Weight Loss

[Ethics]

My next "overreact" will be an infraction. Get back on topic, or don't post.

 

[Squid]

Wait what

This is most definitely not true. Weight training is for building muscle, cardio is for getting your heart rate up. Lol I disagree and I actually at one point in time was pretty overweight...I joined the gym and lost the weight all by running and ellipticals. I don't mean to start a giant argument with Riddick here, but by my experience and by other's experience, this isn't true. If you want to lose weight do some strength but focus on your cardio. Getting your heart rate up so you can burn calories and therefore burn all the excess fat is the way to go.

And basically what Shu said

I'm a sporty person who was once overweight, listen to me :]

I agree with this
One of my friends at work is studying to be a PT, he's taking it very seriously and he's lost so much weight. He has told me cardio is best for losing weight, weights are best for gaining muscle.
He also said if you do a few minutes of weights before you go for a run on a treadmill or whatever it gets your blood pumping faster and you get better results from your run.

I'd trust him over anyone here haha.

But also, I think there are a lot of different ways to lose weight and I think a lot of people find a lot of different things best for them. You just need to find what is best for you.
So long as you're eating healthier and are doing some kind of physical exercise then you're bound to see results than if you weren't.

 

[Tucker]

Well of course it took me months. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you want to do it slowly. I lost about a pound a week, which are some pretty nice results. It's generally healthier to lose weight slower and steadier. (Well that's what I have learned, read, and been taught.)

There are better methods that would've done the same job in weeks with less time and effort. But, I s'pose, little girls who are at the age where they like to pretend they know everything wouldn't necessarily recognize that.

Now now, let's not be rude. And no, I don't agree. Losing weight is different for everybody. It takes longer for some, shorter for others. Some people can remove one thing from their diet and drop pounds. Others exercise every day, eat only fruit and vegetables, and yet it takes them a very long time. However the universal tool that helps obtain weight loss is really just...cardio. I don't "pretend I know everything", I was just showing that I disagree and why, and that that is what other people generally agree with also.

I don't think Shu displayed in any way that he doesnt't understand either of what you said. He just didn't expand and delve into why high fructose corn syrup is so bad for you. Then you related that to cold water, and how it takes longer to break down. I don't think they are properly relatable (haha not a word but whatever) considering water contains nothing unhealthy and no calories. High fructose corn syrup contains many calories, and you need to break them down. However, it takes forever. There are other reasons, but I don't think Shu doesn't understand why sugar is fattening That's a silly assumption.

 

[Shu]

How long did it take you? Probably months...

There are better methods that would've done the same job in weeks with less time and effort. But, I s'pose, little girls who are at the age where they like to pretend they *know everything* wouldn't necessarily recognize that.

Basically what Shu said? Was that before or after Shu showed he doesn't have the slightest clue why sugar is fattening or that metabolic processes that are more 'difficult' consume more energy(burn more calories)?

Straight answers or shhh.

U silly.

Damn, wish I didn't have a life so I could have responded before he was sent to the cell. I am convinced this fella was a troll this whole time, who had very bad tactics for arguing. Troll or no troll, I do not wish to be seen in "any" light.

Though I will defend myself, due to exercise.. I very well know.

I've ran 1 marathon, 1 half marathon, and I play soccer twice a year 8-10 games per season. I am not saying this to give myself a leg up in the "debate" section, but only that I know what it takes only for "me" to get in shape and I have had folks run beside me and do the same, both female and male.

1) If you are overweight, weight training is not for you. I weighed 220 as a freshmen in college and was bulky as hell due to this method. Losing muscle is a lot harder than losing fat. It makes you look fat even if you have the muscle. Sorry, but if you are shooting for attractive.. most fellas/girls aren't into the whole "Hulk" look in a female. I only recommend weight lifting when you get down to a comfortable weight, due to at that point, it will start to be more of a toning process, rather than a bulking process.

