Fitness & weight loss

[Phait]

So what's your story, do you work out, run, bike, keep a fitness regime etc.? What was your motivation if any? Where were you when you started and how have you progressed?

I've put on 10 or 15 pounds from a horrible diet that only satiated my sugar cravings and if I continue on that path I'll be like my dad who is 30 lbs overweight. We're both tall (I'm 6 foot 2, he's probably 6') so our metabolism is such that the weight is mostly in the gut/sides.

But I'm tall enough that you can't really notice, so people think I'm crazy when I say I have some pounds to lose.

I attempted working out/jogging a couple years ago but fell into some depression and didn't try again until earlier last month. Started jogging but got shin splints in one leg, and just gave up on it for awhile. I resumed jogging 2 days ago and it's much better, I try to get an hour in - I assume burning about 700 calories. I don't eat much and I'm starting to watch what I eat as well. I'm a Coke/Zero fan so I decided to relegate most anything sugary to Sundays only.

My ultimate goal is a lean and fit physique like Dave Navarro (http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/9742/janesaddiction147e7209id6.jpg) or Christian Bale (http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/8484/christianbaleoj1.jpg) had at one point.

[jimbob]

i do sit-ups and crunches to get rid of my beer gut mostly. too be hones, i dont do them that often anymore. i need to lose some pounds and get a nice shaped gut :)

[Phait]

I have thought about just starving myself like apple and some fish per day but I guess that's not good cause 1. your body will starve your muscles not just fat and 2. the fat will come back when you resume better eating

[mysteryperfecta]

I lift weights, and play softball. If I didn't lift, I'd lose weight. I still have a really high metabolism.

Also, Phait, try drinking a lot of water. You'll feel fuller, and when you feel fuller, you won't eat as much. There's another reason not to starve yourself-- your body will notice that it's starving. It will react by storing fat, and as you said, feeding off your muscle. Good luck!

[Phait]

The thing is I ******* hate water. I only drink it when I jog - outside of that, it's so bland. The closest thing I could tolerate is like green or black tea.

[DavoX]

Don't drink anything for a couple hours and water will taste like coca-cola.

"Your body will notice that it's starving, It will react by storing fat"
I think it's more complicated than that, and the same time much more simpler:

Phait, if you want to lose weight, the best way ever it to eat 6-8 meals a day. I Know it might look like too much, but each meal is like a mini-meal, some of them are protein shakes if you want to preserve or gain muscle.

I wake up in the morning, breakfast , workout, immediately after it i take a protein shake, then chicken at dinner, at 3 pm another protein shake, at 6 protein bar (because i'm not at home), 9 pm anything with protein like tuna, chicken, eggs, fish, etc. and before going to sleep i take a last protein shake, That way you preserve muscle and you accelerate your metabolism which makes you lose fat way easier and faster.
Try to change your water intake tho, it speeds up the fat loss, cleans your digestive system and hydrates your muscles which makes you stronger when ligting weights.

I suggest you bulk up for 5 months, trying to lift heavy weights, and then do 2 months of cutting. That way you'll get the psyque you want.

If you need any routine feel free to ask.


I lift weights. Currently i'm bulking up and will do cutting starting december so i'll be in great shape by summer to get all the chicks at the beach :D

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/8117/pict8339an0.th.jpg (http://img472.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict8339an0.jpg)

[Sang]

Throughout the schoolyear (is that a word) I did some sit-ups and lifted "weights" occasionally - and of course gym classes. Now most of that has faded away (will fade in again in September though I guess) and I guess I'm growing more fat recently ;)

[jimbob]

i drink lots of water, does not seem to help though, i also switched from drinkong cola all the time to drinking orange juice or something similar

i really need to cut back on the snacks, but i cant seem to do that :o

[John]

:o Christian Bale has this unhealthy ability to lose and put on a massive amount of weight for any role. He works out for months on months (and hours on hours a day) to look like that, and he also has a personal trainer.

[DavoX]

i drink lots of water, does not seem to help though, i also switched from drinkong cola all the time to drinking orange juice or something similar

i really need to cut back on the snacks, but i cant seem to do that :o

Orange juice has a lot of carbs, which if you don't exercise they will be stored as fat in your body. I'm drinking a lot of orange juice because I'm bulking up and need the energy of it's carbohidrates to lift heavy weights, go figure.

Losing fat isn't about working out OR dieting. Losing fat is abour working our AND dieting, period.

[jimbob]

ok, gues i`ll just stick to water then

but i really need to find a way to stop myself from snacking, or taking 2 portions

[Dave-ros]

Despite being a vegetarian who never drinks beer, I've somehow managed to build up a spare tyre around my waist, but my housemate told me how to do stomach crunches, and they're amazingly effective -- my stomach's firmed up already! Still a lot of flab there (and there'll be more soon, I'm having pizza tonight as comfort food after a BAD day at work), but getting better. I also walk to and from work, 25 minutes either way... but that's more about avoiding the stress of using the Tube :o

I have some weights in here, but if I can't be bothered to write and draw comic books when I come home from work, I sure can't be bothered to lift weights -- why does every form of self-improvement have to require so much damn effort? There ought to be a law :tinyted:

[KaiserSoze]

Signed up for a Powerhouse Gym membership a few days ago. Have been working out every day for an hour, hour and a half.

Mainly concentrating on Cardio right now and I'll eventually move to weights.

I actually just got back about 30 minutes ago from a real good workout. Feels good.

[DavoX]

First I want to make clear that being a vegetarian doesn't mean that you will be fit ;).
The "effort" thing is just an illusion. People think they have to lift something more and more times to get better, like 50 repetitions, then 90, then 300, then 700, it's pretty stupid... no wonder people stay away from the gym.

I used to think that way before, that's why i joined the gym then left after 2 days, and that happened several times. Then I actually educated myself and realized that it's not about the amount of times you can do it, it's about the amount of effort you must put to it.

So instead of doing 200 lightweight lifts, i do 4 sets 12 repetitions with heavy weights and that's it.

Also i used to think i had to do my whole body in just one day, how foolish of me :p

My routine goes like this now:
Day 1: Biceps and chest. Day 2: Legs and abs. Day 3: rest, Day 4: Back and abs. Day 5: Triceps and shoulders.

And it should always be like that, because your muscles need one week to heal ,get stronger and bigger. Assuming you take the correct amount of protein.

[mysteryperfecta]

I think it's more complicated than that, and the same time much more simpler

Thanks for clearing that up. :p

Phait, if you want to lose weight, the best way ever it to eat 6-8 meals a day.

That's sound advice, but I'm not sure how realistic it is. That's quite a schedule to maintain for the average person.

The best thing you can do is alter your eating habits, through substitution and moderation. Try finding healthier alternatives to foods you eat, and moderate rather than deprive yourself of sweets.

Example: You may not like water, but many grocery stores have inexpensive, store-brand carbonated flavored water, sweetened with a sugar substitute like Splenda. I love 'em. Otherwise, there are dozens of diet sodas; surely you can find one you like, and switch.

Also, they make snack size servings of salty and sugary snacks (like those new 100 calorie bags of mini-cookies). Get those instead of sitting down with a full bag/carton of chips/sweets. Of course, you'll have to exercise a certain amount of self-control, but this helps with portion control. Even better is to find a fruit/vegetable that you can snack on. I like bananas, and baby carrots (dipped in fat free ranch dressing).

You can lose weight with exercising at all (albeit at a slower pace and sans those other physical benefits). Just eat smarter.

[DavoX]

It depends on the person's metabolism speed, mine is really slow so it doesn't matter if i eat properly, if i don't exercise i get fat and quick.

Also there's the dude that eats whatever he wants, and does nothing at all, and is always fit, but to all goods comes something bad...it's harder to gain muscle if your metabolism is too fast, and you have to spend A LOT of money to buy the necessary amount of food :D .

[Dave-ros]

Yeah -- I heard that it's easier for a fat guy to get buff than a thin guy, because the fat guy has the necessary body mass to turn into muscle, whereas the thin guy has to build his weight up at the same time!

[Micki!]

I'm immune to Fatness... I have always been thin :o
My eating habits are rather questionable, i'm not eating much varied food (in fact, i bet pretty much the first 10 things people mention of food, is stuff i don't eat)

But my health condition is just fine... I'm not gonna do anything about it before i feel something bad coming :o

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

I am probably in better shape than anyone in this thread.

My advice to give is to do cardio at least 30 minutes a day 3-4days a week... shake it up a little dont always do the same thing. Otherwise you will plateau and stop loosing weight. So jog / bike... use the different modes if you use a machine.

Lifting weights, do what you can do 10 of for 3 sets. Do a myriad of machines / free weights.

[Destructor]

Yeah -- I heard that it's easier for a fat guy to get buff than a thin guy, because the fat guy has the necessary body mass to turn into muscle, whereas the thin guy has to build his weight up at the same time!

I'm a skinny guy who probably has to build up his weight in order to bulk up. And I do want to bulk up because it might be quite cool to have big muscles to show off, especially to the ladies, but I'm not really fond of the idea of making myself eat more. I like to eat just enough so I have the energy to do the things I want throughout the day. However, if I do sign up at the local gym and start working out there on a regular basis I might start to feel more hungry and eat more so I can do those work outs more effectively. And even if I do sign up but don't bulk up, at least there will be that personal pride that I'm keeping fit anyway. One does not need big guns in order to be healthy. So, off to the gym I go! :D

[Phait]

Good points here.

Also I'm currently 6' 2", 180 lbs.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8920/weightfr5.jpg

[DavoX]

Yeah -- I heard that it's easier for a fat guy to get buff than a thin guy, because the fat guy has the necessary body mass to turn into muscle, whereas the thin guy has to build his weight up at the same time!

You can't turn fat into muscle, only thing you can do with fat is burn it. The fat guy has more chances of getting buff because he probably has a slow metabolism.

