Pat's Weight Loss Update! [Archive]

PVH5150

03-02-2011, 09:48 PM

For no reason at all, on Sunday, February 20th, 2011, I woke up and said to myself..."Alright Pat, I'm sick of lookin' at ya. Time to get in gear and whip yer arse into shape."

For the better part of the last 3 years, I've been at or above 300 pounds. My biggest weakness was not food, it was that I was regularly killing a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper per day. I would go a couple of days without it and get all psyched and something would cause me to go back to it.

Today is Day 10 of my weight loss journey. I've gone from killing a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper per day to having between 2 and 4 cans of Diet Dr. Pepper per day. Starting next week, I'll be limiting myself to 2 per day. The following week, 1 per day. And the following week, eliminating soda completely. This is the longest period of time I've gone without having a regular Dr. Pepper in over 7 years.

In previous attempts to lose weight, I'd quit everything all at once and 24-36 hours later, I'd feel like a detox patient and immediately start everything again. This time, I'm weening myself off the soda over the course of a month and so far, it is working excellently.

Now the important part, the actual weight! My initial weigh in on Sunday 2/20, I was at 300 pounds even. After 7 days of only adjusting my soda intake and controlling my food portions, I got down to 295. This week, I'm starting light workouts while continuing to phase out the soda and controlling the food intake. I'll be updating the thread every Sunday with my totals along with some vents & rants (because I know they'll happen eventually)

Good night for now, I'll be back Sunday, March 6th!

-Patrick

RocksOff

03-02-2011, 09:49 PM

Good luck, dude! You can do it!

Joshlespaul1952

03-02-2011, 09:53 PM

When I cut soda outta my diet, I dropped pounds effortlessly. It's just not worth it: the negatives are greatly outweighed by the positives, in my opinion.

Good luck! Keep us informed. :)

marvelboy_04

03-02-2011, 10:11 PM

Glenn D.

03-02-2011, 10:48 PM

Nice job, and keep up the good work.

playsarobin

03-02-2011, 10:52 PM

Keep it up!! Killing sodas and sweetes dropped me from 6'2 215 to 190 with only light workout routines to start. I added moderate cardio after two months and droppe another 10. I'm about to start my routine up again now that schedules have calmed down.

My advice- no excuses. Stick to the plan and do not cave.

mlweidl

03-02-2011, 11:12 PM

the pounds will melt off faster than ice in the desert if you keep it up and exercise!

Brock

03-02-2011, 11:14 PM

Make sure you take photos also. Your weight loss may not be as noticeable because you look at yourself everyday. Take some pictures every week and you'll see a nice change after a month. It may help to motivate you.

Jiffy_Jeff

03-03-2011, 01:54 AM

This is inspiring.

I need to stop the excuses and get to it. 5'9 280lbs. In August of 2002 I was 220.

Man, I need to get my Sh!t together so I can avoid the worst...

Marcfordsfuzz513

03-03-2011, 04:25 AM

Keep up the great work.... About 3 years ago I was 14, 5ft8 and 213lbs... I was real fat, I got down to 170lbs, stayed there for about 4 months. I got hurt, and gained weight back slowly to the 204lbs I weighed 4 weeks ago. But some of it was that i'm 5ft10 now, I gained a lot of muscle, and I filled out 3 years later... But now i'm 191lbs. I'm trying to get back to 175-180lbs. It's real easy at first but its always the homestretch that's the hardest weight to loose, so take my word for it don't give up. It's so worth it and once you are happy with your weight, keep it that way because trust me, you can gain the weight back real fast if your not careful with what your eating. I also cut soda out of my diet.. And junk food for the most part, I'm never cutting coffee out of my diet though.

Amp360

03-03-2011, 04:47 AM

awesome and congrats.

try the seltzer wayer. I gave up soda and the poland spring seltzer mafe me not even care.

5E3

03-03-2011, 04:52 AM

Good work Patrick. You've made up your mind to lose the weight and change some bad habits and that is one of the biggest steps.

You may want to check out a free website called www.MyFitnessPal.com You can enter your weight, age and goal. The software will recommend a total calorie intake and help you determine foods to eat and track your intake. You can eat absolutely any foods you want, but the emphasis is on eating lower calorie foods.

Exercise is important. 20 minutes, a minimum of 3 days per week. Walking is fine. Something to elevate your heart rate a little bit and get you breathing. More exercise is better, but don't over do it.

Lastly, I recommend seeing a doctor and getting a physical. Talk to them about weight loss and diet. You don't want to damage your body in the process.

Good luck to you and keep it off!

Thor

03-03-2011, 05:23 AM

Great decision! I'm sure you will thank yourself!

Early congratulations.

campfirehero

03-03-2011, 06:04 AM

Awesome man, keep it up! Just getting off sodas will make you feel better. Do yourself a favor and buy a bag of lemons to add to water. Try crystal light and unsweetened ice tea and just rotate through those when you get bored.

A couple sodas a week is ok, but keep it in check...

ford

03-03-2011, 07:03 AM

You are going to feel a lot better!

