November Weight Loss Challenge

[Lynn]

Did my weekly weigh-in this AM. I'm still at 213, but am probably lucky to be.

Late last week I succumbed to the left-over Halloween candy, and also remembered that the in-laws had left a pint of ice cream in the freezer...

Man, my self-control really sucks when there's ice cream in the house.

 

[biglos454]

Biglos454, I can sympathize. My wife and I are working on this together. She’s a nurse that works 4-12s, Sun., Thurs., and Fri. nights. She’s utilizing some online tracking tools, and it seems that most days she actually doesn’t get enough calories, and her body hoards ‘em in ‘starvation mode.’

At least she has a regular schedule. Bouncing back and forth between days and nights must really screw with your metabolism.

What kind of work do you do, and what town do you live in?

hey Lynn, i live in port lavaca, TX and I'm a chemical process operator for Dow chemical. the kind of shift work i do really kills my metabolism. its actually where i gained most of my weight. 3 yrs ago i weighed 240. and Ive been doing shift for 3 yrs now

this is how my shift falls work 4 nights. off 3. work 3 days. off 1. work 3 nights. off 3. work 4 days. off 7. then repeat.

so basically i only work 14 days a month. but its just such an erratic schedule that its wreaks havoc on my mind and body. lol you would be surprised how hungry a person gets working a 12 hour night shift. i feel for your wife. 12 hr nights are hard.

its going to be difficult to get my metabolism under control but im up for the challenge. my weight has become an issue not just of health but also in my daily life. i love to kayak, hike, mountain bike, rock climb and things of that nature. as heavy as i am now it makes these things very difficult and im really starting to miss out on them. im a big guy by nature (6"6' size 15 boot) but i just need to shed some pounds to get back to being just a stout guy instead of a fat one

thanks for starting up this thread. its some pretty helpful motivation

 

[Faol]

Was at 280 and stopped eating just fast food while driving around for work, and dropped to 240. I quit smoking back in March, after 26 years, and went back to about 265.

I changed diets in September and started eating a hunter/gatherer diet. I purposely have not started any type of exercise regimen, to see if this would work. I have dropped to 239, as of November 7th. My blood pressure has also gone from 133/95 to average 118/74, with no medication.

Starting weight: 239 (current)

Goal for the Month: 220

Overall goal: 190

Weight loss to date: 41 total

Biggest Challenge, Fitness: Motivation. My daughter is going to join the military and I told her I would exercise with her. I am a disabled vet, so it will be painful, but it is to motivate my daughter, in addition to helping me. The VA just wants me to medicate, which I refuse to do. I told my daughter I would wear my uniform to her graduation ceremony.

Biggest Challenge, Diet: Dropping the grains and legumes, especially legumes, since Soybeans are used as cheap filler in most everything. I am not big on sugar so that was not a big loss.

Plan of Attack: Keep on with the diet, and exercise, especially cardio, with my daughter.

Day of Weigh In: November 7 (every Saturday is a weigh-in)

 

[Mr. Leary]

Starting Weight: 182

Goal for the Month: 177. I am running a marathon in december, and would like to get back in the shape I used to be in, so I don't embarass myself.

Overall Goal: 175. I would like to get my BMI back down under 6%. I would like to start doing triathlons, but right now I'm not that guy!

Weight Loss to date: -2

Biggest Challenge, Fitness: I work full time and I'm a full time MBA student. I don't have much time to exercise. I usually have to exercise while I am studying.

Biggest Challenge, Diet: I heart cheese. Dairy products in general are a little hard for me to control!

Plan of attack: I plan on getting up an hour earlier and pounding out some miles before I start the day. I will add this to my usual calisthenics workout.

Day of weigh in: I have a scale that glares at me at work... waiting to pounce!

 

[Mr. Leary]

I already do this type of thing every month, but it is usually based on BMI. I'm glad to see there are others who are interested in this ritual!

 

[KSJeep]

I've been completely rebuffed in all discussions with my HMO regarding bariatric surgery, which I honestly feel is the most likely to work option for me at this point in my life.

So I'm looking at options for self-pay. It's going to be a pretty significant expense - probably $15,000 or so. That's going to be a major hit to my discretionary spending and mean no cool guitars or Jeep mods for awhile. But, you gotta do what you gotta do, and I have to do this.

