Soxtalk's Biggest Loser Club

[Rex Hudler]

So Jordan, when do you weigh do get your results?

[WilliamTell]

I ended the year at 195, meaning I gained 2 pounds over the holidays. I still want to get 190, even 185 would be better, which was my high school graduation weight 5 years ago. I'm still pleased I lost 8 pounds over the year, even though I slacked in comparison to many others on soxtalk. Losing 8 pounds is better than gaining 8 pounds I suppose.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Ladies and gentlemen of Soxtalk. My name is Jordan4life. It is January 5 at 7:47 PM (cst).

 

I would like to report that I have lost 23 f***ing pounds in the last month and a half! I repeat, TWENTY THREE POUNDS! I couldn't believe it at first. I even weighed myself on a second scale (it said 208. So naturally I'll go with the scale that says I'm 207) lol. You hear it all the time: Hard work and dedication pays off. Well, it's so damn true. I'm goin' for the kill now. My goal weight was 180 (changed it to 170). I'm going to add two hours of full-court basketball to my program.

 

Big thanks to Rex and all that provided me with very useful knowledge/tips/ect.

[SoxAce]

God damn you guys are awesome. Jordan, Rex, Will, Jim, Pants, etc.. I know it's really hard too. This is the most I've weighed my whole life, (been in shape since... forever) then after high school, let myself go. Starting next week, I WILL be losing this weight.

[Brian]

A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, I saw a personal trainer and nutritionist. I'm not fat, but wanted to tone up.

 

My timing was awful, cuz I lose about 1.5-2 lbs a week, but than I had Thanksgiving, than got back on track, than had Christmas.

 

So now there is nothing in the way. I wanna be happy with myself by summer.

[Rex Hudler]

Jordan, great work. I'm glad you got the results you were hoping for. Let me add that you did it at the most difficult time during the holidays. That's nothing to sniff at.

 

As for me, I finished the year down 111 pounds (I started on Jan 5). After hitting the 95 pound mark by the end of September, I had higher hopes. But doing a realistic evaluation, I can't be anything but pleased. I didn't lose at the same pace as before, but I didn't go backwards.

 

Moving into 2009, I have to figure out where to go. I have no set specific goal as of this time, but I'll come up with one. I am seriously considering training for a half marathon in Nashville in April. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go and if I can get on a regular training schedule.

 

Congrats to all who made progress and mucho encouragement to those that want to start in 2009. If I can be of help to anyone, please do not hesitate to PM me.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Jordan, great work. I'm glad you got the results you were hoping for. Let me add that you did it at the most difficult time during the holidays. That's nothing to sniff at.

 

As for me, I finished the year down 111 pounds (I started on Jan 5). After hitting the 95 pound mark by the end of September, I had higher hopes. But doing a realistic evaluation, I can't be anything but pleased. I didn't lose at the same pace as before, but I didn't go backwards.

 

Moving into 2009, I have to figure out where to go. I have no set specific goal as of this time, but I'll come up with one. I am seriously considering training for a half marathon in Nashville in April. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go and if I can get on a regular training schedule.

 

Congrats to all who made progress and mucho encouragement to those that want to start in 2009. If I can be of help to anyone, please do not hesitate to PM me.

 

Thanks, Rex. You have been a VERY big help. And you ain't lyin' about how much tougher it was getting this done during the holiday season. But that's where sacrifice/dedication comes in. Obviously, I'm thrilled about the weight loss. But besides that, I just can't believe how good I feel. I have so much more energy and bounce in my step since I started my program. Even my nephew called me Sonic the Hedgehog the other day. But like I said before, this is going to be a permanent lifestyle change. No going back. Even when I do get to 170. Gone are the days of sleeping until 2 in the afternoon because I drank so much the previous night. Gone are the days of eating damn near an entire Pizza Hut meat lovers Pizza and barely being able to walk afterwards.

 

Oh, I'm going to shoot some delicious, healthy, nutritious smoothie/shake recipes I was given your way through PM. They're extremely easy to make. They can be used for either meal-replacement or a snack. There's this one chocolate/peanut butter shake that I've made a couple times. It's absolutely filthy delicious. Anybody from the club that's interested can just hit me up in PM and I'll be happy to give you the 411.

