Exercise, nutrition, and motivation

[Kooter]

I'm 6' tall and weigh 284lbs. My goal is to reach and maintain
a healthy weight. I believe that my main problem is
motivation. My appetite or my urge for some foods (beef,
chocolate, etc.) will overpower my will to maintain
nutritional goals. As far as exercise goes, I can maintain a
regular workout routine as long as my energy level stays up.
If the energy is depleted I can barely get out of bed.

I started back on a workout routine last thursday.

Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple for
lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of double
portions of mashed potatoes and rice along with about 6 or 8
oz of chicken breast. Between breakfast and lunch I went to
the Y and walked one and a half miles and ran a half
mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit a
wall about an hour before my normal bedtime and went to
sleep. Today I feel exhausted.

I feel that if I could find the right combination and
proportion of nutrients that it would help me keep my appetite
and urges under control and also keep my energy level up to
the point where I'm not looking for excuses not to work out. I
would prefer a simple, easy to prepare diet that I can throw
together even on days when I just don't feel much like messing
around in the kitchen.

I'm not looking for a fad diet or some alternative health
remedy. I just want a simple diet that will minimize
fluctuations in appetite and give me the energy that I need to
maintain a regular workout schedule. Can anyone help?

[Fotofile20]

> Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple for
> lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of double
> portions of mashed potatoes and rice along with about 6 or 8
> oz of chicken breast. Between breakfast and lunch I went to
> the Y and walked one and a half miles and ran a half
> mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit a
> wall about an hour before my normal bedtime and went
> to sleep. Today I feel exhausted.
>

You are not eating enough of the *right* kinds of foods and
you are eating way too little for lunch and breakfast. Your
body thinks that it is running from a volcano in an area where
food is scarce and as a result wants to store the extra energy
as fat. Try having 5-6 mini meals a day, higher in protein and
lower in simple carbs. For example, try an egg white omlet
with salsa and low fat cheese for breakfast, chicken breast
with a nice big salad and a whole wheat roll at lunch and a
dinner that is made up mainly of vegetables and protein. Drink
plenty of water through out the day, 6-8 8 oz. glasses, more
when you exercise.

For more information about diet and exercise, go to
www.stumptuous.com. It's written by a woman named Krista. She
has lots of information geared toward women, but most of the
diet and exercise information is for both sexes. She also
gives suggestions for meals.

Also try reading misc.fitness.weights.

[Hell Razor]

Look into weight watchers.

"Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
news:a3jsmh$flb$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
> I'm 6' tall and weigh 284lbs. My goal is to reach and
> maintain a healthy weight. I believe that my main problem
> is motivation. My appetite or my urge for some foods (beef,
> chocolate, etc.) will overpower my will to maintain
> nutritional goals. As far as exercise goes, I can maintain
> a regular workout routine as long as my energy level stays
> up. If the
energy
> is depleted I can barely get out of bed.
>
> I started back on a workout routine last thursday.
>
> Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple for
> lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of double
> portions of mashed potatoes and rice along with about 6 or 8
> oz of chicken breast. Between breakfast and lunch I went to
> the Y and walked one and a half miles and ran a half
> mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit a
> wall about an hour before my normal bedtime and went
> to sleep. Today I feel exhausted.
>
> I feel that if I could find the right combination and
> proportion of nutrients that it would help me keep my
> appetite and urges under control
and
> also keep my energy level up to the point where I'm not
> looking for
excuses
> not to work out. I would prefer a simple, easy to prepare
> diet that I can throw together even on days when I just
> don't feel much like messing
around
> in the kitchen.
>
> I'm not looking for a fad diet or some alternative health
> remedy. I just want a simple diet that will minimize
> fluctuations in appetite and give me the energy that I need
> to maintain a regular workout schedule. Can anyone help?

[Kooter]

Thanks for your advice. I'll give it a try.

On those mini meals, what amount of protein and carb intake
should I shoot for?

