Back on the fitness wagon

[streck]

Good for you Popo! Don't just do all cardio to lose the weight though. It's critical to build muscle mass at the same time. The more of it the more efficient your body will burn the fat. If you going losing that kind of weight with out lifting, you're going to lose lots of muscle with it. It's a good cycle as oppossed to the vicious one. Guys with lots of muscle can eat anything they want. The muscle just burns it right up. So make sure to interject weightlifting into your routine as soon as possible. Keep it up..you can do it!~

Excellent advice.

The following is semantics, I know but it's important. Do not focus on just losing weight for sake of losing weight. You want to concentrate on losing fat.
A balance of nutrition, cardio, and resistance training will get you there. Since muscle weighs more than fat, as you lose fat and build muscle, your net weight loss will be less than if you ate only rabbit food and did heavy cardio.
Since it seems you do have a bit of fat to lose, you will see your weight drop quickly before plateauing. Don't focus so much on an end weight rather than an ending body fat percentage and a desired level of fitness.

[thopkins22]

Inspirational. I'm not going another day without changing at least one thing in the way I live my life.

For a feel good bump...fill a pack with the amount of weight you've lost and realize how awesome it feels to not lug it around anymore.

[Alaskapopo]

Been keeping up with the running but my will power has slipped on the diet and I am at 235. I need to kick it back in gear.
Pat

[Heidevolk]

I know it can be a hassle, but I've lost 12 pounds so far just counting calories.

I use myfitnesspal.com (free) and set a goal to lose 1lb/week and not go above the daily calorie goal. So far I've been losing about 2lbs/week and it actually hasn't been that hard. Haven't felt too hungry, and mostly just cut back on a lot of unconscious snacking and made healthier choices. Its sort of like a game with points, and they have mobile apps and everything, and a huge database with almost every food you can buy/imagine.

Definitely need to work out more too though for general health.

[rjacobs]

I know it can be a hassle, but I've lost 12 pounds so far just counting calories.

I use myfitnesspal.com (free) and set a goal to lose 1lb/week and not go above the daily calorie goal. So far I've been losing about 2lbs/week and it actually hasn't been that hard. Haven't felt too hungry, and mostly just cut back on a lot of unconscious snacking and made healthier choices. Its sort of like a game with points, and they have mobile apps and everything, and a huge database with almost every food you can buy/imagine.

Definitely need to work out more too though for general health.

This is generally the 1st thing I recommend to people when they ask me for help getting into better shape. It really opens up their eyes to what they are eating and how much. 3-4 months is generally enough time of tracking what you eat in order to change your eating habits, at least it was for me. I dont use it any more, but I still have it on my phone so I can look stuff up when I am on the road to attempt to make better decisions about what to eat at restaurants.

[dirt_diver]

How's the progress been lately, PoPo?
I just started back up at CrossFit with the wife and its been brutal.
Misery loves company lol.

[Alaskapopo]

How's the progress been lately, PoPo?
I just started back up at CrossFit with the wife and its been brutal.
Misery loves company lol.

Not so good. I am still running, but my diet has gone to crap. My fault I know I am back at 245.
Pat

[dirt_diver]

The diet aspect seems to be the whole ballgame, at least for me.
I can go kill it in the gym, but if I'm not paying attention to the quality and quantity of my diet I hold steady or gain.
Hang in there man!

[train of abuses]

Congrats on the progress so far! If your rotator cuff is still bothering you, then the next paragraph is out of the question. But if it is ok....

Do you have any legit (there are plenty of bs artists) boxing coaches in the area? If so, my suggestion would be to get into boxing. In my experience, it is just about the most efficient calorie burner there is. It is dynamic and distracting enough to not consciously realize how much you are exercising unlike with running and other things that are the same over and over. I have seen more people lose massive amounts of weight from training with a real boxing coach than just about anything else. Throwing several hundred punches in one session with 16 ounce gloves on will also build up a lot of muscle in places you probably don't normally exercise, too.

Another big advantage of getting into boxing is that it is so difficult to train your body and mind to do certain things like the fight or flight instinct, snapping instead of pushing punches, relaxing your body while punches are coming your way, etc, that you have a vested interest in continuing to improve unlike a mere calorie burner running regiment that is much easier to lose interest in and stop doing.

Based on my own experiences, short, explosive bursts are the way to go when it comes to building up HGH levels and burning fat. You can always supplement it with some sprints and some lifting on the big things like squats, deadlifts, pullups, etc. Of course, eliminating HGH fructose corn syrup in Cokes, fast food, only drinking water, and eating plenty of veggies to go along with your protein is also a big part, but I am sure you already knew that.

[train of abuses]

alaskapopopo,

How has your progress been lately? Hope you are still going strong and losing weight! I can relate a bit because I had a lot of health problems that prevented me from training for a while. I also have some weight myself I need to lose, but just got back to be able to go all out again and it feels great. The worst part for me is definitely trying to avoid eating crap like you said in your last update, ha ha.