 

[SoxFan1]

Are people still doing this? If so, I'd like to get back in on it. I've been hitting the gym hard lately and have been eating better and drinking tons of water. Since I've come to college, I've kind of let myself go, so I'm definitely as dedicated as ever right now.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Are people still doing this? If so, I'd like to get back in on it. I've been hitting the gym hard lately and have been eating better and drinking tons of water. Since I've come to college, I've kind of let myself go, so I'm definitely as dedicated as ever right now.

 

Three things: Fruits, Veggies, Cardio.

 

Absolutely load up on your fruits and veggies. It's pivotal when it comes to weight loss. I take in 3-5 fruit servings a day. I eat a salad and at least one other veggie with dinner every night. No exceptions. If I have to go to McDonalds just to get a salad, so be it. If I have to go to the local grocery store just to get a can of spinach, so be it. I can't even begin to describe the impact this has had for me. And continue to drink that water.

 

If you're trying to lose weight, nothing will shed the pounds like cardio. Not saying you have to do as much as me. I'm not normal. lol. But your workouts should consist of at least 60-90 minutes of cardio. Obviously with the weather, you can't do anything outdoors. So just hit up the treadmill. Make sure you've got your ipod or mp3 player handy. Cardio can indeed at times get really long and boring.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Jordan4life

[SoxFan1]

Three things: Fruits, Veggies, Cardio.

 

Absolutely load up on your fruits and veggies. It's pivotal when it comes to weight loss. I take in 3-5 fruit servings a day. I eat a salad and at least one other veggie with dinner every night. No exceptions. If I have to go to McDonalds just to get a salad, so be it. If I have to go to the local grocery store just to get a can of spinach, so be it. I can't even begin to describe the impact this has had for me. And continue to drink that water.

 

If you're trying to lose weight, nothing will shed the pounds like cardio. Not saying you have to do as much as me. I'm not normal. lol. But your workouts should consist of at least 60-90 minutes of cardio. Obviously with the weather, you can't do anything outdoors. So just hit up the treadmill. Make sure you've got your ipod or mp3 player handy. Cardio can indeed at times get really long and boring.

I appreciate the advice, I get my fair share of apple/banana servings a day, but I'll be the 1st to admit I don't really eat many vegetable. The major problem is that I absolutely hate salad. I just can't do it.

 

And cardio is my main area of focus. I usually do 45-60 minutes on the treadmill, bike, or elliptical and will follow that up with some upper body workouts and lower body workouts every other day to tone up a bit as well. I do ab workouts every day though.

[daa84]

well im getting back on the wagon here....i currently weigh about 242 and have already lost 5 lbs or so. My goal is to hit 215 by sometime near june-ish. I have very little on my schedule between now and August as I am just working on finishing up my thesis. I am 24 now and I basically feel if I can't get in shape now, when I have nothing to do, then I never will. I start medical school in August and I can't think I'm gonna have a whole lot of time then, so I really need to get this done now. I started at about 247 (about a week ago) and am already down to 242. Being out of shape, I'm not much of a runner, but I've been doing a 1-1.5 miles per day so far to go along with some other cardio workouts + just some light weight lifting. I'd like to be able to run a 5K or two once spring starts, and I know if I keep running 5-6 days a week that should be easily achievable.

[SoxFan1]

So I'm hardcore in workout mode right now.

 

Breakfast: NutriGrain bar

Lunch: PB&J Sandwich

Dinner: Subway Footlong, Chicken/Mixed Veggies, etc.

 

Drink LOTS of water all day.

 

I'm working out 5-6 times a day, each day with at least 45 minutes of cardio (bike, treadmill, elliptical) and then about 15-30 minutes of lifting.

 

Current weight: 234

 

I don't really have a goal weight, more so a goal "image" so to speak. I'm putting it at 210 number wise, but I just want to look a bit more fit than I am. I'm 6'6, so I'm not some tub of lard, but I'm not as defined as I was in high school when I was playing baseball.

[Rex Hudler]

So I'm hardcore in workout mode right now.

 

Breakfast: NutriGrain bar

Lunch: PB&J Sandwich

Dinner: Subway Footlong, Chicken/Mixed Veggies, etc.

 

Drink LOTS of water all day.

