Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with health and weightloss

Puff, puff, OWWWWWWW

Madamina — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:21:22 -0800

All my life I've had this problem when doing any sort of cardio activity: my throat can stand my breathing for about 15 seconds before it starts to burn like hell. I've tried breathing differently, asking for medical advice, drinking various beverages before/during/after working out... nothing. It's happened when I've been in better shape and when I'm a lazy slob. So I avoid cardio, which I have always desperately needed. How can I overcome this and work out pain-free? This proudly Amazonian fattie is joining the MeFi Fitness Challenge (hells yeah!) and must get a throat problem taken care of. I've seen this thread, among others, which lead me to think it might be some sort of exercise-induced asthma, but who knows.

Drinking water before or after the exercise doesn't really do much; neither does trying very hard to breathe through my nose instead of my mouth. I've brought it up with various doctors and fitness instructors, but nobody has given me even a hint of how to fix it.

I've historically also had respiratory problems (constantly running nose, infections like clockwork when the seasons change, strep throat loads of times when I was a kid), so I've considered having my tonsils out, but haven't had it done.

Because I work at the top of a large hill (and, in fact, DO walk uphill both ways when walking to/from work), having good cardiovascular health is important even if I don't lose weight/bulk. I've been avoiding it for the last six months, and even walking up it twice a day for four years has rarely made it any easier.

So are there things I can do to make running/elliptical/aerobic exercise less searingly awful? Are there particular exercises or activities that will promote good cardiovascular health while not making me breathe so hard? I feel like the slow recumbent bicycle gets me exactly nowhere.

Special consideration goes to stuff that won't make me bounce too much, as parts of me bounce enough already. Pounding joints = bad. (5'7", 240ish, top-heavy.)

I think food and me need some time apart...

SansPoint — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:39:21 -0800

I'm a chubby guy with a chronic sweet tooth, and a problem with overeating. Will fasting actually do anything for me? Okay, I've checked the previous questions on this sort of thing, but they don't quite address one of the main reasons I'm interested in trying a fast. I'm a bit of an overeater, and a fast eater, and I'm wondering if doing a fast will help my relationship to food. This way I can perhaps neutralize my chronic sweet tooth, train myself to eat less, and perhaps develop a healthier diet.

I realize that the whole detoxification thing from fasting is a load of bunk and hoo-ha. I'm not expecting or desiring any sort of spiritual benefit, and the like. I'm very devout in my non-spirituality. Thing is, my weight's gotten up to friggin' 230 pounds (and I'm 5'9"), and that's not good. Anything that can help me deal with how I eat and improve it has to be good for me, right?

And if I do this sort of thing, what's the *sanest* way to fast without killing myself?

Help me, O Exercise Gurus.

canadia — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:26:01 -0800

Burning calories while exercising: how important is how much effort you put into it? Does difficulty enter the equation, or is it all time and distance? Here's an example of what I mean: I've been riding my single gear bike to and from work for the past month on a route that is rolling hills that go as high as a 7% incline. It takes me about 40 minutes to get 5 miles, and I'm huffing and puffing for most of the trek. A few hours later, after standing on my feet all day, I turn around and bike home, which takes me roughly an hour. As I get more used to the ride and it becomes easier, does the amount of calories I burn drop, since my heart rate is no longer skyrocketing, or does it go up, since I'm going faster?

What counts as "moderate" exercise? Does all my heart-pounding biking count as "leisure," since I'm only going a total of 10 miles? Do calorie calculators take effort into consideration, or is "difficultly" measured by how fast you go in a certain amount of time, regardless of your heart rate?

Help me build an exercise routine.

so_gracefully — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:22:29 -0800

General advice in the area of finding my exercise/fitness niche? Good, structured DVDs or programs to try? I am a female in my mid-twenties, and I have never been too "sporty" or all that excited about exercising in general. I want to become excited about it, but I have not yet been able to find something that I really like or something that feels like it's working well for me. I also have no idea how to structure it so that I'm doing something that is definitely worthwhile, so I guess that's my main question--what can I add in to create more structure so that it's effective and simple to stick with?

Goals:
- Improve heart health, lose a little bit of weight, feel more connected to my body, strengthen my muscles and make myself less vulnerable to aches/pains in my largely sedentary job.

