Weight Loss Help

[jt1981]

I need some advice on how to shed about 50lbs. I'm 29 years old, 5'11'' and weigh around 240lbs.  I have a semi physical blue collar type job so I have a "working mans" body.  Muscular shoulders and arms, but large midsection.  I know I need to exercise more but where I work there's no AC.  And everything we work around is around 200-300 degrees.  So, needless to say, I sweat non stop at work.  After a long 8-12 hour shift all I want to do is go home and relax.  I do stay active at work.  On my feet the entire time.  Moving the entire time.  But anyway, I somehow keep gaining weight.  Slowly, but it's gaining.  Diet is what I want to focus on.  I literally don't know what to eat.  I'm single and not much of a chef, so this is my usual diet: 

BREAKFAST:  Usually something very quick.  Either a kolache on my way to work or a small greek yogurt.  I don't like the yogurt for breakfast because afterwards it feels like I ate nothing and it doesn't give me energy to make it to lunch time.  Also coffee.  Black...no sugar or cream.  Every now and then I'll drink a snapple green tea instead of the coffee.  Also, on the weekends, I'll make scrambled eggs and a couple slices of bacon.  This is my usual breakfast fare.  The only other thing I know to do is eat healthy cereal.  Any recommendations that will leave me feeling somewhat full?  I also have the problem early in the morning of NOT wanting any food.  I'm generally not hungry until I've been awake for an hour and a half or so.

LUNCH:  Lately lunch for me is leftovers from dinner the night before. 

DINNER:  I get off work at 3:30 in the afternoon...usually get home around 4.  I try to cook as soon as I get home and get it over with.  I'm on a limited budget so I can't afford to eat out or fast food every night or anything.  And like I said...I'm not a chef.  Sooo, most evenings I'll make spaghetti or hamburger helper.  Tuna helper every now and then.  I'm not big on microwave dinners anymore.  To supplement the helper or spaghetti I usually make a side dish of beans or corn or a variety of frozen veggies.  Yogurt for desert. 

DRINKS:  Coffee and tea in the mornings.  Water all day at work and sometimes gatorade.  A cold beer or two with supper or some wine. 

Ok, that's basically my diet.  Don't get me wrong, every now and then I'll get a burger or drink a monster.  Or have fajitas for lunch or something like that.  But all in all, what I listed is what I subside on.  What am I doing wrong?  I work hard and NEED to feel full at the end of the day.  I don't sit at a desk all day...I need some energy.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  I want to lose some weight before I have the surgery.

[morpheus11]

try cutting or at the minimum watching your carbs. carbs=insulin=bodyfat.   You should check out the primal blueprint diet or the paleo diet.  Primal blueprint is, in my opinion, a little more manageable. Though it might leave you without energy for the first week or so.  You can counter that by increasing fats while keeping carbs down (nitrate free bacon or eggs).

good luck

[bud501821]

P90X

[bud501821]

P9OX also comes with an excellent nutritution plan. It's a 90 day program, it's super hard, but just do the best you can and you will see results in no time.

[Kvalhion]

Another vote for Primal Blueprint.    My success story at losing 80 lbs in one year was posted on Marks Daily Apple a few weeks ago.  So far I've gone from 281 to 200.2 as of Saturday.   I still want to get to around 180 or 185 I think before I seriously explore gyne surgery but cutting out grains, sugar, beans, rice, etc has been easy.   I'd never been able to lose weight and effectively keep it off until following Paleo / Primal.

