Starting point:

Current weight 228 pounds (Saturday September 1st)
My scales claim that my body is 37.7 percent fat. I don't know how accurate they are - it sounds an awful lot.

waist 47.5 inches Again this is my best measurement and there will be some margin for error. No wonder my 40 inch jeans feel a bit snug.

In other words, I'm basically a tub of lard. I'll measure the weight weekly, and the waist measurement, and fat percentage monthly. That way even if they are not 100 percent accurate they should show if progress is being made (or not).

I got to my highest ever weight last winter, 240 pounds. I decided I was too fat to eat crap and so cut it out and started doing walks. This led me to lose 12 pounds quickly, then another 4 pounds slowly. I wasn't calorie counting as such. I was travelling around a bit over the summer and away from my scales. When I came back to them, I had put on 4 pounds. Hopefully I can shift that part quickly. Note – my default 'being healthy' likely involves a large amount of 'non-empty' carbs (for historical reasons). I'm going to work on that.

Rationale

When I was younger and was told that the main reason to lose weight was for health reasons, to prevent heart disease and so on, I was like – yeah, yeah, that's important but the real thing is to look good, play sports better and so on. I'm in my early forties now and health has become the main reason. There is great longevity in my family. My four grandparents lived to an average age of 94, with one still alive at 104. I've never really had to take any medication or anything. I don't want to mess it all up by being fat. I come from a medical family and there were a number of comments about my protruding stomach by the pool when I met up with them over the summer holidays. In addition there is some history of type II diabetes in the family. I really don't want that. Other stuff is important as well, but health is number one.

Goals, aims etc

I have a lot of fat in the dangerous place around my midriff and I want to shift it. Weight loss will be my main measure which is after all an indicator of fat loss (but I'm not getting into the game of trying to shift water/tissue etc to get my weight down or anything, its fat I want to lose). I have tended to feel fine at around 200 pounds, or at least human. The excellent book by Tom Venuto has got me thinking I should have bigger aims – so why not to get to a 'healthy weight'? I understand the top of the range for my height to be 179 pounds. I should get my waist measurement below 40 inches (now wouldn't that be a sick brag?) and eventually below 37 inches. I'm not sure what is considered a healthy fat percentage – 20?

I want to learn properly about fitness and nutrition (notice I put 'learning' in the log title!). I learnt about it about twenty years ago, but have been in a nutrition time capsule ever since. We were told to fill up on carbs to keep from getting hungry. Its literally only this year that I heard the idea that protein can be good for this. I got very cynical about diet advice. I'm still cynical, but I'm pleasantly surprised by what I see on this forum. The FAQ is very good I think. Thanks to whoever recommended the Venuto book and the Lyle McDonald website in the inspirational YTF thread. I'd like to get to the stage where I can explain the basics of a healthy lifestyle – nutrition and so on – to somebody with little understanding of it. I'm not terrible on this, just a bit behind the times. I'd also be able to walk into a gym and be able to use the equipment purposefully and efficiently. Please don't be offended if I don't take all advice as read – even from thin, athletic, knowledgeable posters – as nutrition/health is such a minefield its easy for even high quality posters to pick up misinformation along their travels. I want to be able to cook better.

Measurable aims? I'll have a go at this, but I am still in the learning process so they may need to change later.

(1) Reach a weight of 200 pounds or lower, by Easter Friday 2013
(2) Reach a weight of 179 pounds by Christmas 2013
(3) Be able to explain simply the role of the macro-nutrients to a third party, by Easter Friday 2013

I could also have measurable aims for fat percentage and waist measurement. I'm in it for the long term – obviously I'd like to lose weight as quickly as possible to see the benefits as quickly as possible, but if I am in good shape by the end of next year I will be over the moon.

