Soxtalk's Biggest Loser Club

[Brian]

WTG Rex

[FlaSoxxJim]

WTG Rex

 

^^^

 

[Pants Rowland]

Continuing to go in the right direction, slowly but surely. Down 30+ pounds for the year, and within 9 pounds of mytarget weight.

 

I think I may have herniated myself somewhere in the last coupld of months, because I have abdominal discomfort that I've not eenable to relieve through diet or medicine. I'd speed up the process and attack my flabbiness if I could add back more exercise, but with teh way my abs feel already from this mistery ailment i know I'd probably really injure myself.

 

Not to scare you, but please go get that checked asap. It may just be muscular, but if it feels at all like heartburn, it could be something worse. A friend of mine had similar symptoms and ended up needing angioplasty. I doubt that is the case with you, but we Sox fans need to look out for each other so better safe than sorry. There just aren't enough of us to go around.

[Rex Hudler]

Down three pounds this week. The century mark is putting up a pretty good fight, but I'll beat it. Five more to go.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Rex, first off let me say you're doing one hell of a job. Do people even recognize you anymore? Second, what do your daily workouts consist of? I've gained about 30 pounds this year (damn drinking). I'm finally ready to get back into shape. Just wanted to know what you did to get so much weight off. Thanks.

[Rex Hudler]

Rex, first off let me say you're doing one hell of a job. Do people even recognize you anymore? Second, what do your daily workouts consist of? I've gained about 30 pounds this year (damn drinking). I'm finally ready to get back into shape. Just wanted to know what you did to get so much weight off. Thanks.

 

Thanks Jordan. This thread has become pretty slow, but several people pop in from time to time offering their encouragement. There are a few others that are still working to lose weight as well. But my situation was unique in that I had a ton to lose and the timing was right for me to commit, having turned 40 a couple of months after I started.

 

This week I dropped 4 more pounds, putting me at 263, a total loss of 99 pounds. I really wanted 100, but I can't drop it as fast as they do on tv. I have to get to work, but this weekeind I'll go into a little more detail on what I am doing. When I pass 100 lbs next week, I'll try and put up a few before and after pics.

 

Thanks to all who are still participating and for those of you providing support! Every little bit of motivation helps.

[Harry Chappas]

Thanks Jordan. This thread has become pretty slow, but several people pop in from time to time offering their encouragement. There are a few others that are still working to lose weight as well. But my situation was unique in that I had a ton to lose and the timing was right for me to commit, having turned 40 a couple of months after I started.

 

This week I dropped 4 more pounds, putting me at 263, a total loss of 99 pounds. I really wanted 100, but I can't drop it as fast as they do on tv. I have to get to work, but this weekeind I'll go into a little more detail on what I am doing. When I pass 100 lbs next week, I'll try and put up a few before and after pics.

 

Thanks to all who are still participating and for those of you providing support! Every little bit of motivation helps.

 

I am finding the show difficult to watch this season for some reason.

 

I was not part of this thread but lost 35 from Jan through Apr and have held steady during the tough months (summer, Sox, beer). I need to control it through the end of the year and then hope to lose another 20 from Jan through Opening Day again. I think I have my life routine down after 37 years.

[Rex Hudler]

I am finding the show difficult to watch this season for some reason.

 

I was not part of this thread but lost 35 from Jan through Apr and have held steady during the tough months (summer, Sox, beer). I need to control it through the end of the year and then hope to lose another 20 from Jan through Opening Day again. I think I have my life routine down after 37 years.

 

Congrats on the 35 lbs! I haven't gotten to a maintenance level yet, but am confident I can do so. Keep up the good work.

[Rex Hudler]

Finally got there gentlemen! Down three pounds this week, breaking the century mark landing at 102. I'm happy so I decided to pig out on Chicago style pizza tonight!

 

Feels good, but the journey is far from over.

[Rex Hudler]

Gained a pound this week. Joined Gold's Gym this week and turned up the strength training a few notches, so I am good with that.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Rex Hudler

[Jordan4life_2007]

I'm in this damn club now. I started working out yesterday. I went walking for about 90 minutes. Then I went to L.A. fitness for about two hours. Not bad for the first day. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. I don't plan on checking my weight every week. Especially during the holiday season. I don't want to get discouraged if I have a bad week every now and then. I don't plan on checking until the first of the year. But I will post my daily progress.

