In reply to szeis4cookie:
No real changes in the bike other than having the rear brakes changed out a few weeks back. As far as I can tell the bike is the right size for me- I've been riding it for the last decade and a half so I'm pretty confident about its setup. I've ridden in the same gears for a while now- typically spend most of my time in the highest gear ratio.
6/26/17 weight: 198.2 lbs
Goal: 180 lbs
To Go: 18.2 lbs
So, lost a slight bit of ground last week- but honestly, I'm fairly pleased that it was only on the order of half a pound. Between being unable to commute on my bike most of the week due to my knee acting up, having a day of way fancier/richer food than usual due to a work visit by some higher-ups, and basically intentionally eating more sweet stuff over the weekend a half-pound rebound is more than acceptable.
The weekend of eating more sweets than usual (or rather, closer to what I used to eat) was not completely random- it was a final blowout of enjoying sweets before I had decided to cut out sweets/sugar as entirely as possible from how on. I'm not going to be super anal about it- for example the peanut butter I have now that I put on my morning English muffin has sugar in it and I'm planning on finishing the jar, but replacing it with lower-or-no-sugar PB when it's done- but am going to actively avoid sweets, especially dessert-type ones and stick to just fruit for desserts.
I was showing 205 this morning (woohoo!) huge jump since last week, but I did go on a 5 day fishing/canoe/camp trip. We ate like Kings (the fish we caught), but I'm sure the week of paddling and humping canoes over portages helped.
Just dropping in to encourage you guys. You each have different motivations, and different approaches, but you're all seeing improvement over time, and most importantly, sticking with the routine even through tough times. You're earning your successes every day. Keep pushing.
Also, based on some of the posts here, I think it's important to point out that short intense training burns tons more fat than extended training like distance running. Everybody is different, so you have to figure out what works for you, and fits into your life. I've found that I'm much more likely to do intense intervals of activity since it's more enjoyable for me, and takes far less time to complete so it fits my schedule much better.
I'm working up to the 'short intense training' 
Gained 2 pounds over the weekend, but this was a team trip with buffet meals. I did keep portions smaller, only one trip through (except that 2nd trip to the salad bar during lunch!) I think this is going to be a good week. 37 days until my first milestone (complete a 5K) and 22 pounds to go. It's good that I'm back in more serious mode.
7/2/17 Weight: 196 lbs.
Goal Weight: 180 lbs.
To Go: 16 lbs.
First real, appreciable progress- almost certainly the result of my 'no sweets' policy since the beginning of last week. Have stuck to that in spite of the massive temptation not to, and plan to for at least a few more weeks. Only sweet stuff I've had are fresh fruits, the gummy multivitamins I take each evening, and the fruit-flavored Kefir I drink to counter my lactose intolerance (I tried once a long time ago to drink unflavored, plain Kefir- will not be making that mistake again...). Ironically, I haven't eaten the best otherwise- and unfortunately won't likely be able to for another week after all the crap with the show is finished and life gets back to something resembling normal for me. But over 2 lbs. drop with no additional exercise is a good start.
Props to you! I got halfway to my first milestone (15/30 pounds) but gained 1 1/2 back.
Sticking with "no soda" and minimal sweets. But, diet-wise, the main thing for me is portion control. I used to get a serving that looked good to me, then would finish it even if full. I'm learning to actually "feel" full & stop eating, or take less to begin with. Dropping the "calories in" is an important step, but I'm not starving myself, or cutting any food out entirely. Drinks... yeah. As I said, no soda, and I'm keeping juices to a minimum whereas before I would tank up on them.
I got a cheap badminton set for the younger kids to start practicing on (and to free up the rackets for us "big people" - our 17, 14, 11 year olds are faster than me. And they're working on accuracy!) The 6 and 3 year olds are still learning to track the birdie & hit it, but I bet by the end of the month, they will be able to play on the big court.
In reply to GSmith:
Yeah... when I worked with a personal trainer after my divorce a lifetime ago one of the first things they said when looking at what I ate/drank was to lose the fruit juices except on rare occasions- that though most people considered them healthier drinks than soft drinks they often had every bit as much sugar in them...