The only thing that "turns into muscle" is the protein. Which you can get with tuna, eggs, milk, fish, chicken, turkey, lean meat, protein shakes, etc. Doing weight lifiting without a great intake of protein is like building a house without bricks.

[peoplessi]

I do a simple workout 3-4 times a week. Involves weightlifting cycling in the summer and running, and running in the winter. Keeps me in good shape. I didn't really exercise before I went to army and came back from there that's when I started doing it more often and regularly.

i do sit-ups and crunches to get rid of my beer gut mostly. too be hones, i dont do them that often anymore. i need to lose some pounds and get a nice shaped gut :)

I wan't to correct this miss-assumption, doing situps and crunches just because you have more fat in stomach area doesn't help. Fat is burned evenly, and is not affected by targeting it with exercises. Only thing it WILL do is that your muscles in that are will growlarger, and for a while it might seem that your belly grows bigger ;)

[Daedolon]

I got too fast metabolism to think about fitness. And because of this I eat too unhealthy stuff, it's not good for my health (although it won't show in ten years, I should really start living more healthy).

[mysteryperfecta]

I am probably in better shape than anyone in this thread.

LOL. That's a helluva thing to say. :dopefish:

[DavoX]

doing situps and crunches just because you have more fat in stomach area doesn't help. Fat is burned evenly, and is not affected by targeting it with exercises. Only thing it WILL do is that your muscles in that are will growlarger, and for a while it might seem that your belly grows bigger ;)


Exactly, everyone should know this.

You want to have a sixpack? Then have less than 10% bodyfat.

[Sang]

Then have less than 10% bodyfat.

I don't know shit about this stuff, but that sounds rather unhealthy.

[jimbob]

i know that sit ups dont help with getting less gut, but its an excercise non the less and it burns fat. so it helps.

i also do a lot of walking. :p

[Phait]

I have some rollerblades I need to get more use out of. Maybe I'll do that today since I decided not to jog this morning. I love cruisin' around on 'em.

[DavoX]

I don't know shit about this stuff, but that sounds rather unhealthy.

It's not, to get to 10% you must exercise frequently which is always good for the health, and you must avoid junk food, which is healthy also.

And just for the records, you need good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated best got from flaxseed oil and nuts. Although it is important to have fat in your diet try to stay away from taking in unnecessary saturated fats especially when dieting.

[DavoX]

i know that sit ups dont help with getting less gut, but its an excercise non the less and it burns fat. so it helps.

i also do a lot of walking. :p

Crunches are an exercise too, they burn fat yes, but you'll never SEE the progress by doing those.

Sit ups would only lose enough fat by doing them fast, repetitive and to the point you sweat your life. As they say...if you can get distracted while doing cardio, you're not doing it hard enough.

[Daedolon]

It's not, to get to 10% you must exercise frequently which is always good for the health, and you must avoid junk food, which is healthy also.

My body fat is 9%, and junk food is about everything I eat.

[John]

Metabolism.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

My body fat is 9%, and junk food is about everything I eat.

It is important to note that most electronic bodyfat measurements are wrong.

[jimbob]

Crunches are an exercise too, they burn fat yes, but you'll never SEE the progress by doing those.

Sit ups would only lose enough fat by doing them fast, repetitive and to the point you sweat your life. As they say...if you can get distracted while doing cardio, you're not doing it hard enough.

wel them , what is a good way to lose weight?

[Phait]

Cardio, run, bike, swim etc.

The concept is really simple: you generally burn 3500 calories to lose 1 pound of weight. If you burn more calories than you eat in 1 day you're going to lose weight.

[John]

Yes and the energy to excersize.

[DavoX]

Also i'd like to say that you shouldn't lose more than 1 pound or pound and a half per week, more than that will burn fat AND muscle, you don't want that.

[jimbob]

and what is cardio exactly? i do pretty much all that other stuff, except for swimming.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

and what is cardio exactly? i do pretty much all that other stuff, except for swimming.

Generally its keeping your heart rate up above a certain limit... look it up for your age.

[DavoX]

Commonly known was : Exercizing 'til you sweat your life off.

Remember to take it easy first. Then go intense if you really want to see results.

[Daedolon]

I really start doing pushups and stuff like that every morning to get better physics. Any good ideas for short exercises that could be done daily?

[DavoX]

Pushups, 4 sets of 20, then when you're confident do hand-stand pushups.
After that you can try one handed pushups.

Abs, you only need to do 4 sets of 50 repetitions if you use your normal bodyweight.
If you use additional weight go for 4 sets of 12 repetitions.

Regarding sit ups, i really don't see the point about them if you don't use additional weight. I'm all about doing squats with double my body weight.

[Deth]

I work five days a week building a large cement wall, lifting 65 pound cement blocks, mixing cement, and shoveling dirt for about 6 hours day.

I've gained about ten pounds doing so, but I've been eating mostly chicken salads, and drinking lots of water, so I know I'm not gaining fat. My legs are rather well toned from lifting, plus the fact that during my last semester of school I was playing soccer almost every school day. My arms are not huge, but they do not lack any strength.

Since 2006 I have lost 40 pounds. The main way that I lost the weight was by cutting down on food intake to a normal level, and walking across town from school to my ex's house.

The only thing that I'm not really happy with is the fact that my stomach is still a little jiggly, and it just needs to be toned up.

Right now I'm a flat 200 pounds, and I'm 6'3".

I'm happy with the were I am now (going from being called big guy or fatty wearing size XL shirts, to being the average guy who can wear Small shirts, ans size 42 pants to size 32-34 pants), except for my stomach. So what would be the best way to tone it up?

[Mblackwell]

The only part of my body I hate is my gut. If I can get that under control I'll be fine. I have a decent upper body (not super toned but generally big and mostly muscle).

[DavoX]

I'm about to do back in thirty minutes, a helluva workout if waiting for me :p

[ShakeItBaby]

The three word diet: DON'T EAT IT!

Translated to the four word diet for Americans: DON'T EAT IT, FATASS!

[hell-angel]

Well, actually, working out doesn't reduce your wait because muscles are 3 times heavier then fat. ;)
So in the beginning you lose a bit but afterwards you gain weight ;)

[peoplessi]

Yes, but exercising doesn't exclude everything beyond going to the gym. So swimming, cycling, running, walking(looong walks, like 1h - 2h trips). Those are better for weitght loss, but usually men do want to have a little more muscle for whatever reasons.

[DavoX]

Exactly, i don't get why people choose to base their fatness on the weight scale instead of what they see on the mirror.

[Phait]

I think bananas have just become a decent substitute for donuts and cookies for me.

For one, they're so cheap $0.29/lb and have some sweetness even if very little.

[Orochi Avlis]

Well, actually, working out doesn't reduce your wait because muscles are 3 times heavier then fat. ;)
So in the beginning you lose a bit but afterwards you gain weight ;)
Granted, but that type of weight is more attractive that the jiggly, drooping kind.

[DavoX]

I think bananas have just become a decent substitute for donuts and cookies for me.

For one, they're so cheap $0.29/lb and have some sweetness even if very little.

They are a great source of proteins also, but never eat too many or you'll end up fat as well, they have A LOT of calories :D

[Phait]

Sonofabitch :D

[hell-angel]

Granted, but that type of weight is more attractive that the jiggly, drooping kind.

Yeah, but it means you should not try to lose weight by going to the gym. Besides, that's only visual, nobody asks you: "Damn you look buffed, how much do you way?" :p

[DavoX]

Well they do actually, but they want to know weight in muscle mass :p

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

I keep track of my weight... I used to keep track of my body fat ratio, but stopped caring.

[DavoX]

Yeah, body fat measuring is just not important to me. It's all about what you see on the mirror.

[Damien_Azreal]

Good points here.

Also I'm currently 6' 2", 180 lbs.


Damn.... make me feel bad. I'm 6'6", 160lbs. :eek: Doctor is always telling me I'm under weight.

[Phait]

Well now the scale is reading like 175 or 170 pounds I think? I couldn't have lost 5 to 10 pounds after jogging only 4 days. I need to get weighed at a doctor's office or something.

Our old scale I used to be 165 - 170 - but who knows, sometimes those things are off and you don't realise it. The new one we have my cousin had adjusted, that's when I found I was 180 (or so it seems, agh).

[Decker]

They are a great source of proteins also, but never eat too many or you'll end up fat as well, they have A LOT of calories :D

Bananas? Typically like 1.0-1.5g of protein / 100g and 85-95kcal/100g. So, wrong on all accounts, except that you DO gain weight from them as well if you eat too much. Especially with the relatively high amount of carbs they possess.

Still, you can chuck down 2-3 of those every day to supplement your diet without worries. You'll just have to get your protein elsewhere, like chicken meat + tuna and other fish meat.

[DavoX]

Yeah, it's been a long time i did some diet or checked the info. I knew too many of them would make you fat for some reason, it was the high amount of carbs, not the calories, my mistake.

Still too many of them will make you fat :p

[Destroyer]

dude this is such an issue for me, not losing ofcourse. Im 145lbs now 5 foot 9.
i have a bit of that belly flab, i dont know how to get rid of it without losing weight :(
I use to run 3 miles 3 days a week, and lift weights 3 days a week.
but latley i got an internship as a software engineer, so i sit infront of the computer 8 hrs at work, 3-4 hrs at home a day. so i dont even get to workout now.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Destroyer, you need to find a gym that is on your route too work that way you can go before or afterwards.

[Over-Kill]

If you're jogging or doing push-up's or whatever uses your strength and muscle power, drink protein after. Like milk or joghurt. Because training literally damages your muscles and protein fixes them. Then it will take far less time to get a beatiful gut. And eat what you have always eaten. Not hamburgers, colas and hot-dogs. Like potatoes and fish, common home made food. Who am I to talk anyway, I'm lazy, but I don't gain anything ... much. I was thinking of going to the gym. Well, I'm tall, not much fat, only my abs aren't pumped up. But the protein thing is true, try it!

