From fat to fit

[Vuk]

There was a time that I would practice martial arts at least 3 hours a day, for five days a week. I did grueling physical labor, and was extremely strong, had good endurance, and was flexible. Depression set in, my standards dropped and I started eating way too much and working way too little. I was still really strong, but got a gut and lost my endurance. Fastforward a few years and I fall off a roof I am putting up and shatter my leg, ankle, and foot. I end up with a greatly reduced ankle joint and titanium plates holding me together. It took me over a year to learn to walk in a way that was even half-way normal. Even now I am constantly in pain, even doing my therapy and have greatly reduced functionality. Spending so long not being able to walk, and even now, just being able to walk, I blew up like a balloon. I just found out this Sunday that I weigh in at an extremely healthy 361.6lbs. Impressive, I know.
How do I know this? My new job has a gym and two fitness coordinators who have agreed to help me come up with a plan and to coach me so that I can lose weight and get back into shape. I just got my benchmark done and had a whole lot of bad news, but it is not over yet. A little over a week from now I have a cholesterol screening, and am sure that I will meet with even more depression-inducing knowledge.
My goals are simple:
1. To lose my excess fat.
2. To strengthen my injured leg and regain enough flexibility to walk normally again.
3. To gain the general body strength and flexibility it takes to possibly take up martial arts again someday.
4. To increase my endurance.
5. To have some self-respect again.

The fifth one is psychological issue that is gonna take more that just getting into shape ~;), but the rest are purely physical.
My trainer and I decided to break my program up into stages:

1. Month one: Get a basic cardio base to be able to work from. She has me doing an hour of cardio a day, six days a week. I am cannot run, job, etc., so all of my cardio is on the bike, the elliptical, and the rowing machine.
2. Months two-four: Continue with cardio and flexibility and work in strength training. I am going to cut down to five days a week and increase my work-outs by a half hour of light strength training. Cardio and strength will both be done every day.
3. Months five-ten: Increase the intensity. Cutting down to four days a week and staggering cardio and strength (cardio - upper body - cardio - lower body). The goal is to start getting really serious about strength training now that the cardio is at an acceptable level and my body is used to being worked. Cardio we will also be looking to push to the limits, now that a heart attack will not be as much of a concern.
4. Months eleven-twelve: We are going to start working in things that we off-limit before (light running, jumping jacks, etc.).
After one years she is going to evaluate my progress and make a decision of whether or not she thinks that it would be a good idea for me to try to take up martial arts in some capacity or another.
She wanted a two year timeline, but I insisted on shortening it. I don't think she has a lot of confidence in my ability to apply myself and carry through with it, but I do. I am sick to death of existing how I have the last two years. This is a big journey for me, as I (both literally and figuratively) fell down the proverbial ladder and have to climb my way back up from rock bottom.
Wish me luck.

Weekly weigh-in:
361.6
357.4
357
352.6
352.8
354.4
351.6
352.6
N/A
351.4
350.2
351
350.4
348
N/A
353

[Gregoshi]

All the best Vuk. Sounds like you are off to a good start. Go Vuk! Go! :cheerleader:

[SwordsMaster]

That seems like a good programme Vuk.
Some tips I've picked up which you should feel free to disregard if they're not useful.
Keep focused on the goal.
Post a 'before' picture on the fridge. It will do wonders for those cravings.
Get rid of all junk at home. Including bread, pasta, and white rice. Sweets should be fruit.
Booze - as little as possible. When you do drink avoid processed soft drinks, and try to stick to wine.
Diet is paramount, as you know from years of training. I found dramatically increasing protein in the morning kept me sated longer.
Beans and broccoli. When in doubt. And fish.
Get loads of sleep.

Good luck!

[Crandar]

Go swimming, if there's any swimming pool available. It's the best way to burn calories and it does magic things with kinetic or bone issues.

[wooly_mammoth]

Taff yeah, what a nice inspiring post. Get strong vuk!

[Greyblades]

It seems like everyone I get to know on this board has some form of depression.

