Help me lose the fat

me <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> My questions are...
:>
:> 1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

Start small and build up, according to how your body feels. You can take
several short walks a day, gradually building up the length of each. Or you
can just walk once when it is most convenient for you. You need to be your
own judge, as we can't know what your body can stand in it's current
condition. But cardio of some form needs to be included....walking is
great, stationary bike is good too and may even be better for you than
walking. Long slow cardio sessions will eat up the calories...find a way to
get it done.

:>
:> 2. Where do I start with weights?
:>

Krista's site is a great start. Don't try to set any records, just work on
form and being consistent in your training.

:> 3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
:> in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
:> with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
:> starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
:> Where can I improve this?

Be consistent and don't overeat.

:> Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
:> can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)

It depends. Caffeine doesn't bother me...

:> I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

Do you feel you need to drink all of that water? Has it ever made a damn bit
of difference for you? People are going to give you differing opinions on
this, but the bottom line is guzzling water beyond what your thirst calls
for is basically useless. But you might as well do what you believe is
right.

:>
:> I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom
:> here) so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a
:> couple of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should
:> have daily. 400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram
:> per pound rule that I have read about here.

You don't need 400 g of protein per day. I'd suggest you shift your diet
over to fat and stay very LC...track calories...and don't deviate (ie, no
friggin carb-ups)....make sure you consistently undereat calories...learn to
live with a little hunger, too.

:> The guy at GNC told me
:> I can eat a LOT of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me
:> from being hungry.

Some hunger won't hurt you....

:>
:> I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good
:> info in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own
:> brand of supplements.
:>

You don't need to follow his diet if it doesn't work for you. If the
starches stimulate your appetite, then you need to cut them.

:> I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
:> advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Pick a routine from there - a 3X per week full body, and follow it
consistently into the long term.

:>
:> Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
:> beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.
:>

Well, I think you know what to do, Jaime. Just do it. No one can help you
lose the fat...it all begins and ends with you. It can be done in a thousand
different ways, but the one key factor is consistency...without it you will
never make any progress.

"me" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Besides the obvious to do cardio I would like some advise on how to
lose over 200 pounds.

I am female, 5'3 and approximately 400 pounds and age 43.
I say 'approximate' because I cannot find a scale to weigh myself that
goes high enough but a scale I stepped on at Walmart put me at 390.
That was as high as the scale went.

I had a mild heart attack last year so I am desperate to get this
weight off once and for all and for good. I have some questions and
any other advise is welcome. Richard Simmons just isn't cutting it
for me anymore. ;-) Serious replies only, eh. I don't need any
ridicule regarding my size. I've had enough of that most of my life
since starting to put on weight at age 11 and I know I am big. I am
dead serious about wanting to lose this weight but want to be treated
with respect as well just as anyone else does. :-)

My questions are...

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

2. Where do I start with weights?

3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
Where can I improve this? Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)
I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom here)
so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a couple
of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should have daily.
400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram per pound rule
that I have read about here. The guy at GNC told me I can eat a LOT
of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me from being hungry.

I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good info
in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own brand of
supplements.

I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

Congrats on making the decision to make a big change in your life.

The most important thing is simply to change the calorie balance so that
you're taking in fewer calories than you're burning. I would seek the
advice of a doctor on what the calorie deficit should be - it may be
that, because of your size, you can (should?) cut more than the
usually-recommended 500 calories per day. Don't forget that the protein
recommendation here is per pound of lean body weight, not for total body
weight. I would eat "clean", as you've described, make yourself a
protein shake every day to get an extra 30-50 grams, and don't worry
about counting grams of protein other than that.

I would be very careful about taking on weight-bearing cardio such as
running or walking at your current size - the last thing you need is a
knee or hip injury. Swimming could be good for you, walking in the
water, water aerobics classes - all good. For weights, I'd ask at your
gym and start out with a simply circuit of whatever machines they have,
just to get yourself moving and burning a few extra calories. If you
don't have access to a gym, you might pick up some light dumbbells and
try some of the ideas on Krista's site.

