Author Topic: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?  (Read 24088 times)

Storypage

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #50 on: September 28, 2013, 09:29:32 AM »
Right here.

Down 50lbs in about a year.
Down from a size 38-40 waist to a 32.
Down from a size "XL" in jackets and shirts to a "medium."

You learn to love thrift shopping when you're losing weight. ;)

Diet makes the largest difference. Home cook everything, ditch carbs, high on protein and good oils. Basically, "paleo-ish" even if you don't completely buy into the whole paleo thing.

Mine is very un-paleo. Low fat, low calorie, etc.

But you know, I think it is so cool that two different people can do such different diets, yet have startlingly similar results over a similar span of time. You've lost 50, I've lost 45. I think the big things for me is I have completely cut out preprocessed foods and am consuming more plant based nutrients.

Just goes to show there are many roads to the same destination.

« Last Edit: September 28, 2013, 09:31:59 AM by Storypage »

Storypage

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #51 on: September 28, 2013, 09:34:38 AM »
Yup I'm trying to lose weight. Always very slow but down 7.5kg so far this year (16.5lbs). Given the previously argumentative tone of this thread I won't post more detail. If it turns out that we are into being supportive and sharing experiences without judgement then I may reconsider.

Well, I hope you will reconsider. You will receive nothing but support from me, at least.


HappierAtHome

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #52 on: September 29, 2013, 05:06:40 AM »
Quote
Just goes to show there are many roads to the same destination.

This is exactly the attitude I like to see on this forum :-) nice to know that this thread doesn't have to be hateful.

I'm down 7kg from my heaviest... but it took me about a year. I need to speed that up, because I'm probably 20kg heavier than where I need to be. I'm 5"11 and I have one of those broad, strong, warrior-woman frames, so I can gain or lose a surprisingly large amount of weight without changing dress sizes. I think this has been my downfall in the past: I'm not going up a size, I must not be gaining weight! Riiiight? And because I'm tall, naturally muscular and long-limbed, 20kg doesn't look like 20kg on me. However, I am definitely F.A.T. and need to correct it now, while I'm young. Plus, I'm almost big enough to have to buy plus size clothing and that shit is not cool.

ANYWAY. I lost my fitness entirely after an exhaustion/stress related physical breakdown and a long recovery. Started exercising every day again recently and now I can run for the bus without getting out of breath. Huge achievement for me and I'm very proud. I walk 3-4km home from work 3 or 4 days a week, and I've been doing aerobics and toning DVDs at home. I hate the gym, so exercise DVDs are a winning strategy for me.

Has anyone used the book Strong Women Stay Young for basic weight training? I've heard very good things about it and I'm keen to try some basic weights.

happy

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #53 on: September 30, 2013, 07:10:25 AM »
Het , some great weight losses on this page...congratulations :)

Norrie

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #54 on: September 30, 2013, 08:15:27 AM »
Wow, you guys are kicking some ass.

I've lost about six pounds over the past few months, but have 13 left to go. Dietary restrictions force a pretty decent diet on me (can't have gluten or fried food, for starters), so that's helped. What doesn't help is that I'm totally a lazy asshole, and I seem to avoid physical activity at all costs. Not sure why, since once I do it, I feel great.

Just finished up a massive report at work last night, so I'm hoping that I can focus on getting some damn exercise.

fallstoclimb

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #55 on: September 30, 2013, 09:35:48 AM »
Still trying here....I've lost maybe a pound since I started tracking my weight carefully 6 weeks ago (used to vary from 147-149, now I vary from 146-148).  I need to be under 141 to get out of the overweight BMI category, although I'd be happy hovering just above that as I try really hard to not obsess about my weight.  I bike commute 11 miles a day, take my road bike out for longer rides on weekends (~30 miles) and ride horses, and have started doing CrossFit once a week, hoping to work up to strength training at home twice a week by the end of October.

I just....eat too much, I guess.  I'm vegetarian and eat clean, so its all "healthy" food, but calories are calories.  All the exercise makes me always hungry, so I snack on nuts at work - I try to keep it to the bare minimum, but the only problem areas I can see in my diet are too many nuts during the day and then the occasional (and sometimes regular) beer (or two) after work.  Given that studies support the healthiest people are those who are just a little overweight, active, and light-to-moderate drinkers, I don't think I have much to worry about, but for vanity reasons and bike speed reasons yeah I'd like to be a little lighter. 

