Starting to workout

[RandomGuy1]

So I am posting this here to help me hold myself accountable. I am 38 and out of shape. I got out of the Marines 15 years ago and swore off exercise. Been working behind a desk for most of that time so that hasn't helped either, although I do still lead a fairly active lifestyle between fishing / hiking / diving. At 6'4 and 235 lbs I am working harder at everything than I should carrying all that extra weight.
So it is time to put a plan in place. About 2 years ago I got down to 215 by watching what I eat and logging it through the "my fitness pal" app on my phone to watch my caloric intake. I am starting that up again as I am a notorious over eater. I am also starting to go to a local gym called Fuel that specializes in HIIT. My plan is to go there once a week (I may increase this to twice a week), run one day a week on my own, and hopefully swim one day per week. This is in addition to getting out fly fishing as often as I can and my usually weekly diving.
My short term goals are to get down below 210 by my vacation in June and hopefully get below 200 shortly thereafter. Wish me luck!

 

[tep]

You've come to a pretty supportive place.

After seeing some co-workers make great progress a year or so ago, I harnessed my inner OCD and got serious.

Fitbit, 10K steps a day. Any day I didn't go to the gym, I had to walk the dogs, one mile. Two the next night if I skipped. Got a personal trainer and split that with my wife. If you're paying for the session, you're GOING! Gym was only one night a week, but that was enough, along with the walks.

My Fitness Pal - I logged every single thing I ate. No cheating. If I missed my calorie goal, I missed it, and no lie. Pay attention to how I missed the goal. Man, BREAD has MORE calories than I ever knew!

12 months later, I was down 35 pounds, and I've kept it off 11 months.

Diving go SO MUCH easier. I have energy to go, my equipment must have lot weight too, 'cause it's not near as heavy on that loooong walk from the parking lot to the beach.

You can do it. You will do it. And everyone here will be supportive.

Best of luck!

 

[offfi]

Going to the gym alone won't help much. Go there 3 times a week usually, but only because my wife "motivates" me. ;-) I started losing weight only after a mild diet (protein shake instead of some meals, less alcohol, generally eating less).
Currently I'm losing around 1kg per week.

@tep:
Did you need less weight for diving afterwards? I calculated a decrease in buoyancy of 0.8kg for my desired loss of 15kg body weight.

 

[Bubblesong]

My husband gave up soda pop, and is losing pounds: liquid calories are the worst. I am trying to give up sugar too. there is a YMCA, so I was thinking of switching from walking to swimming for a SCUBA workout.

 

[Chip Elliott]

Good luck Rich, and positive thoughts are with you.

 

[RandomGuy1]

Thanks for all the words of encouragement everyone.

My husband gave up soda pop, and is losing pounds: liquid calories are the worst.

This is going to be the hard part for me. At home I almost exclusively drink water and don't keep soda in the house, but at work I have a tendency to drink 2-3 SunDrop's a day. Those things are terrible for you, but taste oh so good. Since I am tracking my calories I had to drop them though as I would never get enough to eat to feel full with the calories left after a soda.

 

[tarponchik]

Do you consider fly fishing a workout? I din't get how it fits into your weight losing plan.

 

[Chip Elliott]

My wife and I go to the gym faithfully 3 times a week, no matter what. M, W, Fr. and we take the Group Power class. It is an hour long workout that is really good, cardio, weights and lots of other stuff. We are considering adding on the Group Centergy class as well. I try to also swim there as much as possible. But, I am also a lot older than you and the weight doesn't come off as easily anymore. But I consider myself pretty fit now after many, many years of fatness and laziness and other just slothful living.

 

[RandomGuy1]

Do you consider fly fishing a workout? I din't get how it fits into your weight losing plan.

Not really a workout per say, but part of an active lifestyle. Hiking 3-4 miles wading through water and balancing on rocks isn't exactly a walk in the park.

 

[sunnyboy]

Honestly, one of the easiest ways to lose weight is to find something to give up. Not reduce, give up. Reduce doesn't work because you talk yourself into little cheats that add up over time.

So find the most fattening food you eat regularly and then cut it out for say 6 months and see how you do. For me one of the worst was popcorn when watching TV. Of course it had to have butter on it. So cutting it out stopped the weight gain almost immediately.

Same with exercise - pick something and do it, but don't try and be he-man and do all the machines or sports or exercises all at once. I bought a weight bench a couple of years ago and do a moderate weight regimen 3 times a week, plus time on an elliptical. More and I end up pulling something.

Little things can add up, but you have to make habits out of the things that work for them to persist.

The problem is most folks try and binge diet or binge exercise and that gets old really fast. Small changes that are permanent make the most difference over time.