# Loosing weight - tips, thoughts, trials & errors.



## SwitchBack (Dec 23, 2014)

Just curious. 

Exercise of course is the easiest, however, I badly broke my right shoulder as a kid and it never quite healed properly so it so of handicaps particularly when I'm as out of shape as I am now. In fact, for the longest time doctors didn't know what was wrong as I had full function except for lifting above head [then the shoulder clicked & cracked & sometimes locked]. School life is just not meant for anything but crap food & studies. 

Are there any exercises that are easy to do *at home* which people find work? I know there's a million & one websites & videos [ironically with typically fit people saying how to do these exercises ride:]

And not that it's holidays... err. My grandmother & mother seem to think food = love & now there's two in the kitchen. 


Any tips are welcomed.


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## Ashii McD (Dec 24, 2014)

Diet is the most important part of losing weight and I don't mean eating less, I mean eating the correct foods.  Getting the right balance of macros ( carbs, fat and protein) is very important.  Most people tend to have low protein diets.  I use an app called my fitness pal to keep a food diary and I've found that the weeks that I actually track my food intake and make sure I'm eating enough protein the weight comes off quite easily.

I also lift weights. Not sure how you would manage with your shoulder though but weight training is so much more effective than just cardio.

Have a look for a company call LDN muscle.  They make guides that help with eating and weight training. Their are many other guides this is just the one I use. I'm doing the bikini one at the minute and friends of mine have done the cutting guide, one of them even has his success pics on their website.

Anyway for me it's about a lifestyle change rather than just losing weight and getting the correct balance is very important.


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## Nemesis (Dec 24, 2014)

> Most people tend to have low protein diets.  I use an app called my fitness pal to keep a food diary and I've found that the weeks that I actually track my food intake and make sure I'm eating enough protein the weight comes off quite easily.



I've heard quite the opposite. Most people take in more protein than their bodies needs:

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

Especially if they aren't training/weight lifting.

If anything you'd need to focus less on "more protein" and more on the "making sure the protein I'm getting is low-fat protein"

For losing weight I've found that running is a great option, its cheap and easy, no special equipment needed, and just fifteen minutes a day (or longer runs every other day) can do wonders. In my squadron we run anywhere from 2.5 to 4 miles three days a week and I noticed changes within a month.

Another tip: hydrate. 

Drink lots of water (which, unlike protein, is something most people don't get enough)

I know its hard, especially if you're like me and you love your soft drinks, but cutting those out and replacing them with straight water can do a lot. For the first couple weeks you'll have to pee just about every hour, but once you're body has adjusted you'll feel better; its good for your complexion and a run when you're well hydrated is so much easier.


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## Ashii McD (Dec 24, 2014)

Well there you have two very different opinions and you'll probably receive many more varying opinions too.  We all have something that works best for us.  For me it's weights, which I do at home with a weights bench, dumbbells and my own bodyweight (push-ups, sit ups, squats etc).  I admire anyone that can run and I'm often quite jealous of them because I can't run the length of myself.  I could walk at a brisk pace for hours or I could do an aerobics or step class at the gym but I can't run and I feel horribly self-conscience when I try it.

As for the water, yes it's very important to stay hydrated.  I drink a lot of water anyway so I always forget about that.


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## Nemesis (Dec 24, 2014)

Aerobics work just as well, I just find it easier to get mine in with a run (gives me something to look at XD)

Weights will build muscle, but you probably won't notice as much weight loss with it because you'll be gaining muscle weight while losing the extra pounds of fat


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## Ashii McD (Dec 24, 2014)

That's what I thought when I first started but I used to spend 5 hours a week in the gym doing cardio and lost a lb or 2 a month and didn’t really see a change in the mirror.  Changing to weights I lost 4lb (more if you count the muscle built) in 2weeks and an inch of my waist and I spent the same amount of time working out and I got to read a page of my book during each rest between sets. 

I would run to take in the scenery but have to make do with walking instead


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## SwitchBack (Dec 24, 2014)

See that's the issue, I'd rather avoid weights. Due to my genetics when I do weight, I put it on fast & bulk up quickly. And it stays. I haven't done gym work in 18 months and I can still leg press 300lbs - 15 reps. No hassle. 


