I brought up all the topics in this section, figuring I'd just add on to an existing thread, but it turns out there are none. There are a few threads about exercise and such, but nothing specifically about weight loss, at least none that I could find.

Anyway, I blogged about my diet. I think it makes for good reading.

There's less of me to love!

Very interesting reading. I tend to stay away from the word 'diet' though because I always think of it as being something temporary. Within about a month and a half I am back to my pre Thanksgiving weight. I always eat poorly from Thanksgiving through to New Years. There are so many holiday gatherings and holiday parties that friends, family, and business colleagues throw. Plus, I don't work out as much in the colder months. My regimine for fitness is to eat one pack of instant, low sugar oatmeal with a banana each morning. For lunch I'll either have a salmon salad or a turkey bacon, lettuce, and tomato on whole grain with some baked chips. My friends just turned me on to something that I didn't think I'd like but is actually pretty good. You take tuna with a little bit of mayo and add raisins, almonds or walnuts, and apples. Its actually pretty good. So thats another lunch add for me now. For dinner the boyfriend and I often eat out or bring something home, but I usually eat either chicken or fish with a vegetable and no carb or starch. Cutting out carbs during the week is key to how I'm able to maintain a low weight. Friday and Saturday are my times to indulge. My mother's side of family is Puerto Rican so I love my rice. I'm not going to hold myself back so the weekends are my time to have some sweets, red meat, and some carbs. But, my body is so used to not having them during the week, that it can only withstand a certain amound, and I'm not going overboard.

As for working out, I am a cardio freak. I love to jog and get on the treadmill with my ipod. I hate working with weights but I know its the only way to have some definition to my body. I have a naturally large frame (broad shoulders, thick legs...think Alex Rodriguez and got my phat Blatino ass from my mother) so I'm never going to be thin. But, I'm about 6'3, my waist is 34 and my weight is about 205-210. So, I weight train 3 days a week and do Tae Bo tapes that focus on my core. Recognizing that I already have a large build, I don't want to look bulky. Its already hell having to get dress shirts tailor made and I never want to have that "swollen" look ya know. But, good look to you. Sounds like you are well on your way. Keep it up!!

The big change I have made recently is cutting back on beer, and it's had a pretty obvious effect. I love high-gravity IPAs and Belgians, but they can be 250-300 calories apiece with no nutritional value whatsoever. Unfortunately, the better the beer, the higher the calories. I've started buying pilsners As for general diet, I try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible and avoid obviously fatty foods. I'm a pretty all or nothing person, so keeping 100% on track is easy if that's the current goal.

My dad stopped drinking flavored water instead of Snapple and he lost about 15 pounds. It's pretty amazing what small things will do if you do them consistently.


I recently added sweet potatoes to my diet. Poke holes in one, microwave for a few minutes under a paper towel, and you're done. They taste great even without a bunch of butter and brown sugar.

Sweet potatoes are actually one of the most perfect foods for you. That is - without the brown sugar and butter, of course. Loaded with anti-oxidants and beta-carotine (sp?).

I eat them and so do my dogs!

Sweet potatoes, eh? I'll keep that in mind.



I'm suddenly very distracted...



Thanks!

Hey, good job on losing that weight. I had a whole post written up, but I deleted it after I realized something. A wrestler's way of losing weight is usually not healthy. While I know plenty of nutritional information, I'd be a very bad person for telling you that the best way to lose weight is to put on a rubber suit, as many sweatpants and sweatshirts as you can fit over it, then to jump rope in a sauna. While it does shed water weight remarkably well, it doesn't really burn any more fat than normal exercise. Oh yea, there is also the method of weight loss known as starving yourself. That's not really sustainable though. After about three days, all you can do is sleep, lol.

I guess the best advice I can give you is to eat as many small meals as you can fit in during the day. If you can get at least 6 small meals in, your metabolism will speed up. Obviously, don't make these "small meals" into "meals", I know I try not to exceed 2500 calories when I'm trying to lose weight for wrestling. Oh, and have some caffeine in the morning, if you don't already. It speeds your metabolism up as well, and I think I read something that said green tea was the best source for some reason (I might be wrong about the green tea, hell, I probably am, but I know that caffeine in the morning helps with weight loss). Uh, and one more thing off the top of my head. Try to make your breakfast mostly protein and fiber, since those nutrients are filling and won't really put on weight. Hell, as far as I know, fiber will make you lose weight. Try to get some fat in at breakfast too, not too much, but its important since it gives you sustained energy throughout the day. Oh, and the more you exercise, the more it speeds your metabolism up, so make sure you get the extra exercise in that you mentioned in the blog. Uh... also... muscles burn fat like that commercial for that Chuck Norris endorsed home gym thingy says. So try to get at least a little weight training or strength training in. Thats about all the valid tips I can think of off the top of my head, of course I can tell you thousands of ways to lose weight like a wrestler! My favorite? Diuretics! You just sit there and the weight slides right off! Of course, then you feel like crap, but hey, you shed some water weight!

Hopefully some of these tips are of some use, if not, what the heck, it was fun for me to reminisce about passing out in a sauna while jumping rope in 3 layers of sweats in high school. Ah, the good ole' days.

-Matt

Hey Joe:
Great stuff and keep it up!

The first time I bought an exercise bike (about 25 years ago) I also bought one of those rubber suits and was using it when riding the bike. I started a diet and lost something like 11 lbs in one week. I'm sure most of it was water weight. I'm not going to be putting on a rubber suit now.



That's pretty much what the NutriSystem plan is -- small meals and snacks every so often. I'm still sort of following it, but just without their food. Thanks for the info.



Thanks!

This might be a pricey solution but going to culinary school has made me drop about 17 pounds so far. I eat a small breakfast in the morning and then I'm cooking and tasting all day. When I get home the last thing I want to do is cook and eat and that's when I used to do a lot of TV snack foods. Now it's just a glass of wine and bed...lol.

Keep up the good work JIP!

Interesting thread.

Obese and overweight people need to tackle losing weight like the obstacle is a work project.

It's a matter of discipline and commitment. Some people have it while other people don't. Those that don't are forever talking about the "new" diet that's going to lead to the transformation.



Aggressive Excercise ( not just 20 minues on a tead mill), Healthy Nutrition, Sleep, and DISCIPLINE are the 4 main ingredients to losing wieght and enjoying a healthy life.


There are no short cuts. It essentially comes down to the person and whether they possess the will power to change their life.

So instead you're an alcoholic?



Thanks!
Someone here asked for pictures. I think he meant nudes. Ask and you shall receive. Except the "nude" part. Mets fans check out the t-shirt!!!

I was going to make a silly quip about alcoholism and the silver lining but your pics have held me back. MAN you've dropped some poundage! WTG!

Congratulations JIP! Maybe next Halloween YOU can be the Naughty Little Elf!

And btw, I don't think it was very nice of you to send your lost pounds my way.

You look fab.

I didn't send them for you to keep. You were supposed to pass them on to Paris Hilton. And I think I'm too tall to be an elf...though that didn't stop Will Ferrell.



You're too kind.

How did I miss this thread? Good for you, JiP! I suspect you'll soon be one of those pretty/skinny-boy gays and you'll have nothing to do with us anymore.

Don't be silly. I'd still say hello to you as I passed you by on the way to the VIP lounge where the beautiful people hang out.

I'm saving a place for ya Joe!

Joe, do tell where you got that amazing headdress in that picture in the top right corner of the page! Did you borrow that from Duckie or MunsonMan?

I am very impressed, Joe! Next time I see you, it might be your turn to give ME a lap dance!!