Method

I'm still learning at this stage. It might be a little while before I'm fully on track. Effectively I am getting the log up and running before fully figuring out what I am dong. I'm counting calories, basically, and understand I need to have a deficit of around 500 calories a day to lose a pound a week. I have done weightwatchers in the past which is effectively a type of calorie-counting, but never counted them myself. I have just started using FitDay to count calories/activity. I do a daily walk, which I find good for my state of mind as well as fitness. I'd consider switching or adding mountain biking as well at some point. At some stage I'd like to look to life some weights, as recommended in the FAQ - but fairly clueless at present on this. I see SS recommended, but don't feel I could launch straight into barbell lifting would prefer to use the weight lifting machines to start with. I need to work on my planning, as I often go off track, even when motivated, because I simply don't have the right ingredients to hand. I'm not a great cook which doesn't help. On the plus side, I enjoy exercise, fruit and vegetables.

The Venuto book has shown me that I have a lot of emotional issues with food to work through. I am only just getting started on this. I'm going to have some spare time for the next couple of weeks when I will read up on this stuff, after that I will be busier. That may also be revealed in the effort I put into the log I guess.

So that was a long ramble to get things started, I am not intending to carry on that way! I welcome advice, suggestions and such like. Please try and keep it positive. I mean, criticism where due is fine but I'm not here to be a punching bag.

First and foremost good luck with what you are doing.

One thing that I would strongly recommend is that you do SS. I know it may seem intimidating but you can start with just the bar and get immediate benefits. If you're nervous about learning how to do the lifts, you can post vids here and get help from the board or if you are in a position to hire a coach that can be a great way to go.

One of the primary reasons for my recommendation is because the only thing shown to boost testosterone production naturally is lifting heavy weight performing compound lifts. Rarely discussed here is the hormonal situation you are likely experiencing at 40+. Declining test levels and increased estrogen levels (stored in belly fat) which combine to form a pretty ugly loop that will, effectively, over time, exponentially increase your body fat and reduce your muscularity.

Compounding this is the fact that dieting slows your metabolism and there is some evidence that low carb diets can reduce your test levels.

If I were you (which I think I was ...6' 245lbs three years ago at 41) I would figure out my caloric intake to the proper deficit, set my protein, fill in with complex carbs, fats and some simple carbs and do SS>

I would also read this site http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/
Pretty much everything you need to know with good support (efficacy) behind what is there.

It's been said more than a few times around here, but it's called Starting Strength for a reason -- it is meant for people just starting to gain strength. You can read the book or a rough outline of it to get the gist, watch videos to understand what correct form should be, and then attempt it at the gym while correcting mistakes and improving your form with every visit. Most people do not have a trainer or a workout partner instructing them how to do things; as long as you are smart and patient with the weights, you will very quickly learn the motions.

I think you are thinking too hard into it without tackling the very bare bones of it immediately. There isn't a need to understand the science and psychology behind weight loss right away as long as you understand the basic principles. You seem to be a person that wants to do everything optimally, but in many cases, it is more useful to start out sub-optimally and slowly learn more ways to make your new program/lifestyle optimal for yourself.

As of right now, without the need to do insane research, your goals should just be to set a caloric goal and stick by it everyday by logging food (no estimation, look at the label or online for calorie counts) and to start a tried and true exercise program like Starting Strength. Nobody really feels comfortable doing barbells their first time, but it's really not an excuse to learn.

Subscribing.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing your progress.

Thanks for the responses, encouragements and so on. It seems like I should take another look at this 'Starting Strength' program. Is it necessary to have somebody else working with you when you use Barbells? I often see people using them in pairs, with one ready to catch the weights if they fall etc.

Same goals, subscribing, let us GOGOGOOOGOGOGOOGOGOGGO!

Those timeline goals seem a bit passive. 1 and 3 should be achieved by Christmas 2012, with number 2 being a reach for the moon type goal by this Christmas. Maybe Valentine's Day or something.

Either way, you sound like you're on the right track. The majority of the posters in here should be able to steer you in the right direction for the most part and take you where you want to be well before those dates you've set.

