Need advice, not specific to "No S"

[Darrell]

Apologies, if this is not the correct place. However, weight-loss forums directed towards men are relatively hard to come by, and this seemed like as good a place to start as any.

This is rough, and slightly embarrassing, so I'll cut to the chase.

I'm fat.

Not just "I'm five pounds overweight and I can't see my six pack anymore", fat. I've never even seen my abs. I'm 5'10" and I weight over 300 lbs, which I believe puts me over 150 lbs overweight. I'm basically two people in one. I'm 27 years-old, and I'm starting to feel age creeping up on me. More, I'm afraid that if I don't get this weight off soon, it's going to stick with me forever.

I'm not looking for a get-slim-quick scheme. I'm intelligent enough to know there are no such things, without consequences. More, I'm aware that a quick solution does nothing to fix the long-term problem; if I don't pick up the right eating and exercise habits, I'll just get fat again at some point down the road. I need to get this weight off and -keep- it off. That only comes with time and discipline. I have plenty of the first, not sure of the second.

Everyone has their reasons for losing weight. Mine is directly related to my self-esteem, and the way I handle myself around women. As charismatic as I am, there can be no doubt that initial interest is built on appearance; I do it to women, so I know they do it to me. It's hard to seriously flirt with a girl when you have a bigger chest than they do. I want to basically cut my weight in half so I feel more confident about myself, and thus can more confidently carry relationships with girls. Is it a shallow reason? Absolutely. Although, it is not the only reason.

If I can drop 150 lbs, I'll quintuple the size of my wardrobe. Actually, I'd probably have to buy a whole new wardrobe because I've pretty much been fat my whole life. Still, I'd have more clothes available to me and I can purchase clothes in a store like a normal person. No more embarrassing moments like "Do they have that shirt in XXX Large?" "No, that would make it a pair of curtains." There's also minor issues of health, et cetera, but I won't lie to you. I want to feel better about myself.

What I lack is the knowledge and the path to be set upon. I don't have money to buy treadmills and Bowflexes. Nor do I have the money to buy special diet food every week. I can work to buy normal, healthy food from a store (Which is going to be better overall because I can't just eat special diet food forever) and I can shell out some money for some basic exercise equipment if needed. However, while arranging a diet is not overly difficult (It's the sticking to it that's the hanger), I have a lot of difficulty with exercise. Namely, I'm too fat to do it.

I try jogging, but only after a minute or so I'm out of breath. Part of this is me being a smoker, undoubtedly, but mostly because I'm basically carrying another person around with me all the time. Sit-ups, push-ups, et cetera all leave me gasping when I try to do them. My arms just don't want to hold me up.

I need help. I need advice. What do you do when you're too fat to do basic exercises to lose the fat? I'm tired of being fat, I'm tired of lacking confidence in myself, and I'm tired of wearing shirts that could double as a bedsheet. I can accept that it will take time to lose the weight, because God knows I didn't get fat overnight, but I find myself lost as to where to start.

I need advice. Someone has to be out there that's beat this kind of weight. How did they do it? Short of surgery, of course, which I definitely cannot afford. Nor would I want to since, again, that does nothing to teach me how to keep the weight off permanently.

[connorcream]

2 stories of large weight loss

I have two stories of large weight losses from 2 different women posted in my checkin. RR lost 165# on a 5'0' frame. Shannon went from 350#>296#>heading to 160#. Perhaps their journeys will inspire yours.

I lost 60#, certainly not in the league you are talking about, but still a fundemental commonality is one of intentionality and purpose. Specifically the belief that anyone can lose weight with the correct information. So I encouraage you that this can be done, that YOU can do it, and I look forward to hearing about your success.

[sophiasapientia]

What I lack is the knowledge and the path to be set upon. I don't have money to buy treadmills and Bowflexes. Nor do I have the money to buy special diet food every week. I can work to buy normal, healthy food from a store (Which is going to be better overall because I can't just eat special diet food forever) and I can shell out some money for some basic exercise equipment if needed. However, while arranging a diet is not overly difficult (It's the sticking to it that's the hanger), I have a lot of difficulty with exercise. Namely, I'm too fat to do it.

Hi Darrell & Welcome! I'm not a guy but, if your doctor says it is OK, good 'ol walking may be a good place to start in terms of exercise.

