Weight Loss and Fitness Journey

[hulkoutlvr]

Okay, on December 31st, it began. I had finally decided I was tired of people poking fun at my height (5'4), so I decided to start changing some of the things I can change, starting with my width and body composition. I began New Year's Eve at a bodyweight of 180.2. This morning I weighed in at 173. I'm doing the Weight Watchers "lose like a man" program designed especially for men. But I've decided also that once I reach my goal weight (based on my height and bone structure it's anywhere from 135-145), I want it not to be 135 thin with a small layer of fat on top. I want it to be toned with muscle. I want to be lean and mean. I've weighed 135 before but it wasn't muscular. I'm starting to exercise now, walking (to start out) a mile a day. I'm currently searching for a reasonably priced gym (I'm low income so 50 bucks a month is a bit much for me). I want to ask people's opinion. This sounds crazy, but I've always been mesmerized by the art of belly dancing. Not that I WANT to be a belly dancer, but I just happen to think it's beautiful. I've got an opportunity to buy a belly dance workout package. A friend of mine took it and she said it scuplted her abs, built her leg muscles up and strengthened her core beyond belief. Until I can get to a gym or save enough to buy a weight set, would doing this exercise help with my weight loss? And, of course, should I ever get a boyfriend, it wouldn't hurt to be able to do some incredible things with my midsection and legs! What's everyone's opinon?

[helliot]

Nothing hotter than a short fit man, just sayin'. Best of luck on your journey! Stay dedicated!

[V.R.Goh]

In regards to a decently-priced gym, I know that Planet Fitness has their memberships for $10/month. However, a friend told me that the quality is not very good. I would recommend checking them out, if there's one near you. That way, you can form your own opinion.

Also, I find that belly dancing is great for the midsection. I'm an amateur belly dancer, and it does wonders for my abs. It can also make for good cardio, which is key for fat loss.

[hulkoutlvr]

Thanks! I love to watch Belly dancing, of course I don't know how sexy I'll look doing it, lol. Unfortunately there is no Planet Fitness around my area. But it's probably just as well. I'm wanting to get in good with the big buff guys, and they don't care for Planet Fitness much. In fact, in my neck of the woods, they call it the "pussy" gym and make fun of it regularly. I'm afraid if I told a guy I went there, it would be an automatic turn off!

Originally Posted by V.R.Goh

In regards to a decently-priced gym, I know that Planet Fitness has their memberships for $10/month. However, a friend told me that the quality is not very good. I would recommend checking them out, if there's one near you. That way, you can form your own opinion.

Also, I find that belly dancing is great for the midsection. I'm an amateur belly dancer, and it does wonders for my abs. It can also make for good cardio, which is key for fat loss.

[BigSteve6ft3]

Hulkoutlvr,

If you're short on income, I recommend you buy an inexpensive weight set ASAP. If you're just starting out, you can go a long way with the cheap, concrete-filled-plastic weights they sell at places like Sears, WalMart, etc. Also, the inexpensive benches those sorts of places sell, while too flimsy for really big guys, should do quite well for someone of your size and fitness level. Check the classifieds; someone might be unloading some gear for really cheap (that's how I got started, way back in my skinny days). Eventually, hopefully, you'll outgrow this stuff, and you can pass it on to some other beginner. But in the meantime, you can get a heck of lot of good out it and won't be out much money.

[ActionBastard]

I would suggest you get a jump rope for cardio. Five minutes of jumping rope at a good speed is equivalent to 15 minutes of jogging. If you really want to see results, cardio is best done first thing in the morning before you eat anything, if you can manage that.

I'll also agree that at your size you could get some use out of a cheap weight set, but real weights are on craigslist all the time very cheap.

Of course, working out is nice, but diet is far and away the most important part. It's 10% working out and 90% diet, if not more. IDK what the weight watchers program is like, but many of those are not structured for someone who wants to really workout. You want to worry less about the calories you eat and focus on avoiding sugar and carbs.

[hulkoutlvr]

the weight watchers plan focuses on portion control and calculating food "points" with regard to the amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber. It's 100 percent effective if you stay on the program. I should know. The last time I did this program I lost eighty-five pounds in less than a year. I have a goal weight range of 135-140. I lost 6.8 pounds last week, and weighed in this morning at 173. Charles Barkley is the spokesperson for the "Lose Like a Man" WW program, which I'm on. He's had great success with it. The working out comes in because when I reach 135-140, I want it to be solid, hard muscle. I'm also on a time crunch, because summer's coming, and so is my 20 year class reunion. I have to face the guys who gave me shit in HS, and I'd like to look better 20 years after HS than they do.