The most important to keep in mind, IMHO, is this: the best program is
the one you stick with for the long haul. Don't burn yourself out in
the first few weeks or months, be sure you're making progress and doing
it in a way that you can live with. A lot of what's "best" for you
depends on you and your willingness to try different things, not just
follow whatever advice you get here or elsewhere.

Good luck.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

Roger Zoul said:

me <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> My questions are...
:>
:> 1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

Start small and build up, according to how your body feels. You can take
several short walks a day, gradually building up the length of each. Or you
can just walk once when it is most convenient for you. You need to be your
own judge, as we can't know what your body can stand in it's current
condition. But cardio of some form needs to be included....walking is
great, stationary bike is good too and may even be better for you than
walking. Long slow cardio sessions will eat up the calories...find a way to
get it done.

:>
:> 2. Where do I start with weights?
:>

Krista's site is a great start. Don't try to set any records, just work on
form and being consistent in your training.

:> 3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
:> in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
:> with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
:> starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
:> Where can I improve this?

Be consistent and don't overeat.

:> Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
:> can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)

It depends. Caffeine doesn't bother me...

:> I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

Do you feel you need to drink all of that water? Has it ever made a damn bit
of difference for you? People are going to give you differing opinions on
this, but the bottom line is guzzling water beyond what your thirst calls
for is basically useless. But you might as well do what you believe is
right.

:>
:> I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom
:> here) so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a
:> couple of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should
:> have daily. 400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram
:> per pound rule that I have read about here.

You don't need 400 g of protein per day. I'd suggest you shift your diet
over to fat and stay very LC...track calories...and don't deviate (ie, no
friggin carb-ups)....make sure you consistently undereat calories...learn to
live with a little hunger, too.

:> The guy at GNC told me
:> I can eat a LOT of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me
:> from being hungry.

Some hunger won't hurt you....

:>
:> I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good
:> info in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own
:> brand of supplements.
:>

You don't need to follow his diet if it doesn't work for you. If the
starches stimulate your appetite, then you need to cut them.

:> I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
:> advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Pick a routine from there - a 3X per week full body, and follow it
consistently into the long term.

:>
:> Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
:> beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.
:>

Well, I think you know what to do, Jaime. Just do it. No one can help you
lose the fat...it all begins and ends with you. It can be done in a thousand
different ways, but the one key factor is consistency...without it you will
never make any progress.

Just wanted to emphasize that it's worth being meticulous about tracking
your food intake. Use fitday.com or something similar, and measure your
food with cups and-or a scale. It seems to me that the key is getting
your food intake under control, and it's so easy to fool oneself about
how big portions are. As important as exercise is, no amount of cardio
or weight training will make up for a bad diet.

Also, if you find it helpful, get connected to a group of people who
will encourage you and keep you accountable.

Good luck!

me said:

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

Within reason, more is better. Don't jump up and go on a six hour bike ride
every day, don't do so much you get injured/annoyed/bored/depressed and
quit. But if you finish your regular workout and want to do another half
hour, then go ahead.

Quoted message said:

2. Where do I start with weights?

Krista's website that you're already reading is good; start light and get
the form right, work up. You'll have good leg strength from carrying around
your body already, which is a decent start.

Quoted message said:

3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
Where can I improve this? Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)
I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

The point isn't so much eating 'clean' as not eating so much. You could (and
people have) lose weight eating only McDonalds burgers. It'd be unhealthy,
but if you ate one Big Mac a day and nothing else, plus did a bit of
exercise, you'd lose weight - the big mac may not be 'clean' but it only has
so many calories.

So, try counting calories. Weigh _everything_ you eat, add up, don't forget
calories from drinks. Then keep the number down lower - set a target, don't
eat more than the target. You're not going to be miracle thin in a month, or
six months. It'll take a fair while to lose that much fat, but that's better
than never losing it and dying young, like you say.

I wouldn't want to give up caffeine or diet pepsi - no reason to do so, as
long as the coffee doesn't have a load of sugar or cream in it, neither have
any significant amount of calories. Caffeine will if anything will help you
lose weight.

Quoted message said:

I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom here)
so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a couple
of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should have daily.
400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram per pound rule
that I have read about here. The guy at GNC told me I can eat a LOT
of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me from being hungry.

