Fight the flab!

EasyTiger1976 · Poster

Fight the flab!

Adam · *Censored*

Give me all your money, then you wont be able to buy any food.

EasyTiger1976 · Poster

That's just another problem. I don't have money but Mr Visa and Mr Mastercard help me out loads. I just get fatter and fatter.

ET

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

I have the same yo-yo weight probelem as you ET, but I have been gradually losing weight over the past 12 months and most of my friends have noticed the difference.

I'd put it down to two things:

1. Exercise
2. Sensible eating

These are a bit cliched I know, but they have really worked for me. I've always been able to lose some weight with faddy diets and changing my eating habits but I really think exercise has been the key for me. I have lost about one and a hlaf stones over about 4 months, which I know isn't loads but it has made me feel better about myself.

On the exercise front, it really helps to have someone to run / go to the gym / exercise with. Thankfully I have Michael (Challenge the Mighty). I have been doing plenty of cardio and gradually introduced weight training to tone up flabby bits. Gonna start going to a class on the execise ball to, because I want to get a toned tummy.

I am not the perfect eater (i have chocolate on a regular basis) but I have virtually cut out meat from my diet, particularly red meat. I have wholemeal rather than brown bread, skimmed milk and soya spread rather than margarine or butter. I try to drink lot of water too.

I know this is generally what you hear you should do, but it does work, is sensible and is a life change rather than a quick short term change which might produce results but is less likely to last.

Fuck, I feel like Gillian McKeith!!

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

I might add though that all this attempted body changing has not increased my attractability to the young men of Leeds.

There is no pleasing some people!!

EasyTiger1976 · Poster

I don't seem to find the time to exercise. I have tried to eat more healthily, but whenever I am stressed - like as the next assignment is due, or I have loads of work to do - I eat. Not something that has a nutritional value but just something that is there to eat - chocolate - crisps (my worst habit), but not just a bit to cheer me up, the whole bar. Then the next bar. Then a bit of cake.

Like the researchers have said this week - fat people have no self control!

ET

Magpie · One foot out of Narnia

I can reccommend Vegetarianism - I've lost about half a stone in the last few months without doing anything special. I think it's because so many fats come from animal products. Also, I'm not eating as many sweets because of the whole gelatine thing.

As a by-product, it also means you get into the habit of reading the food labels, and after a while you start noticing what has a high level of salt, fat, calories etc. Along the same lines, it means you start thinking consciously about what you eat, which can't be bad.

Having said all that, i'm sitting here eating pringles and dip so I'm probably not a good role model ^_^ '

PatrickT · Forum Guru

Ehhh! If anyone wants to get into a bit of a rhythm of going to the gym together I'd be up for that... It kind of sucks to always be going to the gym with a load of girls (since NONE of the guys I know every go to the gym... stoners!). Girls just don't run as fast, lift as many weights or sweat as much. They go to the gym to look good, I go to work out!

So yeah. John or anyone else.. if you want to, just shout!

PS, I voted Yes on the question at the top even though I've never met the author. I'm just thinking that whenever I feel like I need to lose weight it's not to do with actually losing weight itself but toning up. Losing weight isn't a worthwhile goal and is a bad measurement of how healthy/fit you are. Pinch your stomach and see whether you have rolls, feel under your arms or legs and if you have saggy skin when you tense the muscles, then that's when I push myself back into the gym again. I haven't been recently because I've had too much on but then again, simply being busy is a horrible reason for not going to the gym and I'd run at it if I can. Perhaps today?!