[Vuk]

That seems like a good programme Vuk.
Some tips I've picked up which you should feel free to disregard if they're not useful.
Keep focused on the goal.
Post a 'before' picture on the fridge. It will do wonders for those cravings.
Get rid of all junk at home. Including bread, pasta, and white rice. Sweets should be fruit.
Booze - as little as possible. When you do drink avoid processed soft drinks, and try to stick to wine.
Diet is paramount, as you know from years of training. I found dramatically increasing protein in the morning kept me sated longer.
Beans and broccoli. When in doubt. And fish.
Get loads of sleep.

Good luck!
The before picture I have not done as I don't have a camera anymore. :P On the diet, I agree. That is the hardest part for me. Exercise has always come easier to me than dieting.
I have been trying very hard to work more fish and beans into my diet.


Go swimming, if there's any swimming pool available. It's the best way to burn calories and it does magic things with kinetic or bone issues.

There is not a swimming pool, unfortunately. When it warms up though, I am planning on swimming. I get bad cramps when I swim usually, so I cannot do it too much.

[Vuk]

1 week later.
357.4lbs
WIP

[a completely inoffensive name]

Keep at it dude

[SwordsMaster]

1 week later.
357.4lbs
WIP

4 lb in a week is good going man. Keep your focus!

[a completely inoffensive name]

Btw, I expect an update on your weight every week. Think of it as extra motivation towards reaching your goal.

[Vuk]

Btw, I expect an update on your weight every week. Think of it as extra motivation towards reaching your goal.

I weigh myself every Tuesday, so I will post it tomorrow.

[Vuk]

357. :(
My diet has improved and the intensity of my workout has increased. I don't understand this. Next week will be better for sure.

[a completely inoffensive name]

357. :(
My diet has improved and the intensity of my workout has increased. I don't understand this. Next week will be better for sure.

Count calories, don't let a single (or even a few) week(s) discourage you. Keep doing research on workouts tailored to your goals. I'm not an expert, I only go to the gym 5 times a week for only 45 minutes each.

[SwordsMaster]

357. :(
My diet has improved and the intensity of my workout has increased. I don't understand this. Next week will be better for sure.

Muscle weights more than fat. Keep at it. You're beginning to build muscle to move your bulk around.

[Beskar]

Vuk, if you are going more intense with your workout, you are converting the fat into muscle. So you won't 'loss weight', but you are losing fat. You also have to remember when starting to loss weight, it is generally the water which gets affected first, which is called 'water-weight'.

Honestly, keep up the determination and commitment, and you will succeed.

[Andres]

357. :(
My diet has improved and the intensity of my workout has increased. I don't understand this. Next week will be better for sure.

Don't worry too much about that.

I once managed to lose about 55 lbs and it took quiet a lot of patience. Stick to the healthy food (but sin once in a while or you'll never succeed) and the exercising and eventually, you'll be fine.

Losing weight is one step and all by all, it's doable once you're in the routine and get disciplined enough. The hardest part is to keep your weight once you're done dieting. You need to be determined to eat and drink healthy for the rest of your life (but by all means, dare to sin every once in a while).

[Papewaio]

I lost 12kg in four months nine years ago. I lost very little in the first two months and then it melted off.

When you weigh yourself during the day will impact how much you weigh. You fluctuate 2-4 pounds a day. Think about it that good glass of water is great, but if you have one before you weigh in you will unfairly beat yourself up about being a pound heavier.

Key things to remember is that you can hit weight loss on several fronts:
Diet
Exercise
Routine
Snacks
Sleep

Do not underestimate quality routine sleep. Not only do you burn more calories sleeping then watching TV, but good sleep improves Leptin use. If you get poor sleep as a guy you will get carbohydrate cravings and a host of other health sabotaging issues. Regular, routine, eight hours of sleep. So avoid caffeine late in the day and alcohol (it makes you sleepy but the detox of the alcohol drops the quality of the sleep).

Snacks; these are your secret weapon in weight loss. Eat the right snacks and your weight will drop. Eat a boiled egg, nuts, protein, fat. Make your own snacks, save money and you know what goes into them. Set up a routine and keep to it.

Now for the boring bit, keep a food diary. It often shocks people when they realize what and how much they eat. It is often the poor quality sweet snacks and extra sugar we sneak in that is the culprit.

