The Illinois Loyalty Weight Loss Program

[cmore]

Hey guys I'm too damn fat and I hate myself for it! I am 5'11" and I'm gonna guess that I weigh 235 to 240 lbs. I'm guessing that because I'm too afraid to even get on the scale. But that all changes Monday morning. I'm getting out of this funk I have been in and taking charge of my life again. I'm not happy with how I look or feel. My wife deserves better. So come Monday morning i encourage all of you who feel the same as I do to step forward and challenge yourselves. Weigh-in tomorrow. I plan to do the same. I'm going to eat better and exercise more. Each week I will weigh in and, hopefully, post my losses. I hope others will do the same. Perhaps as a group trying to accomplish similar goals it will be easier together. I am forever embarrassed about my weight and I don't like to talk about it. But you guys don't "know" me; so I figure I have nothing to be embarrassed about. Hopefully by forcing myself to post gains or losses it will hold me more accountable. My goal is to be under 200 lbs in five months. I can do this! I will do this! Hopefully some of you jump on board as well.....I'll check in tomorrow, I hope I'm not alone........

[Champaignillini]

Good Luck cmore.

I'm sure that you'll be watching our beloved Illini in the final four this season, weighing less than 200 lbs.

[cmore]

Originally Posted by illinigrad

Good Luck cmore.

I'm sure that you'll be watching our beloved Illini in the final four this season, weighing less than 200 lbs.

ha.....im not sure which of those i want to happen more......

[BMD48]

I wish you would have made this thread 6 months ago, I did the 3 month P90X program and diet, i lost 30 pounds. It was tough, but im glad i did it, had to buy new clothes. Good luck tho, I would go with P90X if you have the money...its worth it. Tough, but you have to stay dedicated for it to work.

[Illini1956]

I am 5 10" and was getting very close to 250 pounds.

I decided to avoid all fast food places and I am now around 200 lbs.

I have had to buy new pants and new belts.

Eat good foods, eat mostly at home if you can and you will lose weight.

[Waam]

I'm all with you cmore!

Support you and this thread all the way till the end.

[JW]

Best of luck to you cmore.

What is your diet/exercise strategy?

[cmore]

Originally Posted by JW

Best of luck to you cmore.

What is your diet/exercise strategy?

I'm not so sure if it is a diet, perhaps a lifestyle change. I eat like crap, i have at least one candy bar a day. I don't pack a lunch, I either grab fast food or I don't eat lunch all day, which makes me so hungry at night that I just pig out. No more candy bars and I will pack healthy lunches every day. If I get hungry after work I will eat a piece of fruit. My wife is extremely healthy and there is always fruit?veggies around the house, I just have never chosen to eat it. My portion sizes have to go down. On most nights I stuff myself instead of eating till satiated. The exercise aspect of it all will definitly have to change. I just don't do it now. We have a treadmill at home and a recumbent bike. I plan on introducing myself to both. I am not telling anyone of my plans to lose weight, except you all on this board. I can't wait for that first person to say, "Have you lost weight?". If they don't know I am trying to lose weight I will be more apt to believe them.

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement, I need it.

[JW]

Originally Posted by cmore

I'm not so sure if it is a diet, perhaps a lifestyle change. I eat like crap, i have at least one candy bar a day. I don't pack a lunch, I either grab fast food or I don't eat lunch all day, which makes me so hungry at night that I just pig out. No more candy bars and I will pack healthy lunches every day. If I get hungry after work I will eat a piece of fruit. My wife is extremely healthy and there is always fruit?veggies around the house, I just have never chosen to eat it. My portion sizes have to go down. On most nights I stuff myself instead of eating till satiated. The exercise aspect of it all will definitly have to change. I just don't do it now. We have a treadmill at home and a recumbent bike. I plan on introducing myself to both. I am not telling anyone of my plans to lose weight, except you all on this board. I can't wait for that first person to say, "Have you lost weight?". If they don't know I am trying to lose weight I will be more apt to believe them.

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement, I need it.

A few tips for you:

(1) Rather than cutting the "crap" out of your diet, simply reduce it. When you go to McDonalds, get a hamburger with that fruit yogurt thing and skip the soda. Buy a water or milk instead.

