Weight loss strategies
February 18, 2008 8:58 AM Subscribe
One hundred pounds overweight and 41. Will I ever get washboard abs again?
OK, I've let myself go - badly. I used to be muscular, had washboard abs, 31-inch waist, and after ten years of depression and other difficult life stuff, I've put on 100 pounds and am basically a tub of wobbly lard.
And given that I'm getting no younger, I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to get fit and trim again. Every time I start a healthy eating and exercise program, I stay on it for about two months and then a holiday or a busy period at work sees the routine being broken and I just give up.
What I want to know is is it possible that I'll ever regain my athletic physique again or should I just accept I'll always be overweight? Has anyone ever lost 100 pounds and built muscle? If so, how did you keep doing it until the goal was reached? Does age play that much a part as all the health articles we read say they do?
I understand the hows are fairly simple: eat better food, fewer calories and get to the gym. Actually doing it is another thing. I don't want to eat mountains of tuna and chicken (as I used to), and getting to the gym on a regular basis seems much harder than it did 10-15 years ago.
In fact, with all things in life, if I'd just kept doing them I'd probably be hugely successful and probably much richer! I'd be able to speak Italian, have a few novels published, be a concert pianist etc etc (OK, a few dreams there perhaps!), but if I'd just been consistent in what I did, I wouldn't be in this state now.
So another question, I guess: how do you keep a project going, especially when it gets tough?
OK, I've let myself go - badly. I used to be muscular, had washboard abs, 31-inch waist, and after ten years of depression and other difficult life stuff, I've put on 100 pounds and am basically a tub of wobbly lard.
And given that I'm getting no younger, I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to get fit and trim again. Every time I start a healthy eating and exercise program, I stay on it for about two months and then a holiday or a busy period at work sees the routine being broken and I just give up.
What I want to know is is it possible that I'll ever regain my athletic physique again or should I just accept I'll always be overweight? Has anyone ever lost 100 pounds and built muscle? If so, how did you keep doing it until the goal was reached? Does age play that much a part as all the health articles we read say they do?
I understand the hows are fairly simple: eat better food, fewer calories and get to the gym. Actually doing it is another thing. I don't want to eat mountains of tuna and chicken (as I used to), and getting to the gym on a regular basis seems much harder than it did 10-15 years ago.
In fact, with all things in life, if I'd just kept doing them I'd probably be hugely successful and probably much richer! I'd be able to speak Italian, have a few novels published, be a concert pianist etc etc (OK, a few dreams there perhaps!), but if I'd just been consistent in what I did, I wouldn't be in this state now.
So another question, I guess: how do you keep a project going, especially when it gets tough?
I think you're on to the key: it's a mind game. Win the mind game and the weight losing game will be straight-forward. You might think of reading some books on the topic instead of weight-loss books only, which tend to skimp on the mind-game part of the process.
One of the best ways I've found to achieve a goal when it seems exceptionally hard -- was to tell all my friends about it. Then there was so secret and only humiliation if I couldn't do it.
posted by bprater at 9:13 AM on February 18, 2008
One of the best ways I've found to achieve a goal when it seems exceptionally hard -- was to tell all my friends about it. Then there was so secret and only humiliation if I couldn't do it.
posted by bprater at 9:13 AM on February 18, 2008
I wish I had your youth. I've struggled with my weight all my life, and continue to work hard at getting fit as I approach my 56th birthday. You ask "how did you keep doing it until the goal was reached?" which seems to imply that it's something you do until you get fit again. It's not: it's just something you do for the rest of your life. As for eating "mountains of tuna and chicken" - on a healthy diet you would eat three ounces of chicken or tuna per day (forget about beef and pork). Think of it as a garnish to all the fruits and vegetables you would eat. The biggest problem I have, aside from binge eating, is that I like to drink alcohol - otherwise I could pretty much live on vegetables. How do you keep a project going? I keep careful records of my exercise (I row 10K 5 or 6 times a week on an indoor rower, and I write down my times) and I record my weight. I feel better for it, the exercise, and the weight control I mean. Your expectation of having washboard abs again is probably unrealistic and self-defeating.
posted by thomas144 at 9:25 AM on February 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by thomas144 at 9:25 AM on February 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
I don't know about washboard abs, but I have lost about 80 pounds at the age of 44; I would like to lose about 20 more, but the 80 has been a huge improvement. So my experience proves that it is possible, and I really found it easier than I thought.
Rather than any drastic lifestyle changes I made a number of smaller changes. I pay attention to what I eat but rather than go for "diet food" I eat pretty much the same varied diet I did before, but eat as little as possible of the calorie dense foods and load up more on vegetables and other low-calorie foods. for example, one slice of pizza when I would normally have eaten two, but the same amount of salad to go with it. I also switched to diet soda (I drink a lot of cola during the day at work) and take the stairs rather than the elevator (I do a lot of running up and down the stairs at work). Those sort of small lifestyle changes were easier for me to keep up than something drastic like cutting out all carbs (I love pasta, bread, potatoes). It has been well over a year and although those last twenty pounds are tenacious, my weight has stayed down. I only exercise sporadically, so if I did better with that it might help.
So anyway, that is the approach I have used successfully; perhaps something similar would work for you. You may get some other ideas from the National Weight Control Registry.
posted by TedW at 9:26 AM on February 18, 2008
Rather than any drastic lifestyle changes I made a number of smaller changes. I pay attention to what I eat but rather than go for "diet food" I eat pretty much the same varied diet I did before, but eat as little as possible of the calorie dense foods and load up more on vegetables and other low-calorie foods. for example, one slice of pizza when I would normally have eaten two, but the same amount of salad to go with it. I also switched to diet soda (I drink a lot of cola during the day at work) and take the stairs rather than the elevator (I do a lot of running up and down the stairs at work). Those sort of small lifestyle changes were easier for me to keep up than something drastic like cutting out all carbs (I love pasta, bread, potatoes). It has been well over a year and although those last twenty pounds are tenacious, my weight has stayed down. I only exercise sporadically, so if I did better with that it might help.