My mom and her husband are both morbidly obese. Several months ago, after her husband finished up cancer treatments and my mom received some very scary test results, they were scared into making some changes. They decided to take up walking. At first, my mom couldn't go for more than 5 minutes. Now, she walks for over an hour a day. She challenged herself, a few minutes at a time, to up the ante. She isn't fast but she is very consistent and she has lost 40 pounds so far. Her husband has lost even more than that. No special equipment beyond walking shoes is required. And they opt to walk at a local shopping center when the weather is bad so they walk everyday, regardless of the weather. The key is to find a workout that you can do/enjoy doing and then commit to doing it, one day at a time.

(FWIW, walking and nordic walking are my exercise of choice as well and have been very effective combined with a moderate eating plan. I weighed 193 pounds at age 27 and am in much better shape now, at 35, than I was then. )

You can do this! If my mom, who is 62, is doing this then it certainly isn't too late for you!

[Starla]

Welcome, Darrell! I think you've come to the right place.

About exercise: my motto is that moving is better than not moving. It doesn't have to be on a treadmill, and it doesn't have to involve any equipment whatsoever. When I first began an exercise program, I walked for five minutes/day. I increased that by one minute per week, and at the end of the year I was walking 57 minutes/day (and at a faster pace too). You may also want to check out the Shovelglove portion of the message board. The only equipment that requires is a sledgehammer. Just start moving any way you can, and KNOW that you will improve if you keep at it.

I lost 65 pounds my first year of NO S. I didn't eat diet foods or special foods. I ate 3 plates of food every day and made sure it was foods I like. I increased my fruit and vegetable consumption, but I did not count calories or carbs.

I attribute part of my success to desperation. Like you, I HAD to do something to change my life. I wasn't sure how many more chances I would get. I have learned so much through NO S. Little changes can have huge consequences.

You can do this. You really can.

[clarinetgal]

I read a book not too long ago called The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl. Yes, I know it's about a woman, but it's actually a really good story. It's about a younger woman (I think she was 23 at the time) who was over 300 pounds, and she finally decided that enough was enough, and she wanted to lose the weight. The book covers her weight loss journey. She also has pictures of herself transforming, and it's very interesting to see how her body changes over her journey. It's been awhile since I've read the book, but I think started off with Weight Watchers, and she eventually settled into a plan where she was eating 3 or 4 meals a day. She has a blog, too. I think you can just google Diet Girl, and you would find it.
The other thing is you could invest in a pedometer. They're not very expensive. You could start off tracking your steps and keep increasing your steps over time. The nice thing about pedometers is they encourage you to be more active.

[wosnes]

I read your post earlier this evening and decided to think about it before I responded. It's now the middle of the night and I'm awake. I flipped on the TV and there was a woman who lost 150 pounds in year by eating sensibly and walking. You don't need a Bowflex, but you do need to move consistently. If you can't walk long distances initially, walk short distances more frequently.

You don't need special food, either. Cooking skills are good -- but it isn't difficult to learn to cook some simple meals. No-S will take care of the habits around eating.

[MerryKat]

Welcome.

I believe you have come to the right place. No S will take care of the food side for you - follow the plan and you will teach yourself good habits.

As for the exercise - the best place to start is walking. Maybe just round the garden for a start, but make it consistent and every week day.

I know when I tried Shovelglove for a few weeks, I did not have a sledge hammer (and could not lift the ones at the shop, so did not buy one), I used my household broom and could definitely feel the muscles working.

Good Luck and I am looking forward to seeing your progress.

[ThomsonsPier]

Hello, and welcome to the forums.

As far as diet is concerned, I'm unable to offer much perspective; this is the first and only codified manner of eating I've ever tried and, barring medical requirements, will be the last. From that standpoint, however, I will tell you that you're in the right place. You can (and should) eat real food, and No-S has the added advantage that your weekly shop will probably end up costing less. Spend the difference on a good basic cookbook.

Regarding exercise: take it slowly and don't expect rapid results. Focus on establishing the habit first, using low-impact exercises like walking or something like (my favourite) taiji/qigong. You can and will lose weight and you don't need any equipment to do it, though if you have some spare cash, you might consider some classes to help establish a regular schedule.