 

Question for Rex or anybody in the club, what do your diets consist of? Obviously I'm cutting out the fastfoods, fried foods, pastas, beer, ect. I've decided to cut out meats for a while. I'm sticking to chicken (except fried), tuna, turkey, fish, samon. I'm gonna load up on salad, fruits and veggies. I'm done with soda and chocolate milk. Just gonna stick with water and powerade. Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

[maggsmaggs]

I'm in this damn club now. I started working out yesterday. I went walking for about 90 minutes. Then I went to L.A. fitness for about two hours. Not bad for the first day. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. I don't plan on checking my weight every week. Especially during the holiday season. I don't want to get discouraged if I have a bad week every now and then. I don't plan on checking until the first of the year. But I will post my daily progress.

 

Question for Rex or anybody in the club, what do your diets consist of? Obviously I'm cutting out the fastfoods, fried foods, pastas, beer, ect. I've decided to cut out meats for a while. I'm sticking to chicken (except fried), tuna, turkey, fish, samon. I'm gonna load up on salad, fruits and veggies. I'm done with soda and chocolate milk. Just gonna stick with water and powerade. Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

Skim milk. I don't mind the taste at all, but some do. But skim milk has no fat and gives tons of calcium and protein. Protein is what is needed to help make fat turn into muscle. But even if you are just trying to lose weight, it's great to drink because it helps repair muscles after working out and allows you to recover faster.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Skim milk. I don't mind the taste at all, but some do. But skim milk has no fat and gives tons of calcium and protein. Protein is what is needed to help make fat turn into muscle. But even if you are just trying to lose weight, it's great to drink because it helps repair muscles after working out and allows you to recover faster.

 

I can do skim milk. Is there an ideal number of glasses you're supposed to drink a day? Is it good with cereal? I had planned on drinking the low fat 2% milk. But if skim will help me achieve my goal faster, I'm all for it.

 

[Middle Buffalo]

I can do skim milk. Is there an ideal number of glasses you're supposed to drink a day? Is it good with cereal? I had planned on drinking the low fat 2% milk. But if skim will help me achieve my goal faster, I'm all for it.

Skim milk is fine with cereal. It won't taste right initially, but you'll get used to it. I grew up drinking 2%, and changed to skim in college. Now, 15 years later, it seems like I'm drinking butter if I have 2%.

 

After a long break from working out, I'm starting again. Life got in the way for a while (home renovations, kids back in school, and a bout with tendonitis in one of my knees), but I'm ready again to drop some weight. I still hover around 215, and I want (need) to drop about 25-30 lbs. I'm 6'2", so 185-190 is a pretty good weight for me.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Middle Buffalo

[maggsmaggs]

I can do skim milk. Is there an ideal number of glasses you're supposed to drink a day? Is it good with cereal? I had planned on drinking the low fat 2% milk. But if skim will help me achieve my goal faster, I'm all for it.

Skim's taste is just about different for everybody. I like it with cereal, but some don't. I try to drink two glasses a day, so about 16 oz. But there is not ideal number for how many glasses a day, at least I don't think. The taste definitely grows on people, though.

[Rex Hudler]

I'm in this damn club now. I started working out yesterday. I went walking for about 90 minutes. Then I went to L.A. fitness for about two hours. Not bad for the first day. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. I don't plan on checking my weight every week. Especially during the holiday season. I don't want to get discouraged if I have a bad week every now and then. I don't plan on checking until the first of the year. But I will post my daily progress.

 

Question for Rex or anybody in the club, what do your diets consist of? Obviously I'm cutting out the fastfoods, fried foods, pastas, beer, ect. I've decided to cut out meats for a while. I'm sticking to chicken (except fried), tuna, turkey, fish, samon. I'm gonna load up on salad, fruits and veggies. I'm done with soda and chocolate milk. Just gonna stick with water and powerade. Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

 

Some foods I eat and how I approach my daily diet..... The biggest key is to balance your food intake. I pay attention to calories, fiber & protein mostly. I don't worry too much about carbs and fat, but I do glance at their content and factor that in. I don't worry about keeping track of any one category, I just try to make sure I am getting enough fiber and protein and balance the calories with carb and fat.

 

Fiber

Fiber is very important to overall health, but especially to weight loss. Fiber has sevreal functions. It helps bind the fat in your sytem and flushes it out. It keeps you regular which is good for overall health. There are many foods that contain fiber with vegetables being the primary source. Personally, I green beans are the only vegetable I et (I'm very picky) so I have to find fiber from other sources. Foods I have found with high fiber content are:

a. FiberOne chewy bars - There are 4 or 5 flavors, but the one's I like best are Oats & Chocolate and Oats & Caramel. They have 9g of fiber each and only 140 calories. To me they taste damned near like a candy bar and they are not dry like many protien/cereal bars. I typically eat 2-3 a day. I buy the Oats & Chocolate at Costco in a 30ct box and they are much cheaper.

