XeroxMan:
About half of all Americans are obese. Very sad.
Here are some tips:
1. Eat less;
2. Eat a balanced diet as follows, including lots of fruits and veggies: 70% carbs; 20% protein; 10% fat (this is the hard part);
3. Find a sport you enjoy the most. Walking probably isn't it given your size. I would suggest a bicycle, swimming, rowing, or x-country skiing, plus the weight lifting (good choice).
4. Keep a chart of your weight and eating habits. Weight Watchers does this and it is one of the reasons they have a modicum of success. Counting calories and weight works.
5. Be honest. Most overweight people are not honest with themselves about the amount of junk food they eat.
6. Accept the notion that junk food WILL kill you at an early age if you keep eating it. If that doesn't matter, enjoy your junk food. But, you must convince yourself that being fit at 50 is important to you. If you don't mind being in a wheelchair at 50 or 60, then keep eating the junk food.
7. Why you are doing this is important. Do you want to impress someone? Bad reason. Do you want to live a long and fruitful life? Good reason. Also, how the body looks is much less important than how well it functions. Perfect proportions are the reality for few people. Don't obsess because you have a big butt and skinny arms, for instance.
8. Walk to work. Fidget. Integrate excercise into your life in 5 little ways each day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Carry your groceries to the car instead of using the cart. You get the idea. We've become convenience junkies. Drive through, get it, eat it in the automatic transmission car. Convenience kills.
Regarding Atkins: He is full of sh*t. Don't follow the Atkins diet for more than 2 or 3 weeks. Most people lose weight initially but stop losing weight within a month. Absolutely no scientific research backs Atkins claims. He has tortured what little scientific data there is to support his million dollar a year business. He sells books, not science. I've been reading on this topic for twenty years and the evidence is still very strong that we are better off eating a lot more carbs than protein. If a high protein diet worked I would be using it because I love red meat, milk, cheese, etc.
Good luck, and keep it up. I suggested once that someone on this board, it may have been you, actually post their height, weight, and calories eaten each day so we could help them be honest. I still think the idea would have practical and pedagogical value.
- Good luck.
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