I need some serious motivation.....

[Col. Kurtz]

Originally Posted by OLS

I can tell you one thing I know...workout equipment is fine, but there is no substitute for reduction of calories.
You can try BURNING them all you want, but it's the ones that go IN that are keeping you fat. You must
switch to water ONLY, no sports drinks, no sweet tea, no soft drinks, milk as a reward. You must eat the worst
possible foods, and only keep that stuff on hand. If you can't GIVE your fridge contents away, THROW it away.
Stop eating bread, stop eating much meat. Eat homemade soup for a treat, cereal for breakfast, a bowl of grits
for lunch, oatmeal and some fruit or fish for supper, salads with oil and vinegar dressing only. Mix in some herbs
and garlic for flavor.

People complain all the time about being fat and wanting to NOT be fat. But they keep right on doing the things
they always did, as if finally wanting to be thin is gonna miracle the weight off them. The Biggest Loser is not
popular because it's fun to look at fat people. It's popular because it's amazing to see the kind of commitment
it takes to get thin.

I am struggling for the first time with real weight on my frame. I have never been thin or even fit-looking. But
for the first time ever, laying off something here and something there ain't getting it. I am struggling. These
are the things I learned, but will power is the only way to succeed. In order to quit smoking cigs, which
were killing me, I had to give up three other things...weed, bars and sex. I can have sex again if I want, but I am
too fat for anyone to care. But that shows how you can turn over one rock and just find three more rocks.

Make no mistake, that workout gear is important. It lets you work out without people watching. But you can
work out 24 hours a day and not lose weight, just die. Sit ups are not going to make your belly thin. There will
be a time when they are important, but for now you are in a walk, don't run mode. There was a big fat dude and
a big fat kid "running" down my sidewalk the other day. They stopped and talked to me, and told me they had
decided that being fat just was unacceptable, so they were going to run. I told them, "No, you are just going to
blow both your knees. You have to walk for a year before you start running, you are obese." You aren't going to
be thin tomorrow. You are going to be doing this for years. I was going for a job interview while I was visiting my
mother, and she said that my teeth were dingy, that I should go and get some whitening strips while I was visiting
her. I went into the store and saw they were 50 bucks. I wasn't going to spend that kind of money as funds for
my trip were not limitless. I told her that the stuff doesn't work overnight, why buy it for tomorrow??

The muscles you need to work on now are your brain and your jaw muscles. Start working one and resting the others.
Good luck, I need it too. -- OOPS -- one more thing about the walking. I walk between 1 and 5 miles a day now.
Throughout my life after I got a car at 21, I had been a biker, pedalled everywhere, sometimes 50-60 miles a week.
I had to, I had no car. I could carry 2 PAPER bags of groceries up & down 3-4 hills with no hands (2-3 miles) and STOP
at the house with no hands and not wipe out. Then I got a car and I never looked back. I went from sexy-love-
machine to fat slob. I enjoy walking. There are a few hot girls out, nature is bad-a55, I feel of accomplishment,
and it actually makes you want to do it. You will see. You will not dread walking. IT IS the key to the whole plan.

Lots of cold hard, sterile, metallic, win no friends truth here ^.

I changed my habits about 1.5 years ago.

Dropped sweet sodas (still have a diet once in a while), started packing my lunch everyday instead of swinging by the dollar menu drive thru, and started watching calories very closely. It's amazing what foods "cost". The wife and I have tried very hard to control portions and consider if it's really "worth it" to have that doughnut. Would a snack pack of raisins be better? We eat quite a bit of fresh foods and veggies. Gave up beer almost completely (that hurt). Reduced meats a lot and tried to stay close to a 2-2500 calorie diet.

No real secrets except keeping a close eye on a dietary budget. Started a self prescribed workout routine that is mostly cardio (like they taught me back in middle school gym) 2- 3 times per week. Started push mowing the front acre that the neighbors can see, still ride the back though.

The result? Near 235 Thankgiving 2010. Now I'm at 155 depending on the day. I started feeling much much better about 180. Dropped from pushing out 38 pants to being comfortable in 32's. Very good feeling except for the new clothes bills.

Bottom line is this. There is no magic bullet. Eat less than you use and you will lose weight.

Here's a kick in the pants and positive thoughts and encouragement sent your way. It can be done. Is it easy? Nope. Is it worth it. Absolutely. I have the energy to chase the kids around the yard without passing out.