Body weight exercises are inversely difficult to your weight. So look at adding light weights that keep away from your ankles. A lot of athletes with leg injuries walk in water as it supports their body weight, provides resistance and the water cools the body so it needs to burn energy to keep warm.

You weight will go up and down. But with enough sleep, the right food, increasing exercise and plenty of water you will see improvements.

[TheElusiveSniper]

You can do it Vuk.

:2thumbsup:

[Vuk]

352.6
That is more like it. Thanks for the encouragement all. I cannot understand it. This last week I did way less exercise than the week before (missed 3 days, and the others were shorter and less intense than usual) on account of crazy life messing everything up, and my diet suffered really badly. Somehow I lost over four pounds when I lost almost nothing the week before. lol Who am I to question? :P This week I am getting back on track. Worked like a trooper today and will for the rest of the week too.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Any updates?

[Vuk]

352.8
I have no one to blame but myself. I got stressed and ate a lot of garbage that un-did a lot of hard work I put in this week.

[a completely inoffensive name]

352.8
I have no one to blame but myself. I got stressed and ate a lot of garbage that un-did a lot of hard work I put in this week.

It's only week two dude, mistakes happen. You got this.

[wooly_mammoth]

352.8
I have no one to blame but myself. I got stressed and ate a lot of garbage that un-did a lot of hard work I put in this week.

Taff that attitude. I see a difference of almost 10 lbs in your favor between the first and last logs and a clear downward trend. Which is awesome. You got no choice but to fight on and never surrender. -.-

[Vuk]

Taff that? Have a found another Thief fan on this forum?!

[wooly_mammoth]

Yup, I'm a total fanboy of the series. Along with rtw, thief 1 & 2 deserve to be sent into outer space as a testament of the creative genius human beings possess. To a lesser extent I like thief 3. It had a chilling story and was a great game in its own right, but it didn't rise to the summit of the first games. I can't be bothered with that reboot from a couple of years ago. It's an insult to what are otherwise artistic masterpieces. I'd punch the guys responsible for that release to be honest.

Now, in case my comment wasn't exactly clear, what I wanted to say is that you should never feel disheartened if your weight fluctuates or you fail at a work-out planned for a given day. The human body has its limits and when you fall flat it means you pushed yourself beyond them. And that should make you feel very happy because it means next time you will perform a little bit better, and little by little you will get where you want to be. The only condition is that you never surrender and keep fighting even if results come at a slow pace.

Edit:

I can keep track of your progress if you want. Looking good so far. :yes:

https://i.imgur.com/szbyZmY.jpg

[Vuk]

Yup, I'm a total fanboy of the series. Along with rtw, thief 1 & 2 deserve to be sent into outer space as a testament of the creative genius human beings possess. To a lesser extent I like thief 3. It had a chilling story and was a great game in its own right, but it didn't rise to the summit of the first games. I can't be bothered with that reboot from a couple of years ago. It's an insult to what are otherwise artistic masterpieces. I'd punch the guys responsible for that release to be honest.

Now, in case my comment wasn't exactly clear, what I wanted to say is that you should never feel disheartened if your weight fluctuates or you fail at a work-out planned for a given day. The human body has its limits and when you fall flat it means you pushed yourself beyond them. And that should make you feel very happy because it means next time you will perform a little bit better, and little by little you will get where you want to be. The only condition is that you never surrender and keep fighting even if results come at a slow pace.

Edit:

I can keep track of your progress if you want. Looking good so far. :yes:

https://i.imgur.com/sAYbRKG.jpg

Yeah, I agree completely. Thief 1&2 are amongst the greatest games ever made. I was not a fan of Thief 3 or the reboot. And yeah, I would punch Jonathan Jacques-belletête if I could too.

I know what you mean, but I just slipped up. I ate a ton of garbage food. I just gotta get the diet end of things inline. Thanks for the graph!

[Vuk]

My weigh-in will be late this week, as unfortunate family circumstances and health problems have kept me out of the gym for the last few days. Tomorrow I will be meeting with my fitness coordinator to discuss how to move forward with my recent addition to my health problems family in a safe way, and will weigh in then.