-- Edited by PatrickT at 01:52, 2005-10-27

yongee · Forum Addict

awww. I dont see anything wrong with men who arent stick thin? men look much nicer when they have a bit of meat on them..

but then, no matter how much everybody else tell you that you look fine, if you dont feel fine, it wont make any difference, will it?

what i personally do doesnt require much change in your diet, for example, cutting out meat?? NOOOOO I LOVE my meat.. so!

try not to have any chips.. if u really want som, get som oven bake ones from the supermarket and make them at home, take away chips are just full of bad FAT!

and try not to have any crisps either, they are extremely high in fat, so try snack-a-jacks mayb? you mite not like them, but they r closest replacement to crisps i think!

just in general, avoid things that are deep fried, or just generally greasy, especially take away foods!!! .. sounds a bit simple and dumb, but fresh food is always better! thats about it, and its not too hard to keep to those simple rules...

I personally hate gym, so i dont ever do cardios or weights and stuff..mayb i shud.. hmm!

Good luck tho, mister, im sure you will do just fine.

ChallengeTheMighty · Bingo Whore

having someone to go to the gym with is definately the key. although now going to the gym regularly is part of my lifestyle it is easier to go alone than it used to be. i tend to eat healthily anyway, not through choice as such, just the things i like aren't that bad for you.

i have the opposite problem to you guys too. i lose weight too easily, and i can drop to eight and a half stone without realising and then have to pig out for a few days. my family and my doctor thought i was anoerexic once cos i went from 12 stone down to 8 in just a couple of months.

i don't expect my men to be examples of perfection, anyway. sure it looks good in the media, but at the end of the day, i'm gonna be with a guy for his personality, not the fact he looks like will young

work out and lose weight for your own benefit and self being, not to impress others. and to be honest guys, who wants the chavvy skum of leeds swooning after them anyway?!

mike x

xray dave · Forum Addict

i'm going to start the gym again i lost weight with it last year but stopped i have started healthy (ish) eating which brings those flabby bits a little smaller

never do the fad dieting as people say the only sure way to lose weight is eat less move more

dave x

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

Your welcome to pop along with me anytime Pat, though I go to Fitness First and it isn't that cheap.

Plenty of fit men getting naked though - bonus. ANd if that isn't inspiration to get fit, I don't know what is!!!

PatrickT · Forum Guru

Ahhh!~ The curse of expensive gyms! What's wrong with the Uni gym, apart from (shockingly) not having a pool? I have to say, at my old gym, part of the LivingWell chain, it wasn't so much hot guys as fat old bankers who were getting naked in the changing room. If it were me, they couldn't have possibly put their towels back on fast enough. Gross out.

I firmly believe gym locker rooms should be reserved for hot people! lol

AliceH · Butter Me Up!

PatrickT wrote:

Ehhh! If anyone wants to get into a bit of a rhythm of going to the gym together I'd be up for that... It kind of sucks to always be going to the gym with a load of girls (since NONE of the guys I know every go to the gym... stoners!). Girls just don't run as fast, lift as many weights or sweat as much. They go to the gym to look good, I go to work out!

Considering I'm 5'5" and about eight stone, I'm obviously not going to lift as many weights as you, but I can assure you that I sweat just as much, if not more. And I don't go to the gym to look good. So, uh, there.

While I would like to be half a stone or so lighter, I've realised that the easiest way to stay in shape is listen to your body. Eat small, regular meals. Snack on a few pieces of dried fruit and a couple of unsalted nuts and some crispbreads or rice cakes or pita bread instead of grabbing a chocolate bar. Sometimes even seemingly healthy things such as flapjacks or cereal bars can be packed with calories. (Including my favourite, the humble yogurt-coated raisin *sniff*.) The funny thing is, when you've been doing it for a while, you'll realise how much crap they put in food like crisps and can taste the excess salt and flavourings, and they're not such a tempting prospect. And never, never, ever skip breakfast. In fact, skipping meals in general is a bad idea.

Ooh, and to add one more tip: watch your alcohol intake! Generally, vodka or gin with a mixer is likely to have the fewest calories. A can of lager has about 220 calories, a glass of red or dry white wine about 90, whereas a shot of vodka has 55. (Though at 110 calories a double, it soon adds up.) It's no coincidence that I've lost weight since cutting down on my drinking.