(2) Eat breakfast and lunch everyday. The long periods with low blood sugar are hazardous.

(3) Foods like oatmeal, milk/yogurt, nuts etc. will replicate the "full" feeling you are accustomed to. Vegetables will not. I'm a big fan of the organic peanut butter, basically its just peanut butter without the added fat and refined sugar. Tastes better I find.

(4) Enjoy fruits that are sweet as a consequence of high naturally occuring sugar like pineapple, mango, strawberries and melon. This will help the transition and is more effective than going cold turkey.

(5) I'm a big fan of the mixed salad, romaine and spinach, dripped in virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Again, you'll feel full afterwards because of the oilve oil.

(6) Pick one night of the week when you can pig out. For me its Sunday night. I'm free to eat all the buffalo wings, Italian beef sandwiches and cheese fries that I desire.

(7) Before you hit the treadmill, try walking outside everynight for a month. If you have a dog, even better. Do it right before bedtime and you will sleep better.

I was briefly a personal trainer and I found the biggest issue my clients had was jumping into a strict diet or hardcore routine and staying with it. Its easier to slide into it and make it a habit.

[BananaShampoo]

Sounds like you know what you need to do. Realizing that you need to change your lifestyle and not just go on a temporary "diet" is the first step towards making a positive and PERMANENT change in your health. I applaud you for deciding to put forth the effort. It's that kid of mindset that will make you successful.

Some simple things you can do that will make a big difference.

1. Drop any sugary snacks or drinks, start slow if you need to, dropping 1 drink or snack per day per week.
2. Stop eating white bread or non-whole grain pasta. Those are both sources of high GI carbs and are highly processed crap generally.
3. Don't go "low fat" - people think fat is the enemy. It's not. Sugar and carbs are the enemy. Make sure you get high quality (non-saturated) fats through meat, nuts, olive oil, etc. Those are the healthy kids. BTW, foods containing fat also make you feel fuller faster, thus you will likely eat less than you would if you were eat fat-free or low-fat foods.
4. Soy anything is crap. Don't eat it. Only certain population have evolved to digest soy properly, and unless you are East or SE Asian, you are not one of them.
5. Learn to read ingredient labels. If it has High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soy lecithin, or "Partially Hydrogenated" anything then try to find a version of the food you want that does have it or just don't buy it.
6. Try to eat protein and fruits/veggies at each meal. Most people don't get enough of either. Protein helps build muscle. Muscle increases metabolism. This is good.
7. Take fish oil. I try to take 6-8 fish oil caps per day. Not only does it give you Omega 3's which is great for cardiovascular health but it's also been proven to aid fat loss in high enough doses.
8. Take Vitamin D3 (not D2). Vitamin D3 is generally lacking in most populations because we don't produce enough naturally from sunlight and don't get enough of it from our foods. It is a potent antioxidant and is anabolic, helping you to create and retain muscle mass. It also helps elevate mood.
9. Move! Take a 15 - 30 minute walk every day if you want to do the minimum. If you want to really make a change, though, start weight training. Do it for an hour at least twice a week. Make sure you lift heavy enough, hit the big muscle groups (don't neglect legs and back!), and you'll notice a profound difference in your strength and physical appearance so long as you keep progressing.

For more information check out some great websites:

www.t-nation.com
www.stumptuous.com
www.beyondlowcarb.net
www.exrx.net

[cmore]

Wow guys tremendous effort!! Thanks for all of those tips. But get this!! I just got home from work about 20 minutes ago and what is on the kitchen table? A whole box of donuts! I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. My wife has family in town, so she must have bought them for all the kids. I'm not going to eat them though. I know I will have slip-ups, but it won't be on those donuts.

[Illest]

Great thread. I'm not an expert on diet, but my one piece of advice is that, for most people, eating is a pretty mindless activity, and mindless eaters tend to just eat whatever's in front of them. So, obviously, opt for smaller servings.

But, more importantly, just don't let yourself stick anything in your mouth without noticing what you're doing and asking yourself if you think it's the right decision to stick it in your mouth. Force yourself to not eat mindlessly; pause before every bite if you have to.

[DaytonIllini]

cmore - while walking, biking and ellipticals are great for your heart they really suck for burning fat.

