Anyone else here built like me? What are you doing about it?

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

you guys are making me hungry!!!! i am going home tonite and fixing a BELTC!!

bacon, egg, lettuce, tomato, and cheese sandwich, on whole wheat bread toasted!!!!

[artplumber]

Don't get sucked into the belief that you must be x lbs. Recent data suggests that if "overweight" but exercise, still have better long-term outcomes than couch potatoes

That being said, what you want to do is increase you energy burn throughout the whole day. Exercise is important because it turns up your general energy burn for several hours not because it burns x calories. To get the burn you have to get to aerobic levels of exercise (that's the reason for those heart rate monitors).

Other's advice to not eat the largest meal in evening is very important. You want to eat most of your cals before or during the day (when you are burning them) rather than just before you go to sleep. Do not skip breakfast! Smaller more frequent meals (preferably which are calorie inefficient) take your body out of the "famine" mode (which saves all extraneous cals) and allows it to be more inefficient (read "lose weight"). What's the most calorie inefficient meal? Celery is supposed to take more cals to digest than it's worth. High fat/high sugar meals are very calorie dense (twinkies, meat). Some fats (such as nuts) clearly are beneficial so don't completely avoid (like Pritikin), just eat smaller portions.

[yellowline]

Originally posted by Rikao4
Lucky me,same size as in High School, 30X34 jeans..eat like a pig at all hours,late night munchies (last night woke up around 2 , had some chocolate cake and soda...went back to bed) I cannot gain weight.Cholestrol just fine as is BP..good genes from mom's side. I swim daily for fun.
Rika

Ain't it great? I'm 6'1", 165...but only 17. It may catch up with me sooner or later, so I'm enjoying it while it lasts...

[scottmandue]

I'm about the same as you 5'10" 48 year old and hover around 200, I have been as high as 230 and as low as 190 +/-
I like biking but worry about the prostate thing at my age.

Ditto on all the diet advice, smaller portions, don't deny yourself, cut back on carbs, bad fats, and sugars, avoid eating late in the evening.
My biggest problem is booze, if I could cut that out I'm sure I could make 180 easy.
Oddly when I was at 190 all my friends said I looked too thin.

I am trying to do more walking and doing the stairs at work instead of elevator (big help) I ordered one of those heart rate monitors to encourage myself to do more walking. I am also looking for someplace to go swimming (my knees will not take running/jogging).

I don't know what you do for a living but if you can if you can get some walking/stairs in during the day it's like free exercise. that and finding exercise you like(swimming/biking/sports). It also seems like by slowly reducing meal portions my stomach shrinks and I get filled up sooner.

HTH

[widebody911]

6' 2", 225, down from 250 in March. Would love to get down to 200, but it will be difficult.

I play 2 hours of basketball 2x a week, and sometimes go to the gym, and two track days a month.

[cantdrv55]

Yeah, I know my metabolism has slowed quite a bit now that I'm almost 42. Having a traveling job doesn't help either. In between appointments, I eat fast food. When I'm with clients, I eat well but there's always dessert before talking business. Looks like I'll have to add running to my exercise regimen to burn even more calories. I've tried portion control but I was always hungry.

[campbellcj]

I'm 5 ' 9" ish and find it hard to believe you guys think you're "fat" at 185 or even 195?!?!? Maybe it is just build/body type. I have been in the 185-190 range for years; no bulges, can't pinch much. I have a 17" neck and wide shoulders though. Currently my 36" pants are falling off me so I guess I'm a 34-35" waist these days. Almost 39 yrs old and I still get carded sometimes (tonite in fact.)

Good diet, low body fat and feelin' good is what's important. If you are reasonably healthy and happy then you'll look good too, vs. somebody who is eternally torturing themselves because they weigh 4lbs more than some chart tells them they should. I think all the BS about "optimum weight" is just that...

[Leader]

I'm 58, 6'2" and 185. I'd like to be 175 and I'm headed in that direction from a high of 191. I've just started biking again after a year's hiatus following surgery (prostate cancer - Urologist says all the biking I did had nothing to do with it).
Because I had no regular exercise for over a year (besides walking my dog), I put on 15 pounds gradually. I also was not eating very smartly during my "recovery" either.
Bottom line? Eat whatever you like - denial is not a viable longterm plan - but just eat less of everything. And find some exercise program that you enjoy and can do several days a week. I hate running, but I love cycling so, biking it is.
I know that my return to riding and dialing back the portions will help me get back down to my goal weight. But, remember, the older you get, the slower your metabolism wants to go. You really do have to work a little harder to ramp it up after 50. Fun, huh?

