rogermo

Helllllllllllllllpppp! I have had a lot of personal problems since last summer and put on 40+ lbs now 300lbs. I have an EZ-1 and building my first bent from a kit. The Labent by Ladue, which will be a 21 speed bike with mtb gearing. Its frame is 16 gage 1 1/2" sq tube frame. I have always been a big man even when in shape in the Marines, was 195 to 200lbs. But I want to get back in shape during the rest of the winter. So I can ride again. Really feel like s..t about myself. What kind of training can I do. I live in northern New York, so riding outside is out. Please HELP. Thanks Roger

Oak Park Biker

I would go back to what you learned in the Marines. Start with running, push ups, dips and pull-ups. Run up hill or on a tread mill with an incline. Even walking on an incline (15%) will be a good start. Also, work in cycling 4 or 5 days a week. You might want to pick up a trainer or set or rollers and ride at a high cadance. If you can get the right clothing and have hills or mountains in the area, riding up hill will help drop the weight. I lost 42 pounds in a year from the mountain cycling part of this program. Good luck.

MichaelW

See the winter riding forum, and check out icebike.

Urbanmonk

Oak Park made some excellent suggestions. But... I've been riding for over a year now, about 100 -120 miles a week and have not lost a pound. This is my fault, so here's my point. Diet also plays a major part in any shape-up, weight-loss program. I haven't heeded my own advise, and it's my own fault: I eat too much! Do as I suggest and not as I do. Good luck!

Urbanmonk

Oak Park Biker

Urbanmonk made an excellent point don't ignore your diet. A balanced diet that works long-term should be the goal. I think a fad diet or a drastic reduction on calories will only hurt you long term.

You should try to work up to 1.5 to 2 hours of cardio per day (long-term goal) and at this point you should burn fat fairly quickly. In general, after about 60 to 90 minutes of exercise, the body switchs from carbohydrates to burning fat as a source of fuel. In the beginning remember to go slowly the goal is always to be able to exercise again the next day and not to "kill" yourself in a single workout. If you go too hard in a single workout and subsequently can't exercise again for several days you may not be making progess.

After 23 years of running, I had to switch to cycling because my weight was about 202 and my knees were killing me. I was of the opinion that I had to cycle longer to keep up with the running. During this time, I just completely fell in love with cycling. After a year of cycling, I lost the weight because, I quess, of the longer duration of cycling 2-3 hours as compared to 45 minutes of running.

Good luck.

Ebbtide

Hi Roger, welcome to a great forum with real good people. Lots of us are either doing what you are trying to do, or have already achieved our weight loss goals, so you are in good company.

Excuse me if I ramble in this post, but it is late and want to answer your questions.

Its funny how when we get older and complete a phase/problem in our life, look down, and wonder where the hell that gut came from. When my father-in-law was fighting and dieing from cancer I gained 40 lbs, and that was on top of the 30 from the time I quit smoking

In addition to what has been mentioed, my first bit of advice is to bundle yourself up and take yourself on some evening marching parties to get those juices flowing again. I can't stress enough how quickly just moderate activity (outside of your current routine) can help your waist line an increase your metabolism.

Once you develop a routine then work on your diet (cut calories). Just a little progress can really change your attitude toward achieving larger goals. I don't think at your size a goal of weighing 285 by March One is out of the question, as the first few pounds go fast. Once you reach some of the smaller goals, the larger ones don't seems so impossible.

Spend time with people who support you and have similar goals, or ones that have the lifestyle you desire.

A fellow your size could easily need 3000 calories a day to maintain your weight. Just for giggles, add up your daily caloric intake and you may be surprised. Cutting one meal in half (I used Lunch as it seemed to be my biggest meal of the day) you can remove 500 calories a day. According to my math, you'll shed a couple/three pounds a week at first. Although I'll caution you against cutting back on the chow too much. You can end up loosing muscle, which you DO NOT WANT TO DO (I went at it too hard and should have taken in more protein calories, now I'm a pip-squeak trying to bulk up).

You been through boot camp, so you know you have what it takes, regardless how long ago it was. Shut your mind down on the fatigue and hunger pangs...just like I know you used to. Push yourself, you know how.

Last Christmas I weighed 235/40 and I'm now down to 165 (have been there since October). It was slow going at first, but once it got light enough, and warm enough outside (anything over 40 feels warm after this crap were dealing with now...I'm in cleveland...same weather) I started riding instead of walking. By June going distance was not a problem.

I wish you luck, and if I were not a Navy man, I'd give you a brotherly Semper Fi!

And talk to your doctor before you start any training (diet and exercize)program.

Hope this helps,

ehenz

jeff williams

All I can say is about the bike- you may want to drop the 21 and go 24 speed, the 7 rear is harder to support- (fazed out)
If you can re-something and kit up a 24 you will be better set for the future.
Best of luck with the weight, eat no starch? Helps with some metabolisms. J

Pat

Diet and aerobic exercise.

My approach is to cut out fats, empty calories, and other trash from my diet and increase my aerobic exercise when I want to lose weight.

There are plenty of pitfalls.

1) people usually way overestimate the amount of calories they burn. They walk around the block are reward themselves with a 2 scoop hot fudge sundae. EEK . You can't do that and lose weight.

2) You have to change your lifestyle. Many people can lose weight by undertaking some sort of grueling schedule but when they hit their target weight, they go back to their bad old ways and back to their old weight. You need to have some balance of diet and exercise that you can do for the rest of your life. My old grandpappy did this. He kept in superb shape. He walked several miles each and every day and swam at least half a mile each and every day and was careful about his diet except he did like a desert after dinner. This kept him going pretty well until after he got over 90 and then he couldn't do it anymore.

3) This is going to take awhile. The rule of thumb on losing weight is 1 lb per week. Anything more and you are probably over doing it.

Also, you are, as you are probably aware of, pretty well weight challenged. Anything that is high impact is probably too much for your body at your weight. Someone suggested running. Running is high impact and not good for heavy people. I would suggest walking. Better would be walking up steep hills. Walking up steep hills is as good as running (if they are steep enough) and low impact to boot.

Weight lifting isn't good because it really is not that aerobic. It is great at maintaining muscle mass though so it has its place. I would emphasize the calorie burning aerobic things like cycling, wind training (if you can stand it), walking, swimming, rowing. Anything you do that is constant movement is good. Most people think that intensity is important but amazingly enough, something like playing football does not burn much in the way of calories because football players stand around most of the time. Football is the perfect american sport - 15 seconds of violence seperated by 3 minutes of committee meetings.

3)

Ebbtide

Violence?

For more people have been killed and injured during soccer games.

Usually spectators

DnvrFox

Someone 300 pounds and out of shape is most unlikely to be able to complete any dips or any pullups, and may have a hard time with pushups.

Don't do those as you may injure yourself. A good gym will have equipment where you can do assisted dips and assisted pullups, until you have lost some weight and gained some strength.

Do al lot of fast walking, go to a good gym and use a treadmill. It will help you monitor your time sessions, heart rate and intensity. Use a life cycle at the gym and an elliptical.

See if you can get involved an a program called "Body for Life." It is designed just for you.

https://www.bodyforlife.com/

rogermo

I want say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who answered my call for help. My wife just bought me Dr. Phils book on weight loss. It isn,t about dieting but about changeing you like style that made me fat in the first place. And I found an old book by Steve Reeves (Hercules) about Power Walking anf weight training. And your right about going back to my old Marine Corp training. Just have to modifiy it some for my present Health. Again Thanks To everyone Roger