I agree that it's hard to find an online community for men that's focused on weight loss, other than those ego-driven boards with the 'must... shed... last... five... pounds... and... get... ripped!' mentality that's neither healthy nor useful in the long term. Consider that you're not currently looking to become a powerhouse; that could be for later if you catch the exercise bug. Get yourself healthy first, then improve. If you try to do too much at once, you'll make yourself ill (here, I know whereof I speak) and put your efforts back. As you lose weight, those bodyweight exercises will become easier because, obviously, you'll be trying to move less weight. The benefits will take a while to kick in, but once they do, they'll feed on each other and your progress will increase.

[levictoria]

Hi Darrell! I'm 26, so I know what you mean when you say you are trying to get your weight in a normal range before it's too late. I feel like that too, though my personal goal is to lose about 45 pounds.

Yes, there are a lot more women on weight loss forums, generally. I think that's because of the huge stigma in society women have if they gain too much weight. Though, it's definitely catching on with the men, unfortunately. I'm new to this board, so I'm not sure what the female to male ratio is. I will tell you, the support on here is amazing! I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of men on sparkpeople.com and caloriecount.com (both forums I've also been a part of). So, if you are just looking for general support from guys, I'd recommend both of those.

I'm still learning the No S Diet, but if anything, you'll be saving money on this diet because you won't be eating as much food. It seems like a great way to learn the basics of portion control. You won't lose weight uber fast on this, but you're nearly guaranteed to keep the weight off for good because it's SO EASY to stick to!

For exercise... Have you heard of the Couch to 5K? It's a great interval running program for people who are not runners. I'm on Week 4 and love it. Check out www.c25k.com.

One last thing. Check out this blog. http://bendoeslife.tumblr.com/ He's a 20-something guy who was over 300 pounds, and totally changed his life around. I think he still has about 40 pounds left to lose, but his story is really amazing.

Good luck!

[DaveMc]

What I lack is the knowledge and the path to be set upon. I don't have money to buy treadmills and Bowflexes. Nor do I have the money to buy special diet food every week. I can work to buy normal, healthy food from a store (Which is going to be better overall because I can't just eat special diet food forever) and I can shell out some money for some basic exercise equipment if needed. However, while arranging a diet is not overly difficult (It's the sticking to it that's the hanger), I have a lot of difficulty with exercise. Namely, I'm too fat to do it.

Welcome, Darrell, and let me echo the others in saying that you've come to the right place. I think the NoS diet could be a really good fit for you: no special diet foods required!

And please, please don't let your problems with exercise put you off. You do *not* need to jog an hour a day in order to lose weight, or hit the weights. Any amount of moderate moving (walking for as long as it's comfortable, say) will help. We've had debates about this in the past, on this forum, but my (slightly controversial) position is that if you're going to pick one thing to do for weight loss, it should be modifying how you eat. If you're going to pick *two* things, you should add exercise -- it'll help a bit, and it's also healthy for you in other ways. But for me, it's just a matter of the math: it takes a *lot* of exercise burn as many calories as you can eliminate from your diet by not eating sweets during the week.

My advice would be to give the NoS diet a good, solid try, and see how that goes. Do some moderate moving, as much as you're able, but if that's too much to handle on top of changing your eating habits, I'd say focus more on getting the NoS habits established. It's good to hear you say that you're not after a quick fix, because this definitely won't be it! NoS does work (has worked for many people), but it's the slow and steady tortoise to more extreme diets' hares. What it has going for it is long-term sustainability: it's *hard* to get those habits set up, at first, but it gets easier and easier over time, whereas other diets (I'm told) get harder to maintain the longer you try to follow them.

You can learn all you need to know from Reinhard's site, and this forum. We're a pretty helpful bunch, so feel free to drop by and ask us things! I'll put in a plug for the book, though: although the concept can be conveyed in 14 words, I found it very helpful to read Reinhard's more complete discussion of the reasoning behind it. During those first few weeks/months when you're struggling with the habits, it can be very useful to have a book to consult.

Try not to panic if you don't lose *anything* at first, or even gain a bit ... It can take a while to get over the "S days gone wild" phase. You might want to check out the "phases of NoS" thread in the "sticky" section at the top of the topic list, it's very helpful for those just starting.

