2023 Weight Loss Thread!

Sigogglin

Sigogglin

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I figured I'd start a thread for those of us trying to get in better shape this year. In 2022, I went from 340b and hardly able to walk up 3 flights of stairs to 247 and running 10-15 miles a week. I'm sure there are people on here who want to make progress too, so think of this as an accountability thread. Going to a couple 3-gun matches and realizing that the moving was the hardest part was mainly what kickstarted me.

My goal for this year is to hit 225, and I'm hoping to get there doing exactly what I have been, tracking my calories in vs calories out and several 3-5 mile runs a week.. My current weight is still technically "obese" but juuuust barely for my 6'2" frame.

Post your current weight, goal weight, and plan if you're so inclined.
 
I don't care how old you are, I don't care how fat you are, I don't care what your problems are. Every foot you walk, every can of beans you curl, every time you bend over to tie your shoes, you are lapping everyone on the couch eating garbage watching TV. We are in this together, and I support every swinging you-know-what here in making them themselves a better version.

My Jan 2 weight (I weigh every Monday, on both an analog and digital scale): 175/182.8 respectively. About 16% bodyfat.

Let's knock 'em out and get after it.
 
Chuckman said:
I don't care how old you are, I don't care how fat you are, I don't care what your problems are. Every foot you walk, every can of beans you curl, every time you bend over to tie your shoes, you are lapping everyone on the couch eating garbage watching TV. We are in this together, and I support every swinging you-know-what here in making them themselves a better version.

My Jan 2 weight (I weigh every Monday, on both an analog and digital scale): 175/182.8 respectively. About 16% bodyfat.

Let's knock 'em out and get after it.
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This is absolutely the truth. I started trying to run and almost gave up because, well, at my max weight I just could not run. I was talking to a friend who runs marathons and she just said "if you can't run, then walk"

And yeah, you don't burn as many calories in such a short time walking vs running, but it's SOMETHING, and walking up hills will get you in that 140-150 heart rate range for sure.
 
Currently 210 lbs, target 180 lbs.
Running 3X a week, 2X a week that Muay Thai on run days
the off days are Weights, sunday off
Most of my diet revolves around low/no sugar. Diabetes runs in my family, mostly because no one runs in my family. And they love sweets
 
I have found, for those who will never grace the doors of a “gym” that you really don’t need to. If you basically limit your eating to enough, by that I mean if you are a couch potato enough is a lot less than a farmer would need to sustain his day.
You don’t have to go on weird diets to lose weight but you do have to make a change in your consumption.
Also, you need to be active. I personally enjoy tasks that include exhaustive physical exertion. Mine are outside work, building projects, cutting and splitting fire wood are a couple of examples. But getting a sweat on and the heart rate up is important.
I know everyone has an excuse. Age, pain, tired worn out bodies.
I deal with it everyday but everyday I find something to do that pushes me further into the realm of “there are no excuses”.

Totally I’ve dumped 75 pounds. I have a few more to go but fad diets and joining the gym won’t get me there. Not a dump on you gym rats but it’s not for everyone.
 
Tailhunter said:
I have found, for those who will never grace the doors of a “gym” that you really don’t need to. If you basically limit your eating to enough, by that I mean if you are a couch potato enough is a lot less than a farmer would need to sustain his day.
You don’t have to go on weird diets to lose weight but you do have to make a change in your consumption.
Also, you need to be active. I personally enjoy tasks that include exhaustive physical exertion. Mine are outside work, building projects, cutting and splitting fire wood are a couple of examples. But getting a sweat on and the heart rate up is important.
I know everyone has an excuse. Age, pain, tired worn out bodies.
I deal with it everyday but everyday I find something to do that pushes me further into the realm of “there are no excuses”.

Totally I’ve dumped 75 pounds. I have a few more to go but fad diets and joining the gym won’t get me there. Not a dump on you gym rats but it’s not for everyone.
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If I could just stay at our mountain place, walk the hill every morning and cut and haul wood I’d be a beast. But the entire work thing interferes with that. I prefer a good beating produced by a day working on the property to a gym any day.
 