2) I've never heard Cold water related to Corn Syrup.. due to the rational thought process is, cold water is amazing for you, and high fructose corn syrup is god effin awful for you. It's a man made sugar substance, chemically made from a very hard substance to breakdown called corn syrup.. and fructose. Look any site up, hell, I'll give you a small cooking site on "TLC":

In a study of 1,400 middle school students, it was found that nearly one-third of their caloric intake was added sugars (as opposed to the sugars found naturally in fruits and vegetables, which aren't normally counted when discussing sugar intake) [source: Havel]. In 2005, Americans each consumed, on average, more than 42 pounds (19 kilograms) of high-fructose corn syrup [source: Corn Refiners Association]. The average American also consumes 200 daily calories from HFCS, which is close to 10 percent of all daily calories consumed.

First off, that additional 10 percent of fructose content does make a difference in caloric intake, especially since HFCS is found in so many products. Imagine a world in which all sugar has been replaced by HFCS (not a far stretch): You could eat the exact same foods, but you would be consuming 10 percent more sugar.


Unlike glucose, which is metabolized a number of ways by your body, fructose is only metabolized by your liver. When the liver receives more fructose than it can handle, the excess sugars are turned into fats in the form of triglycerides, which are harmful to your arteries and your heart.

Cold water comparison, that's.. sickeningly ignorant. In any diet, cold water is used as a filler. 0 calories and a filler. Try it.. if you get a little hungry, try drinking cold water. Water weight is so easy to burn, while high fructose corn syrup can take up to a day to burn from just walking. More energy to burn? Yea... in a terrible way. Hell Beer is better than soft drinks, due to the carbs. If you have ever ran a marathon, they serve beer towards mile marker 17-22, it's awesome for energy. (but only due to the amount of calories you consume in 26.2 miles).

Thanks for trolling though, but please, I know my weight loss. To get "cut" that's a different thing, since I've never been massively cut, due to I LOVVVVEEEEE FOOD!

 

[PhoenyxAngel]

I may have been registered a while ago, but I only started frequenting the board recently....does "sent to the sell" mean banned? Or temporary ban?

 

[Shu]

It's temp banned or suspension as we call it. Only bots and such are banned right out immediately. It takes forever to add up with infractions. Also, as an admin, I've sort of derailed this thread as well, sorry for that OP (bad example).

So either way.. I don't pretend to "know" it all as far as working out or getting in shape, I just speak from my own experience. And trust me.. I know most people hate cardio, hell it's 105 heat down here, and that's not even the heat index, so running in it is suicide.

Also a popular myth is.. going outside in the extreme heat and running is good for you..

DON'T DO THIS.

1) If your head gets too heated along with the rest of your body, but primarily your head, you can suffer from heat stroke.
2) The hot air is very hazardous to any type of runner (not saying health wise), it makes you run at a lot more of a staggering pace. (use a gym if you can).
3) The amount of water you use to over compensate makes losing water weight a lot slower.
4) Despite what you think, you can burn more calories in 30 minutes at a gym.. than outside in the heat.

 

[PhoenyxAngel]

Also a popular myth is.. going outside in the extreme heat and running is good for you..

DON'T DO THIS.

1) If your head gets too heated along with the rest of your body, but primarily your head, you can suffer from heat stroke.
2) The hot air is very hazardous to any type of runner (not saying health wise), it makes you run at a lot more of a staggering pace. (use a gym if you can).
3) The amount of water you use to over compensate makes losing water weight a lot slower.
4) Despite what you think, you can burn more calories in 30 minutes at a gym.. than outside in the heat.

Oh trust me, I know this. I went to a Relay for Life (where I walked 12 miles ) and it was a really hot day out. There was this one kid who I saw passing me the entire time because he wanted to run the relay rather than walking. He continued doing laps almost all day and night. So it's starting to get dark. Me and my team are waiting for the Karaoke competition to start when we hear over the loud speakers "If anyone knows CPR or First Aid please come to the track". My sister is a certified nurse to she ran like the win towards a crowd that was growing. The kid had collapsed and we later found out he had heat exhaustion.

So long story short: I witnessed what not to do in the heat. lol.

When I go off to college I'll likely be walking to classes, and if they have a gym I'll try to be there every other day. Or at the very least 3 days a week (since I'd be going home on weekends).

 

[Starships]

@ Riddick. I'm so disappointed in you. The whole "it must of taken you a long time '' and the comment about the Americans is so insulting.

Damn, wish I didn't have a life so I could have responded before he was sent to the cell. I am convinced this fella was a troll this whole time, who had very bad tactics for arguing. Troll or no troll, I do not wish to be seen in "any" light.

