Learn me losing weight...

wvumtnbkr said:

Tangent:

 

Best weight lifting / strength training exercises to do, at home, quickly, with minimal equipment?

 

I know, that is a lot of qualifiers!

 

I don't have room for much equipment.  I don't have a lot of time.  I want results as quickly as can safely be done.

 

Whatcha got?

 

Are sit ups and pushups really the answer here?  Maybe some lunges? 

I like dumbells over a bar personally. A set of adjustable dumbells takes up very little space, is more flexible than a bar, and promotes more balanced strength/muscle development as one side of your body can't compensate for the other. 

Also, I always gravitate towards squats and lunges if I can't do anything else. They're great exercises for muscle growth and developing useful strength. Pull-ups are cool. A bar easily fits in any doorway and they work some useful muscles, but I don't know the last time that I had to actually do one in my day to day life. I do a squat anytime I pick something up off the ground, get into/out of a seated position, etc.

Thanks y'all!

I won't be giving alcohol anytime soon unless I absolutely need to!

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

Congratulations on completely missing the point of that post.

And you're really reaching to make a mostly non-relevant point.

It's only ever a matter of time before the "a calorie isn't a calorie" guy shows up.

STM317 said:

Also, I always gravitate towards squats and lunges if I can't do anything else. They're great exercises for muscle growth and developing useful strength. Pull-ups are cool. A bar easily fits in any doorway and they work some useful muscles, but I don't know the last time that I had to actually do one in my day to day life. I do a squat anytime I pick something up off the ground, get into/out of a seated position, etc.

Yeah, most people rarely have a need for them day to day.  But the OP did say this:

wvumtnbkr said:

I would like to actually have a body that I wouldn't mind taking my shirt off at the beach.

And that means building at least some upper body muscle.  Plus, pullups also strengthen your core and your grip, which are used relatively frequently.

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

Here's what I've done.  Do whatever you want with what I write about my experience so far.  Background:  42 years old, 6'4", started around 190 pounds (my scale was old, fully mechanically, and said I was either 192 or 198 pounds.  I have since replaced it with a digital scale that reviewed well and it seems pretty accurate.) and I'm now down to about 172; I've been weighing myself once a week on Monday morning before I start my day. 

Mid-March I started having a look around my life and how things were going and I picked a few things to change.  I went from, uh, a number of drinks on the average each day to zero alcohol entirely.  I bought a new pair of running shoes and started running multiple times a week.  I had been going on jogs once a week or so but this time it got serious.  45 to 60 minute runs every other day or so depending on my energy, availability, and the weather.  I've kept pushing to improve and I'm running five days a week, sometimes six, and the runs are just under five miles to just over six depending on what I feel up to.  Last month I ran over 100 miles total and I should get to about 115 this month.  I'm not fast, at least i don't think my times are that great, but they're getting better and I feel a little less like death after them vs. where I was when I started.

I also do a basic workout most work days.  Working from home lets this happen; I'm trying to get to 100 pushups a day (not there yet), and I do 100 crunches, 100 squats, and 100 pulls against a resistance band in a curling motion while seated to try and work on my biceps.  I've never been very "top heavy" as far as strength goes and I like having this to work on and to help get me moving again after sitting at a computer for a few hours.  I break up that stuff across three sets, so it's a rotation between things with a few minutes breather between sets. 

As far as food, my meals aren't overly large, and not heavy on meat.  I would worry more about eating more meat and carbs than I need than I would about fruit or nuts.  I'm not a food scientist but am I really supposed to worry about the fat content in a pecan vs. roast beef? 

About a month ago I got a Garmin fitness watch, the Forerunner 45S, which I like quite a bit.  It says I'm going through 600 to 700 calories on my runs and it makes tracking in general pretty easy.  I'm glad I bought it. 

At some point I'll either need to get the calories up or slow down with running as I don't think I should be dipping much below 170 pounds.  I still have pretty thin arms and there's still a bit of softness around the beltline that I'd like to see leave but all in due time.  Since I got the watch and entering my weight in Garmin's app on my phone I've been losing a pound a week or a bit more the whole time I've had the watch. 

You might want to get a food, drink, and sleep tracking app just to see how much you're really taking in of all three.  Might be some smoking guns in there.  Alcohol will really not help you on this adventure either way.

I realize I am sounding like I'm not willing to put the work in...

I am.  However, I'm not looking to get a six pack or anything.  Just feel better and not have as large of a belly.

Today, I stayed under 2k calories and drank about 60 more oz of water than I normally do.

I actually feel really good already just from the water!  Who knew this stuff was good for you?

wvumtnbkr said:

Thanks y'all!

 

I won't be giving alcohol anytime soon unless I absolutely need to!

