Time For A Lifestyle Change

[ISBe]

So as of today, I've decided it's time to make a lifestyle change. After losing my Father to heart failure at only 56 a year ago this month, it's opened my eyes. It's unfortunate that something like this has to happen for me to do something about it. Hoping to get married next year, so that's motivation too. I'm 21 years old, 5'10", and about 290 lbs. Heart failure and diabetes runs in my family. I don't drink or smoke.

Played high school football, was on the OL and DL, maintained a weight of 255 lbs. Worked out pretty hard 3 or 4 times a week, every other day was spent running/agilities. I was lean and in pretty good shape, yet had a belly. Never really took protein or any supplements, mainly because I didn't know much about them and thought they were overrated. Drank lots of water and Gatorade, but didn't watch what I ate that much. Once I graduated (nearly 18 years old), I came to a halt and completely stopped working out. I still have quite a bit of muscle, but have gained quite a bit of weight in my belly, cheeks, etc., eat almost anything I want and drink sweet tea at almost every meal.

At 15 years old, I had a back X-Ray and it showed arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and a possible bulging disc. I'm sure the lower body workouts didn't help. When I was a freshman in HS I decided to try out the leg press machine. Did 5 reps of 985 lbs and never tried it since. Squatted over 600 lbs throughout HS. My back hurts me every day, as well as my sciatica. A few months ago it was so bad, I couldn't bend over to put on my socks.

So I'm looking for some advice on what to eat, what exercises to start with (cardio?), and what supplements to take. Like I said, I'm roughly 290 lbs and would like to get down to 240 or so. I love chicken, and will not eat seafood. I know there is more options than grilled chicken and steamed broccoli, which I love to eat but I know it will get old. I know absolutely nothing about supplements so I could use some advice there. I'm also aware that it's a good idea to eat multiple, yet small meals each day. Most of the time I eat one meal a day, and that's dinner. I'll occasionally eat lunch too. Not healthy, I know.

I could use any and all advice, and yall's help is greatly appreciated!

Attached is the most recent picture of me, taken on 4 July 2010. I'm on the right.

 

[GasLight]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

My advice FWIW, is to take it a little bit slow. Don't try and jump all in all at once. I am taking a 2 month approach to modifying my diet and adding exercise. If you can make changes that are sustainable it will be better than a yo-yo...

Like I said I am new to this and my advice might mean little

Dave

 

[GasLight]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Sorry I was a little less than informational on my first response there, got caught up. I am starting by adding protein and vegetables into my diet, I will do this while working on form with full or compound body workouts like squats, deadlift, pullups, bench, and press. There is a lot of help here in this forum, as well as linked here. The fundamental strength workouts seem to make the most sense to me from what I am reading. Don't get too bogged down currently into every opinion, there are many of them, and some contradict each other. The main thing is start getting to the gym, and start making changes to your diet, I personally think being aware of what you are trying to do will help througout the day when you are making choices.

My goal is that in a couple months I will be making good improvements in the gym, and my diet will want to follow suit more and more. That is my plan.

I have tried to crash course diet in the past, and I have tried to start hitting the gym every day, that didn't seem to last for me, this time I am trying to turn it into a lifestyle that I can live with, and not trying to drop every bad habit this week...

Good luck, look around this forum, there is so much encouragement and good ideas where to start.

Dave

 

[Krav69]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

I'm big into the following diet mantra, which has helped a multitude of my friends drop weight for good and safely...

"If it has calories in it, I can't drink it. If it looks like I picked it from the garden directly, or if it looks like I killed it in the last few hours, then and only then can I eat it".

The weight will come off when you get off the processed food, and faster than you think.

I mentored a guy who in the last two years has lost 290 lbs. by not eating processed food and hitting the heavy bag.

First, get a doctor's okay, then start by doing hiking, walking, etc. until you build a good strength base. From there it's putting in the time and dedicating yourself to a healtier you. Write down a list of physical activities you like to do or would like to do.