[Bushido]

Ah, the good 'ol weight battle. I've fought this war for a very VERY long time. It's like a puzzle i know how to solve, but don't want to go through the steps of solving it...Am I trying to lose weight or trying to happy in my own skin? What is better? Not sure of the answers...

[DavoX]

IMO it's easier to lose weight if you make a plan like "for 7 months i'll bulk up and then i'll dedicate 2 months to lose fat, so i can see how ripped i got through those 7 bulking up months".

Tip:
Most people think when they go to the gym and got their muscles all pumped up with blood...that what they're seeing is the result of what they just did at that moment...that's not true ;). You're most likely seeing the results of the workout you had a weekago on that musclegroup.

Remember that muscle isn't made in the gym, it's made in bed :). Sleep a lot. It's when you're sleeping that your muscles get bigger when they have enough protein to rebuild themselves.

It's true that lifting weight damages your muscles, but in a good way (so we don't start making wrong assumptions). So your muscle cells get ripped when you lift weights and then protein fills that gap making the muscles bigger.

[Dave-ros]

This thread is all good stuff, but I have a feeling some of it is "horses for courses" -- what works for one person might not work for another. However, last weekend I did some exercise and made sure to keep my heart rate up throughout, in the hope of burning fat. I'm not worried about losing weight, just losing the spare tyre :p

On the other hand, today I've got a cold with a horrible sore throat, so I'm going to get a spicy pizza for dinner -- maybe the jalapenos will burn some of the fat away :o

[Destroyer]

Destroyer, you need to find a gym that is on your route too work that way you can go before or afterwards.
gaa that is it. I work 10 mins away from home. most gyms are like this.


.........................GYM
.......................... \
........................... \
............................. \
.............................. \
GYM-------------- Home-------------Work
................................ /
................................/
............................. /
.......................... /
........................ GYM

[dan2091]

^lol... Wow, It did never came to my mind many peope..... and I just noticed GM are opened again.. Like many of you I have started working out my body, tough some might say I need to burn fat first, so I can work out my body later on. I'm not that fat, but I would like my muscles take shape..

[DavoX]

I'm going to look huge and fat until end of october, that's where i'll start my cutting phase and lose all the fat in 2 months to see my beautiful body all ripped (lol).

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

That is generally not a healthy way to go about it... sure it works, but it is not good for your body.

The easiest way to get big fast, is a pyramid workout. That is how i got from benching 130lbs after my car accident to 315lbs in about 2 months. Though the day after getting to 315 I got a massive stretch mark on my left arm pit. And since then I haven't cared to go for max. Most people though arent capable of gaining the kind of muscle I can naturally without outside aid.

[DavoX]

I didn't mean fat like Lee Priest fat, just some fat here and there...still looking normal. I'm always for increasing the weight by small increments, Just when I feel really pumped and strong I will use a weight that i can only do 6 reps or something like that. It's always good to go heavy from time to time to avoid plateaus.

On a side note... How about we make a little contest here? The guy that looks more ripped by the end of the year wins :D (or something like that...could be the guy that changed the most since today 'til end of the year as well...yeah that sounds better).

[Telee]

How do you keep in shape and lose weight?

Wii! :p

[dan2091]

...the guy that changed the most since today 'til end of the year as well...yeah that sounds better).

I accept the contest.. What's the prize? I want a Play Station®3... but hey! really let's do it. I guess a PS3 is a nice reason to wake up everyday and say "I can do it!" and listen to the Offspring all day long.

NOW I have the reason to go on... :( I'm so happy to finally find a fate.

[DavoX]

Hehe, the prize is feeling great about yourself, it's something really important ;)

[jimbob]

Wii! :p

true, its great fun :D

[DavoX]

You gotta love the motivation here on this forum :p

[Mariamus]

I go to the gym three times a week. (haven't been the past two weeks because the gym was flooded, so no place to take a shower or change into and out of your gym clothes. :-( )

Other than that, I eat nupo. lost 9 lbs the first two weeks.
and for the uninformed, nupo is a VLCD protein shake. :D

[Jeff]

No gym stuff or anything like that. I have eggs for breakfast with toast, usually a sandwich for lunch, and one of those Green Giant stir fry things where you add chicken and rice, cook it, and you've got something for 3 days if you cook enough rice. To add, I do have about 1 liter of Pepsi a day and/or cookies (cookies I don't usually buy every week though). I might also sneak the odd slice of cake in there. The thing is, my job is active, so maybe that's why I dropped from 225 to 210 this past month. Lifting those 2-40 pound things and walking for basically 2 hours straight while the rest of my time is sitting writing stuff down on a notepad for record keeping.

[Waiter]

I'm gonna get all the excersise I need from running up and down these stairs (http://www.fuest-immo.de/orte/erfurt/fotos/domstufen.jpg) 6 hrs a day and sing at the same time for the next 2 weeks...

(I'm in an opera production that uses the stairs as a stage each summer - http://www.domstufen.de )

[Phait]

that's why I dropped from 225 to 210 this past month. Lifting those 2-40 pound things and walking for basically 2 hours straight while the rest of my time is sitting writing stuff down on a notepad for record keeping.

225-210? You must be tall right? Don't remember you having much weight.

[alexgk]

I'm on a diet staring from today until I lose 8 kilograms. In order to avoid extra meals I've placed a sheet of paper on my room's wall and I'll write all I eat during the day, including extra meals, and my daily weight.

[Jeff]

225-210? You must be tall right? Don't remember you having much weight.

I am the tallest member in my family. I'm about 6' 5" now.

[Phait]

Ah. I'd hate to be that tall. Hell I'm 6' 1" I wish I was 3 inches shorter.

[DavoX]

Don't whine, some people would wish to be 3 inches longer, if you know what i mean :D.

[Waiter]

You can buy that on the internet. At least according to the mails I get every day.

[dan2091]

Just looking around how are things.. We had some vacations the whole last week and I was working out doing bicycle and stuff.. I've lost 5lbs this week. great, today I'm 149 lbs, use to be 160... People say I'm getting thinner (I'm the envy of some chubby friends, hehe) but I don't feel this is enough yet... Imagine, kinda 11 lbs in 3 weeks.. in 2 more months I hope to look fine...

I can feel that PS3 instead of my tummy now... hehe

[sawn_off]

You have no idea, Phait. I'm 6'7" and it's extremely inconvenient. My jeans are 36x36, the absolute biggest size available before hitting the big and tall stores, and they're just about right, if I don't cuff them.

I'm only like 200 pounds though. Smoke a pack a day and drink a lot of coffee, that's my secret to staying slim.

[peoplessi]

First you lose weight quite fast, then it gets slower as the fat doesn't burn so fast. But eventually you will get there, so don't be upset if the weight doesn't always drop large amounts.

[Simon Charles]

I'm a really small guy yet I'm 40 pounds overweight. That's a lot. I have zero motivation to getting back in shape. Dunno why. When I was in my 20s, I was eager to cut the crap food and get my 3 hours of exercice a week.

After hitting 30, it all went to hell despite everything else going great. New job, new appartement, new woman, new publishing contracts, new outlook on life, everything. It was -- and still is -- raining happiness in my life. But physical fitness is going down the drain at alarming rates. I can't even be arsed to get off my couch anymore. I have no idea how I can be so happy with all the great things happening in my life and yet having no motivation to get back in shape. For cryin out loud, the city has an indoor pool two minutes walk from my doorstep and I used to be a freggin lifeguard. Do I go? Hell no. I bet I can't even do 20 laps anymore. I could do 60 effortlessly back then. Yoga gymnasium in our office building? I walk by every day but I don't even bother asking for a pamplet even though I know it would do wonders for my back.

Complete lack of motivation. Go figure.

[Destructor]

^^ Heh, I'd rather everything in my life to be shit than to be a fatty. :p

I'm unemployed at the moment, but at least I've got a sixpack. ;)

[Mblackwell]

I'm a really small guy yet I'm 40 pounds overweight. That's a lot. I have zero motivation to getting back in shape. Dunno why. When I was in my 20s, I was eager to cut the crap food and get my 3 hours of exercice a week.

After hitting 30, it all went to hell despite everything else going great. New job, new appartement, new woman, new publishing contracts, new outlook on life, everything. It was -- and still is -- raining happiness in my life. But physical fitness is going down the drain at alarming rates. I can't even be arsed to get off my couch anymore. I have no idea how I can be so happy with all the great things happening in my life and yet having no motivation to get back in shape. For cryin out loud, the city has an indoor pool two minutes walk from my doorstep and I used to be a freggin lifeguard. Do I go? Hell no. I bet I can't even do 20 laps anymore. I could do 60 effortlessly back then. Yoga gymnasium in our office building? I walk by every day but I don't even bother asking for a pamplet even though I know it would do wonders for my back.

Complete lack of motivation. Go figure.

Wii Fit is for you!

[Dave-ros]

Hmm, it's odd, but I'm the opposite of Simon -- as I edge ever closer to 30, I find that expectations of my physical ability fall to the level that I've always been at anyway! Even at school, I couldn't do the 100m in less than 18 seconds... I've always sucked at sport :o

[DavoX]

Today is leg workout day, man those are really bitchy!! plus I haven't trained my legs over the past 4 months, go figure, the amount of pain the following week is gonna be terrible. I used to lift my own body weight doing squats (like 140 lbs or 70 kilos) now i can do only 35 kilos :( . But my strength on bicep curl is double than before, i guess it evens out a little bit...

[dan2091]

^Plunge? the first time I did plunge, the next day I couldn't sit. My b*tt and legs were all really tired..

[DavoX]

Yay!! today i lifted the same amount of weight i did back in the good days, maybe i was in the wrong mood or something last week...who knows? I just kept adding weight like "man this is too easy, gotta add more" It's definitely great :D.

[Dave-ros]

Okay, that's the first time I've ever seen someone self-censor the word "butt" -- and I thought *I* was a prude!!! :o :p

[DavoX]

Back training tomorrow, i used to do 20 pull ups in a row before, i couldn't do 1 a week ago...wish me luck :S .

