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Unmotivated fat... donkey? >.>

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by GhostDog, May 12, 2009.

  1. GhostDog

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    ... Well, it's true. :/

    I try. I need to lose about 70 pounds to get anywhere near my ideal weight. I'd be happy with 60, though, frankly. I've accepted that my body build is rather like that of the archetypal German peasant woman, suitable for trudging home with a deer slung over my shoulders. I'm never gonna be a skinny stick-person, and hey, that's cool. I'd just... like to not be a tub of laaaard. D:

    I've changed my diet drastically since when I ended up putting most of this weight on, which is a start. I've lost about 15 pounds since my last foot surgery, so that's something!

    I'm just so bad at actually following through when I get started exercising. I'll get off my butt for a few weeks and go running, and I'll feel better because hey, I may be fat, but at least I'm trying! And then I get busy and lose all motivation, because I have so many other pressing things to do (that if I don't do, will get me flunked). Every time, I tell myself, "Well, I'll just get up and do it." And I do, at first, but I never end up following through for longer than a couple of weeks!

    Is there some other approach I could be trying? Part of my problem is that I really don't know how I should be exercising, how much I should be exercising, and I'd love to go to the gym but I know I'd stare at the equipment and go, "Durh? How to not kill self on this, please?"

    Halp! "Just Do It" doesn't seem to work for me. There anyone out there that's managed to beat the 'terrible motivation' beastie? I know notheenk about the right way to exercise, but young grasshoppa here is willing to learn!
     
  2. RyonRyon

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    omg.. im a skinny stick person .. and i wanna gain 10 lbs !
     
  3. RyonRyon

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    my brother lost 20 lbs in a month from strict low-fat ,high-fiber diet, and evening jogs. Chicken breast, oatmeal , kellogg's cereals . ..
     
  4. starfish

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    I have lost 20 lbs in the past 3 months. I have been working with a personal trainer and exercising. It is easy to get busy and say I'll go workout tomorrow. So I have what I call the pillow rule. I have to get my workout finished before my head hits the pillow. There have been many a times that I have not gotten to the gym until midnight, but I still got my workout in.

    Really it is just like going to class, it is easy to say, oh I can skip this one. Before you know it you haven't been to class in 3 weeks and you have an F. Same thing you just have to force yourself.

    If you can afford it, I suggest hiring a trainer. Even if only for a few sessions, they can help you get familiar with the equipment and set your goals.
     
  5. Just Adam

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    oh god weight loss so depressing... its so right up there with the other male paranoias :'(

    i too need to loose a lot i think id like to loose 100 pounds maybe then tone back up
     
  6. ricoca

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    :slight_smile:
    weight loss :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
    MY NIGHTMARE :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:
     
  7. Just Adam

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    rico... id love to know where on you theres a weight issue ....heavy packages below dont count muhahahaha.... sorry :grin: ....seriously from ya pics you just look hunky haha :slight_smile:

    there is this scale lol
    you - fat - DAAAAAAm man - OH MY GOD ITS COMING RIGHT FOR US!

    im between the later two :'(
     
  8. joeyconnick

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    I'm still working on the motivation thing but I think what helped me was talking to people who have managed to stay motivated. In particular, a friend explained that you have to make exercise part of your routine. You have to make time for it, just like we tend to make time for other stuff we're committed too. For instance, I can always make time to watch a TV show I like or see a friend. So when someone says "I don't have time for X" (where X can be exercise or anything, really), you have to understand that what they are really saying is that they aren't willing to prioritise X. If they were willing to commit to X, they could find the time for it. (That's why, incidentally, I hate it when certain friends repeatedly tell me they're too busy to see me; what that means, essentially, is that they aren't willing to carve time out of their schedule to see me. I mean, okay, sometimes that happens, but when it goes on for any kind of extended period, you are basically being told how little you mean to them.)

    So the aforementioned "pillow rule" really fits this.

    Other than that, you have to really convince yourself you're worth the effort. Especially when we're talking about losing extra weight (as opposed to, say, totally bulking up or significant toning). Carrying extra weight has a lot of potential negative health effects, so exercise to lose that weight is something you are doing for you, yourself--your health, beyond avoiding negative judgments from others.

    I think at some point my therapist said something about consuming super-sugary drinks (I'm a bit of a bubble tea addict) as a risk factor for diabetes. At first I thought maybe he was overreacting but as we get older, things like diet and exercise have more of an effect, and it's funny how 1 or 2 bubble teas a week can become a bubble tea a day.