No he's not. At least I don't think so. A troll wouldn't really tell somebody that they would like them no matter what they looked like, be friendly to somebody else, and donate a ton of gil to somebody else. Usually he's quite clownish, but this time he's gone too far. Maybe I'm naive, but he seemed like a really nice guy till this event.

on topic

I too have problems with caffeine drinks and soda. They taste too damn good. Though we are basically drinking a bag of sugar disguised in a can, because that's what they are. Maybe try and imagine just drinking out of a bag of sugar whenever you try and take a slip of soda. It sounds pretty gross and maybe it would help us both from the soda addiction ?

They're also prone to cause tons of health problems and things like diabetes from all the sugar. Doing some research they can also kill you via heart attack if you use soda drinks while exercising. If you drink while working out the energy could supposedly send your heart in overdrive. Supposedly a couple of boys died playing basketball while drinking soda. So drinking soda while you're doing all this exercising could be a bad mix.

These drinks are not our friends, we have to remember that. Soda should be okay for a treat but we both need to limit ourselves.

Trigger warning-don't read if don't want to

Spoiler

During my low points with my Bi- Polar disorder I drink these drinks to get maybe some idea across that it could be killing me or doing potential harm. I drink these things because they're dangerous. I know that they're dangerous.

Drink water instead. I think it was Shu ? Who mentioned to love water. Yup do exactly that. Water can help you loose weight, it's good for you unlike soda, and it can help clean out nasty toxins and bad things. Exercise, eat veggies, and keep away from the sugar drinks.

 

[Shu]

@

No he's not. At least I don't think so. A troll wouldn't really tell somebody that they would like them no matter what they looked like, be friendly to somebody else, and donate a ton of gil to somebody else. Usually he's quite clownish, but this time he's gone too far. Maybe I'm naive, but he seemed like a really nice guy till this event.

It's subjective and only when one disagrees with him. Since the fella isn't here to defend himself, moving on.

I'll add one or two more things as well.

Determining good sugars from bad:

1) Don't overload on orange juice and juice products. Contrary to popular belief it's been another reason why kid's in America are obese. It has GREAT! dietary elements, but only in moderation. Plus it's really acidic so it doesn't quite quench your thirst like you think it does.

[h=2]High Fructose Corn Syrup[/h] The most well-known refined sugar is high fructose corn syrup, which is by far the most non-nutritive and fattening sugar variety, according to MayoClinic.com. Changing cornstarch glucose into fructose makes the high fructose corn syrup, thereby yielding two sugar forms. It is widely present in fruit juices; carbonated sodas; heavy syrups and many processed, commercial foods, according to KidsHealth. It is also the leading cause of childhood obesity.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/290942-examples-of-refined-sugars/#ixzz1zPNUJf6k
​

2) Diet Sodas are actually bad for you:

Making matters worse, aspartame is used in many diet sodas, and studies have found drinking diet soda may increase your risk of developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

3) You probably never thought that Sugars are included in starches. These sugars are actually very good for you.

Some starches are digested very quickly, and cause a rapid and large rise in blood sugar. Others are digested more slowly, causing blood glucose to rise less and over a longer period of time. And some starch, called resistant starch, is not digested in the small intestine at all, and so causes little or no blood sugar rise. The larger the percentage of rapidly-digested starch in a starchy food, the higher the glycemic index of that food.

[h=3]Which foods have a lot of starch?[/h] Grains (wheat, rice, barley, oats), potatoes, corn, and beans are all very starchy foods. Grains are made into bread, cereal and pasta, as well as crackers, biscuits, cookies, cakes, pie crust, and anything else made with flour.

So just leaving those tidbits

 

[Apricots]

I've had great success (lost 50 lbs) simply by counting calories and eating better. I never exercise, and I never actually cut anything out of my diet.

 

[Will Graham]

Here is an article pointing to multiple studies saying people who lose weight statistically gain it back again every single time

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/fat-officially-incurable-according-to-science/

 

[PhoenyxAngel]

Here is an article pointing to multiple studies saying people who lose weight statistically gain it back again every single time

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/fat-officially-incurable-according-to-science/

It's funny you brought this up because I JUST saw this the other day on my friend's facebook wall/timeline/whatever it's called now. Not sure what to think of it considering there are a lot of people who can lose weight and keep it off. But there's probably just as many, if not more, who put the weight back on.