[Vuk]

354.4
I don't feel so bad this time, as I have a really good reason. I torqued my left knee really badly, and the doc thinks I tore my meniscal cartilage. Spoke with my fitness coordinator and we have revised my plan accordingly.

[wooly_mammoth]

Guess you'll be focusing on the upper body until you fix that up.

I damaged my left knee as well, in Russia of all the places, some months ago (I don't live there, just ended up going on a work-related subject). :shame:

Returning at a late hour from work, take bad darkness, bad terrain, bad ice and some really bad boots. I slipped (actually the second time in my life when I slip on ice) and managed to end up parallel to the ground as I was in mid air (amazing, I know). I heard a cracking sound from my knee as that happened but I was too focused on not falling on my back and dying there since I had so many rtw campaigns to finish.

I have no idea how I pulled it off but I managed to land on my feet, curled up and with my arms opened sideways. And with a grandmother of a pain in my knee. I limped all the way home, but next morning I felt pretty good. I can walk, run, sit absolutely normally but I can't perform a squat without feeling a lot pain. Haven't seen a doc yet, it's a bit problematic to find a competent one where I live now. Here, you need to be either lucky and never have health issues or be tough as hobnails and never need medical services, because as soon as you do, you're pretty much screwed. I suppose (hope) it'll fix itself up in time.

[Vuk]

Guess you'll be focusing on the upper body until you fix that up.

I damaged my left knee as well, in Russia of all the places, some months ago (I don't live there, just ended up going on a work-related subject). :shame:

Returning at a late hour from work, take bad darkness, bad terrain, bad ice and some really bad boots. I slipped (actually the second time in my life when I slip on ice) and managed to end up parallel to the ground as I was in mid air (amazing, I know). I heard a cracking sound from my knee as that happened but I was too focused on not falling on my back and dying there since I had so many rtw campaigns to finish.

I have no idea how I pulled it off but I managed to land on my feet, curled up and with my arms opened sideways. And with a grandmother of a pain in my knee. I limped all the way home, but next morning I felt pretty good. I can walk, run, sit absolutely normally but I can't perform a squat without feeling a lot pain. Haven't seen a doc yet, it's a bit problematic to find a competent one where I live now. Here, you need to be either lucky and never have health issues or be tough as hobnails and never need medical services, because as soon as you do, you're pretty much screwed. I suppose (hope) it'll fix itself up in time.

Take it easy man. Do you mind if I ask where you live?

Yeah, we are gonna be focusing on upper body and core. A lot of sitting upper body exercising (which I hate because they are too localized) and body resistance core exercising. My fitness coordinator wanted to focus on the upper body, but I wanted to focus on the core. We compromised. Apparently, my core is actually really strong she says, but my upper body is very weak.

[wooly_mammoth]

Ofc I'm taking it easy. I live in Romania, which has plenty of ups and plenty of downs. The quality of medical services is one such down.

Now, get back to getting fit & stronk. :boxing: I wanna see that plot plummet in the following weeks. :yes:

[Vuk]

351.6
On the right track again.

[wooly_mammoth]

yup (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?148878-From-fat-to-fit&p=2053634730&viewfull=1#post2053634730) :yes: (updated plot)

[A Nerd]

You'll be a lean machine in not time vuk. Keep it up. :)

[wooly_mammoth]

Don't keep us in the shadows vuk! What's this week's progress? :boxing:

[Vuk]

352.6
Another slight regression. I am starting to be able to do squats again though, so that is gonna help.

[wooly_mammoth]

Hey, 2 months in and ~10 pounds less (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?148878-From-fat-to-fit&p=2053634730&viewfull=1#post2053634730), I call that a win. Keep it up. :boxing:

[wooly_mammoth]

wth vuk, it's 2-3 days past the scheduled weight-in. You don't need to lose weight every week, but you do need the will of an angry, angry honey badger and discipline, discipline, discipline. :whip::whip::whip:

[Vuk]

I know, I haven't been to the gym to weigh in, because they had me working during the hours the gym was open this week. (it is a small gym that my employer operates, and it is only open ten hours a day. I cannot go early to use it, because my carpool doesn't want to get up early)
I have been replicating my work-out here at home as best as I can with the equipment I have. I will weigh in next time I am there.