 Regardless of the way I write, some people think I'm a guy, I'm actually a woman and I'd rather not look like some hulking amazon. 


 It's from my dad. My father was lifting 80+lb dumbbells when he was a teen one handed [and he's wasn't some hulky brute] and he still has the muscular nowadays, despite haven't hit a gym in close to 20 years, to rough house with my brothers [one a cop, the other a paramedic] and typically win.

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Ashii McD said:


> Diet is the most important part of losing weight and I don't mean eating less, I mean eating the correct foods.  Getting the right balance of macros ( carbs, fat and protein) is very important.  Most people tend to have low protein diets.  I use an app called my fitness pal to keep a food diary and I've found that the weeks that I actually track my food intake and make sure I'm eating enough protein the weight comes off quite easily.



I should have corrected myself. Crap food while at college. 

I live, still, with my parents. My mother's usual fair is roast beef, potatoes and vegetables. Chicken & fries, fish & vegetables, etc., etc. I eat quite healthy when not starving for 8 hours [sometimes 12 if dropped earlier] at college all day long.


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## Ashii McD (Dec 24, 2014)

I'm a woman too by the way and I'm definitely slimming down, not bulking up.  Your genetics will play a big part of it too and influence what works best.  Getting your diet right is the most important part of whatever you end up doing.


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## Sam (Dec 24, 2014)

The only way you bulk up like an Amazon with weights is if you're lifting heavy and eating like a horse. I don't buy this "oh, I don't lift weights because I bulk up too quickly". It's rubbish. There are people out there eating 4,000 calories a day and lifting weights and they can't bulk like you're saying. 

 If you stick to low weight, high reps, you will lose weight. It's also been scientifically proven that lifting weights to lose weight is a far more healthy option than cardiovascular exercise. And, contrary to what many people say, you can shed the pounds by doing it (without turning into the Hulk).


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## Ashii McD (Dec 24, 2014)

http://nataliejillfitness.com/scale-isnt-budging/  Have a look at the picture on this (it's sort of gross) but it's 5lbs of fat compared to 5lbs of muscle.  As Sam said, it's very hard to bulk up.  My friend is bulking at the minute. He's eating about 3500cals a day and lifting heavier weights then in a couple months time he'll have to cut the fat because 2/3rds at least of what he puts on will be fat rather than muscle.  

I am slimming down and eating around 1600cals a day of mostly meat and veg and a protein hot chocolate (cause I just have to have chocolate).  I'm losing weight and toning up but not turning in to Arnie.

I used to eat 1250cals a day and do cardio and I managed to loose a little weight eventually but I was miserable doing it and eventually gave up.


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## Jon M (Dec 24, 2014)

Even though you don't want to do weights, I'd recommend doing squats for weight loss and overall shape.


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## Plasticweld (Dec 24, 2014)

Something that helped me after one of my bad wrecks at the race track, broken arm, shoulder broken collar bone. I keep a elastic shock cord stuffed in the top of the window above the chair I set in, while watching TV I use the shock cord to exercise and increase my mobility, I was unable for a long time to be able to raise my left arm as high as my right. after about a year of doing it every day I was able to raise both arms to the same height.  I raise my arm above my head hanging on to the cord while it stretches the tendons.  Not any way to lose weight but I was amazed at how much the lack of mobility of my left arm effected other things.


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## Sam (Dec 24, 2014)

Plasticweld said:


> Not any way to lose weight but I was amazed at how much the lack of mobility of my left arm effected other things.



That didn't come out right.


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## SwitchBack (Dec 24, 2014)

Sam said:


> The only way you bulk up like an Amazon with weights is if you're lifting heavy and eating like a horse. I don't buy this "oh, I don't lift weights because I bulk up too quickly". It's rubbish. There are people out there eating 4,000 calories a day and lifting weights and they can't bulk like you're saying.
> 
> If you stick to low weight, high reps, you will lose weight. It's also been scientifically proven that lifting weights to lose weight is a far more healthy option than cardiovascular exercise. And, contrary to what many people say, you can shed the pounds by doing it (without turning into the Hulk).




