How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

[superjames1992]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I lost ~35 lbs. about a year ago. I started exercising more (mostly mountain biking), but what mainly did the trick was cutting out sugary soft drinks. I love Mountain Dew, but it's a killer. Otherwise, just watch what you eat. Loose calorie counting also helped me. I didn't strictly count calories or anything, but I usually had an idea of how many calories what I ate had and tried to limit my intake to 2000-2500 calories.

I dropped from 185 lbs. down to ~150 lbs. I'm 6'0", for reference. I'm definitely on the skinny side now, but I'm only 21 1/2 years old, so the metabolism isn't going to get better. I definitely feel better now. Last time I weighed myself, I was around 152 lbs. and I've weighed in the 150-152 range for about a year now.

I wasn't really overweight before, but I was on the edge and I had gained around 15 lbs. since I had started college, so I wanted to nip that in the butt before I edged up towards 200 lbs...

[bcruise]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I lost ~35 lbs. about a year ago. I started exercising more (mostly mountain biking), but what mainly did the trick was cutting out sugary soft drinks. I love Mountain Dew, but it's a killer. Otherwise, just watch what you eat. Loose calorie counting also helped me. I didn't strictly count calories or anything, but I usually had an idea of how many calories what I ate had and tried to limit my intake to 2000-2500 calories.

I dropped from 185 lbs. down to ~150 lbs. I'm 6'0", for reference. I'm definitely on the skinny side now, but I'm only 21 1/2 years old, so the metabolism isn't going to get better. I definitely feel better now. Last time I weighed myself, I was around 152 lbs. and I've weighed in the 150-152 range for about a year now.

I wasn't really overweight before, but I was on the edge and I had gained around 15 lbs. since I had started college, so I wanted to nip that in the butt before I edged up towards 200 lbs...

I thought I'd never have a chance to jump in here, but there's finally one I can relate to.

32, 5'9'', 160'ish.

Like the previous poster I've never had much of a weight problem (has to be high metabolism even into my 30's, given my awful eating habits - there's just no other explanation), and I've always been more about maintaining rather than losing. If I start inching up into the 170's -80's the best thing I can do, as others have mentioned, is to cut out the soda pop for water instead. Usually that in itself (combined with my somewhat physically demanding job) is enough to bring it back down to around 160. That's around where I like being because I've been that nearly all of my adult life.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I probably just kicked my good metabolism to the curb tonight. Fried chicken tenders with unlimited family style sides. I know I consumed at least 1500 calories in chicken alone. Probably 2200-2500 total for the night.

[metallicarl]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Glad to see a post on here about guys getting healthy....motivated me to go for a run today for the first time in about 5 months. Up until about a year ago I had been running regularly around 20 miles a week. Finally burned out a little and got back into bad habits of eating junk, fast food and lots of sweet tea. Needless to say I put around 15 pounds on pretty quick. I see a lot of posts saying to cut this or cut that but I was in great shape with regular exercise, smaller portions, and limiting sugary drinks. From my experience cutting out something all together usually only works short term, just limit everything and use it as a small reward for accomplishing goals. Good luck to everyone!!!

[cjonesfan921]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Glad to see a post on here about guys getting healthy....motivated me to go for a run today for the first time in about 5 months. Up until about a year ago I had been running regularly around 20 miles a week. Finally burned out a little and got back into bad habits of eating junk, fast food and lots of sweet tea. Needless to say I put around 15 pounds on pretty quick. I see a lot of posts saying to cut this or cut that but I was in great shape with regular exercise, smaller portions, and limiting sugary drinks. From my experience cutting out something all together usually only works short term, just limit everything and use it as a small reward for accomplishing goals. Good luck to everyone!!!

That goes with the whole balancing aspect.

I think everything in life needs a balance. I fluctuate with my weight because sometimes I get off course and stay off course for a few months. You'll regularly see me anywhere from 170 to 200, depending on time of year. I've yet to curtail the gain in the winter time...too much FIFA and late night fast food during Fifa nights.