 

I'm working out 5-6 times a day, each day with at least 45 minutes of cardio (bike, treadmill, elliptical) and then about 15-30 minutes of lifting.

 

Current weight: 234

 

I don't really have a goal weight, more so a goal "image" so to speak. I'm putting it at 210 number wise, but I just want to look a bit more fit than I am. I'm 6'6, so I'm not some tub of lard, but I'm not as defined as I was in high school when I was playing baseball.

 

You need more calories than that. Going to low on your calorie intake will cause you problems down the road. Vary your calories daily. Get plenty of fiber if you don't eat many veggies, like me. I HIGHLY recommend Fiber One bars. There are 4-5 flavors and they give you 9g of fiber in one bar and they taste great. I like Oats and Chocolate and Oats and Caramel. Jordan likes Oats and Peanut Butter. If you are lifting you will DEFINITELY need more calories. Make sure you are getting enough protein. If you need to add supplements, do so. But the weight lifting will do you no good if you aren't getting enough protein to support building of lean muscle tissue.

 

If you focus on protein and getting enough fiber and make sure you are getting enough calories to give your body the energy it needs to make your workouts effective, you should be okay. You don't need to count carbs, but be aware of what you are eating. Eat your Subway on wheat, not white. Try and limit white flour products and sugars.

 

Lastly, when you are having a craving, indulge. Just limit those episodes to once or twice a week. And by indulge, I mean pig the hell out once a week if you want. Pick a food you really miss and plan to eat it on the weekend. Enjoy the hell out of it, then get back to your healthy habits. "Cheating" will actually help you lose weight.

 

For other suggestions, check this thread abouto 5-10 pages back. I got much more long winded than this. Hope this helps.

 

One more lastly............ did I mention to get more calories and get enough protein??

[SoxFan1]

You need more calories than that. Going to low on your calorie intake will cause you problems down the road. Vary your calories daily. Get plenty of fiber if you don't eat many veggies, like me. I HIGHLY recommend Fiber One bars. There are 4-5 flavors and they give you 9g of fiber in one bar and they taste great. I like Oats and Chocolate and Oats and Caramel. Jordan likes Oats and Peanut Butter. If you are lifting you will DEFINITELY need more calories. Make sure you are getting enough protein. If you need to add supplements, do so. But the weight lifting will do you no good if you aren't getting enough protein to support building of lean muscle tissue.

 

If you focus on protein and getting enough fiber and make sure you are getting enough calories to give your body the energy it needs to make your workouts effective, you should be okay. You don't need to count carbs, but be aware of what you are eating. Eat your Subway on wheat, not white. Try and limit white flour products and sugars.

 

Lastly, when you are having a craving, indulge. Just limit those episodes to once or twice a week. And by indulge, I mean pig the hell out once a week if you want. Pick a food you really miss and plan to eat it on the weekend. Enjoy the hell out of it, then get back to your healthy habits. "Cheating" will actually help you lose weight.

 

For other suggestions, check this thread abouto 5-10 pages back. I got much more long winded than this. Hope this helps.

 

One more lastly............ did I mention to get more calories and get enough protein??

First off, let me say this, way to f***ing go! I envy you so much for the commitment you have given to losing weight. It's miraculous what you have done with some determination and hard work. Keep it going buddy.

 

Second, the main problem I have always had issues with is the "eat more to lose more" theory. I understand how it works, but I just feel weird doing it. When I was in high school, I usually ate 2 big meals a day, and that's it, but the difference was the rigorous baseball training/conditioning/practice that I had to go through for so long. My day was so planned out for me that it became easy to lose weight. Now that I'm in college, my schedule is so different that I have issues with when I can eat and keeping a consistent diet.

 

 

[daa84]

ok, so one tough thing for me, is that I eat out quite a bit...now obviously when you eat out, its tough to eat healthy. I've heard to live by the rule that if it sounds unhealthy, it probably is, and if it sounds healthy, its probably just as bad. I mean some salads out there have 1000 cal and 100g of fat. I haven't read the entire thread, and maybe this is somewhere in here (I probably should look first) but what are good options if you are eating out? Either for a quick lunch, or even a dinner, what are some good dishes? What are some "healthy" foods to avoid?

