Hi,
My C2 arrived today and I am psyched!!!
I am currently 6'5" and almost 230 lbs. I want to get around the 205 lb. mark.
Can anyone share some success stories or advice on how to get to my goal?
Thanks in advance!
newbie who wants to get lean
Re: newbie who wants to get lean
Eat less.nstrik wrote:Hi,
My C2 arrived today and I am psyched!!!
I am currently 6'5" and almost 230 lbs. I want to get around the 205 lb. mark.
Can anyone share some success stories or advice on how to get to my goal?
Thanks in advance!
Exercise more.
Bob
It's hard to be specific without more information on your situation in particular. I think the most important factor in success, no matter what your goal is consistency. My weight has been up and down a lot over the past year due to a lack of it. I've been more consistent the last couple of months, and my weight seems to be trending downwards again. Use the logbook. That's an easy source of motivation, and a good way to track progress.
Don't try and starve yourself. It's a tough balance IMHO to cut calories and still have enough energy to workout.
Don't try and starve yourself. It's a tough balance IMHO to cut calories and still have enough energy to workout.
This system works like a champ for me, when I can bring myself to follow it:
Accurately track everything that goes in or comes out. (Eeeeyew, "comes out" doesn't mean that, it means exercise calories.)
Maintain a caloric deficit of 1,000-1,250 cal/day (you'll have to determine your BMR, which any number of websites can help you roughly calculate, and then add in the calories expended during exercise), for a weekly deficit of 7,000 to 8,750 cal/week, for a loss of 2-2.5 lb week. That's really speedy, but doable for me. YMMV.
Do at least an hour of cardio every day. Break it up into a.m. and p.m. sessions to keep the metabolic kick going.
Drink lots of glorious, life-giving coffee (and by "coffee" I DON'T mean decaf) to boost antioxidant levels, ward off Parkinson's, improve mental acuity, lower perceived exertion, and again, keep that metabolism humming.
Drink at least 64oz water daily, more if you're sweating a lot out during workouts.
Get plenty of sleep.
Weigh in at least weekly.
Once you hit your goal, all you have to do is adjust the net calories. Keep everything else going, especially the coffee.
Enjoy!
Accurately track everything that goes in or comes out. (Eeeeyew, "comes out" doesn't mean that, it means exercise calories.)
Maintain a caloric deficit of 1,000-1,250 cal/day (you'll have to determine your BMR, which any number of websites can help you roughly calculate, and then add in the calories expended during exercise), for a weekly deficit of 7,000 to 8,750 cal/week, for a loss of 2-2.5 lb week. That's really speedy, but doable for me. YMMV.
Do at least an hour of cardio every day. Break it up into a.m. and p.m. sessions to keep the metabolic kick going.
Drink lots of glorious, life-giving coffee (and by "coffee" I DON'T mean decaf) to boost antioxidant levels, ward off Parkinson's, improve mental acuity, lower perceived exertion, and again, keep that metabolism humming.
Drink at least 64oz water daily, more if you're sweating a lot out during workouts.
Get plenty of sleep.
Weigh in at least weekly.
Once you hit your goal, all you have to do is adjust the net calories. Keep everything else going, especially the coffee.
Enjoy!
My system is simple. Aerobic exercise 5 - 7 hours a week. For the last 4 years my erg has been my exercise of choice. I try to eat quality food but don't count calories. If I slip down to 3 -4 hours of exercise I pick up a little weight but it disappears fast when the exercise goes up. This regime has served me well for the last 35 of my 61 years.
Frank
Frank
[size=75][color=blue]M 61 6'3'' (1.90m) 195lbs (88kg)
500m-1:30.4 1K-3:17.6 2K-6:50.5 5K-17:59.9 6K-21:38.6 10K-36:54.1 HM-1:19:53.7 FM-2:47.08.6 30m-8151 60m-15862 [/color][/size]
500m-1:30.4 1K-3:17.6 2K-6:50.5 5K-17:59.9 6K-21:38.6 10K-36:54.1 HM-1:19:53.7 FM-2:47.08.6 30m-8151 60m-15862 [/color][/size]
-
stargazertechie
- 500m Poster
- Posts: 51
- Joined: November 14th, 2006, 6:31 pm
I put in about 2 hours a day erging, and I dropped 30 pounds of fat between September and March, and I gained a LOT of muscle strength. This was without any calorie counting/food restriction (and on a college pizza and pop diet).
Just pull daily. I recommend 3x30 minutes , 2x10k, anything long and at a moderate pace.
Just pull daily. I recommend 3x30 minutes , 2x10k, anything long and at a moderate pace.
perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi: Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.
Congrats on your decision to get in shape. You'll like my story - I used to row in college 20 years ago but then stopped exercising. 10 years ago I used my erg for a year and got in shape, but stopped again. Last October I decided I had to do something or else.
I'm a 39-year-old male, 6'3", I was 261 lbs last October. I realized that I could control my eating during the day, but at night after the kids went to sleep it was pigout time on the couch in front of the HDTV. 800 garbage calories in per day.