The funny thing is I seem to kind of stay at the weight I am right now. Back in the year 2008 I was probably around 150. By 2010 I was down to 115. Now, two years later, I'm back to 150. So this article actually seems legitimate to me. And honestly my diet never changed between the past....probably 10 years to be honest. I'm a very picky eater and I only eat certain foods. I wasn't eating any healthier in 2009/2010 than I am now. I don't know what happened exactly, but I do know that I gained the weight back in the same amount of time it took me to lose the weight. And the thing is, no matter how much I over eat now my weight will always drop back down to the 150 mark. Even if I went for days eating greasy college cafeteria food I still find my way back to the 150 lbs. mark. It almost makes me think that my body is kind of wired to be this weight. :/

I'd really would like this article to be wrong, because I would like to get down to at least 130lbs and stay there without going back up to 150 again.

 

[Lirael]

@PhoenyxAngel Don't feel disheartened! I'm really not sure about that article. I'm proof of the fact that this isn't true. I lost 20% of my weight three-four years ago and have maintained that weight since.

The article doesn't take into account the TYPE of food people eat - nor the fact that weight loss requires a change in eating habits FOR life; not a temporary crash diet, which WeightWatchers is! Seriously, the programme insists that FRUIT is bad for you and eating 200g of strawberries (60 calories) can consume the majority of your 'points' for the day!

The type of food I eat in my daily diet is so different now to what I ate before the age of 18, and that shows in my weight and overall health!

(Some of what I'm about to say is quite similar to what I've said in previous posts, so just skip to AFTER the spoiler if you'd like to avoid slight repetition.

Spoiler

Before the age of 18, I ate A LOT of fatty foods: 2 bars of chocolate a day; 1 1/2 LARGE cookies, at 500 calories each, for a snack; entire pizzas for dinner followed by chocolate trifles; 2 portions of dinner pretty much every night, with TONNES of cheese in risottos. When I ate out, being vegetarian meant I had to have dishes which were MADE of carbs and high fat foods like cream and cheese because it was the only option...

Did I eat all of that food because I was hungry? No. I ate it because my taste buds craved it. I always ate to the point of feeling a bit sick, but for some reason, I kinda liked getting to that point.

You do have to resist cravings fairly often - the article is right in that, but it's NOT as painful as the article insists. Nowadays, I do still long for 3 portions of apple crumble, 2 portions of plain fish, an extra bowl of lentil shepherds pie (healthier foods than before), but I don't long for them because I'm starving. I'm just a foodie at heart who loves to try lots and lots and lots of things. I don't NEED them, so I don't give in every day - I give in 6 or so times a year when I visit my favourite restaurant! and when Chris' parents make apple crumble.

I think people lack awareness of just how many calories they need and where their calories should come from. Being 5 foot 1, my body only needs 1400 calories a day - with exercise, I can have about 1700, which I have confirmed by eating more and gaining 5 or 6 pounds, then losing them again. My parents, however, see the Guideline Daily Amounts, which are 2000 for the AVERAGE woman, and insist that I'm starving myself. If I eat smaller portions, they treat me like I'm anorexic. I haven't lost weight in two years! and I've been eating 1600 calories a day on average. Whenever I've gone over that daily intake to 1800/2000 for an extended period of time, I have gained weight, but I've always reduced the intake to 1400 after reaching 8 stone 7 pounds.

In order to lose weight and keep it off, you can't take a crash course diet. You HAVE to change your habits for life. The foods you love now like pizza and pasta aren't bad for you, but you do need to be aware of portions and the calories. You probably only need a handful of pasta - that's going to be roughly 200 calories, and with a sauce on top of that, you're looking at 300-400 for one meal. When it comes to pizza...well, you're looking at about half of a 9 inch pizza with a thin base and thin toppings for 350-400 calories!

If you want to be eating larger portions, you need to build meals from low calorie foods like chicken, fish and vegetables.