Limitations:
- Can't afford a gym membership or even yoga classes right now
- Don't really have any equipment, or access to any

Things I already know/like:
- I am working on the nutrition part, and that is going well.
- I like to try to challenge myself a little bit throughout the day, like taking the stairs instead of elevators whenever possible, parking at the back of a parking lot to give myself more of a walk, etc.
- I have really loved yoga classes in the past, but the DVDs I currently own are very meditation-focused, and I want something more strength- and challenge-focused.
- I like walking and sometimes hiking; how can I incorporate them in a way that maximizes their benefits?
- I would love to be able to swim, but don't have access to a pool!
- I have been having fun playing Dance Dance Revolution. Dance-focused workout videos make me feel very defeated because I have some problems with coordination.
- I like to follow along with DVDs, and currently I have: some basic yoga videos, some basic pilates, cardio pilates (this is the one I enjoy the most). I am definitely looking for recommendations on good videos that are meant to increase overall strength and encourage weight loss, while being fairly simple and not complicated with a lot of intense dance moves!

The horror, the horror of weight loss

Franklin76 — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:43:48 -0800

I can't stand calorie-counting (the meticulousness, worrying whenever I'm eating at a friend's house or having a business meeting at a restaurant), but I'm also awful with keeping portions (and hunger) in check. What the hell is wrong with me? Am I doomed to stay overweight until I can break one of these idiotic habits? Any tips to help make it easier? :-(

How do you know when you are at a healthy weight?

seppyk — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:19:00 -0800

How do you know when you are at a healthy weight? I am a large-framed, 5'11" male that has been overweight for the majority of my adult-bodied life, starting when I was a teenager. At my peak, I weighed as high at 340 pounds reaching that point for a variety of reasons (anxiety, apathy, low self-esteem, genetics). At a certain point, I got fed up with the negative side-effects of being overweight and started dieting and exercise. After hundreds of miles of running and calorie restriction, I am currently at 224 pounds; approximately losing 1-3 pounds per week. I feel comfortable with what I have achieved and where I am headed towards.

I definitely have my Dad's gut along with a good amount of body fat that I would like to reduce. Based on the BMI as a generic, yet flawed benchmark, I think I would like to get down to approximately 170 pounds in order to tighten everything up, but I am unsure.

I have no perception as to what it means for me to be average weight or skinny, so I do not know when I should switch from a weight loss routine to a healthy weight maintenance routine. All I have to go by currently are numeric metrics (weight, body fat %, pant size, etc.) but I don't know how low is low enough for me.

For those who have been on a weight loss program of any type, how do you determine when you are finished with your regimen and what criteria did you use for that determination?

Idle hands are eating a devils food cake

abdulf — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:55:48 -0800

I have the opportunity to exercise in the morning, at lunch and in the evening. Does it matter if I do certain exercises in order? I have an hour to workout before work, around 7-8am in the morning. Then another hour at lunch from 12-1pm. Finally, I have about 2 hours in the evening, typically 5-8pm or 7-10pm.

This is about 5 hours a day, possible more, that I could be using to reach my fitness goals. Right now I use 1 hour of that time.

I already follow a 3 day a week lifting routine from a Men's Health book. That typically takes about 20 to 40 minutes. Once or twice a week I attend a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class in the evenings that lasts 45 minutes.

I could do this indefinitely (have been doing this for almost a year) but it's not helping me reach my goals of weightloss. It has helped me maintain my weight and it has improved my fitness levels, but that isn't enough. My goal is to reduce weight (I'm 25 years old, 5'10, 240lbs).

Can you point me to extended exercise routines for people with a lot of time on their hands? Maybe the routines used for Olympic athletes or "the biggest loser tv show"? The only exercise I hesitate to do a lot of at this weight is running for extended periods since it tends to cause pain in my shins and knees.

I know nutrition matters. The issue on the nutrition end is not daily things like sodas or cookies. Rather, it's things like eating an entire box of cookies out of boredom. Being aware of this problem, combined with burning that spare time staying physically active, I think, will help me with this.

Weight loss plateau normal?

paulg — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:11:23 -0800

I lost thirty pounds since September by calorie control (about three months), but I haven’t lost any weight in the last two to three weeks. I’ve heard that weight loss plateaus are normal, but what is the best way to continue my weight loss? If I continue the same calorie count, will I begin to drop weight again, or do I need to mix it up? I’m a 5’ 8” male who began at over 280 pounds. I’m under 250 pounds now, but I want to get to a healthy BMI. To do so, I need to drop at least another 40-60 pounds. I got to this point by reducing my calories to 1200-1400 per day. I haven’t begun any serious exercise regime, although I have been walking slightly more (20-30 per day). Do I need to further lower my caloric intake to restart my weight loss? Do I need to add exercise?

