You know, weight-lifting, body-building, special diets, lots of exercising, etc.

I'd like to lose about 35 pounds and would appreciate any suggestions on some good diets. And since I'm one of those people that does better following guidelines rather than making them, I'd benefit from a program that spells out when, as well as what and how much, to eat.

Am I dreaming?

Although I know a lot of people would disagree with me, it's not what or how much you eat, it's when you eat it.

Your body has this great and very accurate internal clock. Thanks to this you can "train" your body to expect food at certain times of the day. To do this, you have to make sure that you eat your breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time every day (with a max. deviation of 15 min.). After a few weeks, your body has learned when to expect food and starts making the chemicals for digesting food in advance of your meal causing less food to be converted to body-fat. Because your digestion will be more efficient, you will not be hungry between meals. I eat three meals a day and I can eat anything I want (which usually is junk-food!).

If in addition you want to loose weight fast, do some good cardio-vascular excercises like interval training (run two minutes, walk two minutes, run two minutes, walk two minutes, etc) in combination with a low calory diet. Don't drink Diet-Soda's, the Aspartame (artificial sweetner) is pure poison and will actually make you hungry. Drink lots of water instead.

Don't do one of those low carbon-hydrates diets. They are actually dangerous for your body (yes, you will loose weight but not only will your body start burning fat, it will also burn muscle tissue).

Ofcourse, I'm no doctor.

I dropped about 20 pounds last fall and winter. Contrary to what money grubbing health and fitness "experts" try to tell you, there is no big secret or easy method. The two main things I did was to be more careful what I ate and became more active. You have to make a commitment to do this and stick to it for the long term.

Foods to cut down on includes anything high in fat and high in calories. In other words forget the cheeseburgers, fries, and soda pop (fried food is a no-no). Beer is another thing that needs to be reduced, if you have a habit of drinking more than one or two per day. Increase your fiber intake, eat more whole grain bread, salads, and other veggies.

Once I lost over 10 pounds and was still losing, I started celebrating a little on the weekends. If I was good and lost at least a pound or two during the week, I'd have something greasy (in moderation) and maybe an extra beer or two.

You don't have to work out at the gym everyday like a madman. Just do anything to get the heart rate up a little, but do it daily if possible. The major change I made was to go for a brisk walk on my work breaks. I walk about a mile in the morning and a mile in the afternoon. It's a nice stress reliever too, gives me time to think and, believe it or not, I feel more energetic after walking. I feel better and all my clothes fit good again.

[This message has been edited by batboy (edited 05-10-2000).]

One of the best things I've discovered, not only for losing weight but simply for feeling healthy, is what's called the blood type diet. Essentially, foods affect different blood types in different ways. Check out the website at http://www.er4yt.com/ or look up the book "Eat Right 4 Your Type" at a local library.. it's very interesting to read, and after some experimentation with various foods over a period of 2 weeks... I found it works exactly as it said it did... highly recommended.

(if anyone is interested, I have typed up food lists for all 4 blood types, from the book. it lists what foods are beneficial for you, what foods have no special value other than nutritional, and foods which you should avoid. I can email the files (html) to anyone who'd like them.)

Eating according to your body clock is also an excellent idea, sleeping in that pattern is good too, as it's more efficient. There is plenty of info on the net about this, look up circadian (probably spelled wrong) rythms. Of course.. plenty of water and exercise is also good...

And avoid diet soda at all costs, Cliff is right about the aspartame.. it's almost as bad as using lead paint as a sweetener......

Watch your carbo intake after 4PM. No pasta/rice etc for dinner. Carbs are great for lunch/mid day because it'll give you energy but you wont burn it off and it'll turn to excess weight if your eating too many before bedtime!

but after dinner is the best time to go out looking for Rice!

hehehehehe

This guy isn't fat. I just saw him about two months ago, and unless he really packed it on, the man is already skinny. So I guess Scott just wants to tone up or something cause there ain't no way this dude's gonna lose 35lbs outside of a hospital stay.

The absolute and only way you can lose weight and get into shape is through exersise. Diets are too restrictive. There's a reason you body craves certain types of food. It's a survival thing. Of course your body will crave fats over everything else because we are programed to pack on a few pounds until we are lucky enough to find another source of fat (could have been weeks in the cave man days). So fats should be limited. But nearly everything else like carbs and protein our body needs on a daily basis according to our level of exertion. Remember, there are 6 kcals in every gram of protein and carbohydrate versus 9 in every gram of fat. Many vitamins are made by our body naturally on a steady diet. So it makes sense to find something foodwise that fits you and stick with it. Eating on a regular schedule is good too. And so is exersising on a regular schedule. You'll find that even if you can't get your dinner in until right before you get to sleep, you'll still lose weight or maintain a level of fitness as long as exersise is still a daily priority.