CZfool68 said:
If I could just stay at our mountain place, walk the hill every morning and cut and haul wood I’d be a beast. But the entire work thing interferes with that. I prefer a good beating produced by a day working on the property to a gym any day.
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I can see where not having your playground at your house and having to travel is an obstruction to progress.
You could always move. 😉
 
I have yo-yo’d for years, ever since I was younger. It’s generally easy for me to drop the pounds, so I’m not as worried about that part… where I struggle and thus my goal this year is to actually keep it off and not yo-yo into the next year. I am currently around 216 and plan to drop to 200. In general I plan to stay away from fast food and pick up the pace and dedication regarding exercise. When it comes to eating, I set a diet (low fat, low carb, high protein and any green veg) and take the mental approach…. “If I can’t control what I put in my own mouth, how can I expect to control anything else in my life”….

But.. I will be visiting some ma and pa, red hotdog stands along the way… everyone needs a cheat day, here and there. 🌭
 
I used to really be into weightlifting. Weighed 205 at my largest. Then I figured out it doesn’t matter if you can lift a car, if you aren’t going to live a long time. So I switched to cardio. I ran 15-20 miles per week and circuit training. I continued to lift using light weights and high reps. During this time I fluxed between 175 and 180. As they say life happens, 2 knee surgeries and 1 neck surgery later, I’m at 225-230. I'm over my body falling a part. I’ve got to get back to moving and drop some weight.

I know I can’t run like before. So my plan is to start back squirrel hunting. More for the walking and moving than the squirrels. When the season is over, I’m hoping the weight I’ve lost and my cardio will allow me to start running a few miles per week.
 
Average Joe said:
I used to really be into weightlifting. Weighed 205 at my largest. Then I figured out it doesn’t matter if you can lift a car, if you aren’t going to live a long time. So I switched to cardio. I ran 15-20 miles per week and circuit training. I continued to lift using light weights and high reps. During this time I fluxed between 175 and 180. As they say life happens, 2 knee surgeries and 1 neck surgery later, I’m at 225-230. I'm over my body falling a part. I’ve got to get back to moving and drop some weight.

I know I can’t run like before. So my plan is to start back squirrel hunting. More for the walking and moving than the squirrels. When the season is over, I’m hoping the weight I’ve lost and my cardio will allow me to start running a few miles per week.
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That's why I like functional fitness over traditional weightlifting. Doesn't matter how much you can bench if you can't pick something up and throw through a window if something's on fire, or lift yourself over a fence or wall if Cujo is chasing you.

Not saying anything against traditional bodybuilding or weight lifting, but funny how priorities change as you get older.
 
Average Joe said:
I used to really be into weightlifting. Weighed 205 at my largest. Then I figured out it doesn’t matter if you can lift a car, if you aren’t going to live a long time. So I switched to cardio. I ran 15-20 miles per week and circuit training. I continued to lift using light weights and high reps. During this time I fluxed between 175 and 180. As they say life happens, 2 knee surgeries and 1 neck surgery later, I’m at 225-230. I'm over my body falling a part. I’ve got to get back to moving and drop some weight.

I know I can’t run like before. So my plan is to start back squirrel hunting. More for the walking and moving than the squirrels. When the season is over, I’m hoping the weight I’ve lost and my cardio will allow me to start running a few miles per week.
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I’m with you regarding the heavy weight lifting. Hindsight is 20/20 and if I could change my habits in retrospect, I would lift less weight and do more repetitions. It is all relative in the end (ex: if I can lift 225 for 15 reps, I will be able to lift 315 for 1 rep for sure and so on). There is no need to stress your joints with the heavy weight. (For you kids out there lifting a reading this.. heed this warning from someone that worked at a gym for years and lifted heavy… you will pay later!!!)

