I'm not sure how I got to this point but I am in the absolute worst shape of my life. I'm 6' tall and comfortable at 215-220lbs.....but I'm tipping the scales at 250. That's terrible.

As I think about the posts on back packing and high country hunting, they only remind me that my body would never be able to handle it! The sad part...I am 31 yrs old. I need to find a nice basic workout routine that I can do in the evenings when hanging out with th kids. I'm not a bad eater...very, very little drivethru garbage. If I do stop I'll mostly get a light 6" Subway turkey sandwich or something. What is killing me is the lack of activity at work and in the evenings since my wife started working 3 eve's/week. The weather also makes it hard...being too cold to take the kids out for more than 20 minutes.

Does anyone here have ideas or know anything about fitness??

I'm not sure where this post was really heading but I just need to get something going to get healthier!!

It take a lot to realize and state what you just said. That is the exact shape I was in before I got in the Navy. My eating habits were not that bad. But I still had to drop 45 pounds to get into the Navy. And with working construction I didn’t have much free time. I had to get up an extra 15-20 minuets early and run for 5-15 minuets a day. For lunch I was eating a banana, orange, kiwi, and an apple. When I got full I would save the extras for a snacks. I could snack in the truck in between jobs. I also took a bag of carrots with me. They were a great snack to eat when I was getting hungry in-between meals. The biggest problem I still have is that I get to feeling bad when I don’t eat. I just have to eat a lot of fruit. ONE MORE BIG THING, when I was Volun-told to go to a nutrition class, the lady told us that the best thing we could eat for breakfast was oatmeal. Not the instant kind because it has a lot of bad things in it.

I am also sure there are other that can help more than I. This is what helped me.

My wife is a fitness coach at "Curves". They have a members guide that lays out various meal plans...high carb, high protein, vegetarian, etc. I followed the high protein for a couple days and felt better. Carbs make me tired so that would not work.

Wifey is also a vegetarian so we have lots of vege'meat substitute in the house that are low in fat. Activity is my main problem.

Dan
I'am 62 disabled with back and shoulder problems 6'215 food is not the problem, I force myself to get up at 4am 3 days a week walk fast 1hr 3 days a week weights and low impact type set ups stretching 1 hr 1 day week off works for me. Still backpack hunt most of the time for Elk and Deer,plan to do a DIY barbary sheep hunt in NM 1 week.

Mike

Dan B. I am there with you. Most of my life I was in good shape. Then in my mid. 40s I went from 190 to 240but I was still in pretty good shape under the fat. (I'm 602) I then started eating chicken and rice. Salt and pepper only on the Chicken and a little butter on the rice. I almost lived on this. I ended up losing 70 lbs. and went into construction. I stayed at 195lbs for 5 years. Then got married and ended up at 225lbs. I was climbing ladders all day long so I was still in good shape. but then I got hurt. Now I'm 250+ and in the worst shape then I have eve ben. I've cut down on my eating, but I can't do any real excersice. I'm can't seem to lose anything. Maybe it the meds. I'm on I don't know. It's is hard to be in this shape and know that I can't even get out and hunt except watch clear cuts. Then I have to have someone go get my game if I do get something. What I'm getting at is you are not alone in this frustration. I'm doing stretchs and I'm going to start the Thi Chi excercise and see if that helps. Good luck to you sir.

The best workout plan i do is on my bike. It becomes addictive to ride around town on my days off. Sometimes if i have errands to run it's all day on my bike. I also never take an elevator if there r stairs in a building, and if i can't ride the bike then i run the stairs @ work. I haven't been to a gym in years. U really don't have to. I used to do pushups, pullups and dips at work during the downtime, and will again shortly.

before I got in real bad shape from being hurt I used a basic weight bench with a leg press and every night after work and before I'd take my shower I'd workout for about 20 min. I took off on weekends and I just ate reasonably, I was able to maintain a weight of about 225 at 6'3". Now that I can't work out I'm pushing 270, fortunately I carry it decently but I still got the spare tire, pretty soon it'll be as big as the 37s' on my Dodge.

You might check out the different health clubs in the area. I live in Wyoming and was still able to find one that had child care on premises and the cost is included in my 24.95 a month membership fee.

Also take a close look at your diet. Although we all think we eat well you would be surprised how few calories it takes to sustain a grown man if you are not very active. When I have to sustain my weight at about 210 lbs, I am 6 foot tall, I only need to eat about 1200 to 1500 calories daily. Anything more than this goes straight to the gut. I am 35 now and have had to battle what you are talking about for years.

Also I suggest buying the "Body for Life" book. Many of the excercises can be done at home with minimum expense in equipment and it lays out the diet we should be eating.

I also hate to admit it but my wife may be right when she suggests that I just get down on the floor with the kids and wrestle. They love it and it burns alot of calories.

I did the gym thing for a little while and was loosing 3-4#/week and took the weekends off. Then my wife started working part time in the evenings and that was about the only free time I had to go. That's why I'm looking for a way to do some things around the house.

As for the kids...I spend all the time I can with them outside playing and goofing off. If I can keep away from snacking then I do really well...but with the kids it's just too easy to get them something...and...well...grab a little for myself also!

That's me, I can't stay away from snacks, and with my back and shoulders I can't do real phys. stuff, so I can't work it off faster then putting it on. I need to staple my mouth shut.

Dan it's a simple equation;

Decrease input, Increase output.


Yeah I know, easier said than done. Get yourself a small weight set like 110 pounds and do some strenght/endurance training. If your muscles are strong even at rest they burn calories. I have never really had a problem with weight, but I have always been very active at home and work. I stand about 5'-11" and bounce between 175-185 most of the time. I use to run in the mornings when I was not out on the road.

