Its true, diet and exercise work!
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I am a 26 year old male, and when I started this diet routine, I weighed in at a whopping 397 pounds. I started this on August 2, 2009, and to date I have dropped down to 263 pounds, meaning I have lost 134 pounds in only 6 months. This is how its done:
1. An exercise routine
I do 2 hours in the gym a day, 5-7 days a week.
My routine is 30 minutes on the Eliptical, 30 minutes on a bike,
10 minutes on a stair stepper, 30 minutes on a treadmill, and
I work in 200 sit-ups a day while lifting weights every 2-3 days.
2. A strict diet between 1500-1800 calories
I eat five times a day, just smaller meals. I started off with the expensive Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones meals, and it got costly fast, so after just one week I switched over to the $1 Banquet meals, and that is my diet... just 5 Banquet meals a day(as long as the total calorie total is under 1800, which is easy to do with a very wide selection of options). Also working out is needed in order for a diet to be successful for two reasons. The weight will come off five times faster so that it gives you faster results to keep you motivated. And the biggest help to me was the fact that when you work so hard to burn those calories, it really makes you think long and hard when it comes to making dietary choices. You will find yourself asking, is that really worth it? I worked so hard to burn these calories do I really want to waste the progress I made?
3. Will power, determination, and basic knowledge of nutritional facts.
It is very hard to start, the first 2 weeks in the gym are so rough and tough, and sadly about 95% of the people wouldn't last a week... It takes determination to keep yourself motivated to keep going back, and then expand on what you are capable of doing. It gets easier, and addictive simply because of how much better it makes you feel! I was sick and tired with no energy, after about 3 weeks I was full of energy when leaving the gym, and it lasted all day! This diet also takes will power... The world is filled with temptation, and you have to avoid it at all costs. It was so hard breaking my fast food addiction, and having to drive past all these food chains, and also seeing all those deserts on tv, but you have to be in it to win, and know what you can have. Yes once in a while I will stop and eat at a fast food restraunt, but its knowing what to order and making healthy choices that matters. For example at MyDonalds I get a Fruit and Yogurt parfait and a 4pc nugget with a unsweet tea to drink. Or just order a kids meal with diet(try to avoid adding cheese to your hamburger and make sure to get apple dippers, also NO UPGRADE to a gib kids meal) Or at BK I get just a single Whopper Jr with a diet drink. Its making wise decisions that matter!
I did this all without any type of diet aide. The only pill I take is a one a day vitamin. No there was no miracle diet pill that helped me shed the pounds, it was all done naturally, and if I can do it anyone can!
REPLY
1. An exercise routine
I do 2 hours in the gym a day, 5-7 days a week.
My routine is 30 minutes on the Eliptical, 30 minutes on a bike,
10 minutes on a stair stepper, 30 minutes on a treadmill, and
I work in 200 sit-ups a day while lifting weights every 2-3 days.
2. A strict diet between 1500-1800 calories
I eat five times a day, just smaller meals. I started off with the expensive Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones meals, and it got costly fast, so after just one week I switched over to the $1 Banquet meals, and that is my diet... just 5 Banquet meals a day(as long as the total calorie total is under 1800, which is easy to do with a very wide selection of options). Also working out is needed in order for a diet to be successful for two reasons. The weight will come off five times faster so that it gives you faster results to keep you motivated. And the biggest help to me was the fact that when you work so hard to burn those calories, it really makes you think long and hard when it comes to making dietary choices. You will find yourself asking, is that really worth it? I worked so hard to burn these calories do I really want to waste the progress I made?
3. Will power, determination, and basic knowledge of nutritional facts.
It is very hard to start, the first 2 weeks in the gym are so rough and tough, and sadly about 95% of the people wouldn't last a week... It takes determination to keep yourself motivated to keep going back, and then expand on what you are capable of doing. It gets easier, and addictive simply because of how much better it makes you feel! I was sick and tired with no energy, after about 3 weeks I was full of energy when leaving the gym, and it lasted all day! This diet also takes will power... The world is filled with temptation, and you have to avoid it at all costs. It was so hard breaking my fast food addiction, and having to drive past all these food chains, and also seeing all those deserts on tv, but you have to be in it to win, and know what you can have. Yes once in a while I will stop and eat at a fast food restraunt, but its knowing what to order and making healthy choices that matters. For example at MyDonalds I get a Fruit and Yogurt parfait and a 4pc nugget with a unsweet tea to drink. Or just order a kids meal with diet(try to avoid adding cheese to your hamburger and make sure to get apple dippers, also NO UPGRADE to a gib kids meal) Or at BK I get just a single Whopper Jr with a diet drink. Its making wise decisions that matter!