 

Obviously, subway is a great place for me for lunch. I get either a Salad with Roasted chicken and Fat Free Honey Mustard, or sometimes i'll indulge and take on the carbs of the $5 footlong oven roasted chicken with the honey mustard. I wish I knew how to replicate theirdamn fat free honey mustard, its way better than mayo IMO.

 

Ruby Tuesday has a great salad bar, and usually has fat free dressing. I tried Sweet Tomatoes the other day, and its a nice salad bar with alot of healthy options. The problem there is that being a buffet, I was tempted by the dessert line and their little pizza things.

 

Its easy to get bored/sick of eating salad all the time, so what else is pretty good and relatively healthy to grab?

 

Also, for those who do eat alot of salad at home, obviously its critical to find that good healthy dressing. Anyone got good fat-free or even Lite suggestions? I can do the fat free Zesty Italian by Kraft, but what else you guys got?

[maggsmaggs]

Its easy to get bored/sick of eating salad all the time, so what else is pretty good and relatively healthy to grab?

 

Fruit, any fruit, eat it up because it's good for you and generally tastes good.

Almonds are also good and healthy. They give you the healthy fats like fish.

Cottage Cheese, some hate it, I enjoy it.

Skim Milk, same as above.

Honey Turkey: This I have found to be the best food ever, low in calories, but high in protein. Tastes amazing and its great for you.

Cliff Bars: There are plenty of flavors and they have lots of vitamins and good source of protein. Also, they fill you up well.

Turkey Burgers: Healthy again because they are lean and heavy in protein. I usually eat two without buns for dinner and use mustard on them, tastes great to me.

Edited January 21, 2009 by maggsmaggs

[Jordan4life_2007]

ok, so one tough thing for me, is that I eat out quite a bit...now obviously when you eat out, its tough to eat healthy. I've heard to live by the rule that if it sounds unhealthy, it probably is, and if it sounds healthy, its probably just as bad. I mean some salads out there have 1000 cal and 100g of fat. I haven't read the entire thread, and maybe this is somewhere in here (I probably should look first) but what are good options if you are eating out? Either for a quick lunch, or even a dinner, what are some good dishes? What are some "healthy" foods to avoid?

 

Obviously, subway is a great place for me for lunch. I get either a Salad with Roasted chicken and Fat Free Honey Mustard, or sometimes i'll indulge and take on the carbs of the $5 footlong oven roasted chicken with the honey mustard. I wish I knew how to replicate theirdamn fat free honey mustard, its way better than mayo IMO.

 

Ruby Tuesday has a great salad bar, and usually has fat free dressing. I tried Sweet Tomatoes the other day, and its a nice salad bar with alot of healthy options. The problem there is that being a buffet, I was tempted by the dessert line and their little pizza things.

 

Its easy to get bored/sick of eating salad all the time, so what else is pretty good and relatively healthy to grab?

 

Also, for those who do eat alot of salad at home, obviously its critical to find that good healthy dressing. Anyone got good fat-free or even Lite suggestions? I can do the fat free Zesty Italian by Kraft, but what else you guys got?

 

BOSTON MARKET! That's an excellent eat-out place for those watching or trying to lose weight (and the prices are more than reasonable). Last week for dinner I got some sliced roasted turkey, Garlic dill potatoes, steamed veggies and some cornbread. All together it was about 440 calories, 13 grams of fat. And most importantly I was full afterwards. That's a really underrated aspect when it comes to losing or maintaining a certain weight. It makes no sense to eat so little at a time that you're always hungry. All that does is lead to you going crazy and eating foods you're trying to avoid. Another good eat-out place is actually Old Country Buffet. Yes, they have a ton of fattening stuff. But they have a really good selection of healthy things you can eat, too. Last time I went I had some baked fish (which was really good), mashed potatoes (light gravy) veggies (I really like green beans), with a wheat roll. I had a salad as well. They also for dinner usually serve roasted jerk chicken. The s*** is delicious and very good for you.

 

Healthy dressings for salad? Go with low-cal/low fat or non-fat Italian Vinegarette (I think I spelled that wrong). It's really good and much better for you than those thick/fatty ranch or 1000 island dressings. Use no-fat croutons as well.