But yeah...i had shoulder training the day before...that's why i couldn't lift myself all the way...

[Phait]

I haven't jogged in a week.

Hey it's like 90 F out.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Thats why you wake up early.

[Phait]

I did, I went at 5 am.

But lately I've been waking up past 4 PM.

[DavoX]

Heh, i remember that waking up so late got me really depressed, i mean, waking up at that hour just says a lot about someone's life sometimes, that's what i started waking up 7 am, and i felt so much better that way, I feel like everything is in place when i wake up early :) .

[Destructor]

There was a period of time in my life where I would always have eight hours sleep a night. For example, most of the time, go to bed at 10pm, wake up at 6am. And I felt really proud of myself doing that. I didn't even need to use an alarm clock, I'd just wake up naturally at the right time.

Maybe I should try to get into that routine again, especially when the warmer weather rolls around again. I absolutely hate getting more than eight hours sleep and/or waking up at 10am and feeling like I've only got half the day left. In fact, when I used to out clubbing and going to bed late I woke up before anyone in the house did because I felt so crap lying down.

[Phait]

Here is an amazing (and inspiring) MRI scan of 2 women, one overweight, the other not. Awesome to see just how the fat/muscle is all layed out.

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5791/fatbig64871b8ia6.th.jpg (http://img179.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fatbig64871b8ia6.jpg)

Also interesting and informative interview with Ryan Reynolds on his workouts for movies:
http://www.sixpacknow.com/ryan_reynolds_workout.html

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7870/ryanreynoldsba653e9ffmx1.jpg http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7632/ryanbladepicture65405a5is8.jpg

[Dead Chief]

He does pretty much what everyone does to get that psyque, I mean...that information is everywhere, it's the motivation to practice it that is lacking :p

[Kalki]

I bet being seen on screens across the world and getting paid millions of dollars helps motivate you.

Boredom is a huge problem for me. I lose interest within 10 minutes, more so once I start to burn. Think I'll try something to fix that today, keep my mind distracted.

[Phait]

I have huge problems committing to things long term in my life, it's hard to see the big picture - I want results day by day.

You don't get that working out, so I haven't jogged in 2 weeks =\

[Dead Chief]

I used to be the same way, then I fully commited to something because I saw that not doing things for the long term gratification was the most wrong thing to do. Now I religiously work out 5 days of the week, at least when bulking up. Then 6 days a week when I have to do cutting.

You'll find it easier to follow a routine and stick to it if you inform yourself about how to do it and you'll find out that it isn't a hard as it sounds, check out bodybuilder.com and you'll find a lot of articles for whatever you need.

And no, I don't run that website and I have nothing to do with it.

[LeadBullet]

On the early comments of people saying that water is bland, I've heard tons of people say that and I can agree. Try drinking it cold, thats what I always do. If that isn't good enough there is sugarless flavoring stuff that you can put in your water to give it a flavor.

Actually, on my kitchen sink I have a water filter that has a button on it that squirts a liquid into the glass as it is filling up that gives it a berry taste. Not as flavorful as real juice, but its pretty good for being sugarless and still pretty much all filtered water.

[Destructor]

On the early comments of people saying that water is bland, I've heard tons of people say that and I can agree. Try drinking it cold, thats what I always do. If that isn't good enough there is sugarless flavoring stuff that you can put in your water to give it a flavor.

Actually, on my kitchen sink I have a water filter that has a button on it that squirts a liquid into the glass as it is filling up that gives it a berry taste. Not as flavorful as real juice, but its pretty good for being sugarless and still pretty much all filtered water.

You may as well not bulk up if your going to be a wussy over drinking water. :p

[Dead Chief]

That's the most stupid comment i've ever read in my life.

[Boinky]

I have huge problems committing to things long term in my life, it's hard to see the big picture - I want results day by day.

You don't get that working out, so I haven't jogged in 2 weeks =\

I don't know about you, but the pump I get from going to the gym is enough to keep me coming back.. Its such a great feeling when I finish a work out that I actually can't wait until I go back the next day.. *DOMS is a very very bad side-effect though!* Then again I do have to force myself to do cardio b/c I really hate running.

[alexgk]

I'll go on a diet starting tomorrow hand by hand with some exercise. Wish me luck!

[Boo Boo Juice]

At the beginning of the year I was going to the gym a lot for about a month and a half. Then I just stopped. I felt just how Phait did: I wanted to see results daily and I wasn't. So I just lost motivation.

My dad just got me to start going back about two months ago. I feel better than I ever have now. I am bulking up a little and I'm seeing some results. Now I have to keep going so I don't get fat again :P

I can wear a couple shirts I wasn't able to wear comfortably before. The only problem is that I just bought new pants not too long ago, and I think I need to get some new ones because they are too big now.

In any case, yeah, getting noticeable results takes time, but it is worth it. Just keep working out and exercising and you will notice a little difference within a week. After about a month you should notice some big differences. Maybe not though. I mean I was working out for about a month or so and I felt like I wasn't seeing a difference, but my friends said they were seeing major differences. I can definitely see them now.

[alexgk]

I can wear a couple shirts I wasn't able to wear comfortably before. The only problem is that I just bought new pants not too long ago, and I think I need to get some new ones because they are too big now.
Good for you, these are your results ;).

[Phait]

Started jogging again. And drinking water without really deciding to.

Since I'm taking a month away from something bugging me at the moment, what better time than to put forth a focused effort on fitness. I think within a month I should be conditioned enough to carry it on indefinitely.

[Jeff]

If you have a job where you're not just sitting at a desk punching in numbers and you're actually physically active, then the weight loss sometimes takes care of itself. I remember back in 2004 when I worked for Safeway (grocery store here in Canada), I went from about 200 lbs to 170 lbs, and I was a few inches shorter. Basically a stick I was. When I wasn't walking around, they had you push in grocery carts into the store. I would usually push eight at a time.

[evanazzo]

I've started jogging again and swimming. Need to lose some weight

[peoplessi]

I have no need to lose weight, actually I should gain more weight. I do some cross country running 3 times a week. Lifting weights is another hobby of mine. I rarely drink anything except water(mostly during the day) and milk. I should focus more on the gaining weight side, weight lifting, than running.

I run +3000meters in Cooper's test.

[Lethe]

I'm in sport since my childhood. Lifting weights since 5 years ago, pretty good at it although I had some pauses due to a shoulder injury (nothing serious). 2 years ago I started with Savate boxing, and learned that martial arts are actually the best thing you can do for your body.

I also do various endurance sports, mostly swimming and running. Can't actually live without extreme physical activities, I'm really addicted to sports.

Anyways, for those that want a perfect exercise that requires little space here is my recommendation:

Burpees (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Dq_NCzj8M)

It burns calories like hell!

Generally, if your goal is to lose weight, whatever you do, make sure that your heart rate is increased for long periods of time.

[Nessus]

On the early comments of people saying that water is bland, I've heard tons of people say that and I can agree. Try drinking it cold, thats what I always do. If that isn't good enough there is sugarless flavoring stuff that you can put in your water to give it a flavor.



I squeeze a half of a lemon into my water bottle, I like that better than lemonade most times. And it has to be a real lemon not lemon juice concentrate. Another thing you can do is have fresh brewed unsweetened iced tea with some lemon in it. It feels like you're having a real drink but there's almost no calories.

I've also almost totally done away High Fructose Corn Syrup, I really try to avoid that stuff in beverages.

[Gamebrain]

I used to weigh over 300 lbs last year. I attribute my weight to my excessive eating and consumption of soda.

I decided to stop eating junk food in between meals, and began to drink only water and diet soda. I cut sugar completely out of my diet. That, coupled with 30 minute workouts 3 times a week, I dropped 60 lbs in 4 months. I'm around 260 lbs now and feel a helluva lot better than I did.

Hell, I don't really miss all the bad food I used to eat. I realize that I don't have to have food in my mouth whenever im bored.

This worked for me but I don't know if it would work for anyone else, but cutting out sugar in your diet is a big step in the right directions.

[Phait]

Congrats Gamebrain :)

[Sang]

Well not much has changed since my post on page 1 - I still casually do crunches, pushups and bench presses - though for bench presses I was rather amateuristic: I just filled my school bag with books and lifted that as if it were a dumbell. But now that the schoolyear's over my books are gone so I've got no more "weight" to add :p Unless of course I stuff it full of comic books. Should look into that.

My student job includes a lot of picking stuff up though but I never go near my limit there. I can't afford being sore with this job so maybe after it ends I should be able to do my casual exercices more frequently.

Though I've been reading up on that sixpack stuff and it's really a lot more effort then I'm willing to put in. Even if I say so myself I would say my body looks aesthetically pleasing enough (gaaay) so really, the hell with sixpacks. I'll keep doing crunches just to keep in shape. ;)

What else can I say... hmmm - well I've gained 2,5 kg over the past couple of months because I started to eat more but shit less. Maybe if I take the time for a good, long shit I'll lose a couple kilos. ;)

The only thing that kinda bothers me is that my arms are thinning out a bit again because I haven't done exercices in weeks (because of what I said earlier, the job thing - I need my arms very badly right now :D). Also my back contrasts quite a bit with the front of my torso... I'm not gonna say the front is supermuscled and shit but at least it's got some nice curves whereas my back is.. well, not trained at all. I know that you can do "pull-ups" to get back muscles but I don't have the necessary equipment to do this at home and I don't want to make the commitment of going to a gym on a regular basis and paying a lot. Getting a nice body should be free, damnit! ;)

Also a couple months ago I was thinking of going jogging in summer - ie. now but it seems that I'm never in the mood for it. Even if I am the weather sucks - either it's raining, or it's just too hot to do anything. The best time to go jogging would be around 8 AM when everything is nice and cool but hey, I lack discipline. I can't get up at 8 AM in my free time. Thing that sucks though is that I have a twisted toe-nail, so to speak, on my big toe on my right foot.. Sometimes it bothers ("hurts") me, sometimes it doesn't. By that I mean during gym classes last year we had to run occasionally - There were moments where I could keep it up for the duration of the exercice but there were others where I couldn't do it.. Dunno, not in the mood for it, not having the energy for it,.. you name it.