I did this all without any type of diet aide. The only pill I take is a one a day vitamin. No there was no miracle diet pill that helped me shed the pounds, it was all done naturally, and if I can do it anyone can!
REPLY
Congratulations! Your story is a remarkable success story. Keep up the great work! Can you tell us a little bit about how you stayed on track; how you stayed motivated and how you made such tremendous progress in such a short period of time? Thanks!
Congrats on the weight loss...sounds like you're doing great! Can you also tell us more about the intensity level of your cardio? Are you doing long, moderate cardio or interval training with short burst of high intensity? Also, how long did it take you to work yourself up to 2 hours per day? Thanks and keep up the good work!!
Like I said, the first few weeks were rough. I remember the first day I only lasted about 3 minutes on the eliptical(lol) and I rode a bike for about 30minutes. I remember not lasting a single hour the first day. Pretty much the first week I could only handle about 45-75 minutes each day, and I always switched it up(lifting weights one day and doing cardio the next). It took me a good month to be able to complete a 30 minute work-out on the eliptical.
What kept me motivated? Thats easy! It was all the progress I was making. After the first two weeks I lost 20 pounds. And after the first month I think I was down a good 35-40. Another big boost to my morale was the noticeable muscle growth. I remember the first time I felt the muscles in my arms when I was doing sit-ups, I thought "Wow this is so cool". Wondering what was next, and thinking of what will I look/feel like in 3 months that kept me going.
I did have a hard time at the start of the dieting though, I was so used to eating a lot whenever I wanted. It was hard to adjust to eating every 3 hours, and not getting that fullness sensation. And honestly, it lasted for a good 5-6 weeks. But now I am content after eating 1 TV dinner or just 1 hamburger with apple dippers. I still find myself opening the refridgerator door every time I walk into the kitchen, which makes me think I just ate for something to do and I made a habit out of it.
As for intensity of my workouts. When I started the slightest bit of effort exhausted me. I remember thinking I was never going to be able to finish that 30 minute bike ride that first day. I was not pushing it(with much resistance or speed) and I was still exhausted. And I remember looking at the calorie counter and seeing the numbers Calories Burned 112. I was depressed thinking I will never make, but luckily I did not give in! Also I remember walking at like 2-2.5 mph for 15 minutes and being ready to keel over. And the first time I started doing sit-ups I was renched over in pain from muscle cramps after about the 15th one. But my body seemed to adjust rapidly to the activity that I was doing. After the first 2 weeks I remember being able to walk for 30 minutes at 3.5 MPH and not be winded or in pain, and being able to burn 200 calories on the same bike with much less effort. Things really went into full force when I was able to complete a full 30 minute workout on the eliptical, I remember looking down at those calories burned and being in awe. Its so easy to burn 450-500 calories in 30 minutes on one of those.
Two months into this diet I remember being able to RUN a quarter of a mile at 7mph, being able to do 1 hour on the eliptical, being able to do 200 sit-ups. Lifting over 2-3x the amount I was able to when I first started this routine. Last, and not least was how much better I felt. I had energy, I no longer felt sick all the time(I used to feel like crap all the time) My feet/legs/knees no longer hurt when I worked, and I no longer sweat from minor activity. I loved the way I felt. I remember going into a store and being able to buy clothes off the rack again instead of having to shop online or in specialty stores.
If you want a routine, I will give you what I used:
Week 1: Start of slow doing what you can, ride a bike, walk, try some sit-ups, lift some weights. Remember the body needs thrown into shock, and you need to constantly switch it up. It can get into routines and inhibit you from maximun calorie burning. Also take note, if you dont leave the gym feeling like your going to puke or pass out, then your not doing it right(at least for the first week).
Week 2: Step it up, try lifting more, walking faster, pedling harder. Remember to keep trying to improve the length of time you can last on the eliptical or any other machine you have had issues with. I had the hardest time with both the eliptical and the stair stepper. Try and keep your heart rate between 135-155 for best calorie burning.
Week 3. Continue to add more to your regular work out routine, by now you should be feeling a lot better in both health and endurance. Keep at it!
Week 4: and beyond By now you should be able to pretty much do a full workout routine on all the equipment, and remember to always SWITCH IT UP. Do not get stuck in a set routine. Try doing cardio for 2 days and weights on the third. Throw in some swiming or new exercises every now and then, keep it up and dont give in. This is a lifestyle change, not something that you can do for a few weeks and then give up.