Also, your thoughts regarding hunting / tracking is legit! I have a buddy that will not walk or run unless it’s to a buffet….. however, he loves to turkey hunt more than anyone on the planet! There is nothing that will stop him. He will walk as long and far as it takes to bag his limit. Then he will walk as far and long as it takes to call in turkeys for you and all his friends, until their limits are bagged. No joke…. He will lose 15-20lbs every turkey season, all from walking.
 
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I started 2023 at 296lbs. 2 more and I’ll have lost 90lbs since august of 2022.

I had a gastric bypass in august. My blood sugar was whacked, my knees hurt like hell, my right leg throbbed all the time, ankles hurt, back hurt, and worst of all, my fat ass waddled like a duck when I walked. I’m not supposed to have caffeine, alcohol, and now 3 or 4 bites of something fills me up.

I’m to the point now where I need to start working out. I do get a lot more exercise doing stuff now that I’m able too. I feel better than I have in years. My blood sugar is normal. I’m off the diabeetus meds. My knees don’t hurt when I walk, and best of all, I don’t waddle anymore.

Shitty cycle you get in when you’re in too much pain to do regular things. I eat about what I want now, but like Tailhunter mentioned above, it’s in way smaller portions and I’m still losing weight. Feeling good enough to get outside and do things again is a big part of that.

I started at a 48 waist in august. In a 42 now, and in another week or two and I’ll be in a 40. My goal weight is 240. Will I hit it? Who knows.

Having @Lil D there to help me after my surgery was life saving. I felt like crap for a few weeks. She encouraged me to get off my ass and walk and walked with me when I didn’t want to. I can walk for hours now and I’m not limping after 30 minutes.
 
Burt Gummer said:
I started 2023 at 296lbs. 2 more and I’ll have lost 90lbs since august of 2022.

I had a gastric bypass in august. My blood sugar was whacked, my knees hurt like hell, my right leg throbbed all the time, ankles hurt, back hurt, and worst of all, my fat ass waddled like a duck when I walked. I’m not supposed to have caffeine, alcohol, and now 3 or 4 bites of something fills me up.

I’m to the point now where I need to start working out. I do get a lot more exercise doing stuff now that I’m able too. I feel better than I have in years. My blood sugar is normal. I’m off the diabeetus meds. My knees don’t hurt when I walk, and best of all, I don’t waddle anymore.

Shitty cycle you get in when you’re in too much pain to do regular things. I eat about what I want now, but like Tailhunter mentioned above, it’s in way smaller portions and I’m still losing weight. Feeling good enough to get outside and do things again is a big part of that.

I started at a 48 waist in august. In a 42 now, and in another week or two and I’ll be in a 40. My goal weight is 240. Will I hit it? Who knows.

Having @Lil D there to help me after my surgery was life saving. I felt like crap for a few weeks. She encouraged me to get off my ass and walk and walked with me when I didn’t want to. I can walk for hours now and I’m not limping after 30 minutes.
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A true big round of applause to you, sir! The toughest part is getting started, the next is sticking to it. Also, having a partner in this endeavor is key, whether it’s a buddy that you partner up with or in this case, your spouse / mate. I think the latter can be the biggest lift, as they can help you through every aspect and if they are in the journey with you (they hop on the diet with you, walk with you, or work out with you)… you will win.
 
I'm gonna attempt to lose 20-30 lbs this year. I'm 6', 225-230bs , type 1 diabetic, which complicates things. I used to do 5-6 miles a night on an exercise bike, but I never lost a pound and then couldn't sleep afterwards. My goal is to cut calories and just get to feeling better more than anything.
 
I’ve been bouncing around the past few years, am down from 225 to 220 the past few weeks, goal is 190 by June 30, we’ll see.
 
At my heaviest I was around 315 in 2009-10ish.
Around 2016 I managed to get down to 230 or so.... I've crept back up to 244 as of this morning. I'd like to hit 180 ideally, but would settle for 200.

