2012 is the year of change - from 330 to 220
 

Hey there -- I've been following for a while, and finally in the right mindset to fully commit to a full on lifestyle change for 2012. I've tried this several times before, but kept getting off track, and regained any weight... this year is different! This isn't a New Years resolution, its something thats been a long time coming!

I spent the past several years in school, working long hours, but have realized that in 2012, there are no excuses to get in my way -- its the year where i'm going to focus on losing the weight i've had all my life.

I'm in my late 20's and about 330lbs -- I'm pretty tall, but need to get down to around 220lbs to be considered healthy again.

I've been on and off over the last year been exercising more and eating (a bit) better, but I'm going to ramp this all up in 2012. I find when I give myself an agressive goal, I do a lot better, so I've planned a bit of a personal roadmap for the year.

I know that there will be challenges along the way, and it may not always work out to plan, but I feel better having a starting point to guide me.

Weight Goal:
Starting Weight: ~330 (figure i'll be at that for Jan 1)
Goal Weight: 220
Target Monthly Weightloss: 10lbs

Exercise Goal
- complete 1 hour of exercise minimum 2x/week, ongoing (gym, bike, jog, etc)
- climb local mountain minimum 2x by November 2012

Food Goals - I set this, as I eat out a fair bit. Need to cook at home more.
- eat 3,000 calories/day (need 4200 to maintain)
- eat breakfast at home minimum 6x/week
- eat lunch at work minimum 3x/week
- eat dinner at home minimum 4x/week

Misc Goals:
- sign up for (a better) gym membership by Jan 15, 2012
- sign up for personal trainer 1x week by March 20 2012
- able to run 4km (2.5 miles) without stopping by Aug 31, 2012
- post minimum 1x/week on FitDay forum, ongoing (keep me focused!)

I'm open to any advice or guidance -- As you see by my last goal, I'll post on this thread once a week for an update. This community is a powerful tool, and the people on here are great at providing support!

Congratulations on your recommitment, thinkdavis! I see you've been around quite a while. The site continues to grow and there will be even more support and encouragement forthcoming. Keep us posted on your progress, and best wishes!


Since you plan on updating, hope you don't mind that I've moved this thread to the Men's forum. :)

Welcome back. 110 pounds is a lot to lose in 1 year but it can be done. There are people here that have done it. That goal probably won't leave much room for error, so you'll have to focus and be extremely driven.

If you have any questions just ask!

Thanks! I know its a lot, but I figure why not aim high? When I break it down, its 10lbs per month, and for a guy my size, it sounds like it is dooable (though it will still be challenging).... even if i end up hitting half of that in the end, its still significant!

I know they moved this to the guy's section but I wanted to wish you well in your journey. I look forward to seeing your success stories along the way. Make sure even if you don't want to post them that you take some before...during...and then after pics! You won't believe the differences you will see.

100 lbs. off in a year (or less) is certainly doable. I personally suspect you may have to taper that 3K cals a day down a bit, though (eventually, if not right off the bat). Keep us posted!

Regards,
Michael

Thanks for the confidence.

I figure with 4200 calories to maintain my weight, eating 3,000 and working out 3 times/week should allow me to lose 2-3 pounds/week.

In the past 10 days, I started at 337, now at 333 -- small change, but its a start. Hope to keep up this pace.

So its a New Year, and while my weight loss journey didn't/doesn't begin on Jan 1, it seems like a good day to post an update.

Been exercising a lot, eating better, and cooking at home the past couple of weeks, and its (slowly) making a difference. My weight as of this AM, is 333lbs.

With my goal of 10lbs/month, I hope to be 323 by Jan 31st.

I also ended up buying an xBox Kinect over Boxing Day, and bought the Biggest Loser video game, for the days I can't get to the gym or its raining out.

I look forward to hearing about your progress. I started eating better and excercising in mid December. I too would like to loose about 10lbs a month, and I'm also starting the year around 330, although you are 4 inches taller than me. Keep up the good work. I'm gonig to do my best to do the same.

Thanks! I read your post, looks like you're off to a good start already -- keep checking back, as im going to post every week or so. Fighting to lose the first 10

Well its been a week since my last update -- and unfortunately not much good news. I've stayed at 333 (same as before), and the needle hasn't moved.

BUT... I've realized why. Me, being stupid, was reading the wrong stat -- I kept reading calorie deficit, so always tried to stay at that number (and did, more or less). The problem is, I should have been reading NET CALORIES. Even after working out hard, I wasn't eating enough (though i wasn't hungry), so I think that stalled any weight loss.

Good thing I learned this early on into the journey, than 3 months away -- hopefully next weekend I'll have some actual weight loss to report

But on the good news, the last week i've managed to eat at home much more, make real food, and when eating out for lunch, make better choices. So far so good on that front!

I'm having a little trouble following. If I understand correctly, your hypothesis for why you're not losing is that you've "only" been eating 3,000 calories and that if you eat more, you'll begin losing again?