"FotoFile2002" <FotoFile2002@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JUh78.4968$KA4.1987785@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
> >
> > Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple for
> > lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of
> > double portions of mashed
potatoes
> > and rice along with about 6 or 8 oz of chicken breast.
> > Between
breakfast
> > and lunch I went to the Y and walked one and a half miles
> > and ran a half
> > mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit a
> > wall about
an
> > hour before my normal bedtime and went to sleep. Today
> > I feel
exhausted.
> >
>
> You are not eating enough of the *right* kinds of foods and
> you are eating way too little for lunch and breakfast. Your
> body thinks that it is
running
> from a volcano in an area where food is scarce and as a
> result wants to store the extra energy as fat. Try having
> 5-6 mini meals a day, higher in protein and lower in simple
> carbs. For example, try an egg white omlet
with
> salsa and low fat cheese for breakfast, chicken breast with
> a nice big
salad
> and a whole wheat roll at lunch and a dinner that is made up
> mainly of vegetables and protein. Drink plenty of water
> through out the day, 6-8 8 oz. glasses, more when you
> exercise.
>
> For more information about diet and exercise, go to
> www.stumptuous.com. It's written by a woman named Krista.
> She has lots of information geared toward women, but most of
> the diet and exercise information is for both sexes. She
> also gives suggestions for meals.
>
> Also try reading misc.fitness.weights.
>
>

[Paul Roger]

"FotoFile2002" <FotoFile2002@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JUh78.4968$KA4.1987785@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...

> For example, try an egg white omlet with salsa and low fat
> cheese for breakfast, chicken breast with a nice big
salad
> and a whole wheat roll at lunch and a dinner that is made up
> mainly of vegetables and protein. Drink plenty of water
> through out the day, 6-8 8 oz. glasses, more when you
> exercise.

Is an egg-white omelette anything like showering in a
raincoat?

PR

[Kooter]

To be honest that looks like a sure fire road to failure for
me. If the meals are supposed to keep my appetite down I don't
think I'll be able to do it without cheating. They just aren't
filling enough.

"Hell Razor" <hellrazor@buttnakedhacking.com> wrote in message
news:SMv78.160$Pg5.60334@newsfeed.slurp.net...
> Look into weight watchers.
>
>
> "Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:a3jsmh$flb$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
> > I'm 6' tall and weigh 284lbs. My goal is to reach and
> > maintain a
healthy
> > weight. I believe that my main problem is motivation. My
> > appetite or
my
> > urge for some foods (beef, chocolate, etc.) will overpower
> > my will to maintain nutritional goals. As far as exercise
> > goes, I can maintain a regular workout routine as long as
> > my energy level stays up. If the
> energy
> > is depleted I can barely get out of bed.
> >
> > I started back on a workout routine last thursday.
> >
> > Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple for
> > lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of
> > double portions of mashed
potatoes
> > and rice along with about 6 or 8 oz of chicken breast.
> > Between
breakfast
> > and lunch I went to the Y and walked one and a half miles
> > and ran a half
> > mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit a
> > wall about
an
> > hour before my normal bedtime and went to sleep. Today
> > I feel
exhausted.
> >
> > I feel that if I could find the right combination and
> > proportion of nutrients that it would help me keep my
> > appetite and urges under control
> and
> > also keep my energy level up to the point where I'm not
> > looking for
> excuses
> > not to work out. I would prefer a simple, easy to prepare
> > diet that I
can
> > throw together even on days when I just don't feel much
> > like messing
> around
> > in the kitchen.
> >
> > I'm not looking for a fad diet or some alternative health
> > remedy. I
just
> > want a simple diet that will minimize fluctuations in
> > appetite and give
me
> > the energy that I need to maintain a regular workout
> > schedule. Can
anyone
> > help?
> >
>

[Fotofile20]

> Thanks for your advice. I'll give it a try.

You're welcome.

> On those mini meals, what amount of protein and carb intake
> should I shoot for?

I'm really not sure. I never measure anything. I did Weight
Watchers a couple of years ago and I found that helpful.

Read misc.fitness.weights for some good information as well.

