Dont make excuses & Dont be affraid of losing weight!

[Gambit McCrae]

First time poster in the Health area but I am ready. A lot of people would probably recognize a lot of my posts as playing devils advocate, blunt responses to new over confident or fundmefornoreason people. Or about how ide rather carry whiskey before water. Mid February I did the Art Loeb Trail weighing 230 lbs. Most I've ever weighed. The 31 mile trail was anything but the easy stroll I once remembered along the AT and for more then the first time during, and after the trip I said " You have got to get this weight off". 29 years old, drank like a fish, hiked every weekend and the only portion size for me was when the plate was FULL. A baconator? no thanks ill have 2. A beer after work? No I'll have a fifth of jack. I was out of control. A semi functioning walking brewery. I would stay straight enough to do my job, and all other efforts were drinking, eating and somehow hiking. Started to scare me. After the Art Loeb I came back home and had lost 7 lbs in 2 days. I thought well, this is the best opportunity your gunna have to turn stuff around Al. I got home, house was dry and pantry full of junk. Threw it all out, went to the store and made a rule for myself. If it don't swim, fly or have roots? I'm not eating it. I walk a minimum of 3 miles a day, every day. And now that the time change is here, I will be doing my 3 miles during work breaks, and 8 miles with my pack after work. I am 35 days into this change and have lost 22 lbs. only 8 more to my goal of 200 and it has been an amazing life change. I am happier, think clearer, I can run!! lol and people have noticed. People around me have changed there lifestyles in hopes of seeing results as well. Making life changes I have found is much like acquiring a taste for certain foods. When you were younger, you thought " I will never like tomatos", the same as a year ago I would have said "I will never like the healthy road". Well come on in folks, the water is fine

I titled this "Don't make excuses & Don't be afraid of losing weight!" because I always found great reasons to post pone, or not even start losing weight, and it was because I was afraid of not seeing results. What I have found through this, is if you HONESTLY change, not half ass it, but a serious curve in your habits and diet, you will see changes. And that its better to try and fail, then to never try at all.

Disclaimer: This is in no way a sobriety post. Nothing better then an ice cold jack and water by the campfire, which I still partake in, in moderation on the trail.

Get out there folks

[Traffic Jam]

Good job!

Some people lose weight very slowly, get frustrated at not seeing results, and quit trying. For those people, think of it as making a life-style change...not losing weight. The weight loss will come but the focus will be on building a better, happier life.

[TX Aggie]

Congratulations, keep up the progress, and keep up the lifestyle.
I slowly put on an extra 30 lbs over a few years. My wife decided to start eating better and get in shape, and since I'm the cook of the family I pretty much had to go along, but I was at a point that I wanted to. We started almost 2 years ago, both lost around 25 lbs, and we've kept it off. My wife even started running 5ks (she is NOT a runner) and goes on day hikes with me and the kids. She still won't sleep in a tent though.

Great post, keep it up!


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[Maineiac64]

Congrats. Baconators are awesome though.

[Dogwood]

Feels GREAT to chart your destiny, honestly recognize of the consequences of your behavior, and, most importantly, take courageous action in line with achieving your goals. I applaud you sir! A very empowering positive oriented post!

[gracebowen]

If someone has realistic expectations even a small change will help. 1 yr 8 months ago I quit drinking soda and started drinking tea. My tea is sweetened with 1C sugar and 1C splenda. I also cut back on sweets and started being more aware of the calorie content of food I eat. Ive lost and kept off 25 lbs.

[illabelle]

I sabotage myself regularly.
Earlier this week I bought a box of Little Debbie Honey Buns. I ate three on the drive home.
Next day I ate the other three for breakfast.

[Uncle Joe]

Great job, Gambit!

[FooFooCuddlyPoops]

I am in the same boat as you. I don't drink, luckily, but I do weight the heaviest I have ever been at 240lbs. I am only 5'2.

Thing is:
I don't drink soda.
I love vegatibles.
And, I am okay active.

Upon looking at my acitivies, I realized:
I binge eat sweets at random. 5 cookies turn into half a pack. 1 gallon of ice cream lasts two days at best.

So I am starting to work on my portion controll, binge eating, and exercising in preparation for my section hike in may.

[Gambit McCrae]

I am in the same boat as you. I don't drink, luckily, but I do weight the heaviest I have ever been at 240lbs. I am only 5'2.

Thing is:
I don't drink soda.
I love vegatibles.
And, I am okay active.

Upon looking at my acitivies, I realized:
I binge eat sweets at random. 5 cookies turn into half a pack. 1 gallon of ice cream lasts two days at best.