Regards,
Michael

Yeah that's basically right :D

I was looking at the past week, and some days when I'd go for a jog, gym, etc, I'd be -1600 Net Calories. While I'd be at my 3,000 daily, I wasn't taking into account that I burned a bunch of calories too. I think I was undereating

So I'm trying to get my NET calories at -1000/day, rather than necessarily be under my 3,000 calorie limit. (for those days when I exercise)

So an update this week -- ended up having the flu for the better part of the week, which sucked... But the weigh in today puts me at 326.6... The flu helped on that, as I wasn't eating and keeping food down, but that's where I'm at.

I also picked up Biggest Loser game -- I'm going to try that and see how it works for getting active in the home.

My goal was to be at 323 by the end of this month. 10 days left, and 3 pounds to go!

Sorry to hear about the flu, but glad to see some pounds gone. Can't help but observe that (eating/digesting less calories due to illness = weight loss).

Hope you make your goal!

Regards,
Michael

So I ended up dropping off this for the past month -- with the flu, it threw me off course, and then work exploded -- both pathetic excuses, I know. But onward and forward.

I have realized that I need to get a better grasp on a work/life balance -- when work gets crazy, I tend to work long hours, then come home and do nothing, instead of going outside. I'm working on turning this around, and dealing with stress by going for a jog/walk/gym instead... it feels better by the end of it all.

I'm now at about 326, so I'm off from my target (d'oh), and hoping to land at the 323 mark by the end of February (the weight I wanted to finish Jan at).

I can relate to the work/life balance thing. I had a crazy Jan. with work, and my eating and excercise went way down hill. Spent most of Feb. feeling bad about it, just now getting my head on straight again. The extra work was all voluntary OT, it was nice to have the additional money but I need to keep my health a top priority.

I somehow fell off the face of fitday for the past couple of months -- ended up buying a house, moving, etc, and work, all got in the way.

The good news is, now that I'm settled, I've recommitted to getting fit. I finally did what I've been putting off for so long too, and thats hire a personal trainer. I'm locked in for 10 weeks (as a start), and have already had my first session. My goal here is to not only have the ongoing accountability/motivation, but to also really learn how to exercise on my own.

The good news for all of this, is while my last post was late January, I'm down about 5 more pounds since then, to 323lbs. I have a long way to go, but excited to move forward.

Glad to see you back, and on track! Veering off from time to time is to be expected as life comes at us, it is doing what we need to do to get back on course that is important. Keep doing what you're doing and let us know how it goes.

Regards,
Michael

As an update, I'm now at 318.5 -- down 14.5 since January. Most of that has been the last couple of months. Getting a personal trainer has been great, not only am I learning what I should be focusing my energy on in the gym, but it also holds me accountable to actually work out on a regular basis... eating better too.

It took a few weeks to even see a change after starting to work out, but noticed my clothings starting to feel a bit looser -- finally the scale caught up with what I've been doing.

With the weather getting a lot nicer, I'm planning on getting outside more bike riding, long walks, etc, on top of just hitting the gym.

That's great, keep it up!!! :D

Regards,
Michael

I've now had a personal trainer for a month, and really been more active lately... looks like in the 5 weeks I lost around 8 pounds, which i'm pretty happy about, but know I can do more if I focus harder.

I'm going on a holiday in July, so my goal right now is to get down to 299 before doing it -- I now have about 18 lbs to go in 8 weeks, so it seems dooable, just need to remain dedicated. I'm hoping to smash that goal and go beyond it too... time to crank it up!

Eight pounds in five weeks is great progress. Good luck on your journey to your target in July.

I had a weigh in with my trainer the other day and am now around 310 lbs, which means I've lost around 23 pounds to date this year (mostly in the last 3 months) -- I'm pretty happy thus far, but still have a fair bit to go (about 90 pounds).

I'm slowly noticing clothing is fitting better, and I'm getting more capable of making it through an hour long weight lifting session without dying (yay). Of course, as I do better, my trainer makes it harder, d'oh!

Eat Less - Move More
 

Well Everyone

Just in case anyone is wondering (and looking in at this site), like I did nearly two months ago, IT WORKS. Although there were ups and downs in the last two months, overall I'm down nearly a stone.

I've started running 10K once a week on a treadmill, and although hard at the start, it does get easier.


My two top tips:

1) Record everything you eat in Fitday......it makes you think and programmes you over time to make more sensible choices in the main.

2) Never miss the "Once a week" gym/runs, as although I didn't want to go a lot of the times, you always feel better at the end of it.

Start Weight: 188.5 lbs
Current Weight 175 lbs

Current Weight Loss 13.5 lbs

Goal Weight 160 / Mid August

So another update -- been getting more active, taking longer walks more frequently, and getting my ass killed at the gym by my trainer, and it seems to be working. I'm now at 306lbs as of this morning.

I've gotten to this point a few years ago, but this is where it always fizzled out -- for the first time in years, I know i can get past this and exit the 300 mark for good. I don't think I've been under 300 in more than 10 years, so its a big milestone for me!