NinetyFour

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #56 on: September 30, 2013, 11:02:40 AM »
I think I am in the same boat as you are, fallstoclimb.  I am vegetarian also.  I have made a special effort this month (Sept) to eat especially "clean".  Except for going out for lunch (pizza) and breakfast (blueberry pancakes) once each, I have eaten only veggies, fruit (in moderation), and grains.  I had some peanuts and sunflower seeds during the first week of the month, but since then have had no nuts.  I don't have the will power to eat them in moderation.  (You'd think 2 pounds of almonds would last me a month or two, but no....).  Being strict this month has helped me lose about 5 pounds.  Keep at it!  All that exercise is great!

Storypage

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #57 on: September 30, 2013, 11:58:18 AM »
I just....eat too much, I guess.  I'm vegetarian and eat clean, so its all "healthy" food, but calories are calories.  All the exercise makes me always hungry, so I snack on nuts at work - I try to keep it to the bare minimum, but the only problem areas I can see in my diet are too many nuts during the day and then the occasional (and sometimes regular) beer (or two) after work. 

Try popcorn. Air popped, no butter or oil, a little salt.

Before I got my air popper for my wife's birthday, I put 1/4 cup into a small paper bag, folded the top, and microwaved for 1 minute 15 secons. Then, propped open the top and lightly misted the popcorn with a water spray bottle, then sprinkled 1/4 teaspoon of salt around it and shook up the bag.

A tasty treat to munch all day, for a total 130 calories (if I finish it, which I never do). That took the place of too many nuts for me.


HappierAtHome

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #58 on: December 17, 2013, 12:23:37 AM »
Bumping this thread!

I'm now down ten kilos from my heaviest, about another fifteen (ish?) to go to my goal weight.

I feel like I'm eating loads, but realistically I've cut down a lot on junk and I'm getting more exercise. My diet is pretty healthy these days, which is awesome.

So: anyone else care to share your progress?

Hadilly

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #59 on: December 17, 2013, 01:24:36 AM »
After gaining weight from too much bread and pastries, I decided to go on a Whole30 (paleo related 30 day reset). I am eating meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, and a few nuts. I am on day 21 and have lost five of my unwated pounds. I still want to lose about 5-10 more to get down to 140-145.

There was a recent article about a study which shows sugar triggers addiction more than fat (they gave subjects chocolate milkshakes while in an MRI scanner, the high sugar shakes made brains light up more than the high fat shakes) and I can really relate to that! Once I start eating grains and sugar, it is a downward, or rather I should say, upward slope for me.

This is a great time of year for me to do this because it automatically means I don't eat stollen and Christmas cookies.

Congratulations to everybody!

Ms Betterhome

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #60 on: December 19, 2013, 05:17:07 PM »
Hi all & congratulations!

I stopped paying much attention to diet not long after this thread started - I had to travel a heap for work, and gradually began comfort eating & drinking more than the occasional wine or beer. I kept up my yoga ( mostly), but my walking became much more irregular... Result was a weight gain of two kilos, where my plan had been to LOSE two kilos.

However, I received a gift voucher as a thank you from a professional contact a couple of weeks ago, and used it to buy a fitbit. I've linked the fitbit info to MyFitnessPal, & that has helped me get back on the wagon. By picking up my walking ( and cutting down on snacks & alcohol) I've lost a kilo in 2 weeks. It's a good incentive to stay honest over the holiday period.

Bateaux

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #61 on: February 14, 2014, 07:52:06 PM »
I don't belong to a gym or diet.  If I wanted to lose weight I'd want to get paid for doing it.  I'd save food money and likely pick up some work with a shovel or lawn mower. 

Nords

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #62 on: February 14, 2014, 10:38:56 PM »
Nearly eight months later, I'm down another five pounds.

I'm approaching numbers on the scale that I haven't seen in over two decades...

Leisured

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #63 on: February 15, 2014, 11:42:35 PM »
I suggest the book 'French Women Don't Get Fat', the link is below.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_13?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=french%20women%20don%27t%20get%20fat&sprefix=french+women+%2Caps%2C873

The message is enjoy your food, eat well, but modest portions, and exercise. As SirAlkaloid has so rightly pointed out, gravity is a gym and it is free. Walk, and take the stairs not the elevator.

On a minor point, I put Hermestas sweetener in my tea rather than sugar.