Have you heard of either Samoans or Tongans? Both people have greater muscle mass ratio per weight than the average human being. They also keep that muscle / strength longer than the average person when "lazy". The Tongans are considered the "alpha males" of society and that's because they can get muscular, with a lot of strength, without steroids or silly little gyms. 



I think... lifting 300lbs in a leg press for 15 reps without hassle, and I did this twice, without going to a gym in 18 months speaks for itself. 

Most people when they get lazy, loose muscle mass. Doesn't happen with my father's side of the family. If it did, my father would NOT be capable of doing push ups on his fingertips 20 years after the last time he hit a gym. And he is NOT the most active of individuals. 



As for low weight, I've never done that in my life. Right off the bat with gym work I was pressing myself to do more, more more. Before my arm really started hurting, and before I busted my knee playing soccer, I was lifting more than many of the guys at the gym. 

180-200lb barbell lifts. 300lb leg presses. 80-100lb functional pulley weights, etc. With the military that also included 30 chin-ups.


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## Ashii McD (Dec 24, 2014)

I've never heard of that tbh. I have heard of people who gain muscle easily, though they also tend to gain fat easily but never heard of someone who retains it easily.

If your dead set against weights the only other form of exercising I've found enjoyable (aside from walking) is bodycombat.  The best way I can describe it is like aerobics doing combat moves.  I did it in the gym but insanity have a workout dvd you can do at home and I'm sure you can find videos online for free.


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## Sam (Dec 24, 2014)

SwitchBack said:


> Have you heard of either Samoans or Tongans? Both people have greater muscle mass ratio per weight than the average human being. They also keep that muscle / strength longer than the average person when "lazy". The Tongans are considered the "alpha males" of society and that's because they can get muscular, with a lot of strength, without steroids or silly little gyms.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



300 pounds in a leg press is easy as dirt. You're using your legs. It's the most powerful part of your body. 

Yes, I have heard of the Samoans. Are you saying that you are one? Because if not, I have a hard time believing that you lifting a few weights will turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime.


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## Kevin (Dec 24, 2014)

> It's also been scientifically proven that lifting weights to lose weight is a far more healthy option than cardiovascular exercise


 Really? You have a link to something about that?


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## FleshEater (Dec 24, 2014)

I'm going to weigh in here. 

I have roughly 11 years experience in many different forms of training as well as dieting. 

So far there has been some decent advice here. As Ashii said, diet will be the most important. Losing weight, toning up, getting ripped, whatever, isn't possible on a slack diet. Consider eating more vegetables, and light, clean protein (chicken or fish). Stay away from large amounts of fruits. Use bananas to help with soreness, as well as sweet potatoes. 

Now, my suggestion is to avoid cardiovascular training and aerobics like the plague. Yes, they can help lose weight. However, when you're not doing them, you're not burning calories. They are also very prone to injury because of the movements and the stress they place on our bodies. Calisthenic and weight training will allow your body to burn calories for 24-72 hours after training (depending on the intensity), and are also much safer, due to slower, more controlled movements. 

Being a woman, and it seems a rather strong woman, you may have a harder time losing weight. I don't know why, but it seems some women's bodies tend to store more fat than others, and some have a very, very hard time losing it. 

Honestly, I would start out with a low weight, high rep weight training on a 3 day split (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday). Keep track of your progress and weight in a tablet. I would give this a go for at least 6 months. Most likely, you'll gain weight at first, but will lose it later. 

Also, I have to agree with Sam. Though there are genetic freaks that can acquire loads of muscle by looking at weights, they're a rare breed. You said you were lifting heavy weights; that would explain your mass gains. Try the low weight, high reps, and see what it does. You can get as crazy as you want with that. There's 10x10's from the Russians, or something like 20x20's, which I believe is a U.S. military training ideal. 

When I was leaned out, I was doing 20x20's. My workout looked like this:

20 push ups
20 crunches
20 dips
rest
20 push ups
20 crunches
20 pull ups
rest
repeat for a total of 20 sets

I was leaned out, and did not gain muscle mass. It wasn't until I started using some serious weight, and eating like I hadn't seen food in years that I started to pack on mass. 

