Age: 33
Height: 6'
Start Weight: 17st 6lb
Current Weight: 14st 11lb
Goal Weight: 14st
Weight Lost: 2st 9lb
Dieting History
I have been overweight for all of my adult life, ever since I
left school, stopped playing team sports regularly and
discovered beer!
I have started many half-hearted diets, as well as at least 3
serious diets that were temporarily successful.
One that sticks in my mind is from the mid-eighties, when I
dieted based on a book called The Rotation Diet, which advocated
alternating 3-4 day periods of very low calorie intake with
periods of much higher weight-maintenance calorie levels. This
apparently keeps the metabolism off balance, so preventing it
shutting down completely. In any case, it worked and I lost at
least a couple of stones.
The other significant period of diet success was in early
2002 when (wait for it!) I used this very website to manage a
diet that saw me lose 2.5 stones over about a 4 month period.
Unfortunately, I was then made redundant, and in a general round
of economising, I cancelled my membership to WLR and lo and
behold, the weight all crept back on over the next year or so.
I swear that this time when I achieve my goal weight, I will
use the site at least periodically for weight maintenance. This
is probably the single biggest lesson that I have learnt and
would like to share.
Have you lost weight before
and regained the weight?
Yes, many, many times!
On Being Overweight
To be honest, I don't think that this was ever a big issue
for me. I think there is less stigma attached to being a fat
bloke than being a fat woman. I have always been pretty active.
I have always walked very fast, for example, and I play golf
regularly. I certainly have never been very confident about
taking my shirt off in public! I guess that this will become
much easier now.
Finding the Motivation
I think that the primary motivator is that I am approaching
my forties and if I continue to be obese then I will inevitably
start to run into health problems. I have a 2.5 year old son who
I want to be able to encourage to love sports like his dad does.
I want to feel fit and healthy and be as active as I possibly
can be. I am no longer going to rationalise to myself that it is
OK to be fat. It isn't! I previously used to tell myself that I
was a naturally "big-guy", that I didn't have time to exercise,
that I would get around to losing the weight eventually. This is
all nonsense! Now I think of food as fuel for my body. It is no
more or less than this. I also tell myself that "nothing tastes
as good as thin feels!"
Discovering Weight Loss Resources
As I have already said, this is my second stint as a member
of WLR. I originally found it from from a web search, probably
google.
How Weight Loss Resources Helps
The discipline of the food diary and the motivation of seeing
my exercise calories added to my food allowance are the two key
benefits for me. I also find it extremely useful to be able to
pick from the database of packaged foods.
As I have already mentioned, I am a pretty active person
anyway, so I really enjoy exercising every day. I have a Reebok
Cross Trainer in my garage that I try to use for 30 minutes most
mornings (at least 5 out of 7, typically). I have started
getting up 30 minutes earlier on a work day to give me the time
to exercise. I also go out for a 30-40 minute walk at lunchtimes
if I am in the office, which gives me back at least half the
calories from my lunch!
I don't post that much on the message boards, but I do spend
a few minutes each day reading some of the posts. I haven't
really needed the support network myself yet, but I know it is
there waiting if I do need it!
The Best of Weight Loss Resources
Food and exercise diaries. Message boards sometimes.
Dieting Tips
It is not rocket science, but I am convinced that exercising
every day is the key to success with sustained weight loss. I
try to vary my routine, including the cross trainer and walking
regularly, and cycling and swimming occasionally.
The other thing that I have done is still allow myself the
occasional extended trip to the pub(!), which usually sees me go
over calories by at least 1000 on the day. I always follow this
with a sub-1000 calorie eating day, which seems to offset the
damage and allow me to maintain a weight loss on the week.
Finally...
I have already said this, but I want to reiterate. Do not
quit WLR just because you have reached your target weight! The
weight will go back on for sure if you relax back into your old
lifestyle. I intend to be a very long-term member of WLR this
time, just keeping myself on track with my new healthy
lifestyle. Try the Weight Loss
Resources dieting tools yourself free for
24 hours
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