Dan I know he is a left coast gun hater now but he is an expert on the subject of fitness. I've had this book since 1987 and it's a great referance. I use to weight train in school and collage. It is one of the best for simple excercises to stay in shape. There are excercises for muscles you don't even know you have. Here is a link to get one;

Arnolds Book

I weigh more than I ever have too. In the last three weeks I have exercised for 4-5 days a week. Committed to being in good to great condition.

Funny this thread should come up today. I just got back from the Doctors and I now hold the all time record for me at 256.5 Lbs Good grief.

Road Cycling is my main excercise once it warms up. 30 miles or so rides 4x's a week, then some long rides up to 100 miles on a Saturday really trims me down.

One thing to do is get a basal metabolic test. I don't believe insurance companies will cover it but at the time it was something like 75 bucks and well worth it. It answered a lot of questions. I have tried all kinds of things to lose wieght and figured I needed to contact a nutritionist to figure out what to do. My rationale is that they went to school for this and should know the answers.

What this assessment does is to determine how many calories you burn up just by living. The test involves breathing into a mouthpiece for ten minutes and the technician calculates what your rate is. My rate at the time was 2250. That means that if I eat more than 2250 calories a day without exercise, I will gain weight. If I eat roughly that amount without exercise I will stay the same.If I eat less than 2250 without exercise, I will lose weight. So I was able to lose some weight and got down to a more respectable shape.

Unfortunately, I fell into some bad habits and gained some back. I need to get back on course for the new hunting season.

Thanks big bore.

That is interesting Big Bore. Thanks

Well...I started today. Carefully watching my diet, light workout tonight and start walking in the AM's. I'll be carrying my hunting pack with some of my usuals inside. As I go through the weeks I'll add a little more gear. Also plan on hitting the range at least once a week...walking to the 500yd backer to spot and repaint plates a couple times per session will add up to some miles!!

We also do not have a scale in the house...need to get one of those to keep track of any changes.

Good to hear. Maybe we should post our weight to be accountable to each other?

I'll start
268 bmi 33

Me too. When I got out of the service in my early 20's, I was really fit. I worked in shipping and receiving, and had to unload trucks by hand. I also competed in Judo tournements in the 141 lb and under class. I'm 5-6". Wirery little bastard. Then I got married and a desk job. Then I became a widower, and worked construction half desk and half field work. Would work through lunch and just cook for myself. I was a stocky 185 lbs. Then I remarried again and went back to desk only. This wife LOVES to cook. That's her hobby, watches Food Network and cook. I'm at 215 now and I have have an 8 year old. Im 47 years old and can't get my breath when running. Of course I'm trying to run like a 30 something dad with an 8 year old. I need to loose weight PERIOD. So hard to do. Work all day and come home to wonderful food and then relax a bit...... and I'm done. The will is there but not the way. I have a lot of stress in my job and that takes it's toll also. Hopefully with everyone suggesting something, we can come up with a plan to suit our individual needs.

OK, I'm 256.5 lbs. fully dressed. I want to get down to 200lbs. I want my waist to be 34 to a loose 36.

What is bmi 33 ?

BMI...Body Mass Index

Thanks Dan B. How do you figure that out? Measure all my fat that I can't stuff into my my pants anymore?

Seriously how do you figure it?

Do a search for it via google...I think you just need to fill out a survey of some sort to have it calculated. Just happen to have done mine for a program at work...mine was also 33.

Ok, here we go, 256.5 bmi 32.9 I look in the mirror and it tells me I'm obese not just over weight. I wear size 40 pants and they are getting tight.

oh my...........

215 bmi 34.7

OK I'm in, and I know I'm going to win. LOL<LOL

I'm 185# now. How long are we going to keep track of this?

Don't have scales at the house but will weigh myself at the gym tomorrow morning.
Maybe set-up a new thread titled weekly weight loss or something like that.

Tell time terminates, or when I fit into a pair of pants that doesn't take 10 acres of cotton to make. lol

good idea, especially for us fat boys, you and tig can play drill instructor.

The new thread has been started-Time to step up to the scales guys

I started a sticky thread w/ an outline to update progress.

I'm there! I'm fat and I know it. It would help my back feel better and I will more then likely live longer. I know I won't ever look like I did when I was working out with weights 5 days a week. But I know I can look alot better then I look and feel now. I'll beable to get around better even if I do have to use a cane, I can at least hit people with it if they get in my way without losing my breath doing it.lol

I'm in shape, round is a shape and at least if I get hurt in the woods my wife can roll me down the hill.

I followed the Body For Life program a few years back. It covers everything from proper diet to exercise routine. I went from 260 to 215 gaining muscle and losing fat. I replaced the weight lifting portion with body weight exercises from the book Combat Conditioning. I lifted weights a lot when I was younger but I prefer the functional muscle and endurance you gain with "body weight" type exercises.

Keep in mind that on a program like this you will only lose about two pounds a week on average (some weeks you may plateau). This does not seem like much, but you are losing fat and gaining muscle mass so the scale is not always an accurate indicator of the progress you are making.

You don't starve yourself on this program. In fact I had a hard time eating as much as you are supposed to while I was doing it. The best part of this program was that one day a week you eat whatever you want! This really helps you stay on track when you still get those foods you are craving. I have got away from this routine the last couple years and gained about 20 pounds, so I think I'll dig the book back out and start it again.

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Life-Mental-P...03354697&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00113X...30HSCJ45DF98GCE

We have an exercise ball w/ the accompanying chart. It works on the same principle. I did it once for about two weeks....noticed a big difference in body shape!!