[wooly_mammoth]

Oh, ok. Well, sounds like a good motivation: get fit so you can punch everyone who's giving you a hard time to reach the gym. :boxing:

[Vuk]

351.4
Progress is good. Of course that is two week progress, because I skipped a weigh in.

[wooly_mammoth]

updated accordingly (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?148878-From-fat-to-fit&p=2053634730&viewfull=1#post2053634730).

[Beskar]

Been working out myself, it is difficult.

[Vuk]

Been working out myself, it is difficult.

True story.
Especially when you are working two jobs. The diet is even harder.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I have been working out by myself between midnight and 1am. I like it because there are not that many people in the gym but I'm afraid that I won't be able to meet my personal goals once I graduate and the university gym no longer accepts me.

[Vuk]

350.2
Not a lot, but at least it is still the right direction.

[Gregoshi]

Vuk, I've found that any progress is inspiring to continue. Last July I weighed 242 pounds. I started walking much more than I'd been, swam laps in a pool (for only a few months) and started changing my diet. As the weight dropped, I found it easier to walk more/farther and eat better. By February I hit 212 - 30 pounds lost and was quite happy about that. There were weeks I didn't lose any weight. That was frustrating, but heightened my awareness of eating, walking and swimming. This first half of 2015 with our move back to the US coming up, I stopped most of the walking I'd been doing (I stopped swimming in October). Fortunately, the diet stayed the same and so did my weight. However, the lack of long term progress kind of killed the drive continue to drop. Now that I'm back in the US, I've managed to adjust my eating habits to the "new" foods and have dropped another pound or two. I haven't started walking yet, but the unexpected loss in weight has me thinking more about seriously starting it up again.

Anyway, I guess the purpose of my story is to be happy for progress and use it to keep you focused and inspired in your efforts. I'm cheering for you in your journey!

[wooly_mammoth]

updated plot (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?148878-From-fat-to-fit&p=2053634730&viewfull=1#post2053634730).

Stop being hard on yourself (in this sense) vuk. Everytime that you connect two consecutive points with a line having a negative slope, you have scored a heroic victory. :boxing:

[Vuk]

351

[wooly_mammoth]

updated plot (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?148878-From-fat-to-fit&p=2053634730&viewfull=1#post2053634730)

The gain in weight in very small, probably in the error margin of the device you use to measure. No matter how you look at it, that thing is going down. Keep up the work! Never surrender! :boxing:

[a completely inoffensive name]

Any progress this week vuk?

[Vuk]

350.4
Not a lot. :P
I have been letting the exercise slip too much.

[wooly_mammoth]

I'll plot the progress tomorrow. I am certain that if you mount your will against it, you will POW straight through this weight threshold, vuk! :boxing:

[a completely inoffensive name]

I believe in you vuk, if you stay consistent, you will be amazed at how much you will have lost.

[Vuk]

Yeah, it is the staying consistent that is hard now. It was much easier when I started because I was working part time. Now I have a second job so I am working 40-60 hours a week, depending on the week, and I am taking online courses. I have been going to the gym only once a week, and one week I missed it. It is so hard to plan ahead, because my hours are always random.
I just gotta find ways to stay consistent with it.

[Vuk]

348

[wooly_mammoth]

Yey! :boxing:

As soon as I get to the computer where I store your plot, I will update it with all the new figures.

[Gregoshi]

That's gotta feel good. :2thumbsup:

[wooly_mammoth]

updated plot (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?148878-From-fat-to-fit&p=2053634730&viewfull=1#post2053634730)

If we make a really crude analysis, you lost 13.6 lbs in 14 weeks, meaning an average loss of 0.97 lbs per week. Breddy good, keep aiming high! :boxing:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gHXnnZR8tA

[Bramborough]

Just now picked up on this thread. Vuk, I've experienced what you're going through multiple times...I'm a big guy and have battled weight constantly throughout my adult life (am late 40's).