That article is only insofar as people who go on crash diets won't maintain their weight if they return to their old eating habits! Crash diets don't work; people have to change their habits for life, which isn't easy in modern society as we are surrounded by processed food and advertising, which continues to draw us in, tempting many people to just TRY this new variety of fast food/cereal/chocolate... You don't see many adverts for low fat, balanced home cooked meals! It is about resisting things constantly, but I've found that life is far happier when you do resist on an average day and instead build a diet around wholesome, home cooked meals with the occasional treat.

 

[Coco]

Here is an article pointing to multiple studies saying people who lose weight statistically gain it back again every single time

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/fat-officially-incurable-according-to-science/

Reading this has made me sad

There is some truth to this, imo. Last year was the most physically fit I've been in a very long time. On top of walking everywhere, I jogged every other day. I also ate just enough and I would snack on fruits. But this year I felt myself gain a little weight, as I'm usually at home staring at my thesis. I would get random cravings for chocolate, chips, cake and whatever else, which my boyfriend would happily supply and that makes it so much easier for the fats to get comfortable in my body.

I used to be semi-anorexic when I was much younger if there is such a thing. I refused to eat anything until I felt like I was about to pass out from the hunger. I dropped to 90lbs, it was crazy. That's not healthy at all. When it comes to losing weight, you just have to know your limitations. Less softdrinks and junk food, limit carbs and exercise daily. Also, I know that checking your weight everyday is discouraged, but I found it to be a motivation when I was working to get more fit. Seeing you've lost a pound or even less can make you feel so much better.

 

[Hliðskjálf]

I've quit drinking sodas and I've lost 8lbs in about 3 weeks so far. Working 39 hours a week is also helping me out some.

 

[PhoenyxAngel]

See, I really think it's the soda that's holding me back. It's just so damn delicious

 

[Catnip]

I've been obsessed with my weight since I was 12 years old.

I was never fat or even chubby. I just had high standards and later developed an eating disorder that took over my life for a while there. I was always around 125-130lbs during that intense obsession. So I was about 5'5.5" - 5'6" tall, and it finally started to die down when I was about 16 or 17.

I'm not completely recovered, and a big part of it is not wanting to be. However, I am a lot more healthy and I do make sure I eat. I don't feel weak, my skin isn't dry everywhere and I'm not dizzy all the time. It's good. I am a lot lighter than when I was struggling with eating; I'm currently 5'7" and 115lbs. I'm pretty thin, I did do it on purpose, but a lot of it is genetics.

A big part is self-control, dedication, and motivation. - If you have none of these, you will never achieve your goal weight.

I used to make sure to eat at least 1,200 calories a day. That was a lot, in my mind, but I understood that it truly isn't a lot and I need it. So I put my big girl panties on and got over it. I was told that eating 900 calories or under is considered starving yourself, which I can't let myself do again.

Portions are a big deal. After a while, I stopped counting calories. I didn't care if I was going over it (which I often started doing). I just make sure that I was eating throughout the day enough to never feel super hungry - because when you feel hungry and finally get food, you go all out. Eating would be at the top of your priorities list, knocking losing weight to the very bottom. It's probably a survival thing, or possibly an addiction to food. Anyways, look up proper portions for meats, fruits & veggies, grains, dairy, etc. They're a pretty good guide to go by.

It's very important to stay dedicated to portions and understand that it will be difficult at first. The reason being, your stomach is the size it is now, and is probably able to be filled with a lot more food than the small portions you're allowing it. However, it will eventually shrink, which means you will feel fuller faster, and over-eating will be less likely to happen. Especially since, if you do end up over-eating with a shrunken stomach, it will technically be you eating how you used to. But don't let that thought comfort you too much, or you will end up doing it a lot until your stomach expands to where it was again.

That's pretty much it for eating; be portion-wise, time yourself, and watch what you eat. Don't fill a huge plate and go for seconds after, make sure you're eating enough during the day so you aren't starving by dinner, and make sure you're eating healthy. Don't be best friends with cheats either. Change your mentality and point-of-view on it. I honestly think weight loss is 80% diet.

As for exorcising? Find something that works for you. Find something that you actually want to do. My work out is Pilates. I love it, it feels so good, and you can just look up moves on youtube. The rule I go by if I want to know I'm doing it right is you should feel whatever you're doing in your core. Every move in Pilates will work out your core, no matter what you're doing with your body.

I like to drink tea while I work out; it gets you sweating and still keeps you hydrated. I go for green tea though, so I won't have to add milk (tea stains teeth) or too much sugar, since I like the taste of green tea.