Muscle burns fat even at rest. Work some modest weight training into your life. Large muscle groups. For every gram of muscle you add, your metabolism will increase and burn calories all day long.

A great relatively easy approach is 20 minutes of aerobic exercise (start really modest so you don't dread it) three days a week. 20-30 minutes of weight training 3 days a week. Total rest one day a week.

We were all trained to eat everything on our plate. Simple solution, use a smaller plate. Use a salad plate as that keeps portion sizes way down.

Good luck! Your wife, your kids, your knees, hips, back and heart will thank you.

Oh yeah, I strongly recommend what sounds like a very modest goal of 2 pounds per month. Anything faster and it is hard to keep the weight off as the lifestyle change is usually too dramatic. I know it sounds slow but in 1 year you are down 24 pounds which would be fantastic.

And don't eat the donuts!

[4ever]

Originally Posted by DaytonIllini

And don't eat the donuts!

blasphemy!!!!!

Good advice.

[IlliniSteve]

Originally Posted by BMD48

I wish you would have made this thread 6 months ago, I did the 3 month P90X program and diet, i lost 30 pounds. It was tough, but im glad i did it, had to buy new clothes. Good luck tho, I would go with P90X if you have the money...its worth it. Tough, but you have to stay dedicated for it to work.

I've thought about doing the P90x ab ripper thing. I have heard a lot of good things about the p90 programs.

Also, good luck cmore. Stay dedicated and be patient.

[illini80]

I've always been lucky with a high metabolism, but when I need to lose a little weight, I find just eating slower and stopping before I'm stuffed make a huge difference in how much I eat. Drinking more water when I eat helps fill me up too.

Some great advice on here by physical fitness buffs. Best of luck to you.

[cmore]

DAY 1: 237 lbs. My goal for my next weigh in next week is to weigh less than 237. By May 1 I will weigh less than 200lbs. Until then I will annoy you every week with my losses or gains. I am determined, somehow I feel different today; I feel good.

[IntenselyOrange]

Good Luck cmore. I dropped 55 lbs about 8 years ago and am still at that reduced weight. You've got lots of good advice here, but I'll offer a couple quick takes.

JW's suggestion to pick a night when you can eat what you want is great. A little reward for your hard work will keep you on the plan.

Also from JW, breakfast and lunch. So, so important. I'd recommend eggs (or whites) and whole grains (such as oatmeal) at breakfast and bean based soups at lunch. I find these things incredibly satisfying. Another lunch staple is a vegetable type of soup with a small sandwich. Finally salad with chicken, chickpeas, beans, etc.. is also great. You've got to have some variety. However, do not go carb centric....protein and some fat will keep you from a blood-sugar roller coaster making it easier for you to avoid foods you'd rather not eat.

Another issue that I can't emphasize enough is to keep yourself hydrated. Often our brains are fooled into eating when really we are thirsty. Drink lots of water and keep a water bottle with you at all times. If you think you're hungry, drink a few ounces and wait 30 minutes. If you're still hungry, have a snack.

Exercise - do what works for you. If you don't like being outside and would rather watch the news or some basketball while walking use the treadmill. Push yourself within reason. Interval training is a great way to motivate yourself in the beginning.

Good luck! It's not easy but the rewards of success are great.

[BananaShampoo]

Another thing to consider is making sure to prepare a simple breakfast or lunch ahead of time. I don't know where you work, but I'm able to take a plastic sandwich bag every morning and put in the same few things in it every day as my breakfast, which I eat slowly at my desk during the morning. I stay full plus I know what I'm eating nutritionally and calorically every morning.

I have: a small piece of fruit, a handful or baby carrots, a handful of peanuts, a stick of string cheese, and a pint of milk. That's my breakfast. Low calorie, low carb, and healthy. The trick is to not eat anything else until lunch, no matter how many donuts your co-workers leave out.

[illinirazorback]

Best of luck to you. I need to drop a few pounds and I wish I were so motivated, but fact is I'm just lazy. I'll be rooting for you, though!

[ill07]

I'm not very overweight, but I could stand to lose a few pounds, and I'd like to get in shape in time for Spring when I have a number of weddings to attend. So I'll be here with you cmore!