Not much else I can say.. Been thinking of picking up a bass guitar soon so that oughta make my wrist more "resistant" I guess - it's the only thing that really prevents me from doing push-ups, I can't stand that feeling on my wrists and as thus I can't really send power through them for too long. But maybe now it'll get better, who knows? :o

[Nessus]

Sang if you were only lifting books than push ups will probably do for you. Do them both set wide and with your hands close to your body near your shoulders. When you get advanced you can do the diamond ones. Or just by a 110lb weight set, they're pretty cheap.

[LeadBullet]

I've also almost totally done away High Fructose Corn Syrup, I really try to avoid that stuff in beverages.

Same here. I used to be a Dr.Pepper whore, but I've been staying away from HFC the best I can from obvious things. They use it to sweeten so much stuff it seems nearly impossible at times, but I'm at least trying to cut back on Dr.Pepper. I make exceptions though if I eat something like say tacos, burgers or pizza.

It's kind of filthy because my body was always so easily lean and healthy, but I guess when you start pushing into your 20s things slow down a bit. So I'm just doing some things now to correct myself so I'll stay the way I am. Luckily I read that your amount of fat cells pretty much freezes around age 20 and after that all they really do is grow or shrink. So from what I read that is helpful for me since I was pretty low fat around those years, and still am now even though I'm just barely starting to show signs of extra crap.

It's kind of gross for me though even having a tiny bit of extra fat, because my personal reaction to fat has always been like its a giant tumor or something. Like if I look at someone who is very overweight, my mind pretty much instantly makes me recognize where their natural boundaries of their body would be if they were ideally lean, so it just highlights to me how much of it is just a shell of fat.

[Gamebrain]

High Fructose Corn Syrup is just a codeword for sugar.

I hold sugar in candies and soda one of the biggest reasons why I weighed so much.

[Phait]

I've only been jogging 3 days, drinking water everyday and starting today eating much leaner and better (just tuna, egg and apple a day). Lifted an iron wrench (hey I have no weights) and it worked fine. Since I'm not looking to bulk up, it'll do for toning.

I woke up today and felt a bit sore all over but I def. felt in better shape.

[peoplessi]

It takes more than 3 days though :) Keep in mind, rest is as important as the actual excercise. Especially if you are into body building, muscles only grow in rest.

[Phait]

Yeah.

I just got done working the forearms and they are without a doubt 'pumped' - maybe it's the blood flowing, they look taller from the side than they usually are. Muscles just must be pretty warmed, oxygen and blood going towards them.

[oak man]

Day 1, I work my chest and arms
-4 work outs for the chest and 2 for the arms.
Work outs for chest:
*Inclined machine press focuses on upper chest.
*Decline dumbell press focuses on lower chest.
*Flat-Bench Flye for the over all chest.
*Bench Press
------------------------
Work outs for arms:
*Concentration Curl focuses on peak of biceps.
*Standing barbell curl focuses on over all biceps.

------------------------
Day 2, I work my shoulders and legs
-3 work outs for the shoulders and 4 for the legs, including squats, Bike training, and so on...

Day 3 I work my back and abs and then I repeat from Day 1
I do 4 sets for each work out and a 10 reps in each set, with 1 minute for rest.


Im not gonna post all my work outs unless Im asked to because its too much to list..

Some tips:
-It helps to wear gloves while working out so you won't get any blisters.
-My work out regiment is meant to go heavy with out getting hurt. You want to feel pain but you don't want to hurt your back or something.
-You don't want to over exert yourself, so if you feel you just can't lift that 50, 100, or how ever many pounds dont force yourself.
-You can always work up to the weight you want to lift you have to start somewhere.
-Breathing is SUPER important. When lifting or exerting exhale and when You're relaxing inhale. take deep breaths, never hold your breath!
-Warm up before you start the work out, it lets your muscles know you're about to work.
-QUALITY OVER QUANTITY!! You want quality work outs, it won't matter how many you do if you're not feeling anything, or if you're not doing a work out right.

[Yenji]

I'm pleased to announce that over the last two years I have gone from needing a size 42 (I use to squeeze myself into a size 40 ;)) down to a size 36. Actually size 36 is loose on me now so I may end up in a size 34 soon. I haven't been a size 34 since I started grade 10... maybe even grade 9. Wow thats a long time ago :p

I think what did it for me was recording what I actually consumed. Doing this allowed me to learn portion sizes and how what I actually eat adds up. I also learned that if I feel the need to snack then I'm likely getting hungry so I'll start cooking and by the time I'm done my stomach is usually going nuts.

I also cut out all take out / frozen foods and stopped drinking soda. It has gotten to the point now of where I can taste things like excessive sugar and salts in foods. I also find soda too powerful to drink on its own. It can be hard to shop healthy sometimes though. If it is not high in fat then it is high in sodium. If it is not high in sodium then it is high in sugar. Grrrrrr......

I just joined a kick boxing club the other day to help me continue losing weight. Since I accepted a job as a programmer I know that I'm not getting a lot of physical activity at work so I'm determined to keep up the weight lose.

So far I've noticed an incredible increase in my quality of life as well. Being out of shape AND an asthmatic I couldn't even run a full minute before I would have to stop to catch my breath (and sometimes need an inhaler). Now I can run for about 10 minutes before I have to slow down (but not stop). I virtually don't even need an inhaler now but I always keep one at work and at home just in case.

My goal is to eventually have a flat belly

[Phait]

It has gotten to the point now of where I can taste things like excessive sugar and salts in foods. I also find soda too powerful to drink on its own.

Yes I've experienced this too in the past. I used to like to drink 1 liter of Coke, but then I found I didn't really want to finish it all.

[DudeMiester]

I had the opposite problem, I weighed too little. I'm 5' 10" and used to weight 115lbs, because I don't really eat a lot and I'm pretty hyper, always moving some part of me. I also try to eat healthy, I usually have juice instead of pop/soda, I love vegetables, I very rarely eat fast food (and never McDonalds/Burger King). Anyways, I've managed to gain weight and now I'm stable at 140lbs, which I'm happy with. Although, the only way I did that was by taking an atypical antipsychotic (aka mood stabilizer), namely Risperidol, lol. One of it's main side effects is weight gain. I can't complain though, because now both my mind and body are more healthy.

[Mr Bear]

I'm currently struggling with anorexia, as I have for a while. Now it's really taken it's toll and I'm about 110 lbs (though I am only like 5'6").


I guess it's my mental illness, but I prefer myself to look ultra lean.....my current goal is 95 lbs. and will never go much below that for the sake of my health.

I simply don't eat anything and practice physically demanding dance moves(such as moonwalking:D) until about 4 am. I do drink water to stay hydrated, and to prevent myself from fainting during my work-out sessions.

[Sang]

Sang if you were only lifting books than push ups will probably do for you. Do them both set wide and with your hands close to your body near your shoulders. When you get advanced you can do the diamond ones. Or just by a 110lb weight set, they're pretty cheap.

I already do pushups though :o

But how do you mean "only lifting books"? Tell ya what, someday I'll take a picture of the thing I'm using as a "dumbell". ;)

What do you mean by "diamond ones"?

[Superczar]

What do you mean by "diamond ones"?

Make a "diamond" with your hands, and touch the open part with your nose when you are doing pushups. For added difficulty prop your feet up on the couch. I used to do alot of them, they work pretty good.

[Sang]

I see :o

[Qtipie]

phait, your diet sounds unhealthy. :o if that's all you eat, your metabolism will ultimately slow down. of course, eating healthy is a way to start, but rather than eating less, i started eating little meals more often. i'm now at a point where i get hungry every two to three hours. but i don't eat much when i'm hungry. my biggest meal is my lunch and even that's wrong but that can't be helped thanks to work. the biggest meal should be breakfast, actually.

i work out for about 60 minutes five times a week. and i do eat everything i crave for, i just watch the amount and try to listen to my body more. last meal is around 4 p.m.

i'm not topmodel-skinny, but i'm a decent size. only my family complains about me being underweight which is bullcrap. my BMI is 19,5 and it should be between 18 and 25, so all is fine. my doc is happy with me, too :D

[Phait]

I figure it worked for Bale, and it's another way to lose the little gut fat I have. But I know prolonging it would burn muscle than fat since your body needs fat for energy. I was just reading about eating many small meals a day and considering that today.

[Lethe]

I figure it worked for Bale, and it's another way to lose the little gut fat I have. But I know prolonging it would burn muscle than fat since your body needs fat for energy. I was just reading about eating many small meals a day and considering that today.

Bale used steroids, like any other actor out there.

[Phait]

Who'd use steroids to lose weight? And that's quite an accusation/generalization, sad.

[Lethe]

Who'd use steroids to lose weight? And that's quite an accusation/generalization, sad.

Christian Bale used lots of chemistry to get his toned look. He definitely used it for definition of his body. It is not generalization, but a perfectly logical assumption. In some on his interviews he said that before American Psycho, he never done any sports, or entered any sort of gym. When asked about the method of training, he also didn't say anything that would explain the miracle he did with his body. Smells like bullshit to me.

Did you see his movie Machinist? You saw what he did to his body? Few months later he started to work on Batman, for which he literally doubled his weight and toned his body to the perfect muscled look. He got 100 pounds in 5 months. Now tell me the 'natural' miracle that transformed him from Auschwitz look to the body builder type in such a short time. It's simply not possible. Especially for a man who started with sports in his thirties.

