So i'm a pretty heavy set guy. probably about 100 pounds overweight. i have been talking to my girlfriend about starting to go to the gym for a while now. we are actually getting up and starting to do something about it. i was wondering if there is anything you guys recommend eating that's low in fat, low in calories, stuff like that. along with what you think some good workout ideas are. I have no idea when i'm going to be starting T. I still have to make an appointment with the mental health center at my doctors office, so probably not anytime soon. I just want to get into the routine of working out, and eating right before i start my transition. thanks guys

I never really believe in diets that cut back on fats and such because most people manage to keep that up for a few weeks, then start eating normally again and just gain the weight right after.

Something I can recommend is more of a lifestyle change. It's a big one, but the plus side is that you'll never have to be hungry. It's a so called slow carb thing, focusing on all those slow carbs and several small meals a day instead of just a few big ones that overload your system. It's focused on legumes, and it basically means no more bread, milk, pasta, rice....They are all fast carbs. Pretty strict, but at least you can eat as much meat and vegetables plus beans and the like as you wish.

It's explained here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow-Carb_Diet

For me, it seems to work really well and the recommended day of eating anything you want (and as much of it as you like!) is great. It really keeps your body into a fast burning mode, while dieting does the opposite, which is why people tend to gain weight when they start eating normally again.

i vote for keto

www.->-bleeped-<-.com/r/keto

- its pretty awesome.

or you could just use something like 'my fitness pal' (free!) i lost 50kg from just watching what i ate with that.

Quote from: Geek on March 01, 2013, 08:54:27 AM
i vote for keto

www.->-bleeped-<-.com/r/keto

- its pretty awesome.

or you could just use something like 'my fitness pal' (free!) i lost 50kg from just watching what i ate with that.

I've been using my fitness pal for about a week and i've been putting off eating healthy for about that long ahaha. I've just started today where i'm telling myself i will have self discipline or you're losing a finger. i'm not messing around anymore. that app really makes you realize how much you can't eat. it's depressing, but i've heard it works wonders.

hey there. First of all, good for you for wanting to make a change. Here is some advice:

The most important aspect of being healthy or losing weight or building muscle is nutrition. Start researching what "healthy food" is. There are lots and lots of misconceptions. In the end if you are simply trying to lose weight, there really isnt any healthy or unhealthy food. If you eat something that is high in calories than you must eat less of that food. For example a 200 gram portion of ribeye beef is going to contain more calories than a 200 gram portion of chicken breasts.

If I were you, I would start with cardio for 30 minutes 3x a week and then bump up to 45 minute 5 time a week eventually. This means running, joggng, walking, swimming, jump rope, boxing etc. Anything that gets your heart rate up. The harder you push yourself the more results you will see, so in the end your accomplishments are up to you.


As far as nutrition here are some foods off the top of my head that are pretty 'healthy'

chicken breast
egg whites
tuna fish
salmon
extra lean beef(like 97 percent lean)
turkey breast

pretty much any vegetable

oatmeal
brown rice
weetabix
sweet potato
beans

Start reading and UNDERSTANDING nutrition labels. Another very important thing is to write down everything you eat or drink. Most people have no idea how many calories they actualy consume.

good luck

I'm with Mr. X in that I really, really don't like low fat diets.  Our bodies evolved to use fat for a good portion of our fuel.  Our bodies like fat.  What we didn't evolve to eat are the vast amounts of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and chemically processed crap that make up the average person's diet (and sometime when you're in the grocery store compare the ingredients in the full fat vs. low fat versions of some foods-- how many chemicals it takes to alter the natural state of that food into something else....).  My strategy for weight loss (which has worked and is still working for me-- down 80lbs the past year without ever feeling deprived or hungry) was to eat whole, natural foods as much as possible-- mostly nutritionally dense vegetables and meat (and not lean meat either-- good fatty meat that keeps you full) with some full fat diary and fruits thrown in in moderation.  I limit everything that spikes my blood sugar-- mostly grains and desserts, but when I'm looking to really cut I also try to avoid the more sugary fruits.  I'm not even that strict with it-- I allow myself a scheduled cheat meal every Friday night (chinese food tonight-- nice) as well as allowing myself to indulge when I'm with friends or at parties or whatever as long I'm eating right about 80% of the time.  To me giving myself that flexibility was the key in keeping up with it for over a year now.  Being completely 100% strict just wasn't sustainable for me-- when I tried it I'd get frustrated and overwhelmed and give up.  But by knowing I can have that cake and not feel guilty as long as it's a rare treat and not an every day thing, I was much more likely to stick to it.  Not saying that's right for everyone, but it's what worked for me.

