How do I slim my chubby ass down?

[JJ Rodriguez]

I used to have a fairly high metabolism, used to eat a shit load and not gain a pound. This past year, my metabolism must have plummeted, because I gained about 30 pounds. My question is what is the quickest way to just get in shape? I've never exercise/done sports/been anything more than a couch potato, so keep in mind that climbing a set of stairs makes me short of breath, dizzy, and my heart beating like a motherfucker. I'm assuming it would be with just tons of cardio (running, biking, etc.).

 

[Jason]

First things first.

1) Get out and move around go for a walk start doing that. The weight didn't come on over night it ain't coming off overnight.

2) Make a effort to cut lil things out of your diet or cut down. ie: if you go out to eat at a fast food place instead of 3 burgers and a french fry get just 2 burgers and maybe cut the cheese out of the burger.

If you go out some sit down place. Bring some of the food home don't eat it all there. Save some for later.

3) Stop drinking regular sodas and juices there just liquid sugar AkA liquid ass fat.

Do all those little things and start increasing your activity and you will be well on your way. The main thing is to remeber don't look it as a diet or anything because diets don't work you need to change for good how you eat/view food.

 

[bostjan]

Welcome to the age of slowing metabolism, my friend. I think it happens to everyone. No matter what I do, it seems mine slows a little bit every year. At this rate, I'll weigh 250 by the time I'm 32, and I'll weigh 1200 lbs if I make it to 100.

Leisurely activity helps, too, though. Like a little stroll, scenic bike ride, etc. Not the best, but still better than sitting around posting lengthy explainations on the internet like me.

 

[Popsyche]

First, use that fine health care system of yours to make sure there is nothing really wrong. Metabolism doesn't normally change that fast. See a doctor.

Second, depending how old of a fella you are, research the recommended level of exertion for your situation on line. After that, follow the above advice. We don't need to lose any members!

Advice from the metabolically challenged!

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I'm only 22, not like I have one foot in the grave (ie 30 to all you old farts). I could care less about muscle mass, I don't want to stare at myself in the mirror for an hour every day, hell, I don't even care if I don't lose my entire gut, I just don't want to be fat, and I would like to walk up stairs and not need to take a break

 

[Popsyche]

I'm only 22, not like I have one foot in the grave (ie 30 to all you old farts). I could care less about muscle mass, I don't want to stare at myself in the mirror for an hour every day, hell, I don't even care if I don't lose my entire gut, I just don't want to be fat, and I would like to walk up stairs and not need to take a break

I think I may have found your answer in another post of yours:

I quit close to a year ago now. I still want to smoke every fucking day. I love smoking, and I love the smell (not old stale smoke, fresh, delicious smoke). I love everything about it, except the way it makes me feel after half a pack. I only quit because I wanted to learn drums. I havn't made any progress with drums, and I havn't noticed any health benefits, but then again, I work in front of computers all day long, so I don't get any exercise, and I hate the outside world, so I won't jog outside. I need to get a treadmill and run my chubby ass a few km's every night or something. I still get colds all the time too. It's like being a smoker without the benefits.


That is a SERIOUS factor in sudden weight gain! Exercise will help lots of those issues, but seriously, even at 22 I'd see a doctor first, as silly as that sounds!

And BTW junior, I passed 30 WAY back, and my farts aren't old. They're fresh every day!

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Yeah, but after a year of not smoking or being in a smoky environment, especially not being a pack a day smoker or anything, I would think that I'd be healed up from smoking, and my appetite went down when I quit.

EDIT - That's actually what prompted me to post asking for advice. I imagine a lot of you guys are health nuts, a lot of musicians generally are, or the complete opposite.

RE-EDIT - And I don't mean completely healed from smoking, I know that shit takes time, but god damn, I get winded going up small flights of stairs, I know chain smokers who are couch potatoes in better shape than me.

 

[bostjan]

Oh gosh, you quit smoking? Well, you'd better start building your cardio-vascular systems back up then. Do some jumping jacks and jogging. Your heart and lungs need to blow that old stale smoke out of them.

