Weight loss journey

danktat

Award winning tattoo artist ... Amateur guitarist
Joined
Nov 5, 2018
Messages
1,468
Location
PA, USA
I know this isn't transformationtuesday, but, this just happened this morning. Stepped on the scale after my morning dump, and it read 170 lbs. That is a 35 pound difference from my highest weight! I think I'm actually where I need to be. I don't think I want to be any lighter than this. Perhaps shift a little more muscle mass in place of a little less body fat, but I think I've reached my goal.

At 45 years old, It was all done with moderate exercise, and basically cutting out "fast" food. (Not restaurant food...FAST food). You can see from my food post that I don't starve myself. No crazy keto stuff. No veganism. No militant diet plans. No supplementation. Just moderation.

I do believe the next health concern that I am going to have to tackle now that the Obesity part is under control, is my heavy alcohol consumption. Got to get my mind right for that next.

120235029_10164225722510331_399084789665708170_o.jpg
 
Dank,

You're to be commended. And you're an inspiration for us all. Like others, I've struggled with my weight for many years, and am just over the level which describes obesity. 5'7" and 221 lbs. :(

My doctors have suggested more exercise, but strongly suggest that intake has more effect than exercise does. My issue is that, like many, I eat only 3 meals a day (no breakfast, only coffee, but a normal lunch and dinner, and a drink and snack before bed. Usually keeping my calorie count below 1700-1800 each day with daily activities that count toward exercise. I use a weight management app on my phone to monitor all of this.

My previous plan of action this year was to attend a gym for weight machines and cardio (treadmill, elliptical, bike), but the personal trainer who interviewed me and set up my training routine said no shoulder or back machines until I receive some PT for shoulder impingement. The PT is progressing slowly to restore range of motion so it will be possible for me to use shoulder and back machines.

Meanwhile, it turns out that my current health insurance carrier is dropping health coverage for gym memberships. WTF. It may be necessary for me to switch health coverage and pay higher copays in order to receive adequate health coverage that includes gym memberships.

Alternately, I've got several measures of dumbbell free weights, and resistance bands, as well as a bench for straight or angled sit-ups. Also an exercise mat.

Because all of us would like to know how you did were able to lose the weight, strengthen muscle mass and just be physically healthier, please let us know what your mindset was during the weight loss process, what foods you chose over what you cut back on, and what exercises you did that caused the weight loss.

My ideal target weight is realistically 190-195. I don't expect miracles myself, but would like to reduce the belly fat so that my clothes fit better while strengthening what I've already got.
 
Dank,

You're to be commended. And you're an inspiration for us all. Like others, I've struggled with my weight for many years, and am just over the level which describes obesity. 5'7" and 221 lbs. :(

My doctors have suggested more exercise, but strongly suggest that intake has more effect than exercise does. My issue is that, like many, I eat only 3 meals a day (no breakfast, only coffee, but a normal lunch and dinner, and a drink and snack before bed. Usually keeping my calorie count below 1700-1800 each day with daily activities that count toward exercise. I use a weight management app on my phone to monitor all of this.

My previous plan of action this year was to attend a gym for weight machines and cardio (treadmill, elliptical, bike), but the personal trainer who interviewed me and set up my training routine said no shoulder or back machines until I receive some PT for shoulder impingement. The PT is progressing slowly to restore range of motion so it will be possible for me to use shoulder and back machines.

Meanwhile, it turns out that my current health insurance carrier is dropping health coverage for gym memberships. WTF. It may be necessary for me to switch health coverage and pay higher copays in order to receive adequate health coverage that includes gym memberships.

Alternately, I've got several measures of dumbbell free weights, and resistance bands, as well as a bench for straight or angled sit-ups. Also an exercise mat.

Because all of us would like to know how you did were able to lose the weight, strengthen muscle mass and just be physically healthier, please let us know what your mindset was during the weight loss process, what foods you chose over what you cut back on, and what exercises you did that caused the weight loss.

My ideal target weight is realistically 190-195. I don't expect miracles myself, but would like to reduce the belly fat so that my clothes fit better while strengthening what I've already got.


I have had a gym in my shop or home for about 15 years. This, I believe is the third encarnation of it. I have pieced it together from stuff I found CHEAP on craigslist or marketplace or wherever. I just typically start a program, get injured (that nagging injury thing happens when you get to that middle aged range. A shoulder here, a back there, an elbow, plantar faciitis...etc...etc..etc...) and it derails my routine. The next thing you know I look up and it has been six months since I last worked out.