-- Edited by AliceH at 20:49, 2005-10-27

Arsecandle · Admin Bitch

gym is a waste of your life.

Adam · *Censored*

Arsecandle wrote:

gym is a waste of your life.

I've had a crap day and have just eaten half a cheesecake. Fuck exercise.

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

Arsecandle wrote:

gym is a waste of your life.

As much as anything might be seen to be. But going to the gym has made me feel better about myself, and it also means I am at least trying to do something about my body, rather than sitting around moaning about it. ]

AliceH · Butter Me Up!

Gym is not a waste of my life. Going on the stairmaster makes my arse look nice, doing weights makes my arms look nice, and all together? It means I can do things like eat large amounts of caramel squares this evening and know that I don't have to feel guilty about it.

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

here here.

I used to moan about my weight all the time. Now I am doing something about it! :)

Irish Dom · Forum Guru

Gym aint a waste of time. It rocks!!! And makes you feel way much better about yourself. I'd die without my Esporta emebership

Date: Fri Oct 28 21:49 2005

all i can say to this guys is:

for my part, i'm going to stick to the idea that if he ain't fond of my curves, he can F*CK OFF! ; )

i dropped a quarter of my bodyweight in less than 6 weeks BY ACCIDENT and it STILL didn't make me more attractive to anyone on the planet, so screw it cos it doesnt matter! : D

sasha

AliceH · Butter Me Up!

Irish Dom wrote:

Gym aint a waste of time. It rocks!!! And makes you feel way much better about yourself. I'd die without my Esporta emebership

The same Esporta membership you cancelled for two months because you didn't go, honey?

Joey and I are thinking of going swimming. If anyone wants to come with us (and the thought of me in a bikini isn't too horrifying) then feel free.

Date: Sat Oct 29 12:52 2005

I'd just like to add that I went to the gym for the first time in a month on Thursday :(

It wasn't too bad though. Gyms are quite nice places once you get used to them.

Just in passing, though - I think you get the most out of exercise when it stops being about what you look like. I was worried about my weight for years, and every time I did something to change it I was frustrated by how long it would take. When I gave up on losing weight (assuming I never could, basically) and just went for it, it actually worked - I didn't notice the difference for months and then I suddenly realised I was in far far better shape than I ever had been. Even now when I hadn't been for a month, I knew I was capable of far more than I was a year or so ago, and really quite a bit better than even six months ago.

And I am going to get back into it - just watch me.

(falafel - couldn't be arsed to log in)

Arsecandle · Admin Bitch

just make sure you don't all become narcissistic and retain your personalities

ChrisH · Mmm eyebrows!

Judging by the amount people are writing for this its already started....

Irish Dom · Forum Guru

AliceH wrote:

Irish Dom wrote:
Gym aint a waste of time. It rocks!!! And makes you feel way much better about yourself. I'd die without my Esporta emebership

The same Esporta membership you cancelled for two months because you didn't go, honey?

Joey and I are thinking of going swimming. If anyone wants to come with us (and the thought of me in a bikini isn't too horrifying) then feel free.

Only cos I was home for the summer!!! What's the point of paying 60 quid a month if I'm not even in the country to use the bloody thing lol. And you thinking of going swimming. I've asked loadsa times, we still aint gone. That bloody German........... lol

EasyTiger1976 · Poster

I've been to join Slimming World today. I weighed in at a staggering 14st 7.5lb - more than 2.5 stone more than I weighed this time last year. No wonder I feel out of breath on my way up the stairs!

ET

steven · Forum Addict

I weighed myself the other day, and I weighed in at 13 stone! I'm overr six foot, but still...?
I bought myself a weight set a few weeks ago, (and yes, I HAVE used it now and again), and my arms are starting to hurt. Which I hope is a good thing.
I'd be far too anxious to use a gym, despite everyone telling me to, so I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on cardio vascular exercise that can be done in the privacy of one's own home. [expresses hope] Thanks chaps!
Steven xxx.

AliceH · Butter Me Up!