So anyway, that is the approach I have used successfully; perhaps something similar would work for you. You may get some other ideas from the National Weight Control Registry.
posted by TedW at 9:26 AM on February 18, 2008
I think many of us know someone who managed to lose lots of weight and keep it off -- but it's hard, because we all know many more people who have tried and failed to do the same thing.
But to answer your specific question about the washboard abs, I think that there comes a point in your life when getting true washboard abs becomes incredibly difficult, if not impossible, even if you aren't starting from a point of needing to lose 100 pounds. The two most athletic older guys I know, both in their late 50s/early 60s, have chiseled forearms, really buff legs, are outdoors doing stuff every week, in the gym, etc... and both of them have (small, but visible) bellies. At 41, you may still be in the window of possibility of washboard abs, but I wouldn't go beating up on yourself if you find that your 20-year-old body is now an unobtainable goal, two decades later.
My personal theory about exercise is that unless it becomes a really integral part of your life, it is really hard to keep it up when "shit happens," which it always will. If it isn't the holidays, it's your in-laws visiting, and if not that, then it's a set of deadlines at work, and if not that something else. That's why bicycling or walking to work is better than a treadmill or exercise bike in the gym -- if you work late, you still have to get yourself home, even if it is past closing hours at the gym. And why having friends with whom you go hiking or kayaking or with whom you work out at the gym can make all the difference, because you are combining two things (exercise and socializing) that otherwise can be at odds. You have to work from where you are right now, not where you want to be eventually. If you are a person who plays video games, maybe you should switch to DDR now, and later worry about joining a gym -- you already have space in your schedule for video games, you have the equipment and technical know-how, all you would be doing in switching from WoW to DDR.
I also believe that anything is better than nothing -- you may want to lose 100 pounds and have your abs on the cover of Men's Health, but losing 50 pounds and getting kind of fit would be a pretty awesome accomplishment. When you approach it as "all or nothing," well, then there isn't any reason not to eat the whole box of cookies if you are having one because eating cookies is "bad," right? And skipping a day at the gym means you need to start all over, right? Small changes that you can sustain over the long haul is a lot more valuable than one big grand gesture that lasts a week.
posted by Forktine at 9:33 AM on February 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
But to answer your specific question about the washboard abs, I think that there comes a point in your life when getting true washboard abs becomes incredibly difficult, if not impossible, even if you aren't starting from a point of needing to lose 100 pounds. The two most athletic older guys I know, both in their late 50s/early 60s, have chiseled forearms, really buff legs, are outdoors doing stuff every week, in the gym, etc... and both of them have (small, but visible) bellies. At 41, you may still be in the window of possibility of washboard abs, but I wouldn't go beating up on yourself if you find that your 20-year-old body is now an unobtainable goal, two decades later.
My personal theory about exercise is that unless it becomes a really integral part of your life, it is really hard to keep it up when "shit happens," which it always will. If it isn't the holidays, it's your in-laws visiting, and if not that, then it's a set of deadlines at work, and if not that something else. That's why bicycling or walking to work is better than a treadmill or exercise bike in the gym -- if you work late, you still have to get yourself home, even if it is past closing hours at the gym. And why having friends with whom you go hiking or kayaking or with whom you work out at the gym can make all the difference, because you are combining two things (exercise and socializing) that otherwise can be at odds. You have to work from where you are right now, not where you want to be eventually. If you are a person who plays video games, maybe you should switch to DDR now, and later worry about joining a gym -- you already have space in your schedule for video games, you have the equipment and technical know-how, all you would be doing in switching from WoW to DDR.
I also believe that anything is better than nothing -- you may want to lose 100 pounds and have your abs on the cover of Men's Health, but losing 50 pounds and getting kind of fit would be a pretty awesome accomplishment. When you approach it as "all or nothing," well, then there isn't any reason not to eat the whole box of cookies if you are having one because eating cookies is "bad," right? And skipping a day at the gym means you need to start all over, right? Small changes that you can sustain over the long haul is a lot more valuable than one big grand gesture that lasts a week.
posted by Forktine at 9:33 AM on February 18, 2008 [2 favorites]
I have done some reading of the medical literature, but right now I am speaking just off the top of my head, so take that for what it's worth.
Washboard abs? Likely not.
BMI of 28? Yes, certainly possible but there's a question of difficulty. I seem to recall that the amount of effort needed to lose that weight and maintain that weight loss is much greater after the age of 40. A certain study comes to mind that looked at women that lost 80 pounds or more after the age of 40 and then successfully kept it off for 10 years. After all that time, those women were still exercising an hour each day and limited themselves to a 1400 calorie diet. (While someone who'd always been skinny could exercise 30 minutes a day and eat 2000 calories.) In other words, they went on a pretty aggressive weight loss plan and then stayed on it forever. It is postulated that some kind of metabolic change is happening as you get older that resists changes to your weight when you modify your diet and so you may be working against biology to some extent. That, and you're probably much busier than you were at 20 and you have accumulated a few more aches and pains that hinder your exercise.
I also recall that it's a little easier for someone who was once in shape and then let themselves go. Take two 300 pound men, one who's always been out of shape and one who was in shape and then gained all the weight. Pretty consistently, the one who gained weight later will be able to train themselves to a higher level of fitness.
