[Jason]

My wife and I are both on a major weight loss kick. When I say in a second here how much we've lost, it's not to brag;rather, it's to show that it can be done. There is not a single person on this board who has tried and failed to lose weight more than I have.

That said, through diet and exercise, I've lost 75 lbs. since the beginning of February. In that same time frame, through mostly diet, my wife has lost almost 50 lbs. We bought an elyptical trainer from Dick's Sporting Goods. Got it on sale for $750. It's nice-keeps track of distance, speed, calories burned, has magnetic variable resistance (no friction type resistance parts to wear out), has a heart rate monitor, and even has an iPod/walkman port and speakers on the control panel. For us, it was ALOT of money that we could have used for other things, but I was 275 lbs and got winded carrying my son (6 months old at the time) around the house.

I've been real strict with what I eat, drink VERY little alcohol, NO pop (not even diet), and watch my portions like a hawk, with controlled snacking and the use of a food scale.

For me, if we have to bug out or bug in and fight for what is ours, I want to be as healthy and fit as possible. If the health care system tanks, I want to minimize my chance of not being healthy. If I have to hike and carry gear for my family, I want to be able to do it.

I get a physical every July through work and the differences in my numbers from last year to this year are incredible. Blood sugar, cholesterol, resting pulse, lung function-my numbers improved across the board.

I pass this along to hopefully inspire some of you to do the same. You don't need a piece of fancy equipment, but for me it has worked. Just go for a walk every day. Eat wisely. You will add years to your life.

I'm not trying to preach here-this is just a topic I am passionate about.

 

[leesa_lk]

I use following day today activities to increase my physical fitness level.

* Walking
* Jogging
* Swimming
* Gardening

 

[Canadian]

No but I should be.

 

[doc66]

Okay, I am running tomorrow. Thanks for the kick in the azz. I only need to loose 20 pounds. I used to do all this stuff daily and got out of the habit after my motorcycle accident. It's been down hill since. The last year has been pure lazy.

 

[Jason]

UPDATE: down 85 pounds now and still going strong.

 

[UncleJoe]

UPDATE: down 85 pounds now and still going strong.

WAY TO GO!!! :congrat:

 

[Canadian]

Yes. Good job indeed!

 

[sailaway]

Very good job,:congrat: personally I have cleaned up my diet and walk or ride my bike every day.

 

[Jason]

Thanks, all, for the kind words. I'll mention it again when I crack 100 lbs. I'm down to about 190 now. I'm 33 right now and haven't been this thin since I was 19.

 

[doc66]

I ran two miles yesterday... The hills killed me, but I toughed it out. Today is a travel day, no rest for the wicked. Tomorrow though, tomorrow I repeat the run.

 

[UncleJoe]

I ran two miles yesterday...

This aspect of physical fitness is sorely lacking in our house. While we are in good shape from the type of work we do, ( I trim and remove trees and Becky is a landscape installer ) we both smoke, so endurance is a real problem. We can work all day then come home and work around here till dark but I don't think either one of us could even run 1 mile without collapsing from exhaustion.

 

[Jason]

My endurance isn't where it needs to be. I run when I can on the elyptical, but I can't just go out and run to any great ammount. My job isn't too physically demanding, but the farm is.

The thing to remember, any improvement is just that-an improvement. Just look at this as another type of prepping-just preparing your physical self rather than your survival gear/stash/location.

UncleJoe-a lot of the smokers at work have gone to these electronic cigs. You inhale just like a real cigarette; they are filled with a nicotiene liquid that you purchase. It's a step down process, so you buy the juice with progressively less nicotiene until you are free of it. Many lifetime smokers at work have given it up because of these things. Not sure of the brand or where you get them. I'll not mention it again-don't want to preach. I never heard of the things till recently nd I just wanted to pass that info along.

 

[UncleJoe]

Thanks Jason. We've looked into that and it seems that we would need to decide on the lesser of 2 evils. Here is an excerpt from the FDA's website on the subject. So what do you do.