For exercise, again, I didn't do any hardcore training.  I found some things I enjoy and do them.  I love martial arts, so I do karate twice a week for two hours and Judo twice a week for two hours.  I found very cheap programs through the local rec center and boys and girls club so it's not costing me an arm and a leg (just a black eye every once and awhile).  On the weekends I usually spend at least an hour or so practicing my karate.  I would like to do some more designated strength training, but I don't worry too much about target heart rate cardio stuff.  It's proven ineffective in studies.  I basically stick to the primal rules of exercise-- move a lot at a slow pace, pick up heavy things and put them down (I use people-- yeah Judo), and move very quickly for a short amount of time every once and awhile (explosive karate sequences do it for me, but sprints are also good).

I've used sparkpeople. It's a site that has a bunch of trackers, recipes, and other support groups. So, pretty much no matter what aspect of dieting you have trouble with, you have some tool to help you. Basically, tracking what you're eating, how much, and when will help you figure out where/what in your diet is a bit off and how to go about fixing it. I was one of those types where I would eat when I was bored instead of when I was hungry. I went back through my head and rethought my decisions "am I hungry enough that I would eat an apple? No? Then don't eat."

The tracker on sparkpeople for food is pretty good. It lets you type in a food you ate, how many servings, and will tell you how many calories, where they came from, etc. It gives you a goal of number of calories, and what type. There's also a water tracker to make sure you're getting enough fluids. There's a weight tracker so you can see weight loss but they also have a spot to put in body measurements (chest, thigh, hip, arm, neck) which would give you a better idea of where you are than weight but should only be done once a month or so. They also provide a list of training ideas, and recommendations. You could also plug in what exercises you've done through the day or what your daily activities are.

here is what I aim for and which has done well for me with losing weight:

per day:

- 1100 - 1400 calories  (mix it up - don't let yourself feel starved - keep a thing of baby carrots in the fridge to much on)
- under 75 carbs (vegetables (most carbs found here) , fruit (random treat), carbs from dairy stuff (each dairy serving has maybe 5 carbs in it, though yogurt with fruit etc has more)
- at least 50 grams of protein - chicken, hard boiled eggs, and dairy are my main protein sources. randomly red meat - but not in a burger.

just track everything that goes into your mouth. Don't eat anything out of a box. I can't cook at all, so I just buy frozen chicken breasts, microwaveable steamed vegetables, and bags of salad. I add tomatoes, olives, and hard boiled eggs to the salad. I eat yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast.

It works if you stay on top of it. Even if you don't exercise, as long as you eat cleanly (that should read as : no processed carbs) the pounds will drop right off.

Don't even worry about going to a gym until you overhaul your diet. You'll likely end up doing endless amount of cardio, get nowhere quickly, and then feel discouraged.  Eat right, then start home body weight workouts unless you just really want to chunk down money on a gym membership for some reason.

this is just my advice. I used to think I was ready, get a gym membership, and never do anything at all. I would count calories but not change my diet, so it really didn't do anything.  Doing the above has shown me results quickly, and I don't feel starved like I did counting calories. Cutting carbs sucks hard at first, but after a week or so you'll look at pasta and white bread with disdain and lose your taste for it.

I'd start an account with myfitnesspal.com and track what you currently eat to get an idea of the levels of calories, fat, carbs, protein, etc. that you currently eat.

I am boring and eat basically the same thing all the time: plain fat free greek yogurt (I like The Greek Gods brand the best) with some reduced fat organic coconut in it, and some dried fruit or bananas. It's a very low fat yet filling breakfast for me. Lunch for me is usually brown rice with homemade curry (curry paste, low fat coconut milk, chicken breast and tons of veggies). Dinner I tend to have a serving of muesli with juice over it. I snack on fruits or nuts.

It's hard to get in time to cook often, so every Sunday I make my week's worth of curry and just put it in a big tupperware and serve myself a day's worth every morning to take to school or work with me. It saves me money so i don't eat out.

For exercise: I am really loving ChaLean Extreme and TurboFire which are available through Beachbody. I love the instructor, she's really cute and fun, and I've gotten much stronger and leaner because of them. There's always a person in the video who modifies things, so if you have trouble on your knees and want to avoid jumping, you can easily follow the modifier.

