Hello,

Born: 1954.
Height: 6'6".
Weight: 278.4 pounds.
Goal: 220.
Total: -58.4

Regards,

M

M

It looks like you've a decent plan outlined! How are you going to break down your meals and your macro-nutrient intake?

You've a similar height/weight as myself and my goal is also 220 :D. I'm starting a regular 4 day per week work out plan this monday, but I've been walking and lifting at home (for a year) and have dropped down to 255 from 300. A before picture really has helped me (as well a few progress pictures), you might think about taking some even if you don't post them!

Goodluck! I am looking forward to reading about your journey!

Rogo

Rogo,

Thank you for your response. It is helpful to hear from a person of a similar height. I will have to meditate on the picture, but your point is well taken to record it. I have a long torso, large hips, large bones in my lower body, and about a 10 inch drop from my chest to natural waist. The jacket size is now a 50L, in order to accommodate the width of my shoulders.

What lifting and walking plan have you used up to this point?
What was your dietary and macro-nutrient plan to reduce and keep the weight off?
Do you have pictures or a journal on this website?
My top weight was 296, so progress has been made.
In 2007 I lost a total of only 7 pounds to reach 278.4.


Weights [15 reps to failure].

Session 1. Legs. Squats, leg press, toe raises, seated leg curl, and leg extensions.
Session 2. Arms & Chest. Arm curl, reverse curl, hammer curl, seated chest press, flyes, & pectorals.
Session 3. Back & Shoulders. Seated row, shoulder press, side arm raise, front arm raise, lat pulldown, & tricep press.
Every session. Abs.

Diet.

Sample daily menu of six meals and calories of 2200; carbs added to reach 2700 on other two days a week:
1. Kashi hi protein cereal 1.5 cups and skim organic milk 1c. 300.
2. No fat yoghurt and mixed nuts. 300.
3. Tuna, salad dressing, green beans, carrots, & sugarless fruit. 400.
4. Banana, orange, whey protein, & almonds. 350.
5. Veggie burgers [2], spinach, dressing, corn, & sugarless fruit. 540.
6. Kashi hi protein oatmeal, skim organic milk 1/4 c., 70% Lindt Chocolates [2]. 360.
Water: 25 ounces X 6.
Supplements: One Source Daily Advanced Multivitamin and Mineral for Active Adults.
Beyond that, I have not tracked or planned for macro nutrients. However, this comes to 140 grams of protein on the 2200 calorie days.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Regards,

M

Here are my measurements at 6'6".

I. Notes: Right side; natural waist; chest normal.

II. Dates:
a. 03 Sep 1978, age 24 yrs 03 mo @ 193;
b. 22 May 1982, age 27 yrs 10 mo @ 220;
c. 05 Jan 2008, age 53 yrs 06 mo @ 278.4.

Chest xxxxxx: 42 // 44 // 49

Waist xxxxxx: 30.75 // 34 // 44.5

Hips xxxxxxx: 39 // 37.5 // 47

Upper Thigh : 23.875 // 27 // 29.5

Mid Thigh xx: 21.875 // 24 // 26.5

Knee xxxxxxx: 16 // 17.5 // 18.25

Calf xxxxxxxx: 15.75 // 16.5 // 17.75

Ankle xxxxxx: 10.75 // 10.75 // 11.25

Wrist xxxxxxx: 7.25 // 7.75 // 8

Forearm Flex: 12.125 // 12.5 // 13

Bicep Flex xx: 13.125 // 14.25 // 16

Bicep Normal: 11.5 // 13 // 14.5

Neck xxxxxxx: 16.5 // 17 // 17.5.

Regards,

M

M

Here is a link to my progress thread: http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=28091

It's only been since the 4th of this month that I've taken another next step in my transformation. Prior to this I stopped eating 'fast food' (and drinking soda, but I still drank beer) I walked for at least an hour a day and I did a half-assed combination of different weight lifting exercises. I have tried to maintain a 40-40-20 ratio, but as of this week I'm going to go with a 30-40-30, carbs-protein-fat. I'm trying to stay just under 2700 calories.

I'm going to use mastover's routine, but I'm planning on a few tweaks. Here's his plan:

Monday
Bench Press: warm up, then 2-3 sets x 12 reps
Bent Row: warm up, then 2-3 sets x 15 reps
Breathing Squat: warm up, then 1 set x 20 reps
Breathing Pullover or Rader Chest Pull: 1 set x 20 reps
Straight-leg Deadlift: warm up, then 2 sets x 15 reps

Wednesday
Shoulder Press (front, behind-neck or with dumbbells): warm up, then 2 x 10
Barbell Curl: warm up then 2 x 10 Parallel Bar Dips: 1 x as many as possible, if you reach 30 reps, add weight.