Running up and down stairs is a good one. Tones your legs and your arse, and you don't look like a sweaty twat running around Hyde Park.

ChersBitch18 · Poster

I would say if you wanna lose weight go to the gym. I've just enrolled at the one in Leeds.

I've lost over 2 stone this year from increasing exercise levels etc.

I also lost a stone in two weeks on the Atkins diet last year but as soon as you start to eat carbs again it just goes back on.

Wilbur · Forum Guru

I agree with Magpie, vegetarianism is the way of the future! Meat has lots of fat in it, even chicken, because they are fed all of those 'grow quick drugs' and they don't get exercise=fat on chicken=fat on you. PLUS I would like to remind you all of Christmas and Turkeys. Turkeys can't support their own weight because their joints and bones don't form as quickly as thier bodies becasue of the growth hormones or whatever **** they are fed, so please consider buying the more expensive, smaller turkeys this year!

falafel · Gay Lord

Everything in moderation. We need fat to survive. And chicken really doesn't have all that much fat in it anyway - I'm not sure where you're getting that from. Sure, it contains much more fat than celery... but, I expect, considerably less than an avocado, for example. Besides, if you cut out meat, you have to compensate for the important things you're not going to be getting any more. It's more tricky to eat genuinely healthily on an exclusively vegetarian/vegan diet. That's not to say I think it's bad to go vegetarian - I've considered it before. I went vegan for a couple of weeks. But then I realised that:

1. I like meat; and
2. While I'm all for the ethical treatment of animals, I'm not so interested in their welfare as to want to stop killing and eating them.

I'm getting a big fat turkey this Christmas, and I'll be stuffing it with Foie Gras and veal steaks.

PatrickT · Forum Guru

!! I had a bacon, sausage, onion, mushroom and beans sandwich/bap thing today. I don't think I've ever eaten more meat in such a short space of time... apart from when I visited my extended family in Ireland!

Wilbur · Forum Guru

Chickens have a pint of fat in them. Avacados have fat in them, but different types of fats. Eat what you want, but all I'm saying is animals aren't treated ethically while they are alive, so what difference does it make if they have an ethical death? Most of the time they don't. Anyway the point is, meat diets contain worse fats, vegetarian diets (depending on what you eat) don't have as high a fat content.

ChersBitch18 · Poster

OMG vegetarians **** off!!

Fine you want to be all hippyish and not eat meat but don't try and enforce your weirdness on us.

Wilbur · Forum Guru

I didnt say YOU HAVE TO BE VEGETARIAN. I am spreading the news that meat has a lot of fat! If you buy good quality meat-i.e. the most expensive then it would be fine in a diet. Chicken used to be a lean meat, but now it has changed for many reasons. I am not imp[osing my views. Anyway, you shouldnt criticise my beliefs, animal welfare is very imporatant to me, just like all your political stuff is to you patrick!!!! i am nice and claim ignorance and dont argue with u

Forum Admin · Respek My Authoritar!

Play nice boys.

Adam · *Censored*

I bet you all eat cake and biscuits when you think nobody is looking

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

Super Nanny scares me!

I'd support the idea that vegetarianism is at least one tactic in losing weight. When I have given up meat in the past, I have lost weight quicker.

But exercise is the key I think :)

richardyoung71 · *Censored*

And meat's so tasty!

falafel · Gay Lord

That was close enough to a double-entendre for me not to have to make one.

ChrisH · Mmm eyebrows!

A woman walked into a bar and asked for a double-entendre.....

So he gave her one

Sorry just had to add that in

-- Edited by ChrisH at 08:13, 2005-11-14

AliceH · Butter Me Up!

Wilbur wrote:

I didnt say YOU HAVE TO BE VEGETARIAN. I am spreading the news that meat has a lot of fat! If you buy good quality meat-i.e. the most expensive then it would be fine in a diet. Chicken used to be a lean meat, but now it has changed for many reasons. I am not imp[osing my views. Anyway, you shouldnt criticise my beliefs, animal welfare is very imporatant to me, just like all your political stuff is to you patrick!!!! i am nice and claim ignorance and dont argue with u

Are you a vegan, then? Do you eat wholly organic food?

