Becoming half the man I was: my weight loss experience

[jxe]

moon you got to write a record about quitting smoking in 3rd grade!

 

[Moondog Wily]

moon you got to write a record about quitting smoking in 3rd grade!

Never thought about that! I think you are right, but I think it will encompass many of my childhood shenanigans!! Could be fun to write, I know the stories are ;~)) I need to think about some ways to phrase things to protect the innocent!!! Maybe I will title it JXE (Juvenile Xtreme Evil)!

 

[tbp0701]

moon you got to write a record about quitting smoking in 3rd grade!

Never thought about that! I think you are right, but I think it will encompass many of my childhood shenanigans!! Could be fun to write, I know the stories are ;~)) I need to think about some ways to phrase things to protect the innocent!!! Maybe I will title it JXE (Juvenile Xtreme Evil)!

I'm remembering a King of the Hill episode where Brownsville Station ("Smoking in the Boys' Room") was doing a reunion tour, and Luann's boyfriend (I think voiced by Tom Petty) camped out for tickets. Luann said something like, "This song is why he took up guitar ... and smoking!"

 

[Moondog Wily]

I'm remembering a King of the Hill episode where Brownsville Station ("Smoking in the Boys' Room") was doing a reunion tour, and Luann's boyfriend (I think voiced by Tom Petty) camped out for tickets. Luann said something like, "This song is why he took up guitar ... and smoking!"

Yeah, so that song was probably an influence for me and my mates as well ;~)) At one point, the principle made all the boys in the school come and crowd into this large boys room, and gave us all a speech about how he was going to find out who was literally "Smokin' In The Boys Room". We were cracking up internally, and never got caught! That was the same principle who literally told me he would not let me take the exam to skip into the next grade because he knew I would pass it and he felt it would set a bad example for the other children (I was a true terror for most teachers, unless I liked them, which was rare)! I hated that man and still do to this day!!! I was allowed however to go to the next grade up for math and science lessons, but then had to return to my age appropriate classroom for everything else ;~(( I really need to learn that song, thanks for the reminder!

 

[BigChrisW]

Thanks for this thread. I need to make some changes. Work has becoming over-whelming at times recently and my lifestyle reflects the fact that all I want to do at the end of the day is collapse into a chair in front of the TV. Diet is terrible! It's always helpful to see others make such positive changes

 

[JasonE]

I'm remembering a King of the Hill episode where Brownsville Station ("Smoking in the Boys' Room") was doing a reunion tour, and Luann's boyfriend (I think voiced by Tom Petty) camped out for tickets. Luann said something like, "This song is why he took up guitar ... and smoking!"

This brought back a memory for me. I played in a band that opened for Cub Koda many years ago. This was at the time when Motley Crue had redone the Smoking In The Boys Room song.

Thanks for this thread. I need to make some changes. Work has becoming over-whelming at times recently and my lifestyle reflects the fact that all I want to do at the end of the day is collapse into a chair in front of the TV. Diet is terrible! It's always helpful to see others make such positive changes

Make the changes now. Don't let it linger. I had a major health issue last month from eating like crap in my younger years. I have been eating much better in the past 5 years or so but the damage was already done. My eating better probably delayed things a bit but I still ended up here. Now I fight with no motivation at all and am trying to find a way out of that. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I have also worked high stress jobs and just collapse on the couch after work. That is a habit I am also trying to change. This stuff gets harder as we get older.

 

[tbp0701]

Thanks for this thread. I need to make some changes. Work has becoming over-whelming at times recently and my lifestyle reflects the fact that all I want to do at the end of the day is collapse into a chair in front of the TV. Diet is terrible! It's always helpful to see others make such positive changes

You're welcome. I'm glad it helps. I had the issue, too, with overwhelming work. I'd also skip lunches then collapse in front of the TV and keep eating. So it helped to eat something during the day--usually bringing something I'd made, typically in a thermos--and doing other things to destress afterwards, like playing guitar or piano, going for a walk, reading, writing, anything but vegging at the TV and mindlessly eating.