So, devise a routine that keeps you interested, and play with the reps, sets, rests, whatever. You clearly have experience in weight training, so I'm sure you can think of something. Perhaps the motivation is all that's needed.

Remember: there isn't ONE routine that works for everyone. The most important thing is keeping track and seeing what works for you.


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## popsprocket (Dec 24, 2014)

WF - Weightloss Forum

Might have to check with Cran on that one, see if I got it right.

But seriously. Eat properly and build some muscle. The muscle burns the energy even when you're sitting still.


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## Sam (Dec 24, 2014)

Kevin said:


> Really? You have a link to something about that?



Google it. 

You'll find more links than I could throw at you.


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## FleshEater (Dec 24, 2014)

Ashii McD said:


> I've never heard of that tbh. I have heard of people who gain muscle easily, though they also tend to gain fat easily but never heard of someone who retains it easily.
> 
> If your dead set against weights the only other form of exercising I've found enjoyable (aside from walking) is bodycombat.  The best way I can describe it is like aerobics doing combat moves.  I did it in the gym but insanity have a workout dvd you can do at home and I'm sure you can find videos online for free.



It's actually very normal for someone to retain strength over a long period of time. The myth is that if you're not working, you're losing. And that isn't true. 

Research body building by Mike Mentzer and Arthur Jones. They've experimented with a lot of unconventional forms of exercise in their time, as have their followers. There is a lot of information online about bodybuilders taking 1-2 months off and coming back and lifting even MORE weight than before. 

The body is an amazing thing. However, the one thing it isn't good with, is recovering from intense exercise, which is also a myth. These guys hitting the gyms, lifting for 2 hours each day, can't seem to figure out why they can't get their arms past the 14 1/2" mark. It's because they're working out too much, and not allowing the body enough time to recover. 

The more time away from the gym, the more one can lift. Guaranteed. Well, for advanced bodybuilders this is true.

When I was bulking up, I was lifting 1 day, every 7 days, and my training lasted no more than 15 minutes. I weighed 185lbs. and stand 5'10". I was dead lifting 350lbs., doing 10-second-rep (that's 4 seconds up, 2 second hold, and 4 seconds down...to absolute failure), close grip presses with 212lbs. stacked on the bar, as well as 10-second-rep incline dumbbell chest flies with 85lbs. piled on each dumbbell. At the end of this training I ended up blowing my back out dead lifting 380lbs. It put me out of the game for almost 8 months. Though I'm not able to dead lift like I used to, I can still lift the weight like before. Muscle memory allows us this ability.

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Sam said:


> Google it.
> 
> You'll find more links than I could throw at you.



Definitely. Aerobics and cardio are so far overrated it isn't funny. But, they sell tons of DVD's and TONS of expensive workout equipment that people can end up using for coat racks when it doesn't do what they're told. 

Weights or body workouts are superior. Period. 

And people think a home gym is expensive. When I was doing mainly calisthenics, I had $100 tied up in my gym. Even now, with the weights I own, I only have $300 in it. Craigslist is your friend. I got 800lbs. of standard weights and bars for $100.


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## SwitchBack (Dec 24, 2014)

Okay. 

First I apologize, English isn't my first language and my Canadian cousin informed me that I was using the wrong term. Not bulk as in the "hulk" but genetic-wise turning fat to muscle is quite easy for myself and my father [and his side of the family]. 

An overly muscular woman, even if she isn't "hulk", is not generally attractive. Hence why I avoid weights. I haven't done any serious upper body work for close to 2 years, due to reinjuring my shoulder, and I still have large  trapezius muscles for example.


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## TKent (Dec 24, 2014)

At 52, I found that the pounds had been creeping up over the last few years and then boom, one day I realized I was about ten pounds heavier than my comfort level, so here is what has worked for me:

 I did the J.J. Virgin lifestyle plan - cut out gluten, high glycemic carbs and refined sugars completely. It has been 1.5 years now and haven't gone back to them. Don't ever plan to.

I have ALWAYS craved sweets and fast acting carbs both the the kind you eat and for years, the kind you drink (fortunately was able to cut out the liquid ones completely over twenty years ago or probably wouldn't be here typing this). 

