Pre-T Weight Loss and Body Building Suggestions?

[SnailPace]

I lost 40 pounds with just a few tips:

-Drink water as often as possible, there's hardly a such thing as too much.  It has no calories, cleanses your body and dilutes sugar.
-Don't eat after 9 o'clock at night.  Food you eat later at night turns to fat while you sleep.
-Pay attention to your hunger.  You don't have to eat everything that's on your plate!  Also, if you aren't sure if you're hungry, you can wait for a hunger pang or a stomach growl.
-Try to cut down on brown food, and eat more colorful food.  (Preferably not food coloring, lol)
-In between meals, snack on fruits and vegetables.  I found that a bag of cut lettuce and veggies is something that's okay to mindlessly eat because it doesn't have very many calories at all.  Also, blueberries have less than a calorie a piece.

Of course, exercise too!  All of the previously mentioned ways are very good.

Hope I didn't sound like a commercial, haha!

[Shang]

All right, I'll go with Gabe.

I say it whenever I can (yes, I'm a very proud owner): she is awesome. Haha, but really, you're dog does sound neat. What breed is she?

Wow, I will say, as far as the likelihood of coming across potentially dangerous animals, Upstate NY does have its advantages. No gators to worry about here, and largely any venomous snakes are few and far between -- I have yet to come across one myself that I'm aware of (but I do keep an ear out just in case). My area's neither here nor there on dog-friendly, but where we go hiking the most isn't within city limits (not even town limits) and no one makes a fuss that my dog is off-leash there.

4-wheeling is definitely awesome: flippin' love it myself. Unfortunately I don't know many people who have them or the land to ride them on, so I only get a chance every once in a while.

You know, Gabe, lately I've been thinking of taking up some kind of martial arts -- not for the cool factor, but for the centering and focusing aspect, as well as what you mentioned. I guess sort of as a manly yoga-substitute? Haha, I think Tai Chi was on the mind, but also Wing Chun -- would you happen to know anything about that? I learned a little Aikido years back and would love to learn more: perhaps I'll broaden that horizon as well.

Nick: awesome suggestions for something that could be done at home, and especially for a way to gradually get into working out (and could be used as things progress as well). That is an area I'm not the most help in as regards working-out since it can be so individual how best to ease into this.

She's a dachshund/jack russel terrier mix as far as we can tell.  She's neat, but too stubborn for her own good. xD  And she's not very bright and is prone to going after animals that can hurt her--like wasps and any small thing that moves on the ground. 

I don't know about Wing Chun, I've never heard of that until now.  Tai Chi is supposed to be really good and I'm trying to get into it.   One of my friends teaches it and he/she (they're androgynous) loves it to death.  I know it's a good way to build up balance and have fun at the same time.  It's very good for centering one's self, too.  Yoga isn't  a martial art, but it's pretty awesome too (this is why I'm going to get a Wii and a Wii fit--there's a yoga section I love).  I also have a friend who does Aikido and I'd love to get into it, but my area is more into "mixed martial arts" and nothing proper. -.-;

And I also like the stay-at-home suggestions to build up to doing stuff outside of the home.    I do a lot of stay-at-home stuff because I'm working on getting my body going again. 

Resistance band exercises are also pretty good and exercise balls are fun and challenging.

[jmaxley]

I'm going to check out the myfitnesspal site.

I've noticed in the past I've lost some weight just by adding more fruit to my diet.  I'm thinking it's probably because of the fiber.  When I was going to the gym, the nutrition person there said that adding more fiber to your diet can help you lose fat.  I've also read that it helps remove excess estrogen from your system.  (yay!  ) Blueberries are really really good for you because they have a low glycemic index and are full of antioxidants.

I want to take martial arts again one day.  When I was going to the gym, I took some of the boxing classes.  Intense!!!  Great workout.  I thought I was getting in shape pretty good until I went to boxing class.

A huge yes to swimming!  I went swimming all this summer, it's one of my favorite activities.  I seemed to pass really good at the beach too.  I wore a couple of modified sports compression shirts for binding and a sleeveless polyester sports top over them, and a pair of swim trunks.  Most of the guys at the beach were shirtless (~envy~) but there were a few other guys who were wearing shirts.

I've heard using a balance ball is good for building core muscle.  I've got one but haven't blown it up yet, just don't have room in the teeny place I live in.  I've moving soon though and want to set up an exercise room.

[Noah G.]

Haha, to be honest Gabe, I'd be worried if she weren't stubborn with that mix! As for the going after animals that can hurt her bit, well, both breeds have tenacity in spades as well. She sounds like a Dachshund-Jack Russell-mix!

I think I might look into both of those: Wing Chun and Tai Chi. I think I'll also try and buy the book my brother-in-law has on Aikido -- he's who I learned a bit of it from, and he learned it while he was in the Marines. I had to give the book back, but would be nice to have my own copy. I like everything people say about yoga, about what it does for them, but it's just not my thing; I've never been interested in it, and it just seems too tranquil for me, I guess. I don't know, it's kind of weird. Using martial arts for the same thing is much more my speed in a number of ways.

The balance ball is a good suggestion (as is fiber, haha). I've always been hesitant about those things myself...maybe I'll give them a shot some day and incorporate them, too. Exercise balls are great, too. Apologies if you meant the same thing -- I think of two different things for each, so wanted to be sure both are brought up, I guess.

[Shang]

I'm trying to get back into yoga because I have notoriously weak ankles and my balance is almost none existent so I need to build up.  There are some decent videos on youtube for Tai Chi, and some books are out there on how to do it.  It's generally recommended to not do it when you're tired or late at night.

[Noah G.]

Fortunately I currently (knock on wood) don't have any joint issues: they're pretty strong at the moment. I've started perusing around and looking at Wing Chun and Tai Chi -- unfortunately it seems the local Y doesn't have any Tai Chi classes (that I can find), so I'll have to keep looking around. Closest Wing Chun academy I've found is in Syracuse and so about 2 hours away, give or take. I'll probably have to wait on that...

Hmm, I usually don't feel like doing much but lying around when tired or late at night, so no worries there. Any time I don't feel like that I'm hanging out, so not likely to do it then either. But thanks for the heads-up!

[xAndrewx]

I was glad to see so many suggestions I considered boxing and am still considering it or some form of martial arts. I don't think I have the patience for Tia Chi so ya'll are awesome that you do. My mom has a Y membership and I think tomorrow I will go as her guest. If I like it I'm almost positive I can get a scholarship and have it be free since I'm a student with no income except loans.

[Noah G.]

Awesome, dude! What's more, if you do decide to sign up for membership they have trainers there that can help you out -- at least get you started. You can also track progress to an extent there as well. I believe personal trainers are free...maybe it's just the first session? Definitely something to look into regardless.

I've been wanting to rejoin our Y, but I have no idea whether I'd have a work-out partner or not and given that I prefer free weights it'd make it a lot easier to have one. I've been toying with the idea of putting an ad for one on Craigslist...

[Shang]

We don't have a Y here, but I can go to the local base gym...but that's pretty far for me to drive three times a week. 

Personal trainers can be free depending on the area from what I've heard.

[xAndrewx]

The Y she goes to is a little different because apparently its like it's own little branch but it's still the Y  I didn't really understand but the first session with a personal trainer is free, they show the basics, set up a routine, and show how to work the equipment. I think after that it's a small fee