Good luck

[xoxoxoxo]

Jog every other day 

[thetodd]

Your diet is whats holding you up. Your job sounds demanding if you eat properly you will seriously shift some pounds

Breakfast, is your first downfall. Go and get some HEALTHY cereal im not sure whats availible where you live but wheatabix/shreddies/museli are good have a look around on google. Also have a bannana with it people say there full of sugar and carbs but it should help your cravings and they are really healthy

take apples to work, i have two a day there are some really nice brands out there in the UK there is a brand called "Pink Lady" really nice apples

Lunch: Im not sure how your breaks work but i have a 20 min + 1 hr break. And i have tuna+pasta at both of these breaks its really filling and healthy. Chicken/Rice whatever but dont have leftovers from the night before unless its chicken breast etc

Dinner: Go on youtube and learn how to cook some simple meals, i like to have chicken breast/thighs with steamed veg, there loads of stuff you can cook with chicken and get a really healthy meal out of it. Currys can be super healthy if cooked from scratch (and easy to make)

Drinks: Knock the alcohol on the head, its empty calories and just stops protein being digested properly. Gatorade is ok i guess if your jobs physical but youd be better off on tea/water.


Your diet is whats holding you back, once you get into a routine youl be sound just stick to it. Dont eat microwave meals there the most unhealthy meal you can get! Also dont have snacks no chocolate or crisps i know you havent listed them but most people are chocolate addicts, its just pure crap. Once you get your diet sorted then maybe start doing a routine

Some people rate P90X, i personally think a gym routine is the way forward but if you dont have the time P90x is a good home workout but its so boring and hard to stick to, jogging however once you get into it is fantastic!

[richardp]

I agree with the others, but to keep it simple, try to go healthier at dinner... lot of vegetables, hopefully steam-cooked, and natural fiber...

You sure you don't pick stuff at work? the apparently harmless snacks like chips, cookies, etc... are very bad for losing weight, even if they claim to be pure in fiber, low in fats or whatever.... if you need a snack during work, go for fruits...

[Elton]

Hi JT,
To shed 50 lbs break your meals in 6 small meals including snacks and prefer raw food over processed food. Drink more water, start green tea and quit flavored juices, soda and even diet soda. Do exercise, start some sport or any physical activity to burn fat, improve digestive system and to lose weight.

[Paa_Paw]

The packaged dinners are full of Carbs and salt. Ditch them.

Hamburger can be very high in fat if you get the cheaper stuff.

I like mixed Vegetables cooked in low salt chicken broth and a boneless/ skinless chicken breast. Spice it up with a seasoning blend.

Don't eat anything white. Potatoes, pasta, rice, etc. 

[TigerPaws]

Agreed! Ditch the fast and prepackaged foods. Look at your total caloric intake. Eat less than you use and you will loose weight. Try fasting for a few days, try eating say 1 scrambled egg without cooking it in butter or oil, plus 1 small Turkey sausage, no coffee, simply some water, this should be less than 150 calories, then mid morning have 1 apple and for lunch try 1/4lb of roasted Turkey lunch meat. For dinner try 2 apples and as for liquids, drink only water.

Within a month you will notice the difference.

[Monkey83]

If you just simply cut out pasta or carb loaded foods at night I can guarantee you will lose at least half of your goal. The food you are eating during the day should be burned up by your activity. But the night time stuff is the killer. Put in at least 15 minutes of cardio each day. I would recommend skipping rope.I would say doing just these two things you could attain your fitness goal in six months or less. You don't want to lose fat too quickly though.

[coko222]

I will shared some tips for loss weight...
1.do exercise in the morning
2.join gym
3.avoid fat foods
4.avoid oily foods
5.swimming is the basic key for the loss weight

[person2345]

keep it simple. for protein have eggs, chicken, steak (with the fat cut off), fish. just what ever you can afford but obviously in moderation. try to avoid all refined carbs like white bread and pasta and rice. instead try sweet potatos or brown rice. then just snack on nuts like almonds or fruit. and dont try change too much right away. slowly ease into it because you want this to be a permanent change. another posible thing to look into is intermittent fasting. this is basicaly where you dont change how much you eat just when you eat so for example if every second day you might only eat between 12pm and 6pm and then rest of the day you are fasting. a lot of people think this is bad but there is some good science behind it. also just try exercise as much as possible. do push ups and sit ups at home and try get a bicycle or go swimming. hope that helps and stay motivated

[jamalvender]

I think you have a need for some gym and exercise. As you are saying about your job so I just suggest you keep water and juices use in your daily life. On a daily basis you have minimum need six to nine liter water atlist.