Started back on intermittent fasting and being more mobile, trying for 10K steps a day. Want to get back to doing yoga and bodyweight exercises again.
 
I was at 370 last summer, lost 50 pounds by dieting. I do fasts and go to the gym 3-4 days a week. I go for heavier weights because that burns calories long after the exercise is over. I still do the elliptical machine for each workout. My knees aren't original equipment so no real leg work. I've hit a wall for the last few months on the weight loss though. I guess I'll have to drop back on meals even more.
 
I started the year at 233, 5'10. I'm 38 years old which plays a role. Was always 160 to 180 as a teenager an early 20's. Got married and went to 240 within a couple years. Started running, then fell in love with the gym, went daily, was a shredded 170lb deadlifting 445, squatting 365 and benching a lowly 225. Friends started kettlebell at the gym, 6 months the later I was the instructor and no longer lifted weights. Did this for a few years at a comfortable pretty fit 190 lbs. Daughter got older started tee then softball and work got busier so I've done nothing for 5 years or so and find myself at 233. Cut all sweet tea and dark soda, basically, water, Gatorade, milk and sprite are my only beverages but 90% water. Going to exercise daily and no junk food. Want to get back to 190. I'm here to get encouragement and try to be an encouragement.
 
AverageDad said:
I started the year at 233, 5'10. I'm 38 years old which plays a role. Was always 160 to 180 as a teenager an early 20's. Got married and went to 240 within a couple years. Started running, then fell in love with the gym, went daily, was a shredded 170lb deadlifting 445, squatting 365 and benching a lowly 225. Friends started kettlebell at the gym, 6 months the later I was the instructor and no longer lifted weights. Did this for a few years at a comfortable pretty fit 190 lbs. Daughter got older started tee then softball and work got busier so I've done nothing for 5 years or so and find myself at 233. Cut all sweet tea and dark soda, basically, water, Gatorade, milk and sprite are my only beverages but 90% water. Going to exercise daily and no junk food. Want to get back to 190. I'm here to get encouragement and try to be an encouragement.
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Here‘s my encouragement.
At 38 it’ll seem hard, but it’ll never be easier than it is right now.
 
JimB said:
Here‘s my encouragement.
At 38 it’ll seem hard, but it’ll never be easier than it is right now.
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At 40 your testosterone levels really start dropping. That makes losing weight and gaining muscle that much more difficult, and your metabolism continues to slow. At 38, it will seem hard, and you are right: it will never be easier than it is right now. BUT: I am 54, and others here are older than me, and we're all getting after it. You can, too.

Testosterone-Levels-By-Age-Chart-1024x1024.png
 
Burt Gummer said:
I started 2023 at 296lbs. 2 more and I’ll have lost 90lbs since august of 2022.

I had a gastric bypass in august. My blood sugar was whacked, my knees hurt like hell, my right leg throbbed all the time, ankles hurt, back hurt, and worst of all, my fat ass waddled like a duck when I walked. I’m not supposed to have caffeine, alcohol, and now 3 or 4 bites of something fills me up.

I’m to the point now where I need to start working out. I do get a lot more exercise doing stuff now that I’m able too. I feel better than I have in years. My blood sugar is normal. I’m off the diabeetus meds. My knees don’t hurt when I walk, and best of all, I don’t waddle anymore.

Shitty cycle you get in when you’re in too much pain to do regular things. I eat about what I want now, but like Tailhunter mentioned above, it’s in way smaller portions and I’m still losing weight. Feeling good enough to get outside and do things again is a big part of that.

I started at a 48 waist in august. In a 42 now, and in another week or two and I’ll be in a 40. My goal weight is 240. Will I hit it? Who knows.

Having @Lil D there to help me after my surgery was life saving. I felt like crap for a few weeks. She encouraged me to get off my ass and walk and walked with me when I didn’t want to. I can walk for hours now and I’m not limping after 30 minutes.
Click to expand...
So proud of you babe, now drag me off the couch to walk with you lol
 
No scale victories lately, still 247-248 but I did buy new clothes for the first time since starting to lose weight.