Warning about the Ab Ripper X (P90x) program: it is intense, and you MUST ease into it slowly. I started the program once and did the entire thing at full speed, and managed to hurt myself. It is not something that someone who isn't in great shape already can just start doing instantly.

[IlliniAmy]

Three years ago, I shed 72 pounds.

Slowly, I've let 20 of it inch back on. I need to get disciplined again.

I think the worst of it is I was in a very regular exercise routine and I've gotten out of it.

I'm going to make myself start walking again.

It's almost impossible to lose weight over the long-term by making dietary changes alone. Gotta burn those calories!

[4ever]

Originally Posted by cmore

DAY 1: 237 lbs. My goal for my next weigh in next week is to weigh less than 237. By May 1 I will weigh less than 200lbs. Until then I will annoy you every week with my losses or gains. I am determined, somehow I feel different today; I feel good.

cmore, good luck my friend. You will accomplish your goal I'm sure. Mind over matter.

Just a suggestion but it works-DON'T LOOK BACK! Keep looking forward.

Several years ago I decided I was tired of being fat. I went to bed one night saying thats it, I am done, I won't look back, and the next morning I started my journey to a healthy lifestyle. It worked. It completely worked. Actually, it was the happiest and most peaceful time in my life. I was completely focused. I completely blocked out all negative thoughts and focused only on moving forward. I prayed, listened to music and exercised ALOT.

I decided to eat only salad and thats what I did for a year. Now, my salad contained plenty of protein as I knew I needed protein to build muscle. I was running 4+ miles per day along with lifting weights. Weight training will burn your most calories. I was eating lemons, garlic, and drinking vinegar as this all raises your metabolisim. I was drinking lots of cold water. This burns calories and raises your metabolisim as well as your body cools from the cold water and then it has to work to warm itself up and of course the water is good for you. Get plenty of sleep 8+ hours. I can't stress that enough. Your body needs that time to heal and rebuild. Plus, you will lose more weight when you get a good rest. I tested it out numerous times. The mornings that I weighed after getting 8+ hours of sleep, I weighed less.

I cut out all carbs except the ones I needed for my salads. I would use a stair stepper sometimes when watching TV instead of just sitting around. I never got tired of my salads because I fixed them the way I wanted to. Seriously, I ate salad for a year and it worked. Now, every other week or once a month I would go out and eat what I wanted but it was only once or twice a month.

Bananna gave you some good advice.

My keys were:

Plenty of sleep
weight training
protein
focused mind set-don't look back
foods that build your metabolisim even while you sleep ex salad, lemons, vinegar. you body will work even while you sleep. you will wake up weighing less.
vitamins
water
avoid stress
some cardio exercise but weight training will do more for you to lose. rem, low weight plenty of reps for losing weight and toning. heavy weight and only few reps to build muscle but that is extremely difficult to do when losing weight. I reccomend low weight but plenty of reps.
CUT OUT YOUR CARBS except good ones from fruit.
Don't eat crap at night before you go to bed.
if your going to eat fruit eat it before workout or morning but not before bedtime.

I know I am jumping all around here but I am telling you what works for I know. It worked wonders for me. I was in the best shape of my life. I didn't need to tell anyone for everyone noticed.

The most important part is, I stayed focused and never looked back. I prayed and became closer to God. I ate healthy, got plenty of sleep, drank plenty of liquids, drank vinegar, ate lemons and garlic, ate protien, ate salads, exercised plenty, reduced my stress, took my vitamins.

Anyway, it worked for me.

Unfortunately, I got away from that routein several years down the road now and I need to do it all over again. I know what works I just need to do it again. It is a lifestyle.

I support you and I am going to join you.

Good luck my friend and I know you and I both can do it. It's all in our head.

[4ever]

Oh, I forgot to mention something. When I was losing weight I would crave different foods. My solution to that was to either fix it myself or have my wife fix the food I was craving. I would smell it, even going up to the pan and lifting it to my nose but I wouldn't eat it. The smell itself satisfied my cravings. I know it sounds crazy but it worked. Maybe because it gave me a sense of power by smelling it but not eating it.

note-my wife and kids ate well during that time.

No, my wife lost weight as well just not as drastic as myself.

[ill07]

I just ate a healthy Kashi bar rather than my mid-afternoon candy snack. Sigh.

Discipline!