[One hundred pounds though? Depending on your height, have you considered surgery? I am just throwing it out there, because it is the intervention that has been proven to consistently produce not just the most amount of sustained weight loss but also reduced morbidity and mortality. Success with various diet and exercise programs is variable, more modest, and of course depends a lot on your effort. I do counsel a lot of people on weight loss, and for some, this is really their best option.]
Remember, losing weight and getting in shape are not necessarily the same thing. In terms of shedding pounds, your primary focus should be on the reasonable, healthy restriction of calories. As you exercise, your calorie intake *will* go up, and the way you use your calories will become more efficient (which is good, but will foil your attempt to actually shed pounds.) If you want to live longer, the data currently suggests that maybe regular exercise is better than staying thin.
In thinking about the different challenges people face getting back in shape, you can't beat the Nova Marathon Challenge special. There's a guy in there that sorta fits your profile and the way they deal with exercise physiology is just fascinating. I won't give away the ending but it was pretty inspiring.
Regardless of whether you get washboard abs again, getting in the best shape you can at your age is well worth doing. You will not only live longer, but you will live better, you will feel better emotionally, you will be more successful and happier in all facets of your life. *That* should be your motivator, not washboard abs.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:47 AM on February 18, 2008
Washboard abs? Likely not.
BMI of 28? Yes, certainly possible but there's a question of difficulty. I seem to recall that the amount of effort needed to lose that weight and maintain that weight loss is much greater after the age of 40. A certain study comes to mind that looked at women that lost 80 pounds or more after the age of 40 and then successfully kept it off for 10 years. After all that time, those women were still exercising an hour each day and limited themselves to a 1400 calorie diet. (While someone who'd always been skinny could exercise 30 minutes a day and eat 2000 calories.) In other words, they went on a pretty aggressive weight loss plan and then stayed on it forever. It is postulated that some kind of metabolic change is happening as you get older that resists changes to your weight when you modify your diet and so you may be working against biology to some extent. That, and you're probably much busier than you were at 20 and you have accumulated a few more aches and pains that hinder your exercise.
I also recall that it's a little easier for someone who was once in shape and then let themselves go. Take two 300 pound men, one who's always been out of shape and one who was in shape and then gained all the weight. Pretty consistently, the one who gained weight later will be able to train themselves to a higher level of fitness.
[One hundred pounds though? Depending on your height, have you considered surgery? I am just throwing it out there, because it is the intervention that has been proven to consistently produce not just the most amount of sustained weight loss but also reduced morbidity and mortality. Success with various diet and exercise programs is variable, more modest, and of course depends a lot on your effort. I do counsel a lot of people on weight loss, and for some, this is really their best option.]
Remember, losing weight and getting in shape are not necessarily the same thing. In terms of shedding pounds, your primary focus should be on the reasonable, healthy restriction of calories. As you exercise, your calorie intake *will* go up, and the way you use your calories will become more efficient (which is good, but will foil your attempt to actually shed pounds.) If you want to live longer, the data currently suggests that maybe regular exercise is better than staying thin.
In thinking about the different challenges people face getting back in shape, you can't beat the Nova Marathon Challenge special. There's a guy in there that sorta fits your profile and the way they deal with exercise physiology is just fascinating. I won't give away the ending but it was pretty inspiring.
Regardless of whether you get washboard abs again, getting in the best shape you can at your age is well worth doing. You will not only live longer, but you will live better, you will feel better emotionally, you will be more successful and happier in all facets of your life. *That* should be your motivator, not washboard abs.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:47 AM on February 18, 2008
It's possible to get trim again, but it's hard especially since you're starting from a position where you've got years of bad habits built up.
However, I've done it and while I'm not at the size 32 pants and probably never will be again , I have lost lots of inchs and turns heads in ways I never thought possible. I got about another 20-30 pounds to lose, which is turning about to be hardest part, put that's probably due to this year long program and I'm hitting a bit of gym fatigue, which happens.
Here's how it happened:
I signed up for two programs, one was weight management, the other was fitness, each a year long. I got REALLY lucky in that both of these programs were offered at local hospital with great staffs that work well together. From the weight management staff I relearned the basics of the food pyramid and how to practically apply it in the real world, from reading labels to being able to suss out what's healthy in the greasiest dive restaurant. I kept a food journal and met with a nutritionist every week for three months , then every other week for the next three months, then once a month for the last six months. By keeping the food journal, this made me more aware of what I was eating and why and by going over it with the nutritionist she offered alternative strategies for how and what to eat.
Concurrently, I was going through the fitness program and learning a lot about fitness and having to do exercise in a class type setting with other people, so there was a lot of support. Again, I was really lucky in that physical trainers were awesome and they weren't macho assholes. They realized that I might never been this lean and mean buff machine, but they pushed me to at least do *something* even if it's just walking, so that I was doing something to stay fit and that it was something I enjoyed and would thus be willing to do on my own. All they asked was that I at least try all the exercises at least once and from there develop a routine.
Now, I've used the word lucky a lot in describing all of this, but I found these programs only after trying for several years at several other gyms and failing. But I never gave up, not completely, and kept looking for some system that would work for me until I found it.
Summing it all up, I'd say this:
1. It's possible to lose the weight and inches, but is hard. It doesn't happen overnight and you need to give yourself time to do it.
2. You need to learn how to eat right and how to exercise. Having a nutritionist is critical I think and would recommend checking out your local hospitals for any programs.
3. You need to work with people (trainers or nutritionists) who realize it's not a perfect world and that you will fail at times and that's ok. It doesn't matter if you slip up and have that Big Mac one day if you realize what you need and work to make sure it doesn't happen again. One the reasons I failed before is that my trainer would cop an attitude if fucked up, making me feel like shit and not wanting to talk to him or go to the session. Where as my current fabulous nutritionist would be like "Ok, you messed up for lunch ok, it happens. You know you could have walked it off or tried to eat an extra healthy dinner or just eaten half of the Big Mac, so you satisfy some of that craving without eating the whole thing." She pointed out options as opposed to trying to restrict me to one little box and saying I was bad, bad, bad, which helped a lot.
