Really need to lose weight

[V8mate]

Just walked past a mirror. What a fat bd!

Didn't use to mind carrying a bit of weight, but I have exceeded the bounds of common decency.

So how?

Will power isn't a strong point when it comes to implementing personal suffering.

I live a 'normal' life, i.e. get up, go to work etc. So no ridiculous 'have grilled chicken and couscous for lunch' options.

And can I still nibble stuff?

Just munch carrots for the next 6 months? (I quite like carrots)

[RemainAllHoof]

What you want to hear is something that will help you make you look like you're 18 again with no detrimental effect on your long-term health and can be done in 2 days with no discomfort or inconvenience... well, how long did it take to put on that weight?

If you can't be bothered to change your lifestyle, the simplest way is to eat a bit less and move a bit more. When you plateau, eat a bit less still and move a bit more still; if you do this over an extended period of time, you won't notice that you've changed your lifestyle for the better. Also, if you have the time, read up and understand what the glycaemic index is about.

[anonymous-user]

It's as simple as colories consumed vs calories used - there is no magic.

Either do exercise to burn more calories than you consume, or consume less than you currently burn

I always find doing exercise keeps me honest when eating so doubles the effect,

[ewenm]

I've always found it easier to increase exercise than reduce calories but then I like walking/running/cycling.

As it's coming up to summer and we might have extended spells of decent weather, can you introduce some exercise into your commute to/from work? Cycling or walking some/all of it? I find that means the time impact on my life is greatly reduced.

[RemainAllHoof]

One thing to note, the wonderful thing about the human body is that it is pretty economical wrt burning calories so we don't die of starvation while, for instance, brushing our teeth or walking to the kitchen. This means that it takes a lot of effort to burn a small amount of food.

[anonymous-user]

RemainAllHoof said:

One thing to note, the wonderful thing about the human body is that it is pretty economical wrt burning calories so we don't die of starvation while, for instance, brushing our teeth or walking to the kitchen. This means that it takes a lot of effort to burn a small amount of food.

Very true. Diet really is the key!

[FraserLFA]

garyhun said:

I always find doing exercise keeps me honest when eating so doubles the effect

Definitely.

[Mr Will]

RemainAllHoof said:

One thing to note, the wonderful thing about the human body is that it is pretty economical wrt burning calories so we don't die of starvation while, for instance, brushing our teeth or walking to the kitchen. This means that it takes a lot of effort to burn a small amount of food.

The key to this approach is to make the effort useful, rather than just trying to do it in the gym.

I commute by push bike and in the process burn ~1000 calories each day. It saves me time, money and keeps me fit. There is no way I could find the time to spend 2 hours in the gym each day but I can use the 2 hours I would normally be sat on a train to get some exercise.

As far as dieting goes, everyone is different. What works for me is rather than limiting food types, just cutting down portion sizes and eating slightly earlier in the day so that I was going to bed slightly hungry.

[frontbum]

Calorie counting has never been effective for me, even in conjunction with exercise. The best way I have found is the iDave diet which has been posted on STW. Easy, filling and very effective.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/and-no...

[AB]

Eat what you like as long as you stick your fingers down your throat afterwards. Apply the 'what goes in must come out in the next half an hour' rule and you'll shed the weight in no time.

Combine this with stupid amounts of exercise.

[V8mate]

frontbum said:

Calorie counting has never been effective for me, even in conjunction with exercise. The best way I have found is the iDave diet which has been posted on STW. Easy, filling and very effective.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/and-no...

Another bloody diet which completely ignores 'normal living':

Diet said:

Sample schedule

Breakfast:
black coffee with cinnamon, poached or scrambled eggs, bacon, spinach, salsa sauce

Lunch:
chicken breast, lentils with herbs, minted peas

And why no cereal or fruit? I love my breakfast muesli. (And it's proper muesli, not the sugar-laden granola-type crap.

[Mr Will]

What do you eat on a typical day at the moment?

[browno]

I'm in the same boat (in fact, having had the doctor give me a good telling off, was my kick-start) and am working on doing the NHS Couch to 5K podcast running plan - bascially as it say, it's a series of podcast and takes you from a complete starter to running 5K in 9 weeks.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/get-running-...

It's taking me a while longer than 9 weeks, as I had some early problems with painful knees, which I've sorted by buying some decent running shoes - and mixing in interruptions for business travel too. I'm now progressing reasonable well though (see my other thread the subject for my run-by-run account so far!) - I've lost just over a stone so far, which is a bit slow for the time I've been doing things, but I've had a week's holiday and two weeks on business in the US there, and am still in credit! I'm now hoping to accelerate the weight loss as the runs get more intense.

I've tried joining the gym a few times and found it easy to get demotivated, and also from my school days have hated running, as I'm not really built for speed! The structure of this plan has helped me though, as you are improving each week and challenging yourself that little more each time - I've now got a decent 2.25 mile loop that I run from home which is about perfect for the current podcasts at my pace - and without needing to pre-plan or drive out to the gym I can wander out of the front door and half an hour later come back feeling tired, but happy with my progress.

[frontbum]

V8mate said:

frontbum said:

Calorie counting has never been effective for me, even in conjunction with exercise. The best way I have found is the iDave diet which has been posted on STW. Easy, filling and very effective.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/and-no...

Another bloody diet which completely ignores 'normal living':

Diet said:

Sample schedule

Breakfast:
black coffee with cinnamon, poached or scrambled eggs, bacon, spinach, salsa sauce

Lunch:
chicken breast, lentils with herbs, minted peas

And why no cereal or fruit? I love my breakfast muesli. (And it's proper muesli, not the sugar-laden granola-type crap.

Read the very first paragraph in the PDF.

It requires a change to what you're used to because what you're used to is what has gotten you fat.

[MacGee]

porridge and a banana for brekkie 100 times better than siugar puffs and the likes!!

[Soovy]

See the PHat Phighters thread.

I lost two stone.

Breakfast - Espresso
Lunch - chicken or salmon sandwich
Dinner - normal


Took about four months.

[MacGee]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yes...it smells of piss!

[V8mate]

frontbum said:

Read the very first paragraph in the PDF.

It requires a change to what you're used to because what you're used to is what has gotten you fat.

I still have to get up and go to work at 6am. I still can't cook myself lunch in my office. Change has to be achievable.

[Soovy]

V8mate said:

frontbum said:

Read the very first paragraph in the PDF.

It requires a change to what you're used to because what you're used to is what has gotten you fat.

I still have to get up and go to work at 6am. I still can't cook myself lunch in my office. Change has to be achievable.

So espresso for breakfast - make yourself a small sandiwch for lunch.

[dirty boy]

V8mate said:

I still have to get up and go to work at 6am. I still can't cook myself lunch in my office. Change has to be achievable.

Give us an example of what you are consuming or consumed today.