I think most people have trouble lifting weights right off the bat. Even though it is one of the best ways to exercise, there is a certain amount of pain and tiredness that people aren't willing to accept. Aerobic exersise like running, swimming, or biking will keep you interested in the activity.

I look just great!!!...lol. My secret:

1. 1 1/2 packs of Swisher Sweet Cigars a day

2. 2 gallons of coffee...minimum daily requirement

3. 6 pack MGD on Saturday night

4. Archway cookies...lots of 'em...(The cookie factory is right across the street from where I work.)

5. Plenty of exercise...Sitting upright and typing on the Forum.

Eric is correct. I wouldn't consider myself obese by any means. I weigh about 230 right now but I'd like to get down between 195-200. Fortunately, that much weight on a 6'1"" frame doesn't look very "fat".

My biggest problem is that I'm always tired. You would be too if you were carrying around two 16 pound bowling balls every minute of every hour of every day!

I start every morning with 200 push-ups and 100 sit-ups. Now dont get me wrong im a junk food and coffee addict. I smoke, cuss, and drink (occasionally). Im in real good shape (5'8" 180 lbs w/no spare tire). But like everyone said its when you eat. DO NOT eat within 2 hours of going to bed...Otherwise its gonna sit right on that spare tire area.

PS... If you want a very fun and healthy exercise.. Love making burns more fat and calories per minute then any other exercise out there...plus not to mention the side benifits.

Well, I’m 6’ and 220 pounds right now. I’m sort of on a diet. I know how to lose weight. Nothing seems to motivate me enough to do it. No woman troubles, that’s always a great motivator. I don’t have any anger at anyone. I really don’t have anyone to impress, but myself and the wife. I have lost the edge.

I guess You have to decide that You are going to lose it (or tone it) on Your own.
I personally believe that exercise is the key with just good eating,Meat and Veggies, and don’t over eat at a sitting.
But it still comes back to YOU, You You You You You have to take control.

I think I just motivated myself.
Good Luck

I'm kinda with 2m4Dale. A couple packs of smokes a day (but they're "Lights"), some quick take out food (don't really have time for anything else), 2 gallons of coffee is just an eye opener for me. I drink more like 8-10 pots whenever I work. (Of course, I tend to work alot. Going for a record this week. Somewhere around 115 hours.) Even though I'm diabetic and fat, I still love cakes and cookies and pies, and Twinkies... Hey! Just last week, I walked all the way from the cash register to the cooler. It must be a good 100 ft. And I didn't even get out of breath. (Well, just once.)

Ya know Monkey...We'll probably outlive all of them there heath nuts...lol

well, i'm 5'10" and 155lbs.. and I don't even have to try, I can eat whatever I want.. of course, i'm still young and limber

No kidding, Dale!

Pretty much for the past 10 years I had maintained 250lbs, which was too heavy, but I didnt feel like I looked real big. After a career change to a desk job, I rocketed up to 280lbs.

By Christmas I dropped to 210 lbs. And by then end of january I was down to 200. Of course, I did just what Cliff said not to do....The Adkins Diet. High protien, low carb. I feel like that most diets will work, as long as you follow the instructions. But the bottom line is if your going to drastically change your diet or start a new exercise program consult a doctor or at the very least a nutritionist/personal trainer.

I have so far managed to keep my weight off, and I have started exercising. I feel good, and look better. The only thing that sucks is replacing all your clothes. I was wearing size 40 pants, About 3 months into the diet, I had to by 38s, and then 2 months later I had to buy 36s. Its an expensive venture....

Last night reviewing the forum, while drinking a diet Pepsi and eating a bag of Doritos, I thought about your suggestions on diet. I only ate half the bag of Doritos, then switched to caffine free diet Pepsi.

I sort of look at it that at the turn of the last century(1900)in the US, the life expectency was only about 50 years. Then they started adding all the presevatives, hormoned enhanced meats and genetically engineered plants and life expectancy is now up 50% to 75 years. There must be something to the life style of junk food and diet Coke.