the habit. Now some of these guys don't eat breakfast, so they really need to eat lunch.

I've always heard and thought that breakfast was an important meal, so I do eat breakfast at 7AM or so....by 12noon I was never really hungry, but went to lunch out of habit. Anyway I cannot see how this "diet" will hurt anything, and it certainly doesn't cause headaches. Plus I don't have to watch what I eat. Just no lunch.

The $20-$30 I save each week, more than pays for the new clothes I've had to buy.....

 

[ragazzo]

i'm trying to gain weight :/

lost 10lbs while i was walking around sweden, norway and denmark bah

 

[LuNoTiCK]

Your 6'5, If I was you I'd be trying to gain some weight. And make that muscle. Go and hit the gym.

 

[Bluefront]

You know what....I used to think that way when I was lifting weights, running all the time, etc. That's how I got to 250, not particularly by eating. Muscle weighs more than fat. But you get to a point where you say why? Why am I doing this? I don't need to be this big. I cannot change my height, but I can change my weight. 35lbs less on me will do a world of good to my knees, ankles and overall stamina.

I don't know if I'll ever make it back to 215....right now I'm at 230, but I feel better now than I have in a long time. It's worth the effort. Actually there's little effort doing it this way. So far it's been easy.

 

[Booster]

Lose weight the easy way....

There's no easy way to lose weight, man. I'm speaking from experience, it's one of the hardest things in life - to lose the freaking 'weight'!

I've been trying to lose weight for years with zero luck. I'm still hungry. Very hungry. Thinking about losing weight all the time and gaining more of it with every meal I eat.

 

[Spac3d]

I tried to loose weight for a while. I tried just working out and not changing my diet.... didnt work. I tried dieting and not working out... didnt work. The best way for me to do that was to stop eating fast food and drinking soda. I continued to work out (lifting weights and running ), I have lost 15lbs since June. I have lost ~30+ lbs since May 2001 and I have kept it all off.

Spac3d

 

[wfbberzerker]

eating a bunch of small meals throughout the day is better for you than eating 3 main meals a day anyways. besides, where is it written that you must eat 3 meals a day or you will be unhealthy?

 

[raptor13]

Originally posted by: bGIveNs33
I agree that not eating lunch is not the healthiest way to do things, but a no carb diet isn't the best way either. Doctors are very confused about what exactly needs to be done to loose weight. The take in less calories than you burn approach works for some, but necessarily for others.

If you burn more calories then you take in, you WILL lose weight. There's no way around that. If that wasn't true, your body would have to be creating energy which would violate any number of fundamental laws of physics.

 

[ElFenix]

its probably better than a grease-ball burger, but no lunch isn't healthy either. bring a sandwich or something

 

[Koing]

cut one of your leg off if you want to lose weight. I can GARANTEE you lose A LOT of weight

Get down to a *gymnastics* club and train. 10 weeks and I BET you lose weight. The cardido and exercises you do there WILL KILL you and will shed loads of fat. Will also do wonders to tone and make you fit. Also its more interesting then gyms and you'll be more likely to stay at it. And it will help to improve your piss poor flexibility.

Hit the gym otherwise and do SQUATS and you will LOST fat. DO SQUATS. If you were in the gym before and you were not doing SQUATS then that is probably the SOLE reason you did not lose weight or tone up. Or turn more of your weight in to muscle. If your going to work small muscles in your arms your clearly not going to be doing much overal work out. Do your legs bigger muscle = bigger overal work out.

Drink water and cut out soda and beer.

Idealy you should stop eating after 8pm and dinner should be the smallest meal of the day. Your the least active at night unless you train late at night.

No easy quick fix method just hit the dam gym and you will lose weight/ tone up.

 

[RaySun2Be]

Originally posted by: kherman
Bluefront, that diet is going t mess with your metabolism and cause you to tkeep the weight.

Do a no carb diet. That thing is a miracle!!!

Right now I'm not on a diet, and need to get back on one, but I have done that no carb diet. It works wonders!! I forge the name odf the book, but it is imparitive that you read the book before starting the diet. You must also understand that you will get BAD migranes for 2 days after you start the diet. The migranes will persist for about 2-3 days in a VERY bad form. And then you'll have a minor head ache for about 4 more days. That was my experience though. Butthe migranes area asign that it is definitely working.

