Good News I thought I would share ...

[daacon]

I thought I would share my story and if I can inspire one soul then it was a worthwhile post. With all the doom and gloom with the economy these days – here’s something YOU can control.

In January 2009 I was turning 50. I weighed about 263 pounds give or take. At 6'2" I can carry that weight without looking obese but I was overweight, short of breath on the simplest of tasks and just overall feeling blah ... Also my knees were aching for about a year even swelling up where I had to take naproxen and I could barley bend them - certainly could not squat or get into a catchers position without extreme pain. I thought I was done.......( I can run and still played slow-pitch – had to give up basketball)

I was never a big eater (meaning I could not eat a cow for supper) , but I was eating often , especially at night and no concern for what I ate , junk food , fast food, etc.

So on January 4th 2009 I started...

I bought an Elliptical (Spirit XE 700). It was not cheap (about $2.2k) but I needed a good one to support my frame.

My workout routine is as follows: I think four key points

1 - Elliptical 40 minutes a day various programs (started at 30 worked my way up) - Cardio is the key, walk , run , treadmill, whatever gets your heart rate up to between 60 - 80% of max.

2 - Bowflex 4 days a week - upper / lower workout then a day off then repeat then weekend off - it is about a 30 minute workout. Free wieghts or pushups, squats whatever- just needs to be some kind of strength training.

3 - I am much much more conscious of what I eat. I do not deprive myself of something if I have a craving, but generally eat much healthier and cut out eating anything but fruit after supper. This is key ...

4 - I drink lots of water - lots of water , lots of water - this is key as well

These simple changes between 40 - 70 minutes a day 6 days a week (I always take Sundays off) have made a world of difference.

My knees are good. I can do squats, I will be playing ball in the summer and I will be able to bend low again. I can't believe the difference. I am not sure about basketball as the Dr tells me that is extremely hard on the knees.

I also took a two week holiday in Mexico midle of February to March. I drank lots of beer and other high calorie drinks as well as some high calorie food. I just made it a point to walk around more and take pictures! I actually came back from Mexico with no weight gain that was surprising. And I got right back into it. It’s so easy to let it slide.

Today I am 228 pounds and feel good. I still want to lose 8 more pounds, but most of you know those last few pounds are much more difficult. Still I will maintain my routine. This is in just 8 weeks with a two week holiday I managed to shed over 30lbs of FAT ...

So if an old fart like me can do it so can you. I was the master of excuses, no time, busy, I am not in that bad of shape, yada yada yada.

I wake up earlier and get the elliptical over with in the morning and do the weights after supper. Everyone can find an hour a day. And it's not even every day (weights are only 4 times a week)

That's it. It's never too late. The Nike slogan is all it takes - just do it!

[Venturi]

Awesome, Dave!

I'm sorely in need of doing something along those lines myself. Had my gall bladder out about 18mos ago and in six months I was 40lbs heavier than I've ever been in my life. I don't mind the weight so much, I was always pretty slim, it's where and how the weight added itself that I'm not thrilled about. My knees and back aren't overjoyed either.

So congrats, and thanks for the inspiration.

[skinja]

on the old fart thing. I'm only a couple years behind you.

Really glad to here you are making such great progress.

I really need to follow in your footsteps. I just haven't made the time to do so, right now I'm working 60+ hours a week and will for about the next three months, and working out is about the last thing on my mind when I get home. My job now is pretty sedatary, so more activity would do me wonders. I can really relate to the aches and pains expecially when the barometric preasure is going nuts.

I will let you know.

Thanks for reminding me, to do something I know I should be doing anyway


John

[jsherman999]

This is great news, Dave. You're doing yourself an enormous favor, probably increasing your lifespan, and basically making life more enjoyable physically.

Getting in shape like that just makes you feel sharper, more able to handle things, you'll probably sleep better, have more confidence. Good deal.

Also, that last 8 lbs might be tougher because you've swapped some fat for muscle mass in the process.

[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.

My older daughter, who lives here in Lake Jackson, has become a dedicated runner and triathlete. She'll be doing the Boston Marathon in April, after qualifying in Houston in January. She and her husband both are active athletes, and my wife and often are the "pit crew" supporting the activity by enjoying ourselves taking care of our granddaughter.

Jer

[ftpaddict]

Nice to see such determined people on this forum. Good on ya!

[daacon]

Thanks for all the positive feedback - for those that want to do this here is my top 10 !

1 - Journal it - for the first 6 weeks I kept a word doc which I updated every day. This motivated me as I would feel guilty if I did not update it. Now I update it at varies times throughout the week so it is more a weekly update.

2 - Give yourself a large window of time to get the Cardio in. I would usually allow myself 3 hours. I would say between 06:00 and 09:00 I have to find 40 minutes. This worked well as most days were closer to 6 a couple of days I was getting close to 09:00 and said dooooh have to do it !