 

Besides that, when in doubt, just pm Rex. lol. This guy knows his stuff. I can't believe how much weight this dude lost. I saw some before and after pics. You ever see a hot-air balloon before and then after it's deflated? That's Rex. lol. Sorry, Rex. Just givin' you props.

Edited January 22, 2009 by Jordan4life

[daa84]

j4l...thanks man, boston market is the perfect type thing i was lookin for...good change of pace...relatively healthy, and i actually like boston market...for whatever reason it never occured to me to check it out...and like you said finding something good to eat that is filling is important...

 

a good snack/dessert is popcorn cooked on the stove...usually i eat two recommended servings...which comes to 220 calories plus whatever is in the tablespoon or so of veg. oil i cook it in....it does have quite a bit of carbs...52 grams i believe in 2 servings (20% of recommended daily) but if you aren't taking in carbs during the rest of the day it won't kill you...plus it has alot of that hard to get fiber...14 grams in 2 servings (40%)...plus its very filling for a good post dinner snack(more so than eating 220 calories worth of rice cakes) and really damn cheap...

[Rex Hudler]

BOSTON MARKET! That's an excellent eat-out place for those watching or trying to lose weight (and the prices are more than reasonable). Last week for dinner I got some sliced roasted turkey, Garlic dill potatoes, steamed veggies and some cornbread. All together it was about 440 calories, 13 grams of fat. And most importantly I was full afterwards. That's a really underrated aspect when it comes to losing or maintaining a certain weight. It makes no sense to eat so little at a time that you're always hungry. All that does is lead to you going crazy and eating foods you're trying to avoid. Another good eat-out place is actually Old Country Buffet. Yes, they have a ton of fattening stuff. But they have a really good selection of healthy things you can eat, too. Last time I went I had some baked fish (which was really good), mashed potatoes (light gravy) veggies (I really like green beans), with a wheat roll. I had a salad as well. They also for dinner usually serve roasted jerk chicken. The s*** is delicious and very good for you.

 

Healthy dressings for salad? Go with low-cal/low fat or non-fat Italian Vinegarette (I think I spelled that wrong). It's really good and much better for you than those thick/fatty ranch or 1000 island dressings. Use no-fat croutons as well.

 

Besides that, when in doubt, just pm Rex. lol. This guy knows his stuff. I can't believe how much weight this dude lost. I saw some before and after pics. You ever see a hot-air balloon before and then after it's deflated? That's Rex. lol. Sorry, Rex. Just givin' you props.

 

Thanks, I think lol

 

As far as eating out, I'm not much help. In general I'd say stick to fish (not fried), chicken & turkey. I don't eat salads so it is especially difficult for me. The best advice I have is to eat more frequently (small things every two hours or so) which will help keep you from overdoing it when you do go out. Take the kinds of snacks to work and eat between meals. I honestly graze all day long, but I eat the right things.

 

The next best piece of advice I have on the matter is this.... Indulge on occasion. Balance out your meals. If you have a lunch higher in fat than you would like, compensate for it with the rest of the foods you eat that day. If you want to go out to dinner at night and have your favorite dish, adjust the foods you eat during the day. See first recommendation above to help keep you from eating too much in one sitting, but do not deprive yourself of the foods you love. Just the frequency you have them.

 

Also, I've mentioned this before, but I recommend weighing yourself once a week and once a week only. Do so at the same time each week. Friday morning when I first wake up works best for me. It keeps me disciplined during the week and I am good with indulgine a bit on the weekend.

[Rex Hudler]

For what it's worth. What I ate today (times approximate).....

 

7-7:30 - Quaker Oats Weight Smart Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal

8:00 - 1 serving of roasted/salted (I don't worry about sodium, some should) peanuts

10:00 - Fiber One Oats & Chocolate bar (EXCELLENT & very tasty)

11:30 - 1 banana

12:30-1:00 - Oven roasted turkey sandwich with cheese, pickles and BBQ sauce on whitewheat bread (Nature's Own - try it)

3:00? - 1 serving roasted almonds

5:30 - 7:00 - Worked out

7:30 - MetRx protein shake (vanilla w/ skim milk)

9:00 - 1 more serving peanuts & 1 more Fiber One bar

 

Lots of water throughout the day

 

I'm guessing that is around 1750 calories. To lose weight, I shoot for between 1500 and 2000 calories a day.

