Earlier this summer I decided to get serious and lose weight. So far, I've been averaging about 1.5 pounds per week. I've lost about 15 pounds, and have a ways to go to my "ideal" weight.
So how did you arrive at a number?
The reason why I'm even bringing this up is not some miracle diet, or exercise (yeesh!), but I had to make some
changes in my head to get this to work. I'll list some of them below.
* Expectations
The government figures say, that for a 6'2" man, the maximum healthy weight is 165 pounds. Give me a f***ing break!
Anyway! That's absurd... I'm about 6'2" also (used to be somewhat taller, but I do believe my spine has compressed over the years) and am about 220. No, that was 216 the last time I was at the doctor's office, which is down 4 lbs over some period of time or other. I wouldn't mind losing some of this beer gut, but other than that am in no particular hurry to end up skinny -- I was always the skinny kid to start with, and suffered what skinny kids usually do, didn't start putting it on until I was out of NYC (I guess that was a healthy move? :-) and since then.
I was a trim 235 pounds in college. You don't get from 235 to 165 without sacrificing some muscle and bone!
Sounds unhealthy to me.
I resented the idea that I should try to match an unattainable ideal. I also resented the implication that there was something wrong with being bigger (not fatter) than average.
I've believed for a long time that those charts are bogus.
The thought that finally crystallized in my mind is that I should not let other peoples expectations - and my anger about them - interfere in my doing what's best for me. I'll lose weight because it will help me, not because I want to conform. Once I had this insight, everything else fell into place.
Yeah. I'll figure it out too, but not go by those silly charts, or what somebody else's expectations are.
I grumbled something about the length of time it will take to take it off slowly - his suggeston - and he reminded me that it will be coming off much faster than it went on. Fair enough.
I see the *MAJOR* ad gimmick for any weight loss plan, diet, product, or whatever all seem to focus on that aspect, and that bothers me. What's the hurry? I can't believe it's healthy, either.
* Eat to the point of satisfaction not eating to be full.
I like being full. What I need to do is stop eating to feel stuffed. Which is relatively easier than it used to be, because I refuse to go for comfort and continually buy larger sizes in stuff. :-) I figured if that signal doesn't tell me something then I need to pay closer attention.
Bad enough I have a bunch of stuff that used to fit me that doesn't fit me any more.
But yeah, I can see thinking real hard about _how much_ you're eating, and trying to make it a process of eating somewhat less, over time. And making it a habit. Some time back, we went to a get-together that a friend was having, and I saw a guy there who I almost didn't recognize. He'd been a little husky before, but now he was *huge*. And he sat down on one of those "resin" (call 'em plastic, cuz they are!) chairs, and the damn thing collapsed under him. And two or three of us had to help him up.
I *surely* don't want to go there!
* Getting a grip on portion size.
Have you noticed how it keeps getting bigger? "Super size that?" No, and no I don't want the combo either, for that matter. "A soda" used to be mostly a 12 ounch bottle or can, except for those little bitty coke bottles, and then it went to 16 ounces, and now it's 20 apparently. And I've seen young dudes walking around with quarts or even gallons of heavily sweetened iced tea...!
I had some issues with semmantics. I discovered very quickly that a reasonable portion for a lot of things is much smaller than I thought. Ok, I can live with that.
It _is_ an adjustment, though.
What I had a problem with is that the 'serverings' that make up portions are often doll sized. Who are they trying to kid?
The same people they're trying to kid with those stupid "ideal weight" charts...
Is half a slice of bread really a serving???
Not as far as I'm concerned. Hell, a couple of slices, at least _buttered_ (none of that "margarine crap" for me!), better yet get it fresh and unsliced, and I'll cut myself a slab...
Finally I realized I should stop trying to argue for larger servings and just concentrate on the portion size.
Huh?
* Don't eat to relieve stress.
I've changed jobs within the department, and have much, much less stress. This has made it easier for me to not snack to sooth an upset stomach. I wish I could say that I solved this problem as a matter of sheer force of will, but I really had to reduce the stress to fix this.
That's a tough one. I used to snack at my desk, on break, and have something along with whatever I'd brought for lunch, too. Not any more.
* Exercise
I am not a fan of exercise for exercise sake. Some are. Good for them! I'd rather exercise as a means of doing something.
Yeah, me too. We've moved all of our own stuff, every time we've moved, I work on my own vehicles mostly, Built things. Stuff like that. The muscles that get good are the ones that get USED!
The other thing is that tend to like upper-body sports: archery, rowing, shot put, discus. I spent a season on a cross country team in high school, and it was pure hell. I finished the season because I refused to quit, not because I was enjoying myself. (On the upside, I did improve my times quite a bit.)
Never was into sports, probably the skinny kid thing, though I did used to play basketball. Up until that period when I put on a whole lot of height in one year, grew something close to a foot in not much more than a year, and that messed up my game.
I've started walking in the woods when I'm home, and using the tread mill at they gym when I'm at work.
Walking works well for me, only time I've ever been on a treadmill was for a cardio stress test (I guess I musta passed. :-). Woods are nice, I want some right on my own property, though, rather than having to get in a car and drive to get to some.
I will not jog, thankyouverymuch!
Me neither. The ones that get me are the ones that I've seen going by when it's all hot and humid around here, those people are nuts! I'm sitting there doing *nothing* and sweating buckets...
I've also added some weight training to regain some muscle mass. I figure more muscle
will burn more calories, and that will get me to my goal sooner.
Sounds workable to me.
Summary: eat less, move more, be happy.
Healthy, too. (I'm hoping!)