It's supposed to be 1g/pound of lean body weight. You could get your body
fat tested if you wanted, but alternatively you could just guess at 150-200g
protein being about right; if you're not sure a bit more won't hurt. Bear in
mind the GNC guy really wants you to buy his stuff; I'd much rather eat a
grilled turkey steak with a bit of balsamic vinegar than some
vanilla-flavoured powder.

Quoted message said:

I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good info
in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own brand of
supplements.

Starches aren't necessarily wrong. They might not fill you up as much as
other things for the amount of calories you eat, but they won't magically
make you fat unless you eat too much of them. Regarding BFL own brand
supplements, well, the guy wants to make a profit, I wouldn't bother with
them.

Peter

I wish you luck in your goals, I'm sure it can be a challenge.

I would start off with as much cardio as you can manage. Brisk walks
or some cycling might be the best place for you to start! Since you're
already a mom, your kids can be great exercise. Get them outside and
play tag for an hour, be an active participant! This will also have
the bonus of influencing physical activity for your kid(s). I would do
any basic full-body weight routine to start off.

I find it pretty tedious counting calories, but I do keep a detailed
food journal since I can just write it down while at the table. I
started by cutting my serving of rice from 1 cup to 1/2 cup, simple
portion changes like that. I really do notice now that I can't eat as
much when I go to a restaurant or my mom's. Eventually you will notice
your hunger decreases, if it is uncontrollable grab a 1/2 cup of nuts,
or a piece of fruit. I try to have a small lunch/snack every 3 hours
until 7pm. I don't eat after 7. You don't want to cut out too much
too soon, or you will probably eat twice as much as before if you fall
off the wagon.

I can't offer any advice on protein powders, I've never used them. I
wouldn't eat 400g. a day though!

Best of luck!

If you had a heart attack, go see your doctor before undertaking any
fitness program!

Geezer From The Freezer <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> If you had a heart attack, go see your doctor before undertaking any
:> fitness program!

He cleared her for exercise...

me said:

Besides the obvious to do cardio I would like some advise on how to
lose over 200 pounds.

I am female, 5'3 and approximately 400 pounds and age 43.
I say 'approximate' because I cannot find a scale to weigh myself that
goes high enough but a scale I stepped on at Walmart put me at 390.
That was as high as the scale went.

I had a mild heart attack last year so I am desperate to get this
weight off once and for all and for good. I have some questions and
any other advise is welcome. Richard Simmons just isn't cutting it
for me anymore. ;-) Serious replies only, eh. I don't need any
ridicule regarding my size. I've had enough of that most of my life
since starting to put on weight at age 11 and I know I am big. I am
dead serious about wanting to lose this weight but want to be treated
with respect as well just as anyone else does. :-)

My questions are...

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

2. Where do I start with weights?

3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
Where can I improve this? Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)
I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom here)
so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a couple
of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should have daily.
400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram per pound rule
that I have read about here. The guy at GNC told me I can eat a LOT
of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me from being hungry.

I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good info
in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own brand of
supplements.

I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

J.

Anybody that comes here seriously seeking help gets it without riducule.
Gals like Lady Veteran get ridicule because she likes being that way, and
tries to justify it. I'm for one am glad you're here. You've been here
long enough to figure out mfw can be a rough place. But...that's why it's a
great place to be. We trash talk each other in one thread, then discuss
training in the next.

Everybody has given you sound advice and I agree with them. I will add
three points...

1.)
It will take years and years, so be patient and think long term.

I have always been athletic. But during the four years my marriage was
falling apart, I stopped all activity and just ate. I ended up at 260 at 5'
10". That was 3 1/2 years ago. I'm now 185. It took me two years to get
to where I was comfortable. It will take you longer. But it can be done.
Just think long term.

2.)
Be VERY careful with your cardio. As heavy as you currently are, you risk
damage to your knees and other joints. If you're going to walk, do in on a
rubberized running track at your local school, or on a treadmill that gives
you resiliency. I'd stay off the road or similar hard surface.