Close-grip Chin with hands facing you: 1 set of as many reps as possible, if you can’t make fifteen reps on your first set, add a second set so that the cumulative reps equals fifteen. (“Cumulative reps” mean you add the reps that you got both sets together.) Add weight if you ever get to 30 reps on your first set.
Ab work
Calf Work

Friday
Repeat Monday’s workout, adding weight to any exercise that you reached the goal number of reps on the first set. Doesn’t look like much?

Keep us updated!

Rogo

Weight: 279.4.

M

Weight: 278.

M

Weight: 278.4.

M

Weight: 282.2

M

Weight: 280.2.

M

Aerobic: 4 X 15 min: 4.1 mph; 4.2. ;4.3 ; and 4.4.*
Max Training Heart Rates: 120; 125; 137; and 137.

Weight: 278.2.


M

*In addition, warm up & cool down of 3.3 mph for 2.5 minutes; and 25 minutes at L21 manual setting on exercise bike, unless otherwise noted. Weights 3X week and diet approximate original plan. Significant, because had not done heavy aerobic training for 14 years, due to possible trigger for MS symptoms. Therefore, a big deal when Dr gave medical clearance to run again.

M

Aerobic: 4 X 15 min: 4.5; 4.6; 4.7; and 4.8.
MTHR: 139; 139; 140; and 143.

Weight: 276.

M

Default Week 7
Aerobic: 4 X 15 min: 4.5; 4.6; 4.7; and 4.8.
MTHR: 139; 139; 140; and 143.

Weight: 276.

M

M

How's the progess moving along, it's been a few months, I appologize for not repsonding sooner. Hope you're still around.

:)

Rogo

Greetings,

Since last posting, now 54 years old, survival of health issues continues.

Indeed, progress has come my way on two fronts: pain and diet.

I. Pain.

The good news is that after 40 years of neck problems and often pain 10/10, due to decades of bending down to look at shorter people, bad posture, and yielding to the pain by restricting range of motion, at last there is unexpected hope on the horizon. It started with intense pain beginning in the middle of the back, circling around from the spinal cord around the rib cage to the front. When this happened, on 2 October, I could not move at all for about 15 seconds. After 4 days of this, I went to the doctor, who prescribed meds for spasms. The x-ray was negative, so he prescribed physical therapy for 7 weeks, twice a week. That turned out to be a revelation. After an initial range of motion test, which was completely abysmal, I was in such pain that it was 10/10, being dulled only by 1000 mg ibuprofen, 800 mg skelaxin [muscle relaxant], and 650 mg of darvocet. The drill became a set of neck exercises every two hours. To my surprise, it was painful, though not as bad. By the end of the third week, the variety of exercises increased, by chairs, computer, and ergonomics of the desk were configured so that I would not spend time looking down--difficult at 6'6". Right now, with weights added for 2 times a day, only one pound or two, the posture is returning to some semblance of normality. Furthermore, the efforts will continue to work around the protruding spinal process on the left side of my neck, as well as limbering up my mid-back, which is still stiff from over 4 decades of neglect. To my credit, at times my weight and fitness were OK during that interim, but never was the skeletal posture fixed.

II. Diet.

Meanwhile, I realized that part of my problem of losing weight, creeping up to the 280s from the 220 of my youth, was the carbs to kill pain, which was always 4-6/10, for 24 yours a day, for over 15 of the last 40 years. On to the diet, I decided to come to grips with all that by doing several things. The key is that it is done without being hungry.

The loss goes something like this.

First, like Mr. Stone does, I weigh myself every day. This time, no exceptions, to avoid the "I have 6 days to make up for the cheats" syndrome.

Second, I wrote down all calories. Things like prepackaged and measurable microwave meals--5 or 6 daily--work for me. Another key is cereal and milk to get the carbs to attempt to sleep through the night with the rest that I have lacked all these decades. It is working. The daily ration is 2200. Arrived at brilliantly by goal weight of 220 x 100.

Third, no cheat meals of blowing the daily calorie total. However, I eat whatever I want, with a bit of protein, to be on course.

Fourth, other than the light weights at PT, I am not weightlifting at the moment, until the regimen is complete.

Fifth, I am walking 3 miles a day at 3.3 mph for a 54:30 pace.