>
> "FotoFile2002" <FotoFile2002@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:JUh78.4968$KA4.1987785@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
> > >
> > > Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple
> > > for lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of
> > > double portions of mashed
> potatoes
> > > and rice along with about 6 or 8 oz of chicken breast.
> > > Between
> breakfast
> > > and lunch I went to the Y and walked one and a half
> > > miles and ran a
half
> > > mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit
> > > a wall about
> an
> > > hour before my normal bedtime and went to sleep. Today I
> > > feel
> exhausted.
> > >
> >
> > You are not eating enough of the *right* kinds of foods
> > and you are
eating
> > way too little for lunch and breakfast. Your body thinks
> > that it is
> running
> > from a volcano in an area where food is scarce and as a
> > result wants to store the extra energy as fat. Try having
> > 5-6 mini meals a day, higher
in
> > protein and lower in simple carbs. For example, try an egg
> > white omlet
> with
> > salsa and low fat cheese for breakfast, chicken breast
> > with a nice big
> salad
> > and a whole wheat roll at lunch and a dinner that is made
> > up mainly of vegetables and protein. Drink plenty of water
> > through out the day, 6-8
8
> > oz. glasses, more when you exercise.
> >
> > For more information about diet and exercise, go to
> > www.stumptuous.com. It's written by a woman named Krista.
> > She has lots of information
geared
> > toward women, but most of the diet and exercise
> > information is for both sexes. She also gives suggestions
> > for meals.
> >
> > Also try reading misc.fitness.weights.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

[C. Locking]

no kidding "Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in
message news:a3mda3$202$1@slb3.atl.mindspring.net...
> To be honest that looks like a sure fire road to failure for
> me. If the meals are supposed to keep my appetite down I
> don't think I'll be able to
do
> it without cheating. They just aren't filling enough.
>
> "Hell Razor" <hellrazor@buttnakedhacking.com> wrote in
> message news:SMv78.160$Pg5.60334@newsfeed.slurp.net...
> > Look into weight watchers.
> >
> >
> > "Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
> > news:a3jsmh$flb$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net...
> > > I'm 6' tall and weigh 284lbs. My goal is to reach and
> > > maintain a
> healthy
> > > weight. I believe that my main problem is motivation. My
> > > appetite or
> my
> > > urge for some foods (beef, chocolate, etc.) will
> > > overpower my will to maintain nutritional goals. As far
> > > as exercise goes, I can maintain a regular workout
> > > routine as long as my energy level stays up. If the
> > energy
> > > is depleted I can barely get out of bed.
> > >
> > > I started back on a workout routine last thursday.
> > >
> > > Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple
> > > for lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of
> > > double portions of mashed
> potatoes
> > > and rice along with about 6 or 8 oz of chicken breast.
> > > Between
> breakfast
> > > and lunch I went to the Y and walked one and a half
> > > miles and ran a
half
> > > mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit
> > > a wall about
> an
> > > hour before my normal bedtime and went to sleep. Today I
> > > feel
> exhausted.
> > >
> > > I feel that if I could find the right combination and
> > > proportion of nutrients that it would help me keep my
> > > appetite and urges under
control
> > and
> > > also keep my energy level up to the point where I'm not
> > > looking for
> > excuses
> > > not to work out. I would prefer a simple, easy to
> > > prepare diet that I
> can
> > > throw together even on days when I just don't feel much
> > > like messing
> > around
> > > in the kitchen.
> > >
> > > I'm not looking for a fad diet or some alternative
> > > health remedy. I
> just
> > > want a simple diet that will minimize fluctuations in
> > > appetite and
give
> me
> > > the energy that I need to maintain a regular workout
> > > schedule. Can
> anyone
> > > help?
> > >
> > >
> >
>

[Fotofile20]

"Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
news:a3mda3$202$1@slb3.atl.mindspring.net...
> To be honest that looks like a sure fire road to failure for
> me. If the meals are supposed to keep my appetite down I
> don't think I'll be able to
do
> it without cheating. They just aren't filling enough.

The meals aren't supposed to keep your appetite down, it shows
you a good healthy way of eating. It is easy to keep track of
how much you are eating because of the point system. Each food
is assigned a point value and you have a certain number of
points per day. There is a minimum amount that you must eat in
order to prevent your body from going into
starvation/conservation and a maximum amount that you are
allowed to eat. It is a lifestyle change. Try their web page -
http://www.weightwatchers.com it will explain the program in a
bit more detail. Some insurance companies also give you a
discount on the program so you may want to look into that. If
you are serious about losing weight, it is a good first step.

[Alf Christ]

On Mon, 04 Feb 2002 18:32:44 GMT, "FotoFile2002"
<FotoFile2002@yahoo.com> wrote:

>have a certain number of points per day. There is a minimum
>amount that you must eat in order to prevent your body from
>going into starvation/conservation and a maximum amount that
>you are allowed to eat. It is a lifestyle change. Try their
>web page -

Not only is eating enough food important to prevent that
mentioned, but eating too little is the main reason why people
has to eat pills for substituting nearly all nutrients that
should normally has been eaten as food, like vitamins,
minerals, trace elements and organic osmolytes like taurine,
betaine, myo-inositol and a lot of others.