4. Taking a class with others helps a lot as it provides social support. You feel better knowing others are struggling too and often ya'll can help each other out.
5. It's not easy, but it's worth it. My mental and emotional well being is a 100 times better from taking better care of my physical self.
6. It takes time. All told, it's probably taken me about 4 years to get to this point, 4 years of trying this or that and failing, but never completely giving up. However this past year, with the great trainers and a nutritionist have been invaluable and I've learned stuff that well stay with me for the rest of my life.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:48 AM on February 18, 2008
However, I've done it and while I'm not at the size 32 pants and probably never will be again , I have lost lots of inchs and turns heads in ways I never thought possible. I got about another 20-30 pounds to lose, which is turning about to be hardest part, put that's probably due to this year long program and I'm hitting a bit of gym fatigue, which happens.
Here's how it happened:
I signed up for two programs, one was weight management, the other was fitness, each a year long. I got REALLY lucky in that both of these programs were offered at local hospital with great staffs that work well together. From the weight management staff I relearned the basics of the food pyramid and how to practically apply it in the real world, from reading labels to being able to suss out what's healthy in the greasiest dive restaurant. I kept a food journal and met with a nutritionist every week for three months , then every other week for the next three months, then once a month for the last six months. By keeping the food journal, this made me more aware of what I was eating and why and by going over it with the nutritionist she offered alternative strategies for how and what to eat.
Concurrently, I was going through the fitness program and learning a lot about fitness and having to do exercise in a class type setting with other people, so there was a lot of support. Again, I was really lucky in that physical trainers were awesome and they weren't macho assholes. They realized that I might never been this lean and mean buff machine, but they pushed me to at least do *something* even if it's just walking, so that I was doing something to stay fit and that it was something I enjoyed and would thus be willing to do on my own. All they asked was that I at least try all the exercises at least once and from there develop a routine.
Now, I've used the word lucky a lot in describing all of this, but I found these programs only after trying for several years at several other gyms and failing. But I never gave up, not completely, and kept looking for some system that would work for me until I found it.
Summing it all up, I'd say this:
1. It's possible to lose the weight and inches, but is hard. It doesn't happen overnight and you need to give yourself time to do it.
2. You need to learn how to eat right and how to exercise. Having a nutritionist is critical I think and would recommend checking out your local hospitals for any programs.
3. You need to work with people (trainers or nutritionists) who realize it's not a perfect world and that you will fail at times and that's ok. It doesn't matter if you slip up and have that Big Mac one day if you realize what you need and work to make sure it doesn't happen again. One the reasons I failed before is that my trainer would cop an attitude if fucked up, making me feel like shit and not wanting to talk to him or go to the session. Where as my current fabulous nutritionist would be like "Ok, you messed up for lunch ok, it happens. You know you could have walked it off or tried to eat an extra healthy dinner or just eaten half of the Big Mac, so you satisfy some of that craving without eating the whole thing." She pointed out options as opposed to trying to restrict me to one little box and saying I was bad, bad, bad, which helped a lot.
4. Taking a class with others helps a lot as it provides social support. You feel better knowing others are struggling too and often ya'll can help each other out.
5. It's not easy, but it's worth it. My mental and emotional well being is a 100 times better from taking better care of my physical self.
6. It takes time. All told, it's probably taken me about 4 years to get to this point, 4 years of trying this or that and failing, but never completely giving up. However this past year, with the great trainers and a nutritionist have been invaluable and I've learned stuff that well stay with me for the rest of my life.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:48 AM on February 18, 2008
Go buy some books first. A $10 book can save you a lot of time and wasted effort and discouragement.
I'm closing in on the goal after getting about 30lbs over my ideal weight. What helped me was another AskMefi answer that suggested I take a look at "The Abs Diet." It's not really a diet per se, but rather some lifestyle changes that can help you. You can also find similar advice elsewhere. Basically you need to find ways to boost you metabolic rate.
Eat smaller meals/snack throughout the day - keeps metabolism up, hunger down
Circuit training with weights - build muscle, boost metabolism
Boost muscle mass - more muscle equals more calories burned per day
Less aerobic exercise than you'd think (Beyond a certain level your body burns muscle)
Eat high glycemic foods - body has expend more energy to break these foods down
Be wary of losing muscle weight, if you lose muscle your body burns less calories. Yes your metabolism slows with age, but a lot of that is due to muscle loss.
posted by jeblis at 9:51 AM on February 18, 2008
I'm closing in on the goal after getting about 30lbs over my ideal weight. What helped me was another AskMefi answer that suggested I take a look at "The Abs Diet." It's not really a diet per se, but rather some lifestyle changes that can help you. You can also find similar advice elsewhere. Basically you need to find ways to boost you metabolic rate.
Eat smaller meals/snack throughout the day - keeps metabolism up, hunger down
Circuit training with weights - build muscle, boost metabolism
Boost muscle mass - more muscle equals more calories burned per day
Less aerobic exercise than you'd think (Beyond a certain level your body burns muscle)
Eat high glycemic foods - body has expend more energy to break these foods down
Be wary of losing muscle weight, if you lose muscle your body burns less calories. Yes your metabolism slows with age, but a lot of that is due to muscle loss.
posted by jeblis at 9:51 AM on February 18, 2008
Best to work at it one thing at a time. Identify things you could do (eat a better breakfast, or work out) and change that one thing first. Going for the 31 inch waist to start out with is like trying to leap to the top of Mt. Everest in one bound. You have to take small steps to get to the top.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:54 AM on February 18, 2008
posted by Ironmouth at 9:54 AM on February 18, 2008
Of course it's possible! :)
Start by tracking the foods you eat and your activities (exercise) at fitday.com. Give your friends the public link so they can see your progress. When I feel accountable for my diet and exercise decisions, I tend to stick to the game plan much better. It also helped me eat healthier because it showed me what nutrients my diet was sorely lacking.