PM me if you are interested in putting together a dungeon gym for cheap. My ghetto gym ingredients are awesome.

Good luck!!!!

 

[WPG]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Good source of info and he is a member here: http://www.brinkzone.com/

 

[ISBe]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Krav69</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
PM me if you are interested in putting together a dungeon gym for cheap. My ghetto gym ingredients are awesome.

</div></div>

PM sent.

I think cardio is a good place to start as far as exercise. My buddy and I used to play racket ball a couple times a week. I know that's good cardio. I'm a fan of the eliptical as well. I heard bicycles don't do much. Any truth to that? As far as protein/supplements go, what are some opinions on Whey? What does it do, and what is it for? I'm a college student, so I can't be spending loads of money on supplements. Thanks for the help so far guys!

Edit: I'm not looking to get ripped or anything. I just want to lose weight and get healty while building muscle too.

 

[Lindy]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

You might want to pick up a copy of the March issue of "Backpacker" magazine, now on newstands, and turn to page 77. There's a good article in there on burning fat through exercise.

Executive summary: Keep your heart rate below 60 percent of maximum. Above that, you're burning more carbs, less fat.

In other words, start walking. Diet moderately - not below 1500 calories per day. Exercise to build muscle is fine - muscle burns more calories.

Recreate yourself as an athlete. Becoming lean and mean is not a short-term program - it is, as you noted, a change in lifestyle.

 

[GasLight]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

The best way to lose weight from everything I have read is to lift heavy weights. This takes some time as you need to get your form right to prevent injury as you may have learned from your past? Start slow and work up!

 

[JSF]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

If I could give you any advice I would find a personal trainer or physical therapist that's qualified to work with people with back injuries. They can set you up on a work out routine that is safe for your back. I have had to have surgery for a ruptured disk. They told me I have degenerative disk disease also. If your having pain in your back from putting on your socks its probably caused by the disk. I use to experience the same thing.

You have to lose the weight. Having a belly is the worse thing for a bad back. If you try to work out without seeking advice from a trainer you need to be very careful to not put to much load on your spine. Trust me you don't want that disk to rupture.

 

[JSF]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Also, cardio is a great place to start. If you can do a light jog without pain. My physical therapist had me on a stationary bike just to get my heart rate up a little before a workout. The elliptical is great. Less stress on your back than jogging.

 

[Chanonry]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

One of the things I found most useful was the Great Grandmother rule.

If your GGM would not recognise it as a food, then don't eat it.

For me it had to be a positive decision to change my lifestyle, so not just a goal to 'lose some weight' or 'get a bit fitter' but to be a certain weight and to be fit. Goal setting is critical and you need to phrase them in a way that works for you.

Don't be a fascist about it, eat what you want just not very much of the things that you know are not going to help, and not very often. Makes it easier in the head

As Lindy said, take it easy to start with but as you get fitter and stronger (weeks and months) you will get less returns so will have to step up the intensity to keep progressing - but don't rush it

 

[KarlSG]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Diets more important than exercise.You can lose couple hundred calories in a good workout and eat couple thousand with poor meals. that's how it works.

Easiest one we used for getting locals into shape is just put them on meat, fruit and veg. No complex carbs, cereals, grain based foods(includes all wheat and flour)<span style="font-weight: bold">ever</span> again.

I think they call it the atkins diet now but who cares what its called. it drops pounds a week, first in fluid,then in fat. If the subject can handle the withdrawal shakes and cravings the first week or two he will drop down to his early 20's weight forever. That's cramming as much meat down them as they can handle as well.

So easy, but doesn't make food companies or diet experts any money so its rarely spoken of. Also no one wants to break their modern day carb addiction...

 

[bowhuntr09]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

I discovered "the Primal Blueprint" a couple of weeks ago. It sounds like the same thing several people have already mentioned. If a caveman wouldn't have had access to it or recognized it as food dont eat it. There is a book out, but you can find all the info you need at http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ . Look in the forum at the success stories and before/after pictures and you will be amazed.