Picked up a Bowflex through a local yard sale site. I had to move some ceiling tile in the basement due to its height, but made it fit... Seems like something I can use, and nothing depreciates like used exercise equipment!
GSmith wrote: and nothing depreciates like used exercise equipment!
In any month other than January no less!
Down just over 15 pounds from start, 15 to go to get to my milestone goal weight for 8/9.
7/10/17 Weight: 192.8 lbs
Goal: 180 lbs
To Go: 12.8 lbs
After the second week of avoiding all the sweets that I could, another solid drop in weight- the average over the last two weeks has been 3 lbs. dropped per week. Last week was interesting for the fact that I because of my schedule working on SWMBO's show I was not able to ride the bicycle at all. Granted, I got a good bit of exercise in as part of working on the show- Friday and Saturday I got in over 11,000 steps over the course of the day for example. This week should be more back to normal (though I didn't ride today as I have errands to run over lunch), so hopefully the pounds will continue to come off with avoiding sweets.
SWMBO has been wondering how long I'm going to keep up the sweets embargo, and I've not decided yet. If the weight keeps coming off at the rate that it has the last few weeks, I'll be down to the goal I set in about a month, so I may just keep it up until then. It's gotten easier to do over the last week or so- the last two nights I actually didn't have any dessert at all (though admittedly my eating over those two days was very off-schedule to start, with only really getting two meals each day).
Sugar is just another addiction!
/Endprobablytruebutstillmostlyconsideredtinfoilhatbysocietyatlarge exclamation
I'm down to 203 (fully clothed, I did rip off all my clothes and was just barely not under 200). But all my other listed weights have been wearing clothes so I'll try to stay consistent.
I haven't tried cutting sweets altogether, but I eat very little to begin with (my much bigger vice is savory starch).
A couple years ago I broke the 200lb mark. I decided I needed to change somethings to not let that be a constant part of my life. I thought 180lbs would be a good spot for my 6'-1" medium build frame. I'm now around 172lb.
So here are a few of the things that I've implemented that helped me:
Use smaller plates. Really. There have been studies that show people take less when there's less real estate.
Wait 20 minutes before taking seconds. Now this doesn't always work for me, but it is an attempt to let your stomach realize it's full before jamming more food into it. Also the concept of smaller meal sizes with more meals spread out during the day works into this. Just another piece of the pie. Speaking of pie...
Drop sugar like the bad habit it is. This is not to say I don't eat desserts, because I do. (I treat them like an actual treat. A once a while delight.) But what I did do is drop sugar out of the things that don't need sugar. Like yogurt. It's supposes to be a healthy food but some of the ones with fruit mixed in already have most of your sugar in there for the day. Sugar 101 from the American Heart Association. I stopped soda all together, and the difference between soda and juice is the carbonation. Juice is out! The American Academy of Pediatrics recently said that juice has no nutritional value for children under the age of 1, but think they are just copping out to the juice people as I would say juice has no nutritional value greater than the negative value. You want some orange juice, eat an orange. Fiber has a lot to do with health digestion of sugars. Low fat food is usually filled up with sugars to make up for the lack of tasty fats. Watch for those.
Then it's more of the old "do more, eat less". It helps to chase after a toddler and a crawling infant, but when those aren't readily available, try some of those pushup that others are talking about.
Go lighter on meats. I've tried to dial back my meat portions. 4 ounces of red meat isn't a lot compared to what is served at restaurants or what I see everyone plopping on the grill. But I try to stay to 4 oz or less, or even drop meat from a weekly meal. Beans and mushrooms can help 'meat-up' meals.
Just say "NO" to Package/Prepared food. Spend the money on buying the actual ingredients, you will get more food out of it and a healthier meal. This goes along with getting less preservatives. We switched from bread isle bread to the bakery isle bread. It taste way better, but doesn't have the shelf life. Also, if you're going to go out to eat, a restaurant that has more of a home cooked feel is usually better, sometimes this translate into fancier places but that's not always true. The taco truck that cooks the meat and veggies in the truck is probably a pretty decent choice if you stick to healthy toppings.