It really is a matter of making changes to your life, rather than just dieting. I've exercised long enough that if I skip a week, I feel like an absolutely worthless slug, and I don't make the same mistake the following week. (Though the goal, I think, is not to make yourself feel "worthless" if you mess up. It's best if you always feel good about yourself and always forgive yourself.) And I know that the way I'm eating now is the way I'm always going to have to eat if I expect to keep off undesired pounds off.
If you can keep to a plan for 2 months, and then you hit a rough patch, simply don't give up. If you have 2 good months and 2 lousy weeks, try as you might, you haven't undone that 2 months' worth of work. You can get back on the wagon and go for another good 2 months. It's just a 2 step forward, 1 step back program. Keep at it, knowing that the changes you make in your 2 good months are *permanent*, and you'll eventually get there and stay there. You really do have to resign yourself to the fact that these changes are forever. Then, you'll either want it or you won't. Wanting it is better. :) You'll be healthier, feel better, look better, and live longer.
posted by iguanapolitico at 9:55 AM on February 18, 2008
Start by tracking the foods you eat and your activities (exercise) at fitday.com. Give your friends the public link so they can see your progress. When I feel accountable for my diet and exercise decisions, I tend to stick to the game plan much better. It also helped me eat healthier because it showed me what nutrients my diet was sorely lacking.
It really is a matter of making changes to your life, rather than just dieting. I've exercised long enough that if I skip a week, I feel like an absolutely worthless slug, and I don't make the same mistake the following week. (Though the goal, I think, is not to make yourself feel "worthless" if you mess up. It's best if you always feel good about yourself and always forgive yourself.) And I know that the way I'm eating now is the way I'm always going to have to eat if I expect to keep off undesired pounds off.
If you can keep to a plan for 2 months, and then you hit a rough patch, simply don't give up. If you have 2 good months and 2 lousy weeks, try as you might, you haven't undone that 2 months' worth of work. You can get back on the wagon and go for another good 2 months. It's just a 2 step forward, 1 step back program. Keep at it, knowing that the changes you make in your 2 good months are *permanent*, and you'll eventually get there and stay there. You really do have to resign yourself to the fact that these changes are forever. Then, you'll either want it or you won't. Wanting it is better. :) You'll be healthier, feel better, look better, and live longer.
posted by iguanapolitico at 9:55 AM on February 18, 2008
The t-nation site has lots of advice on how to gain muscle and lose fat. They're body-builders, so that's what they do for a living. Also they have a "physique clinic" with random people and this guy was roughly in your position and has made stunning progress. They give him lots of fitness, dieting and psychological advice in the thread. I wouldn't focus on the "washboard stomach" though, that's very difficult to achieve for anyone, period.
posted by creasy boy at 10:25 AM on February 18, 2008
posted by creasy boy at 10:25 AM on February 18, 2008
To address only the mind-game aspect of your situation: bprater has a great suggestion (tell your friends). Once you state your goals publicly there's a lot of incentive to live up to them since your credibility with your friends and coworkers is on the line.
I don't know if this story is true, but I once heard a wonderful anecdote about a wealthy guy in Las Vegas who wanted to quit smoking but just couldn't do it on his own. So he leveraged a little bit of willpower into a major incentive to stop: he rented a bunch of billboards and put his picture up there along with a message saying "If you catch me smoking a cigarette I'll give you $100,000". (Hey, it's Vegas.) I'm not saying you have to put a price on your own head, but sometimes you can make a little willpower go a long way.
Good for you on wanting to get healthy, and good luck!
posted by Quietgal at 10:39 AM on February 18, 2008
I don't know if this story is true, but I once heard a wonderful anecdote about a wealthy guy in Las Vegas who wanted to quit smoking but just couldn't do it on his own. So he leveraged a little bit of willpower into a major incentive to stop: he rented a bunch of billboards and put his picture up there along with a message saying "If you catch me smoking a cigarette I'll give you $100,000". (Hey, it's Vegas.) I'm not saying you have to put a price on your own head, but sometimes you can make a little willpower go a long way.
Good for you on wanting to get healthy, and good luck!
posted by Quietgal at 10:39 AM on February 18, 2008
I lost something like 70 pounds over one summer and into the fall and managed to lose another 10 by December. I was 25 though, once I really got into it I began to actually enjoy exercise, and would look forward to doing it. Since then I actually gained like 30 pounds over the next year or so but in just the past two months I've lost 20 by working out on my home elliptical every single day.
Also, once you lose most of the weight, you might be able to get surgery to get rid of the last bit of fat and get washboard abs if you really want.
posted by delmoi at 10:42 AM on February 18, 2008
Also, once you lose most of the weight, you might be able to get surgery to get rid of the last bit of fat and get washboard abs if you really want.
posted by delmoi at 10:42 AM on February 18, 2008
I hear ya. Just for a quick intro, here's me in 2005, before and after my wildly successful South Beach Diet, in which I lost 70 lb. in 6 months, going from Obese to the middle of the Ideal range on the BMI charts. Since then, I've gained about half of that back and my health (blood pressure, etc.) is starting to get worse again. If you haven't tried South Beach yet, it really is worth a go. I'm considering doing it again myself.