As a result of all this, I have dropped from 282.4 to 270 over 44 days.

The first 24 of the days was hit or miss, with no routine or record keeping, starting on 8 Sept through 6 Oct. After day 25 until now, a total of 20 days, it has been without exception.

Weight loss rate: 44 days = .2818 pounds/day & 1.97 weekly.
Strict compliance: 19 days = .3684 daily & 2.57 weekly.

My time goal is to be at 220 by my 55th birthday next summer.

258 days to go.

Cheers,

M

Greetings,

After realizing through the sorting of old diaries that I actually was up to 292.5 pounds on 23 Feb 2004, a fact I had hoped to forget, it was on 12 Sep 2008 that I started the current reduction program at 282.4.

Overall, I am now at 265.2 pounds. That is a total loss of 27.3, and in the last 64 days a loss of 17.2, or .26875 a day, and 1.88 pounds a week. I am on track to get to my target weight of 220 by my birthday, 238 days from now.

The physical therapy for my neck and back goes swimmingly, as the posture is better, my back does not hurt at all, the neck is much more flexible, and the exercises every 2 hours have reduced to 3 times a day.

THIS IS MONUMENTAL. I found out what my problem was, which was that after suffering through sever neck pain for 40 years, part of what I was dealing with was the production of cortisol, which comes regardless of what was eaten, according to my MD physician. Of course, that triggered chemical responses of hunger, and a voracious, unpredictable, insatiable desire for carbs that was uncontrollable though exercise or diet through the last 14 years of really trying to figure out how to lose it by experimenting with every combination of diet and exercise under the sun.

How is it done?

1. 3 miles a day on the treadmill at 3.3 mph, in 54:30, every day.
2. Prescribed physical therapy exercises 3 times a day, every day.
3. PT 2 times a week.
4. Diet was 2200 calories a day, but now at 2000 goal. [Only numbers written down. 5 meals a day.]
5. No heavy weights at all. Just a pound or two and bands. [More on that later.]
6. No cheat days or meals. Everything recorded. [Somewhat inexact when eating out, though on track.]

Lessons learned:

1. When I tried to ease up and do biking in the recumbent position for the same amount of time, the weight loss did not occur, so that indicates the calories burned are inaccurate.

2. I reviewed the Mayo Clinic website, punched in numbers for being 54, 6'6", and weight, and it said that weight loss would best be done at 1800 calories for those over 301 pounds, and 1600 for those 251-300, and 1400 for those under 250. While this is too stringent for me right now, I am pleased with 2000 calories a day as manageable, since the hunger does not hit me. It brought home the fact that I thought I was burning fewer calories than I thought.

3. At night, so I do not wake up hungry, I have a bowl of bran [1 cup] or cheerios [2 cups], 1 c skim milk, and one banana. Preferably, since I go to bet at 1030 pm, this is done at 9 pm, though I have a hot cup of lemon juice and water before bed, which does the trick. Should I wake up at night, then I just have a cup or so of water to slake the thirst.

4. In addition to the therapy for the specific problem, the therapist is going to educate me on proper form and technique for universal machines and weights. This is significant, as at the rehab center I find that the older clients move slower and with much lighter weights, in order to show proper form and isolate the muscles. When I mentioned that no one at the gym I attend does that [being consumed with throwing around large weights--imagine that?] she was quick to confirm this. So I am relearning everything from scratch and will have this for a maintenance program so that I do not get in problems from the pain again.

5. I find John's template of weighing daily, as well as recording what was eaten, an invaluable model.

Regards,

M

That's great that the chronic pain is going away, that has to make everything in life seem more enjoyable.


In regards to eating before bed to ward off hunger, I would suggest eating Protein/healthy fats and/or fiberous veggies, this combination will allow the protein to slowely break down over the course of the night and keep your blood sugar stable, plus stop catabolism. Just an idea though, I don't think there is anything wrong with eating before bed. I usually have cottage cheese or protein powder and 100% peanut butter.

Down to 260 pounds.

Since 23 Feb 2004: -32.5.
Since 12 Sep 2008: -22.4.
Last 6 days..........: - 6.0.

1800 calories a day from 5 meals.

20 minutes walking @ 3.3 mph & 40 minutes recumbent bike daily.
Final rehab session next week. Weights added in January 2009.

M

A better way to view it.

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=45647

M

257.4 pounds.

Same eating and exercise regimen.

Down 25 in 99 days.
Down 35 since 2004.
Down 8.6 last 14 days.

Regards,

M