Well... killing a bottle of wine or a 6 pack of beer won't help your waist line.  Like everything - moderation. 

ProDarwin said:

STM317 said:

Also, I always gravitate towards squats and lunges if I can't do anything else. They're great exercises for muscle growth and developing useful strength. Pull-ups are cool. A bar easily fits in any doorway and they work some useful muscles, but I don't know the last time that I had to actually do one in my day to day life. I do a squat anytime I pick something up off the ground, get into/out of a seated position, etc.

Yeah, most people rarely have a need for them day to day.  But the OP did say this:

wvumtnbkr said:

I would like to actually have a body that I wouldn't mind taking my shirt off at the beach.

And that means building at least some upper body muscle.  Plus, pullups also strengthen your core and your grip, which are used relatively frequently.

Yeah, agreed. And if it's limited to at-home, body weight type exercises, the squat/pull-up/push-up routine you suggested is a great way to hit pretty much the whole body. I Just meant that if time is really limited and you have to prioritize something, it's always squats/lunges for me.

In reply to STM317 :

Agreed.

The ratio used in Crossfit and similar training works pretty well.   3:2:1 Squats:push:pull

For example,

'Cindy' is 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats, repeating

In 'Murph' in between mile runs you do 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats

I think I'm a lot closer to Cindy than murph....

I am just rolling off a year with Precision Nutirion coaching. Ask Me Anything..

25lbs down, lots of muscle added.. 1 pants size down

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/

Following a Keto diet and regular exercise would help you a lot. Usually, a Keto diet plan consists of meat, eggs, fruits, nuts and vegetable etc.  You can plan the diet according to your preference while preserving the key principle of Keto diet, " eat real low-carb foods "

From my observations, reinforced by reading this thread, the only way to lose real weight and get in shape is to make it your hobby. 
 

Only if your current hobby is eating poorly and being sedentary

Peabody said:

Only if your current hobby is eating poorly and being sedentary

What, you mean like having a job that has you at a desk most/all of the time, and not really analyzing everything you eat and drink to know the calorie / nutritional value?  It's so easy to consume foods and beverages that make weight loss difficult to impossible.  I think it's more difficult in America vs. Europe or most other parts of the world but that's perhaps left for another thread.  In any case, there's a lot of inputs into this equation, and how it works out is a bit different for everyone.  I wouldn't go casting too many snarky comments at anyone that's bothered to read this thread for everything that's been shared so far. 

Duke:  I think I would agree with that but it doesn't have to consume much time every day.  A fitness tracking watch and some kind of phone app to record what a person eats and drinks each day would, I think, go a long way to start.  I also think that activities that keeps a person's heart rate elevated for a real length of time every other day of the week at minimum, say 45 to 60 minutes, would help a lot.  Jogging an hour four days a week doesn't seem like a big time commitment to me but I know my life is waaaay more open for this kind of thing vs. a lot of folks.

I disagree that it needs to be your hobby.  You can log calories for a week or so and it will open your eyes to the nutritional value & calorie content of most of your foods, then go back to normal.  You do not need to do a significant amount of exercise to lose weight.

Losing weight and being in good physical condition is a way of life, a lifestyle.

A hobby is something we do in our spare time for enjoyment. I think I know what Duke was trying to say and I think it was a poor choice of words. I was trying to point that out.

If you're out of shape, or overweight you need a lifestyle change. Nothing short of that will result in long term success, and it needn't be complicated. In fact it's very simple as there is, mostly, excellent advice early in this thread.

Bob, I'm 40, 6'2" and hit an all-time high around christmsas at 212 lbs or so.  I was recovering from a back injury and exercise was out of the question (even walking was painful).  I dropped 10 lbs in the first month without too much effort.  I lighted up my restrictions and hit 195 the next month.  

I'd recommend micro-fasting, and common sense. I didn't eat anything after dinner (no snacks or beer) and delayed breakfast as long as I could (at minimum when I got to work).  I also limited my lunch to salad + protein whenever possible.  I heard a feature on NPR about a clinical study looking at the effects of fasting. The intermittent fasting seemed a bit extreme, but this study showed even 10-12 hours of fasting would have an impact on how your body uses energy.

No, I said exactly what I meant. 
 

You need to put the same amount of time, effort, and mental energy into it as you would into a hobby that was important to you.   You need to think about it every day and actively pursue it multiple times a week. 
 

I think the important thing is to eat real food.  That means staying away from processed stuff that comes in bags and boxes.  I like carbs, so I eat sandwiches with bread and pasta, just not tons of it.  I offset it with doing a bunch of exercise that burns stuff off.

Like I posted earlier I've basically weighed the same for the past 13 years, for me to drop below that would take a significant lifestyle change in both exercise and type/quantity of food I'm eating.  I'm not really willing to do that to drop another 5lbs...

