Good News I thought I would share ...

[vievetrick]

Congrats Dave. Answering this from my phone so will be short. I will edit and add pictures later. I am (I guess you guys will say) young. 37 and was 6' and January 2nd started a biggest loser group competition with 9 other folks. My starting weight 256 as of this Friday (3/13/09) I am in 3rd place weighting in at 222 doing pretty close to what you are doing. Congrats and will share more later.

Okay, back to update.

So the group I got into has really made the difference. We have a Private group on Facebook and share emails and fun pictures as we go along. Strange as this sounds the group I am doing this with is all ladies and all more than a few years older than me. It started as being a bunch of guys and gals and all the other guys bailed out when time to start. I stayed and plan on staying until the end. As a guy I lost a lot fast and now after 10 weeks have slipped to 3rd place. We keep score via percentage of weight lost like the show.

Anyway, like you Dave I have cut down to no snacking at night, no beer pretty much Sunday thru Thursday, and really watching what I eat overall. Even when I have allowed for a beer or two I don't always do it. I feel great and had a stretch when I could not work out and was really bummed out. I am on the treadmill Sunday - Thursday for 45-65 minutes. I like to run and will be doing it outside once the weather permits.

One thing I do and the ladies are okay with it as it gives them incentive as well, is I take a picture of the scale every week. The ladies are not and will not participate in this It really is incentive for me as I do not want to add the picture of the scale going the other way.

So, my wife and the doctors have always said eat right, exercise and you will be fine. I thought they were crazy turns out they are right. Their always right

Start


Current 03/13/09


Again, congrats and one last thing. My group cost $50.00 a person to get in. Our time frame is 01/02/09 to 05/22/09. So that is a $500.00 pot at the end and I have my eye on a Bigma or a DA10-17. Funny when you thing about it, I won't be BIG(MA) or WIDE when this is done, but that is what I want

Good luck to all.

[graphicgr8s]

It's not that we are fat. We are just not tall enough for our weight. I am proud to say I am the perfect weight. (If I were 32" tall)

[daacon]

I sincerely thank you all for the kind words. I like the idea of updates. This thread will be long gone by then - maybe we can start another one or make use of the multiple PM features or have a sticky for those that want to show their progress.


A hearty congrats to those well on the same path Jeff, Gus, reeftool, Steve and Pat. Very cool stories all of you and very similar. Except for Pat and the Ladies don't fall below the yellow line little fellow they will vote you out!!. How we all got to the overweight state are all similar though ... pretty simple diagnosis.

To those that want to start - start - can't say much more than that. Don't need to overdo it - like all the clichés are true start with a little walk.

Here's to everyone seeing 'less of us' in the future

[Scottnorwo]

congrats, just a few years behind you and in need of motivation. trying to burn off calories umpiring baseball this spring and summer.

good health to you

[RichardS]

Originally Posted by Sailor

Congrats, buddy. Once you get into a execise routine, it almost becomes addictive. I take a vigorous walk daily (2.5 miles/30 min so I'm hoofin' it), and miss it terribly if for some reason I unable to. We've recently added cycling to the regimen - which I find more fun.

Jer

Congratulations to all those losing weight - those that want to, that is. It gets harder as you get older.

Cycling is my exercise of choice and I was doing fine until last September when I damaged the ITB in my right leg. Hint: don't look at a photo of yourself on the bike and decide that your saddle's too low. It took close to 3 months before I could ride again. Walking was painful. Weight gain was the result

[xjjohnno]

At 54 yo, 165cm or 5'6" and weighing 65kg or a tad over 140 lb I suppose I'm doing ok. Mind you I should give up the cigs. Good to see you sorting out the health issues. One thing I've always been keen on is long walks, with a fishing rod to get to that reasonably remote spot or that casual stroll looking for something daft to take pics of.

[hwblanks]

You go Dave--and everybody else who's had success in this arena.

In the last year or so, I've put on quite a bit of weight--a lot of it due to side effects of medications I was on during that time. I've since dumped the medications, but I've discovered that for us ladies over 35, losing weight has become more of a challenge. If I focus too much on what's on the scale, I'll get depressed and discouraged and wonder what the point is in all of this.

At this point, my focus is not so much to lose a ton of weight, but to work on developing healthier habits, both eating and exercise. With the days getting longer, it's been easier for me to go outside after dinner and ride my bike or walk. Just last week, I rode my bike 3 days and walked 2 days. The walking days were actually photo shoots with a couple of local photography groups that I'm involved with--an evening shoot Friday and an afternoon shoot yesterday. Another good reason for me to get with it on the exercise is that I have a vacation to the Smokies coming up where I will be attending a photography workshop (Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont), plus spending some extra time in the area hiking and shooting before and after the workshop. I want to have enough endurance built up to enjoy the hiking without becoming completely winded.