I’ve read some of the previous questions along this line (googled “site:ask.metafilter.com weight loss pleateu”) but most suggest that calorie count is more important than exercise. I was pretty heavily into weight lifting in high school and college, but was never into organized sports. I’m eating healthy foods now. I feel like--once I drop the weight--I can keep it off. I know exercise is important for cardiovascular health, but I feel like (at this point) I could easily get discouraged if, as a fat slug with no prior sporting experience, I had to join a soccer team. How far below 1200 per day can an adult male reasonably go?

Am I on the right track keeping to the 1200-1400 calories per day and little to no additional exercise, or do I need to refine my plan? What’s the normal time frame for a weight loss plateau? Maybe be I just need an “at a by; stick to it.” Thank you all.

Share your slow carb recipes

sid — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:50:34 -0800

Give us your slow carb recipes! We are attempting a slow carb diet, which for us means cutting out or severely reducing all flour, rice, potatoes, and bread. Our carb sources would be pulses, legumes, and sweet potatoes. It's going pretty well so far but I think we are going to soon grow tired of hummus! Please share any delicious recipes that would fit the stated parameters.

How does a 19 year old couch potato lose 50 pounds?

BoldStepDesign — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:07:24 -0800

Ok I’m an overweight college student here. I’m a male coming in at 6’2” weighing 275 pounds. I want to lose 30 in 30. Ideally I want to shed 50 pounds and get down to 225 lbs, which is what I was back in highschool. According to my BMI I need to lose 70-100 pounds.
I’m allergic to all nuts, fish, turkey and oranges.

What I eat:
3 Scrambled eggs; cheese and or Katchup, or 3 Over easy eggs; 2 pieces of toast
Lunch, Sandwich (usually grilled cheese, or ham/turkey sandwich) or soup with pringles chips
Usually Pasta for dinner, maybe a cheese burger, soup or a steak, salad always with ranch, a veggie maybe jello
Two days a week I get anything from pasta, donuts, chocolate, basically leftovers at work
2-5 starbucks style coffee’s a week have cut down sizes to mediums, some times smalls
Fridays:
Friday night’s are Pizza and a bottled soda with friends, I’m not giving that up. Pizza is home made, usually IBC root beer or cream soda. One thing I refuse to give up.

Exercise:
I work out 3 days a week, usually 30 minutes on the treadmill, 2 miles, then some ab/chest workouts
Realizing how badly I do eat. I need to cut out what I eat, or atleast down 50%, increase my work outs.

That being said, to get where I want to be, what would you recommend for me?
I need diet ideas and work out ideas, plans etc...
Any helpful suggestions would be apprenticed!

How can I stay on this diet?

arniec — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:24:04 -0800

How can I stay motivated on a very long term diet/exercise/weight loss routine, and eventually convert it to lifetime maintenance? I have fought weight my entire life. My first diet was at age 5, controlled by my parents. I'm now 34, and starting yet another diet. I am morbidly obese and would like to lose at least 160 lbs, which will still leave me as obese but in far better health than I am now. (for my height, my BMI would be only "overweight" were I to lose 50% of my body weight)

I realize that most of my previous diets have been hampered by two things: reluctance to exercise for various reasons, and an inability to stick to the diet long term.

Currently for exercise: My wife and I have joined a gym and will be doing basic weight-loss cardio (exercise bike and treadmill). Our current goal is 60 minutes 4 times a week.

The diet, we have recently started the South Beach Diet.

Here is where my past failings have come in:

Exercise: I usually am gung-ho about working out for a period, then it becomes more reluctant. I finally find an excuse to miss one (weather, sickness, too busy) and the routine fails until I am paying for a gym club membership I don't use (or have a treadmill/exercise bike as a clothes rack), and then I cancel the membership.

Diet: I again start off gung ho, but I end up "cheating" on the diet for whatever reason. It usually involves eating out with wife or family or friends and just desiring food I shouldn't have. I then find that I don't gain as much as I imagine, or perhaps don't gain at all, which justifies more cheating on the diet, which then leads to fear of the scale, and then to a complete abandonment of the diet and weight gain.

Additionally, plateaus can be very frustrating and lead to quitting the diet, though I know they are a required part of weight loss.

I know my patterns, I've done them for almost 30 years now, time and time again. But I'm coming to the point where I am considering surgical weight loss options (which I know don't stick either without regular exercise and proper diet, and if I could keep to a proper diet and exercise regularly I wouldn't need the surgery). Additionally, my mobility is starting to be impacted by being obese for my entire life... I'm viewing this as a "must do, last ditch effort" to save my own health.