Remember, there are many sorts of anabolics and steroids, not just your "bulk up" stereotypes from comic books. Lots of people use steroids. Hollywood, sport professionals, and others. I don't judge them really. It really pays off when you live their life. But, it is pretty naive to think that all those "perfect" bodies from Hollywood are nothing but work of nature.

[Phait]

But you had a misunderstanding. I was saying, the very minimized diet worked for Bale for him to lose all that weight (I wasn't referring to his gains).

[Lethe]

But you had a misunderstanding. I was saying, the very minimized diet worked for Bale for him to lose all that weight (I wasn't referring to his gains).

Yeah, but you said that I generalize about steroids, so I had to explain myself.

I would also not recommend his rigorous and questionable diet if you don't have team of doctors to track your medical condition. It is very dangerous. I heard that he used to ate 1 apple per day. I'm not sure I should believe that.

[Mr Bear]

Wow, Phait. If you don't mind my asking: what's with the obsession with Christian Bale?

You have him as your avatar and you want a body just like his.....not that there's anything wrong with either of those things. :)

But I do have to ask you-why Bale? I seriously want to know what sets him aside as your ideal body type. I mean, there's plenty of other actors/stars in excellent shape who I hear about guys striving to resemble. I'm not saying Bale has a bad body by any means, it's just that he never struck me as being THE body to have.

I'm not criticizing your preferences(no, not like that), I am just genuinely curious as to why you'd want to look like him as opposed to say, Brad Pitt or Mario Lopez. :)

[thefly]

You have him as your avatar

That is actually phait I believe.

I have had zero desire to work out since I graduated highschool. From 7-12 grade, I was in a year round program of weight lifting and calisthenics for football. Yeah, I was in amazing shape but it really, really made me hate working out. I would like to start again now, but I need like five coaches yelling at me constantly to actually do the work. :)

[Qtipie]

Wow, Phait. If you don't mind my asking: what's with the obsession with Christian Bale? You have him as your avatar

yup, that is NOT christian bale. i could tell that dude apart from a million others, even when he was all bones in "the machinist".

i wasn't asked but i'm gonna answer anyway: christian bale just has the perfect physique. not too muscular, not too skinny. just perfectly in the middle ;)

[Phait]

I heard that he used to ate 1 apple per day. I'm not sure I should believe that.

Read in interviews, can of tuna + apple a day, and coffee. That's just to lose the weight.


Wow, Phait. If you don't mind my asking: what's with the obsession with Christian Bale?

You have him as your avatar...

Haha... you're not the only person to remark that I look like him. I had that said in person once. Funny.

and you want a body just like his.....not that there's anything wrong with either of those things. :)

No, I don't necessarily want a Bale body. If you reread my post, I was saying (as I clarified to Lethe), that it seemed a quick easy way to lose a little weight was to do the tuna/apple diet but NOT prolong it as that can be unhealthy. That's the only Bale inspiration.

That said, I'm not looking for pure bulk (ala Bale in Batman Begins). Something between Brandon Lee, Dave Navarro and maybe Bale's American Psycho physique... truthfully, I'm not trying to reach these extremes - but they're kind of like... references for that general level.

Actually perhaps the best reference for me is my actual best friend. He's still slim but has good definition and not too scrawny.

[Usurper]

Anyone here use "appetite suppressants"? I figured diet pills to be total bunk, but I was out at Sam's Club and stared down the Hydroxycut bottle. Having watched my weight yoyo on Wii-Fit and hand-weights, I figured I could afford to be a sucker once.

This is the first time I've been able to stop snacking and eating large portions. I actually have enough willpower to stop, look at a label, and decide what to eat based on its content rather than the size of the food and how goddamn hungry I feel.

Anyway, I take less than is recommended on the bottle, and I'm still down almost ten pounds in two weeks.

My old routine was roughly this:
- skip breakfast (bad)
- 1000+ calorie lunch
- snack
- 1000+ calorie dinner
- snack + milk/pop/tea off and on (too close to bed time)

Now I'm on the still imperfect but much improved
- skip breakfast (I know...)
- <500 calorie lunch (protein bar + propel when at work)
- 1000 calorie dinner
- water, propel, or 0 calorie soda when thirsty

Started at 225 lb, down to 215, aiming for 180.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Skip the "enegry drinks" including propel and soda.

[LarsBM]

I lift weights 3-4 days a week and I do crunches, but I never use any sort of protein shakes, energy drinks or whatnot (I consider it cheating :p ). I eat a lot of meat, cheese and some fish. I also drink about 1L milk a day and a lot of water. Basically I eat everything I want to, but I try not to eat sugar (chocolate etc) too often.

I also drink a lot of beer and mead :D

[Steve]

I lift weights 3-4 days a week and I do crunches, but I never use any sort of protein shakes, energy drinks or whatnot (I consider it cheating :p ). I eat a lot of meat, cheese and some fish. I also drink about 1L milk a day and a lot of water. Basically I eat everything I want to, but I try not to eat sugar (chocolate etc) too often.

I also drink a lot of beer and mead :D

I was like that a few years back :) Now I'm too lazy to do much of anything after work :o

[LarsBM]

I was like that a few years back :) Now I'm too lazy to do much of anything after work :o

You should get the routine back! :) If you dont have much time you can get good results with only 1-2 times a week as well.

[Steve]

You should get the routine back! :) If you dont have much time you can get good results with only 1-2 times a week as well.
Maybe ;)

I was so fit at one point I could run for six or so hours straight without stopping. I'm lucky not to run out of breath running 10 meters these days :eek:

[Superczar]

I did the protein shake thing, but I only started on it after dropping fat % and when I wanted to start packing on muscle. Was taking creatine for awhile too, never had any probs on it, but rarely ever did I feel that 'pump' it was supposed to give you... so I stopped using it after a couple bottles. At the time I started doing the protein shakes I had a couple of routines I was alternating between and my bench and whatnot was starting to increase at a good rate. Then school, work, and g/f happened and the weightlifting went out the door... :(

[Usurper]

Skip the "enegry drinks" including propel and soda.

I'm not real sure you know what Propel is. Basically vitamins and enough flavor to make it drinkable.

[LarsBM]

Maybe ;)

I was so fit at one point I could run for six or so hours straight without stopping. I'm lucky not to run out of breath running 10 meters these days :eek:

Hehe I can barely run for a couple of minutes tops :p I dont workout in any way that lets me run more either though.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

LarsBM - Your arm is small and pathetic.

[LarsBM]

LarsBM - Your arm is small and pathetic.

Ignoring the insult here, I'm wondering how much bigger yours is? Whats your regular weight on biceps curl workouts?

[Sang]

LarsBM - Your arm is small and pathetic.

I agree. My arm is like... 20 times that big.

[Mariamus]

Figured i'd jump in with my dieting trickses.

Nupo. A VLC Protein powder diet. 600 calories a day in intake.
I've lost 23 kilos (that's 50.7 pounds for you non-metric folks) so far.

[Sang]

23 kilos? Woah, nice job.

[Mariamus]

Thanks. I've got 27 to go ;)

[Ramen4ever]

I'm not real sure you know what Propel is. Basically vitamins and enough flavor to make it drinkable.

I don't know what propel is, but just because someone injests vitamins does not mean their body will properly digest it. Kinda like how Calcium is almost completely useless if it's calcium carbonate (chalk), at least for your body.

[Steve]

Figured i'd jump in with my dieting trickses.

Nupo. A VLC Protein powder diet. 600 calories a day in intake.
I've lost 23 kilos (that's 50.7 pounds for you non-metric folks) so far.

You lost 23kg? God damn that's a lot! :)

[Qtipie]

Ignoring the insult here, I'm wondering how much bigger yours is? Whats your regular weight on biceps curl workouts?

something in this reply makes me think you missed out on the irony? ;)

@mariamus: wow... that's certainly a lot. and you still have 27 to go? make sure you don't vanish while at it :o

[Mariamus]

@mariamus: wow... that's certainly a lot. and you still have 27 to go? make sure you don't vanish while at it :o

I'm 170 cm high (5"5) and currently I weight 92 ilos. My goal is 65. So I'm not going to be stick-thin or anything. Just aiming for a healthy weight. :)

[LarsBM]

something in this reply makes me think you missed out on the irony? ;)

Yeah, I did. :doh:

[Komb.at]

i'm 174 and weight 53kg ... so i'm actually trying to GAIN weight. Since i can't seem to add anything with eating, i could only try to convert everything i eat into muscle. Even though i really lack the motivation to do ANY kind of sports (lack of time and space) :(

[Mariamus]

Komb.at, you can always come live with us for a week, my mom will cook you into obesity! :D

[jimbob]

i use a wii fit, and i gained weight. i should do it more often. and lay of those damn pringles.

my weight is hovering at about 85 kilo`s and it should be ( acording to me) about 80.

i just cant seem to lose those last 5 kilo`s.

[Drazula]

Weight has nothing to do with fitness. Chances are if you workout, you won't lose much weight. Rather a much of your weight from fat will turn to muscle. Since muscle is denser than fat, you will get smaller, losing inches on your waist, ass and thighs.

In short, a measuring tape is a much better indicator of getting fit, than a scale.

[jimbob]

Weight has nothing to do with fitness. Chances are if you workout, you won't lose much weight. Rather a much of your weight from fat will turn to muscle. Since muscle is denser than fat, you will get smaller, losing inches on your waist, ass and thighs.

In short, a measuring tape is a much better indicator of getting fit, than a scale.
oh i know that, i`d just rather have a six-pack than a keg though.

small keg but still.

[Sang]

Why? There's a lot more beer in a keg than in a six-pack I reckon.


;)

[jimbob]

because nobody likes a drunk ;)

[timothy2]

Yeah, I did. :doh:

Actually I think he meant your forearm as it really is pathetic. Also the amount of weight you can lift doesn't have ANYTHING to do with size. I know some skinny people that lift more than I can but I'm much bigger than them lifting less. It's all in the genetics.

[Superczar]

Sounds like your arms are a bit underdeveloped timothy, and it's pretty clear Lars' aren't.