 

[bowhuntr09]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Here is a perfect example of what is possible following the Primal Blueprint I mentioned (no, this is not me).

Take a look at this progress....

 

[benchmstr]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bowhuntr09</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here is a perfect example of what is possible following the Primal Blueprint I mentioned (no, this is not me).

Take a look at this progress.... </div></div>
i was trying to post some of that last night...but there site was down..

here is a whole page of motivation from people who have been where the OP is at now...

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=MaleTransformation

this one really impressed me though....this kid really stepped up..

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/teen-transformation-byron-jaeger.htm

bench

 

[bcw1284]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

As someone who has a back injury similar to what you describe, the first thing you need to do is get on a program of adjustment & therapy with a good chiropractor. When I hurt my L5 disc, I couldn't even walk. I seriously had to crawl up the stairs to the driveway, limp on over to my truck and drive there. I am more than convinced that my chiropractor saved my ability to walk. At the same time, I believe that I had some of the symptoms of being pre-diabetic, so that was yet another push for me to get off my fat ass. I watched that shit kill a grandparent, and I wouldn't wish that on all but the most evil of people.

I still suffer with the annoyance of sciatica in the left leg, and general stiffness in the lower back from the disc that I bulged. As part of your recovery (I know as it is part of mine), you will need to walk a LOT. The action of walking helps to strengthen the muscles in the lower back, so do it. It will also help with weight loss. Recumbent cycles & elipticals are great since they are low-impact on your joints (which WILL hurt when running as a "big" guy. BTDT.). Weights and flexibility exercises should be mixed in as you can handle them with your specific injury.

I am 26 & the same height as you. When I first hurt myself, I weighed about 240 pounds, down from 255 about a year earlier (heaviest in my life). I got down to about 210 for a while and felt MUCH better. I had a hard time maintaining that and ended up back at 228. Eating right and working out more has me down to 219 right now, today is exactly one month since I started the new nutrition plan (began at 226lbs on Jan 4, 2011). I know that I have picked up muscle mass as well, I can see it and feel it.

Having back issues complicates life and workouts, but to me it makes it even more important to accomplish physical activity every single day. The best advice I can give you is to see a chiropractor, eat healthy, and go slow but stay committed to a workout plan. For right now, I would avoid drastic diets and such, as well as gimmick programs.

Here is my "10 commandments" of diet, not as a doc or athlete, but as a just another fat guy with a bad back who is trying to not be/have either of those anymore:

1)Absolutely NO regular sodas, you'd be better off drinking liquid dog shit than the poison that is soda pop. Diet drinks only in moderation... think of them as Pepsi brand methadone. I limit myself to 2-3 a week, if not less.
2)Absolutely no alcohol. I drank a lot at one time, and I miss the comrades but not the hangover. Besides, it's counterproductive to weight management, so don't drink it at all if you can handle it.
3)PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN! Lean meats and eggs (a couple whole plus a couple more egg whites only). Perhaps add a powdered supplement... I use EAS since it is available locally to me. YMMV.
4)Cut out High Fructose corn syrup from your diet as completely as possible. Do the same with table sugar as much as possible. Splenda and other sweeteners are an alternative, but IMHO they are still inferior to natural products like honey and stevia.
4)Fresh fruits and veggies; dried also are good but get "no sugar added" versions. White potatoes don't count, get yams instead. Yogurt is great just watch out for the sugar or HFCS in it.
5)When you eat carbs, get them from whole grain breads and such since that way you get fiber and good nutrients. Replace pastas and tortillas with whole grain options as well.
6)Organic/"natural" peanut butter should be your new best friend. So should oatmeal.
7)nuts have healthy unsaturated fats in them that your body needs. For example, Almonds are recommended to support cardiovascular health. I eat them in small doses frequently. Add them to salads & oatmeal.
8)I think it is a widespread fallacy that eating healthy costs more. In my experience it is actually cheaper because of the money I *don't* spend on shit like soda.
9)Drink green tea, sweetened with a squeeze of a fresh citrus fruit &/or organic honey.
10)you don't have to grill everything, you can also bake it or pan-sear it. I use EVOO exclusively in the kitchen now and it is very healthy in comparison to other things, especially when frying, sautee, etc.