But I realize I'm looking at lifelong lifestyle changes, hard ones, and years and years of strict diet and exercise in order to lose the weight in the first place.

How can I stay motivated during this process? (You'd think the health problems, life extending, etc. would be enough but I'm an immediate gratification kinda guy....)

Help me mefites to stay motivated before I lose it this time.

Seeking recommendations for US health spa

Daily Alice — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:10:45 -0800

Can you recommend a health spa in the US for a one-week getaway, especially one you've been to personally? I am considering taking a week's vacation to a health spa this winter. My aims are to celebrate (and recuperate from) finishing a master's degree in December, and to jumpstart my dormant weight loss efforts.

I want:
A relaxing and quiet atmosphere
Food that tastes good even though it's healthy
A well-structured program with a daily schedule
Lots of exercise, but classes or workouts available for those with a low fitness level (I am overweight and take high blood pressure meds)

I do not want:
Religion (whether Western, Eastern, or new-age woo woo). If they offer things like meditation and yoga, ok, but I am not seeking a "spiritual" experience or retreat.
Fasting, colonics, or crash diets
Medically unproven supplements or herbs
Snow or freezing weather

I can't afford the really fancy places like Canyon Ranch. $4000 for a week is my price ceiling, and I'd definitely like to hear about more economical places. Southeast US is easiest but I can travel anywhere in the lower 48. Hilton Head Health is an example of a place I found in my Google search that sounded pretty good to me, but there were so many different places (not to mention regular hotels and resorts calling themselves "spas" because they have a pool and a beauty salon) that I was overwhelmed. I'd like to hear about personal experiences.

Help me lose the apples and pears - why do I have trouble losing weight?

wingless_angel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:06:16 -0800

Help me lose the apples and pears - why do I have trouble losing weight? I'm nearly 30 and need to do something about the extra kilos I've packed on in the last decade. I am becoming very much an apple shape like the other women in my family - all of the weight I have gained is around my stomach, hips and back. Just like my mother and sister I have a belly.

I've probably gained about 15kg in 10 years (though I was underweight when I was 20). I gained about 7kg of this right after I had glandular fever at 20. I do a lot of walking (several hours per week) and cycling and this doesn't seem to make a difference. Last year I tried a gym, and my weight and size never changed over three months (and I was working out hard!). I was slender when I was a skater, but I don't get the benefits I once did from that as I don't have the stamina for crazy stomach crunching spins and jumps anymore. I don't swim as I'm a very weak swimmer and I find it uncomfortable due to my sinusitis.

I generally eat pretty healthily, drink a lot of water and green tea, but no change. I do get very full and swollen after my meals, and am prone to IBS type symptoms. Is there some non-exercise reason why I find it hard to lose weight? Or am I stuck with my genes?

Not looking for a magic bullet, just ideas on what I should do to be less of an apple!!

Free online fitness planning?

doorsfan — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:02:46 -0800

Free online fitness planning? Something similar to OpenFitness. I think it would help motivate but I'd like a free version.

How to deal with mental side of weightloss?

Anonymous — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:48:50 -0800

Got the losing weight part down, help me do the magic mental work I've looked through every post labeled "weightloss" but I have yet to see my question dealt with, so here goes.

Around three or four months ago, I decided that I needed to lose weight. It's now 27 pounds later and I still have a good ways to go. That being said, I think I have the mechanics of how to lose weight down. I'm doing weight watchers, which is helping me to shift my eating habits to ones that are much healthier. I am about to start adding exercise to program. I've been trying to make changes slowly so that I don't freak out, stress out, punk out or tire out and quit.

I really want this to be it. I want this to be a turning point in my life and sustain this change. I want this, but yet I just don't feel like I am there yet. I don't know if this is me doubting myself or me being realistic. I keep reading about and hearing about people talking about a kind of epiphany moment. They talk about dealing with the fundamental issues that caused their weight gain. They also talk about how losing the weight is relatively easy compared to maintaining the weight loss. I reeeeally want to maintain this.

This is where I need your help. I need you to point me towards blogs, books, personal testimonies, workbooks etc. that detail how people have gone through this mental transformation so that I can follow in their footsteps. I expect, and am willing to do some hard mental/emotional work, but I need to know where to start.

The more pragmatic these books/blogs, etc. are, the more useful they will be for me. So, optimally I'd like to avoid things based on fad diets, over-cuddly-touchy-feely type things (you find a lot of this on weight watchers boards- the DH/DD/DS syndrome). Help me find intelligent straight talkers.