I've dropped from 278 to 236 now....my ultimate goal is to get under 200 pounds..weight is coming off more slowly now.. but that is ok.... I've changed my eating, drinking and exercise habits...I'll get there.

I can now run two miles in about 17 minutes... not earth shattering fast... but way better than when I couldn't run 1 quarter of a mile....

PVH5150

03-06-2011, 06:59 AM

WEEK 2 REPORT

Starting weight (2/20/11): 300 pounds
Weight after week 1 (2/27/11): 295 pounds
Weight after week 2 (3/6/11): 292 pounds

So, I'm down 8 pounds in 2 weeks. I'm more than satisfied with that. Also started another goal that I hadn't thought of before. My waist measurement. For a guy that was previously up in the 310s and was 6'2" tall, I was never really top heavy. Never had a massive gut or the proverbial man-tits. It was all in my legs and arse. So I thought it would be cool to keep track of the waist every 2 weeks. 2 weeks ago, it was 48". Today, 46.5". Again, more than satisfied with that.

Now begins week 3 of the overhaul of myself. Just bought a 12 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper, which I'm going to make last for 6 days. One week after that, and my plan of phasing out/weening off the soda will be complete.

Hoping to crack the 290 mark by next Sunday, I'll be sure to keep my fellow TGP'ers informed! :)

See y'all on March 13th!

EL34

03-06-2011, 08:59 AM

Congrats Pat! Keep up the good work!

FenderBigot

03-06-2011, 09:07 AM

Well done from one Pat to another! The soda thing is really a key area that so many people don't realize just how much sugar/calories reside in that beverage... keep it up. I actually phased out diet soda and lost even more weight.

You might also look at a low carb diet in the future, you'll see 15 to 20lbs come off a month if you take an Atkin's approach, but only 10 or 12 a month with the South Beach approach, which is a little more healthier and lets you take in more of the "good" carbs. Keep at it! I started my weight drop today and I'm looking to take off 25 over the next 3 or 4 months.

Start walking 20 to 25 minutes a day and you'll see that add to the effort. Stay on top of it all and you'll be at 220 in 6 months easy! Go Pat.

Blanket Jackson

03-06-2011, 09:17 AM

You are my hero, Pat! You keep that up, keep going forward. I cut soda out many years ago, and now I have one maybe once a month, maybe less frequently. I don't really miss it at all, after these years ... tell ya the truth I don't even think about it. And neither will you.

I consulted a nutritionist a few years ago, and her entire philosophy was on balanced frequent meals with smaller portions of all fat / starch / meat. I lost about 25 lbs. in a couple months. You will do this and more, with the path that you are on.

Good for you!

Amp360

03-06-2011, 09:23 AM

Congrats man!

Buy a Wii Fit - you can keep track of your weight, waist, etc.... The best wight loss game I have found is Punch Out - which is the old Mike Tyson game.

Start getting the seltzer water if you crave more then the 2 sodas - it worked really well for me.

Congrats and best of luck man! I'm pulling for you!

I mentioned about losing weight but I actually eat more now. I have 3 meals a doy - just good food - and a lot of healthy snacks (craisins, rasins, oranges, bananas, pretzels, etc...) so I'm never 'hungry'.

I do keep a couple of those healthy choice frozen deals in the freezer for when I want something bad - and they're pretty good and fill the craving.

Also - if you crave pizza for example go get one slice of cheese somewhere instead of ordering a whole sausage pizza. Don't deny yourself too much because you'll fail.

Elmer

03-06-2011, 11:48 AM

Awesome man, keep it up! Whenever I find myself craving a Coke or Dr. Pepper, I'll reach for one of these: http://www.lacroixwater.com/

I love 'em - the grapefruit one is delicious. Great flavors and no calories, sodium, or artificial sweeteners. Try one out!

XKnight

03-06-2011, 12:07 PM

twoheadedboy

03-06-2011, 12:13 PM

awesome man, and this decision is a big one. a couple years ago i went from 6 foot 1 and 253 pounds to 173.
you really need to do it gradually.
just a word of warning though, when you quit sodas, you lose a drastic amount of weight really quickly, but mostly it is water weight. normal healthy weight loss is 1 or 2 pounds a week, so dont get bummed if its slow, just keep at it. and if you slip a little, that one fall isnt gonna kill ya, its more about overall consisitency, and what you can keep up while staying sane.

Great advice. Small changes maintained over time is what works. Think of it as a course change on a long trip. If you make a small change now and stick with it, you'll end up in a very different place from where you would have ended up if you'd stuck with your original course. The only difference between that and weight loss is that in weight loss, you'll plateau eventually. When you plateau, treat it as a signal from your body that it is ready for the next change.

PVH5150

03-06-2011, 01:56 PM

Good move, but you need to cut out the diet soda too. That stuff is like ingesting poison. The fake aspartame sweetener turns into formaldehyde inside your body. Do some research on aspartame and see for yourself.