Again these helped me and might not work for others. Check with your doctor and all of that. I'm not a dietitian, but an engineer so maybe just disregard this whole post! 
In reply to RossD:
Good advice! You'll end up never missing soda or juice once you havent had it for awhile.
The only place I "miss" soda at this point is at the movies, with popcorn.
and that's pretty much mindless eating I don't need anyway.
Well, I'm joining in too. I got on the scale for the first time (that I remember at least) in 8 months or so since I move out on my own, and I am consequently at the heaviest I've been and my stomach shows it.
Need to pick up a scale so I can keep track of progress at my house, but to start I am really trying to:
-Cut soda. (Which was just for the caffeine more than enjoyment 75% of the time.)
-Eat out less, pack lunch more.
-Eat healthier foods.
-Portion control.
Weighed in a 240lbs, the goal is 200lbs. Possibly even doing the 5k with GSmith, but I don't know about the whole running (jogging) thing.
I doubt I will run, and may not jog too much. ;) Just finish.
Sitting is not a help - your last job involved a lot less driving and a lot more moving around and physical activity.
GSmith wrote: I doubt I will run, and may not jog too much. ;) Just finish.
Well I could probably join you for that. ;)
GSmith wrote: Sitting is not a help - your last job involved a lot less driving and a lot more moving around and physical activity.
Oh I know... :/
sigh
7/17/17 weight: 194.2 lbs.
Goal: 180 lbs.
To Go: 14.2 lbs.
Delta: 1.4 lb. gain
Well, that's pretty damn frustrating. After a third week of essentially no sweets (had a Reeses cup yesterday because SWMBO really wanted them, and had some syrup on a waffle as part of dinner Friday) and riding my bike most of last week actually gaining a pound an a half is pretty annoying. I would have expected that to have been more likely the previous week since I wasn't riding at all.
I suppose I can't have it go perfectly every week though, and I just have to keep at it. The weather looks like it will be conducive to riding most of this week so that's good, and since it's not Burger Week will hopefully not be eating out as much as we did last week.
You may be adding muscle. Not a bad thing.
I broke 20 pounds lost this weekend. After being flat for about a week - no gain, no loss - this was Really Good! Trying to drop 10 more by 8/9... that's 3 pounds a week. Hoping to just keep momentum.
I find my momentum carries me about a week.
If I'm great week 1, I don't see the results until week 3.
Unless my brother and law and I get after a case of beer. Can see the results of that next day usually.
I haven't weighed myself for a couple days, but put on an older leather belt this morning. I am 3 holes tighter!!
Even if the weight isn't tracking where I want it (I'll find out for sure tomorrow) this is a huge boost in confidence that what I am doing is working.
7/24/17 Weight: 193 lbs.
Goal: 180 lbs.
To Go: 13 lbs.
So, some very minor progress- but at least it wasn't backsliding like last week.
It was a somewhat frustrating week for other reasons with SWMBO griping about my avoiding sugars and having to concede a bit to keep the peace (not that a 40-calorie popsicle every few days will likely impact that much) though I was able to ride pretty consistently over the course of the week at least. SWMBO did concede that we have been eating out a bit more than we likely should be and are going to be cutting back on that going forward which should help things. I really need to start trying to add in resistance training where I can- it's unfortunately difficult to find time to get to the actual gym, so I need to start finding ways to build in doing it into my daily routine (besides the pull-ups I do before bed most nights).
Down 23.6 from the start. 6.4 pounds to go to first target (16 days out).
My amazing wife has been trying to lose from well before me, and is generally unhappy for a number of reasons: - ! keep talking about my progress - I am making a point to stop eating or take less food and she is taking that personally. I love her how she is (and I would love her no more or less if she loses weight), but I think this is reinforcing some insecurity on her part. Maybe I'm mistaken. But I want her support and want to be a support for her as well.
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