Again, I've got a good grasp on the physical side, but tell me how to work through the emotional and mental work. I want to do this so that I can maintain the large amount of weight I am going to end up losing. The more specific you can be, the better. Also, if you have lost a significant amount of weight and know of any particular pitfalls that I should watch out for on this journey, feel free to share.

In case it matters:
Female
Been overweight for most of my life
In my early twenties
Tend to be very project oriented
Have a very supportive family and group of friends

On antidepressants. Need to lose weight. How to get started?

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:28:00 -0800

I'm taking SSRIs. I've experienced significant weight gain while on them and am now trying to work it off. How to get started? I need assistance with physical fitness and getting back into optimal shape while on Celexa/SSRIs.

I'm male, 28, 6'3 and currently 255 lbs. I started taking Celexa in June 2007 (started on Lexapro, switched over to Celexa over cost issues) to help treat severe anxiety and regular panic attacks.

On the mental front, the combination of SSRIs and therapy have worked wonders. I feel like a new person. But before I started taking Celexa, I weighed 220 lbs. That means I gained 35 lbs. in a little over six months.

The problem is that, once I started taking SSRIs, I lost interest in working out. While before I'd go running on 3 mile runs at least 4x a week and go to the gym 3x weekly, I simply stopped working out for six months or so. In addition, Celexa really f'd with my head in regard to hunger. I could eat a huge meal - a footlong sub, a few slices of pizza, a Chipotle burrito and be hungry two hours later.
Combine the lack of exercise, the overeating and the metabolic changes that came with going on SSRIs and, bam, I gained a ton of weight.

Now I want to work on losing it and getting back to where I was before (and, hopefully, lose even more weight and build more muscle). I'm consciously eating healthily and forcing myself to work out daily. Accepting my current weight isn't an option; I looked damn good before and don't want to resign myself to looking like a premature John Goodman.

But the big question... has anyone been in this situation and managed to do it successfully? Or if you haven't, if advice can be offered?

Changing your life starting with health and weight loss

healthyliving — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:36:51 -0800

Looking for resources and/or your experience with changing your life, stress and it's effects on the body and health, and overall health/taking care of yourself (especially weight loss)... What helped you to be successful? I'm looking for methods, a summary of your experience, websites, and/or books on the following:

What led you to change your life? Was there a particular wake up call or a series of small ones? How did you stay successful, especially when it felt hard? Did you do it all or nothing or gradually? What inspires and motivates you?

I'm particularly interested in how you define taking care of yourself, and what you think stands in your way of having optimal health/optimal living (fulfilling work, supportive relationships).

I work with people that are trying to lose weight. I'm doing what I can to shift the focus off of the scale and onto the whole picture of how stress affects your health, how your thinking makes a big difference in how you feel and the choices you make, and trying to get them to see the bigger picture. Our current program is set up with exercise, nutrition (guidelines and feedback), and coaching.

I'm aware of Body for Life, Bob Greene, SparkPeople, FitDay. I definitely like strategies and learning more about how to keep people on track and accountable. I'm also very interested in the "change" component because I think that change principles can be applied to any area of your life.

I'm finding that the check in/accountability/education sessions at work turn more into excuse havens and/or counseling type sessions. That's not the direction I want it to go in, yet I want people to understand that the whole picture is definitely important.

Thoughts? How did you do it? What's been your personal and/or professional experience with change, stress, and health? Holistic approaches would be much appreciated.

Thank you!

How to transform my husband for <$1000?

justonegirl — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:10:23 -0800

I want to give my husband the gift of a complete physical transformation for Christmas, on a pretty tight budget. Ideas and resources would be much appreciated. My husband is in need of a serious health intervention and, with Christmas coming up, I'd like to fashion a gift for him that would achieve the most impact. Something to help him overcome a lack of motivation/time management and to build some momentum that will help create lifelong habits.

About him: he'll be 30 in a month, 6'1", about 265 lbs, pretty muscular but with quite a bit of fat padding too. He was an athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse) but suffered a knee blowout and has some bionic parts in there. He is currently experiencing chronic back pain (stress-related/muscular, not disc problems) and is somewhat limited due to his knee injury (walking is fine, running is problematic, for instance). He also gets winded quickly. His eating habits are poor and he has a strong affinity for beer. And, like many of us, he often gets very psyched to improve his health but then falls off the wagon quickly. Also of note, he has put on about 45-50 lbs. in the six years we've been together, he previously had a pretty lean, muscular build.

