Tired of being Fit-2-Sit?

[pixelwonk]

A while back, M6 made a CAPblog post about being Fit-2-Fly, as opposed to the "Chairforce spoof "Fit-2_Sit." 
Those who have been to tedda.net know that I've begun my own process of trying to induce my metabolism to surpass my daily intake. Just my way of avoiding the dreaded diet word.  For those who haven't visited the site, in the interest of full disclosure, my 6"3' frame carried just over 294 lbs as recently as January 13th.  I was am a Gomer Pyle Jelly-donut-hiding fatbody.  I hid them in my gut, since nobody would look there.  Being obese has made me spend extra money on more uniforms, as well as prevented me from flying.  I couldn't fit in the rear seats well, as well as I was ashamed about divulging my weight for weight 'n balance calcs.

Since then I've seriously altered my eating habits by way of Weight Watchers, and I try to get active at least 4 days a week.  That is the hardest part, however, and I need motivation!  I began the President's Challenge and have gotten the active lifestyle award and am now working towards the bronze champion's award.  ...Not that I'll actually order them, but they serve as milestones to work for. 

The biggest motivator for me, however is a site I found called Traineo.  Traineo is free, and unique because it presents a way to track my progress in virtually an unlimited number of ways.  For instance, I've lost 108 sticks of butter (in weight, of course) so far.  I can track my weight, BMI, waistline etc... all in visual graphs.  Seeing my progress on the screen keeps me motivated which allows me to head to the Y tomorrow, even though I'm kick-butt tired today.

Traineo at a glance:

traineo's idea is simple: join traineo for free and pick up to 4 friends or members of your family (who will become your 'traineo motivators') to receive weekly email updates on your progress towards your weight loss and fitness goals. Our easy-to-use software allows you to choose what you'd like traineo to report to your motivators so they can give you the motivation, support and accountability you need to achieve your goals.
Stay accountable, reach your goals!
Been to the gym today? Record this in a couple of clicks and see how many calories you burned. traineo will report your totals to your motivators at the end of each week.

Keep your diet on track
Have you stuck to your diet today? traineo will give you a daily 'training diet rating' to easily gauge how good you've been. Visualize your progress See how your workouts and diet compare over time with intuitive graphs and see if you're on target to reach your goals.

Keep in touch with your 'motivators'
Exchange messages with your 'traineo motivators' straight from your online account.

Meet others in the traineo community
Share weight loss tips, give your fellow members encouragement or talk about anything else!
Get your personal traineo.com page!

You'll have your very own traineo.com domain where you can leave comments on your progress or comment on other pages with ease!

Anyway, I wanted to share this with the online CAP community, in particular my peers who are like minded and want to buy new pants and poke holes in their belts.  With that in mind, I've created the "Donut Eating S'members" group on Traineo. Surely, not everybody is a Gomer Pyle Jelly-donut-hiding fatbody like me, but I'd bet that a lot of us feel that they'd like to get active,shed a few pounds and see their results.  Well... do it with the encouragement and motivation of your CAP friends!  Seeing it on the screen will keep you motivated until you start seeing it in the mirror too.  Then keep going and cheer your CAP friends on!

* tedda does not work for Weight Watchers, or traineo

* tedda is not a medical professional and does not advise activity without the consultation of a physician.

* tedda is done with these disclaimers now.

[DrJbdm]

Way to go Tedda!!! losing weight and getting healthy is a fantastic way to feel better in every aspect of your life!

Traineo seems like a great site, I'm going to sign up as well for it. I have about 30 pounds to lose to be where I would like to be and I would need to lose 50 pounds to be at my College weight, but seeing how I was skin and bones in College (28 or 30 waist) and couldn't pick up woman, I better plan to lose only about 30 pounds! (I'm wearing a 36 waist now...wanna go down to a 32) Of course I better nix the idea of picking up women now, my wife just wouldn't understand that..She may just have a small problem with that activity!

[Lancer]

Way to go Tedd! You don't waste any time putting stuff together do ya! 

Thanks for doing that btw... I'm all signed up on Traineo now.

Love the logo too!



Lunch time now... I guess I'm going to go do my best impression of Jared and go to Subway today.  :angel:

[Psicorp]

Good Job!

About a year ago, She Who Must Be Obeyed decreed that there was going to be some menu restrictions initiated in the house.  Her plan was the South Beach Diet, at least in format.   The first two weeks of that diet are a nightmare...no carbohydrates of any kind.  In the end, what occured was more of a lifestyle change.  Splenda now has replaced sugar 99% of the time and meals have become a bit more balanced.   Switching from full Coke to Diet Coke actually shaved off about 400 calories per day, which is rather significant.   