I fixed up the old erg, put an old TV in front of it, and now after the kids go to sleep I have to avoid the *** DELETE - SPAM *** and family room like a recovering drunk has to avoid the old watering hole. I go straight to the basement and row for 40-60 minutes about 4-5 times per week. 800 calories out per row.
That 1600 calorie/day swing made a difference. I've lost 60+ pounds in 6 months, my LDL went from 174 to 99, my resting HR is 49, and I feel fantastic!
Some friends say that they can't sleep after exercising so late in the evening, but I have to do it then to keep me out of the fridge and pantry. Find something that works for you to give you the double-whammy (calories burned, not eaten). You'll have great success.
Work towards good long steady rows (I usually do 1k warmup, 10k row, 1k cooldown). The 10k was at 2:15-2:20 6 months ago, but now I tend to run 2:00-2:05. Aim for the hardest you can do and sustain that distance (i.e. you'll be right at your anaerobic threshold). If you can't finish 10k, back off on the pace a couple seconds so that you can.
Keep posting here for lots of support and advice. The community has supported me immensely!
I'm a 39-year-old male, 6'3", I was 261 lbs last October. I realized that I could control my eating during the day, but at night after the kids went to sleep it was pigout time on the couch in front of the HDTV. 800 garbage calories in per day.
I fixed up the old erg, put an old TV in front of it, and now after the kids go to sleep I have to avoid the *** DELETE - SPAM *** and family room like a recovering drunk has to avoid the old watering hole. I go straight to the basement and row for 40-60 minutes about 4-5 times per week. 800 calories out per row.
That 1600 calorie/day swing made a difference. I've lost 60+ pounds in 6 months, my LDL went from 174 to 99, my resting HR is 49, and I feel fantastic!
Some friends say that they can't sleep after exercising so late in the evening, but I have to do it then to keep me out of the fridge and pantry. Find something that works for you to give you the double-whammy (calories burned, not eaten). You'll have great success.
Work towards good long steady rows (I usually do 1k warmup, 10k row, 1k cooldown). The 10k was at 2:15-2:20 6 months ago, but now I tend to run 2:00-2:05. Aim for the hardest you can do and sustain that distance (i.e. you'll be right at your anaerobic threshold). If you can't finish 10k, back off on the pace a couple seconds so that you can.
Keep posting here for lots of support and advice. The community has supported me immensely!
[img]http://www.c2ctc.com/sigs/img1225814673.png[/img]
Thanks tbartman (and everyone else who shared their advice and stories)tbartman wrote:Congrats on your decision to get in shape. You'll like my story - I used to row in college 20 years ago but then stopped exercising. 10 years ago I used my erg for a year and got in shape, but stopped again. Last October I decided I had to do something or else.
I'm a 39-year-old male, 6'3", I was 261 lbs last October. I realized that I could control my eating during the day, but at night after the kids went to sleep it was pigout time on the couch in front of the HDTV. 800 garbage calories in per day.
I fixed up the old erg, put an old TV in front of it, and now after the kids go to sleep I have to avoid the *** DELETE - SPAM *** and family room like a recovering drunk has to avoid the old watering hole. I go straight to the basement and row for 40-60 minutes about 4-5 times per week. 800 calories out per row.
That 1600 calorie/day swing made a difference. I've lost 60+ pounds in 6 months, my LDL went from 174 to 99, my resting HR is 49, and I feel fantastic!
Some friends say that they can't sleep after exercising so late in the evening, but I have to do it then to keep me out of the fridge and pantry. Find something that works for you to give you the double-whammy (calories burned, not eaten). You'll have great success.
Work towards good long steady rows (I usually do 1k warmup, 10k row, 1k cooldown). The 10k was at 2:15-2:20 6 months ago, but now I tend to run 2:00-2:05. Aim for the hardest you can do and sustain that distance (i.e. you'll be right at your anaerobic threshold). If you can't finish 10k, back off on the pace a couple seconds so that you can.
Keep posting here for lots of support and advice. The community has supported me immensely!
I am in the same boat that you were in. After my girls go to bed, I crash on the couch and snack in front of the TV. I will begin to turn that time into ERG TIME.
My father lost close to 60 pounds in about 6 or 7 months by rowing twice a day (once in am, once in pm) for an hour each time. He still ate what he wanted to, but tried to shrink the portions. If I remember correctly, his goal was to lose 2 lbs/week and he had it marked off on the calendar. I think he even came in ahead of schedule.
When I'm trying to drop a few pounds, I try to row at least 50k a week and cut down on my calories as much as possible. I don't keep track of exact calories in and out though, although I am considering doing it for curiosity's sake.
Good luck, I know my dad was real proud of his weight loss and everyone around him noticed how much better he looked and felt. I can't imagine rowing that much, I'm just not that ambitious!
When I'm trying to drop a few pounds, I try to row at least 50k a week and cut down on my calories as much as possible. I don't keep track of exact calories in and out though, although I am considering doing it for curiosity's sake.
