Fat bastard...

SquadLeader

Gold Member
So. I've touched upon the issue of my weight before. I'm truly a giant. I'm 6'2'' and weigh 25 Stone. I'm huge.

Paradoxically I've never really felt unfit. I can play a one hour set of pretty fast paced music. I don't particularly suffer, although for a good ten minutes after a set I struggle and often need to go to the car and set the air con on full blast to just cool off.

I went into the hospital about two months ago with a suspected heart attack. Which turned out to be nothing of the sort. Just pulled a muscle in my chest and had mistaken some real soreness with a heart issue. And despite my weight and size the doctor there called me out as a "medical miracle". A good heartbeat. Top end of normal cholestoral (no medicines required). Normal blood pressure.

However, he did a very good job of putting the fear of god in me by telling me how, especially for big guys like me, problems will begin to come along like a sniper in the night. If I don't do something sharpish, this pleasant Asian doctor said to me "you'll be felled". And "that'll be that". Thanks Doc I said :)

So...I made a resolution to take the bull by the horn no matter how much it hurts, inconveniences, generally puts me out.

I don't have a really unhealthy diet. I eat decent food. And not in large amounts. I only drink at the weekend. I will drink quite a lot. Perhaps half a dozen pints each Friday and Saturday. The main problem has always been a lack of exercise. I know this. I'm lazy when it comes to serious exercise.

So. I've swapped beer for white wine. Cut down on bread. And.....I've started walking each evening when I get home from work. It's been a modest start. 1.88km per night for a full week now. However this is up and down a rather large hill called, sort of ominously 'The Summit'.

First couple of nights I struggled. Then I got a bad back. Tonight I feel as fit as a fiddle. I don't think I've dropped any weight. Just got home and feel really good. Nowhere near as tired as I have been. And the bad back has gone. Perhaps just my back telling me that it isn't used to this level of exercise.

I intend to build the distance up each week.

I'm quite stoked. And keen to continue. Does anyone have any tips here? I'm sure there must be other big guys who have been forced onto fitness regimes ??
 
I will tell you how I lost 50+ pounds because my doctor also put the hammer down. She told me the five worst things to eat were, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, and sweets. So if it's white stay away from it. The dietician where I worked told me to read food labels and not to eat more than about 40-45 grams of carbs per meal. That is 2 slices of bread, so then no other carbs. Told me to forget the % column and look at the grams. I'm not sure what you gain by switching from beer to wine, with the sugars in wine, but check the carbs. This worked for me and that is all Im saying.
Also check the fiber content on the food label. fiber slows down the absorption of sugars and will also help your blood. Good luck.
 
I will tell you how I lost 50+ pounds because my doctor also put the hammer down. She told me the five worst things to eat were, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, and sweets. So if it's white stay away from it. The dietician where I worked told me to read food labels and not to eat more than about 40-45 grams of carbs per meal. That is 2 slices of bread, so then no other carbs. Told me to forget the % column and look at the grams. I'm not sure what you gain by switching from beer to wine, with the sugars in wine, but check the carbs. This worked for me and that is all Im saying.
Also check the fiber content on the food label. fiber slows down the absorption of sugars and will also help your blood. Good luck.

I was told dry white wine is better than the heavy real ales I'd normally drink.

And I don't quaff white wine as I can quaff ale. It seemed to make logical sense but I'm all ears if I'm dropping the ball here.
 
Carbs are the first thing the body burns when we exercise, so if we have an abundance, the fat will never burn. I would Google wines and compare the sugars compared to beer. You can probably Google the particular brand and find out exactly. Starches turn to sugar or carbs right away hence the reason for none of the white stuff. Sweet potatoes , brown rice, and this little tip. If you have to have bread, freeze it. Then thaw it completely, and then toast it. It cuts the sugars by about 50 percent. Have your Doc check your blood for A1C, which is an indicator for Type 2 diabetes when creeps up on us as we get older and heavier.
 
Please don’t consider me the “fitness police” I hate them sorts.. Just offering my opinion since you raised it.

1. You can’t out exercise a bad diet. It’s calories in calories out (aka CICO).

2. Burning more calories through exercise is a plus – no doubt.

3. A well balanced plan – cardio and resistance training – helps tremendously!

4. Forget the idea of a “diet” – diets are short lived no matter how many pounds you drop. It’s all about lifestyle change.