3.)
Muscle burns calories. Don't get so intent on doing cardio that you neglect
weight training. Cardio burns today's calories. Weight training is like
putting money in the bank, because it increases your metabolism and
increases your ability to burn calories. I'm sure you've seen heavy gals
that survive on a minimal diet and still don't lose weight. That's because
they have no lean body mass to burn what little they eat. Your LBM is your
body's furnace. Build it up.

And lastly, we're all glad you're here. I respect you for posting your
weight and condition in a ng filled with gym rats. That shows guts. People
like that get respect here. I hope you'll stick around.
--
-Larry

"me" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Besides the obvious to do cardio I would like some advise on how to
lose over 200 pounds.

I am female, 5'3 and approximately 400 pounds and age 43.
I say 'approximate' because I cannot find a scale to weigh myself that
goes high enough but a scale I stepped on at Walmart put me at 390.
That was as high as the scale went.

I had a mild heart attack last year so I am desperate to get this
weight off once and for all and for good. I have some questions and
any other advise is welcome. Richard Simmons just isn't cutting it
for me anymore. ;-) Serious replies only, eh. I don't need any
ridicule regarding my size. I've had enough of that most of my life
since starting to put on weight at age 11 and I know I am big. I am
dead serious about wanting to lose this weight but want to be treated
with respect as well just as anyone else does. :-)

My questions are...

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

2. Where do I start with weights?

3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
Where can I improve this? Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)
I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom here)
so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a couple
of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should have daily.
400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram per pound rule
that I have read about here. The guy at GNC told me I can eat a LOT
of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me from being hungry.

I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good info
in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own brand of
supplements.

I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

J.

I lost about 100 #'s, not from heart attack, but type-II diabetes (syndrome
X anyone). Getting sick saved my life! Old doctor Phil ain't got s%^t on
doctor death when it comes to altering one's life.
Everyone has given you good advice, let me just throw my $0.02 in:
A lifestyle change is just that, it never ends. I heard this, I thought
this, but I did not understand this until it happened to me. Education (for
me) was (is) a big part of the lifestyle change. The biggest problem is,
there are more weirdo's, wacko's dingbats, and jelloheads out there than you
can shake a stick at. BE CAREFUL. Fortunately for you, the folks here do
good job of hashing out the real from the BS, so ask away here. Remember,
there is no goal in a lifestyle change, no arrival, no "I made it!!," other
than living longer than you should ;-).
Don't try to rush everything at once. A wise man said, the best, the most
beneficial, the most life altering, the absolute healthiest exercise you can
ever do is the one that you WILL do--the rest is degrees. So, don't make it
an all or nothing. Try a lot of different exercises, find out what you
like.
Start walking, damn good for you. As the mood moves you, do more.
Resistance exercise is great, but you might not like it. You might not get
into it right now. That's okay. Try it, if it doesn't work for you, try
something else. Later come back and try it again.
As far as eating: If they did more than kill it, clean it, and package it,
try to avoid it. It shouldn't look too far removed from the way it did in
the wild. Wouldn't even worry about how much right now, stick to what.
Learn, grow, and good luck.
--
Dr. Dickie
Skepticult member in good standing #394-00596-438
Poking kooks with a pointy stick.
"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new
discoveries,
is not 'Eureka!' ('I found it!'😉, but rather 'hmm....that's funny...'"
- Isaac Asimov

You have received some very good advice already, but I will just add
something that has worked for me. Most of my carbs come from whole
grains. Things like Cheerios and whole grain bread will help to fill
your stomach so that you are not as hungry. Also, these carbs will
burn slower and give you more energy.

Also, I know that there is a lot of debate about how many meals you
should eat per day. I know that eating several small meals is popular
right now; however, I have found that just eating three well-planned
meals per day (including whole grains) has helped me to lose quite a
bit. Also, as mentioned above. Don't just go hungry. That is the
easiest way to boot yourself off the wagon. If you have to, pick up a
healthy snack (low-sugar fruits).