I also stopped drinking whole milk and went to a lower fat percentage. I prefer 1% because of texture; to me skim is just nasty water, and whole is like paste. YMMV.

As for supplements, here is what I take right now. This is just me, lots of folks recommend others and there is much opinion out there on it. This is by no means a definitive list:

GNC Mega Men daily multi vitamin
fish oil - 2000mg every day
vitamin C - 2000mg
glucosamine - 1500mg
chondroiton - 200mg
zinc sulfate - 50mg
calcium (it's included in the zinc tablet)- 95mg
I also take another joint supplement (which I believe has helped me with reducing inflammation) but I would recommend you consult your chiropractor or a nutritionist or some other educated person on what might be best for your situation. My chiro is very into healthy diet and organics and such, so good natural supplements are right in line with his practice. I would admonish you to avoid any RX drugs if you can avoid it, I believe that they do more harm than good in most (not all) circumstances.

There are many other things you can take, but the most important realization is that it won't help you much unless you are also eating right and exercising.

Good luck young man, you can do this if you just stick with it.

 

[Slade213]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

I hate to disagree with this post but heavy weights will actually increase your weight over time provided you eat right. Muscle weighs more than fat. And if you dont eat right you are begging for an injury.
The best way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in and i have found that high rep workouts with moderate weight combined with intense cardio and proper diet is the most efective way to do this.

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

You're almost there by getting this far. Posting here took a big step of intention. Every positive act came about after a positive thought so keep thinking positive.
I've been training with a trainer for four years. Often I cheat by getting him off the subject while working out by asking him questions about exercise physiology so I've learned a little, and here are a few things I've learned:

* We don't have fat bellys. The body burns fat. We have sugar bellys - caused by too much sugar from sugar, starch, sucrose, lactose, sucrolose, fructose....anything with ose is a sugar. If it wasn't in the Garden of Eden, Don't eat it (or eat less of it).

* Weight train..with a trainer. The money you save by getting the appetizer and fasting from icecream will buy a trainer and a gym membership. Muscle fiber has a higher basal metabolic rate, burning more calories the more lean fiber there is even while sitting.

* Change....fried to baked, broiled, boiled, soda to water, etc.

* Pray.




*

 

[bcw1284]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Slade, I agree with you for the most part, but that doesn't mean you should do 300 reps with a 2lb weight. Like all things, use common sense. Find your limit, and then back off a bit so you can up the total # of reps/sets.

High-rep exercises will also build endurance, which is more important to me than hitting maximums since i'm here for the long haul, not a competition.

You should mix it up a bit, not doing the same exercises day after day. Rotate upper body, lower body, and cardio days with an occasional rest day interspersed. I usually go 2-on, one-off, repeat. The OP said he was into racketball, so I think he should rotate that in as well.

 

[Slade213]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

bcw1284 I absolutley agree and when i said high reps i was talking 12 to 15 rep range with moderate weight. Meaning you should be close to muscle fatigue at the 12 to 15th rep. I would also recomend 3 set maxs for a beginner and only compound movements to begin with. Supplements are important but as a beginner i would say not to worry to much about them and focus more on diet. After you have been lifting a while say 6-8 months definetly start to supplement with protein and a good multi vitamin.

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

ISbe, I read your post again.
Do no spine compression exercises. Rather than squats, do lundges, leg extensions, and leg curls. Hanging from an overhead bar with my hands gripping the bar seems to relieve my sciatica. Next year you can hang from your feet.

