Doc yelled at me, time to get back to the gym!

[photogineer]

My doctor gave me a stern talking to about my weight, when he asked me what the deal was I told him "Well, my mother is Italian and I am over there a lot..." and he just shook his head at me and frowned.

So now I am under doctor's orders to go back to the gym and start watching my calories. Frustrating, but I keep telling myself it'll be worth it when I'm lighter and have more endurance for my next trip!

Anyone got any good tips for sticking with it this time? (this will be at least my seventh attempt!)

Adam

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

I've never understood the Italian excuse. I have a friend whose mother is Italian and she uses that line all the time. I've been to Italy 3 times. Most people look like supermodels.

You are lucky that your doctor cares enough to address the problem. Google different sites like My Fitness Pal etc for inspiration. If you don't like the gym there are many videos you can pop into your dvd so you can exercise in the comfort of your own home.

Good luck. Once you start and see the results you will feel amazing.

 

[photogineer]

I've never understood the Italian excuse. I have a friend whose mother is Italian and she uses that line all the time. I've been to Italy 3 times. Most people look like supermodels.

You are lucky that your doctor cares enough to address the problem. Google different sites like My Fitness Pal etc for inspiration. If you don't like the gym there are many videos you can pop into your dvd so you can exercise in the comfort of your own home.

Good luck. Once you start and see the results you will feel amazing.

Oh no, it wasn't an excuse, it was deflection out of embarrassment, but what I was referring to was the cooking. The utterly delicious, incredibly tempting and ridiculously heavy pasta dishes, and all the appetizers. She loves to cook, I love to eat, and one of her meals could sink a ship.

I have MFP, it hasn't really helped me stick to it in the past, the one time I really stuck to it I actually started to have defined musculature and my face thinned out and I really liked it, but I still eventually got frustrated with the maintenance required.

I greatly appreciate the doctor's candor, he's actually a new PCP for me so this was a new patient work-up, so my first time meeting him and after that I'm sold! He was professional, and kind, but firm and did not give me any wiggle room in his assessment. I like that.

Adam

 

[Bec3b1g]

Here is what I do that helps: DH is my work out buddy and we both hold each other accountable. Have a goal of going to the gym X times per week (mine is 5) and be committed to a certain minimum time (mine is 30 minutes, unless I do a class). I pack my gym bag before going to bed the night before.

I actually enjoy working out most days. Some days it's a grind, but I'm always glad I go. Once it becomes part of your routine, it gets easier.

Good luck.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Here is what I do that helps: DH is my work out buddy and we both hold each other accountable. Have a goal of going to the gym X times per week (mine is 5) and be committed to a certain minimum time (mine is 30 minutes, unless I do a class). I pack my gym bag before going to bed the night before.

I actually enjoy working out most days. Some days it's a grind, but I'm always glad I go. Once it becomes part of your routine, it gets easier.

Good luck.

See my post. Dr yelling at me is why I'm going to spin class tomorrow at 6:30 am. I love my fit it linked with the lose it app

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

My best tip is group fitness. Group fitness offers such accountability especially as you get to know the instructors and other members.
Men tend to shy away from group fitness because of appearances but the number of men in the classes I take has grown a lot in the last year.
If you enjoy what you are doing, it will be easier to stick with.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Oh no, it wasn't an excuse, it was deflection out of embarrassment, but what I was referring to was the cooking. The utterly delicious, incredibly tempting and ridiculously heavy pasta dishes, and all the appetizers. She loves to cook, I love to eat, and one of her meals could sink a ship.

I have MFP, it hasn't really helped me stick to it in the past, the one time I really stuck to it I actually started to have defined musculature and my face thinned out and I really liked it, but I still eventually got frustrated with the maintenance required.

I greatly appreciate the doctor's candor, he's actually a new PCP for me so this was a new patient work-up, so my first time meeting him and after that I'm sold! He was professional, and kind, but firm and did not give me any wiggle room in his assessment. I like that.

Adam

Well you have a great attitude. Remember most people fail at "diets". What we need to do is see food in a different way and start eating clean. Forget everything you were taught as a child and eat clean. It's like a miracle for your body when it's not always fighting off the food you put in it.

 

[photogineer]

Well you have a great attitude. Remember most people fail at "diets". What we need to do is see food in a different way and start eating clean. Forget everything you were taught as a child and eat clean. It's like a miracle for your body when it's not always fighting off the food you put in it.

I'm going to try that approach, as my Doc put it, it's a lot easier to just not consume the calories than try to force your body to need them, but easier and easy are not the same thing!

Still, I am going to do my absolute best.

Adam

 

[Bec3b1g]

My best tip is group fitness. Group fitness offers such accountability especially as you get to know the instructors and other members.
Men tend to shy away from group fitness because of appearances but the number of men in the classes I take has grown a lot in the last year.
If you enjoy what you are doing, it will be easier to stick with.

I love both Pilates and yoga class. Either one can be tailored to different fitness levels.

 

[Jdbsfw]

Absolutely, it's way easier to skip 300 calories you don't really "need" than to burn 300 calories.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

I'm going to try that approach, as my Doc put it, it's a lot easier to just not consume the calories than try to force your body to need them, but easier and easy are not the same thing!

Still, I am going to do my absolute best.