b. FiberOne cereals are also good and very high in fiber. The fiber content depends on which one you buy, but be careful about the calorie content. Some of the "flavored" varieties are higher in calories and lower in fiber. I use skim milk and cut up a banana or add fresh blueberries to a cup of cereal.

c. All Bran Crackers - They come in garlic & herb and multigrain flavors, but I have only had the garlic & herb. About 18 crackers contains 5g of fiber and just 120 calories. They are a great snack and go really well w/ some pepper jack cheese.

d. Other foods such as whole wheat and multi grain breads are also good but I consider any fiber from them a bonus. I have also found that Nature's Own Healthy White - White Wheat bread. It tastes like white bread and the balance of its calories per slice, fiber and protein content equals or surpasses many whole wheat breads.

 

Protein

Protein is important to weight loss as it helps the body retain lean muscle tissue. Without proper levels of protein as you lose weight the body will burn both fat stores and lean muscle tissue. Lean muscle tissue is important for several reasons, but primarily because muscle burns more calories than fat. More muscle tissue will create a higher metabolism and burn more calores when not working out. Muscle does weigh more than fat tissue, so when losing weight and gaining lean muscle tissue they sometimes offset each other. I can often see the scale not moving downward like I want it to, but I can still feel my body shape and strength changing, which is the most important thing. It is recommended that protein intake (in grams) be about 75-100% of your ideal body weight. Those that are working out strenuously and lifting weights should be at least 100%. For example, if your target weight is 180 pounds, you should be getting 135 to 180 grams of protein daily.

-- For me to attain that number and still keep my caloire intake down, I have been taking protein supplements. I found some tasty fiber bars and drinks on dietdirect.com. The drinks are typically 15g of protein and contain only 70-1000 calories with water and taste good. The bars are much better than other bars I have had in the past and contain about 150 calories.

-- Obviously the primary source for protein is meat. Nuts are also a good source of protein, but have a high calories/fat content. The fats are primarly unsaturated so they aren't as bad as you would get with burgers, steak, etc. but it is easy to sit and eat way too many, not realizing how many calories you are eating.

-- I eat more chicken and turkey than I used to, but I don't shy away from other meats. If I am jonesing for a steak, I throw one on the grill. Typically, I will eat that along with some fruit or something other than a heavy starch to keep calorie content in check. Again, it's all about balance. If you want a high caloire steak that will contain a lot of fat, adjust your diet accordingly that day with the other foods you eat.

 

Samples of foods I eat:

1. Quaker Oats Weight Control Oatmeal - The weight control version has a better ratio of calories/protein/fiber than their other versions. I have never been a fan of oatmeal but these flavored versions are pretty damned good. I eat a bowl most every morning. I keep a bowl and a spoon at the office and mix the protein w/ the hot water from the coffee machine for a quick breakfast.

2. FiberOne protein bards - see fiber info above

3. Popcorn - 100 calorie bags for a snack

4. Fresh Fruits - Bananas, fresh pineapple, blueberries, apple slices (I don't eat whole apples). From time to time I will mix in an orange or some mango.

5. Premium Orange Juice - must say "not from concentrate" - From concentrate means sugar added basically

6. Grilled chicken breast - or if you must cook indoors, use Olive oil or Olive oil flavored spray Pam in a frying pan.

7. Wheat tortillas with chicken breast, mexican blend cheese and Taco Bell mild taco sauce

8. Wheat tortillas with turkey breast, cheese and barbecue sauce

9. Shakes - I mentioned protein shakes before, but for someone that likes chocolate milk try skim mile with Sugar Free Nestle Quick as an alternative.

10. Nuts - as a snack. I know almonds and other nuts are better for you, but I like basic peanuts and cashews better. Cashews are very high in calorie content so make sure serving sizes stay small.

11. Hershey's Dark Chocolate Sticks - I find them at Walgreens. Each stick is just 60 calories and the dark chocolate is rich enough that just one satisfies a craving for sweets. The milk chocolate sticks are good, but don't have the same richness so I was eating more than one, defeating the purpose.

12. Shrimp - high in protein, low in calories

 

I have some combination of the above every day. I add other foods as needed. I try and make better choices if I am going out to eat. I get a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a burger for example. I stay away from fries for the most part. Personally, since I weigh myself every Friday morning, I tend to stay disciplined throughout the weak and stray on the weekends. I am not afraid to pig out on a burger or pizza or a big meal on a weekend. In fact, I look forward to it.

 

Hope that helps. There are many other foods that work and are healthy, but being pretty picky I have found things that work for me.

