Weight Issue/Health

Ok, I'm glad I found this post. Her I go. I'm 40, weight is 238, I'm 6'-0". I'm a yoyo dieter and frequent the gym only to see how big i can get my arms, I can't run do to some military knee injuries. Can anyone suggest or help me put a plan together, meals, cardio ideas, my goal is to get to 210-215. I'm not a big veggie eater either. Help!
Jay

CDFDiveMaster:

Ok, I'm glad I found this post. Her I go. I'm 40, weight is 238, I'm 6'-0". I'm a yoyo dieter and frequent the gym only to see how big i can get my arms, I can't run do to some military knee injuries. Can anyone suggest or help me put a plan together, meals, cardio ideas, my goal is to get to 210-215. I'm not a big veggie eater either. Help!
Jay

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To keep from yoyoing again, just start by modifying your exercise without worrying too much about changing your eating. Once you get momentum in your new fitness habits, you can then think about cutting out sources of calories that you don't really need. We can cross that bridge once we get to it.

There are plenty of knee-friendly cardio ideas- the elliptical trainer is an easy one. It's like a combo of running, cycling, and cross-country skiing in motion, but most ellipticals do not require a lot of range of motion out of your knees, and there is zero impact. You mention that you go to a gym, so you should have access to elliptical trainers there.

Swimming is also a great source of cardiovascular conditioning, and it has secondary benefits to a diver.

Strength training should not be about arms or the "mirror side," as you allude to. It is easy to find well-balanced programs, though, that will maintain what you've got while improving the strength balance around your joints. I post free workouts weekly (usually <g>) at http://divefitness.com/html/workouts.html, which will not only show you how to exercise your whole body, but they will also give you ideas for scheduling strength and cardio exercise around each other.

28 pounds might sound like a lot of weight to lose, but if you think about losing it over 4-6 months, you will be more successful in getting it off and keeping it off. In any event, you should not make any change in your life to lose weight that you cannot sustain long-term. Otherwise, I can promise you that whatever weight you lose will come back and bring some friends. <g>

Cameron

CDFDiveMaster:

Ok, I'm glad I found this post. Her I go. I'm 40, weight is 238, I'm 6'-0". I'm a yoyo dieter and frequent the gym only to see how big i can get my arms, I can't run do to some military knee injuries. Can anyone suggest or help me put a plan together, meals, cardio ideas, my goal is to get to 210-215. I'm not a big veggie eater either. Help!
Jay

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First, you recognize there's a problem and need to do something about it. Good step. That's half of the battle. Next, make sure to get a complete check-up from your doctor if you have not already done so in the past three months. Just a precautionary measure and to give you some baseline.

What's the big concern about running? So what? That's only one motion, there are TONS of other things you can do. Unfortunately, most people do not quite understand how the energy systems of the body are related and separate "cardiovascular" and "strength training" into entirely different areas that require entirely different modalities of training. Unless we're talking about specific goals for cardiovascular endurance (as in the case of athletes in ultra endurance events) or strength (such as power lifting or olympic style weightlifting) Most people benefit quite well when focusing on strength/power endurance type of training.

If you think Cardio work consists of monotonous, boring long minutes that you have to kill by reading or watching TV (what I refer to as hamster cardio) you will only get results for a couple of weeks and then best of luck trying to improve. The thought behind that boring, useless modality of training came from a misundertanding of metabolism and kept growing into this fallacy that refuses to die. (Refer to the excellent works of Dr. Mel C. Siff "Facts and Fallacies of Fitness") Dr. Siff points that even moderate interval training (as in circuit training) can produce similar if not superior results to groups engaged in long duration, low intensity bouts. My point is, you have A LOT more options than just running.

Your questions on exercise programs and meal programs are quite specific, so they need to be tended directly by a professional in that field. Cameron gave you some excellent pointers, but I'm sure you want something more tailored to your specific needs. You may start by getting his book. It's an excellent guide for beginners and lots of "How To" sections. That will give you excellent direction.

If you still need something customized, then by all means hire a qualified fitness instructor or a nutritionist. Good professionals in those fields will make a world of difference and open your eyes to a lot of things. Good luck!

What they said is good, I would add this. Start keeping a diary of what you eat now and how many calories it has.
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html calculates calories burned in various exercises and activities. After a few weeks you should have a good handle on how many clories you burn each day and how much of a change you need to do.

Cut out empty calories first, chips, sweets, alcohol, then look at cuuting back on meat and dairy. You need a lot less protien then most people think. The body can only process a small amount ( 6 - 8 oz.) into muscle, the rest just puts a load on your kidneys and liver.

do some form of cardio, if you have knee inuries you should still be able to use the stationary nike or row station. you can alo limit your calorie intake and have a deficit of about 500 cals everyday. also eat lots of protein and limit carbs to daytime. also workout or do cardio in the am on an empty stomach for pure fat lipolysis.

good luck your goal is very doable but patience and consistency is necessary for you to pull it off.

CDFDiveMaster:

Ok, I'm glad I found this post. Her I go. I'm 40, weight is 238, I'm 6'-0". I'm a yoyo dieter and frequent the gym only to see how big i can get my arms, I can't run do to some military knee injuries. Can anyone suggest or help me put a plan together, meals, cardio ideas, my goal is to get to 210-215. I'm not a big veggie eater either. Help!
Jay

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Jay,

I'm a big guy myself. I lost about 15 lbs. when I started shore diving once or twice a week. Not sure what conditions are like in Florida, but in So Cal (especially Laguna) we often have to lug our gear including weights and tanks up and down trails or flights of stairs. Then, I think, diving in cold water forces my metabolism up. I noticed big weight losses when I didn't eat breakfast prior to morning dives. I also started running twice a week between weekend dives, but I imagine you could ride a bike or something. I haven't really modified my diet much, but working out does help me make better food choices. That's just my two cents.

Oh by the way, I liked your poem about me .

John