Hi All

So this is me, now.. the dreaded BEFORE PICS that hopefully will be used as a continual reminder to myself of why I'm doing all this and working so hard.

History&Reason:
I've always had a large build.. not a really FAT guy, but Stocky.

Since highschool I've been steadily gaining about 5lbs a year (some years more than others, but thats been the average). When I graduated i was 17yo and 173lbs... today I'm 26yo and 217lbs. At some point between Highschool and today I crossed over from the stocky but healthy guy to a Fat desk-jockey, and I'm sick of being the fat-guy amongst my friends.

I'm also getting Married on July 19th 2008, and would like to shed some of the more obvious of the 40+lbs I've packed on in the past 9 years.
When my fiance and I met in 2005 I weighed in at around 190lbs... lets just suffice it to say that she's a great cook and... i was weak.

My goal for the wedding is 190lbs. 27lbs in 5months.
Probably an unrealistic goal, but I'm dedicated. I have a very supporting family and I know I'll get there eventually, why not sooner than later.

Anyway, here are my pics that my fiance took tonight.
My dog Oscar was interested in what all the fuss was about in the livingroom, so he joined me in the photo session.

It's not unrealistic, I have lost 40+ in 6 months.

What is your game plan? Gym, weight watchers, walking? Is your finance going to start making some healthier meals? Or are you just going to use better portion control and some kind of exercise?

Whatever you do, just remember it's one day at a time, and even if it was "just" 1-2 pounds a week (which is healthy and doable), that would be 20-40 pounds!!



You can do it!!

You can do it!! I was the same..i wanted to lose all my weight before i get married too.. iv lost it and now i have to wait till July 09' haha..hopefully ill keep it off till then. Dont worry, you'll look awesome on your wedding day!! Good luck!

I'm in the same boat as you, stocky but still a bit overweight. And yeah, my goal would probably be around 40 lbs as well. Best of luck mate, keep at it and congratulations on the wedding!!!

Oh, cute dog too :-D

you can do it bro..
I was fat then.. I got inspiration, I did..
I'm at the average weight now..
good luck to your marriage!..

Thanks for the support everyone!

Wow, grats on your 40+ in 6mo!

My game plan is kinda of the same plan I had before I let Alison start cooking for me (and let myself go back for 2nds and 3rds):
Eat 5-7 times a day, totaling no more than 2000 net calories/day.
Daily exercise: walk the dogs in the morning (15min) and again when fresh home from work (20-30min), supper meal around 5pm, exercise on the Bowflex for 20-45min (finally got a list of the exercises possible on my model and mixed them together for a nice daily mix of exercises). I plan an doing an On/Off day exercise routine (Mostly non-strenuous sets for the off-days, then double the reps for the On days). Final meal to be not after 7pm along with copious amounts of water intake to ward off the 9-10pm munchies. The water at home has bad taste, so i usually add 2tbls of powdered Gatorade to a pitcher of water when I get home and try to finish it before bed.
I did this when i lived with only myself back in '05 and mysteriously stopped when I started dating again (my own fault); so getting back into it again isn't that big of a deal (its the sticking with it I'm concerned about - hopefully the support here will help keep me on track).

I kind of expect the "plateau" effect to happen some time in late April or early May when I hope to be back around 205; which is when I'll need to mix up the exercise and diet thing (might start the Couch-to-5k thing when i get back below 200). Hopefully the weather will be nicer then anyway (Spring in NewEngland sux for going outside!).


Saw your Before/After photos, WOW GREAT JOB. Thanks for the support. I'm actually considering getting my fiance motivated with your pics; she's a very similar body type to your "before" photo's and i'm sure she'd be SHOCKED to see your After photos. Historically she's been too proud to post her own weight-loss plight (maybe seeing my progress will change her mind!).

It sounds like you have a plan and understand the basics, you're already way ahead of a lot of others. And, you signed up here which is an often overlooked aspect of weight loss - social network. Between your fiance and the group here, you'll have enough inspiration/motivation/butt kicking to keep you honest and on track.

Good luck and congrats on the upcoming wedding, you'll look great by then!

Here's something interesting..
I started exercising and my new diet on Sunday of this week (on the 6th day now), and I've noticed that I'm no longer groggy in the afternoon and I'm not drinking any coffee or tea any more... Being alert in the afternoon is kinda exciting because I've always dreaded the "food coma" afternoon's and the resulting lack of quality work that gets done as a result.

I'm NOT looking forward to going to a party I was invited to tomorrow night.. well.. i'm looking forward to it, but my healthy conscience is dreading the thought...

How many calories are in a 50/50 captain&coke(cokezero)?