I have also learned how effective walking is for burning calories. I
would try to find a pace that you feel is comfortable at and yet you
still have to exert yourself pretty vigorously. I also am a big fan of
treadmills that include a calorie counter. It gives me a big boost of
confidence to see how many calories I have actually burned. These may
not be completely accurate, but they do give you a mental boost.

me said:

Besides the obvious to do cardio I would like some advise on how to
lose over 200 pounds.

Can I question your premise here for a moment? I'm not sure that "doing
cardio" is the obvious.

There are five steps to weight loss. The first one is to figure out why
you're fat. What were your payoffs? What worked for you about being
fat? I think you need to look those straight in the eye and be aware of
what you're giving up, otherwise it'll undermine you. Do you eat for
entertainment/mouth feel? Do you prefer to watch 6 hours of TV a day?
Do you hate planning meals and like to forage through malls? Do you eat
for comfort? I don't know what your issues are, but you ought to think
about them. A great book on this subject is "Fattitudes" by Willert.

Quoted message said:

I am female, 5'3 and approximately 400 pounds and age 43.
I say 'approximate' because I cannot find a scale to weigh myself that
goes high enough but a scale I stepped on at Walmart put me at 390.
That was as high as the scale went.

Oh well. Start from where you're at. I can't think of any better idea.

Quoted message said:

My questions are...

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

If I were you I'd work on getting SOME exercise in every day. That
might mean walking for 20 minutes right now. You'll build up to more
intense exercise as you go. Don't rush anything, work on making
sustainable life changes.

Quoted message said:

2. Where do I start with weights?

By moving them. Get close to something heavy and pick it up.
Seriously, read everything by Mistress Krista. BTW, the cutey-pie
little kid being bench-pressed in the 'workouts' section is mine. Work
with what you've got.

Quoted message said:

3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
Where can I improve this? Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)

My experience with my diet is that I thought I was eating great, but I
was just plain eating too much. Way too much. Read the Body for Life
book about portion sizes: those portions are small. Get yourself used
to eating small portion meals often and you'll find that small portions
start to be easier. After all, you're going to eat again in 3 hours so
don't worry if you can't stuff yourself.

My best tip is to always use really small plates. Bread plates for
breakfast stuff, luncheon plates at dinner. I measure cottage cheese
and my occasional ice cream into pyrex pudding cups.

Quoted message said:

I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

With visualization, maybe. I like to think of the fat being carried out
of cells into passing streams of fluids. Drink up! (Drink right now,
as you read this!)

Quoted message said:

I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom here)
so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a couple
of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should have daily.
400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram per pound rule
that I have read about here. The guy at GNC told me I can eat a LOT
of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me from being hungry.

Well, if the guy at GNC said so then it must be so...gack.

I'm not qualified to give you a protein prescription, but I find that my
own body works best when I have the macronutrients roughly in balance.
How do I know what is balanced? I log my foods at www.Fitday.com.

I think food logging is the single most powerful way to get a handle on
my food that was ever invented. Honesty over portions, self-examination
over why/where/when I ate, awareness of my macronutrients... it's all
there. I found that food logging allowed me to notice trends. For
example, if I don't have a hearty snack around 4 pm I am noshing all
through dinner prep. Another trend that emerged was how important
getting adequate sleep was. If I wasn't well-rested I was eating to
keep my energy up the next day.

Quoted message said:

I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good info
in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own brand of
supplements.

The EAS Myoplex Lite supplements ARE good. Fairly cheap if you order
them from www.vitaglo.com. I've been drinking the occasional shake for
a snack/meal for many years now. I also like balance bars, and of
course I'll prepare my own balanced snacks, too. The shakes are just a
crtuch, but a handy one.

Quoted message said:

I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

Eat less. Exercise more. Repeat. Forever.

I've lost over 80 pounds doing Body for Life. I find the 12 week
challenge with explicit, achievable goals is a good way to slice my life
into units of achievement. I've done 8 BFL challenges and have my
transformation pictures at
http://www.bodyforlife-tracker.com/searchprofile.cfm?id=10797

Oh, and that's the other thing: hang out with the body for life
challenge people at the guestbook at
http://www.bodyforlife.com/community/guestbook.asp. It's a really
supportive environment for people doing the whole radical transformation
gig. Big changes like mine are more the norm than the exception over there.