If you can afford it, a good nutritionist could really set you up with a plan you can follow. If you're starting from a baseline of eating a lot of processed or fast foods you may have to ease in to a new, more nutritious eating plan (helps you to stick to it if you ease into it).

The healthiest food is the food with the least amount of processing. So incorporating actually cooking meals in your day (or doing what LearnedHand does and cooking for the whole week in advance) is really a good habit to get into.

Chuck listed some good basic healthy foods (and had some other great advice). Chicken and a whole pile of vegetables is a good meal ... minimal processing ... minimal ingredients ... protein, fiber, vitamins. You have to kind of start to change the way you think about food.

As for exercising, my big tip is to do something that you enjoy doing. Sometimes just joining a gym and trying to go for it on your own can seem like the thing to do, but if you have to force yourself to do it every day it's that much more likely you'll exit out of your "gung ho" phase and just start slipping back to old habits or stop going all together. I've read a statistic that it takes around 10 weeks to actually form a lasting habit, so I use that as my baseline ... "would I enjoy this for at least 10 weeks?"

Aside from all the healthy options people have suggested already, I'm a huge proponent of portion control. When I moved to Asia got new dishes, they were all half the size of the ones back in the states. Eating smaller portions on smaller dishes helped me in that I felt full quicker. It's a little sneaky but eat slowly and from smaller dishes. It helps. I don't think cutting carbs works for everyone. I tried low carb diets several times and I always failed. The only change I made aside from having access to food that isn't full of preservatives and hormones (hard to get away from in a lot of places) was jut eating less. I've lost 52 pounds and dropped five pants sizes in seven months just from doing that. I've only just now started a regular work out routine.

Just my two cents.

Yes I agree with Inside of def finding something that you think is fun. Maybe try experimenting around first before you make a big committment. I also think writing down your (realistic) goals helps or scheduling an event in the future that looks like fun (I signed up for Rugged Maniac this September, it looks like sooo much fun, so I want to keep getting in shape so I don't die while doing the obstacles).

Ayden is right to, I always measure my portions and I am always amazed at how such a small amount of food can keep me full. I wouldn't cut too much carbs though, just find out how much you need in a day (myfitnesspal and other sites can do this for you) and try to stick with that. Carbs are very important for you especially if you start exercising, so just switch over to whole grains. I took a nutrition class a few years back, and they said those low-carb diets are really quite awful for you, I forget why exactly but I think it was basically like your brain needs the carbs so if you don't get the carbs it'll start taking stuff from your muscles and make you sick.

Quote from: Ayden on March 02, 2013, 05:50:43 AM
Aside from all the healthy options people have suggested already, I'm a huge proponent of portion control. When I moved to Asia got new dishes, they were all half the size of the ones back in the states. Eating smaller portions on smaller dishes helped me in that I felt full quicker. It's a little sneaky but eat slowly and from smaller dishes. It helps. I don't think cutting carbs works for everyone. I tried low carb diets several times and I always failed. The only change I made aside from having access to food that isn't full of preservatives and hormones (hard to get away from in a lot of places) was jut eating less. I've lost 52 pounds and dropped five pants sizes in seven months just from doing that. I've only just now started a regular work out routine.

Just my two cents.

If you adopted a more Asian eating style, I bet you cut the amount of sugar and refined grains in your diet 10 fold, as well.

Quote from: LearnedHand on March 02, 2013, 06:37:18 AMAyden is right to, I always measure my portions and I am always amazed at how such a small amount of food can keep me full. I wouldn't cut too much carbs though, just find out how much you need in a day (myfitnesspal and other sites can do this for you) and try to stick with that. Carbs are very important for you especially if you start exercising, so just switch over to whole grains. I took a nutrition class a few years back, and they said those low-carb diets are really quite awful for you, I forget why exactly but I think it was basically like your brain needs the carbs so if you don't get the carbs it'll start taking stuff from your muscles and make you sick.

That's not the least bit true.  Think about how we evolved to eat.  If human history was condensed to a year, we just started farming cereal grains last week and just started eating processed grains and chemically extracted seed oils yesterday.  And a few minutes ago we just genetically modified our grains to the point they're completely unrecognizable and we have no idea how that genetic modification is affecting us.  Caveman didn't eat bagels and sandwiches.  He ate a diet composed almost entirely of hunted meats, vegetables and a little bit of foraged fruits, nuts and seeds.  If our bodies needed 60% of our diet to come from carbs or we get sick, especially hearthealthywholegrains (you'd think it's all one word, the way the media uses it), we wouldn't have survived as a species.  Mother nature knows what she's doing-- she wouldn't make a species that gets sick on its natural, in-the-wild diet and needs chemically processed frankenfood to be healthy.