What we have available: an elliptical machine, a recumbent bike, an arcade-quality DDR setup, plenty of the popular diet books (South Beach, Body for Life, Fat Smash, Best Life Diet), some fitness DVDs (Tae Bo, a Pilates/exercise band one), and a flexible schedule (we both are self-employed and work from home). He is also planning on purchasing a Smith machine soon.

What we lack: consistency, accountability, motivation, time management, planning, complete schedule freedom (we have a toddler, although there's a nanny here about 30 hours a week).

I've pretty much ruled out a gym membership because we've failed miserably at actually getting to the gym in the past. Things I've considered so far include hiring a personal trainer to come to the house for a few sessions, and employing one of those personal chef services, but I'm looking to spend less than $1000 total (I'd prefer under $700) and want to make sure I'm getting the most bang for my buck. What's the best use of my money in terms of building up the routines and habits he needs, but also overcoming his inherent motivation problems and excuse-making when it comes to his health?

(Disclaimer: he is completely aware of and in agreement with the assessment that his health habits are poor, he's not sensitive about the subject, he won't take the gift the wrong way, I'm not being judgmental, I too have my own set of health issues to deal with, etc...)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Should you lose weight without eating health?

tomorama — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 19:32:06 -0800

Does what you eat really matter for weight loss, or is it simply a numbers game? A few months ago I paid a visit to my doctor. I told him I wanted to lose weight and asked him for advice on doing so. He told me to "just eat less" and explained that weight loss is simple math: consider how much I typically eat now, and consume less. The drop in calories will translate to lost weight over time. He also told me to sleep less - an extra one or two waking hours will burn more calories than sleeping.

I pressed for a little more - "But what foods are better than others? Don't certain foods have different effects on metabolism?" etc etc. He dismissed this and told me to eat whatever I feel like. Whether it's steak, pasta or McDonalds, just eat less.

I would disregard this advice if it came from someone on the street, but regardless of the fact that this guy is a jerk (this visit, like most, lasted about 3 minutes), he is a doctor. Is my doctor off his rocker for telling me to lose weight by eating one Quarter Pounder instead of two, or are all the specialists, personal trainers and mens' interest magazines driving us crazy with their talk of maximizing the efficiency of your inner furnace by carefully selecting specific foods?

Finding a weight loss community that doesn't drive me batty...

catfood — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:24:18 -0800

I'd like some help finding a new weight loss community to join - one with a relatively intelligent / fun user base but that takes healthy weight loss seriously. Any suggestions? I was a long time member of a forum that focused on one specific diet plan (WW) and that specific diet plan only. I really loved the group, but because I am trying something different right now (calorie counting + no-s) I need to find a new "home base" for chatting about diet stuff.

As you can see from some of my old posts, I am working very hard to lose a large amount of weight. I can use all the support I can get, but I find myself completely turned off by most of the popular weight loss forums. They seem overpopulated with members with names like "kayleezmommie", "jeremysgurl" and "findingmyWEIGHtojesus". Basically, people who are more focused on issues other than weight loss, and who just pat each other on the back and whine together about how hard things are without looking for solutions.

I just want to find some like minded people who take weight loss seriously, who can appreciate emotional weight-related issues but who also believe that there is a way to plan for most problems and succeed nonetheless. And people who don't identify themselves solely by their mommy-status or their wife-status or their religious-status.

I saw WCityMike's question about an e-mail list, but that's not really what I'm looking for. I'd like a plain ol' message board for check-ins and stuff.

Also, I have checked out Spark People - it's a great site but the community is way too scattered and all over the place. I'd really like a place where I can join a more close-knit group.

Calorie intake and gaining modest amounts of muscle

peep — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 14:22:12 -0800

Calorie intake and gaining modest amounts of muscle (i.e. not hardcore body-building). Plus, what is happening when your muscles are getting stronger and harder, but you've been running on a calorie deficit and losing weight? I know that the question of "can I gain muscle while I lose fat?" is plastered all over the internet, and the answer from anyone remotely reputable is "no" followed by a bunch of stuff that seems to muddle the answer, summed up with, "not really."

So I think I understand the basics: to lose fat you consume fewer calories than you expend. To gain muscle, you must do weight-bearing exercise and eat more calories than you burn. But is that last part correct? Must you eat more than you burn, or do you try to break even with calories in/calories out? This would be for an average (in height, weight, and fitness level) woman who is trying to gain 5 or 10 pounds of muscle.