I have gone from a 3XL shirt to being right on the line between Large and XL depending on the cut.

In pants I’ve gone from a 44 waist to a 34/36, again depending on the cut.

I walked in expecting to be a 38 or 40 waist because I’m defeatist and was kinda shocked when stuff kept falling off.
 
Sigogglin said:
No scale victories lately, still 247-248 but I did buy new clothes for the first time since starting to lose weight.

I have gone from a 3XL shirt to being right on the line between Large and XL depending on the cut.

In pants I’ve gone from a 44 waist to a 34/36, again depending on the cut.

I walked in expecting to be a 38 or 40 waist because I’m defeatist and was kinda shocked when stuff kept falling off.
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More important than the scale is how clothes fit. If you change your diet and are exercising, body composition will change. You will lose fat and gain muscle. I think the numbers on the scale are secondary to how clothes are fitting. I don't care if you have ever stepped on a scale, if you go from a waist of 44 to 34/36, you are doing something right.
 
I'm gonna tag along on this as well. 260 this morning, 6ft tall. If I could just get up and start walking again, I know I'd be better off.
 
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I worked out hard last year to make our Bob Marshall backpacking trip happen, going from near 340 October 2021 to 280 when we hit the trail. After the trip, I decided I wanted to lose my pack weight so we could do it again this summer and I could enjoy it like I expected to last summer (I’ll share the trip story at some point). I kept working out, but I got kinda lazy on my eating and drinking and my weight crept up until I had packed on 20 pounds instead of losing.

So, weigh in at the beginning of this year was 300. I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app and started tracking my meals. Goal calorie consumption for the day, without exercise, is 2600, based on their estimate of what I need to do to lose 2 pounds a week (which the app told me was too aggressive). I stick to that consumption, don’t eat extra to compensate for my workouts, and keep my carb count below 100 grams a day. Most days it is in the 80-ish gram range for total, not net, carb intake.

Lost 11 pounds last week (first week I got really serious and I know a lot of that was water and stuff in my gut from the holidays). We will see how it shakes out, but if I can average two pounds a week, that should get me below 250 for the next Bob Marshall trip this July. Goal is under 230 and/or 34” pants by mid-September, when I will turn 50. “Fit before 50” is my goal.

I workout 3 days a week in the gym (1+ hour of mixed cardio and low weight/high rep strength training, which I have been doing since October 2022) and ruck 5.5 or more miles on a fourth day, usually up and back down a mountain trail. Every ten pounds I lose below 280 I’ll add ten pounds of plate to my ruck until I’m rucking with 40 pounds, or carrying my full Montana load-out pack, which is around 50 pounds. Western hiking has proven to require higher weight than what we carry in the Appalachians and is A LOT harder, mile for mile, with the higher altitude and lower humidity.

Once the days get longer, we will go on longer hikes as we train up to averaging 13-15 miles a day in the Bob. The boys want to do a 26 mile marathon hike in one day in Linville Gorge (Wolfpit to Hawksbill or Sitting Bear - can’t remember which they told me) late spring and I plan to join them on that. I also plan to do the 22 mile ring around South Mountains State Park before it gets too hot.

Anywho, long winded post, but figured I’d toss my hat in the accountability ring. My boys are pretty brutal with accountability, so I need the encouragement I’ll get from you guys to soften theirs up some. Lol
 
cubrock said:
I worked out hard last year to make our Bob Marshall backpacking trip happen, going from near 340 October 2021 to 280 when we hit the trail. After the trip, I decided I wanted to lose my pack weight so we could do it again this summer and I could enjoy it like I expected to last summer (I’ll share the trip story at some point). I kept working out, but I got kinda lazy on my eating and drinking and my weight crept up until I had packed on 20 pounds instead of losing.