(About me: I'm a guy who lost 20 pounds on NoS during my first year, and I'm now well into my second year. It's now just the way I eat, rather than something I do consciously, and I plan to keep it up for life. 20 pounds was about all I was after -- though I might try to shave off another 5 or 10, we'll see -- so I didn't have anywhere near the challenge you face. On the other hand, people with larger amounts to lose tend to report faster progress, so you may well be able to do much better than my 20 lbs/year. There are stories around here of people losing 50 or 100 pounds in a year.)

Best of luck! Keep us posted.

[jellybeans01]

This is a great diet Darrell I believe for your situation. You can still enjoy food and eating but it gives you parameters. I am not a big fan of surgery because the few that I personally know that have had it, are gaining it back. I think that there is so much more with our relationship to food than we know. This diet did help me see that I do eat emotionally and I had to deal with that issue.
This diet is great because you do not have to buy anything different. You may actually save money because you won't eat as much. Try walking also. It is free and easier probably for your larger frame. Just get to a place where you can wrap your head around this diet and go for it. We are here to support you.

[Aleria]

Although I can't relate to your situation, I think if you tried all of Reinhard's fitness/health systems, you'd be shocked at the change in yourself. Shovelglove, No-S and Urban Ranger are an excellent and well-rounded way to lose weight, IMO, and they really compliment each other. The key is to take it slowly. Perhaps start with No-S and a short bit of Urban Rangering, and then in a month or two start Shovelglove.
Good luck and when you do it, you will have an awesome success story to tell

[DaveMc]

I'm 5'10" and I weight over 300 lbs, which I believe puts me over 150 lbs overweight.

By the way, you may be over-stating how much you're overweight, there. I mean, "How much should a person weigh?" can be as silly a question as "How much should a vehicle weigh?" ("Well, what *kind* of vehicle?"), but even the fairly strict BMI guidelines would say that at 200 lbs you'd only be slightly overweight, and at 188 lbs you'd cross their "overweight/healthy" boundary. Personally, I don't think you'd be life-threateningly heavy even at 200 lbs.

So if it helps, psychologically, to think about losing one-third of your current weight, instead of one-half, go ahead and do that.

[EDIT: Whoops, I'm wrong. I was using a BMI of 27 as the "overweight" boundary, but it's actually 25 (about 175 lbs, at your height). I don't really believe that there are significant health risks associated with a BMI of 27, but I'm not a medical professional, so you should certainly feel free to ignore that.]

[magrat]

My husband is similar to you in age and size and in that he's been overweight his whole life. For him, it took a health scare last winter to finally make him really serious about losing weight. When your doctor advises an echocardiogram before you're even 30 and have two small children, it's enough to motivate anyone I think (his came back normal, whew). First of all is exercise. Walk. Gym advertising and popular culture will have you believe you need to do intense workouts, but walking is very efficient exercise, good for your heart, and at over 300 lbs, can be intense! It's a great time to listen to podcasts and get some fresh air.

Second is eating. Obviously I think No S is the way to go, but also try and eat more plant-based foods. Read books by Michael Pollan or What to Eat by Marion Nestle. Neither are actually going to tell you what to eat, but they both encourage you to eat more plants and help you watch out for sneaky advertising. When I avoid processed food at the grocery store I feel so smug and imagine all the sad advertising executives.

And third, when you have a lot to lose, I think you need to think in terms of a 10% reduction in body weight to begin with. Long term goals are okay, but having interim goals is a great motivator. Even if you only manage to lose 10% and keep it off, that will do great things for your health!

There's a great line in Absolutely Fabulous where Edie is going on some crazy diet and her daughter says "Mum, all you need to do to lose weight is eat less and exercise more". She responds "sweetie, if it were that easy, *everyone* would be doing it!"

[wosnes]

There's a great line in Absolutely Fabulous where Edie is going on some crazy diet and her daughter says "Mum, all you need to do to lose weight is eat less and exercise more". She responds "sweetie, if it were that easy, *everyone* would be doing it!"

Funny, because it pretty much is *that* easy. There are some exceptions, but not many. I think the reason that everyone isn't doing it is because they have to use some self-restraint and self-discipline. And it's too easy to find some reason that won't work.