This isn't really all that complicated, IMO.  I'm sorry I haven't had time to read the entire thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating things.

Weight management is simple common sense (barring medical complications).  If you eat a good balance of proteins, carbs and fats in the right moderation, you'll do great.  Combine that with good exercise, such as weight lifting, walking, running, etc...and you've got a recipe for being healthy.  I know that sounds like I'm over-simplifying it, but that's all it really boils down to.  It doesn't mean you can't ever have a beer or eat carbs.  I personally don't drink alcohol, so that's not a factor for me.  But as I've posted before, I eat "clean" most of the week.  My nutrition consists of things like protein shakes, greek yogurt, high fiber wraps, low fat lunch meats, lean cuts of meats, veggies.  But once a week, I have my cheat meal.  It usually consists of something like 3 slices of pizza and a E36 M3 load of french fries.  Or maybe it'll be chicken nuggets and fries, or giant grilled cheese sandwiches and fries.  My weekend also includes a Saturday evening snack of carbs, as well as a big ol' bowl of ice cream.  I am also a gym rat, going to the gym 4-5 days per week (though June has been a rough month for that).  I've been the same healthy weight for decades...though I've never been overweight anyway...and am very happy with it.  I have a decent amount of muscle, especially for someone my age. 

No need to overthink this.  Just eat right and exercise and magic will happen.

Klayfish said:

No need to overthink this.  Just eat right and exercise and magic will happen.

Zackly.

I don't know why people try to make it more complicated than it is.

I look at it like personal hygiene. It doesn't take any more time or mental effort, but you've been doing it all your life so you don't know any different. It's pretty simple, but think of the learning curve if you suddenly tried to learn it all at once in midlife.

The origin of the word diet is from the Greek diaita, meaning way of life. Something to think about.

wvumtnbkr said:

I am now 40 years old.  

 

I am 6 feet tall and weigh 220 lbs.

 

There are all these diets everywhere and people telling me that fruits and veggies are the way to go.  Some say the exact opposite.

 

I have always believed in simply eating less to lose weight.

 

That isn't working anymore. 

 

I do not eat sweets.  I do not eat fast food much (maybe 1 x per month).  I don't drink soda.

 

I do drink 2 x cups of coffee a day with cream and sugar.  I also have probably 3 alcoholic drinks per day (Guinness, or bourbon and ginger).

 

What have people done that works for them?

 

Is there some actual science that says fruits and veggies may NOT be the best? (Seems like the current fads and trends are trying to state this).

 

Thanks!

 

Rob R 

For bolded part above, you can check out some of https://carnivoremd.com/ podcast for some science and study's about fruits and veggies. 
 

I am not recommending a carnivore diet, nor have I tried it. But I am fascinated by it for some reason. 
 

I am in the calorie deficit camp, but also think that what you eat can give different responses person to person.  Some people great with keto some people not. Etc. 

Calorie counting is "hard" because it is time consuming and you have to pay attention to everything you eat. It also "easy" because it works really well and it gives you a lot of freedom because you can eat anything you want in moderation. 

Behavior change diets are "hard" because they limit your food choices severely and usually those food choices are the things you crave the most when your monkey brain takes over. They are also the things people use to celebrate and they try to give you constantly. Behavior change diets are "easy" because you just eat. No measuring, no looking up calories, no calculating how many calories each particular exercise burns. Behavior change diets also work very well. 

Pretty much every popular diet method out there works if you stick to it. Some may be healthier for you, but being leaner usually makes more difference to your health than how you get there. You just have to find something you can stick to. 

Keeping it off-that is a whole different conversation.

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

I'm 42, 215lbs, and I've lost probably 5lbs in the last couple months.  It doesn't sound like a lot, but I've lost much more fat and put on a ton of muscle. This isn't my first go round on getting into shape. And that is the first thing you need to decide... Are you trying to get into shape or just lose weight?

There is a simple formula for either:

Good eating + exercise + sleep = better health

That's it.  That's the magic pill. 

Everyone is going to have opinions on what is best.  Generally low carb, lean meats, low sugar (includes fruits), and limit diary is a good start. Keto, paleo, generic fad diet all have some form of these tenants.  I try and stay more to the paleo side because it works for me, but I have kids so I'm not perfect.

Exercise is about intensity and consistency.  I lift weights and do the HIIT stuff, but if your thing is running, or basketball, or whatever... that will work as long as you are consistent and have enough physical intensity.

Sleep is important, but I can't offer advice here... I'm a terrible sleeper.

Good luck if you need someone to help look at diet or talk through anything hit me up.  I'm not an expert but I've lost 40lbs the first time down this road and now I'm able to focus on my goals rather than just "losing weight".