Always always eat breakfast. Always. Let it be a pint of egg whites, ideally, but if you can't stand them, eat anything except twinkies, but always eat breakfast. Try a sugar free cereal and soy milk with added trail mix and a table spoon of flax seed meal.

Three hours later have a protien shake and or about 20 raw almonds. Lettuce is bullshit. Avoid it. Too much fruit is too much sugar but an apple or orange a day is okay especially in the morning. Eat something every three hours like a shake or a few raw nuts, a whole wheat muffin, Ezekiel bread peanut butter and sugarless jelly sandwich, chicken, turkey, beef, pork.

Avoid: white rice, supplements, white bread, greasy chips, refined white sugar, carbs after 6pm.

The main reason you are over-weight is the one meal deal. Your body fears starvation. In an effort to save itself your body stores fat to use as food during the times of famine it thinks is happening when you're not feeding it regularly. Your body thinks your still a nomadic hunter / gatherer. Frequent, small meals keeps the metabolism fired up. See your body as a locomotive.

Consume as much water as you can. You cannot drink too much water.

And, by the way, if you're drinking beer, stop. Save it for cheat day. Eat whatever you want on Sunday and drink beer then too.

Do this and in one year you will measure 16" at the biceps, 33 at the waist, and weigh 200 pounds with a body fat index of 20%. Guaranteed.

 

[bcw1284]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Slade213</div><div class="ubbcode-body">bcw1284 I absolutley agree and when i said high reps i was talking 12 to 15 rep range with moderate weight. Meaning you should be close to muscle fatigue at the 12 to 15th rep. I would also recomend 3 set maxs for a beginner and only compound movements to begin with. Supplements are important but as a beginner i would say not to worry to much about them and focus more on diet. After you have been lifting a while say 6-8 months definetly start to supplement with protein and a good multi vitamin.</div></div>

Good point on the compound movements, I agree that is the most effective.

Casey, I'm glad you posted as I missed the whole "one meal" thing. I think you're spot-on there, and it's probably the easiest change for him to make. I know the same phenomenon came at me when I was in college, since i'd often go many long hours without any food at all, and when I did get something it was a "quick & dirty" meal, not something healthy.

 

[benchmstr]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bcw1284</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Slade213</div><div class="ubbcode-body">bcw1284 I absolutley agree and when i said high reps i was talking 12 to 15 rep range with moderate weight. Meaning you should be close to muscle fatigue at the 12 to 15th rep. I would also recomend 3 set maxs for a beginner and only compound movements to begin with. Supplements are important but as a beginner i would say not to worry to much about them and focus more on diet. After you have been lifting a while say 6-8 months definetly start to supplement with protein and a good multi vitamin.</div></div>

Good point on the compound movements, I agree that is the most effective.

Casey, I'm glad you posted as I missed the whole "one meal" thing. I think you're spot-on there, and it's probably the easiest change for him to make. I know the same phenomenon came at me when I was in college, since i'd often go many long hours without any food at all, and when I did get something it was a "quick & dirty" meal, not something healthy. </div></div>
if you know you arent going to eat for a while...grab a casein shake...

bench

 

[bcw1284]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

see, I didn't know about that stuff back then. Wish I had, I could have saved myself a lot of work now by not putting on the weight in the first place. LOL.

I never go anywhere without my pogey bait now. I've got cliff bars stashed in all my coats, cars, etc.

ISBe, I still think you should start off by seeing a chiropractor and then go from there.

 

[ISBe]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Thanks for all the help, tips, and encouragement. Here's to a healthier life!

 

[Helidriver]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

Good for you for deciding to do something!!! I lost 45 lbs a few years back and like many it went right back on because I fell back into my old ways. It's really not that hard to loose weight unless you have some other underlying condition.

Like you I have decided to get back at getting healthy. I've lost 14 lbs in 2 weeks. I'm no expert, not by a long shot (no pun intended). Here's what helped me.

First off go see a doc just to get a once over. Tell him your plan and let him be the judge.