[magrat]

Funny, because it pretty much is *that* easy.

Exactly, that's the point I do think No S helps make it that easy though by providing such clear boundaries and the weekend safety valves. No way could I be doing this without S days!

[DaveMc]

Funny, because it pretty much is *that* easy.

Well, now, easy yet hard, surely? (I know, I know, don't call you Shirley. ) I'm just thinking that "Eat less and exercise more" was *exactly* my diet plan, before NoS -- I called it "The Thermodynamics Diet". But it wasn't easy to maintain, because it wasn't quite concrete enough that I had a good idea what to do (or not do) at any given instant (viz: put down that chocolate bar!). I needed the mixture of flexibility and specificity of NoS before I was able to maintain moderate eating habits. (I'm fortunate enough to enjoy exercise, unless I'm ill, so that side of it wasn't my big problem -- and that's part of the reason I agree with the "don't assume exercise will save you" idea. I've exercised regularly for most of my adult life, and it didn't stop my weight from creeping up when I started to eat badly.)

[marygrace]

Funny, because it pretty much is *that* easy.

Well, now, easy yet hard, surely? (I know, I know, don't call you Shirley. ) I'm just thinking that "Eat less and exercise more" was *exactly* my diet plan, before NoS -- I called it "The Thermodynamics Diet". But it wasn't easy to maintain, because it wasn't quite concrete enough that I had a good idea what to do (or not do) at any given instant (viz: put down that chocolate bar!). I needed the mixture of flexibility and specificity of NoS before I was able to maintain moderate eating habits. (I'm fortunate enough to enjoy exercise, unless I'm ill, so that side of it wasn't my big problem -- and that's part of the reason I agree with the "don't assume exercise will save you" idea. I've exercised regularly for most of my adult life, and it didn't stop my weight from creeping up when I started to eat badly.)

It's simple, but not always easy.

[wosnes]

Easy doesn't necessarily mean without effort.

[DaveMc]

Right, right, we're getting mixed up with the various ways the word "easy" can be used. I think "simple" captures the way I think about NoS better than "easy", but I can certainly see how one could use the latter, too -- easy to understand, not complex, etc.

[Too solid flesh]

Welcome, Darrell.

You might like to look at the No S Diet Testimonials (aka "yearly check in") forum:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=13

There are a number of men who have posted stories of large weight losses, including Bookman Old Style:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6376

James Grimes:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5537

and jamesstarbuck:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4512

I am female, but am part way along a similar journey to yours. I have lost a lot of weight through No S and moderate exercise (c 90 lbs), but still have a long way to go.

Making manageable changes to your diet and levels of activity could make a big difference to how you feel and (eventually) look. As others say above, walking is a very good start. I’d be inclined to begin with a very low level, just adding an extra minute of walking here and there. Incorporating a little more moving around (climbing one flight of stairs, parking in a less convenient parking space so that you walk slightly further, etc) is likely to be more sustainable than overly vigorous exercise.

If you enjoy it, swimming is excellent non-load-bearing exercise. Again, start with a small, manageable amount, and increase gradually.

Over time, activities which are initially exhausting and arduous become easier and even pleasurable. It is very satisfying to be able to move around faster, further and with less effort.

You can do it. We all struggle at times, but there is a generous wealth of support and expertise on this bulletin board. We look forward to seeing you here.

[Darrell]

Greetings, all. It's been hard to find time to post, but I'm making a little time since all of you were kind enough to show your support. Since October 20th, I've been working to lose my extra weight. I've been walking about 1.2 miles a day after work, which doesn't sound like much, but is a large improvement over 0 miles a day. It's been pretty rough. The first time I thought my legs were going to fall off.

I then realized that old tennis shoes were not very appropriate for this kind of walking and bought a new pair of walking shoes. They're much easier on my legs, so my knees don't take so much shock, but I'm still about ready to die when I hit that third lap. That's why I make myself do a fourth. (The laps are .3 miles around)

I also have my sister to thank. I told her what I wanted to do and she agreed to meet me through the week, after work, and walk with me. We take weekends off, to let my body rest and because she has to work. She's a good motivational coach because, as my little sister, she relishes any chance to push me. But, tonight, she had to cancel and I walked alone. Again, doesn't sound like much, but I specifically decided to go walk instead of going home to watch TV, or play games, or surf the internet pointlessly. It felt good.

