DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Losing Weight

I just wanted to post on here something about weight loss. My wife and I are both very overweight, and we have the common health issues that are accompanied with it. I have type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and high cholesterol. So, in May, my wife talked me into joining weight watchers with her, and I was not really into it because I thought it was for women, and it was kinda emasculating. But I thought, I gotta do something, so I gave it a try.

I quickly learned that all it does is help you maintain portion and ingredient control. So I started in May, and I was 279lbs. last Saturday I weighed in at 248lbs. And I'll say the weight loss has changed everything about me. The diabetes is under control to the point that my sugar is running in the 80s, and my sleep apnea has disappeared.

I'm not trying to get any money for people signing up or anything, I just wanted to let you guys know about it and some of the success I've had with it. I guess my message is, if you want to lose weight, don't let the stigma of a program scare you off. I've had some people make fun of me for doing a "women's" weight lose program, but it worked and that's really all that matters.

Proud of you dawg, keep pushing!

That's amazing bro. Has the new program spear-headed other lifestyle and exercise changes? I know of a lot of success stories that started with WW.

Swish says it best - keep pushing!

This is something I actually learned in high school. I went to a very small school and playing multiple sports was encouraged because of the size of the school. As such, putting on weight for football was something I did every year. Then I had to take it back off for basketball.

Being young it wasn't so much about portion control as what I was eating. Eating lots of carbs tended to put on weight. Things like potatoes and starches helped put the weight on me. Switching to a lot of fish, chicken and vegetables seemed to take the weight off.

Luckily my tastes allow me to enjoy a wide variety of food that even now what I learned as a youngster I find very helpful in allowing me to maintain a weight I am comfortable with.

I think that's why WW did that whole ad campaign with Dan Marino and other athletes a few years ago to try to remove the stigma that WW was just for women.

Proud of you man, love hearing good success stories.

Way to go spawn .. keep it up buddy

Good work, keep it up.

I have a friend that's about 5'11", and was probably in the 350-375 range. In 6 months, (just over) he's lost 100 lbs. Eating RIGHT, not doing what he was doing: Stopping for fast food every day on the way home from work, eating, then ordering a pizza later, etc. Exercising, etc.

Keep at it.

Cutting out fast food was huge, especially cause I work over nights, it's so easy to just hit the FF joint on the way home. But the biggest thing was cutting out the sugar. Sodas, sweet tea all that stuff. As soon as I did that, the weight started to fall off, and I felt better. Also, cutting out beef and pork was huge, and really hard, especially bacon. When we make tacos now, we use ground turkey or ground chicken, I eat those and I don't feel gross afterward.

I have added some exercise, but mostly to just tone up. This is going to sound gross, but one of the downsides to weight loss is extra skin. So, I've been riding the bike and playing more tennis to try and combat that.

Another big thing is finding the right ingredients to cook with. That has helped alot too.

Great job. Keep at it. You’re adding quality years to your life.
Portion control is huge. So is what we put into our bodies.
Here’s a couple of great resources for nutrition information... check out the Vinnie Tortorich podcast. He’s a brass tacks, straight talking guy. Breaks down nutrition and the science behind it in a very every day guy kind of way.
There’s a blog with really good tasting recipes that fit Vinnie’s ‘diet’ (it’s not really a diet, it’s a way of eating). The blog is called Grain Free Comfort Food.
He’s got a ton of success stories to back up what he’s talking about.
Good luck on your journey to a thinner you.
Regardless of how you get there.

Nice work! Keep going!!


Almost all of losing large amounts of weight boils down to simply eating real foods and maintaining sensible portion control. You do NOT have to go into some crazy workout regimen, nor do you need any sort of fad diets.... you just need to eat quality foods without OVEReating.

Fitness in 100 Words. The first paragraph is all there is to getting to a good body weight/body composition. Yes, I am speaking in general terms as there are always body types and genetic predispositions that are exceptions, but for 95% of the population, this applies.

Congratulations!

Results are what matter. Keep on keepin' on ..... or is it keepin' off?

Incredibly succinct, Purp. How I have been wrong so often in a 100 words is embarrassing. Honest effort and intentions that fail with expert help. LOL Still, that was a great message. Thanks.