Yes, chickens are plumped up with hormones and water and ethically meat production is horrible. However, even supposed 'free-range' hens live in cramped, squalid conditions and milk has a horrifying level of hormones in it. As regards to supermarket honey, bees are killed in winter because it doesn't make economic sense to keep them alive. Bread is bleached and then enriched with chemicals in order to be 'best of both' and is marketed to parents as being healthy for their children. And if you think sticking to vegetables is fine, it really isn't. They have a shocking level of fertilisers and are waxed to high heaven to look shiney and pristine, not to mention the whole casual industry that pays East European migrant workers a pittance to pack cherry tomatoes or raspberries in those small plastic containers.

Personally, I think it's impossible to eat completely healthily and ethically all the time on the pittance of a student's budget. (You can get an 11" pizza for the same price as a punnet of Morrisons strawberries or raspberries, which hardly encourages people to eat healthily.) If you can somehow manage, then good for you. I just think we should realise eating healthy and ethically has its limitations and while we should do our part as much as we can, stressing too much takes the fun out of food and there's nothing wrong with a frozen ready meal or a Gregg's sausage roll every now and then if you fancy it.

Wilbur · Forum Guru

Reet, I dont mind people eating meat, its great. being vegetarian is a choice i made. I just tell people about stuff i know about the meat industry, and i didnt know about the bees! thanks for the info on that! I just wanted to stress the low fat content of healthy veggie diets, and that normally reared animals who aren't fed **** are healthy, but expensive. It just annoys me when people think just because vegetarians point out the errors in the meat trade that people think we are "imposing our views". everyone feel free to eat meat!

chemicalfears · Queen of Quips

AMEN ALICE!!

and as for fat content, well, for pity´s sake people, we all NEED that stuff in healthy doses! alice has it right i think, with what she said: it´s near impossible to live healthily on a student budget, unless you´re one of those people lucky enough to be able to shop at sainsbury´s every week : (

here in germany it´s pretty much the same: healthy stuff seems to cost a bomb!
btw, a fact you might not know...real, healthy, untreated chicken is actually DARK, not white...that shows you how bad the meat we buy is...

sashibashi
xxx

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

Alice is right. It is night on impossible to afford to be ethical and organic at all times, especially on the small budgets we are afforded as students.

What I try and do is buy the odd organic, fairtrade or ethical product because I think even small changes can make the difference. I buy fairtrade tea, coffee, sugar, bananas, hot-chocolate and chocolate bars, I buy that Ecover washing up liquid when I am feeling flush and tend to buy organic vegetables when I can afford to do so, though they are often very expensive. I don't buy meat, but do eat fish occasionally.

I ain't gonna lecture anyone on what they should or shouldn't buy or eat, but I think that it is important that we try and make a difference, even if it is just paying 10p more for the fairtrade coffee when we pop down to Morrissons.

JOHN xx

Jeni Jeni Jen Jen

I bought eco-friendly loo cleaner the other day

JohnK · Pieces of me you've never seen

Whoopp Whoop to Wendy!!

AliceH · Butter Me Up!

Check out Leeds City Market. Not much more hassle to get to than the jampacked horror that is the city centre Morrisons, and oodles of cheap (and seasonal!) veg. There's nothing better than a freshly-baked butternut squash with freshly-ground black pepper at this time of year.

The thing is, once you switch to a diet high in pulses, vegetables and things like tofu or tempeh, processed foods just don't taste right. I thought I'd treat myself to a chocolate biscuit a few days ago, but it just tasted salty and bitter. So instead I knocked up a rather large batch of chocolate fudge which tasted sugary. Mmm.

NickyDyke85 · YouCanaeSmokeNayHashOn'Ere!

the fudge were nice