Anyway, I'm starting now my path to 170.

[ODogg]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I hyped these in another thread, but if you want the best flavored water there is try out

Spoiler

0 calories. 0 grams of sugar. 20% of your B vitamins for the day.

Just got some at Krogers, wow, you were right, this stuff is fantastic and great...tried the Grapefruit and Lemon-Lime and loved the...I have 7 more favors to go...plus no aspartame!!

[DJ]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Congrats to all that have made positive changes and seen that reflected on the scale.

I would like to lose 10-15 pounds, to get somewhere in the 180-185 range. I know how to do it, just need to put the work in. Soda is my big downfall, especially now as I'm in my busy season for work and will be putting in 16-hour days next week (conference tournament time), and am coming off a 60-plus work week last week, and feel like I need the caffeine boost (don't drink coffee).

Like anything else, I just have to make it a priority to workout more and cut out the soda and bad food choices.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Just got some at Krogers, wow, you were right, this stuff is fantastic and great...tried the Grapefruit and Lemon-Lime and loved the...I have 7 more favors to go...plus no aspartame!!

The black raspberry and peach nectarine are my favorite with orange mango coming in 3rd. It does have sucralose in it though.

[ODogg]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Yeah, it'd be better to have nothing of course but sucralose is certainly much better than aspartame from what I've read and what my doctor has told me..

[ANDROMADA 1]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I just turned 44 and I feel physically better

9. When you first stop eating sweets like donuts eat fruits. Hell eat as much fruit as you want. People will tell you "oh fruit has sugar" but guess what, it's not processed sugar..." and yes eventually you will want to not go too crazy with the fruit but if it gets you away from eating sweets then it's worth it. So eat an orange, and if you want another in a bit, go eat another orange. It's better than eating 2 donuts.


Be positive, you can do it!

great topic. Solid points. I would only add that there is a 6 large orange limit for adults and much less for children. After six you will be in the restroom, lol

[ANDROMADA 1]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Just got some at Krogers, wow, you were right, this stuff is fantastic and great...tried the Grapefruit and Lemon-Lime and loved the...I have 7 more favors to go...plus no aspartame!!

I'll have to try those. I use natural sugar and stevia if I don't want the sugar.

[DC]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

[XtremeDunkz]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I have drank nothing but water for the past 3 weeks, cut out all candy and chips as well as fast food.

My days go like this.

Wake up and have a bowl of cheerios with fat free milk for breakfast followed with a vitamin.

I bring all my food to work, 4 different items.

1. a fruit, most of the time a banana, but if not then a baggie of grapes or apple slices
2. an individual bag of welchs fruit snacks. this is my candy replacement
3. special K protein meal bar
4. fiber one bar
i have one every two hours and always keep my water bottle on me. I never am hungry or full.

I get home and eat whatever the gf cooks for dinner I haven't been strict on that. We usually eat pretty well for dinner anyway though. Lots of chicken and broccoli. If i eat something after dinner it is more fruit or a fat free fruit based ice pop.

three weeks ago when i started i was 215. Now I just weighed myself last night and I was 202.

[mgoblue]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

I need to cut out pop (soda for you weirdos )....I'm not bad, but 190 lbs and could lose 10-15 in my stomach area. I'm tall/slim, but just get a bit of a gut...that's where all my fat goes.

Tough cause i crave something flavor in drinks, thinking of just getting the MIO type things and using those with water.

Iced Tea is probably ok, right? Unsweetened obviously.
I'll also have one travel mug of coffee every morning, and I'd keep that up as well.

I know just drinking water is best, but I need to be realistic too.

[The JareBear]

Re: How I am turning my health around...tips and advice on getting healthier

Great stuff in this thread. Glad I just saw it for the first time

I've struggled mightily with my diet/health the last few years. I will try some of the tips and advice from this thread as I continue to hope I find the willpower to turn it around before it's too late