If you change the stance from one of "i need to lose weight / eat better" and make it into a lifestyle change, it really works.

Again, well done and good luck!!

[pixelwonk]

Splenda rocks my world these days!

[SAR-EMT1]

Im at the opposite end of the spectrum. Since Jr High School Ive not gained an ounce... a result of abnormally high metabolism. I have a 30 inch waist and weigh in at 120. Good- for a teen female... Except Im 22 and a firefighter and an EMT. I need poundage and I need muscle. But Ive been on a carb loading program since I started college. - Any ideas?
Potatoes and donuts are burnt off before I stand up from the table, A Gallon of milk just makes me pee... A Liter a cola just makes me hyper and shakey.

But Tedda- congrats on the plan. Hope ya get down to a 40 by the 4th of July.

[ColonelJack]

I tried the Atkins diet for two weeks.

Lost 14 days.

Jack

[Pumbaa]

SAR-EMT1 Eat big...

Protein is very important.. Carbs alone will do nothing.  Lift big, eat big to gain muscle.

You should be eating a ton of clean calories none of this empty calorie stuff.  Lean chicken, turkey, egg whites.  Lots of green veggies, fruit, REAL oatmeal, sweet potato.  Get away from the white carbs.

THis way you will gain lean muscle.

I recomend you go to T-Nation.com, some of the best reading and advise on gaining muscle.

[RiverAux]

The only thing I really don't like about the Presidential fitness site is that every now and again the weeks get reset without me doing anything.  For example, for a while my workout week was Sunday through Saturday, then it got reset to Saturday through Sunday.  The last time something like that happened it cost me a star that I had already earned. 

Then this past week I found where you could reset your week AND IT ERASED ALL THE STUFF I HAD DONE BEFORE!!!!!  You wouldn't think it would be too hard to have an option to set whatever weekly periods you want without having to lose all your prior stuff. 

[RogueLeader]

Any way to gain weight?  I could use at least 10 to 15, and no, I don't want anybody elses.

[Al Sayre]

Sit on your butt in front of the TV and consume mass quantities.

[RogueLeader]

Hasn't worked yet.......I've tried

[Monty]

Any way to gain weight?  I could use at least 10 to 15, and no, I don't want anybody elses.

Check it out; somehow, through running and doing push-ups and eating less, I've somehow GAINED weight.

Granted it's been ounces per day, but since the day I logged into that site of Tedda's (not that he has any influence on the matter) I've gone up.

Understand that I don't have a weight issue but I find it ironic that I run 5 miles a day, eat significantly less (the idea was to drop 2-3 lbs in order to "play along") and instead, I'm adding it on!

Can't explain it; feel great, looking great (per my bride, who likes the tone I'm developing) and somehow, it works opposite for me in contrast to others.

Case and point: today.  5.25 mile run yesterday, SMALL light dinner last night, NOTHING yet but a cup of coffee and a diet soda (bride's cooking now.....I'm famished.....was on the go and had no time to grab a bite today) and I hop on the scale - went up again!  WTF?

156.2 lbs and climbing,
-Monty

PS - There's some TMI that might be the culprit....an absence of *ahem* "constitutionals" that haven't happened recently.....after that happens, it might explain what the weight was from.   

[NEBoom]

OK, I'm in the group.  Time to get serious about this.....stuff.    Would like to get back into AF style uniforms someday soon!

[pixelwonk]

PS - There's some TMI that might be the culprit....an absence of *ahem* "constitutionals" that haven't happened recently.....after that happens, it might explain what the weight was from.   

TMI Indeed. 
Don't forget you could be retaining water.  Get in at least 48 oz a day or else the body may retain it for you.
Trust me, 48oz sounds like copious amounts, but it really helps.

And all...  to be clear, this is not MY site. 
Just one I found helpful in my weight loss journey.

[Monty]

And all...  to be clear, this is not MY site. 

Oh yeah?  Then why did you ask me for my credit card number?

Oh, and one last thing....no, I will not buy your Amway soap either!

Quit pushing your sales on me!

[RogueLeader]

And all...  to be clear, this is not MY site. 

Oh yeah?  Then why did you ask me for my credit card number?

Oh, and one last thing....no, I will not buy your Amway soap either!

Quit pushing your sales on me!

I'm rolling on the floor laughing 

[aveighter]

Check it out; somehow, through running and doing push-ups and eating less, I've somehow GAINED weight.

Granted it's been ounces per day, but since the day I logged into that site of Tedda's (not that he has any influence on the matter) I've gone up.

Understand that I don't have a weight issue but I find it ironic that I run 5 miles a day, eat significantly less (the idea was to drop 2-3 lbs in order to "play along") and instead, I'm adding it on!

