Twenty Pounds / Two Months

[BrokenolMarine]

I have been one frustrated Marine over the last several years. (Decades?) Throughout my career in the Corps, I maintained my weight other than the occasions when I had to undergo the surgeries trying to repair the knee injury I received on the O Course in Boot Camp. That thing plagued me all thru the career, finally cutting it short shortly after my last re-enlistment that would have taken me to my full twenty years. (I dislocated my kneecap halfway through the course, but still finished bootcamp with my original platoon when the Platoon and Battalion Commanders saw me finish the O Course with that dislocated knee.)

I stayed between 175 and 185 all through my career, then added another few pounds each year, slowly moving up around 220 when I was working patrol. Just prior to the move from VA I was tipping the scales around 280. I went to the VA and talked with the docs about weight loss, though I couldn't do the walking and gym routine, we talked about calorie control. I started that program, limiting my caloric intake to under 1500 calories a day. I dropped to 230 pounds in three months by cutting out all bread and desserts, and adhering to the calorie count without fail. Then came the move... all our stuff was packed and in storage and we had to eat out. Hard, but not impossible, to count calories. Weight climbed back to 250. Then 260ish. I tried to watch what I ate, but Miss T wasn't helping.

Married guys, your wife play this?
"What, you didn't like it? Why didn't you finish what I put on your plate?"
I couldn't convince here that I was seriously trying to control what I ate.

Back in February, I stepped on the bathroom scale and the voice said, "275 Fatboy."
"Well, That's what I heard."

I told Miss T I was BACK ON the calorie counting starting that morning. I put the chart back on the fridge and the notepad to note everything I ate.

If she overloaded the plate, I scraped the uneaten food into the chicken bucket for the egglayers.
If she made two porkchops, the dog got one.
Didn't take long and she was on board.
The goal was less than 1500 calories per day, and I average around 1200.
I weighed in this morning at 255.4. Twenty pounds in two months. I'm good with that. I'll certainly keep going, and see how far down I can get. I'd be happy with 220 again, love to see 200. This would be so much easier if I could walk around the block every day.

Wish me luck. Anyone else struggling to diet?

[cooperhawk]

I've had problems with walking as well so I'm at 180 lbs. now which is a lot for my frame. I have long suspected that my muscle cramps and pains came from "Metformin" an anti diabetic drug that had been proscribed by my Doc. On Monday I met with him and told him of my concerns and we agreed that I would discontinue the drug for a while and see what happens. I did.
I no longer have leg cramps at night causing me to lose sleep.
I no loner have hot legs and cold feet.
I went for a walk yesterday and outdid everything I have done for years.
I feel better.
I'm not recommending this for anyone else, we're all different, but you might talk to your Doc if you have these problems and are on Metformin.
Now I hope to lose some weight just being able to walk again.

[BrokenolMarine]

I've had problems with walking as well so I'm at 180 lbs. now which is a lot for my frame. I have long suspected that my muscle cramps and pains came from "Metformin" an anti diabetic drug that had been proscribed by my Doc. On Monday I met with him and told him of my concerns and we agreed that I would discontinue the drug for a while and see what happens. I did.
I no longer have leg cramps at night causing me to lose sleep.
I no loner have hot legs and cold feet.
I went for a walk yesterday and outdid everything I have done for years.
I feel better.
I'm not recommending this for anyone else, we're all different, but you might talk to your Doc if you have these problems and are on Metformin.
Now I hope to lose some weight just being able to walk again.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have issues due to service connected injuries and surgeries. (29) I can stand for short periods, and walk short distances, but mostly with a cane. I use a walker for middle distance and wheelchair for longer distances. My work in my woodshop is mostly done from the chair.

[BrokenolMarine]

The best thing about this caloric diet, is by changing the way I eat, I got used to the smaller intake. I've also gotten used to NOT eating the chocolate and sweets. The RN who monitored the program the first time told me to take a cheat day once a month, "Have a piece of cake or pie, eat some M&Ms."

With what I learned in 2020, I have been able to run the diet this time no problem. Funny thing, go without desserts for a couple months, the have a small piece of cake. Doesn't take much of a rich cake to feel nauseous.

[Hatchdog]

Well done BOM, I wish I had your self control.

[North Country Gal]

You can do it, Marine!

I've been a Type II diabetic since the 90s, but have been very fortunate to be able to control it through diet and exercise. I know how hard it can be to be strict with yourself about what and how much you eat, but it can be done and the payoff for feeling better and being healthier is huge.

[Travlin]

Consider looking into the Paleo diet . It worked for my wife and I and we did not go hungry but mostly no bread or pre-made dinners etc. and berries or other fruit for desert. We allowed one cheat meal about every ten days. I was up to almost 200lbs after three years of not working as a carpenter/contractor. At six three I had never weighed over 180 and feel better at 170-175.

[rickhem]

I was always on the smaller, leaner side. Wrestled 108 and 115 in high school cause that is what I weighed, and never really needed to cut weight. Got married at 28 and still had a 28" waist, weighed maybe 135-140. I was very active, played a lot of sports, and was on my feet at work almost the whole day. Sometime in my mid 30s I moved to working in a lab, which was less activity, but was still very active with sports. By my early 40s, I was about 160 with 32" waist, and my company built a "fitness center", so I jumped on that with both feet. I'd go every day after work, got myself into that mindset, and pushed my body fat down to single digits. I'd finish every day's workout by running on the treadmill for 30 min at 7 mph, which equated to a 5K. I thought that was great until I started looking into real 5K races, and winners would do the 5K in 18 minutes, and my age group would still be about 20 min. I decided to change things up and started having protein drinks, and ramped up the workouts. I'd go to the work cafeteria and have a big breakfast and lunch, lifted heavy, and backed off with the cardio. I even did a few cycles of Creatine to help me put on some weight. Got myself to about 180-185 and was now starting to look somewhat muscular, which I never really was. Kept that up for another decade plus as it was a normal life routine for me, but after moving to a much more rural setting where I am now, there aren't many gyms, and I rationalized myself to less workouts, then just stopped completely. It's been about 5 years since I've done any regular exercise, and my job has me riding the desk all day. I'm up to 195 now, and the more sedentary lifestyle is obvious in my gut, which even my kids say is too big. I'm wearing 36 pants, and wake up stiff every morning. I was hitching up a trailer to my truck last weekend and my foot slipped in the mud a bit, and I almost ripped my hamstring trying to compensate. That stuff never happened before.

I admire your focus and dedication BOM, and I need to get myself back on that track again too. I've been making strides with portion control for my meals, but could tighten that up a little more. I have a concept 2 rower home, and a few dumbbells, so it's a matter of my own determination to start something regular and stick with it. For me it is more than just diet, I want to get back to the feeling of fitness and mobility, and eliminate some of the gut.

They say a pound of body weight is equal to about 3500 calories. So add 500 calories of exercise per day, or reduce 500 calories of consumption per day, or some combination of those two, and you'll lose a pound per week. That is sustainable, and for me, should put me back down around 170 again. All I have to do is start and keep going.

[BrokenolMarine]

The biggest obstacle for most people is the first step. They say:

"I really need to start."
"I'll start next week."
"After the holidays, I have to start."

Once you actually start, trying hard not to stop is the key. Miss a day, no worries, but I don't take several days off. A friend says he takes time off when company visits. The last time that happened, he never got back on track. I just stay on my personal plan, even with company, at a restaurant, or over a holiday. It's doable.

[rickhem]

That kind of positive mindset is a big factor too.