[Scotty]

I'm winning my immediate battle with fat, but I'm not sure what my long-term results will be.

I'm 5'8", and by 1990 I weighed 180 pounds, which I thought was really fat (but then again, I was only 22). I was also broke at the time, cancelled my car insurance for the summers of 1991 and 1992 to save money, and bicycled everywhere, including 11-15 miles a day commuting to work. I got my weight down to 155-165.

Up until the late '90s, I was able to keep my weight under 180. However, after moving from retail support (stockroom, loading dock, warehouse, etc) to manufacturing, my weight went up over 200.

2006 was a particularly bad year, as our company was being crapped on by the company that owned us. Nobody was in a position to stand up to the abuse, and I finally walked out on July 6, 2006. At this point I weighed 220 pounds.

I bought a bicycle and put in over 3000 miles during the last 6 months of 2006, most of which was during the months of August, September, and October. I went from 220 pounds to 180-185 pounds, and pretty much quit drinking soft drinks. I would drink maybe one or two a month, and that was usually only after a 50-100 mile ride.

While I was away, my old company got sold to another company, and I got my old job back. Although working conditions were greatly improved, it was still stressful enough that I started drinking soft drinks again. Although I stayed under 215 for 2007, I hit 220 again in 2008.

Although I rode a little over 2400 miles in 2007, I never hit a high enough intensity level to bring my weight back down. This year I've worked a lot harder to get out on the bike more often, and on a few occasions have ridden with groups that were way out of my league. After a particularly brutal ride (average heart rate of 157 beats per minute over 2 hours 18 minutes, observed heart rate usually in the 160-175 range, only 34 minutes out of 2 hours 18 minutes below 152 beats per minute) my weight started going down, and I'm now in the 200-205 range. If I can keep it up for August and September, I'm hoping to get below 190 again.

Where I stood in the fall of 2006:

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/1366/actweightvsidealweightxc6.th.png (http://img245.imageshack.us/my.php?image=actweightvsidealweightxc6.png)

Where I stand now:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5286/actualvsideal2008kr2.th.png (http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=actualvsideal2008kr2.png)

[Sang]

Actually I think he meant your forearm as it really is pathetic.

You must be joking.. Forearms are always smaller than the other part of the arm. I'd like to see your forearm :o

[LarsBM]

Also the amount of weight you can lift doesn't have ANYTHING to do with size. I know some skinny people that lift more than I can but I'm much bigger than them lifting less. It's all in the genetics.

Saying musclesize has nothing at all to do with how much you can lift is wrong. If you have big muscles you've worked out, which means you probably can lift more than a skinny guy. However you are right that some people remain skinny even though they are lifting lots, but that doesnt mean size isnt a good pinpoint for lifting.

It also has a lot to do with the way you workout, some people go for strength only and some people go for volumous muscles. I tend to go for a rep cycle balanced between strength and volume.


Sounds like your arms are a bit underdeveloped timothy, and it's pretty clear Lars' aren't.

:D

You must be joking.. Forearms are always smaller than the other part of the arm. I'd like to see your forearm :o

True.

[Superczar]

Mine used to be toned, but lack of excerise over the last 7 years has turned them back into flab for the most part. I ought to get back into weightlifting but when I get home from work I don't feel like doing a damn thing 99% of the time... :(

[LarsBM]

Mine used to be toned, but lack of excerise over the last 7 years has turned them back into flab for the most part. I ought to get back into weightlifting but when I get home from work I don't feel like doing a damn thing 99% of the time... :(

Yeah, it helps being a student. I hope I can keep up the routine when I start working full time. Time will tell.

[Spiker]

Ok, recently I have started streching my muscles to do the strings and very very slowly I'm getting there. Now it hurts less than in the begging, was anyone successful with it?.

Once I was running long distances and did weight lifting. I was very good at it but unfortunately it's over now:(

[0marTheZealot]

Figured i'd jump in with my dieting trickses.

Nupo. A VLC Protein powder diet. 600 calories a day in intake.
I've lost 23 kilos (that's 50.7 pounds for you non-metric folks) so far.

Chances are that you will gain it right back when you go back to a normal diet. 600 calories a day is simply not healthy nor smart.

Theoretically, losing weight isn't that difficult. It's just calories in < calories out. Eat 4-6 small meals a day, do some cardio, do some weightlifting. You'll get rid of the weight and keep it off as well. A diet like that won't keep the weight off. Your body will cannibalize it's own tissues for nutrients, slow it's metabolism down and conserve as much energy as possible. Then, when you start eating again, your body will react by storing as much food as fat due to your slowed-down metabolism.

[Mariamus]

Chances are that you will gain it right back when you go back to a normal diet. 600 calories a day is simply not healthy nor smart.

Theoretically, losing weight isn't that difficult. It's just calories in < calories out. Eat 4-6 small meals a day, do some cardio, do some weightlifting. You'll get rid of the weight and keep it off as well. A diet like that won't keep the weight off. Your body will cannibalize it's own tissues for nutrients, slow it's metabolism down and conserve as much energy as possible. Then, when you start eating again, your body will react by storing as much food as fat due to your slowed-down metabolism.

I've heard that speech about 75 times prior, and usually by people who don't know what Nupo is.
Nupo isn't a "slim fast" product. it's a danish product that has been tested in head and arse before it was approved. It contains everything your body needs in order to burn fat and if you follow the diet you won't burn muscle. You have to eat all six portions in order to get the proteins, vitamins and minerals and whatnot your body needs to stay healthy. it can be used in several different ways, there's the hard way where you only eat nupo, then there's the meal exchange, where you eat nupo instead of one or two meals per day, or the appetite supressing way where you eat nupo prior to a meal to keep you from eating too much.

I like this diet, and i'm going to stick by it, and when i'm done i'll enroll in the stabilizing course that the weight consultants offer.

and I highly doubt it'll do well for my feminine physique if I start lifting weights. :D

[dan2091]

^But you have to excercise your arms so they have some stethics, sure not 500 pounds but...

[angie1313]

I try to run everyday for a few miles. It doesn't seem like much but since I started about 3 months about I lost a considerable amount of weight and feel better too.
Not into the weights though. Sorry guys. I dont want to be a muscle chick. :)

[Mariamus]

^But you have to excercise your arms so they have some stethics, sure not 500 pounds but...

but, that'll make me lose my nerdy girl look!

[Commando Nukem]

but, that'll make me lose my nerdy girl look!

You arent going to turn into Arnold Schwarzechick by doing a few arm curls (whatever you call em.) a day. My mom does 200 and you can only tell because shes toned instead of flabby. Women just don't develop into huge muscle packing chicks by doing a few arm curls. Hell, im TRYING to gain muscle and im having a difficult time, and im a guy, we have testosterone on our side... Trying to keep a routine too honestly, but this heat isn't helping me any. They say its gonna get hotter over the next few days too... MEH!!! :(

I try to do about five-to-ten minutes on the bike before and after each meal. So I try to basically do an hour everyday, plus 50 crunches with those, and a hundred arm curls while im riding the bike (Saves time!). Though like I said, my problem right now is the heat is killing me, so I end up doing about an 1/8 of what I intend. Gah.

[Mariamus]

alright, my jokes are getting me no where, so i'll just say it. I'm lazy as hell! ;)

[The Baskinator]

I'm calorie counting and exercising. My doctor said 1200 calories is a good start, so I'm doing 800 to 1200 each day (better to fluctuate), and doing cardio or yoga daily. Fairly simple; it'll be easy to keep this up for the rest of my life, actually. I feel like I'm eating way too much, most of the time. Smaller, more frequent meals, too.

[Mr Bear]

I consume only about 300 cals max per day. :o


I'm currently 117.4 lbs, but my immediate goal is 105. I'll see where to go from there......

[Mariamus]

I consume only about 300 cals max per day. :o


I'm currently 117.4 lbs, but my immediate goal is 105. I'll see where to go from there......


There is no way that can be healthy, if you go that low, you're eating muscle, not fat!
and 105 lbs? How tall are you? You'd have to be only 4"8 feet tall for that to be your ideal weight!

[Damien from omen]

I'm about 180cm tall and weigh 103Kg at 16 years old, so I'm a fat bastard, I'd like to drop about 10-20Kg by the end of next year, School Holidays just started and I've got 2 weeks to sit around at home and do nothing so I'll start by going for walks and runs over the two weeks.

My aim is to lose weight, not build muscle. How effective will going for long walks/runs daily be? I've got to cut the crap out of my diet and drink more water and eat more fruit, what fruit should i stay away from?

[Lethe]

I'm about 180cm tall and weigh 103Kg at 16 years old, so I'm a fat bastard, I'd like to drop about 10-20Kg by the end of next year, School Holidays just started and I've got 2 weeks to sit around at home and do nothing so I'll start by going for walks and runs over the two weeks.

My aim is to lose weight, not build muscle. How effective will going for long walks/runs daily be? I've got to cut the crap out of my diet and drink more water and eat more fruit, what fruit should i stay away from?

Stay away from any food with high sugar. Bananas comes first to mind. Search on the internet, eat only food which consists of complex carbs.

Here's the little help:

http://www.weightlossforall.com/complex-carbs.htm

[Damien from omen]

Stay away from any food with high sugar. Bananas comes first to mind. Search on the internet, eat only food which consists of complex carbs.

Here's the little help:

http://www.weightlossforall.com/complex-carbs.htm

:O I've eaten 4 bananas today. Guess i won't eat any more, thanks for the help :) Only bread we have at home is multi-grain stuff (Bird seed bread i like to call it) so thats already something good on the list.

[The Baskinator]

There is no way that can be healthy, if you go that low, you're eating muscle, not fat!
and 105 lbs? How tall are you? You'd have to be only 4"8 feet tall for that to be your ideal weight!

Seconded. Food is your friend, man.