The FDA’s Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis analyzed the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands of electronic cigarettes. In one sample, the FDA’s analyses detected diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze that is toxic to humans, and in several other samples, the FDA analyses detected carcinogens, including nitrosamines. These tests indicate that these products contained detectable levels of known carcinogens and toxic chemicals to which users could potentially be exposed.

The FDA has been examining and detaining shipments of e-cigarettes at the border and the products it has examined thus far meet the definition of a combination drug-device product under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The FDA has been challenged regarding its jurisdiction over certain e-cigarettes in a case currently pending in federal district court. The agency is also planning additional activities to address its concerns about these products.

 

[Jason]

Jeez.. I didn't realize that. Sounds like they're as bad as the cigarettes.

 

[UncleJoe]

I know this is going to sound ridiculous to non-smokers but we actually enjoy it. Last year we started buying the shredded leaf in bulk and making our own at about .70 a pack. When we saw the new tax coming, we bought 45# over the course of several months. I'm now just beginning my research on growing it and hope to have a crop before the stocks run out next year at this time.
Everyone has their vice and since we don't do alcohol at all, this is ours, for good or ill.
OK. I'll take my flogging now.

 

[Jason]

Flogging not required. Everyone has to have some vice or they will go nuts. Mine is black coffee. I drink WAY too much, with sweet n low, which isn't healty either. If that's the worst you're doing that's fine.

 

[The_Blob]

my vice IS food, which is a difficult 'addiction' since it is also necessary to constantly expose yourself to, and consume, some of it (you can't stop food intake 'cold turkey', not for very long anyways) that coupled with the disability make it SO hard to lose weight...

I have the world's slowest metabolism... yes, I am the human sloth

:help:

 

[Jason]

It's funny you say that, Blob. I really think I'm a carb addict. Even now, being down over 85 lbs and still going strong, if I let myself I'd scarf down a dozen donuts. I can eat a whole can of peanuts and a pound of spaghetti by myself. I used to eat better than half an extra large pizza at a sitting and it honestly gave me a rush, like an endorphin thing. So my solution is to avoid that stuff at all costs. Ive eaten pizza twice since February-once in Feb when we had to work some serious unplanned OT so they fed us, and once in July at my boy's first birthday party.

It's an easy thing to get hooked on. I'm not gonna preach and say you guys gotta knock this off-rather I'm saying I'm right there too. We are all in good company, I guess.

 

[The_Blob]

not a huge carb-intake guy, except potatoes I LOVE them, never done the pure Atkins thing, but am probably closer than most.

if I overeat, it's usually at a buffet (just HAVE to get my $$$ worth) and it is ALWAYS meat, I eat way too much, not often, & I know it's unhealthy... there's nothing like filling up with 5+ lbs of steak/fish/chicken... ANYTHING that at one time had a FACE...

but thanx for the input, non-judgemental groups (like those online) are great

I'm actually in good health for traditional weight-related conditions, but I'm only 25... if my metabolism is this slow now... what about when I'm 35, 45, or more? I personally have never had a problem with mine or others' weight (surrounded by "hefty" people my whole life) but what many people don't realize is that talking nutrition or other issues with a 'fat' person is more than likely NOT going to educate them further, most heavy people are more than a fair modicum of knowledge on nutrition, exercise, etc etc. from a lifetime of actually living the topics... trust me, just like smokers, there aren't many heavy people thinking they are statistically healthier than their lower-weight counterparts.

 

[NaeKid]

I used to run a metal-shop where I was walking 8hrs straight and I would carry steel by hand (upto 350lbs) around the shop. I had amazing stamina, huge legs / arms, tight ass, firm stomach .. and I could eat 2 large pizza's and wash them down with 4 liters of ice-tea (one litre is about 4 cups - so 16 cups of fluid).

Now I am working at another metal shop, but, my job description has changed and I sit all day in front of a computer just designing the steel only (other job was everything from quote, design, run the machines, polish, package, ship). I have cut out about 90% of the calories that I used to intake .. I excercise in "real-world" mode - but - there is nothing like keeping the heart pumping hard-n-fast - so I ride my bike and walk / hike as often as possible.