For now, I'm trying to eat quasi-South-Beach-ish, and have recently started bicycle commuting. We'll see how that works. The key for me when I've been successful has been totally being about the health to the point that it is integrated into my lifestyle. When I was doing South Beach, I cheated VERY little. I had some early success so I knew the diet worked, at least for me, so if I failed I couldn't blame the diet. Things worked out very well though, because my success gave me the confidence to continue.
I'm hoping the cycling does the same thing for me. I got a new job where I'm an 8-mile bike ride from work. I'm hoping to cycle it at least twice a week. It will give me so many benefits (health, weight loss, gasoline savings, extending my car's warranty) that I hope I can keep it up.
Anyway, try to think of things along that line- things you can do as part of your normal daily routine that won't necessarily take a whole lot of time just for the sake of exercise or dieting. I've heard it takes 3 weeks to form a habit (good or bad). So go for a diet or exercise "boot camp" for 3 weeks and take it from there.
Good luck.
posted by Doohickie at 11:23 AM on February 18, 2008
For now, I'm trying to eat quasi-South-Beach-ish, and have recently started bicycle commuting. We'll see how that works. The key for me when I've been successful has been totally being about the health to the point that it is integrated into my lifestyle. When I was doing South Beach, I cheated VERY little. I had some early success so I knew the diet worked, at least for me, so if I failed I couldn't blame the diet. Things worked out very well though, because my success gave me the confidence to continue.
I'm hoping the cycling does the same thing for me. I got a new job where I'm an 8-mile bike ride from work. I'm hoping to cycle it at least twice a week. It will give me so many benefits (health, weight loss, gasoline savings, extending my car's warranty) that I hope I can keep it up.
Anyway, try to think of things along that line- things you can do as part of your normal daily routine that won't necessarily take a whole lot of time just for the sake of exercise or dieting. I've heard it takes 3 weeks to form a habit (good or bad). So go for a diet or exercise "boot camp" for 3 weeks and take it from there.
Good luck.
posted by Doohickie at 11:23 AM on February 18, 2008
Yes, it's possible! And it will be tough. You will need to get back into the healthy habits you had before the depression and lack of motivation kicked you in the butt.
My advice to you is first to journal what you eat, and be realistic and consistent about it. You will be surprised to find how much you have been eating, because most of us really underestimate the calories and fat in what we eat, AND we overestimate what a portion size is. Don't go too extreme here; you can't realistically cut your intake in half overnight. Trimming 500 calories a day is an ambitious but achievable goal.
Also, aim for small goals on the way to your ultimate goal of washboard abs. Obviously, those abs won't be perfect tomorrow. But you can lose a couple pounds a week for several weeks, and really make a difference as you go. Keep your expectations realistic, and be proud of yourself for accomplishing a steady rate of weight loss.
Ramp up the exercise. Start with walking or swimming; something you can do without investing in a lot of equipment. You want cardio to begin with, and then strength training.
As you progress, 'reward' yourself not with food, but with workout gear, a spa visit, fitness equipment, even a favorite book or movie would be good. Replace the temporary good feelings you get from food (which don't last) with tangible, real rewards.
You can do it!
posted by misha at 11:24 AM on February 18, 2008
My advice to you is first to journal what you eat, and be realistic and consistent about it. You will be surprised to find how much you have been eating, because most of us really underestimate the calories and fat in what we eat, AND we overestimate what a portion size is. Don't go too extreme here; you can't realistically cut your intake in half overnight. Trimming 500 calories a day is an ambitious but achievable goal.
Also, aim for small goals on the way to your ultimate goal of washboard abs. Obviously, those abs won't be perfect tomorrow. But you can lose a couple pounds a week for several weeks, and really make a difference as you go. Keep your expectations realistic, and be proud of yourself for accomplishing a steady rate of weight loss.
Ramp up the exercise. Start with walking or swimming; something you can do without investing in a lot of equipment. You want cardio to begin with, and then strength training.
As you progress, 'reward' yourself not with food, but with workout gear, a spa visit, fitness equipment, even a favorite book or movie would be good. Replace the temporary good feelings you get from food (which don't last) with tangible, real rewards.
You can do it!
posted by misha at 11:24 AM on February 18, 2008
You don't say anything about your current life/work scenario. Do you work more than 40 hours a week? Are you married? Have kids? Travel for work? These variables can wreak havoc on a workout regimen, to be sure, but could also help you with not falling into a rut.
Is there an aerobic exercise that you really love? Doing something outdoors, with others, in particular, can help keep you on track. Another key is to keep changing your workout. If you're doing the same old thing at the gym every single time, then after two months, you'll probably be bored, and your body probably won't be getting the same benefits from the workout.
I also read into your original post an "all or nothing" attitude--i.e., if I'm not doing the full workout, then I might as well be sitting on the couch, watching "insert name of bad tv show here." As someone who's also 41 and has been fairly fit for many years, I know that it's pretty hard, if not impossible, to maintain a constant state of fitness all year round--not to mention that your body will need more recovery time now than you did when you were in your twenties. Give yourself a little bit of a break at certain times of the year, when work or your personal life's hectic. However, you should always have that one activity you love in your life. Something that will get you out of the house, and will lift your morale. "Okay, I didn't hit the gym, but I rode my bike for an hour and I feel so much more relaxed!"
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 11:25 AM on February 18, 2008
Is there an aerobic exercise that you really love? Doing something outdoors, with others, in particular, can help keep you on track. Another key is to keep changing your workout. If you're doing the same old thing at the gym every single time, then after two months, you'll probably be bored, and your body probably won't be getting the same benefits from the workout.