Can't explain it; feel great, looking great (per my bride, who likes the tone I'm developing) and somehow, it works opposite for me in contrast to others.

156.2 lbs and climbing,
-Monty

Muscle is more dense than fat.  In a fitness program, a better metric is sometimes mesurement change rather than absolute weight loss.  In some circumstances weight may indeed increase, but measurements (such as waist line) should be in moving in the right direction.

Kudos to everyone of you choosing to do the hard work of defeating obesity.  The payoff is worth it.

[Robert Hartigan]

Muscle is more dense. I have been on Bill Phillips Body-For-Life program since Nov 2006. I have not drop a pound. I have shaved 4.5 inches off my waist and added 4 inches to my chest. The only problem I am having is eating 6 times a day. The best is the energy level! Oh yeah there is also the added benefit of be able to beat the cadets in sit ups.

[SAR-EMT1]

As for weight loss with an fitness plan:  usually gain 5-10 pounds first. But its ALL Muscle and then shortly thereafter you drop fat.
Dome guys though just transfer the bulk- the stomach jelly disappears and the Rock Hard biceps abs and thighs appear.

[floridacyclist]

I entered basic training at 140 pounds and was always being told to eat more in order to put on weight; they all said I was too skinny. I left active-duty at 165, which was probably about right.

For a long time after that, I rode a bicycle everywhere (especially after my ex took off with the car leaving the kids and I with just our bikes) and managed to put on about 40 miles a day, mostly commuting to work as it was about 15 miles one way. Between my youthful metabolism and all the miles, I was able to eat like a horse and get away with it.

Then I moved to a house about 35mi from work and started back to driving.

Then I got re-married and although we moved back into town (we had 5 kids between us and her house was much bigger), I didn't start back to riding as we worked in the same building and often our commute was our only time together without younguns.

Then I was transferred at work to a helpdesk position where I mostly sat in the server room all day long and rarely left my office except to walk 15 yards across the hall.

Then somewhere in the middle of all that, I hit my mid-30s...

and kept eating like a horse.

The results were pretty predictable although I did read some popular literature regarding high-protein diets and did my best to eliminate carbs (which I figured was great for me because I am a carnivore from the word go and this gave me a great excuse to get rid of all the useless bread in sandwiches and go for what I came for...the meat).

Last year, I hit 260 which is about 100 pounds over what the Air Force says I should weigh at 5'6" (they actually measured me at 5'7" recently and I am wondering when that extra inch snuck in there) and realized that whatever I was doing was not working. Being 3 digits overweight made it a little harder to claim "a few pounds" overweight and I figured I had better do something if I wanted to be around for my grandkids or even look decent in a uniform and keep up with the cadets.

My wife and I started free classes through our health-care provider. They pay for all of our health-care costs, so they are really motivated to keep us healthy and save money. We have weekly meetings and weigh-ins with a certified nutritionist who teaches about proper diet and balance and how to decipher food labels. She also goes into detail about what it is that makes humans want to eat more than they should and how marketing forces play on that in order to sell more food. We've talked about a lot of myths (including the ever-popular Atkins) and explored strategies and techniques to curb cravings or cut back on portions. None of it is rocket science as the bottom line is that you simply have to use more calories than you consume in order to lose weight, but giving up overeating is an awful lot like giving up smoking....which I did a few years ago and rewarded myself with a new Trek 520 Touring bike after a year without cigarettes.

My goal is the military ideal weight. I figured that is a good common-sense number for a healthy lifestyle (no, this isn't a diet..a diet is like duct-tape and this is more of a lifestyle change) and that if it's good enough for fighting soldiers, it's good for an active future grandpa plus it will let me back into the military uniform.

My reward (besides the better health and increased enjoyment of my life) will be a new set of blues/BDU USAF-style uniforms, a mess-dress uniform, and a tailored suit, the last two of which I have never had before. So far, I'm over halfway there with 40 lbs to go.

PS I also get rewarded when my wife makes her goal as I'm taking her on a shopping spree to Victoria's Secret 

[DogCollar]

Outstanding!!

I, too, know a little about lifestyle change.  About a year ago, I weighed 220lbs.  I wound up in the hospital with some major gut issues.  To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with crohn's disease.  My body has the near inability to metabolize fatty food.  I will be on medicine for the rest of my life, because there is no cure for this diease.  I also had to go on a very restrictive low-fat diet (simply put, no one food item with more than 6 grams of fat is allowed in my mouth!)  I also began a regular exercise program and I presently weigh 155lbs.  I am a hair over 5'7"

I commend you for looking at your issue as a new lifestyle and not merely a diet.  Wishing you best of health!