 

[Popsyche]

Yeah, but after a year of not smoking or being in a smoky environment, especially not being a pack a day smoker or anything, I would think that I'd be healed up from smoking, and my appetite went down when I quit.

EDIT - That's actually what prompted me to post asking for advice. I imagine a lot of you guys are health nuts, a lot of musicians generally are, or the complete opposite.

I'm a nut but not a health nut. Some folks eat more often after quitting to replace some of the oral activity of smoking. Whatever the case, It's great that you quit, and stay "quitted". AND the healing can take way more than a year.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I'm a nut but not a health nut. Some folks eat more often after quitting to replace some of the oral activity of smoking. Whatever the case, It's great that you quit, and stay "quitted". AND the healing can take way more than a year.

Yeah, but when I quit, I eat less often, and I eat less when I do eat now. In a way, gaining weight is kind of comforting, if I had cancer or something, I'd be losing weight I imagine.

 

[Jason]

If you want to lose weight read my post.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

If you want to lose weight read my post.

I did, we just got talking about smoking and metabolism and crap. I plan on joining the gym around here with my girlfriend. I'd much rather buy some equipment to have here, but that costs money, and more importantly, storage room that I could stick more gear in.

 

[Jason]

I did, we just got talking about smoking and metabolism and crap. I plan on joining the gym around here with my girlfriend. I'd much rather buy some equipment to have here, but that costs money, and more importantly, storage room that I could stick more gear in.

I goto a gym and i like it. I goto the Ymca not sure if ya got them up in Canada tho..

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

Yup, that's where we were planning on going. That'll be a good start, but I do have to watch what I eat as well. I eat like I always did, just less and less often, which isn't typical of anyone else I've ever talked to who's quit smoking. Most people gain a few pounds, but I gained like 30. My weight used to fluctuate between 125-135, and I weighed myself at my buddy's place the other day, and I was 165, and it's not muscle mass. Working out wouldn't suck so bad if my iPod hadn't died, could download some audio books or a bunch of pod casts and just jog and be entertained.

 

[nitelightboy]

Yep, listen to Jason. He's got the right idea for a good start to your goal. I'll elaborate a little further than he did though.

First, you have to set a goal for yourself. Is it just 30lbs you want to lose or more? That's the first question to answer for yourself. Then, follow Jason's advice. Eat a little lighter, lay off the soft drinks and candy, and start with brisk walks. You don't have to run yet, just walk fast enough for 30 minutes that your heart rate is faster than normal. Once you get comfortable walking, then you can step it up to a jog, or through in some other cardio work. There's a thread in here with a few cardio routines that are pretty good, so you should check that out too. Keep it up, it doesn't happen in a few weeks, it does take time to reach your goals. I've been working for a few months on going from 265 down to 190ish. I'm already at 220 from working hard and I'm getting close to my goal. Good luck

 

[Drew]

I'm only 22

Your profile says you're 54, you might want to fix that.

Not a hell of a lot to add here that hasn't been said before, but...

-smoking is generally considered an appetite supressor. People usually put on a bit of weight after they quit, but because they eat more, not eat less. Again, this is strange and might be something you should talk to a doctor about. Also worth considering, though - have you had any dietary or exersize changes about the time you started putting on weight? Say, a new fast food joint opened near you, broke up with a girlfriend and stopped having athletic, agrressive sex? Anything like this? You tend to have a slower metabolism as you age, and you're right at the cusp of the point where you begin to see effects, but he fact it's SO abrupt sounds strange.

-like it or not, if you eat poorly and in large quantities and don't get any exersize, you WILL put on weight. Reconsider what it is you're putting into your body. If you eat a lot of fast food or drink a lot of soda, stop - either of these factors alone can add to excess pounds. Also, reconsider portion size. Going to a fast food joint and ordering two burgers instead of three is a step in the right direction but is still a LOT of food, especially when you factor in the large fries and a large soft drink they'd come with. just for kicks, try eating USDA-sized portions for a week or so and see what happens - that first 6-8 oz steak may seem tiny on its own, but a week down the road your stomache will have adjusted itself and you'll finish a modest portion and feel full.

