Kinda depressed...

[InfinatyBPS]

Well in case you guys don't know what I look like this is me,

except I have much longer hair and jaw line is a little more defined(this was like 4 months ago). Anyways, I don't know whats wrong with me, I think I'm bi-polar, I just got a realy big surge of depression outa nowhere, actualy I was trying to look for what I was going to wear for the first day of school and realized how huge my clothes are and theyre still tight on me, so ya thats prolly why. But anyways ya, my mood changes way too easy. Thanks for all ur advice.

[-Carnifex-]

Originally posted by minnimag
Dont worry so much. Trust me it takes awhile to lose weight. If you stop now youll throw away all your hard work. I haven't had to deal with losing weight but i have had to deal with working out. You can get a membership at a gym for 13$ a month like i did this summer at the YMCA, maybe cheaper for you depending on your age. When youre there lift light wheights lots of times, pick a wieght you can do maybe 10-12 times and try to do that 3-4 times. This will burn fat and make your muscels "tone". Trust me just keep working at it, it will be hard but if you keep working it will pay off.

Also, i have friends who are overweight, i guess, and i dont even think of their wheight. One of my best friends is overwheight. He was even heavier last year and now he has lost weight by doing what your doing. I really admire what he has done and it shows how strong of character he has to keep working when it gets tough. Just keep the hard work up.

Unless I'm mistaken, that whole 10-12 reps with a lighter weight to tone is a myth, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Konigballer]

actually, i'm a gym nut and 10-12 reps for each set is not really ideal for gaining definition. its stradling the rep line between adding muscle mass and gaining definition. For just gaining definition, 12-15 or more reps per set is the usual benchmark for that. However dont just pic up some weights and try and do something. If you are serious about starting a workout program I would first consult your doctor to make sure your asthma and any other health conditions dont pose a health risk before you start. Then buy a book or two about bodybuilding, I recomend any by Weider or Gold's Gym. Dont mind the pics of the steroid freaks inside, no sane person would want to look like that:)The books will outline all the excersises to do for the different muscle groups and the proper technique so you dont hurt your self. It will all seem like greek at first but once you get a basic understanding, you can go to a gym and not feel TO overwelmed. Then get one of the trainer's to set you up a beginners program and talk about your goals. He/she will walk you through the excersises on the program sheet and answer your questions. It wont be easy by any means, and you will also have to concentrate largely on your cardio workout and change your diet, but you will see results. Really, what do you have to lose. You dont have to get all ripped like a rock star or super strong like a power lifter, but its important for u to get to a point were you feel comfortable with yourself. Its all about willpower and knowledge. If you do decide to get serious about it, I wish you good luck.

[MrMag]

infinity- i have lost around 30 lbs in the past few months, and i lost the wieght fairly easily. here's what i did. i made a point of eating only 3 meals a day which pertained of mostly meats kinda like the atkins diet. if your gonna eat a chicken sandwhich just eat the chicken. fish rocks for the diets. if you NEED to snack, eats some fruits or veggies. i would eat bananas and pickles usually when i wanted to snack, that or a small portion of meat. im pretty sure i remember you saying you love to cook, and you could just ask your mom to buy you a chicken breast or some fish instead of what she would buy you normally. grill it up on the stove.

I also workout 4-6 times a week so if you can do that it will help. just ask a trainer at the gym to help you set up a workout. i do 4 sets of every workout and attempt to do 10 reps each time. when i can do 10 reps for all three sets i step the weight up, and work my reps up. that has worked very well for me

[-Carnifex-]

Or you could grill it on the grill!

[1stdeadeye]

You have to walk before you can run. Build your endurance up walking before you try jogging/running.

As for the weight, eh? So what! There are a whole lot more of us plus sized people then there are of the scrawny people. Plus after the next Ice Age, we will outlast them!!

[mag-hatter]

running is the best way to turn flab into slab *harhar* i was in cross country last year, and i weighed 160 pounds by the end of the semester. i didnt do cross country all throughout the rest of the school year and this summer and i weigh 185 now lol

[-Carnifex-]

Originally posted by 1stdeadeye
You have to walk before you can run. Build your endurance up walking before you try jogging/running.

As for the weight, eh? So what! There are a whole lot more of us plus sized people then there are of the scrawny people. Plus after the next Ice Age, we will outlast them!!

Yeah, unless we have "heaters" and "blankets."

[Miscue]

You don't have to run. The idea is getting a good cardio work out. Doing it all the time is key. Swimming is very good to do. Get your heart pumping. Could try power-walking... I prefer this over running. Start at a mile for a few days, take it to two... then three.

I hate doing cardio. It REALLY sucks at first. You have to keep doing it, and then it gets easier and easier... and not so bad. You don't need to push yourself to a very uncomfortable level... ease into it... you'll get used to it. You just can't quit! All the time... all the time.

No junk food, no sugar, no sodas. Stick with water and diet sodas.

Atkins can take weight off quickly... but be warned that it will come back really fast if you stop.