Also, I know that there is no such thing as "toning" or "firming" a muscle. You can build muscle or lose muscle. So what is happening when your muscles are getting stronger and harder, but you've been running on a calorie deficit and losing weight?

Note I am not talking about just the definition of the muscle, which is probably just from fat loss allowing the muscle to show, but actual physical hardness of the muscle, plus the ability to lift more or heavier weight.

How to avoid the forward pitched feeling on my bike?

The Deej — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:14:07 -0800

Yet another BikeFilter question, but the high concentration of cyclists here compels me to ask. Should I keep using my current bike for commuting, modify it, or get something else, to avoid that pitched-forward, numb-hands feeling? I have already gotten some good info from the many previous questions and posts. In fact, it's due to the high number of cycle-related posts I finally decided to start commuting to work by bike. My bike is an el-cheapo road bike. What we used to call a 10-speed or an English Racer. Despite its less than stellar pedigree, and after adjusting and tightening everything the bigbox store didn't do properly, it actually rides great, except for one thing: I feel pitched forward, with too much weight on my hands. I grip the upper part of the handlebar, not the curved lover part. I don't care about speed, but going home is slightly uphill. The pitch is not enough to prevent me from riding, or make it miserable, but it's enough that I waste energy adjusting myself and whining about it. My theory is that the gut I am trying to lose is a big part of the reason for the forward pitch. The seat angle/height is not the culprit, as I have already adjusted it. I have also raised the handlebar as much as possible, which isn't much.

I eventually want to get a different bike, (Trek Lime maybe, or some other bike with upright handlebars, but not a mountain bike) but for now I am wondering: As I lose weight, will the smaller gut reduce the hand-pressure enough that I won't worry about it? Should I put my mountain-bike handlebars on my road bike? (Yes, they will fit, but then I have to modify the brake levers.) Do I flip the handlebars over so they curve UP, allowing me to sit up straighter? (I don't care about the dork factor. I am already an old fat guy on a bike. OK, middle aged, and chubby.) How bout an extender for the neck of the handlebar? Do I just bite the bullet now and buy, if not the bike I really WANT, a different kind of bike? (For now it has to be cheap, like boxstore cheap.) Or, am I just being too picky, and not allowing myself enough time to acclimate?

Any input appreciated, as well as input for what bike I might ultimately want. Data: I am male, 45, 5'10" 220lbs. (trying to lose 40), and in good health otherwise. I ride about 4 miles one way to work in 15 minutes at a pretty leisurely pace. My "ultimate" bike probably can't be more than $600. A "stopgap" bike would have to be $200 or less. NOT interested in racing, competing, showing off my speed. AM interested in commuting, cruising, having fun, getting in shape. Thanks all!

Desperate to set up an effective weight loss strategy

catfood — Tue, 29 May 2007 12:18:47 -0800

I badly need some help / advice on getting my weight under control. I get mixed messages everywhere I turn, but I feel like I don't have time to play around anymore. I'm completely desperate to get myself to do something and stick with it so I can at least get from "obese" to "overweight" if not to "normal". I'm 27 years old, female, and over 100 lbs overweight. This morning at my doctor's for my yearly physical, she pointed out how I have gained 60 lbs in the past two years, and asked me if I had considered a diet or exercise program. Of course I have, in fact I would dare say I have spent 50% of those two years on Weight Watchers or doing some light aerobics videos at home. It's just that the other 50% of the time I get stressed out, frustrated, distracted, and lose my way, and it takes forever to get myself back on track. I tried to explain this to my dr, and she basically said that she knew it was hard, but really the only thing was diet & exercise, and if I made a serious effort for the next 6 months and still didn't lose, she would prescribe me Xenical (which I think sounds really unappealing).

I have struggled with my weight since puberty, but I never really packed on the pounds the way I did since college & after college. I know that part of this is the sedentary lifestyle of being an office worker. I also know that part of this has been my battle with depression (which often makes me feel lethargic and apathetic), and probably not helped my my antidepressant (Paroxetine) and birth control pills. Or the fact that when I fall into a depressed funk, I stop caring about my weight and thus have no reluctance to drown my sorrows in food.

After this morning, and realizing that if I keep gaining an average of 30 lbs per year, I'm going to be in trouble, I do think I am ready to pick myself up and try again. But I'm overwhelmed with different options and approaches. I don't know if going back to WW is worth it since I have failed so many times. Online communities and meetings are starting to get under my skin because it feels like it's all one big pity party for people who can't stick to a goddamn thing. That's not motivating, that's just depressing and only fuels my apathy.