Cutting out the gluten, high glycemic carbs and refined sugar did something CRAZY. I don't crave food anymore. For me, it truly is a chemical thing, I'm positive now.  Amazing.

Would be VERY hard to do if whoever buys the groceries and cooks isn't fully supportive. I'm fortunate that my husband does all that and he just jumped on the plan with me, even though he didn't need it, because it made it easier for him to prepare meals if we ate the same thing.

And believe me, I eat WELL. Delicious meats, low-glycemic carbs and fruits galore, even sweets occasionally in the form of agave nectar, stevia, etc.

I also exercise regularly though and for me, at 52, if I am not exercising, I am noticing that my muscles deflate almost instantly. 

I do a very quick and down and dirty routine for 30 minutes every other day.  It consists of free weights to the arms and upper body, squats, crunches, etc. I've copied it below. And I do this in front of the bathroom mirror before i take my shower in the morning then throw down an exercise pad and do the ones on the floor. I also play tennis and walk but that's just bonus since rain will keep me inside and I found I needed something to be routine so that rainy weather didn't result in me not exericising. 

Anyway, hope this helps.

These can be done in 30 minutes. And here is a link to a site where you can find other exercises to substitute if you don't like these. My goal was to hit as many muscle groups as possible:  (this site is cool, you can click on a body part to find a list of exercises that work it): 
http://www.freetrainers.com/exercise/muscle/


ExerciseWorksNotesTotal RepsInclined Push-UpsPectoralsoff bathroom counter3 x 15 = 45Bicup Curls - From Standing positionbiceps8 to 10 lbs3 x 15 = 45Dumbbell Press straight UpFront Shoulder8 to 10 lbs3 x 15 = 45Bent over dumbbell lift to sideRear Shoulder5 lbs3 x 15 = 45Bent over dumbbell rowsMid back8 to 10 lbs3 x 15 = 45Behind Head Dumbbell Ext.Triceps8 to 10 lbs3 x 15 = 45Forearm ExerciseForearmsStress Ball or Squeeze Handles3 x 15 = 45Squats w/weightsGluts/Quads8 to 10 lbs2 x 50 = 100Calf Raises w/weightsCalves8 to 10 lbs2 x 50 = 100CrunchesAbs 2 x 50 = 100Twisting CrunchesOblique25 per side25 ea side = 50Leg RaisesAbs / Hip Flexors 25Hip RaiseGluts/Quads 2 x 50 = 100Leg Stretch with BeltLow back 2 x 10 ea side = 40CobraLow back 2 x 10 = 20

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Switchback, this sounded very discouraging (the line below) and I didn't mean for it to. If this is something you are interested in trying, PM me with some details and I'm more than happy to help you figure out a way to work it into your life even if you don't buy the groceries and cook. 



> Would be VERY hard to do if whoever buys the groceries and cooks isn't fully supportive. I'm fortunate that my husband does all that and he just jumped on the plan with me, even though he didn't need it, because it made it easier for him to prepare meals if we ate the same thing.


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## InstituteMan (Dec 24, 2014)

I am all for low-carb, no gluten living. That pretty much describes the cuisine in the Institute household. I'm mostly in favor of exercising (a running injury years ago put an end to my marathoning, alas), and I'm entirely in favor of living a high activity life. One of the best things I ever did was build a standing desk for my work. My joints, back, blood pressure, and waistline all appreciate not sitting so much.

All that said, as a husband to a woman, can I give the other side of the typical weight loss worries? The deal is, InstituteWoman is gorgeous. She's a few pounds heavier than when I married her. So what? I wish she worried a lot less about those few pounds that have arrived over the years, and I would commend everyone else here--men and women alike, but especially the women, knowing how these things typically go--to just not worry about weight so much. 

Eat well, exercise, and have fun. That is enough.


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## Jon M (Dec 24, 2014)

10 - sec DB Flys sounds grrrreat for destroying those pesky rotator cuffs.


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## Sunny (Dec 24, 2014)

I lost 90 pounds. It was not easy and it still isn't to keep the weight off (over 3 years and a lifetime for me to go!). I have fat parents and their genes are determined to make me fat too.  