Good luck, I know my dad was real proud of his weight loss and everyone around him noticed how much better he looked and felt. I can't imagine rowing that much, I'm just not that ambitious!
The easiest weight loss 'program' I've ever been on is to go low-fat vegan: no meat, fish, chicken, dairy, eggs, cheese etc. Keep all other fats including olive oil, canola etc to an absolute minimum and avoid highly processed stuff such as sugar, white bread, cookies, convenience foods etc. Concentrate on unrefined whole foods such as beans, whole grains, fruit, vegetables, pastas etc. There's an excellent new book out by Dr. Neal Barnard about this; it is actually a diet to reverse diabetes.
I opted to go vegan to control (i.e. lower) my fasting blood sugar levels which had been creeping over 100. 100 to 110 is borderline type 2 diabetes, 2 consecutive readings of 126 = Type 2 diabetes. Within 3 weeks my fasting blood sugar level had dropped to the mid 90's and I had also shed 12 pounds.
I suspect that my LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels as well as my triglicerides will also be dropping - will be going for some bloodwork next Monday & will be able to confirm then.
If I were to continue my 'regular' type diet I would almost certainly eventually be a Type 2 diabetic, with all the scary ramifications such as eye & nerve damage, kidney problems, heart complications, blood vessel damage, erectile dysfunction, etc. etc. Diabetes is in many ways just as devastating a disease as cancer.
So it was an easy decision for me to give up steaks and chops etc. and all the saturated fat that comes with them.
It is not for everybody and there are lots of people who will ask you stupid questions such as 'where do you get your protein?', but with a well-balanced vegan diet overall nutritional needs are more than adequately met. You just have to supplement for B-12, but it is a small inconvenience in 'exchange' for not ingesting a lot of unnecessary fat, cholesterol etc.
I opted to go vegan to control (i.e. lower) my fasting blood sugar levels which had been creeping over 100. 100 to 110 is borderline type 2 diabetes, 2 consecutive readings of 126 = Type 2 diabetes. Within 3 weeks my fasting blood sugar level had dropped to the mid 90's and I had also shed 12 pounds.
I suspect that my LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels as well as my triglicerides will also be dropping - will be going for some bloodwork next Monday & will be able to confirm then.
If I were to continue my 'regular' type diet I would almost certainly eventually be a Type 2 diabetic, with all the scary ramifications such as eye & nerve damage, kidney problems, heart complications, blood vessel damage, erectile dysfunction, etc. etc. Diabetes is in many ways just as devastating a disease as cancer.
So it was an easy decision for me to give up steaks and chops etc. and all the saturated fat that comes with them.
It is not for everybody and there are lots of people who will ask you stupid questions such as 'where do you get your protein?', but with a well-balanced vegan diet overall nutritional needs are more than adequately met. You just have to supplement for B-12, but it is a small inconvenience in 'exchange' for not ingesting a lot of unnecessary fat, cholesterol etc.
Thanks for that info. I am a vegetarian. I should be able to make the transition to a purely vegan diet.bostonwnb wrote:The easiest weight loss 'program' I've ever been on is to go low-fat vegan: no meat, fish, chicken, dairy, eggs, cheese etc. Keep all other fats including olive oil, canola etc to an absolute minimum and avoid highly processed stuff such as sugar, white bread, cookies, convenience foods etc. Concentrate on unrefined whole foods such as beans, whole grains, fruit, vegetables, pastas etc. There's an excellent new book out by Dr. Neal Barnard about this; it is actually a diet to reverse diabetes.
I opted to go vegan to control (i.e. lower) my fasting blood sugar levels which had been creeping over 100. 100 to 110 is borderline type 2 diabetes, 2 consecutive readings of 126 = Type 2 diabetes. Within 3 weeks my fasting blood sugar level had dropped to the mid 90's and I had also shed 12 pounds.
I suspect that my LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels as well as my triglicerides will also be dropping - will be going for some bloodwork next Monday & will be able to confirm then.
If I were to continue my 'regular' type diet I would almost certainly eventually be a Type 2 diabetic, with all the scary ramifications such as eye & nerve damage, kidney problems, heart complications, blood vessel damage, erectile dysfunction, etc. etc. Diabetes is in many ways just as devastating a disease as cancer.
So it was an easy decision for me to give up steaks and chops etc. and all the saturated fat that comes with them.
It is not for everybody and there are lots of people who will ask you stupid questions such as 'where do you get your protein?', but with a well-balanced vegan diet overall nutritional needs are more than adequately met. You just have to supplement for B-12, but it is a small inconvenience in 'exchange' for not ingesting a lot of unnecessary fat, cholesterol etc.
What is the name of Dr. Bernard's book?
My brother dropped his cholesterol from 260 to 140 in 4 months and dropped a fair amount of weight (I'm guessing about 25lbs) following a diet he described as "beans" (I'm sure he ate other things, but that was his main stable). The doctors couldn't believe it (i.e that he managed to do it they were not used to people being that motavated). He has small kids and decided he didn't want to risk their future by dieing early.