A few of you are aware that I began losing weight this year. This thread is not to brag (well, maybe a little), but more to inspire everyone here who wants to lose some weight. I did this all with no drugs, surgery, starvation, or bulimia. The following changes are due to DIET and EXERCISE.
I have always been fat compared to others...I was chubby through childhood and shot up to full-on obese in high school and college. I always promised myself that I would get my weight under control once I graduated college and got a stable job. Meanwhile, my weight went from 300 after high school to 370 during college to 415 after college (before weight loss).
A year ago I started Weight Watchers, and have lost weight every week for the last year. About 3 months ago, I started lifting weights and playing raquettball, and go roughly 5 times a week.
I went from a 4XL to an XL. I went from a 50 waist to a 38 (actual loss was more than that, but I am wearing my pants in a different place now). I went from a 14 ring size to a 12. I went from a 13EE to a 11.5EE shoe. I went from a 20.5" neck to a 17" neck.
Overall, I lost almost 170 lbs. I aim to lose about 50 more, or to hit 10-13% body fat, whichever happens first. BMI guidelines say that I am supposed to lose another 80 pounds at least, but they are a crock. I hope to be close to my goal for the upcoming summer!
Thank you all for the encouragement. I hope I can help to show some of you that big losses are possible without expensive trainers or crazy diets, etc.
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09:35 PM
blakeinspace Member
Posts: 5923 From: Fort Worth, Texas Registered: Dec 2001
Would you consider a tummy tuck? Thats a lot of extra skin to carry around.
There is still some fat under that skin. I realize that I probably wouldn't be "sagging" at this weight if I didn't have the extra skin. From what I have read, someone my age has a good chance that the skin will "heal" and I will look normal without surgery. It may take a full year after I am at my goal weight, but it may happen on its own.
If that doesn't work out, I would consider something...but I prefer not to have surgery.
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11:23 PM
Bigfieroman Member
Posts: 2416 From: Pleasant Hills, PA, near Pittsburgh Registered: Nov 2000
Fandamntastic, dude! Did you start exercising right away or after some weight loss? What were/are your exercise routines like?
I started with riding a stationary recumbent bike for ~20 minutes a day on high resistance(slow/moderate pace), every day. I progressed into a lot of golf over the summer, but when golf season ended I couldn't get back on the bike...so I joined the gym. Now I will generally lift 4-5 times a week for about an hour; and play raquettball one to three of those visits for 1-2 hrs.
Looking back on what I used to do at the beginning, I cannot believe I considered it exercise!
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11:27 PM
PFF
System Bot
ryan.hess Member
Posts: 20784 From: Orlando, FL Registered: Dec 2002
The avatar referred more to my attitude (yes, I can be THAT cynical...I just don't post it most of the time because I am cynical enough to know it would get me banned).
Also, I don't think I will change the name...I am big in other ways (er, yeah...). Years of being fat has thankfully made me very strong...I can max out most of the machines at the gym; I leg pressed over 1000 lbs before the visions of exploding kneecaps and ankles got too vivid to ignore (prolly could have done 1200ish).
One thing I have ALWAYS wanted to do was a pull-up...and yesterday I managed a kinda-sorta half of one! I pulled up from a half-flexed position...eventually I will be able to go from arms straight completely up to the top!
[This message has been edited by Bigfieroman (edited 01-14-2009).]
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11:51 PM
exoticse Member
Posts: 8650 From: Orlando, Fl Registered: Jun 2003
That's effing great man! You should brag away! I used to have nice flat abs, a chest and looked alright. Past couple months I stopped and it has all gone away. Do NOT stop! Keep going, you've definitely inspired me.
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11:56 PM
Formula88 Member
Posts: 53788 From: Raleigh NC Registered: Jan 2001
I started with riding a stationary recumbent bike for ~20 minutes a day on high resistance(slow/moderate pace), every day. I progressed into a lot of golf over the summer, but when golf season ended I couldn't get back on the bike...so I joined the gym. Now I will generally lift 4-5 times a week for about an hour; and play raquettball one to three of those visits for 1-2 hrs.
Looking back on what I used to do at the beginning, I cannot believe I considered it exercise!
Any recommendations on an exercise bike for a big guy? I'm looking for a recumbent bike. I need to exercise my legs more, but a bum knee makes walking long distances difficult and running right out. Swimming is great, but not practical year round.
Oh, and be sure to get the juice of 1 lemon everyday. It does wonders to help your skin stay resilient. Back when I was younger, I went to the Diet Center and that was one of the things they mentioned. I lost 100 lbs in 6 months and didn't have a problem with sagging skin. Now that I'm older, losing is MUCH more difficult. It's gonna take serious exercise. Diet alone just won't cut it.
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11:59 PM
Jan 15th, 2009
Bigfieroman Member
Posts: 2416 From: Pleasant Hills, PA, near Pittsburgh Registered: Nov 2000
However, the price went up about $30 since. It held me at over 400 lbs fine as long as I got on/off gingerly.
Thanks. And it's cheap enough where I'm not too worried about getting the wrong equipment. Dumping $500+ on an exercise machine to have it end up as a plant stand is just adding insult to injury.
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12:12 AM
Spektrum-87GT Member
Posts: 1601 From: Yorktown, VA Registered: Aug 2001
That is just ridiculous! Awesome job on yourself. Usually it is cars that we are commenting on. But my hat is off to you sir. You should go and buy yourself some Fiero parts for your hard work. You deserve it.
I usually wouldn't post in a "way to go" thread for someone I didn't know, but WOW...that's very impressive. You have my respect and admiration. Keep it up!
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06:52 AM
frontal lobe Member
Posts: 9042 From: brookfield,wisconsin Registered: Dec 1999
That is PHENOMENAL! It is hard to express the admiration I have for an achievement like that.
Numbers are so hard to really grasp the scale of, so consider this:
170 pounds is often the weight of an entire PERSON. Imagine if someone 170 pounds jumped on your back, and you had to carry that person around with you everywhere you went all day long.
Now imagine how great you would feel if you got rid of that person. Your whole life would be revolutionized.
Hey, you didn't even have to go on a TV show to do it!
I am SO happy for you.
And if you could do something like this, who knows what else you might wind up doing if you decide it is something you want to do?
With already doing that for a year it went from a goal to a life style change, being young helps with the skin I have seen it in the Army. I have seen friends of mine who lost so much weight during basic and in order to join the Army. Their skin took alittle while to heal but you couldn't tell after awhile.
I used to get flak for being over my table weight for my height when I was in the Army. Depending on the group taking our PT test I would be the first runner in and still get flak from the 1SGT. I usually did 60-72 pushups, 65-75 situps, and ran a 14.15-14.55 2 mile while I was in.
Keep up with the work I am dieting myself to shrink the neckface a little bit. I had to adjust my eating a lot because I am no longer working out twice a day and now look like I over dosed on Mom's spaghetti.
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10:23 AM
Bigfieroman Member
Posts: 2416 From: Pleasant Hills, PA, near Pittsburgh Registered: Nov 2000
Once again guys, thank you all very much for the encouragement. I still wish that I was never fat to begin with, but the fear of gaining it all back is long gone now. I am happy to say that it is simply a matter of time!
I really appreciate how many of you took the time to reply, honestly; THANK YOU.
And YES, both of my cars are actually noticeably faster now!
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10:55 PM
fieroboom Member
Posts: 2132 From: Hayden, AL (BFE) Registered: Oct 2008
Thank you for the inspirration, man! That is a huge accomplishment, no pun intended. 