So, weigh in at the beginning of this year was 300. I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app and started tracking my meals. Goal calorie consumption for the day, without exercise, is 2600, based on their estimate of what I need to do to lose 2 pounds a week (which the app told me was too aggressive). I stick to that consumption, don’t eat extra to compensate for my workouts, and keep my carb count below 100 grams a day. Most days it is in the 80-ish gram range for total, not net, carb intake.

Lost 11 pounds last week (first week I got really serious and I know a lot of that was water and stuff in my gut from the holidays). We will see how it shakes out, but if I can average two pounds a week, that should get me below 250 for the next Bob Marshall trip this July. Goal is under 230 and/or 34” pants by mid-September, when I will turn 50. “Fit before 50” is my goal.

I workout 3 days a week in the gym (1+ hour of mixed cardio and low weight/high rep strength training, which I have been doing since October 2022) and ruck 5.5 or more miles on a fourth day, usually up and back down a mountain trail. Every ten pounds I lose below 280 I’ll add ten pounds of plate to my ruck until I’m rucking with 40 pounds, or carrying my full Montana load-out pack, which is around 50 pounds. Western hiking has proven to require higher weight than what we carry in the Appalachians and is A LOT harder, mile for mile, with the higher altitude and lower humidity.

Once the days get longer, we will go on longer hikes as we train up to averaging 13-15 miles a day in the Bob. The boys want to do a 26 mile marathon hike in one day in Linville Gorge (Wolfpit to Hawksbill or Sitting Bear - can’t remember which they told me) late spring and I plan to join them on that. I also plan to do the 22 mile ring around South Mountains State Park before it gets too hot.

Anywho, long winded post, but figured I’d toss my hat in the accountability ring. My boys are pretty brutal with accountability, so I need the encouragement I’ll get from you guys to soften theirs up some. Lol
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Depending on whether or not I start round two of chemo, I am planning to do sections of the NC Mountain-to-Sea trail, starting in the spring. 26 miles in the Gorge is no joke...good luck!

I think you are doing all the right things and all the little things. Stick with it!
 
Chuckman said:
Depending on whether or not I start round two of chemo, I am planning to do sections of the NC Mountain-to-Sea trail, starting in the spring. 26 miles in the Gorge is no joke...good luck!

I think you are doing all the right things and all the little things. Stick with it!
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If you do the MTS, please keep me posted. I'll be happy to help with supply drop-offs, rides, etc. Depending on which section(s) you do, you may even be able to conveniently crash here, coming, going, or headed through.

Edited to add - we have hiked a lot in the Gorge, including a number of times up and down Shortoff, from short hikes up to hiking all the way to Table Rock. We've done the entire stretch they want to do, but in sections at different times. We know exactly what we are getting into as far as the trail goes. The big question is whether we can handle doing it all at once. :)
 
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Down another 2lb this week, 218, have gone from between belt holes going up to between belt holes going down. Illness continues, so no exercise in the mix yet. Planning to start brisk walking and moderate weightlifting daily next week, it’ll help to be living and working with a full gym in the building, makes it easier to pop down for a couple hours. Real challenge is to reduce eating at restaurants from 15 meals a week, need to find something to buy with the savings to motivate me…maybe a vintage pickup or a select fire toy.
 
Also on trackers: I used MyFitnessPal for a year. Their premium that unlocks barcode scanning and other stuff is $20/mo.

I recently switched to Loseit. Does everything mfp does and then some and it’s $40/yr.
 
Sigogglin said:
Also on trackers: I used MyFitnessPal for a year. Their premium that unlocks barcode scanning and other stuff is $20/mo.

I recently switched to Loseit. Does everything mfp does and then some and it’s $40/yr.
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I just paid $89 a year for My Fitness Pal premium. They must have dropped it. I plan on using it for one year then doing something else, but my son was already using the free version and I was familiar enough with it I decided to go that way.
 
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