This brought back a memory for me. I played in a band that opened for Cub Koda many years ago. This was at the time when Motley Crue had redone the Smoking In The Boys Room song.


Make the changes now. Don't let it linger. I had a major health issue last month from eating like crap in my younger years. I have been eating much better in the past 5 years or so but the damage was already done. My eating better probably delayed things a bit but I still ended up here. Now I fight with no motivation at all and am trying to find a way out of that. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I have also worked high stress jobs and just collapse on the couch after work. That is a habit I am also trying to change. This stuff gets harder as we get older.

I agree. I'm sorry you had a major health issue and hope you recover well. As for motivation, I've experienced similar. I've found it helpful to have something, anything to look forward to and want to keep doing. Something I'm working on, including volunteer work I do, learning something whether musically or in general, working to a goal, reading a book, etc.

 

[DanjumaTela]

I gotta say, your progress is incredible and inspiring! Going from 440lbs to 215lbs is a major accomplishment, my friend. You should be proud of yourself. I appreciate you sharing your experience and the factors that contributed to your weight gain. It's never easy to admit our own mistakes, but what matters is that you took control and made positive changes. It's great that you found what works for you, focusing on a healthy diet and regular movement. Sometimes, the key lies in finding the right approach that suits our individual needs. And hey, have you ever considered adding some organic beet root powder to your routine? It's a natural option that can enhance your well-being.

 

[tbp0701]

I gotta say, your progress is incredible and inspiring! Going from 440lbs to 215lbs is a major accomplishment, my friend. You should be proud of yourself. I appreciate you sharing your experience and the factors that contributed to your weight gain.

Thank you. I'm still maintaining and adapting to an all-around better life experience, with runs, bike rides, and feeling okay with my appearance and health.

 

[Sean Marson]

Thank you. I'm still maintaining and adapting to an all-around better life experience, with runs, bike rides, and feeling okay with my appearance and health.

Are you at your final planned weight point or are you going to lose weight further? From my experience I noticed that the more protein I consume the easier it is to lose weight myself.

 

[tbp0701]

Are you at your final planned weight point or are you going to lose weight further? From my experience I noticed that the more protein I consume the easier it is to lose weight myself.

Ideally I'd get down to 190-200, but around 205 is about as low as I've managed and have been between 205-220 for a couple years now. I'm generally okay with that, as I've put on some muscle and feel pretty good.

I mentioned to a nurse a while back that I want to lose another 15-20 pounds, and she yelled, "Where?!" So I thought, maybe this is okay.

 

[veinbuster]

Ideally I'd get down to 190-200, but around 205 is about as low as I've managed and have been between 205-220 for a couple years now. I'm generally okay with that, as I've put on some muscle and feel pretty good.

I mentioned to a nurse a while back that I want to lose another 15-20 pounds, and she yelled, "Where?!" So I thought, maybe this is okay.

I honestly think that how you feel is more important than the number. At 180 I feel a bit sluggish. At 170 I feel weak, so I try to stick in the 172-177 range. Drop below and I eat a pie, go above and I drink water instead of drinks with calories - but still eat my regular meals.

 

[deepender]

Part II

I have made adjustments as I learned what best works for me, what blood tests showed I was lacking, and as I became healthier and lost weight. If it is of any help, interest, here are the keys in my getting this far.