Yes I wondered about this. I have been dreaming of being back at 200 for a few years so waiting a while doesn't seem like a big deal in the bigger scheme of things. Also, I haven't really worked out what I am doing yet, and I don't know what is achievable. I know in the recent past I have tended to lose quite slowly, but I haven't done weights, tracked calories etc so hopefully this will be better. Perhaps I am afraid of setting a goal and missing it, so feeling like I have failed. However, in the Venuto book (should be in the FAQ imo) he recommends setting high goals and just altering the time constraint if you don't get there in time. I probably should think of making more aggressive time constraints, and I'll think about this over the rest of the week.

This will be fun, trying to upload a picture to 2p2 for the first time. This is for September 2nd 2012:



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Also





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I did a walk for an hour and ten minutes. Quite a bit uphill and I went quickly so I was puffing.

After all my commitment talk at the start I seem to have scoffed a lot of calories. FitDay seems happy but should I be having less? I'm also interested in the breakdown - fat/protein/carbs. I have a couple of weeks before I get really busy so I want to get in the right groove/know more or less what I am doing by then. Hence my intensity in learning what I need to know......

Basically, I had trouble sleeping and had the egg on toast after not much sleep. Then had salad, ham, and egg for lunch. I had a beef stew thing for my evening meal then various snacks.

My body seemed to be all over the place yesterday due to recent travel/aclimatising/lack of sleep so it shouldn't be like this in the future. The fried egg particularly seems a bit outrageous.

How hard was it to eat 2100 calories? Were you craving more but stopped yourself, or were you mostly satisfied? You should set a goal that you can keep relatively painlessly so that the discontent doesn't build up on you slowly and then you binge eat and say screw the diet.

Most of the stuff you logged looks pretty good.

There were no extra cravings and no hunger. I was plugging in calories as I went, but was sometimes surprised at what they were (e.g. seeds, and today fruit juice) which led to some loss of control over the numbers. The energy requirement seems to be different depending on which website/source you go by. I was thinking about it today and reckon if I can get a 1000 calorie deficit a day on the FitDay figures, that corresponds to around 2 pounds a week lost. If I under-count or have a bad day, or Fitday overestimates my energy expenditure, that should leave enough cushion to still lose a pound a week. I can adjust depending on the results (as recommended by Venuto). The only risk there I guess is adjusting do to something that turns out to just be weekly variance.

My amount of protein seems lower than other peoples - although I haven't started weight training yet, which will be an important step.

I still haven't got this right:



and



I got in a 70 minute walk up a hill. Its not a disaster by any means but despite eating healthy stuff I'm having more calories than I should imo. I was totally thrown by the fruit juice - government said one glass of fruit juice would count as one of our 'five a day' and ever since I have done so. I had no idea it was so calorific. Once I finish this carton I'll leave that for a bit. I can get fruit and veg more naturally from the items themselves.*

More or less a quarter of calories from bread and margarine tells a story. Its probably my biggest weakness, it lets me think I am eating healthily but actually I am piling in calories. I didn't need 100+ grams of bread with my beef casserole, it had potatoes in it anyway.

Still, I had a calorie deficit. Another site claims I need 200 less calories than Fitday says - who knows? I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

I feel I should aim to get below 2000 calories and maybe down to 1800, unless I am doing serious quantities/intensity of exercise.

I'm not sure why these images aren't showing like they did last time. Only difference is I set up an Imageshack account.

Hey when you upload pics, right click on the pic and select copy image location/ copy image url, whichever you see, then use that link to post it here.

Like this:

I cant get the other one full sized

You diet looks pretty good that day to me (Id probably recommend more protein but its really preference since anything 100+ will do you well).

Nice to see a fellow beet eater.

Also, Id say stick with where you are calorie wise, especially with the walking. Be patient, 2100 is a good number imo



Also just saw this post: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...ostcount=16696

To expand, losing/gaining weight is entirely dependent on calories, ie if you eat more calories, you gain weight. You are looking to lose fat, so you eat at a deficit. The purpose of weight lifting and protein eating is to ensure that the weight you lose comes more from fat than from other sources (muscle loss = bad). The least scientific way to think about it is you are protecting your muscles while you lose weight, which is very important from a health standpoint as well as looking better as you lose weight.