Eat more and exercise even more, not only by running some
distance once a day, but when you speak, wave your arms
instead of dropping them dead whole day. Use your fingers
more, use your arm more affectinally when talking, fetch your
papers at desk yourself instead of calling for the secretary
to give you all papers you need (like living as a termite
queen having workers do everything for you and you end up
looking just like a termite queen ;:-) That's the trouble with
most fat people, they want to live like a termite queen and
end up as such one in the end totally invalid in moving around
at all, weighing more than 400 kg or maybe even worse)

[Kooter]

Thanks for the advice. I don't know that I have any complaints
about the nutritional value of my meals. Basically my only
grips are appetite and energy level. I'm not even sure about
energy level being an issue now. I feel reasonably good today
considering that I'm 4 days back into a workout routine after
years of being sedentary.

"FotoFile2002" <FotoFile2002@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:gtA78.75172$Ln2.17046512@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
>
> "Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:a3mda3$202$1@slb3.atl.mindspring.net...
> > To be honest that looks like a sure fire road to failure
> > for me. If the meals are supposed to keep my appetite down
> > I don't think I'll be able
to
> do
> > it without cheating. They just aren't filling enough.
>
> The meals aren't supposed to keep your appetite down, it
> shows you a good healthy way of eating. It is easy to keep
> track of how much you are
eating
> because of the point system. Each food is assigned a point
> value and you have a certain number of points per day. There
> is a minimum amount that
you
> must eat in order to prevent your body from going into
> starvation/conservation and a maximum amount that you are
> allowed to eat. It is a lifestyle change. Try their web page
> - http://www.weightwatchers.com it will explain the program
> in a bit more detail. Some insurance companies also give you
> a discount on the program
so
> you may want to look into that. If you are serious about
> losing weight,
it
> is a good first step.

[Fotofile20]

But when you first posted this thread and described what you
are eating, you clearly were eating too little throughout the
day. If you continue to eat that little and exercise at the
intensity that you are, you will not lose weight, but in
fact, gain weight. Continue to good work, but you do need to
eat to lose.

Good luck.

"Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
news:a3n3mc$23n$1@slb4.atl.mindspring.net...
> Thanks for the advice. I don't know that I have any
> complaints about the nutritional value of my meals.
> Basically my only grips are appetite and energy level. I'm
> not even sure about energy level being an issue now. I feel
> reasonably good today considering that I'm 4 days back into
> a workout routine after years of being sedentary.
>
> "FotoFile2002" <FotoFile2002@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:gtA78.75172$Ln2.17046512@typhoon.ne.mediaone.net...
> >
> > "Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
> > news:a3mda3$202$1@slb3.atl.mindspring.net...
> > > To be honest that looks like a sure fire road to failure
> > > for me. If
the
> > > meals are supposed to keep my appetite down I don't
> > > think I'll be able
> to
> > do
> > > it without cheating. They just aren't filling enough.
> >
> > The meals aren't supposed to keep your appetite down, it
> > shows you a
good
> > healthy way of eating. It is easy to keep track of how
> > much you are
> eating
> > because of the point system. Each food is assigned a point
> > value and
you
> > have a certain number of points per day. There is a
> > minimum amount that
> you
> > must eat in order to prevent your body from going into
> > starvation/conservation and a maximum amount that you are
> > allowed to
eat.
> > It is a lifestyle change. Try their web page -
> > http://www.weightwatchers.com it will explain the program
> > in a bit more detail. Some insurance companies also give
> > you a discount on the
program
> so
> > you may want to look into that. If you are serious about
> > losing weight,
> it
> > is a good first step.
> >
>

[Rsg]