    I think on the diet side, more than anything it's super-important to cut out as many sugary drinks as possible. Their abundance is a real issue in Canada, the US, and other similarly gluttonous well-off nations. Sugary drinks are completely useless "empty" calories. And because they're liquids, we don't realise how many calories we're consuming and those calories don't really sate us in any real sense. We'd be better off eating doughnuts for the same amount of calories because at least we'd get full from them! (Well, okay, consuming fat calories is probably pretty different from sugar calories but you get the idea.) The time in my life where I lost a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period was when I cut pop out of my diet and exercised regularly. I think people have to address both: diet and exercise.

    But yeah, "just do it" as a motivational phrase is completely moronic. I think you have to do the reverse: be very deliberate and think through exactly why you want to lose weight, want to exercise regularly, and want to eat heathily. Most of us brush our teeth regularly--that's not exactly quality fun time but it's something we do because we've been convinced of the value of it. Eating healthy and exercising is the same thing--takes a bit more effort and time but ultimately it's about the same thing: taking care of ourselves.
     
  9. Apocalypte

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    I've lost just over 50lbs over the last 10 months (207 -> 155, I am 5'7-ish so I'm not exactly a shortarse either). To lose the weight, I had to make exercise become part of my daily life, and not something I did randomly. I also had to take control of my diet.

    I like to run, so I've followed structured programs for most of the races I've done so far - for me, it's good to know what I should be doing from day to day. I'm training for a half-marathon at the moment and I've made a Google Docs document with what I should be doing each day up to the race on June 28 - for example, I know that I have a 40 minute tempo run to do today.

    In terms of diet, different things work for different people. For some people it suits to restrict calories heavily, for others a low-carb diet works, and so on and so forth. I know that I'll lose (slowly) at around 1,800-1,900 calories a day and I try to maintain a good balanced diet at that level.

    Also - don't laugh, but if anyone else is a Something Awful forums user, the Watch and Weight forum there is excellent for advice on weight loss.
     
  10. TriBi

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    ^ Congratz Apocolypte on the weight loss. Great stuff!

    GhostDog - some good advice already, but, yes it is basically all about sensible diet combined with exercise. That said, exercise doesn't 'have' to be a horrible grind. It should be(come) fun..and it doesn't have to mean running marathons and finding time for mega training sessions either.

    Maybe a walk in the countryside (drag along some friends), riding a bike instead of taking a bus, walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift - all/any of those sorts of things will help.

    Lexington, our 'Gay Gargoyle Advisor' has lost quite a substantial amount of weight with his Wii Fit - so, there are all sorts of ways. As Joey and others have said above, you need to make being active one of your priorities - but no reason why it can't be a form of 'active' that you enjoy - in fact, if it is, you are more likely to do it. :slight_smile:

    Good luck - let us know how it goes.
     
  11. Jim1454

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    This is a constant struggle for me as well. I'm about 40lbs over my ideal weight and have been for some time, despite putting more focus on my health.

    Slow and stead wins the race. I have to keep reminding myself of that. It's not going to happen quickly - it has to happen over time, just like you put the weight on over time.

    I agree that it has to be a focus on both diet AND exercise. I've taken up running AND swimming in the last couple of years. Having two activities to do breaks up the monotony a bit. I prefer to swim in the morning, but running I'll do in the evening. Not on the same day, but just to say that it can create some variety in your life.

    Putting it on my calendar works. And eventually it becomes a part of your life.

    What I haven't managed as well at, but I'm turning my attention to now - is my food. Being more aware of what I'm eating, how much I'm eating, why I'm eating. It's a process. And we don't achieve perfection - but we strive for it. There's a difference. And it's a lifetime. Not a fixed period of time, but forever. Accept it. It makes it easier to deal with if you can really accept that fact.

    You've lost some weight already - so I'd say keep doing what you're doing. 15lbs is better than 5. And before too long, it will be 20. Good luck!
     
  12. sdc91

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    Well, I've lost weight in the past 2 ways:

    1. Go to the gym, diet. Yes, it works. If you're intimidated by the equipment, just hire a personal trainer to show you the ropes and make you an exercise plan. The price might seem a bit high, but it's definitely worth it since it improves your health and self image. Also, buying a gym membership should make you go pretty often so you get your money's worth per month. As far as diet, I ate healthily (chicken and vegetables only, with a few cheat meals). I stayed away from other meats and processed grains. It's hard for the first 2 weeks, but afterward you barely miss it. I just squeezed lemon on vegetables and chicken and it tasted better than the fried junk in the meat-line in the dorm cafeteria.