Here are options I have been thinking about:
- Doing the No-S diet with some modifications (e.g. giving myself some requirements to make sure I eat enough fruit & veg)
- Skipping WW and instead doing some basic calorie counting with help from Spark People or FitDay or something.
- Adding the OTC drug Alli to whatever diet plan I choose.
- Joining the YMCA when I move to my new neighborhood and signing up for some classes.
- Buying a bike so I can ride with my husband during the summer.
- Giving South Beach another try even though I don't really like meat that much.
- Going back to WW. But WW just reminds me of failure at this point.
- Maybe buying a few sessions with a personal trainer.
- Joining some kind of online thing like Ediets or something. (Yes I have done WW online, same shit different format).
- Researching lap-band surgery. Not even sure I'd be allowed since I'm on antidepressants.

I've done the whole "just try to eat healthier and watch portions" thing without stricter guidelines ... and gained like 20 pounds in 2 months while doing it. I try to only eat when hungry, but when I'm constantly asking myself if I'm hungry, I always feel hungry.

I know it's not going to be easy, I know that no one can do it for me, but I need some advice or suggestions that aren't solely from the WW groupies I know.

Why, this isn't an input/output problem at all

schroedinger — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:01:57 -0800

Why aren't I losing weight? I'm doing everything right (aren't I?). Extensive explanation of weight-loss methods inside, so this is a doozy. So I embarked on a weight-loss program about three weeks ago. I'm 5'6', 162 (now), 26% body fat. I'm pretty healthy, but I'd like to trim 10 or 12 pounds to take the weight off my shins, improve my biking, and help me tame the elusive pull-up. Here's my program:

Weight:
Taken every morning as prescribed by the Hacker's Diet, entered into PhysicsDiet.

Workout:
I work out about an hour and a half a day, six days a week.
Couch-to-5K: 3 days a week, ~20 minutes
Interval training: 3 days a week, ~25 minutes (~15 minutes of warm-up followed by 10 minutes intervals)
Intense bodyweight exercise: 5 days a week, ~60 minutes or more
Capoeira: 1 day a week, ~90 minutes (plus whatever practice I work in)

Diet:
Tracked nigh-obsessively with Fitday and entered into PhysicsDiet. According to these journals, my average intake is 1500-1600 calories per day, while I burn an average of 2600 calories per day. I eat six small meals, aiming to finish before six or seven at night unless I have a late-night workout in which case I eat a little protein and complex carbohydrates afterwards. I aim to eat at least 100 grams of protein a day to preserve muscle mass while I'm cutting the fat. I drink water (though probably not as much as I should).

So, the nutrition experts predict I should have lost about six pounds by now. What do I get? Two pounds, probably less than that since some of it is water weight lost during the Red Tide. I mean, sure, I feel great, and I'm getting stronger, but I highly doubt I'm gaining muscle mass quickly enough to compensate for the amount of fat I should be losing. It's not like my clothes are fitting any looser.

Now, I could simply enjoy the working out and getting stronger, and I've definitely done that in the past. But this time I really would like to cut down some of the body fat. So what's up, Metafilter?

Ah yes. I'm on Ortho-TriCyclin Lo. It hasn't made me gain weight, but could it be preventing me from losing it? C'mon, it's can't be the birth control, right? That would be lame.

Back to the gym with a bad back

stavrosthewonderchicken — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 20:49:22 -0800

Can anyone offer advice for going back to the gym after a back injury and six months of downtime? I hurt my back at the gym more than six months ago. It turns out I had some long-term damage to three discs in my lower back due to compression, and that contributed to the eventual blowout. There is no rupture, but there is some disc compression.

Unfortunately none of the doctors or therapists I was seeing for a while after I blew my back out speaks any English, and so I have nobody to ask about advice for getting back into shape now that I'm itching to do so. I've gained back a fair bit of weight in the last six months (from my more-or-less optimal weight of about 95kg back up to about 110kg -- I'm not obese, but I am a large lad all 'round), and I want to get back into fighting trim, and strengthen my back and core muscles. I'll be heading back to the gym in a few weeks -- planning for three sessions a week, 90 minutes or so, probably, with some walking/hiking on the weekends.

I had been going to the gym regularly for a couple of years before the injury and had gotten into the best shape of my life, so I'm reasonably familiar with the equipment and gear.

Advice for things to do, and things to avoid, in terms of equipment or exercises, as I get back into it? I'll take all advice with a grain of salt of course, since I know most of you aren't doctors, but will take all advice with thanks.