Otto's Weighty Decision

According to a new CDC report, Americans have never been so heavy. The report states that fully 30% of US citizens are obese. I recently traveled to Curitiba, Brazil for a few days and while a few people were somewhat hefty I didn't see a single morbidly obese person the entire visit. The scene was stuck home even more when on my return trip I was seated beside a man who literally sunk into his seat and took a good portion of mine as well. A 13 hour trip I was all too happy to be done with when we touched down.

Don't get me wrong, I'm by no means bashing people who aren't super trim, but being exposed to a few extra large examples of humanity has made me do some self reflecting. I'm sure you all imagine me as a 6 foot, 2 inch, muscled titan, but in fact I'm getting a thicker around the mid region these days. So, In the hopes of increasing my current effort to get in shape, I'm going to go track my progress here.

What are my goals then? I currently weigh in at just over 250 lbs. My ideal fighting weight was 200 lbs give or take a couple. I don't have a set number of pounds I wish to reach, but anywhere south of 225 lbs would probably be a good place to be without adopting too extreme of a diet & lifestyle.

Here is my first entry. Wish me luck Rogues!

 

My collection of injuries and surgeries prevents me from lifting heavy, but there is still plenty I can do. I'm not too far from my goal, but I have a sense I'm at a critical point. I feel if I allow a few more lbs to join the party, the belly party will be very tough to stop.

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

 

:derail: I went to the VA Thursday for a quarterly checkup and I was the last appt. of the day, so the doc decided we should go through my record and check everything. When we got down to weight he looked a bit shocked. "Your BMI can't be that high!" He check my weight history and then noticed my height in the formula page. I was listed as being 5' 0". He said "Well, we've saved the laws of physical reality" as he corrected that.

On the griping hand when doctors tell me to get down to 180 I point out that when I was wearing size 28 jeans I was 220 pounds.

 

It's tough Otto. I had a stroke five years ago, so I decided to continue the exercises I learned in rehab. My weight was up to 170 (I'm 5'8"), so I added walking to my routine. I only do a mile three or four days a week, in addition to light weights, bands, crunches, and other balance exercises. I managed to lose about 15 pounds or so. I have been pretty stable between 155 and 160. Being close to 70, I think this is acceptable. Considering I weighed about 120 in 1970,I have gained about 35-40 pounds in 46 years. I've maintained my weight for two years. I also cut down on my food intake. I'm a fiend for salty things at night, so I've reduced them. It's hard, but I applaud any efforts to fight this battle. I need to acknowledge Jeff for inspiring me to challenge myself. Go to it, Otto!

 

It takes perseverance, so I know you can do it.

I broke 210lbs on a 5-11 frame back in 2014. That was enough for me. I changed my eating habits significantly, eating anything I wanted, just no in gigantic proportions. I did cut back on breads and sweets, but did not eliminate them. I wanted a diet I could live with and ultimately called it the "Jeff, Don't Eat Like A Hog" diet. I lost 30 lbs in about five months and have stayed that way for over two years using mainly portion control. If I go to a restaurant, I eat half of what they bring, putting it in a carryout box before I even start. I also ride bikes and walk nearly every day. I have found that the hardest part of exercise is just starting. The key to my success was replacing bad habits with better ones, to the point that when I went to Europe for two weeks in 2014, I came back weighing exactly the same as when I left.

Weigh yourself every day, but don't fret over little ups and downs. Watch the trend. Consider using something like MyFitnessPal.

My best pal from high school (we talk nearly every day) has lost almost 95 pounds in the past year by doing essentially the same scale.

 

Thanks all for the support.

KB, the atkins/keto diet will absolutely work, and I especially like the bacon part, however the goal is a lifestyle I can handle day to day which will include the occasional beer and pasta (my mother is a native Italian after all!). Bacon.

Slip, I know I'll make it now, since the rogues will harass me to no end if I fail. I'm also quitting a side job I had that kept me travelling most weekends, eating healthy while travelling was always difficult.

I'll post updates as I go.

 

I lost sixty pounds in sixty days eating lean meat and raw veggies. Mr. Atkins can go stuff his diet.

 

I know Otto can do it because he's motivated. What concerns me is the kids that are overweight or obese. Very sad.