By the way, Body for Life doesn't work. It just sits there. You have
to do all the work.

Delenn

In article <[email hidden]>,

me said:

Besides the obvious to do cardio I would like some advise on how to
lose over 200 pounds.

Losing 20 or 200, It's all the same: Ultimately you have to burn more
calories than you consume. This will cause your body to start
burning stored energy (fat).

Quoted message said:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

I had a mild heart attack last year

*Ouch*

[snip]

Quoted message said:

My questions are...

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

As I understand it, it's difficult to do too much cardio.

Quoted message said:

2. Where do I start with weights?

When I started-in to health training back at the beginning of March,
after not having done any serious athletic training of any kind for
the last 12+ years, I started-out with settings on the weight
machines that allowed me to do a *very* easy dozen reps or so. Part
of getting into this is getting your body used to the motions. Then,
on every visit, I bumped each machine by 5-10 pounds each until I got
to the point where I was having to work at it a *bit*. I left them
at those settings for a week or so, *then* started pushing increasing
harder on each visit until I was really working at it. Slowly
ramping-up like that resulted in a relatively painless transition
from nearly complete slug into starting to get fit 🙂.

Quoted message said:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)

I haven't given up caffeine. But I've been drinking only about 20
oz. of coffee (Arabica - has about half the caffeine as super-market
coffee) for some time and soft-drinks of any kind very rarely
indeed.

Quoted message said:

I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

I simply keep fresh water near me at all times. When I'm thirsty: I
drink. I don't really keep track of how much I drink.

Quoted message said:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

Did your doctor give you any guidance on *how* *hard* you could work
out? Having suffered a mild heart-attack, I would think this
important. You might wish to invest in a heart rate monitor. You
don't need one of those hideously expensive ones that interface to
your computer and all. Something like the Polar M32 I have should
suffice.

--
Jim Seymour | "It is wrong always, everywhere and
WARNING: The "From:" address is a | for everyone to believe anything upon
spam trap. DON'T USE IT! Use: | insufficient evidence."
[email hidden] | - W. K. Clifford, ca. 1876

How about I just beat it out of you, mostly for asking such a f'ing
stupid question.

Quoted message said:

I am female, 5'3 and approximately 400 pounds and age 43.

Quoted message said:

I had a mild heart attack last year so I am desperate to get this
weight off once and for all and for good. I have some questions and
any other advise is welcome.
I am
dead serious about wanting to lose this weight but want to be treated
with respect as well just as anyone else does. :-)

First off have you tried something like weight watchers. You should be
able to lose fairly easily at your weight. You don't need to
complicate things yet. There is a support group on usenet - take a
look.

Talk to a doctor before you start exercising, especially if you have
heart problems. Also look on the net for exercises for people who are
obese. Lifting weights may not be a great idea for you until you've
lost some weight. Your joints are already stressed, lifting even more
weight may leave you with injuries.

Quoted message said:

1. How much and how often should I do cardio on a weekly basis?

Start off slowly.
Walking is good to begin with. Start off with walking 15 minutes at a
time and build up slowly.

Quoted message said:

2. Where do I start with weights?

Here the url for krista's site
http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html

Finding exercises that you can do might be quite difficult. Here's one
article I found from google, Its a start, but it's not very good.
http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/obese_strength.htm
I found that lifting was very effective at helping me lose weight.

Quoted message said:

3. Diet. I have been trying to eat *clean* for the last few weeks as
in eggs (usually whole eggs), fish of any kind (love fish), poultry
with or without skin, meats with or without fat, some fruit, little
starches and lots of veggies and olive oil.
Where can I improve this? Should I give up caffeine and my occasional
can of diet pepsi? (About 3-4 per week...down from several per day.)
I drank about 2 litres of water a day. Can I improve that?