I decided one day that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life being overweight as I never was in my younger years. Determination to eat healthy and exercise is a lifetime change and it needs your attention on it all the time. 

I also use My Fitness Pal. I couldn't lose my last 20 pounds and nothing seemed to work no matter what I tried. So, I started using that website and I'll never stop now. It made me very aware of what I was eating and it clued me into my bad habits. 

I also took up running. I knew I couldn't lose weight, the amount I wanted with just cutting out raw sugar (although that helped immensely). First I started out walking for 10 minutes, then 15 and then 20. Of course I started adding in a little jogging here and there. I could only go for 30 seconds at once and walk and jog and walk and so on. Eventually, sticking to it, even when I didn't want to do it, I did... I was running 18km a day, everyday. I know that's a bit extreme, but I was so determined. I grew to LOVE it. I hated missing a day. I looked forward to my runs more than anything. It's strange how that happens. I couldn't jog 10 feet before, let alone running for hours and loving every second of it.

I say, do what you can always stick to. Don't diet. Don't try fads. Don't do something you know you won't stick with. Changing how you eat, what you eat, and how often is so important. I decided I could eat anything that came from the earth as much as I wanted. All the other stuff I would count and I would limit. I ate bad once a week for the first 6 months or so. I called it "Fat Saturdays". I would eat chicken wings or pizza or whatever I wanted. Then, one Saturday I was eating the food and realized I didn't even really enjoy it anymore. I was just eating it for the sake of Fat Saturday. So there went that out the window. 

If family is having cake and ice cream for a birthday party, they know and support my decision not to have any. (sometimes if the kids ask me to eat some, I'll have a sliver). I also never eat food at work. Everyone at my job brings in food for everyone else and it's easy to put on weight from that. Also like Instituteman I have a stand/sit workstation and it's amazing. It's crazy how much it helps to stand during the day.

One big thing too. Don't starve yourself all day and then eat one big meal with Mom. It's very bad for your metabolism. Take something with you to school to snack on. Many small meals a day are better. It feels like you're eating all the time, but when you're eating healthy foods like fruits and veggies, your body will thank you for it. 

Anyhow, I think we're all different and our bodies will react to different methods from other people. Find what works for you and stick with it.  

I think if you're eating healthy and moving around, you're doing something good for your body.


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## Bloggsworth (Dec 25, 2014)

The only certain way to lose weight is to eat less, which some of us find incredibly difficult to do, but it really is the only way. It takes more exercise than most are capable of doing to lose weight. Walking is probably more effective than humping weights in the gym, which builds up muscle, which weighs more than fat. At the age of 69 I started playing golf 3 or 4 times a week and have lost about 20-22 pounds without changing my diet - Maybe that's just me.


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## Sam (Dec 25, 2014)

Do you know how difficult it is to build muscle for most people? I swear, everyone thinks it's just a matter of walking into a gym, picking up a weight, and doing bicep curls to look like Arnie. That's not even half of it. Seventy per cent of body-building is diet. You don't build muscle in the gym; you build it when you're resting. And to do that, you have to eat enough protein and carbs to supply those muscles with sufficient energy to grow. That means eating like a horse to sustain the level of growth you wish to achieve. 

So, if you are lifting weights and not eating enough, you're going to lose weight and put on very little muscle. Anatomy 101.


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## Olly Buckle (Dec 25, 2014)

I have been 10stone 7lbs for the last fifty years since I was about twenty (The shape has changed mind), except when I was on very high dose steroids and went up to 11 stone for a bit. The missus, however, had started putting on a bit of weight (not much really) and decided to go for the five two diet. That means that she eats normally five days a week and has two 'fast' days when she eats only 500 calories. It has worked well for her, she says it is much easier because you don't feel as though you are depriving yourself all the time as she did on a normal diet, also that she has been finding there are all sorts of additional benefits, such as an improved immune system. It makes sense to me, evolving man must have had bad days when he hunted or gathered very little, it should be quite natural.


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## Kevin (Dec 25, 2014)

There's a very simple and easy secret to loosing weight :


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## Pluralized (Dec 25, 2014)

It's all about Insulin. 

And I think we should all use the word "losing."