    2. Starve yourself (haha...). When I studied abroad last summer in Germany, not only was I walking everywhere and taking the U-Bahn, but I only had 60 Euros to buy food for 4 weeks (20 of which was spent at the Back-Factory for a lunch pastry). I didn't eat healthily, but I still lost 15 pounds in a month (but mostly muscle weight...). I don't recommend this, hah.
     
  13. jangel

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    weight loss is a never ending battle for me as well. 5 years ago I lost 100lbs went from a size 24/26 to a 14. I did this through a super strict low carb diet and running 2 miles 5 days a week and lifting weights 5 days a week (I took weekends off to relax) it took about 9 months. My only real motivational words is that losing all that weight after being that large as all through my whole life was a life changing experience. Before I was super self conscious I hated eating in front of anyone and was always thinking people were starring and judging me. If I wanted a burger/ coke/ and fries I went to 3 different places just so no one would judge me! After the weight loss my self esteem skyrocketted! I felt so Much happier (no more depression or eating when sad). I felt like I could take on the world and it took me a really long time after to realize I was no longer that person. To realize if someone was starring at me.....they now usually came up to me and tried to hit on me ....not because they thought I was fat!!! I have put on a few pounds this year with back surgery (about 30lbs) but I am back on track and losing that again with just a very low sugar, low fat, low cal diet ( no sugars, fruit for breakfast, Healthy light lunch under 300 cals, a balanced dinner and a 100cal pack or sugar free snack pack for dessert, ONLY DIET DRINKS and water) and as much exercise (mostly house keeping, swimming, and yoga ball due to my back) as my back can take..I have lost 8lbs in past two weeks and I am starting to feel it (my jeans fit better anyways lol). I encourage everyone to follow through at least once because once you do it it really truly changes the way you view yourself. You are worth it and your self esteem would love the boost! Best of luck to all I know I will never be a size 2 but I am just happy being "average" and being able to shop in ANY store I want not just Lane bryant and fashion bug! I will keep plugging on and hope you will too!!! Remember also some girls like a girl with a little junk in her trunk !!! There is someone for Everyone!
     
  14. RaRa

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    This is how I lost weight last year and I don't recommend it. All I did was drink a can of Coke Zero at lunch and made a small salad for dinner. It was torture.
     
  15. Totoro

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    Not sure, but eating 6 small meals rather than larger meals is a huge +. It's a very high fibre diet, so alot of wheat products, and such. Also, i believe simple workouts, one major muscle and one minor one each day for about an hour should be sufficient with the diet involved. I know someone who took this diet (which is probably why i'm so short on details) and they lost approximately 100 pounds, although this took them roughly 1-2 years to achieve, not only that but they are very very... muscular now.
    When losing weight, it starts fast: You'll be losing a crap load at first, but it will start slowing down drastically...
    That's about all i know... Usually it would be great to keep your metabolism running, so i believe that's why 6 small meals are better as well. @_@
     
  16. Lexington

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    >>>Is there some other approach I could be trying? Part of my problem is that I really don't know how I should be exercising, how much I should be exercising.

    There's WiiFit. I wouldn't recommend getting it if you don't already have a Wii, but I've really enjoyed it, and dropped 30 or so pounds.

    The main thing to do is just move. IT doesn't matter if you skipped yesterday, the day before, last week. Every step you take, every exercise you do counts towards weight loss. So start adding some small things to your day.

    * Park further away.
    * Take the steps up if it's not too high up. If it is, take the elevator to two floors below where you need to be, and then take the steps up.
    * Walk to close-by errands.
    * Take a walk around the block before dinner each night.

    Small things like this start adding up. In some cases, they add up a lot. :slight_smile:

    Lex
     
  17. tm74

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    I'm another with motivation problems - lost about 30lbs over the last 18 months - so not exactly quick - need to lose at least another 30, probably a lot more than that.

    I walk or cycle to work every day, my biggest problem is snacking in the evenings...
     
  18. GhostDog

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    Hey, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for replying. =D I really like that pillow rule idea, I think I'ma adopt that. There was some really good advice up in heres!

    I dusted off the bike, filled up the tires, had a jolly ol' time riding around. Yesss I think I shall get used to this.

    Thanks everyone. =D