Quote from: Devin87 on March 02, 2013, 08:14:26 AM
That's not the least bit true.  Think about how we evolved to eat.  If human history was condensed to a year, we just started farming cereal grains last week and just started eating processed grains and chemically extracted seed oils yesterday.  And a few minutes ago we just genetically modified our grains to the point they're completely unrecognizable and we have no idea how that genetic modification is affecting us.  Caveman didn't eat bagels and sandwiches.  He ate a diet composed almost entirely of hunted meats, vegetables and a little bit of foraged fruits, nuts and seeds.  If our bodies needed 60% of our diet to come from carbs or we get sick, especially hearthealthywholegrains (you'd think it's all one word, the way the media uses it), we wouldn't have survived as a species.  Mother nature knows what she's doing-- she wouldn't make a species that gets sick on its natural, in-the-wild diet and needs chemically processed frankenfood to be healthy.

Yes that is true, I should've said whole grains and other healthy carbs from nuts and seeds, fruits and veggies.  I just think I saw somewhere someone mention cutting carbs, but you needs the carbs for fuels. A lot of people get carbs from white wheat bagels and sandwiches, while the whole grain would be a better option as well as nuts and seeds, fruits with carbs etc. I also thought my "I forget exactly why" would've been a qualifier to show that I wasn't an expert and not to entirely follow any of my advice without doing further research.

It's okay though, I love my whole wheat bread and I am sticking with it.  Yummmm..... bagels....
I am not a nutritionist, but I eat carbs and love them

I eat plenty of carbs and sugar. I eat rice at least twice a day and I have plenty of salt and sugar. I have breads every day too (curry bread, sweet breads, ect.) I just changed how I eat. Different people respond to different things as far as weight loss goes. But, portion control is key anyway. We all have different metabolisms. I was just offering another thing to consider when trying to get healthier.

I should also add that the only thing that was cut from diet as far as food groups is dairy, actually. Dairy isn't that common in the Japanese diet and I can't stand whole milk. It's the only good group I have cut. I would have made an edit but I am still learning how to use tapatalk.

Ah! I just looked it up and remembered.... cutting too much carbs causes "ketosis".

Ayden: I don't have much dairy either, just my greek yogurt. Too much dairy makes me feel sick.  Though things like almond milk have either just as much or more calcium then regular milk, and the one I drink only has 30 calories per cup, so that's also a good substitute for those triyng to loose weight.

I am naturally skinny except I started to develop this "beer gut" thing and it looked very nasty to me.  I now have it basically gone by just cutting out a few things.  First and foremost I stopped drinking beer LOL.  If I want some alcohol I will drink some wine.  I also used to eat fast food constantly...I stopped doing that.  I used to drink soda constantly too so I cut that out completely.  So what do I eat then?  I drink water constantly and eat soup, salads, veggies, fruits.  Even though I do cut things out of my diet I will occasionally splurge and eat some pizza or even go to McDonald's.  This isn't a bad thing if you only do it ONCE in a while.  I would probably go insane if I couldn't eat chocolate or some fast food sometimes.  I also don't eat a lot of food anyway so proportions are not a big deal for me.  I don't really exercise at all but I plan on biking when it gets warmer outside.

Quote from: holly_ on March 02, 2013, 09:11:56 AM
I am naturally skinny except I started to develop this "beer gut" thing and it looked very nasty to me.  I now have it basically gone by just cutting out a few things.  First and foremost I stopped drinking beer LOL.  If I want some alcohol I will drink some wine.  I also used to eat fast food constantly...I stopped doing that.  I used to drink soda constantly too so I cut that out completely.  So what do I eat then?  I drink water constantly and eat soup, salads, veggies, fruits.  Even though I do cut things out of my diet I will occasionally splurge and eat some pizza or even go to McDonald's.  This isn't a bad thing if you only do it ONCE in a while.  I would probably go insane if I couldn't eat chocolate or some fast food sometimes.  I also don't eat a lot of food anyway so proportions are not a big deal for me.  I don't really exercise at all but I plan on biking when it gets warmer outside.

yeah! soda is terrible. You can gulp down 200 calorie in less then 5 minutes...woo. Also, your avatar is hot.