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## Kevin (Dec 25, 2014)

I meant 'freeing'  

(losing, like in 'loser')


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## aj47 (Dec 26, 2014)

I know my weight is over what is recommended.  But I'm more interested in keeping my blood work in line.  I have a thyroid issue and my endocrinologist monitors me.  The thing that tends to out-of-whack for me is my blood sugar.  I'm not diabetic, but eating a low-carb diet keeps my blood work good.  That has been messed up by my injuring my jaw--I'm on soft food and much of soft food tends to be carbolicious.  

Once my jaw is healed, I'll start dropping weight again, as I get back on the low-carb diet.  

I'm sort-of doing Atkins, the original, not the one involving Atkins products -- I'd rather eat real food than processed fake sweets.


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## Poet of Gore (Dec 26, 2014)

SwitchBack said:


> Just curious.
> 
> Exercise of course is the easiest, however, I badly broke my right shoulder as a kid and it never quite healed properly so it so of handicaps particularly when I'm as out of shape as I am now. In fact, for the longest time doctors didn't know what was wrong as I had full function except for lifting above head [then the shoulder clicked & cracked & sometimes locked]. School life is just not meant for anything but crap food & studies.
> 
> ...



this worked for me with minimal exercise

1) do not eat until you are full
2) do not eat if you are not hungry
3) no pasta or bread

you would be surprised how much you can lose if you follow these. you should NEVER feel full. always a bit hungry. learn to deal with feeling a little hungry. do not starve yourself. you have to force your body to burn fat. i lost 50 pound over like 4 months doing this


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## aj47 (Dec 26, 2014)

Mindfulness, which is what you're describing, is useful in many facets of life.


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## Pidgeon84 (Dec 26, 2014)

I haven't read the other comments, I'm just gonna give you my advice. 

1. Don't eat very much bread. My sister lost something like 30 pounds the moment she dropped bread type foods. 

2. Eat small, but often. If you eat 1 or 2 big meals a day your metabolism learns to slow down and store everything it can. Consistent small meals will help it speed up. 

3. Exercise. This one is obvious though I can't really tell what regiment is right for you. You'll have to look into that for yourself.


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## Morkonan (Dec 26, 2014)

SwitchBack said:


> ...Are there any exercises that are easy to do *at home* which people find work? I know there's a million & one websites & videos [ironically with typically fit people saying how to do these exercises ride:



Absolutely!

My favorite one is the arduous, difficult, and highly strenuous act of "Not Eating." 

Fat = Food Consumed - Calories Expended

It's a pretty simple formula, though _everyone_ in the Western world usually has a problem solving it. Right now, I'm about ten pounds from where I would want to be, weight-wise. It's not "fat" that I'm concerned about as much as it is just "mass." That includes muscle-mass. I want to lose the weight to reduce the strain on my knees, who constantly complain whenever I am above a certain mass, no matter how fit I am at the time... So, I have to watch both fat and muscle. Muscle, especially, since it weighs more by volume.

The easiest exercise for you to do is walking. Walk. Walk a lot. Jogging is great, if you can do it. (I use a treadmill, since it presents a constantly even surface and my knees won't get "surprised" by anything.) If your shoulder can take the strain, push-ups are good. Sit-ups should be easier for you. Pull-ups are good, too, but you need a very sturdy and dependable pull-up bar. But, none of those activities will expend many calories unless you're particularly large or muscular.

Some other "exercise" you can do are pretty easy: Mow the yard. Clean up the house, vacuum, organize furniture, make your bed, do laundry, do the neighbor's laundry, their yard... whatever.  The point is that simply "doing things" burns calories, you don't need "exercise regimens" for that. The more stuff you "do", the more calories you burn. Walking around while shopping burns calories, even if you don't buy anything. Walking around the grocery store, buying healthy food, works too.