Weight train. You need to weight train. Putting on lean mass will lower your fat. Muscle uses fat for fuel... plus hey... you grow muscles. :)

You have to make a lifestyle change. Results will be slow. You have to keep doing it.

I'm on the opposite end... I'm too thin. I have to work hard for a long time just to put on a pound of lean mass. Slow progress is really frustrating. But I'm a lot bigger now than I used to be... I was a stick figure.

This was me at about 120lbs roughly... in my senior year of high school. I have some better stick figure pictures of me somewhere, packed away right now.

<img src="http://www.automags.org/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=530006">

I was 135 as a senior in college. After graduating, I've had time to go to the gym fairly often and I'm a bit over 150 now. I'm still too skinny, but not like Ally McBeal anymore. I stopped going, and dropped weight again... and now I have it back up. Have to keep going, or you lose your progress.

You make small improvements over a long period of time. Eventually it adds up and you and others will notice improvement. Keep at it and maybe you can get where you want to be. You just have to do it all the time. All the time. Trust me, you'll get addicted to it eventually and you'll get antsy when you don't exercise... no joke.

BTW: How exactly are you exercising? And are you being truthful about the duration and frequency?

[trevorjk]

hmmm just think of it this way if your ever on a ship and it sinks youll stay alive longer then all those skinny people and there boney asses at least thats how i think about it :) anyways my gym teacher for senior gym was a great guy he said the best thing to do is run a quarter mile no matter how hard it is then walk a quarter then run walk run walk till you run 4 miles ( my gym teacher could be a brain surgeon honest to god ) anyways he says thats proven to be most effective for the heart and the strain on the legs and well your running 2 miles and walking 2 miles and it doesnt seam like it cuase your not running that much well thats what i do and i like it alot lost 20 pounds this summer so im happy

[bunkermaster10]

Be happy of what you are. Seriously, I know thats sounds really corny and all. I have some friends that are really really skinny and wish they could "GAIN" weight and they can't and they hate being called a stick or anything like that. And they get super depressed.
Lay off the soda and drink a lot of water. Drink water before meals and after. Its those little snacks that no one thinks about that really hurt them. Like just getting a little bar of candy. Instead of eatting that, eat like prezels or something with hardly any calories and saturated fat.

And everybody has something they don't like about themself. Everybody feels depressed once in awhile. You just have to think about something that gets it out of your mind and think about something you did that was so sweet and fun.

[Mango]

Infinity: I know how you feel my friend. Trust me I do. About 2 1/2 years ago I was 310lbs w/ a 46 inche waist. I could barely do 5 pushups and couldn't even think of running a mile. I felt horrible about myself as well. But I just turned my negative energy into postitive and started little by little changing what I ate. I also started going to my college gym every other day. You don't have to join a gym to lose weight obviously, but I will tell you it can be your best bet to reach your goal. It puts you in a psychological mode to workout and there are no distractions (other than the pretty girls teehee). But it tells your mind "Ok you are here to workout and reach your goal for today!" and your body follows.

If you join a good gym, they will give you free personal trainer sessions. After a year I dropped 110lbs and started bulking up, now I am a pretty solid 230lbs. I can run 6 miles nonstop and do about 68 pushups and 55 situps in 1 minute (I know this from the academy). I'm not telling you this to brag, im teling you this because I NEVER invisioned myself being able to do any of this. Back in high school when I was still carrying all that weight, I never once thought I would be in my current condition. So do not give up on yourself and you have to realize, loseing weight will take time and dedication. In this American society of instant gratification this is one thing that will not provide that.

The best book I have found for people is by Bill Phillips, founder of E.A.S. It's called the "Body for Life Challenge" It has GREAT advice for nutrition, and it's made for everyday people to pick up and learn from. Barnes and Noble and Borders both have it.

Also, PM or Email me for any advice you might need. I became an ACE certified personal trainer a year ago also and I would be happy to help you. Never give up!

[EsPo]

They say If you dont eat anything after 6pm everyday, you'll lose weight. Drink a REAL lot of water too.

[Mango]

Originally posted by EsPo
They say If you dont eat anything after 6pm everyday, you'll lose weight. Drink a REAL lot of water too.

Oh, please dont do this!!! ! ! Drink lots of water yes.

But you need to EAT to lose weight! Eat 4 to 6 SMALL, BALANCED meals a day. You have to imagine your metabolism (which dictates what your body does with the food you eat and how fast your body utilizes it as fuel) is a furnace that you have to keep providing fuel for. Your best bet is to eat every 3 hours. There is a myth that if you don't eat high carbohydrate foods after 6 you will lose weight. That simply is not true. You will lose weight from doing what you said simply because of caloric restriction. Thats all. Later in the day, your best bet is to eat higher protien foods or snacks. Your body will utilize those to repair torn muscle tissue as you sleep. That is, if you workout regularly.

Next!

[EsPo]

By after 6pm I would think that my health teacher meant after dinner, which makes sense to me, considering most things eaten after dinner (in my family anyway) is junk food (ice cream chips ect)