Any tips out there for how to avoid the TONS of empty carbs and stuff found when at a party full of excited 20something's looking to blow off some steam? There's usually nothing but pizza/beer/cap'nCoke/chips/dip/etc... should i try to bring my own healthy alternative?

Hey, you could always BYOB really shitty beer, like Miller Lite. Each 12 oz bottle has 96 calories. It's terrible, but if you really want to drink some alcohol (if you can even call Miller Lite that), then I'd go for that. Two ounces of rum has about 135 calories. Two ounces is about a shot. So one C&C with diet coke or coke zero is going to have about 135 calories in it.

By the way, I love Oscar.

Fourty pounds in five months is doable, especially since your'e a dude. Guys seem to be able to lose fat more quickly than women a lot of times.

-Tamara

Hey, your goal isn't unrealistic at all, man. If you're willing to work hard then it will pay off for sure. Umm, when I first started trying to get back into shape I was about 218-220. That was back around the end of November (roughly 4 1/2 months I'd say) Since then I've managed to get down to 175 lbs... So yeah man, I think you for sure could reach your goal and then some if you really make a good effort.

Good luck...

Wow SyntaxError (love your name btw), Great job on your loosing!
Thanks for stopping by;
What have you been doing (exercise-wise) to shed that quickly?

I've been doing the drink until I'm not hungry thing, and the eat 5-6 times a day thing (consistently sub-2000 net calorie days), along with about 45min of exercise each day for the past week; and i woke up this morning and was down 5lbs (!!) since last Sunday. Hope I can keep that up for another week (or two!).

Exercise wise, I've been doing cardio about six days week (sometimes five) and also been lifting weights about 3 to 4 times a week. For the cardio I either go on my treadclimber(I think it's awesome) for 60 mins or I go out and run for about the same amount of time... I find it works bests to mix things up and keep the boredom from setting in... Sometimes I even run outside for 30 mins and then go on the treadclimber for 30... I also have a stationary bike, but that bores me far too much.

Then of the watching calorie stuff, which I think is about the same what you're doing...

Hey, yeah once you start losing weight and your pants size start dropping then you'll be addicted to it... heh.

So, i feel my motivation waining today.
Yesterday I had some ricecakes as an after-dinner snack (new ones that my fiance picked up for me). 10 cakes go by really fast during a suspenseful movie.. and found out later (as i put them into TDP) that they were 80calories each (instead of the normal 35)!!

So, I was 373 calories over my daily limit.. and i woke up this morning and was 2.2lbs heavier than the previous day's morning weigh-in... WTF!?!

I'm thinking it's mostly salt-bloat (those new rice cakes were freakin salty!), but 2.2lbs??
It's like i lost all this week's progress (not much, i know, but slow and steady)...

I feel like i've stalled this week for some reason.. i started walking the dog a 2mile loop at night.. and suddenly my weight just stops going down.. i've been 215-216 all week.. and then today i wake up and i'm 217.2... wtfx going on here...

Do i need to do more exercise to loose weight with that caloric intake (just under 2000 calories/day)? i'm not a morning person, and exercise is bad right before bed.. so i'm left with Right when i get home from work.. but i've been doing a 2mile loop that has some hills so i thought that might be enough light exercise to get me warmed up for 20-30min of bowflexing when i get home. Would more miles on the walk help? Longer on the bowflex (at the end each night i'm not SORE, but i sure do _feel_ it)? I dont need to Build a lot of muscle, just tone up the stuff i have (i have lots of muscle under the fat, and i dont really wanna be more bulky) so i do high-rep near-cardio workout on the bowflex... 40reps of this, 40 reps of that.. (in sets).. but i dont seem to be loosing at the rate i'd like... (especially with the bouncing weight thing, grr).

Thanks for all the support btw!

listen dude good job! i know the feeling, but i became a fat guy and now im on my way to a beach body! keep it up i know u can reach your goal and 30lbs in 3 months is a perfect goal 2-3lbs a week u can do it

itsAdrian, Thanks for the support!
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so, I've been 215.5 (plus/minus 1/2lb) for over a week now.. and although I'm pleased that i haven't gained, I'm getting frustrated and want to break down into the 'ot numbers very soon.

SOOO.. i decided that i'm going to start the Couch-to-5k thing today.. downloaded the podcast and went for my first "run" today.. more like a lung-explosion/heaving JOG... but its a start..
Even though I've never really had the lungs for running (got sick in gradeschool and had to quit soccer, discovered my computer hobby and never haven't been very active since).. I'm going to do this.. I've set my sights on a 5k in July (a week or two before my wedding) and I'm gonna do it.... i have to do SOMETHING.. and this is what I'm doing.

Anyone else starting the Couch-to-5k program? I don't have the software, just the free podcasts from Ullrey.