I also read into your original post an "all or nothing" attitude--i.e., if I'm not doing the full workout, then I might as well be sitting on the couch, watching "insert name of bad tv show here." As someone who's also 41 and has been fairly fit for many years, I know that it's pretty hard, if not impossible, to maintain a constant state of fitness all year round--not to mention that your body will need more recovery time now than you did when you were in your twenties. Give yourself a little bit of a break at certain times of the year, when work or your personal life's hectic. However, you should always have that one activity you love in your life. Something that will get you out of the house, and will lift your morale. "Okay, I didn't hit the gym, but I rode my bike for an hour and I feel so much more relaxed!"
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 11:25 AM on February 18, 2008
Oh... forgot to mention. When I lost the 70 lb. on South Beach, I was 42. So yeah, doing this sort of thing in your 40s is very do-able. I went from feeling lethargic and achy much of the time to feeling really good most of the time.
My personal theory of muscles is that they too easily turn to fat if you don't excercise them. Rather than trying to build muscle, I simply try to tone what I've got (which admittedly isn't much) rather than trying to add.
And the other thing I forgot to mention is that yes, I actually got my flat stomach back, with even a little more definition than I had when I was in high school.
So don't give up! You can do it.
posted by Doohickie at 11:28 AM on February 18, 2008
My personal theory of muscles is that they too easily turn to fat if you don't excercise them. Rather than trying to build muscle, I simply try to tone what I've got (which admittedly isn't much) rather than trying to add.
And the other thing I forgot to mention is that yes, I actually got my flat stomach back, with even a little more definition than I had when I was in high school.
So don't give up! You can do it.
posted by Doohickie at 11:28 AM on February 18, 2008
As others have suggested, cycling to work is about the best thing you can do. It turns dead time into exercise. I did about 22 miles a day (round trip) for a while. It was great. In my mid 30s, I ate crap all the time because I was so hungry and still lost weight. Just go straight at it - 5 days a week, twice a day and cycle fast. It'll kill you for the first two weeks. But it'll work. The only downside is you do get a big butt. My choice of skinny strides is somewhat limited on account of my big old biker butt.
posted by rhymer at 12:06 PM on February 18, 2008
posted by rhymer at 12:06 PM on February 18, 2008
Most of the comments here are right on the money.
You can do it. A six pack? I wouldn't worry about those kind of superficial features at this stage of the game.
Stenoboy I have coached allot of heavy people back into shape. You would be on the more athletic end of the scale, actually. I have coached guys older than you 200lbs over weight that have never been athletic. Ever. The entire idea of physical expression and the discomfort of exertion being utterly foreign.
One guy in particular lost about 110lbs over the course of year. He started only working out for 15-20 minutes at a time two days a week. But he kept coming.
You have a leg up on many people. However don't fall into the trap of comparing your 20 year old self with your 41 year old self, even though inside you feel the same. Be patient with your self. It is harder now than it was 20 years ago. And you know what? I have MUCH more respect for the 41 year old who trains with me than I do the 21 year old. It takes much more balls at 41 to walk in the door of our martial arts gym.
Remember a couple of things. Being Fit and being athletic are different goals. Being fit is about health. Being athletic is about performance.
IOW. The relative health benefits of being able to run 3 miles or 30 miles is minuscule.
So concentrate on being more fit and healthy tomorrow than you are today. And frankly that's simple. Do one more push up and walk 10 more yards this week and you are fitter than you were last week. It's simple. But not easy.
Generally getting fit is merely a matter of consistency. It will happen if you find a program you enjoy and stick with it. The best path to fitness or athleticism is finding a program that builds a skill. Something that sparks your competitive spirit, fulfills a social need, or your desire for physical expression in some way.
Personally (and I repeat my bias here) I recommend a good boxing, kickboxing, or striking martial arts program. It's social. It's dynamic. It's challenging. And most clubs let you eventually be competitive if you like.
AS for eating? One simple rule will do you more good than any other. No white at night. No starches, sugars, or carbs (except whole grains) past 5pm. Fat, Protein, and greens only. Eat all your carbs during the day hours only.
I can give you a workout right now that is 2x per week (on Sunday and Wednesday) 20 minutes that you can do in the mornings before you shower that will kick start you. Memail me.
posted by tkchrist at 1:23 PM on February 18, 2008 [3 favorites]
You can do it. A six pack? I wouldn't worry about those kind of superficial features at this stage of the game.
Stenoboy I have coached allot of heavy people back into shape. You would be on the more athletic end of the scale, actually. I have coached guys older than you 200lbs over weight that have never been athletic. Ever. The entire idea of physical expression and the discomfort of exertion being utterly foreign.
One guy in particular lost about 110lbs over the course of year. He started only working out for 15-20 minutes at a time two days a week. But he kept coming.
You have a leg up on many people. However don't fall into the trap of comparing your 20 year old self with your 41 year old self, even though inside you feel the same. Be patient with your self. It is harder now than it was 20 years ago. And you know what? I have MUCH more respect for the 41 year old who trains with me than I do the 21 year old. It takes much more balls at 41 to walk in the door of our martial arts gym.
Remember a couple of things. Being Fit and being athletic are different goals. Being fit is about health. Being athletic is about performance.
IOW. The relative health benefits of being able to run 3 miles or 30 miles is minuscule.
So concentrate on being more fit and healthy tomorrow than you are today. And frankly that's simple. Do one more push up and walk 10 more yards this week and you are fitter than you were last week. It's simple. But not easy.
Generally getting fit is merely a matter of consistency. It will happen if you find a program you enjoy and stick with it. The best path to fitness or athleticism is finding a program that builds a skill. Something that sparks your competitive spirit, fulfills a social need, or your desire for physical expression in some way.
Personally (and I repeat my bias here) I recommend a good boxing, kickboxing, or striking martial arts program. It's social. It's dynamic. It's challenging. And most clubs let you eventually be competitive if you like.
AS for eating? One simple rule will do you more good than any other. No white at night. No starches, sugars, or carbs (except whole grains) past 5pm. Fat, Protein, and greens only. Eat all your carbs during the day hours only.