I also struggle with depression and the exercise is good for that, as well. I'd really not have to take antidepressants again, if I can avoid it.

I realize that I probably won't be as skinny as I was at one time, but as long as I'm healthy enough to do the things that I really want to do, that's good enough for me.

Keep up the good habits.
Heather

[Stratman]

Congrats Dave, I am in the same boat. I really need to get my a$$ out and move. I took a little hike today with my K10 and a few Taks, and man those hills had me huffin' and puffin'. First, I HAVE to quit smoking. That is priority #1 Once I can break that addiction, I'll be much more likely to get out and walk my fat ass off !!

[J.Scott]

Originally Posted by Stratman

Congrats Dave, I am in the same boat. I really need to get my a$$ out and move. I took a little hike today with my K10 and a few Taks, and man those hills had me huffin' and puffin'. First, I HAVE to quit smoking. That is priority #1 Once I can break that addiction, I'll be much more likely to get out and walk my fat ass off !!

Bad habits are hard to break!

Whether it's smoking, not exercising or eating poorly; if we want to live a long and healthy life it's important to develop better behaviours. Smoking is just about the most destructive act you can do to your health. I know; I smoked hard for 20 years. Quitting was not easy but, at the time, I was determined I would succeed. Now, I know I am going to lose weight because I have that same determination to achieve my goal.

I seem to do better at improving bad behaviors if I concentrate on one thing at a time. When I tried to quit smoking, eat better and exercise more, all at the same time, I failed. I know they are all interconnected to make me healthier but I get discouraged from the whole process if I fail at just one of the targets. Then I just give up; "What's the use? I can't do all this. Who cares anyway?"

My goal now is to lose weight - period. More than anything else I know this is what I need to do. My primary cause for arriving at 55 with a fat body is due to my poor eating habits. I broke the cycle by first of all recognizing what I was doing that was wrong. If I don't know why I got fat I'll never know how to be thinner. So, like when I quit smoking, I changed my lifestyle that got me there is the first place. I have stopped eating fast food. No fries, burgers or fried chicken for me! I stopped going out for breakfast almost every day,too. I adopted a plan to eat lots of healthy food and avoid the fat food; and I stick to that plan. I am winning!

My problem is that if I approach the primary target of losing weight with something other that eating proper foods, in proper proportions, at the proper time; I will fail. If I start exercising like crazy I get hungry and will eat more, not less. I'll gain more muscle but not lose weight. That said, I still either walk or ride a bike to work; that helps to stay healthy. Spring is coming (eventually) and we get out for more and longer walks either for fun or photography. Once I lose the weight then I may embark on a more rigid exercise regime.

If I try to tackle too many issues at once I will probably fail.

Good luck everyone!

[daacon]

Heather - you go girl ! Indeed exercise and activity are a great recipe for curing a whole list of ailgments.

Startman - I am with ya - I still have the nasty nicotine habbit - stupid stupid stupid. Best of luck with getting started on your goals - I find it like a recovering alcoholic - one day at a time man. I had quit for 8 monts a few years ago - did I mention I was stupid stupid stupid ?

Jeff - I hear ya have had that same train of thought many times. Let's do it all (quit smoking, lose weight , eat healthier and solve world hunger) - one at a time is eaiser I got two down so far and one HUGE one to go and then I may tackle world hunger. Then again I have done this before a few years ago (was > 260 got down to just under 230 ) then fell back into bad habbits ... like you said hard to break - well another key is to not dwell on previous failures - instead previous success (ie: I did it once before so I know it can be done).

[J.Scott]

Originally Posted by daacon

...did I mention I was stupid stupid stupid ?

You're not stupid. You're an intelligent man with a bad habit. Smart people do silly things, too.

I have a very smart friend that is, sadly, addicted to drugs. He's a great guy that is fighting a monster.

[kev.pride]

Man Dave that is inspirational, now where did that exercise bike disappear to.

Have been saying since Xmas I will get on it. I could barely do up my work trousers when i went back to work in January, they now fit - but I'm not sure if I've shrunk or they have streeeeetched.

regards

ps I'm doing a screen print of this page & sticking it on my fridge as inspiration.

[Clicker]

Happy belated birthday

When i hit 50 next year, i'll get a corvette, that should take some pounds off me

[KrisK10D]

Well done, daacon.

Wish I had your will power. While getting the 'Rat Fink' meant lots more exercise, I need to give up smoking

[vievetrick]

Juist thought it has been about few more weeks and wondered how everyone was doing. I am still going strong and had one bad week with that as of this morning down to 215 for anyone that care that is 41 pounds since the start of the new year let just say I am happy. Hope all are still doing well.