5. Beer – chips – pizza – carbs - and all that can be incorporated into your life if done carefully.

6. You may learn SO much about yourself if you begin to log your food and do it truthfully. You may be amazed at the calories you’re consuming within given portion sizes and foods you may be considering “not a big deal”

Actually - you really don't need to exercise to lose weight. Losing weight begins in the kitchen. Getting fit comes with exercise.

I lost 50 lbs in a year and as part of that process – learned a good deal about myself and how to turn around my lifestyle. I joined MFP and it helped me launch the path.

No one-shoe-fits-all here. Everyone chooses a different path.

We are all works in progress and as a result the need to assess and readdress is required.

Not much different than being a drummer.

Find what works for you and hit it.
 
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Hey Squad, your post touches me deeply. I’m 65 years old and I recently came back to drum playing. It’s now my favorite hobby and I’m having the time of my life playing drums. Super fun for me. So I wondered, how long will I be able to keep playing? I’m retired and I’m no longer working a 9 to 5 job. And how long will I be able to load and unload my drums.

I realized that if I want to keep playing drums I will need to get into, and stay in, better shape.
I changed my diet (I’m losing weight now) and I’m going to the local gym every day. Only costs $25 per month.

I HATE exercising! So I listen to music while I exercise. I study the songs and specifically the drum parts while I exercise.
I also listen to recordings of my playing while I exercise. And I evaluate how I play.

I still HATE exercising. But I do it because I love playing the drums.



.
 
First off, I commend you on your newfound commitment to health. I was told by a doctor once that we spend 30 years trying to kill ourselves and the rest trying to save ourselves. I am a bit of a health nut and I cant imagine trying to play the way I do without some form of cardiovascular fitness, but it doesn't seem to bother you, so you must have much better form than I do.

I have never really been somebody trying to lose weight, but I have met plenty of people who have and I will tell you that diet is the most important factor. You can work out until your heart explodes, but if your diet is poor you wont drop a pound. I am of the mind that bad food is as addicting as any other drug, and trying to wean yourself from it is equally as difficult. It will be tough going, but if you have a support system in place anything is possible.
 
It's funny you mention white wine. When I saw the topic of the thread, I immediately though of a sauvignon blanc: http://fatbastardwine.com

Anyway. My philosophy is, as long as you move enough, you can eat and drink all you want. Better of course is moving a lot AND eating well and not drinking too much.

My tip would be, find a buddy and walk, run or work out together. I found that this is the only way for me to keep moving, because I find it too boring to jog alone.
 
What DMACC says is right on. For me, it was not a diet, but a change in life style. Diets come and go. I read that habits take 21 days to form or change. Find what works for you and stick with it. It will take a while but you'll love yourself for it.
 
Try eating more vegetables. Vegetables are filling and don't have many calories. At the same time play drums for exercise. Actually moving gear is exercise so play more gigs. Just don't eat bar food.
 
Fatty here too. My fitness pal is a great tool if you are interested in counting calories. It helps me to lose weight...i just have low self control and over eat a lot. I like food.
 
Please,dont "Diet" as in the extreme fad stuff that is popular every so often. What always happens is people lose lots of weight fast, then the body wonders what is going on, the diet stops and all the weight goes back on.

Small changes are the way to go, that way the body hardly notices and you dont feel like you are stuck in some sort of brutal regime. Eat a little less and do a little more. When you are used to that you could exercise more.

Exercise douse not have to mean running or gym membership, If you are sedentary walking is great. If you drive to work dont drive all the way, walk the last mile, so you walk the last mile back to the car at the end of the day. If you commute by train get off a stop earlier If that is possible, If not just walk the long way round from the station.

As I say, small changes make a huge difference and you dont feel grim doing it. Dont buy into the fallacy that you are either an athlete or a slob, there are levels of exercise that suit everyone and they dont need to impinge on your life too much. Good luck mate.
 
Congratulations on resolving to live a healthier lifestyle.

I apologize in advance that my tips are neither fun nor easy.

Tips to consider:

Focus on your nutrition (not "dieting"). Weight loss is usually 80-90% nutrition and 10-20% exercise.

Although walking is great exercise, try not to think of it (or any other physical activity) as being "exercise."

Eating small portions of "decent food" is a great start. Try to eat food that you prepared rather than restaurant or pub food.