And, "not eating" limits calories and makes everything you manage to do that much more effective.  Therefore: Less Fat = (Calories of Food) (.Caloric Intake Multiplier) - Calories Expended


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## FleshEater (Dec 29, 2014)

InstituteMan said:


> I am all for low-carb, no gluten living. That pretty much describes the cuisine in the Institute household. I'm mostly in favor of exercising (a running injury years ago put an end to my marathoning, alas), and I'm entirely in favor of living a high activity life. One of the best things I ever did was build a standing desk for my work. My joints, back, blood pressure, and waistline all appreciate not sitting so much.
> 
> All that said, as a husband to a woman, can I give the other side of the typical weight loss worries? The deal is, InstituteWoman is gorgeous. She's a few pounds heavier than when I married her. So what? I wish she worried a lot less about those few pounds that have arrived over the years, and I would commend everyone else here--men and women alike, but especially the women, knowing how these things typically go--to just not worry about weight so much.
> 
> Eat well, exercise, and have fun. That is enough.



My wife is the same way. It's very frustrating. 



Jon M said:


> 10 - sec DB Flys sounds grrrreat for destroying those pesky rotator cuffs.



That isn't something I recommend to beginners. It's only recommended for extreme bodybuilding. And, with every extreme sport, the risk of injury is always there. It's what we do, because we love it. Like, for instance, I blew out my back dead lifting. Even though I know what it feels like to injure yourself lifting too much weight, I can't stop doing it.


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## Kevin (Dec 29, 2014)

regarding exercise: *It's what we do, because we love it*. so true (unless you are your own little Hitler, you won't keep it up). Those machines end up as dust collectors, clothing racks... on the curb.

*the risk of injury is always there.*  Which ruins everything. A dilemma for everyone, with the added risk for enthusiasts: _how do I do this as often as I like, getting stronger and better at it, without overdoing it? It feels so good...

_


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## FleshEater (Dec 29, 2014)

Kevin said:


> regarding exercise: *It's what we do, because we love it*. so true (unless you are your own little Hitler, you won't keep it up). Those machines end up as dust collectors, clothing racks... on the curb.
> 
> *the risk of injury is always there.*  Which ruins everything. A dilemma for everyone, with the added risk for enthusiasts: _how do I do this as often as I like, getting stronger and better at it, without overdoing it? It feels so good...
> 
> _



I actually found that doing the 10 second rep training, which is actually called High Intensity training, developed by Mike Mentzer, was harder on my central nervous system than anything else. Even though I was only training one day, every seven days, my central nervous system pooped out on me after three-four months of rigorous training. I spent all last year sick because of that training. Since laying off, I've felt ten times better. But, if you want to pack on size, it's the one training I've found to do it. I increased the weight I was using by more than 100% in those months. 

Needless to say, I'm a firm believer in over training. And anyone who hasn't experienced it needs to, so they can understand that it DOES EXIST.


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## Batch (Jan 7, 2015)

If you are planning to lose weight then your diet is key, although exercise will always speed up your goals and won't just help your lose weight, but it will tone your body. If you are planning to change your diet to lose weight, stay away from sugar, too much fat and carbohydrates like potatoes and white bread. Never completely get rid of carbohydrates out of your diet as they give you energy.


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## MamaStrong (Jan 13, 2015)

I have a hard time counting calories and watching what I eat. I'm not a junk food lover, but I'm also not a rabbit. That's been my biggest problem, as well as being a picky eater. However, I'm at the gym 4-5 days a week for 2 hours a day. I'm just getting started but hoping for results soon. As for injuries, I have a leg injury that has yet to be diagnosed. It's preventing me from doing anything hard core. I search Pinterest for workout ideas and meal planning.


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## Guy Faukes (Jan 13, 2015)

To the OP, one of the most important things is the psychological element. You have to endure the first, hard couple of months with picking up a good habit. Do something at least semi-enjoyable and do it twice a week, then work up to every other day. Burning out is a reason why a lot of people can't stick to exercise routines or diets; they slap the bar high then crash after their willpower runs out. Once you start seeing a few results, PE becomes more natural, and you will be inclined to do it more and more.


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## Terry D (Jan 13, 2015)

The only weight loss method that has ever worked for me is Weight Watchers. It's also the only one my doctor approved of (I'm diabetic). I went from 270+ pounds to 225 (and have maintained @230 for more than a year), cut my meds by 75%, and feel much better. I'm, by no means slim, but I eat well, feel good, and am devastatingly attractive (okay, two out of three ain't bad).


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