For anyone who wants to lose a lot of weight, invest the money into a trainer -- its not only ongoing accountability, but he/she will push you past what you think you can do. In the past 10 weeks, I've lost 17 pounds already... more than I would have on my own, and I've learned how to work out on my own in a focused way.

People are also starting to notice the weight loss and I need to go buy some smaller clothing as they're now too big. I find that I'm also doing much better at the gym, and notice that I'm much more stable (not falling over), able to do the routine without too much struggle, and able to last an hour without running out of energy.

I'm hoping by the end of July, at the latest, I'll be in the 290s!

Six pounds away from the "two hundred club"! You'll be there before you know it. What a great summer it's going to be for you--keep it up.

Regards,
Michael

I thought i'd post an update today about my progress. For the past couple of weeks I think I've hit a bit of a plateau for weight loss (as well, my diet has been slightly off course more than normal). I'm working on bringing this back in line, and lose more weight.

My goal now is to get to 299 for the end of July -- Im around 306-8 right now, so I think its dooable. I've also got a trip coming up, that probably will result in a whole lot of walking.

The good news is, is I'm also seeing more and more changes in my body, and have been wearing smaller clothing. I'm about to donate a bunch of old shirts and pants that are too big now. While I hate seeing the $$ out the door, its a good feeling to know I won't ever need clothing that big again :D

I'm also now about 12 weeks into having a personal trainer, and finding the workouts getting a lot easier -- I have much more stability and strength, and can get through a 90 minute workout without feeling like I'd black out!

299!
 

Thought i'd post an update as its been a while -- over the last month or so I've continued to go see the trainer regularly (and get my ass kicked), do a lot more walking (taking the long way home) as well as go on vacation (and do a lot more walking then!).

All that, as of this morning, has got me out of the 300's and at 299! I'm not sure when the last time I've been in the 200's have been, but it probably would have been 10+ years ago!

This has always been a milestone I haven't been able to reach -- I know i'll fluctuate up into the 300's for a bit in the coming weeks, but I'm close to forever being out of the 300 club!

Just wanted to say congratulations on breaking that 300 pound barrier. Keep up the good work.

update
 

An update -- over the past few weeks i let it slip a bit in terms of diet and excercising (enjoyed august!), but now i'm back on the wagon and working on getting back to eating well and excercising regualry. I think i paid for it -- i'm up about 5 pounds or so.

With that said, I'm still seeing a personal trainer once a week, and debating on upping it to 2x a week for the rest of the year.

I figure at this rate, i'll hit around 275 by the end of the year (for a total loss of 50+ pounds!)

I've never used a personal trainer, if money isn't an issue go for it. I would personally try to learn as much as possible (if it's a good trainer that know their butt from a hole in the ground) and apply it on other days without them there. If it's someone pushing you that you need, try to find a partner.

Update - Oct
 

Hey there -- been a while, so I thought i'd post an update. I've now done about 20 sessions with a personal trainer, and have noticed my endurance, balance, and strength has increased by a fair bit. I'm no longer dying after 10 minutes of solid workout.

I've also been losing weight -- though not as fast as I'd like -- and am sitting around 305lbs (down from 333 in January, but up a few pounds from the last couple of months). I'm happy with that, but have not seen much weight loss in the past couple of months. And to be honest, it's mostly been me -- I've been less focused on what I'm eating. I'm re-focusing for the home stretch of the year. But with that said, clothing is fitting better so I think I'm gaining muscle in the mean time.

I looked at my goals I set in January, and I am going to be off by a fair bit -- but I figure its better to aim high and miss, then never to take the chance.

With 2.5 months left of the year, I'm going to try to get to around 280lbs (25 more pounds to lose). In total this would be more than 50 pounds in one year, which I would chalk up to be a win.

I'm going to keep up with the personal trainer, and refocus getting active outside of that (2-3 solid workouts/week) and then refocus how I eat during the day. I want to (once again) get to 300lbs, and stay under it -- only a few pounds to go!

An update -- i've been floating around the 300 mark for the last little while, but have been noticeably getting stronger and thinner. I'm trying to up my game for the rest of the year, and end the year around 50lbs lost -- it's going to be a bit of a stretch now, as i'll have to lose 17lbs in about 7 weeks. It's a lot, but may as well aim high!

My big issue has been around work, and how many hours I've put in (and subsequently not exercising and eating crap fast food). For the rest of the year, I'm going to be focused on eating better all the time, and avoiding my crutches in life (eg: energy drinks and chips/etc).

Wish me luck!

great job Wildbeanerz, You are a beautiful lady!

Thinkdavis, Thank you for the updates. Its just real! I too am on the same track with you. I'm down 26 pounds but have 74 more to reach my goal. I set a 1 year goal and a 100 pound loss is the target. I'm eating strickly Paleo and it seems to be working for me. I have been as high as 413 and this is the first program that seems to "flo" with my body instead of always fighting against it, It has been easy so far and a program I can see myself doing for the rest of my life. Keep up the good work and keep up the updates.Thanks