As I said, I'm weening myself off of it. I'm legitimately addicted to soda and in 2 weeks I've gone from killing just about a 12 pack per day to 2 cans per day. 2 more weeks and I'll be off of it for good.

mtndog

03-06-2011, 02:25 PM

Keep it up! I don't know if it affects you like it does me, but one aspect of most sodas - whether diet or not - is the caffeine content. Just keep an awareness of how things go as you take in less and less, and see if some of your struggle is the loss of this stimulant. Best of luck to you!

Scott Peterson

03-06-2011, 02:50 PM

Keep rockin it Pat. One step at a time. Go to the diet soda, then get off the diet soda. Step by step. Go at your own speed.

dhdfoster

03-06-2011, 04:09 PM

Good for you. I do love soda, but I've never allowed myself to get carried away with it. For a long time I would let myself have one with lunch or dinner and that's it. Now, I usually have apple juice(yes, I know it's full of natural sugars) for lunch and maybe a couple Sprites on the weekend. Once you get down to a low level of soda consumption, you don't really crave it as much.

squeally dan

03-06-2011, 05:19 PM

Just want to say, I like your approach and admire what you are doing. You've got the right idea. Make small little changes instead of eveything at once. It will go slower but will last forever.

Telecaster62

03-06-2011, 05:38 PM

This Patrick started back running 3 weeks ago. Could barely do a I mile the first time. Now up to 2 miles easy and will be going up to 2.5 miles this week. Weight at start was 216 now 208. I've lost 8lbs just like you. Let's keep it up!!!

PVH5150

03-12-2011, 05:23 AM

Weighed in one day early this week because I'm going to be on the road all day tomorrow.

2 pounds lost this week, bringing my 20 day total from 300 to 290. 10 pounds in 20 days. I'm highly satisfied.

This next week is the final week I will be drinking any form of soda (Diet Dr. pepper). I made the last 12 pack last 6 days, this one will last me 7 days & then it's all over. I have plenty of good drinks to replace it with: seltzer water, spring water, hot/iced tea (mom makes her own iced tea which is awesome & has absolutely no sugar.)

48 more days until my birthday. Time to kick it into high gear & lose as much as possible for the big event.

See y'all in a week!

-Patrick

Amp360

03-12-2011, 05:29 AM

PVH5150

03-12-2011, 07:09 AM

Pat,

Go to Stop and Shop and get some of their brand Black Cherry Seltzer water - that stuff has a hint of the Dr. Pepper taste to it for some reason.

I'm not saying it's exactly like DP, but it kind of has a slight hint of it.

Best of luck man and congrats - keep going :)

Beat ya to it man, I've been hooked on that stuff ever since I started. S&S brand Black Cherry & Raspberry and Polar Blueberry. All awesome stuff.

Thanks a bunch. The support means a lot.

PVH5150

03-20-2011, 06:22 AM

1 MONTH UPDATE.

1 month ago today, I set out on my quest to lose weight. I'm quite happy with the results so far.

This past week alone, I went from 290 to 286.

For the month, I went from 300 to 286 for a total weight loss of 14 pounds for the first month. And that was 90% from adjusting my food & drink intake & portions.

I'm joining my friends gym next weekend, which I'm really psyched about. Looking to break the 270 barrier by the end of month 2.

See y'all in a week, as always.

Peace,
Patrick

phillygtr

03-20-2011, 06:42 AM

Keep it up! One summer during grad school I lost about 15 lbs by cutting out soda completely. I ate the same and just drank water or unsweetened tea.

Here's the math:

lb of fat = 3500 calories
1 can of Dr. Pepper = 150 cal

3500 / 150 = ~ 23 cans of Dr Pepper = ~ 2 x 12 pack per day

By drinking 12 Dr Peppers every day, you were drinking a pound of fat every two days. The weight should be pouring off of you if eliminating this were the only change you made.

BluesForDan

03-20-2011, 06:50 AM

this is very interesting, as I have a brother, 11 years younger than I, who is seriously overweight. We're the same body size, but he's close to 80 lbs heavier than I (168 vs close to 250). I do not drink any soda and he is seriously addicted to cherry coke. He keeps trying to go on these heroic crash diets and never lasts more than a week. Or he tries to do a lot of heavy workouts, and then is crippled for a few weeks from the aches and sprains, especially the knees.

The thing that is really scary is he is starting to take these blood pressure medications, and those cause problems for which he has to take other pills. He is following my mother down that same path. If he would just give up the soda and take a sensible plan like your's, he'd be so much better off before he gets hopelessly ensnared in the pharmaceutical web.

Marcfordsfuzz513

03-20-2011, 06:51 AM

I was 200-204lbs, (i forget) around February 1st... Now i'm 185lbs.... 10lbs more to go, then its all about building muscle... I'm already pretty strong, I can curl 35, maybe 40lbs on a good day, so its not going to be to hard to gain muscle.

keep up the good work! Just trust me, it's going to get harder to loose weight, the closer you get to your goal weight but DON'T give up, and once you loose the weight you have to maintain it and that's the real hard part.