 

 

 

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

Thanks a million@Rex. That is exactly the kinda info I was looking for. I'm 25, and never have had a problem with weight until I started drinking. So I don't have a whole lot of knowledge on healthy foods (besides the obvious), what's good, what's not, ect. And this dietdirect.com site looks to be the s***. I'll definitely be ordering some stuff from them in the next few days. Thanks again.

[Rex Hudler]

Thanks a million@Rex. That is exactly the kinda info I was looking for. I'm 25, and never have had a problem with weight until I started drinking. So I don't have a whole lot of knowledge on healthy foods (besides the obvious), what's good, what's not, ect. And this dietdirect.com site looks to be the s***. I'll definitely be ordering some stuff from them in the next few days. Thanks again.

 

PM me if you want to know some of the specific products I have tried and regularly buy

[Balta1701]

A huge thing for me has been switching out some of the other crap I used to eat for lunch (i.e. soup or sandwich or something like that) for just plain old fruit. Guarantees me a couple fruit servings a day and cuts down on a bunch of the other junk

[BigSqwert]

You guys should all try being vegan for 30 days like Oprah. I guarantee you will lose weight. I lost 20 lbs in no time when I became vegan.

[Rex Hudler]

You guys should all try being vegan for 30 days like Oprah. I guarantee you will lose weight. I lost 20 lbs in no time when I became vegan.

 

Why the hell would we want to do that?

[Jordan4life_2007]

It's been a hell of a first week for me so far. I've never eaten so healthy before in my life. I'm on these cookies n cream meal-replacement shakes for breakfast and lunch (I only eat fruit in between the shakes). My dinner basically consists of any combination of tuna, fish, baked chicken, multiple veggies, vegetable soup and plenty of salad. I've consumed more water in the last week than any other human being on earth.

 

I've been doing high-intensity cardio every day for a week. I've worked out at Bally's a combined 16 hours in the last 3 days. I'm tired and sore as hell. But I haven't felt this good in a while. I'm sure I've lost 5 pounds or so (atleast I feel like I have). But like I said earlier, I don't plan on checking until New Years day.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Jordan4life

[Jordan4life_2007]

A huge thing for me has been switching out some of the other crap I used to eat for lunch (i.e. soup or sandwich or something like that) for just plain old fruit. Guarantees me a couple fruit servings a day and cuts down on a bunch of the other junk

 

What's wrong with soup and a sandwich? lol. Try out the Progresso soup. It's really good. I eat the veggie with noodle kind. And you can go to Subway for a bunch of low-fat, healthy sandwiches. I took Rex's advice and only roll with whole-grain bread. I throw about 5 slices of thinly cut oven roasted turkey on it. Delicious!

[Balta1701]

What's wrong with soup and a sandwich? lol. Try out the Progresso soup. It's really good. I eat the veggie with noodle kind. And you can go to Subway for a bunch of low-fat, healthy sandwiches. I took Rex's advice and only roll with whole-grain bread. I throw about 5 slices of thinly cut oven roasted turkey on it. Delicious!

Couple things. First, too many calories for me in particular. Second...too much sodium in virtually every soup out there. I get too much salt as it is...you get too much sodium, it forces your body to retain extra water to stay in osmotic equilibrium, and thus you gain weight. Plus all the heart issues.

 

Anywho, the big thing for me is that if I eat until I'm moderately full even 2x per day on an average day, I eat more calories than I burn. It's been like that for me for years, my appetite is bigger than my metabolism. So I typically eat a pretty good dinner, but prior to that I try to control myself wherever I can. Sensible breakfast, small bit of fruit for lunch, when I get hungry in-between, have some tea or wait 30 minutes and then have a piece of fruit. It's pretty much the only system that has worked for me.

 

For reference, about 2.5 years ago I was weighing in at around 210-215. Now I'm weighing in at 165-170.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Couple things. First, too many calories for me in particular. Second...too much sodium in virtually every soup out there. I get too much salt as it is...you get too much sodium, it forces your body to retain extra water to stay in osmotic equilibrium, and thus you gain weight. Plus all the heart issues.

 

Anywho, the big thing for me is that if I eat until I'm moderately full even 2x per day on an average day, I eat more calories than I burn. It's been like that for me for years, my appetite is bigger than my metabolism. So I typically eat a pretty good dinner, but prior to that I try to control myself wherever I can. Sensible breakfast, small bit of fruit for lunch, when I get hungry in-between, have some tea or wait 30 minutes and then have a piece of fruit. It's pretty much the only system that has worked for me.

 

For reference, about 2.5 years ago I was weighing in at around 210-215. Now I'm weighing in at 165-170.

 

I'm certainly no expert. But I've never in my life heard of soup being bad for you. Especially vegetable soup. You've got a strange metabolism.