• A healthy, sustainable diet, with enough nutrition to be active and enough variety to not feel stuck in a rut. This is the key for me. I had tried several highly restrictive, fad, trendy, and the like diets in the past. Since my early teens, really. While they worked in the short term, I always regained after going off the diet, often as I became sick. I needed something that I could stick with for the remainder of my life, be healthy, and not feel I was punishing myself. For me that turned out to be a Mediterranean diet with some variations.
• Keeping a log. Many of us have trouble with this one, including me, but I had to start tracking to better see what I was doing that was so wrong. It turned out to be a lot. Besides writing down what I eat along with the calories, it also helps me to note moods, cravings, activity, thoughts, whatever I want to write.
• Analyzing/identifying problem areas & bad habits. The logging was critical with this, but it helped me to realize several problem areas. One was that several staples of my previous diet—cold cereal, white bread, white pasta, and fast food—were causing cravings. I believe this is because my body quickly converts them to sugar in the blood stream, which eventually causes a crash and a craving for more, starting an endless cycle (but again, I am not a medical professional, and many are fine with these foods). I also better saw bad habits I needed to change. The worst of these was eating in front of screens. When in front of a TV or working at a computer, I was often snacking (usually on tortilla chips), and not realizing how much I was eating. I adjusted my behavior. I no longer eat in front of screens, rarely watch TV, and only drink no calorie beverages at the computer. (I also stopped drinking diet soda. There is debate on this, but I kept craving sweet things while drinking it, and I used to drink it a lot. My tastes adjusted after I switched to unsweetened beverages.)
• Recognizing what works and doing more of that. With the logs and analysis, I also found some foods have me feel satiated for a while, and even feel good and energetic. Not surprisingly most of these are vegetables, fruits, berries, and the like. I also found having plenty of fiber helps. For instance, if I drink fruit juice, I will have cravings not long after, but if I eat a whole fruit I’d fine. As above, I believe this due to how quickly glucose hits the blood stream. I also found I felt better during and after certain activities.
• Learning to cook. This is breakthrough. In the past I felt I did not have the time nor skill to prepare decent, healthy meals, so I relied on fast and prepared/ready-to-eat foods. It turns out I was wrong. I started by learning a few basic recipes, like vegetable stir-fries and homemade soups. Using spices helps. I also realized making a stir-fry is quicker and easier than heading to a drive-thru, and I feel much better afterward.
• Movement and exercise. This was a lot easier with the improved, heathier diet, but greatly helped in a lot of ways. I had to be careful at first, however, as I was so large. I began by finding a place I could walk daily and doing so. As I lost weight and became healthier, I went for longer walks on hillier and more rugged terrain. I added other exercises including calisthenics, yoga, weights, and after getting under 240lbs started riding a bike again. Besides the exercise I look for ways to be active throughout the day. These include taking stairs, walking instead of driving, playing guitar or piano, doing house/yardwork, anything to not sit idle for too long.
• Focusing on the smaller, daily improvements. This was especially important early on, as I had an overwhelming amount of weight to lose. Rather than focusing on that I took time to notice things like stairs were getting easier to climb, I was walking longer before tiring, seats and clothes were feeling larger, and mostly I was feeling better. And I knew I was better today than yesterday, this week than last, this month, and so on. And if I keep at it, tomorrow will be better still. That has kept me going.

Okay, this is over 1,000 words, and I hope it is of some use and interest to some of you. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them as best I can.

I will say that my health and general outlook has greatly improved since losing over half my previous size. Even the skin issues that stopped me from playing guitar for several years resolved, and I have been playing again for the past year. While I wish I had figured all this out much earlier in life, and am ashamed I got as bad as I did, at least I have now.

Congrats.
Good on ya.

 

[Max Headroom]

Only just found this thread and all I can say is wow and absolute utter admiration for your tenacity and dedication.
I know you feel better for it cos I definitely do and my journey was way less and easier than yours.
Couple years back I was plagued with pains in it seemed every joint from the hips down and all the doctors would say is well it's arthritis, what do you expect, it's not going to get better.
To hell with that, a bit of research that mostly agreed that every pound lost was like 5 lb off the joints was the motivation I needed.
255 to 200 and I'm so much happier all round.
Small but regular meals, no snacking and lots of cycling and swimming ( lucky to have a pool).
Would love to see below 190 but lowest I ever made was 197.

 

[tbp0701]

I honestly think that how you feel is more important than the number. At 180 I feel a bit sluggish. At 170 I feel weak, so I try to stick in the 172-177 range. Drop below and I eat a pie, go above and I drink water instead of drinks with calories - but still eat my regular meals.