The book is probably Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. Or the Sugarbusters one.

I'm not just overweight, I've had to admit that I'm seriously obese. I got sick and tired of it, so I just went to to the Doctor Monday, he recommended a low carb diet. In fact, he suggested doing the Dr. Atkins diet for 4 to 6 weeks, then moving to the Sugarbusters one after that, as it's a little easier to maintain.

So, as of today, started the change of habit. One thing I like about the Dr. Atkins diet is you can eat all you want of certain foods, any time you want. And you still lose weight. I have some friends that are on the diet, and they have lost quit a bit of weight.

But it still takes determination and willpower. It's not going to be easy. I LOVE bread. But I'm willing to give it up because I am sick and tired of being this way, and I'm willing to do what's necessary to lose weight.

If what you are doing works for you, you're losing weight, and it's not harming your health, then keep at it.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: LordThing
Wow....don't eat....who would have thought of that one.

Actually, if you starve your body, the next meal you eat will be hoarded into fat cells. Starving your body is a bad thing and a dumb way of dieting.

nik

 

[Mill]

I have been exercising five times a week. I run one night and lift another. I really don't want to lose... I want to gain mass while firming up. I am at 207 right now and would like to get up to a fit and trim 220.

 

[Pabster]

RaySun2Be wrote:

"But it still takes determination and willpower. It's not going to be easy. I LOVE bread. But I'm willing to give it up because I am sick and tired of being this way, and I'm willing to do what's necessary to lose weight."

Yes, it does take determination and willpower. I lost a lot but I'm slowly gaining it back.

As for low-carb ... it does work, but only for as long as you are willing to keep with it. Can you honestly avoid bread for the rest of your life? I -know- I can't. It is a short-term type of deal. I love bread, rice, pasta, et al. and I'm simply not willing to avoid them permanently.

You've got to make lifestyle changes and not consider it a "diet" or you are likely to go back again. That's exactly what happened to me (lost 100 pounds) and I'm gaining it back because I'm suddenly realizing how much "good food" I gave up over 9 months. Now I eat pizza, ice cream, candy, chocolate, and travel to the all-you-can-eat buffets with the GF weekly.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Pabster
RaySun2Be wrote:

"But it still takes determination and willpower. It's not going to be easy. I LOVE bread. But I'm willing to give it up because I am sick and tired of being this way, and I'm willing to do what's necessary to lose weight."

Yes, it does take determination and willpower. I lost a lot but I'm slowly gaining it back.

As for low-carb ... it does work, but only for as long as you are willing to keep with it. Can you honestly avoid bread for the rest of your life? I -know- I can't. It is a short-term type of deal. I love bread, rice, pasta, et al. and I'm simply not willing to avoid them permanently.

You've got to make lifestyle changes and not consider it a "diet" or you are likely to go back again. That's exactly what happened to me (lost 100 pounds) and I'm gaining it back because I'm suddenly realizing how much "good food" I gave up over 9 months. Now I eat pizza, ice cream, candy, chocolate, and travel to the all-you-can-eat buffets with the GF weekly.

The atkins diet works fine. There's a low-carb store not far from me that has everything from low carb bread, to low carb chocolate, low carb noodles, etc.

nik

 

[Geekbabe]

I tried the low carb thing and lasted like a day.I felt horrid and hungry as hell,particulary after power walking for a couple hours, it was like my body screaming "feed me" incessantly.

 

[Booster]

Pabster wrote:

That's exactly what happened to me (lost 100 pounds) and I'm gaining it back because I'm suddenly realizing how much "good food" I gave up over 9 months. Now I eat pizza, ice cream, candy, chocolate, and travel to the all-you-can-eat buffets with the GF weekly.

Wow that's a lot of weight to gain back ! I hope you won't!

 

[Bluefront]

If you rely on a formal diet of sorts to lose weight, you will need to continue on it forever to keep the weight off. If however you change your lifestyle to lose the weight, when you have adapted to that new way of life which brings on weight reduction, it's much easier and safer to continue at your ideal weight.

So I stopped eating lunch and made no other changes, other than drinking more water. But it's working fine for me. Look not everyone can work-out like mad to lose weight. I cannot. My knees are gone, I can't run. I have back problems...so it's no gym. But I'm down two pant sizes. The weight's coming off.