[ActionBastard]

Good Luck!

[raven79]

Hulkoutlvr, reunions are not terrible if you go in and look better than the mean people, trust me I know. People that gave me hell in HS always get what was coming to them. I had a 10-year reunion back in 2007 and looked better than probably 90% of the people that were there.

I'm not buff and I'm not trying to be shallow, but the truth is the only people that looked good were the ones at my table that I was friends with in HS. Even the heaviest of us in HS, lost the weight and looked trim and attractive. It was a tremendous relief when I saw the other tables and those people were fat and ugly.

The girls were suddenly 'interested' in me and the guys were now being 'friendly'. If they actually meant to explain themselves to me and then 'apologize', then it would be different. (This has actually happened!)

I am sorry that I rambled through this, but the gist of it is the weight issue is only a small part of why we get bullied in HS. There are so many other things that are involved also. Don't worry about the weight. Lose it for yourself and not the 'mean' people. In fact, get inspired and 'buff up' while your losing weight and you will be shocked at what you can achieve.

Hmmm, I should get inspired myself!

[hulkoutlvr]

I am continuing, and am happy to say that in 18 days I am down 10.2 pounds from 180 to 170. I have 35 more to go to make goal, to be sure, but it WILL come off! I am excited! At this rate it will all be off come late spring, and I will be SO much better!

[raven79]

Caution: Results may slow down each week because you only have a few pounds left to lose. It all depends on your fitness schedule and your daily life activities. Don't be disappointed if a month from now you only lose 2 pounds instead of 10. Just warning you!

[hulkoutlvr]

Yeah I'm kind of preparing myself for that. The first 10 or 20 usually comes off pretty easily. However, because of my height and slight bone structure, the thinner I get, the more difficult it becomes, because there aren't that many place for the weight to come off of. The last 10 or fifteen is usually a nightmare. I'll get them off though, no matter what it takes!

Originally Posted by raven79

Caution: Results may slow down each week because you only have a few pounds left to lose. It all depends on your fitness schedule and your daily life activities. Don't be disappointed if a month from now you only lose 2 pounds instead of 10. Just warning you!

[hulkoutlvr]

Since my last update I have made a major life change. In the midst of the weight loss plan, I completely (without conscious decision or choice) lost all of my taste for meat. I never was a huge red meat person; the mainstay of my diet was always chicken or turkey (although cooked in some very unhealthy ways, i.e. deep fried). I had steak or a hamburger maybe once or twice a year and that was fine with me. But now, it's so strange that I am not craving any of the meats I used to eat. I guess you could say I'm a full fledged vegetarian. Since ceasing to eat meat (the week of January 20th), 25 pounds have all but fallen off of me, and I am within 15 pounds of what I weighed at age 16 when I got my driver's license. I have made the decision, now that meat is completely out of my system and I'm still feeling great (not sluggish or tired), that I will probably continue with this lifestyle even after I reach my goal weight. I have to admit, after doing all of the research about what is injected into the cows, chickens, turkies and fish that are raised for food, it does disturb me a little bit that I was eating all of that for years and years. My main meat substitute now is tofu, and I'm getting all of my daily protein from the vegetables I eat. I hope this does not offend any of the meat-eating bodybuilders on here. I know that a vegetarian lifestyle is counter productive if you plan to get bigger, but I'm trying to get "Lean and Mean", you know, to make every pound count for something.

[raven79]

It sounds to me like you definitely made the right decision hulkoutlvr! For your needs, it was the perfect resolution.

[hulkoutlvr]

As of this morning, I weight 138.4 pounds, a little under my goal weight of 140! I can't tell all of you how happy I am to look and feel like my old self. I weigh the same this morning as I did on the morning of my 16th birthday (22 years ago) when I got my driver's license). It's amazing that there are so many things in this life that you can't change, but you can alter the human body to look better and feel better. At 5'4" and 138, I'm nothing compared to most of the guys on here, but I look and feel ten times better than when I started on this journey five months ago. I've lost 43 pounds since January 1st, and I'm down six inches in the waist and three shirt sizes. I'm back to shopping at Aeropastle and so many other of my favorite stores. Now for the hard part; changing some of this 138 pounds to muscle and doing something to hold the flesh on the bone, and obviously, the challenge of keeping the weight off. Wish me luck!

[Mdlftr]

Congratulations to you for meeting your goal and losing the weight!

Here's to many years of healthy living!

Mdlftr

[MonsterMash62]

Nice work man!

[raven79]

Whoa, 138 lbs! That is quite small. Good luck in trying to gain weight now!