In the past, I'd lose weight by running a lot and drastically decreasing calorie intake (of all types). In the short term, it would work...more than once I've lost 50+lb in just a few months. The weight loss was welcome and I felt good about it...but I'd tire myself out, kind of exhaust myself with long-term unsustainable diet/exercise pattern. I'd stop running. I'd give in to the urge for a burger more often. Then I'd rationalize that my weight was down much closer to what I needed/wanted, and could therefore go back to "normal". The problem was, through such intense short-term measures, I'd never really educated and acclimated myself to what the new "normal" should be. Sure enough...within a year I'd ballooned up again.

My point is, don't be discouraged by the small weight drops and occasional gains. That weekly weigh-in is important, but can counter-intuitively become a distraction if you over-emphasize it, to the point of "gaming" your diet/exercise over Sun-Mon just to ensure you see a desired drop on Tuesday...which then sets up a little temptation to "go easy" on Wed-Fri. You can certainly make your targets this way...but you won't be learning the new habits you need to keep the weight off long term.

I'm now on the sixth major weight-loss "campaign" of my life, but doing it completely different this time. I'm not weighing myself weekly...or even monthly. Only the customary weight-check during regular visits to the doctor's office. I'm not monitoring calories. I'm not exercising on any particular regimen. In fact, I'm not on any "plan", with any "goals" or "schedule" at all.

What I have done is make some lifestyle & diet changes, to try to redefine "normal" for myself. Some examples (just highlights, not everything I'm doing):

- I've cut soda out entirely. Coke, Dr Pepper, even the diet versions. Gone. And guess what...I don't miss them.
- About 80-90% reduction in alcohol. I wasn't close to "alcoholic" before, but a beer or wine with dinner was a 4-5 times/week thing. Now it's more like once a week.
- French fries. Gone. At first I thought this was going to be the hardest, but have been pleasantly surprised.
- Desserts & sweet snacks (cookies, candy, cake, pie, etc). Gone, as a matter of routine. Exceptions for holidays only (can't have Thanksgiving without pecan pie...just can't do it, and not gonna try).
- As far as exercise, I do some cardio a few times a week (elliptical). The thing is, I don't do it because I know it'll help me lose weight, but because I feel better afterward. The point being, to think of the exercise as an end in itself and just a part of my everyday life, instead of a means to a goal (implicitly leaving open the question of what happens when I meet that goal).

Well, it's working. Even without weekly weigh-ins, I know the weight is dropping off, just from my clothes' fit, digging back into the closet for clothes I haven't worn for several years. The occasional doctor's office visits confirm. The important thing is, I'm not directly trying to lose weight, at least not as a primary goal in itself. I'm just finally making a concerted effort to change the underlying habits, to redefine the "normal" that I need to be healthier. And letting the weight loss take care of itself in the process.

The particulars may not be applicable to you, I'm not suggesting that you do it this way. By all means, go with what your trainers are recommending; they're far more qualified than I am. I've written a lot, but the main point I'm trying to get across: Losing weight is only half the battle...keeping it off long-term is the harder challenge. There are many people who successfully do the first, but then fail at the second; I myself have done so many times (and have seen friends/family do the same). Don't let yourself fall into that trap...avoid intensive "crash" diet or exercise regimens, and aggressive weight-loss goals in the short/medium term.

Instead, define what you want/need your "new normal" to be...and then simply start living it, getting accustomed to it (or working towards that, instead of working toward a number on a scale). The weight will take care of itself.

[Vuk]

353 I missed a weekly weigh-in too. Last week I did not go to the gym once.

[wooly_mammoth]

No update in one month. Not even sure if you are still working on it or not. Just I case you quit, I'll give you some free advice: throw some cold water in your face, slap yourself a couple of times and then start over, otherwise you'll force me to track you down and apply the cold water + slapping treatment to you. -.-

[Vuk]

Still working on the diet part of it. I am actually getting that down a lot better when I am not exercising. I will be going back to the exercise soon. Right now I am working 65 hours a week and my second job is not easy on the body. I am quitting it in about a month when I get fulltime at my main job. Exercise will resume then.