As for where I am now. I still need to lose another 40-60 pounds, and I am working at it everyday. I have hit that damn plateau where its hard to lose any weight, but I have not given up. I have lost so much and I feel so much better, that I will never go back to the way I was, and honestly its not even a challenge at this point. Its easy to eat healthy and its easy to go to the gym. Right now I am losing 1-3 pounds a week, where before it was easy to pull 5-8. But progress is progress. The first hundred pounds is the easiest! I lost mine in under 12 weeks.
What kept me motivated? Thats easy! It was all the progress I was making. After the first two weeks I lost 20 pounds. And after the first month I think I was down a good 35-40. Another big boost to my morale was the noticeable muscle growth. I remember the first time I felt the muscles in my arms when I was doing sit-ups, I thought "Wow this is so cool". Wondering what was next, and thinking of what will I look/feel like in 3 months that kept me going.
I did have a hard time at the start of the dieting though, I was so used to eating a lot whenever I wanted. It was hard to adjust to eating every 3 hours, and not getting that fullness sensation. And honestly, it lasted for a good 5-6 weeks. But now I am content after eating 1 TV dinner or just 1 hamburger with apple dippers. I still find myself opening the refridgerator door every time I walk into the kitchen, which makes me think I just ate for something to do and I made a habit out of it.
As for intensity of my workouts. When I started the slightest bit of effort exhausted me. I remember thinking I was never going to be able to finish that 30 minute bike ride that first day. I was not pushing it(with much resistance or speed) and I was still exhausted. And I remember looking at the calorie counter and seeing the numbers Calories Burned 112. I was depressed thinking I will never make, but luckily I did not give in! Also I remember walking at like 2-2.5 mph for 15 minutes and being ready to keel over. And the first time I started doing sit-ups I was renched over in pain from muscle cramps after about the 15th one. But my body seemed to adjust rapidly to the activity that I was doing. After the first 2 weeks I remember being able to walk for 30 minutes at 3.5 MPH and not be winded or in pain, and being able to burn 200 calories on the same bike with much less effort. Things really went into full force when I was able to complete a full 30 minute workout on the eliptical, I remember looking down at those calories burned and being in awe. Its so easy to burn 450-500 calories in 30 minutes on one of those.
Two months into this diet I remember being able to RUN a quarter of a mile at 7mph, being able to do 1 hour on the eliptical, being able to do 200 sit-ups. Lifting over 2-3x the amount I was able to when I first started this routine. Last, and not least was how much better I felt. I had energy, I no longer felt sick all the time(I used to feel like crap all the time) My feet/legs/knees no longer hurt when I worked, and I no longer sweat from minor activity. I loved the way I felt. I remember going into a store and being able to buy clothes off the rack again instead of having to shop online or in specialty stores.
If you want a routine, I will give you what I used:
Week 1: Start of slow doing what you can, ride a bike, walk, try some sit-ups, lift some weights. Remember the body needs thrown into shock, and you need to constantly switch it up. It can get into routines and inhibit you from maximun calorie burning. Also take note, if you dont leave the gym feeling like your going to puke or pass out, then your not doing it right(at least for the first week).
Week 2: Step it up, try lifting more, walking faster, pedling harder. Remember to keep trying to improve the length of time you can last on the eliptical or any other machine you have had issues with. I had the hardest time with both the eliptical and the stair stepper. Try and keep your heart rate between 135-155 for best calorie burning.
Week 3. Continue to add more to your regular work out routine, by now you should be feeling a lot better in both health and endurance. Keep at it!
Week 4: and beyond By now you should be able to pretty much do a full workout routine on all the equipment, and remember to always SWITCH IT UP. Do not get stuck in a set routine. Try doing cardio for 2 days and weights on the third. Throw in some swiming or new exercises every now and then, keep it up and dont give in. This is a lifestyle change, not something that you can do for a few weeks and then give up.
As for where I am now. I still need to lose another 40-60 pounds, and I am working at it everyday. I have hit that damn plateau where its hard to lose any weight, but I have not given up. I have lost so much and I feel so much better, that I will never go back to the way I was, and honestly its not even a challenge at this point. Its easy to eat healthy and its easy to go to the gym. Right now I am losing 1-3 pounds a week, where before it was easy to pull 5-8. But progress is progress. The first hundred pounds is the easiest! I lost mine in under 12 weeks.
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