I have a consult with a bariatric surgeon on 17 November. If it goes well and I can get the financing lined out, maybe I'll get cut on before the end of the year. It will be laproscopic, so the recovery time should be minimal (barring any complications of course).

Lynn, you've met me. You know I'm a big old boy (understatement).
I'm probably north of 450 pounds and I'm about 5'10". I've been very healthy for all of this - cholesterol is fine, BP is high side of normal, no diabetes, etc., but I'm sure that is bound to end soon. My knees are shot and my back is starting to hurt. I turn 40 in a few months so it's not like I'm a kid anymore.

My goal? I must lose a couple hundred pounds and then just see where I plateau. I want to go kayaking, I want to be able to fit in an airplane bathroom, I want to be able to go out and hike a few days out to the middle of nowhere and be able to make it back.

It's good to see this thread come back just at a time when this issue has been seriously on my thoughts. Great minds must think alike... or something.

Y'all have a good one.

My wife had the bariatric surgery a couple of years ago, the surgeons office took care of all the insurance paperwork and was able to ge it pushed thru. The main thing is to show you have tryed and failed at several attempts along with medical recommendations from your doctor/Cardiologist. Again I think a good doc should beable to get it pushed thru.

 

[Lynn]

Week two weigh-in, I'm at 209.8.

Come on, guys, how ya doing?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Well, I joined the YMCA late last week, and went for the first time this morning. I actually went shopping for some workout clothes yesterday which was a horrible experience... I ended up wearing some synthetic summer outdoor clothes I already had.

Obviously no results for me yet.

Although, I found I can get my heart rate up to 160-170 and go like that for about 15 minutes, so not as bad as I thought.

 

[Lynn]

206.7

But family are coming in for Thanksgiving, and we have already started stocking up on the snack items.

 

[DarinM]

We've been working on it, but so far I'm coming up empty.
They do think they can get the insurance to pay for all pre-op testing/consults/hoops that I have to jump through.
I have picked up a 2nd job doing some IT contracting that if it works out as I hope it will is going to bring in a pretty good amount of money. I'm hoping to use that, as well as some cash from my mom to cover most of the cost of the surgery.
My initial consult went very well. I am impressed with the doctor and I believe we're working on a plan that is going to drastically change how I live my life.
More to follow.

My wife had the bariatric surgery a couple of years ago, the surgeons office took care of all the insurance paperwork and was able to ge it pushed thru. The main thing is to show you have tryed and failed at several attempts along with medical recommendations from your doctor/Cardiologist. Again I think a good doc should beable to get it pushed thru.

 

[Grim Reaper]

Not been on much lately. I'm floating around 212lb right now. I am off next week and being away from my work cohorts and the places we eat lunch I generally loose a couple pounds Course I just bought two turkeys and we are already doing food prep for Thanksgiving. :chef:

That said I really want to be under 200lb by Jan 1 2010.

 

[Lynn]

Back up to 209 after Thanksgiving...

I need to throw out all the left-over pie and get serious about hitting the gym.

 

[RAV4fun]

Hope I'm not too late to join in on this one. I Actually started loosing weight back about 9 months ago now by changing my diet-style completely. I follow what some call the Primal Blueprint, others Paleo...I just say I eat real food. Basically veggies, eggs, nuts, chicken and fruit in moderation. That's it...cutting refined and otherwise grains from my diet did the most good. Leveled my blood sugar, constant sinus congestion is gone, and several others that are for a different thread...

Anyway, some stats -

Starting weight:275 peak weight
Current (or actually 4 months ago which was the last time I saw a scale): 250

Goal for the Month:

Overall goal: To like my body

Weight loss to date:I'm guessing 35-40lbs but I'll find a scale this week and fill this in.

Biggest Challenge, Fitness: bulging disc and wrecked knee. I do walk anywhere from 2-5 miles everyday and am starting on body weight routines.

Biggest Challenge, Diet: Nohting really. Once I saw the health changes when I started eating like this, I couldn't look back.

Plan of Attack: Keep eating real food. Increase the exercise until it's daily, ~20min.

Day of Weigh In: going to be sporadic until I find a scale I can have regular access to...

 

[Lynn]

Welcome, RAV4Fun,

Glad to have ya.

 

[Lynn]

Well, I ended the month at 208, so that's down 5# for the month.

How did the rest of you do?