So in other words, eating at a deficit will make you lose weight regardless of if you lift or not. There is no need for concern of lifting weights hurting the fat loss process, because it actually very much helps.

Thanks that was a good explanation. The 100g+ for protein gives me some idea as well which is good. I won't feel so bad if I have days of 2100 in the future. I'll need to see what happens at the scales and adapt of course.

I think my protein count will be disappointing today. I had chicken and rice instead of beef casserole. I didn't realize before how different they would be in terms of the numbers.

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Things didn't go as smoothly yesterday. I had chicken thigh with tomato/onion/mushroom. I like this sort of thing because I don't need to add fat. I had 70g of rice with it (I am used to 100). This was fine, but for the first time I got hungry after dinner. When I went to look I realized I hadn't had many calories really, I was due to be hungry. So I had a bowl of cereal with milk. I'm impressed that I weighed it and didn't finish off the box.

A bit later I found I was still hungry and had a bacon sandwich.

In the end the calories worked out OK but I'd rather not get so hungry post my evening meal. I made three thighs at once, I'll maybe have the other two tonight rather than just one. I'm still doing my daily walk.

I had a bit more than intended on Wednesday but it wasn't disastrous:



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Great start here. One thing I would say is to stop drinking fruit juice. It may taste fantastic, but water has so many more benefits for your body.

Good advice, thanks. I do drink water but I have been in the habit of having a glass of fruit juice for breakfast every day. Now I know how many calories it is I'm not going to get another carton when its finished.

I'm less sure about diet coke. That isn't going to cause me problems calorie-wise but may have other bad effects.

If you really crave fruit juices, using a juicer to extract juices from fresh fruits and vegetables is going to be a bit healthier. This will help you to avoid a lot of sugary additives that can add on calories. It will also help you hit your daily goals for getting fruits and veggies into your diet.

RH,

you don't need a partner to do SS. It's beneficial for the bench press, but not necessary. And your protein count is fairly low, though you aren't lifting yet so it's not a huge deal.

I don't really crave fruit juice, to be honest. I put in some effort to hit my five fruit and veg a day some years ago. The advice was a glass of fruit juice could count as a portion (only 1 though, you can't have two glasses and get two portions), so I got into the habit of having a glass a day.

At the moment I am managing to get in quite a bit of fruit and veg without it anyway. I had a can of fruit in syrup which was a bit wasteful. I thought it was in fruit juice which would have been a bit better. I guess I should have drained it.

I'm just about the same age as you (43) and thought I knew quite a bit about exercise and nutrition when I started my log. As it turns our, my info was also quite outdated. I was frankly shocked to learn so many of the things we were taught as gospel are actually bull**** or only contain a grain of truth.

- fat burning zone
- food pyramid
- carbs keep you less hungry
- excess protein is dangerous
- must do exercise to lose weight
- unused muscles turn to fat
- crunches give you six pack abs

Even a bunch of the cutting edge stuff I had learned about years ago, things like lactic acid threshold, turn out to have been misunderstood or misapplied.

But anyway you are off to a good start getting up to date with the FAQ, Venuto's book, and Lyle's website.

I notice you are folllowing my log closely. Just keep in mind that unlike a lot of folks on this forum I'm trying to lose weight and also not gain too much muscle. Also cardio fitness is important to me. Plus I'm stubborn. So the things you see me doing might not be best for your goals.

Thanks for the information. Probably yours is the situation I am closest to. I am not too worried about building a lot of muscle as I'm mainly interested in things like hiking and tennis, and just being healthy generally. I am re-learning stuff also. There are things I can take from your log for sure. However, I don't like to get a lot of hunger (especially if it stops me from sleeping) so I can't see me getting down to the sorts of calorie levels you were doing at the start of your log. If my present attempts don't or stop working I'll certainly cut them, though. I also feel like I want to increase my exercise efforts quite a bit. Later this may come up against time constraints but I will do what I can.