Good for you man.....I lost nearly 100 lbs at one point....96 to be exact.

I maintained for about 5 years. I have since put near 20 back on and am determined to lose those.


I am confident because I know I can. I didn't before.

Portion control is a big part. When you start to measure out 1 cup of this and 1 cup of that, you realize 1 cup isn't a whole lot.


Some of us have the ability to store fat. A great gene to have when we were hunter/gatherers. Maybe not so good sine grocery stores entered the picture because the gene also commands us to eat as much as we can, when we can.

It's just that we can do it 3 times a day, everyday, not maybe once a day every few days for our acnestors.

Less carbs. More veggies and meat.
Dont eat crap from the convienence store.
If you need snacks, eat berries, cheese, veggies, nuts
Eat foods that are in their whole form and less processed.
Less salt. More spices.
Dont drink sugary/fruit drinks. <- huge source of calories
Low carb beer or certain liquors have fewer carbs
Eat out in moderation, or if you eat out a lot, try to eat from the light menu every other time. Seafood is the best option.
If you eat out and want a sandwich/burger, dont eat the bun.
Dont eat after 7pm.
Be sure to take a multivitamin daily.
Coffee and Green Tea will help boost your metabolism.

^Some of my strategies.

I tried keto, but couldnt do it because I cant handle a high fat diet.
I repeatedly tried vegetarian, couldnt do it.
So I try to do a paleo hybrid.
Its ok to indulge in something unhealthy every once in a while. Otherwise I feel deprived.

I'm not overweight, but I find that as I get older it becomes more difficult to keep the weight off.

Giving you a standing ovation

I went vegetarian a couple years ago. Actually "Pescatarian" as I eat seafood. I stopped drinking beer (it was giving me a stomach ache after a few pints), pretty much eliminated bread and cereal and never eat fast food. But I lost weight simply from eliminating meat, bread, cereal and beer.

I do drink cocktails (we tend to go out to our local most weekends for a few drinks) we cook fresh dinners every night that tend to be easy & fun Thai or Curry inspired bowls or fish/shrimp and salad. I eat a small lunch (often leftovers from dinner before) and I tend to make a fresh fruit smoothie w/yogurt or I will hard boil 2 eggs for breakfast. Snack wise...I eat a lot of unsalted nuts and seeds & dried fruit and I rarely ever eat dessert, but I have never had a sweet tooth. My guilty pleasure has always been savory. Nuts and seeds helps w/that so I don't eat too many chips!

I walk a lot due to my dogs, I ride my bike to work some days (13 miles round trip) and I rarely sit at work. Doc says I am healthy and my weight/bmi is perfect for my age & height and my cholesterol levels are very good and my blood pressure good. So, I guess it's working.

To truly change you have to eliminate a lot of what you have grown to enjoy (or think you enjoy) and re-teach yourself how to eat and live. But, it's easier than you think. I thought I would miss certain meats and cereal, but I don't.

Again, get exercise. I just walk and lift some weight. I am older. I am not looking to build much. Just try to maintain a reasonable strength. I am at the age where you risk injury trying to push all that much. I am good with pulling 50 here, pushing 100 there. Keep it easy. Stay well with-in the boundaries.

When the weather is good enough, I usually walk 35-40 miles a week.


As for food, again, cut the sweets and maintain portion control. As a young man I could consume 4000 calories a day to maintain weight. Now, more like 1600 to 2100.

As guys we grew up as chow hounds because our bodies needed it....we don't any longer, yet in most cases, our eating habits have been formed.

Women have alwys need fewer calories, and have always been more concerned with looks and weight, but as they age they start to pick up eating habits of their "other".


It's all cool, for most of us, men and women, we hit 35-40, we are going to widen and start to droop. Just a fact of life for maybe 90% of us.

Keto for me. I eat once a day. I'm sold on it being the way to eat forever for me.
Triglycerides dont even register. BP went from taking 2 meds to nothing at all and stays at 117/72. Glucose went from nearly diabetic to the 80's. Cancer 5 years negative after having thyroid HCC.