The No "S" Diet has been pretty easy to follow. To be honest, I wasn't eating that much before; my schedule doesn't allow for a lot of time to eat a lot. Usually I eat two bacon, egg and cheese biscuits in the morning and that's pretty much it. I was supplementing that with a candy bar sometimes, or picking up something from one of the fast food guys who deliver to our worksite. I was also chugging down a ton of regular soda, both at work and home.

I haven't got my No "S" book yet, but I believe I have the basic concept. I've cut out regular soda (I still drink a diet every day, in the evening) and replaced them with a can of Starbucks Double Shot (Energy drink), a bottle of Gatorade, and water. I'm thinking I should probably cut out the energy drink in the morning, but I am absolutely not a morning person and I need something to give me a kick. I hate coffee, so can't go that route. Still, it's an improvement over 6 bottles/cans of Coke a day.

I've cut out the candy bars, because I've found that my appetite isn't as overwhelming as it used to be. This tells me I wasn't eating because I was hungry; I was eating because I was bored. Now that I'm not sitting at the house all the time, I have less free time to get bored. I did cave in a bit and took a piece of apple pie my mom had made for my nephew, but I took a really small piece and when she asked if I wanted another I said "No, thanks". Not long ago, I would have wolfed down half that pie and not thought twice.

So, I'm walking 1.2 miles a day. I'm eating less sugar. I'm eating less food. I don't know how much I may have lost, because the only scale in the house stops at 250. May stop by a store tomorrow and pick one up, just to see how things are going. I do feel like I'm losing weight. I don't really look like it in the mirror, but my pants are loosening up quite a bit. I've already had to stop wearing one pair until I get a belt because I have to keep pulling them back up constantly.

Still have a long way to go, but I'm going to take it one pound at a time. Thank you all for your advice, and for the testimonials. I hope that, one day, I can write about how I lost approximately 130 pounds just by exercising more and eating less. That way, maybe, someone who is in the same position will know they can do it if they just try.

[ZippaDee]

Great job Darrell!!!

[DaveMc]

Great to hear! Best of luck as you continue your journey.

[wosnes]

Darrell -- congratulations on giving up the soda.

However, I want you to be aware of something. An 8-ounce serving of Gatorade has 50 calories -- all of them from sugar. A can of Starbuck's Double Shot has 150 calories -- half of them from sugar.

[Sienna]

Congratulations on your promising start!

Since you mentioned needing a kick in the morning, I thought I'd suggest tea (I also hate coffee). Some of it can have as much caffeine as coffee, but it comes in some wonderful flavors. And if you don't sweeten it (or buy it sweetened), it has almost no calories. I started drinking iced tea when I started No-S this summer, and plan to use hot tea to substitute for my hot chocolate addiction this winter.

I especially like Almond Biscotti (teavana.com) - which has a sweet flavor without a ridiculous number of calories. For something a teensy bit more substantial you can add a splash of milk and/or a pinch of sugar but I think it's delicious black too.

Another thought is to try those 5 hour energy drinks. I used them this summer when I was running on empty with work, and they aren't too bad, although who knows what the scientists will discover about them in a few years. I usually just took half a shot, but it did provide a pretty nice boost. They don't taste the best, but you don't really drink them so much as you take them like a liquid medicine.

Best of luck on your journey!

[kccc]

Darrell, Congratulations!

There is so much accomplishment in your post. Walking 1.2 miles (from zero!) is GREAT. As you lose weight, it will get easier and you'll be able to do more. For now, be proud of yourself!

Especially because there's a lot of "positive habit formation" going on. Here's what I see:
- Regular walking, as part of a routine
- Problem-solving (new shoes)
- Calling on support (your sis)
- Choosing to go even when you had an excuse to bail (when sis couldn't make it)
- Reasonable goals (weekends off to rest)
- Positive diet changes.
Overall, EXCELLENT PROGRESS!!!!

You may want to get on the scales and take a picture soon, just so you have a good "before" baseline. On the trajectory you're on, the "after" is only a matter of time. Slow but steady will get you there!

Keep it up!