So, this time, when we locked down with this pandemic thing, I would watch tv, and it seemed like every time they put a picture of someone up on the news that died from covid, they were either old.....or.....lets face it, they didn't SAY it aloud, but they were fat and out of shape. Then I looked in the mirror and was like d^mn! I am fat and out of shape. So I went in there and did a little bit. Just to see how it felt. I was already eating better because I was closed down and BROKE from lack of work, so I was cooking all of my meals instead of eating out. Went MODERATE instead of hard and heavy, and so far, even though my elbow is yelling at me at the moment, I haven't had to stop due to injury. The pic below is what I have at the shop. And I have an elliptical at home. I do a three day split with the weights. Shoulders, bi's and tri's........chest and back.......leg day. I do a set of thirty reps of situps on the bench with my feet locked under the leg extension pads. I almost never do more than 7 or 8 sets a body part. And I do 20 minutes on the elliptical on the days I don't lift weights. And take a day off. So, I am doing SOMETHING 6 days a week. And that really is pretty much it. The pic below is what I have set up in the shop. And, like I said, an elliptical at home.

67668501_10162091984210331_5107633923685351424_o.jpg
 
You've got far more space to work with than I. Most of my exercise includes walking 25 to 35 minutes every few days, working 6 hour shifts where I put in 5 to 7 miles of walking on the sales floor each time. Not much lifting involved as of recently. Have worked towards my PT goal with an online schedule that I complete every other day. Still the belly fat persists.

My personal trainer says it'll be necessary to strengthen first, before being able to do cardio. The trainer does not consider cardio as a required exercise until strengthening comes first. Had been doing legs, biceps and triceps until Covid occurred. Then, the gym shut down and we were forced to do things at home or outdoors. I've also a ruptured anterior bicep tendon that was an injury back in 2006, and had surgery for that, that didn't last. The bicep still looks like a popeye muscle when I contract. The ruptured tendon was the reason for my discontinuing lifting. Am slowly reacquainting myself with my free weights with PT.

I typically prefer to cook meals for myself rather than go out to eat or order take-out. My budget usually doesn't allow for meals at restaurants except for the rare and occasional occurrence.

Better physical health as we age requires a larger commitment to exercise than when we were younger, because of the slowing metabolism we all experience as we age. While we don't wish to lose the strength and balance we've already got, it takes more exercise to maintain what we've got and strengthen that otherwise we will lose our strength.

While I don't suggest going out and stepping into the ring or cage-fighting, moderate regular exercise and keeping clean coupled with a healthy nutritious diet and adequate sleep at night is a simple and effective way to stay physically and emotionally healthy.

Now if I can adhere to my words and make this work...
 
While I don't suggest going out and stepping into the ring or cage-fighting, moderate regular exercise and keeping clean coupled with a healthy nutritious diet and adequate sleep at night is a simple and effective way to stay physically and emotionally healthy.
Yeah...I havent been to the dojo in several years either. I actually started thinking about it over this past winter. But, with the rise of covid-19 I think it would be exceptionally difficult to socially distance while training in that kind of environment. LOL

1917146_373092180330_1737830_n.jpg
 
Proud of you, man!

It’s not the pandemic that got me, it was meds I went on almost 2yrs ago. Almost instant 15lb gain, and I’m only 5’8”. Working on it now with calorie counting and biking (because my knees are shot).
 
Yeah...I havent been to the dojo in several years either. I actually started thinking about it over this past winter. But, with the rise of covid-19 I think it would be exceptionally difficult to socially distance while training in that kind of environment. LOL

1917146_373092180330_1737830_n.jpg

Looks like I've got my work cut out for me...Dear Mr. Nutthall...
 
I know this isn't transformationtuesday, but, this just happened this morning. Stepped on the scale after my morning dump, and it read 170 lbs. That is a 35 pound difference from my highest weight! I think I'm actually where I need to be. I don't think I want to be any lighter than this. Perhaps shift a little more muscle mass in place of a little less body fat, but I think I've reached my goal.

At 45 years old, It was all done with moderate exercise, and basically cutting out "fast" food. (Not restaurant food...FAST food). You can see from my food post that I don't starve myself. No crazy keto stuff. No veganism. No militant diet plans. No supplementation. Just moderation.

I do believe the next health concern that I am going to have to tackle now that the Obesity part is under control, is my heavy alcohol consumption. Got to get my mind right for that next.

120235029_10164225722510331_399084789665708170_o.jpg
Congrats!
I’ll pray with you regarding the other issue.
 
You've done a great job! In adulthood, losing weight is not easy if you do not follow the training and do not maintain proper nutrition. I lost about 20 pounds last year. My wife helped me choose a training plan and watched me perform them. I am very grateful to her for that.
A couple of months ago, I purchased some nutritional supplements on behemothlabz.com, and now I'm building muscle mass to relieve my body. I am sure that everyone deserves to look beautiful and feel confident.
Now you can take cool photos with a guitar.
 
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