Don't eat food you know you shouldn't. Fast food, ice cream, pizza, deserts, BEER....ect....diet soda and a big mac is still a ton of calories. Don't step one foot in or drive through a fast food joint.

Learn to recognize emotional hunger vs physical hunger. When your belly rumbles that's physical hunger and it might be time to eat a little. Grab an apple if it's not meal time to stop the rumbles. When you see a steak or ice cream and your mouth waters or you say "just a bite", that's emotional hunger. DON'T act on emotional hunger!!!! I love crackers of any kind. If I see them I want them. That's emotional hunger again. Learn to turn your head.

Calories in, calories out. It really comes down to that. If you consume 1500 cals in a day and your body uses 2300 you have 800 net loss and you will loose weight regardless of where those cals came from. NOW BEWARE!!! That's not a license to eat 1500 cals of junk. Try to eat a good balance of carbs and protien. Junk along with the fat you're burning from your body could spell trouble for your heart and other organs. You need to burn 3500 cals to burn 1 lb of fat. Since you're 290 you have to lug around a lot of extra weight so just walking out to the mailbox burns more cals for you than say a 200 lb dude. You might loose weight really fast at the start like me. After a few weeks you should settle into a steady healthy weight loss.

My diet is simple. Whole grain cereal with skim milk and a bananna for breakfast. 2.5 hours later 1 serving of yogurt (I use Activia). 2.5 hours later for lunch a simple turkey sanwich on whole grain bread. Only ONE sanwhich and maybe a small serving of applesauce. 2.5 hours later yogurt again. Dinner 3 to 500 cals of just good food. You know what that means. Boneless skinless chicken, fresh fish, veggies, lean beef ect.

Drink plenty of water. When your body switches to buring fat it produces keytones as a by product. You want to flush it out. My doc says 100oz a day is a good number. Don't drink to much because that can cause other problems. YES you can drink to much water. You would have to drink a ton but it's possible. Go to Walgreens, CVS or any big pharmacy and buy some Ketostix test strips in the diabetic supplies isle. After a couple days of faithful dieting keytones will begin to show in your urine. Test on the first pee of the morning. The other pees in the day don't mean anything because they are mostly water from the extra water you're drinking. If they detect keytones you're burining fat! Good for you! You're on the right track. Just remember don't starve yourself. It's unhealthy and that's not what you're trying to do.

Exercise is smiple too. In the beginning just go out and walk at a moderate pace for 30 minutes a day. Increase it 5 minutes a week until you're at an hour. DON'T go out and kill yourself. The weight will come off. When you start approaching a healthier weight then think about real cardio and weight training. until then your 290 might kill your joints and lead to arthritis in your later years. Also try to be more active. Go hiking or something that requires more effort when you can.

Take a good multi vitamin. I take the GNC Mega Men Healthy heart pack. It's easy and complete.

Set some simple NON-WEIGHT goals. Say like "I'm not going to have soda for a week". Not diet not regular...none....or "I'm going to eat 1500 cals for 2 weeks". No cheating no exceptions no cheat day BS that I hear people talk about. Remember cheat days are pandering to your emotional hunger. Don't give in. Look at food as a requirement for life and not a pleasure.

Weigh in only every 2 weeks to start then every week after 8 weeks. Remember, it's not about loosing weight. It's about getting healthy and changing your lifestyle. If you eat right and get some exercise the weight loss is will be a byproduct of a healthy lifestyle.

If you're like me it will be a life long struggle but you've got to do it! Good luck and keep us informed on your progress. It helps to share your success with friends to help keep you motivated.

 

[FALex]

Re: Time For A Lifestyle Change

I am sorry about the loss of your father. I lost mine 11/17/10 to a "massive coronary event." I'm a big dude too, and have struggled with being a fat ass my entire life, but that has now changed. Low carb for the past year has helped me lose over 110 lbs. You can do it. Start slow and celebrate even the seemingly minor accomplishments.