I can give you a workout right now that is 2x per week (on Sunday and Wednesday) 20 minutes that you can do in the mornings before you shower that will kick start you. Memail me.
posted by tkchrist at 1:23 PM on February 18, 2008 [3 favorites]
Yeah, martial arts is pretty good too. I was doing Tae Kwon Do when I was South Beaching (actually, before, mostly... work schedule eventually made me quit). But martial arts is an awesome way to work out *and* blow some pent-up aggession.
posted by Doohickie at 1:58 PM on February 18, 2008
posted by Doohickie at 1:58 PM on February 18, 2008
ok. ok. I say Crossfit to every fitness question on here. But it will get you into shape. You will lose weight. And the architecture of it lends very well to self-competition. You watch yourself improve quantitatively. I have been able to keep it up for a year because I just can't stand to see any of my numbers get worse.
posted by nameless.k at 3:31 PM on February 18, 2008
posted by nameless.k at 3:31 PM on February 18, 2008
One hundred pounds overweight and 41. Will I ever get washboard abs again?
No. But you can lose weight, get stronger, get fit, increase your quality of life, and decrease your risk for diabetes/heart disease/osteoarthritis/etc.
posted by tiburon at 6:28 AM on February 19, 2008
No. But you can lose weight, get stronger, get fit, increase your quality of life, and decrease your risk for diabetes/heart disease/osteoarthritis/etc.
posted by tiburon at 6:28 AM on February 19, 2008
Maybe not washboard abs, but you can definitely lose the weight. I have lost almost 50 pounds since last April (200 to 150) and here's what I have to say about it:
* I had a definite and realistic goal. Everything I read said that losing 1-2 pounds a week is about what anybody can do and be healthy. I calculated a weight within the healthy BMI band, figured out how long it should take, and then picked a (personally significant) date. Interestingly, I got to my goal 6 weeks early, and have been continuing to lose a little bit since then.
* I used most of the techniques listed in The Hacker's Diet. It's very nerdly and focuses on calories in, calories out. Written by one of the original developers of AutoCAD!
* Mainly, that would be daily weigh-ins (I use physicsdiet.com to do the trend calculations) and regular food logging. I was super-consistent at the outset with the food diary to get a sense of what the right amount of calories looked like, then was more lax in logging, then did it again religiously for about a month after hitting my goal.
* I didn't change what I ate all that much, just ate quite a bit less of it. Interestingly, I was rarely hungry, which I think says I was eating way too much food before I started.
* I bike commuted starting in Feb/March last year, when the weather was good, through November, and am now picking it up again. Others have already spoken to the benefits; I will add that I consider exercise now to be part of my mental health regimen. Over the last few months, I've worked out on the elliptical trainer, plus a bit of weight training.
I wouldn't consider myself to be particularly buff, but I'm probably in the best shape, mentally and physically, that I've ever been. My 33-year-old self could probably kick my 23-year-old self's ass!
One last thing; you might want to check out the book "Changing for Good", which is about changing all sorts of bad habits. I didn't read it until I was well underway, but it helped me think about what I was doing and to understand myself better. That includes how to keep motivating yourself over the tough spots.
My motivation was related to that personally significant date: my father died when I was a child; he was only 45 and died of a heart attack. The 25th anniversary of his death was 2 weeks ago, and that was my goal date. I know that a few times just thinking about that fact helped me make better choices.
posted by epersonae at 3:24 PM on February 20, 2008
* I had a definite and realistic goal. Everything I read said that losing 1-2 pounds a week is about what anybody can do and be healthy. I calculated a weight within the healthy BMI band, figured out how long it should take, and then picked a (personally significant) date. Interestingly, I got to my goal 6 weeks early, and have been continuing to lose a little bit since then.
* I used most of the techniques listed in The Hacker's Diet. It's very nerdly and focuses on calories in, calories out. Written by one of the original developers of AutoCAD!
* Mainly, that would be daily weigh-ins (I use physicsdiet.com to do the trend calculations) and regular food logging. I was super-consistent at the outset with the food diary to get a sense of what the right amount of calories looked like, then was more lax in logging, then did it again religiously for about a month after hitting my goal.
* I didn't change what I ate all that much, just ate quite a bit less of it. Interestingly, I was rarely hungry, which I think says I was eating way too much food before I started.
* I bike commuted starting in Feb/March last year, when the weather was good, through November, and am now picking it up again. Others have already spoken to the benefits; I will add that I consider exercise now to be part of my mental health regimen. Over the last few months, I've worked out on the elliptical trainer, plus a bit of weight training.
I wouldn't consider myself to be particularly buff, but I'm probably in the best shape, mentally and physically, that I've ever been. My 33-year-old self could probably kick my 23-year-old self's ass!
One last thing; you might want to check out the book "Changing for Good", which is about changing all sorts of bad habits. I didn't read it until I was well underway, but it helped me think about what I was doing and to understand myself better. That includes how to keep motivating yourself over the tough spots.
My motivation was related to that personally significant date: my father died when I was a child; he was only 45 and died of a heart attack. The 25th anniversary of his death was 2 weeks ago, and that was my goal date. I know that a few times just thinking about that fact helped me make better choices.
posted by epersonae at 3:24 PM on February 20, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
No, you will probably never get washboard abs again. Your body simply can't reconfigure itself the way it used to, and the best you can probably hope for is some vague definition. I would imagine it would be possible if you were willing to completely dedicate yourself to the cause, but from the rest of your post it seems like you are not yet willing to change your eating or exercise habits. Maybe you should see a professional to help you get to that place mentally?
posted by Willie0248 at 9:11 AM on February 18, 2008 [1 favorite]