I have a hard time believing 105 pounds is an ideal weight for anyone. I'm 5'8 1/2" with a large frame and my ideal weight is supposedly 140 pounds, if I want to have a "perfect" BMI. I even feel that's too thin for my body shape and the amount of muscle I have, so I'm setting a goal at 150-60.

105 sounds awfully... ribcage-y. :o

[Mariamus]

Seconded. Food is your friend, man.

I have a hard time believing 105 pounds is an ideal weight for anyone. I'm 5'8 1/2" with a large frame and my ideal weight is supposedly 140 pounds, if I want to have a "perfect" BMI. I even feel that's too thin for my body shape and the amount of muscle I have, so I'm setting a goal at 150-60.

105 sounds awfully... ribcage-y. :o

Maybe Mr. bear died of starvation since he can't answer.:confused:

[Mr Bear]

Nah, I'm still here.....just less of me, lol.:D

I'm getting closer to 110, and I'll decide what to do from there.

Imo, I just don't look good with any extra/unnecessary weight on my body- so my goal is to be as trim as possible.:)

And I have male friends who are way skinnier than I am and they look fine- no eating disorders or anything. When we hang out, I hate being the "fat one". :(

And yes, I am freakishly short for a guy; I barely scrape 5'7" (170 cm). On a good day. In the morning. So you could basically say I'm 5'6" and some change.

And though I'm 21, I actually could still be growing- I'm abnormally late in puberty. My younger brother towers over me(and he's leaner, too:doh:).

Of course if I get taller, I'll have to adjust my goals to compensate for my increased height.

[Superczar]

Wow man, at that height, even with a small frame you ought to weigh at least 130lbs. 300 calorie/day intake is dangerously unhealthy.

[Mr Bear]

I appreciate your concern, but you really can't generalize and say anyone who is 5'7" should weigh "x" amount. It all depends on one's body type, metabolism and a variety of other factors.

One of my friends was 100 lbs when he was 5'10". He's still just as thin, but probably weighs more now that he's about 6'2". He's never had any weight related medical issues in his life, it's just his natural build.

So yeah, some people would in danger with those statistics, but others make out just fine.

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

300 calories/day is unhealthly, and I doubt that statement is factual.

[thefly]

The lack of potassium on a 300 cal/day diet would cause high blood pressure/heart failure pretty quickly.

[Nessus]

Mr Bear you talk like an anorexic girl. Eat some food and do some pushups.

[Syph]

Nah, I'm still here.....just less of me, lol.:D

I'm getting closer to 110, and I'll decide what to do from there.

Imo, I just don't look good with any extra/unnecessary weight on my body- so my goal is to be as trim as possible.:)

And I have male friends who are way skinnier than I am and they look fine- no eating disorders or anything. When we hang out, I hate being the "fat one". :(

And yes, I am freakishly short for a guy; I barely scrape 5'7" (170 cm). On a good day. In the morning. So you could basically say I'm 5'6" and some change.

And though I'm 21, I actually could still be growing- I'm abnormally late in puberty. My younger brother towers over me(and he's leaner, too:doh:).

Of course if I get taller, I'll have to adjust my goals to compensate for my increased height.

I am 25 years old, 5' 4" tall and that's pushing it... Much shorter than you and not in bad shape. Yet I weigh in at @ 170 lbs. No less than 160 when I feel like doing exercise and getting in better, beach-worthy shape. That way of thought is what makes people anorexic... I hope for your sake you never get in an accident or you'll snap like a twig.

[Mariamus]

I appreciate your concern, but you really can't generalize and say anyone who is 5'7" should weigh "x" amount. It all depends on one's body type, metabolism and a variety of other factors.

While that statement is true, you have to also take into consideration what the BMI is. You're a 16.9! Anything under 18,5 is UNDERWEIGHT! You need to gain weight if you really want to live! Being underweight is just as dangerous as morbid obesity, so for god's sake, put on some weight before your heart gives up on you!

[Mr Bear]

Lol, people such as my therapist call me anorexic, but I honestly don't see myself as one.

Anorexics look in the mirror and see themselves as fat- no matter what. So, consequently they continuously lose weight until they die. I don't think I'm fat per say, but I just feel I'd look "better" if I dropped a few. I can live with the way I look now, I'm just striving to look what I personally think would look best.

And I wouldn't dream of going much below 95 lbs. And no, I'm not going to get there and then make a new goal and then once I achieve that make yet another one, etc... 95 lbs. is pretty much my cutoff point; set in stone. Of course I *could* go lower and technically not be at risk...but I want to err on the safe side- and 95 lbs is already pretty slim. I'm not sure I'll be completely thrilled with the way I look, but hey- nobody's perfect.

Syph- you must have a lot of muscle mass to be in shape. Muscle weighs more than fat, so it's easily possible for you to physically fit. I'm sure there are tons of guys that weigh less than you, but look a great deal fatter.

I, on the other hand, have 0 muscle- and I hate weight training. I'm just doing extreme dieting temporarily and then once I reach my weight goal, I'll make sure it plateaus from there.

And did I say 300 cals per day?? Maybe I'm off by a bit....slim fast has 180 cals and I usually drink one or sometimes 2 a day. In addition, I occasionally eat small quantities of fruits and vegetables, but I'm not sure of their nutritional facts.....still, I doubt it accumulates to over 500.

And that is enough to sustain me, believe it or not. Some bodies require a lot of nourishment, but mine just doesn't. Keep in mind that I'm not a very active person right now- a great deal of my life is spent sitting in front of a computer...so I guess it's a wonder that I'm not gaining as it is.:o

[The Baskinator]

... Yeah....





... Well, good luck with that.

[Scotty]

Seconded. Food is your friend, man.

I have a hard time believing 105 pounds is an ideal weight for anyone. I'm 5'8 1/2" with a large frame and my ideal weight is supposedly 140 pounds, if I want to have a "perfect" BMI. I even feel that's too thin for my body shape and the amount of muscle I have, so I'm setting a goal at 150-60.

105 sounds awfully... ribcage-y. :o

ribcage-y... :mryuck:

There are a few ppl that can get their weight that low without being ribcage-y (figure skaters, rock climbers, bicyclists, etc) but it's fairly rare.

I saw a bicyclist about a month ago that couldn't have weighed much more than 110-120 lbs (and she looked to be at least 6' tall) but she wasn't boney at all. Cycling clothing doesn't hide much. :) (and reading the Colorado Cyclist catalog is almost as much fun as reading Maxim, at least for bicyclists... :D )

I got down to 184 back in 2006, but am still fighting to get down from 205 this year. Overall I'm riding about 75-90% as well as I did in 2006, and probably 100% better than I did in 2007 when I had ballooned back up around 215-220.

I rode 100 miles today, and am planning on riding another 50-100 miles on Sunday.

My ideal weight (assuming a 15.5% body fat percentage (halfway between normal and athletic for a male)) varies with my lean body weight: Back in 2006 when my lean body weight was in the 140s, my ideal weight was in the 170s. Now that my lean weight is in the 150s, my ideal weight is in the high 170-mid 180 range.

As I have to climb a lot of hills in this part of the country, a lower overall weight would help me, but I'd rather hold onto as much lean weight as possible, as maintaining more muscle and bone requires more calories, which will let me eat more of what I consider a normal diet.

As I worked 15 years in materials handling, I developed quite an appetite to keep myself going. Now that I'm in manufacturing, it seems like I eat 1/3 to 1/2 as much as I used to eat, but I keep getting fatter. I don't want to have to starve myself to keep my weight down.

[Mariamus]

Lol, people such as my therapist call me anorexic, but I honestly don't see myself as one.

Anorexics look in the mirror and see themselves as fat- no matter what. So, consequently they continuously lose weight until they die.


Point one, is where you're wrong. Anorexic people never see themselves as being anorexic,

And not all anorectic people see themselves as fat. Sometimes it's about control! Food is something you can control, and all of a sudden you can't stop dropping in weight because it's your way of staying on top of a situation.

Eat something!

[Mr Bear]

Trust me, I'm trying to eat....as stupid as that sounds.

It all started way back in 7th grade when I was on a new medication for depression. It caused a dramatic weight gain and while I wasn't exactly fat, I was definitely chubby- especially considering that up until that point I had always been a twig. The gain occurred over the summer, so going back to school was very awkward, having changed(for the worse) so drastically. At first I was in denial about having gained "a few", but I soon felt horrible at how people would crack "fat" jokes at my expense. There were kids 10x more overweight than me who were left alone, but since I had been rake-thin my entire life, I guess I was an easier target. So in about a year or so, I was off the medication and naturally started loosing the gained weight.....yet no matter what, I still saw myself as "fat kid". So soon people started noticing how skinny I was and either teasing me about that or worrying that I was a coke-addict(no) or anorexic(I guess). I loved this attention- even the teasing. I was small in stature and barely noticed by anyone, so the more people commented on my weight(or lack thereof), the more motivated I was to continue losing. It was my way of getting the attention that I desired.

And on top of that, I was paranoid about gaining any weight back. In 9th grade I was 85 lbs. tops(I don't know exactly how low it got), and about 5'2".

No doubt the severe lack of nutrition stunted my growth during my highschool years, as I was projected to be much taller than I am now....which sucks because all my life I had absolutely HATED being tiny and I was supposed to actually be at least average height as an adult. I can't believe I didn't take the whole height thing into account before choosing to starve myself.:doh: Height had always been another major obsession of mine.

As a late bloomer I'm still, um "blooming", but I'm willing to bet that I (stupidly)cheated myself out of a good few inches. I SOOOOOO wish I could go back and change things and only have become anorexic once I had finished growing.:(

[Syph]

Hey man, the short boat is not a fun one to be on. Hell, I barely fit in anywhere, being too tall to be called a midget and too short to be considered normal. Even though you said you hate working out and stuff like that, you should really try it. Eat lots of protein, and in your case lots of fat (the good fat) and start lifting, doing crunches etc. You'll be bigger without looking fatter, you'll have more se