[Kathleen]

I wish I'd found this diet when I was 27. The big difference between this diet and most diets is that Reinhard preaches habit, and most other diets talk about willpower. If you build a habit, like brushing your teeth, you need very little willpower to continue it. You might want to consider following No S by just starting with no snacks or no sweets during the week until it is a habit.
Kathleen

[Darrell]

Darrell -- congratulations on giving up the soda.

However, I want you to be aware of something. An 8-ounce serving of Gatorade has 50 calories -- all of them from sugar. A can of Starbuck's Double Shot has 150 calories -- half of them from sugar.

Yes, I was aware. Unfortunately, I found myself unable to just give up soda cold turkey, so I had to go to something with less sugar for a bit to ween myself off. The rest of my sugary habits weren't hard to kick, but soda was an especially rough one.

Now, I've moved from the Starbucks and Gatorade to a 20 oz Diet Coke and two to three bottles of 20 oz water a day. Originally, I had a really hard time drinking water for a couple of reasons.

1) Paying for water seems like a stupid concept.

2) I live in Southeastern Kentucky, near a lot of coal mines, and the blasting has pretty much contaminated all the water in my area. Ground water, city water, et cetera. My sister's water is so bad her tap water literally causes her sink to rust; same with her bath tub and toilet. Our's isn't that bad, but the water smells bad and tastes worse.

3) Bottled water always tasted too "metallic" for me. That may seem strange, considering my tap water -is- metallic, but it just tasted "blah" to me. Like it was trying to taste like something but lost interest along the way.

However, I've come to terms with paying for the water because I need to drink more of it and I don't want to encase my liver in iron. Besides, it's a small price to pay to finally be rid of this weight. I also found some water that I can drink and enjoy; Smart Water. So, that's made switching over a lot easier.

Went up from four .3 mile laps tonight to five. Now I find that, as long as I keep walking, it doesn't really hurt that bad. It's when I stop that my legs really start killing me. I did go to the doctor recently for a check-up and was especially keen to see how much I weighed on their scale. Unfortunately, I weighed -exactly- the same amount I weighed about a month ago when last I was weighed there.

I know that this has only been going for about two weeks, but still, I would have liked to have seen a one pound difference at least to let me know things were going well. It was kind of disheartening to feel like I had been denying myself and a lot of pain for nothing. But, maybe these things take time to kick in. We'll see how things go.

At the very least, I'm feeling better so I'm improving somewhere.

[ThomsonsPier]

Like it was trying to taste like something but lost interest along the way.

I'm quoting this phrase because I like it.

A good move on switching to water, I'd say. Have you considered buying a water filter for your tap water, and maybe a sports bottle to carry when you're out and about? I only suggest it as a cheaper alternative. On a flavour note, I tend to drink carbonated water, which gives the illusion of taste without actually having any.

It may well take a while for the changes to kick in. Keep going; you're doing well.

[marygrace]

A good move on switching to water, I'd say. Have you considered buying a water filter for your tap water, and maybe a sports bottle to carry when you're out and about? I only suggest it as a cheaper alternative. On a flavour note, I tend to drink carbonated water, which gives the illusion of taste without actually having any.

Ditto. I have a glass 20-ounce glass water bottle from Lifefactory that's really great for a couple of reasons: I don't have to pay for bottled water (plus it's not good for people or the environment--the plastic chemicals in the bottle leach into the water). I don't have to deal with the funky taste that accompanies water in metal bottles. And since my bottle has a silicone sleeve on the outside, it's protected in case I drop it.

Sometimes I get sick of plain water, though, so I'll add sliced lemon, orange, a drop of fruit juice, basil, or chopped cucumber. Sometimes I'll even make my own unsweetened iced tea (make hot tea, let it cool, pour into my bottle and go).

[rose]

Unfortunately, I weighed -exactly- the same amount I weighed about a month ago when last I was weighed there.

I know that this has only been going for about two weeks, but still, I would have liked to have seen a one pound difference at least to let me know things were going well. It was kind of disheartening to feel like I had been denying myself and a lot of pain for nothing. But, maybe these things take time to kick in. We'll see how things go.

At the very least, I'm feeling better so I'm improving somewhere.

Darrell: since you've taken up exercise, your muscle mass has necessarily increased. If you weigh the same as before, it just means some fat melted away. Just keep going!