That's currently my experience. Although I still avoid pies and such. When I had to add calories, as I was too low for a bit, I added beans, nuts, and the like to dishes.

Congrats.
Good on ya.

Thanks!

Only just found this thread and all I can say is wow and absolute utter admiration for your tenacity and dedication.
I know you feel better for it cos I definitely do and my journey was way less and easier than yours.
Couple years back I was plagued with pains in it seemed every joint from the hips down and all the doctors would say is well it's arthritis, what do you expect, it's not going to get better.
To hell with that, a bit of research that mostly agreed that every pound lost was like 5 lb off the joints was the motivation I needed.
255 to 200 and I'm so much happier all round.
Small but regular meals, no snacking and lots of cycling and swimming ( lucky to have a pool).
Would love to see below 190 but lowest I ever made was 197.

Thanks and congratulations! I shouldn't be surprised at how much pain has decreased after losing weight, but that's been one of the many unexpected bonuses. And I shudder to think how difficult the last few years would have been if I had still been that heavy. Well, I likely would not have survived.

I'd like to take up swimming, as I loved it when young, but no pool and self-conscious about scars and remnants of how large I was.

 

[deepender]

That's currently my experience. Although I still avoid pies and such. When I had to add calories, as I was too low for a bit, I added beans, nuts, and the like to dishes.


Thanks!

Thanks and congratulations! I shouldn't be surprised at how much pain has decreased after losing weight, but that's been one of the many unexpected bonuses. And I shudder to think how difficult the last few years would have been if I had still been that heavy. Well, I likely would not have survived.

I'd like to take up swimming, as I loved it when young, but no pool and self-conscious about scars and remnants of how large I was.

After a long life of being overly self conscious and finding at least some escape from that, I can tell you that life is way too short to waste it on worrying about what others think about you. If you are living life trying to be thoughtful and kind, that’s more than many do nowadays, and there’s always going to be those who don’t approve. But there’s also many who do, and often those are the quiet ones. Be the best man you can be and shed any over-self consciousness. Go swimming. (Oh, and by the way, I’ve got huge surgery scars from two shoulder replacements, one knee replacement, one quad reattachment, and many cuts and burns, not to mention an old man dad bod; and I go swimming)

 

[tbp0701]

After a long life of being overly self conscious and finding at least some escape from that, I can tell you that life is way too short to waste it on worrying about what others think about you. If you are living life trying to be thoughtful and kind, that’s more than many do nowadays, and there’s always going to be those who don’t approve. But there’s also many who do, and often those are the quiet ones. Be the best man you can be and shed any over-self consciousness. Go swimming. (Oh, and by the way, I’ve got huge surgery scars from two shoulder replacements, one knee replacement, one quad reattachment, and many cuts and burns, not to mention an old man dad bod; and I go swimming)

Thanks. It's not easy to get over, though, maybe given past experiences. I've yet to be okay in shorts, even bike riding or running, so I'll see how it goes.

 

[deepender]

Thanks. It's not easy to get over, though, maybe given past experiences. I've yet to be okay in shorts, even bike riding or running, so I'll see how it goes.

I kinda admire those who have very obvious damage or deformities to their body who are so very ok with who they are and just enjoy life. I’ve seen quite a few who not only overcome but thrive in their unique situations. As I approach the end of my earthly journey (I’m not all that close, but I can almost see the finish line from here) I find it easier to let go of a lot of the insecurities that have tied me up for most of my life. One thing that helps the most for me is remembering that man’s perspective is not God’s perspective. There will always be someone who will be critical of how I look, how I walk, how I talk, etc.. But God loves me. And He even likes me. Scars, warts, bald head, limps, shuffles, moans and groans, failures, shortcomings, missed opportunities, and all the rest. He loves with an intensity that far outreaches understanding. And if He accepts me (and far far more than that), does it really matter what others think? So I will continue to go through life trying to make everything I touch better than before I touched it, and to leave every person feeling more blessed than before I met them, and focusing on God’s approval instead on man’s disapproval.