Monitor alcohol intake (or consider abstaining from alcohol even for a little while). Alcohol is full of empty carbs (your hunger is not satiated by drinking and instead may lead to poor meal choices). Further, it is better to have a drink or two each day than binge drinks on the weekend.

Try to reduce the amount of sugar and salt consumed.

Set short term goals for weight loss, for example, striving to lose approximately 1 lb. a week.

Allow yourself a "cheat meal" once in awhile (or once a week).

Always remember that a lifestyle change does not happen overnight and lasts for the rest of your life.

I hope these tips are helpful. Good luck, your drumming buddies are cheering for you!
 
I have also been told to shop the periphery of the grocery store. That's where all of the fresh, healthy, un-canned, unboxed, food is normally placed.
 
Just one word for you: consistency.

You make light of your walking schedule, SL, but I'm telling you: just keep it up. It's exactly the right thing to do.

I really think that the particulars of a exercise/diet regimen are secondary to implementing them consistently, day after day, week after week, month after month. Too many people either give up too quickly when they don't see immediate results, or can't adhere to a regular schedule - taking a week off here, a few days there, etc. etc.

Not to say you can't have a night off from diet and/or exercise. You can and should. But those times should be rare exceptions (which, in the wonderful world of self-discipline, turns them into luxuries).
 
Try eating more vegetables. Vegetables are filling and don't have many calories. At the same time play drums for exercise. Actually moving gear is exercise so play more gigs. Just don't eat bar food.

I wasn't even trying to lose weight, but there is absolutely zero doubt to anyone around me that by simply going vegetarian about 7 or 8 years ago, I immediately started to lose weight, my blood pressure is still getting better as of my last doc visit(I fight stress BP issues) and this is gross, but honestly, my digestion and associated acts are miles better than the un-predictable nonsense of my meat eating days.

Through the years I've done different types of exercise and had hobbies that burn calories, but the one and only consistent change for the whole time was cutting meat from the diet. It is so much easier to eat fewer calories per portion that it's not even something I pay attention to anymore.
 
Another vegetarian here. It helps a bit but I don't do the vegetarian diet 'well' - I still eat pizza. Quite a lot. Done 'properly' it does have benefits or so I read.

Anyhow. I'm also a fairly big chap. At one point I was 6'2", 20 stone - not quite as big as you but still big enough to cause small indentations in the Earth's crust. The problem for me was that I never really looked my weight because of my frame. What changed for me was a huge lifestyle shift. At that point, I wasn't working and I was living with my parents with my Mum's (brilliant) but generous portions.

For the last 2 1/2 years or so I've lived on my own and worked consistently (up until a couple of months ago when I had issues with my workplace) and I dropped four stone by just 'living'. No significant changes to anything that I noticed - I ate a bit less and was a lot more active working a job that required me to be on my feet a lot. Since I left my last place I've put a bit back on but I know it will come off again when I'm walking around my new work. I start on Monday, went in for a day today and I know for a fact it'll happen. I'm currently around 17 1/2 stone.

Dieting, etc. can help but in my experience consistent, small changes in lifestyle make a huge difference. Eating a portion 3/4 the size of what you would ordinarily eat, walking (well done, by the way) or even just parking the car further down the road from work can add up to a lot. Where I was working before, I had to park my car 1/2 a mile from work and walk through the park every morning - it was lovely! Gave me time to prepare myself and to wind down at the end of the day.

Don't buy into any of the diets in particular, just think about moderation. There's no need to cut anything out, just eat a bit less of it.

I'm not bastion or great example of health (fairly heavy smoker) but once you start feeling a bit better and you keep it going, you start feeling a lot better and your mood improves. You start feeling better about yourself and it works into a positive reinforcement spiral. It's all good! Don't be disheartened if you don't lose weight one week, just keep at the small changes. Losing a small amount each week is far healthier than dropping 10 Ibs for two weeks and you are more likely to keep it going.

From one big guy to another, well done.
 
Be sure to drink lots of microstructured water.

The regular stuff has the wrong shaped molecules to allow easy assimilation.


Pfffft! As if.

Nothing but encouragement from me for your goal of improved fitness. I have no understanding of these stones of which you speak, but I will accept that you are large machine of a man, becoming a slightly smaller machine of a man.
 
Squad, get a personal trainer and let them be your guilty conscience.

I only paid attention to the nutritionist I was sent to because she was a beautiful woman. If it was a guy telling me to shape up, I probably would have told him to go screw.
 
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