3 - Me I have Sundays (one day a week) where I don't do anything. Now that said , having more energy I will likely go for a walk or something. Also this is my craving day. If I want Steak and Fries or a Pizza or whatever I have it. I don't do it every Sunday but there I feel much better knowing I can allow myself that. Nothing worse than saying I will never drink Beer and eat Pizza again - hell what's the point !

4 - Weigh yourself once a week at the same time usually mornings. Daily weigh ins with me anyway were frustrating. I can fluctuate 5 - 8 pounds a day at various times. I also do not get hung on numbers. As you can imagine clothes fit better some are just too big now and the energy level is good.

5 - Set a goal - initially I wanted 20lbs in 6 weeks. Now that is pretty aggressive for a desk jockey - but you know what I exceeded it. Make the goal realistic - there is no free lunch or silver bullet to this stuff - burn more calories than you consume.

6 - The one thing I always kept in the back of my mind and it helped me. It takes 3500 Calories to lose 1 pound - that is a mountain of calories and usually keeps me from chomping on the 400 calorie Monster Cookies from Costco (damn it all we still have teenagers with active metabolisms hahaha)

7 - Ya gotta mix it up. With Spring coming I am going to buy a new bike. I also use to Roller blade so I think I will take that up again. The body does not react well to the same routines day in and day out.

8 - If you have some social event , vacation don't sweat it. Be consious about what you eat or drink and try to be more active. Never consider anything you do as a oh well I might as well stop now ,and don't let it consume you heck if you are on holidays have fun damnit !!! ( I sure did as some may have seem from some of the posts)

9 - YMMV - but it took me several years to gain this weight and feel like crap and only 8 weeks to get most of it off. See point 8 one day , two weeks , whatever is not going to set you back to square one and even if it does - so what just get at it !

10 - I don't really have 10 ... so celebrate your victoreis ! Give all your fat clothes to your fat friends seriously I got nothing.

All of these 'Tips' are just things that worked for me - and most are no secret by any means. Thanks again and heres to making 220 (pretty sure it was High School since I was that 'Light')

[reeftool]

Congrats Dave! I'm another old fart (59) and am also getting back into shape. Been almost 2 years since I quit smoking and have started eating right also. I feel better than I have in years.

[song_hm]

More power to you Dave.

[joestacey06]

Good for you man. keep up the good work. You'll be glad you did. I've fought withmy weight most of my life. I lose, I gain, I lose, I gain. It's very discouraging. I'm to the point now where I don't like my wife looking at me. I get embarassed.

[cindaaalynnn]

Dave = my new found hero! Thank you for your story!!!

Congrats on everything you have accomplished! =D

[Damn Brit]

Good for you Dave, you're an inspiration, thanks for sharing.

[J.Scott]

What a coincidence!

I got back from Cuba in mid January and just knew I needed to do something about my weight. Although I am 6'2" I was just too damn heavy for my own good. Like you Dave, I was taking different meds for aching knees and back and just felt lousy. I read about the South Beach diet and decided to give it a try.

Honestly, I am not following it to the letter but I have definitely changed what I eat, when I eat, and how much I eat. I am determined to loose lots of weight but I am not going to rush the process. I did that once before and gained back all the weight I lost quickly. I am giving myself a year to loose 80 pounds. In the last 8 weeks I have lost 22 pounds with 58 more to go! (And I just turned 55 - damn, where did the years go?) Since I was 40 I've gained at least 5 pounds a year. This has to stop now.

I wish you luck Dave!

[Igilligan]

I am no where near 6'2" ... but last year I turned 50 and was at 5' 8" and 225... I lost some friends last summer all near my age and decided it was time.
So I joined the gym and I have lost almost 40 lbs. I bounce between 185 and 190. I too hit a couple of walls on the way down and just could not power past 185.
I have not been going as much lately, but your post has re-inspired me to break thru. I would like to hit 175 by the 1yr mark in August.

Keep posting on your progress and I will let you know when I break 180

Thank you for the push.

[stevebrot]

Congratulations on the big loss. I am a few years older than you and the same height. Although we also weigh about the same, I can relate to feeling "heavy on my feet" much of the time and due to accumulated injuries, my joints really would benefit from some additional pounds lost. I hate feeling heavy and weak and also hate looking a little lumpy without my cloths. Historically, I had been slender with an athletic build and this late middle-age spread is getting me down.

I keep putting it off, but I know what I need to do and it closely parallels your plan:

• Be intentional about the foods I eat
• Make physical activity an integral part of my life again. I once was an avid runner until my feet and knees gave out. I then took up cycling until a serious shoulder injury made time on the bike an exercise in pain endurance. Now I walk and when I get a chance there is xc skiing and snowshoeing and hiking.
• Don't spend excessive time at the computer. This one is hard. Even though I work at a computer for my living, it is still so easy to amuse myself for hours with even the most boring thing on the Web. It is almost as bad as gaming.

With any luck, with the better weather coming I will have some success in lifestyle improvement. I think I have to.

Steve

(Now where did I put that last cookie...)