Adam

You can eat a huge green, red and yellow salad and not count the calories. Squeeze lemon over it instead of an oil based dressing. It's like free eating. Lots of protein from broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, etc. Don't buy into the must be meat to be protein myth. You will cut the fat way down by eating beans, greens, quinoa, potatoes, whole wheat pasta. Just don't cook with oils (including olive oil). If you see a recipe that calls for it, just leave it out. Fry veggies in a bit of water instead of oil. Soon you will hate the taste of oil.

You will drop weight quickly and tone up with even a 25 minute cardio workout 6 days a week plus eating clean. Your eyes will be brighter, your skin will glow. Your energy will skyrocket.

 

[lizabu]

The trick is to find foods you like which are also healthy. Do yourself a favour and prepare the foods in advance to make it easy to grab and go. When I have my day off I chop fruits and veggies so they are ready to eat. I usually make a kale salad every week. Brocolli salad is another one we really like. It's easy to slip up when you don't have healthy choices ready to eat.

Next you need to find exercises you really enjoy. I'm obsessed with bodypump and it has changed my life. I work out harder as part of a group than I ever would left to my own devices. Then do it often. I do bodypump three times per week and then the other days I do 30 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of weight training. But that's because that is what I like to do. You have to find what you like to do. Maybe it's swimming or playing soccer or riding your bike. Fact is, if you aren't enjoying it, you won't do it. Also remember, there will be days when you don't feel like it. If you do it anyways within just a few minutes you start to feel better and you will be glad you started exercising. After only a couple weeks of daily exercise you will find that you feel like crap if you miss your workout for some reason.

 

[ericstac]

My doctor gave me a stern talking to about my weight, when he asked me what the deal was I told him "Well, my mother is Italian and I am over there a lot..." and he just shook his head at me and frowned.

So now I am under doctor's orders to go back to the gym and start watching my calories. Frustrating, but I keep telling myself it'll be worth it when I'm lighter and have more endurance for my next trip!

Anyone got any good tips for sticking with it this time? (this will be at least my seventh attempt!)

Adam

Just curious, how much do you have to lose?

 

[Bec3b1g]

Also remember, there will be days when you don't feel like it. If you do it anyways within just a few minutes you start to feel better and you will be glad you started exercising. After only a couple weeks of daily exercise you will find that you feel like crap if you miss your workout for some reason.

This is so true.

 

[hegsag]

If you don't like to go to the gym then there are plenty of other ways to burn calories that may be more fun to you. Not sure where you live but get outside & have fun hiking, swimming or anything that you enjoy doing. Walking is good too. Exercise doesn't have to feel like a chore - just find something that you enjoy!

Make little changes that will add up such as park your car far from the entrance to stores so you have to walk the extra steps, take the stairs instead of elevator/escalator, etc.

Good luck!

 

[photogineer]

Just curious, how much do you have to lose?

I am currently 210, Doc wants me down to 180 or so to start. I'd like to be down to 160 personally.

Adam

 

[Tiggeroo]

You got this. Every failed attempt up to now was just learning. Get support. Tell people. Make your plans public. That helps me a bit. Set tiny doable goals but keep increasing. This week I will eliminate white flour and sugar and walk 20 minutes a day. Believe me I know it's hard.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

I am currently 210, Doc wants me down to 180 or so to start. I'd like to be down to 160 personally.

Adam

I don't know if this will help you any, but it's what works for me.

I've had two major weight losses. The first one was in high school (because I was way past obese), and the second began three years ago. I used different methods both times. The first time I was still living at home. I really couldn't change what we ate, but I could change how much of it I ate. Portion control is key. And then I would always give myself one meal over the weekend where I could eat anything I wanted, because let's face it? Who wants to think of a lifetime of what feels like deprivation?

Now fast forward to my adult years. My other half has done Weight Watchers for as long as I can remember. We have that portion control thing down now. We still eat some of my favorite foods, but we control how much we eat of them. That's the great thing about Weight Watchers. You can eat anything you like, as long as you pay attention to how much you're eating at meals. (And I'm not plugging WW, per se. I'm just giving you my other half's experience with it.)

As far as exercise goes, I buy DVDs and work out at home. It's way more convenient for me, and there's no excuse that I don't have time to hit the gym. If I'm home, I can pop the DVD into the player and work out. I've gone from a size 16 to a size 8 in three years. It's not rapid weight loss, no, but I have maintained that weight loss. And that's what matters to me.

Good luck with your efforts! You can do this!!!!

 

[Bilberry]

As a tip, if your doctor didn't bring it up and to save you from possible frustration, exercise delivers many health benefits but weight loss tends to not be one of them. Diet is a key to loosing the pounds. I thought this a nice editorial by Dr Aseem Malhotra on that.

“Take Off that Fitbit. Exercise Alone Won’t Make You Lose Weight.”

http://www.dietdoctor.com/take-off-that-fitbit-exercise-alone-wont-make-you-lose-weight

 

[quandrea]

You can eat a huge green, red and yellow salad and not count the calories. Squeeze lemon over it instead of an oil based dressing. It's like free eating. Lots of protein from broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, asparagus, etc. Don't buy into the must be meat to be protein myth. You will cut the fat way down by eating beans, greens, quinoa, potatoes, whole wheat pasta. Just don't cook with oils (including olive oil). If you see a recipe that calls for it, just leave it out. Fry veggies in a bit of water instead of oil. Soon you will hate the taste of oil.

You will drop weight quickly and tone up with even a 25 minute cardio workout 6 days a week plus eating clean. Your eyes will be brighter, your skin will glow. Your energy will skyrocket.

This is so true. The bonus is you will feel full for a long time.