[daa84]

weighed in at 240 today...down 2 from monday

 

been eating alot of salad and working out everyday (1.5 miles running, and 15 minutes on the bike with about 5-10 min of jump rope, plus some weights here and there)

 

overall down 7 lbs in about 10 days...obviously i expect that pace to slow, but if i can manage 2 lbs a week for a few months, i'd be thrilled

Edited January 24, 2009 by daa84

[SoxFan1]

I'm down 4 pounds the last 2 weeks, gonna have to slow down on the weekend cheating that's for sure, but I can definitely see some results in the mirror. I even had someone ask if I had lost some wait the other day, so that's always encouraging as well.

 

I went grocery shopping tonight before I hit the gym and got some fruits (kiwi, bananas, blueberries, apples) and veggies (carrots, beans, peas, corn) as well as some other stuff. I've switched to wheat bread from white, and I also got a couple boxes of those Fiber One energy bars. Got Oats/Chocolate and Oats/Apple Streusel, and they are delicious! I had one after my workout tonight.

[bigruss]

So, here I am at college and Im wasting away all my hardwork from my senior year of high school. Im back up to 220 ish, and I want to be around 200, although thats not important as long as i look good and feel better.

 

Basically, I live in the dorms, and everything is fried. The fresh fruit is not good, like its plastic and tasteless. They never have just cooked vegetables, just fried if any. And they have very few healthy options besides that. Anybody got ideas for healthy eating besides salads? I can deal with a salad for lunch/dinner a couple times a week, or as a side dish every meal, but it cant be the only thing i eat, i need more. I have a very large appetite so that doesnt help.

 

They have a deli and salad bar, any sandwich ideas or different types of salads to atleast mix it up? Or meals created from the usual salad bar/deli section? Besides those they have a mexican buffet, american foods, pizza, and a mongolian bbq place (they use alot of oil there).

 

Thanks for all the advice guys.

[SoxFan1]

So, here I am at college and Im wasting away all my hardwork from my senior year of high school. Im back up to 220 ish, and I want to be around 200, although thats not important as long as i look good and feel better.

 

Basically, I live in the dorms, and everything is fried. The fresh fruit is not good, like its plastic and tasteless. They never have just cooked vegetables, just fried if any. And they have very few healthy options besides that. Anybody got ideas for healthy eating besides salads? I can deal with a salad for lunch/dinner a couple times a week, or as a side dish every meal, but it cant be the only thing i eat, i need more. I have a very large appetite so that doesnt help.

 

They have a deli and salad bar, any sandwich ideas or different types of salads to atleast mix it up? Or meals created from the usual salad bar/deli section? Besides those they have a mexican buffet, american foods, pizza, and a mongolian bbq place (they use alot of oil there).

 

Thanks for all the advice guys.

You're a UofM student I assume, since you're in Ann Arbor. I know how it goes buddy, I go to Grand Valley...

 

Anyway, sandwiches are probably your best bet to keep a leaner diet that can still fill you up. Get honey oat or wheat instead of white if you can. Turkey/chicken will give you the most protein from he meats available, but roast beef or ham aren't bad either. Try to lay off the mayo if possible and opt for something lighter. Piling up the veggies helps too. PB&J is always good too...lots of protein.

 

And drink tons of water. It's absolutely necessary.

[daa84]

it was always so tough for me in college...but not because of what the cafeteria served...IMO there were plenty of healthy options available and at a school like michigan I have to think there still are...we had a couple of sandwich places where you could get a wrap or wheat bread, a couple of vegetarian places...we even had a stir fry place which wasn't horrendous for you ..you could even get a taco salad with chicken......my cafeteria always had a baked chicken, that frankly stunk, but it was high in protein and low in fat.....also smoothies for breakfast....what burned me was drinking, ordering pizza, making frozen bagel bites, going out to dinner, etc....its really tough in college IMO...whatever you do id say try to get into a good workout routine..that can always be done, no matter what is available to eat, and if you can cut back a bit on what you eat you will begin to lose weight

 

and for anyone else reading the thread...la tortilla tomato basil soft wraps...100 calories...12g fiber (nearly half daily value) and only like 10% of daily carbs....i made a wrap with some perdue chicken strips, lettuce, carrots, sliced almonds and fat free asian salad dressing...really good