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by cantdrv55
Yeah, I know my metabolism has slowed quite a bit now that I'm almost 42. Having a traveling job doesn't help either. In between appointments, I eat fast food. When I'm with clients, I eat well but there's always dessert before talking business. Looks like I'll have to add running to my exercise regimen to burn even more calories. I've tried portion control but I was always hungry.

If you travel allot try walking as much as possible. Don't know how you feel about swimming but if you can tolerate it you can try to book hotels with a pool and try to get in a few laps every day. Key to portion control is to take tiny steps so you hardly notice it. I do too much fast food also but good food is out there it just takes a little more effort.

I'm pulling for you... we are all in this together.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by cantdrv55
.. I eat fast food... but there's always dessert..

These are good places to start. Consider traveling with protein bars (watch the sugar) or prepared vegetables. Consider cottage cheese/low fat string cheese or soy products (if you are lactose intol). Unfortunately, the only healthy choice in fast food often is salad, and there are only so many of them that you can eat.

Coffee instead of dessert (if you must have something).

It's ok to be hungry with smaller portions. You are supposed to eat more often. Just don't make it chips or twinkies. Protein or vegetables are better. You will also notice that if you eat less processed sugary (or simple carbohydrate things), you be less likely to be rapidly hungry.

[TSNAPCRACKLEPOP]

it was adelicious sandwhich!!! I microbussed most of the fat out of the bacon. that thick sliced peppered bacon is so goot!!!!

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by artplumber

It's ok to be hungry with smaller portions. You are supposed to eat more often. Just don't make it chips or twinkies. Protein or vegetables are better. You will also notice that if you eat less processed sugary (or simple carbohydrate things), you be less likely to be rapidly hungry.

It's so cool to have a heart Dr. on the BBS....

I find it helps to remember that if you are hungry you are probably loosing weight. Try to shift you thinking about being hungry, as spoiled Americans we tend to stuff food in our mouths at the slightest though of hunger and eating when we don't need to.

[Evans, Marv]

I'm 63, 5'10" and weigh in the low 170's. I've been lucky in that I've not had to worry much about being overweight. I have, however, gained up to the low 180's and not liked it. I feel noticably better at the weight I am. My mother always told me to clean up my plate, but as I got older, I thought that wasn't such good advise. So, for years when I ate and took that bite that made me feel that was enough, I stopped eating. I also find that exercising (which is a 5 mile round trip up & down a 1,400 ft. hill) a few times a week keeps my appetite down. I try to do it early in the day and don't have much interest in eating a lot for the rest of the day. If you have to have dessert, after business dinners, why not something like cantalope?

[cantdrv55]

OK, had my last three scoop hot fudge sundae tonight. Going on a 30 mile bike ride tomorrow and will begin eating better in smaller portions. Thanks for the encouragement everyone.

[Aurel]

Give up drinking beer also if you do. Beer is incredibly fatening, and will ruin all the efforts put in a good diet. I verified it this summer: ate good, lost weight, then starting having one or two coronas after work every evening, and gained weight again. I stopped that and I am back on track.

Aurel

[CamB]

Sorry to say it cantdrv55, but I'm guessing your diet has remained the problem.

There's a hell of a lot of calories in a hot fudge sundae, or fast food, etc. Above 2000 cal/day, you aren't gonna starve, and unless you have a pretty high metabolism (or exercise a lot) if you're over 2500cal, it is likely you will slowly put on weight.

[yasir]

I am 39 5'8" 165 lbs if that makes any difference The max i have ever weighed was 190 lbs and the minimum was 145 back in high school days.

[Mule]

One word, winstrol!

[wludavid]

Originally posted by Evans, Marv
I also find that exercising (which is a 5 mile round trip up & down a 1,400 ft. hill) a few times a week keeps my appetite down.

Exercising keeps your appetite down? Right now I'm in my casual, few times a week routine and I don't notice much change in my appetite from day to day. I don't eat a whole lot and make it a point to not clean my plate. However, when I'm training for a race or something, I feel like I can't eat enough. So if you're really committed to eating a lot, I recommend setting an ambitious goal in a long road race (running or cycling) and training to do it. The side benefit to this is that the healthy stuff tastes the best - and junk food like McD's is positively stomach turning. Your body is amazing at figuring out what it needs if you pay attention to it.

Originally posted by Aurel
Give up drinking beer also if you do.

la la la la - I'm not listening!

[TerryBPP]

I'm 5'10" and have balloned up to 192 is the last year. As of a year ago I was very athletic and very fit. Then I met my current gurlfriend. She eats crap all day and never gains apound. So I have been sucked in to her eating habits and now have no time for excersie due to work.

I'm hoping to start the gym again as soon as I move into the new house. Closing on the 26th.

BTW, lost 10 lbs of the South Beach but gained it all back in a week due to lack of a kitchen. As soon as you add any bad food to your diet the fat pours back on.