That looks OK. Eat lots of protein. I personally wouldn't eat the skin
on the chicken, cos it's pointless calories.
Caffeine isn't a problem. Diet sodas are OK. Drink lots of water. If
nothing else the exercise running to the loo is good for you 🙂

Quoted message said:

I find it tough to cook and eat 5-6 meals a day (busy single mom here)
so I have been looking at protein powders at GNC to use for a couple
of meals. I am not sure exactly how much protein I should have daily.
400 grams a day seems like a lot if I go by the 1 gram per pound rule
that I have read about here. The guy at GNC told me I can eat a LOT
of protein with no ill effects and it will keep me from being hungry.

He's right. But you don't need to use GNC. Any cheap protein powder is
probably as good.

Quoted message said:

I have the Body For Life book and am reading it. It has some good info
in there but he seems to push a lot of starches and his own brand of
supplements.

forget the supplements. Except that you should take a multi vitamin
every day.

Quoted message said:

I am also currently looking at Krista's website but welcome all
advise. Thanks in advance. :-)

Take pictures now, and keep them. Also keep some big clothes. Both
will be a great incentive to keep going once you can see a difference.

Ray

Roger Zoul said:

Geezer From The Freezer <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> If you had a heart attack, go see your doctor before undertaking any
:> fitness program!

He cleared her for exercise...

I'm guessing Geezer missed where I posted that. :-)

me said:

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

You weigh FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS and your doctor is giving you this kind of
hands-off [censored] advice?

First thing I'd do is find another doctor.

The Queen of Cans and Jars said:

me said:

Oh yeah...the doc gave me the greenlight on starting exercise but
beyond that he wasn't a lot of help.

You weigh FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS and your doctor is giving you this kind
of hands-off [censored] advice?

First thing I'd do is find another doctor.

I was kind of thinking that myself.... :-/
--
-Larry

Larry Hodges said:

1.)
It will take years and years, so be patient and think long term.

I have always been athletic. But during the four years my marriage was
falling apart, I stopped all activity and just ate. I ended up at 260 at 5'
10". That was 3 1/2 years ago. I'm now 185. It took me two years to get
to where I was comfortable. It will take you longer. But it can be done.
Just think long term.

While I agree it will take time for you to reach your ideal weight and
that you should be doing this "for life" and not consider it as
something temporary (IOW expecting you'll get back to the diet/life
style you were living) "year and years" may sound a bit discouraging
at the beginning (IMHO).

So, let me just tell you that you WILL be noticing changes from month
to month and these changes alone will be all the positive drive you
need to keep on :-)

And after a while clean diet and regular exercise will just become
habitual to you, and therefore much easier and automatic.

If you really, really want it and you're willing to do what it takes,
make no mistake - you will succeed.

Regards,
Goran Tomas

------------------
"The only stupid question is the one which is never asked. For
enlightenment has been lost."

Goran Tomas said:

Larry Hodges said:

1.)
It will take years and years, so be patient and think long term.

I have always been athletic. But during the four years my marriage
was falling apart, I stopped all activity and just ate. I ended up
at 260 at 5' 10". That was 3 1/2 years ago. I'm now 185. It took
me two years to get to where I was comfortable. It will take you
longer. But it can be done. Just think long term.

While I agree it will take time for you to reach your ideal weight and
that you should be doing this "for life" and not consider it as
something temporary (IOW expecting you'll get back to the diet/life
style you were living) "year and years" may sound a bit discouraging
at the beginning (IMHO).

Well, let's see. Say she wants to be 150 lbs. That means she's got to drop
250 lbs. At 75 lbs per year of non-stop weight loss, that's 3.3 years.
Provided she doesn't have a relapse in those 3.3 years. I don't think 3.3
years is even realistic. That would require a non-stop average caloric
deficit of 5,000+ per week, non stop for 171 weeks.

I'm not cutting her down or trying to discourage her. But, I think a sober
assessment of what to expect is in order. I see more people give up because
they don't look like the Blowflex people in six weeks. Fact is, it took
years and years for her to reach 400 lbs. It will take years and years to
get the weight off.

Sorry if that fact isn't as "feel good" as you'd like. But...it is the
truth. Now, she can decide to pursue it or not. But at least she will know
what she's in for. I hope she makes it. I like her based on her guts to
post here. She could be posting in Lady Veteran's Fat Justification ng, but
she's here instead.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Regards,
Goran Tomas

--
-Larry