So I am starting to work on my portion controll, binge eating, and exercising in preparation for my section hike in may.

I have found that I am an all or nothing person. I am not going to limit myself to 1 cookie, I'm gunna eat carrots instead all together. I found that preplanning my meals at least a day out takes very little time, and makes me make healthier choices before I start craving something. First week was a big fail, thought I knew what was healthy and had no idea.

Examples:
Getting low cal ranch instead of reg ranch? Good job you just saved yourself 20 calories. Your ranch is still not good for you, and you aren't going to see a change. Now if you eliminate the ranch and put some peppers and spices into the food processor, make a home made salsa you love? Now you just saved 140 calories instead of 20.

If its not in the house, you cant eat it. Only time I break my new string of habits is in the woods on the trail. If I'm willing to carry it, I deserve to enjoy it.

I am leaving in 2 hours for the trail. Got myself a 6pack of IPA and 16 oz of whiskey for 3 days. (Yes I carry my cans out) and I also have a bag of fritos, some chili and sweet and sour pouurk. When I come home, what ever is left (Prolly wont be anything), will either be thrown away or saved for next trip.

[Rain Man]

Proud of you, Gambit! Thanks for sharing.

[rafe]

Nice work. Congrats.

[Sandy of PA]

Too bad I have been finding some of your lost pounds! I have to get back on portion control myself.

[Five Tango]

"Sugar,The Bitter Truth" by Dr. Lustig.Available in print and/or You Tube.Please note his comments and findings on "sugar substitutes" also.Game Changer..........

[DapperD]

Congratulations on the weight loss! Your too young to let yourself go When we are young we can get away somewhat with eating what we want and the drinking. Once we begin to age it all starts to catch up. What you have done is reached a crossroads in your life where you realize that if you continue on the path that you are on you are going to wind up obese, unhealthy and or worse.

By changing direction to make better choices in what you eat and begin to limit your drinking you can reverse the weight gain and ultimate bad effects it is going to bring. The real challenge, however, is to do it permanently.

[KCNC]

I don't sabotage myself quite that bad, but I do start creeping back to less healthy choices. Every day I start with the goal of going to bed happy and successful in my eating program.

Planning is key for me, when I get "hangry" the wheels wobble and fall off. Soda is all but eliminated from my diet these days (HUGE improvement for the child of a former Pepsi bottler! We had a soda fountain in the house when I was growing up...) Lots more fruit and veggies with lean meats.

Just have to avoid temptation and stay the course.

I also need to start walking a lot more, in all kinds of weather. I haven't hiked in a LONG time and I'm anxious to get back out there. It will be more fun if I'm not concerned with the small things (like being gassed or sore) and can just enjoy the journey.

[Another Kevin]

I gotta get out more, is all. When I can get Out There regularly, I never have a weight problem. When I can't, I always do. When I returned to hiking maybe 10 years ago after several decades of not doing it, I lost 45 pounds or so over a couple of years, almost imperceptibly. Less than half a pound a week, but over a couple of years, that adds up!

I would much rather that my 'healthy diet' be 'stay active and eat what I damned please!' My doc says that I'm doing something right. Then again, I'm not a heavy boozer, hardly ever have soda, and don't even eat that much meat. I used to bring a flask of Scotch on the trail, but noticed that more often than not it came home full, and so lightened my pack.(I

I've put about half the weight back on - because first my eye and then my feet started acting up, and I wasn't able to get out a lot. I'm hoping that moving forward the same trend will re-establish itself.

[Walkabout 03]

My biggest help has been by listening to and incorporating the nutrition advice of Dr. Jason Fung. He addresses the role of Insulin and carbohydrates metabolism in diabetes and weight gain. His you tubes are worthwhile.

[jgillam]

I guess I'll chime in.

About 2 months ago I was given a warning from the doctor regarding my A1C, which I have struggled with before.

I talked to a nutritionist and did some research and took up the vegan / plant based diet. In 10 weeks, doing nothing more than eliminating all animal products and processed food from my diet and getting my 10,000 steps in daily, I have dropped 38 pounds.

I'm never hungry, never tired anymore, I'm more focused, haven't had a single headache (before I fought them daily) and my resting heart rate has dropped to the very low 50 BPM range. Pretty cool stuff really.

In the past decade I have had great success with 2 low carb diets but, the rebounds led to great weight gains. I tried 6 months of reasonable, high protein diet with lots of exercise but, didn't lose any weight and didn't feel good.

I'm not a medical professional by any means but, this has been a super easy transition for me...maybe it can for someone else. I certainly wish anyone struggling with weight the best success.