-also, exersize is at the core of every sucessful weight-loss or weight-maintenance plan. It doesn't have to be a lot - even squeezing in two 10-minute walks a day will help. Work on the 5th floor of your building? Take the stairs. Maybe do a set of situps before bed, so when you do lose that gut you'll have great ab definition. Try running. Anything - what you're trying to do here is speed up your metabolism, and sitting around won't do this. Likewise, when you lose the weight, you need to stay active to keep it up.

 

[Shawn]

First things first.

1) Get out and move around go for a walk start doing that. The weight didn't come on over night it ain't coming off overnight.

2) Make a effort to cut lil things out of your diet or cut down. ie: if you go out to eat at a fast food place instead of 3 burgers and a french fry get just 2 burgers and maybe cut the cheese out of the burger.

If you go out some sit down place. Bring some of the food home don't eat it all there. Save some for later.

3) Stop drinking regular sodas and juices there just liquid sugar AkA liquid ass fat.

Do all those little things and start increasing your activity and you will be well on your way. The main thing is to remeber don't look it as a diet or anything because diets don't work you need to change for good how you eat/view food.

I was just going to say, cut down on the portions and excercise but I think Jason said it better.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

-smoking is generally considered an appetite supressor. People usually put on a bit of weight after they quit, but because they eat more, not eat less. Again, this is strange and might be something you should talk to a doctor about. Also worth considering, though - have you had any dietary or exersize changes about the time you started putting on weight? Say, a new fast food joint opened near you, broke up with a girlfriend and stopped having athletic, agrressive sex? Anything like this? You tend to have a slower metabolism as you age, and you're right at the cusp of the point where you begin to see effects, but he fact it's SO abrupt sounds strange.

No, my sex life is healthy as ever, I'm actually eating SOMEWHAT healthier due to the fact of living with a woman who likes to cook so I'm not microwaving anything, and I hardly eat out. I do eat a shit load when I do eat, so I'm cutting down on that, it just pisses me off that it didn't do this to me before. I once ate 2 foot long steak and cheese subs from subway, this is when I was 125 and I could do that and not see any weight gain at all no matter what I did. Now, I can eat probably half of the amount I used to. But I have cut down portion sizes, instead of eating 7 hotdogs, I'm eating 3, etc etc. God damn I'm hungry...

 

[DelfinoPie]

I'm also going through a period trying to lose some weight as well.

I've already started:

- cutting down on the alcoholic beverages when I go out...which is often as I'm a very social person.

- drinking less soft drinks, to me mineral water tastes fucking amazing when ice cold so thats my preference.

- like drew said, sit ups before bed. Instead of getting the bus or a lift down to the pub I walk, its a 2 mile walk there and back, so 4 miles a day is a good bit of excercise to be taking for me.

- set yourself weekly targets and reward yourself at the end of it, if you have a partner get them to reward...if you catch my proverbial drift. [Edit...your living with a woman, you sneaky poster, beat me to it lol]

- My main goal now is the girl I've liked for nearly a fucking decade, saw her again last night - seemed quite clingy, touchy-feely. Could be a good sign, could be reading too much into it. Who knows. But its reason enough for me to lose a bit o' belly.

 

[Dormant]

- drinking less soft drinks, to me mineral water tastes fucking amazing when ice cold so thats my preference.

This in combination with cutting down food and general chemical intake (by that I mean food full of preservatives and sugars as opposed to drugs) is very good for you.

Drinking cold water is good for you - it boosts the metabolism by 30% as a result of thermogenesis.

I would also reccomend 'grazing' which is the process of eating more meals over the day but making them very small. It keeps your metabolism running all day. All meals consisting of healthy snacks. It's an expensive way of doing things but it works.