"Kooter" <cbowling@mindspring-nospam.com> wrote in message
news:<a3jsmh$flb$1@slb6.atl.mindspring.net>...
> I'm 6' tall and weigh 284lbs. My goal is to reach and
> maintain a healthy weight. I believe that my main problem is
> motivation. My appetite or my urge for some foods (beef,
> chocolate, etc.) will overpower my will to maintain
> nutritional goals. As far as exercise goes, I can maintain a
> regular workout routine as long as my energy level stays up.
> If the energy is depleted I can barely get out of bed.
>
> I started back on a workout routine last thursday.
>
> Yesterday I had a glass of OJ for breakfast, an apple for
> lunch, and a larger than normal dinner consisting of double
> portions of mashed potatoes and rice along with about 6 or 8
> oz of chicken breast. Between breakfast and lunch I went to
> the Y and walked one and a half miles and ran a half
> mile. This is up half a mile from the day before. I hit a
> wall about an hour before my normal bedtime and went
> to sleep. Today I feel exhausted.
>
> I feel that if I could find the right combination and
> proportion of nutrients that it would help me keep my
> appetite and urges under control and also keep my energy
> level up to the point where I'm not looking for excuses not
> to work out. I would prefer a simple, easy to prepare diet
> that I can throw together even on days when I just don't
> feel much like messing around in the kitchen.
>
> I'm not looking for a fad diet or some alternative health
> remedy. I just want a simple diet that will minimize
> fluctuations in appetite and give me the energy that I need
> to maintain a regular workout schedule. Can anyone help?

You've recieved some good advice from various posters.

On you above example of what you ate, is it possible to spread
the same amount of food energy over the whole day? ie.
increase the size of your breakfast and lunch and decrease
your supper meal. You probably need more calories overall, but
I realize you might not appreciate that idea.

I honestly believe you need to eat more food. And I also think
you should shoot for 1 to 2 years to lose the weight. Right
now you're scared to eat too much because you are worried you
won't lose weight fast enough. If possible, look back at what
you used to eat in an average week. I can pretty much bet that
you're easily surpassing your daily energy needs on a
consistent basis.

How long did it take you to weigh 284 pounds? It probably took
years. Let's say you want to lose 84 of those pounds. That's
the equivalent of almost 300,000 calories. Close to 600 Burger
King double bacon burgers. You don't just lose that kind of
weight quickly. You could, but it will come back at an
alarming rate.

I don't know how many calories you should eat each day, but
let's say you start eating 2400 calories(just a number I
picked - not necassarily the correct number), 90% of the time.
Unless I'm wrong that's probably a lot less than what you used
to eat on a consistent basis. Now toss in some exercise a few
times a week. Over a period of months, you'll be amazed at the
difference. Measure some key, fat laden body parts, and use
that as your guide. Of if pants start falling down, that would
also be a good sign.

Let's take your chocolate cravings. Do you have chocolate so
often that it's almost part of your normal eating. Has it
become more of a necassary food, then an occasional treat?
Eating chocolate is not going to make you fat. There's nothing
wrong with having a chocolate bar, once or twice a week. You
won't balloon up in weight from your decision to have a
chocolate bar. Of course you will if you do it on a consistent
basis, along with cheeseburgers, pizza, chips, etc... Once in
a while, have the chocolate bar that you think you must have.
But don't have extra in your house.

Can I offer a suggestion for your walking and running? When
you say you walked 1.5 miles and ran .5 miles, I assume the
walking and running were seperate. ie. you did 1.5 miles of
walking and then ran for .5 miles. I'm sure you found the
running to be quite difficult depending on your energy level.
If you want to run(jog), mix it in with the walking. Walk for
3 minutes, jog for 1 - and repeat. I promise it will be so
much easier. And as the weeks go by, you can reduce the
walking and increase the jogging. But you don't have to. You
could keep walking as your primary exercise. I have taken
someone who can only jog for one minute, and got them to the
point where they could jog for 40 minutes. And that was all
through the use of walk breaks.

Some people think walk breaks are for wimps. Former U.S.
Olympian, Jeff Galloway, is a big believer in walk-breaks. He
has a monthly column in Runner's World.

Now as far as motivation goes, most people have to see results
to stay motivated. This could be by how much weight they lost,
or how strong they're getting, or how much longer/faster they
can do their walk/run. Remember, you might lose 3 pounds one
week and 0 pounds another week. But the scale never tells the
whole truth. I can lose 5 pounds of scale weight from a hard
workout - but it wasn't 5 pounds of fat.

Don't worry about others losing weight faster. When you've
lost the weight, you can look back as the way you were, it
won't matter how long it took. What will matter is that you
did it, and that will stick to your new way of living.