Sounds like a lot of work, I know. But honestly? It's all in your head. Allow yourself to enjoy it. View it differently, don't look at it as merely "a lot of work".

Have fun with it. Enjoy life and enjoy how you're treating your body.

 

[letitshinenow]

Hey, I've read a few of the replies and thought I would add my 2c, this is from my experience

First of all, drink plenty of water. Water starves food cravings so carry a bottle round with you all the time and keep filling it up and drinking from it.

Do regular intensive exercise (as long as you are cleared by a doctor). When I say intensive I mean so you get to the point where you have to reach deep down inside yourself to keep on running or keeping on doing whatever exercise you do. Walking is a good thing to do but if you want to lose serious weight you will probably need to do much more than this. Also lifting weights will help you lose weight.

Have a look at why you are eating food and drinking soda, are you doing it because you're hungry/ thirsty, or because you're bored? Sometimes when I'm bored the first thing I will do is go to the fridge, I have been doing it for years and sometimes I don't even notice myself doing it.

Also, if you happen to drink quite abit of alcohol you should be aware that when you consume it your metabolism process slows down for 48 hours, which means it can't break down food as quickly as it normally would, which means you are alot more likely to put weight on, so if you drink and then have a take away... it's not good news.

In saying all that, if think the best thing you could do is join a gym or take some kind of class. When I have been gym, the last thing I want to do is eat rubbish.

Also I was once flicking through TV channels and there was a program on VIVA called 'I Used to be Fat'. The guys and girls lost so much weight in a time frame of between 3 to 6 months, and I'm talking going from 300+ pounds to 130 or around that weight. if you give it a watch it might give you a few ideas

Hope some of that helped.

 

[DeadFantasy]

Portions are a big deal. After a while, I stopped counting calories. I didn't care if I was going over it (which I often started doing). I just make sure that I was eating throughout the day enough to never feel super hungry - because when you feel hungry and finally get food, you go all out.

^^
This. I've actually talked to my personal trainer and he told me eat every 3-4 hours to have a healthy metabolism. It goes down when you're hungry, but if you're constantly snacking throughout the day, you won't be hungry and like Catnip said, go overboard. NEVER SKIP MEALS. You should have 3 small meals and 3 snacks in between each meal. Always give yourself a cheat day-- you're less likely to say : "fuck this" and quit. He also told me not to worry about what the scale says, or counting calories. Everyone has a different body type, so the scale doesn't matter. It doesn't measure how much muscle you have, etc. I used to FREAK out because society taught me I need to be skinny (scale is my enemy). Check it see your progress every 2 months or so. Do A LOT OF CARDIO. cardio burns fat. A lot of people at my gym do a lot of incline cardio, but it doesn't get your heart beating . It's more for building muscle. So run for 2 minute intervals and 30 second rests. (depending on your comfort level) This helps keep a steady heartrate. You burn more calories, and you're in better shape. Not only that, but you won't have to be there as long either. Mix lifting weights with your cardio, because muscle burns fat as well. For females, do more reps and less weight-- Guys do more weight and less reps. I drink pre-workout before to boost my workout and it does help! 10 minutes after, I drink slim protein to build muscles. try to hit the gym 3-5 days a week. Drink a lot of water ALOT. Eat a lot of fiber, multi-grain snacks/foods.



In the summer, I was really good with my diet. But then we took a vacation, and it went to hell. It sucks that I ate so little and when i go out, i gain it right back. I would rather be a little chubby and eat foods I enjoy then starve myself on the liquid diet.

I've been always on the heavier side, and when i was younger, I would always try my hardest to maintain a status of being thin. Nowadays, I could careless. I'm not obese and i do have some chubs, but i've learned to accept myself for who i am.

Don't completely cut yourself off of things like fast food/soda etc, limit it.

I admit, soft drinks are my enemy. I'ma sucker for that sweet shit that rots my teeth away

Alcohol too Damn carbs.


EDIT: Chewing gum can help with cravings too.

 

[Catnip]

You also have to get to know your body and what little tricks would work for you.

That tea/working out one I mentioned is a good example. Come up with stuff that could help you get a little ahead. I've got tons of little tricks that I used to do myself.