JosephBoyle

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #64 on: February 16, 2014, 08:59:22 AM »
My story: I lost 20 kg's in one year (~44,09 lbs). I just changed my diet around. If your breakfast and dinner are ALWAYS the same, each and every day, without any exceptions, no cheat-days, nothing, then you can do amazing things. Furthermore you will aquire a routine and you will have a strong enough will to work out as well. My breakfast: 250g of natural yoghurt with no fat. Here we have the option to choose between 3%, 1% and 0,1%. Choose the latter. You eat these 250g with cornflakes that have NO sugar. NO sugar, no nothing, just plain cornflakes. It's still tasty and it will fill you up just enough to last until lunch. For lunch you eat one portion of what you wanted to eat. Don't overdo it with fried and fatty meals, but you can basically eat what you want. No desserts however. Sometimes if you are really craving food you can eat a second platter. Dinner is the same like breakfast. It sounds hard at first, but you can mix up the cornflakes with fruit. You can cut up some bananas or an apple. Just don't take 6 kinds of fruit and mix them together with everything. Fruit OR cornflakes. You will feel better within a week :)

b4u2

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #65 on: February 16, 2014, 11:37:08 AM »
I am a Beachbody coach. My wife and I help motivate, support, and give advice to those trying to get fit. You DO NOT have to buy a product in order for me to coach you. All I ask is that you sign up for FREE account and if you are on Facebook I will get you into my group.

https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=249221

I help people help themselves and I like to save money as well. Remember this is free and you are not required to buy anything.

My wife and I workout in our home (garage) generally 5 to 7 days a week. She is currently recovering from surgery so I am flying solo for a month or more and I could even use the extra support.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #66 on: February 17, 2014, 03:17:27 PM »
Peaked six years ago at just under 300lbs (6'0" with a big frame). Lost about 60 lbs relatively quickly do to GI illness, which has thankfully been stable for a couple years.

Have been holding steady below 220 for a long time. I was at 205 when I discovered MMM. I actually put 10-15 pounds of muscle on in a couple months when I switched to biking. I still have fat to lose. Right now the muscle gain and fat loss is about even. Eventually I will "shred" down to around 200. I doubt I could get lower than that and have the physique and activity level I want.

Portion control has been my biggest ally, along with avoiding empty calories like soda, sweets, and junk food. I go back and forth on carbs/low-carbs. Generally try to stick to whole grains when I do have carbs.

I weigh myself every couple of weeks but generally try to peg things based on my well-being rather than weight. Weight is just a number.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #67 on: February 27, 2014, 09:07:00 AM »
245ish 6' 2" 1/2.

215 or below by Mid October. I have lost weight to many times to just put it on and usually to fast so want to try and make it a total life change. Would help if the Artic Midwest would warm up a bit BUT focusing in on eating less and less carbs for now. Injured my ankle about 6 weeks ago and had to wear a boot cast so hoping by Monday i can get back to doing at least Eliptical.

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #68 on: February 27, 2014, 09:41:24 AM »
Ellipticals are nice. Wish I had space for one but it would take up a huge chunk of our living room unless I stuck it out in the garage, which would kind of defeat the purpose of having it :P

I've been biking through all of this cold, but I'm a stubborn dude.

Abe

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #69 on: February 27, 2014, 06:53:33 PM »
My weight dropped from 195lbs at maximum to 160 now, over the course of a year and a half. This was mainly by reducing meat consumption to once or twice a week, and running 3 miles or biking 15 miles every 2-3 days.

Numbers Man

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #70 on: March 28, 2014, 12:17:39 PM »
I quit the gym because I started hiking 1-2 times a week. I stopped eating ice cream every week. Limit my bread consumption and rarely eat french fries anymore. I have dropped nearly 10% of my weight in about a 5 month period.

Storypage

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #71 on: April 05, 2014, 12:54:25 PM »
My goal for September was 180, and for October 178. I see my cardiologist on the 24th and wanted to be no longer overweight according to the CDC BMI charts. Today, I weighed in at 178, which means I have already reached my October goal. So, I need a new one. I'm thinking 173? That will put my weight loss at a nice, round 50 pounds lost since the last time he saw me in April.

My ultimate goal weight is 165, what I weighed as a boxer in the Marine Corps some 40 years ago.

To update...
Weighed in at 166.2 pounds this morning. A little over 1 pound to go by April 24th, one year since the beginning of my healthy living journey.

Life is good!

PKFFW

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #72 on: April 16, 2014, 05:01:34 PM »
My apologies if this has already been mentioned but here's my 2 cents worth.

Weight loss is much more about what you eat than how much you exercise.  What you eat and how you eat it is key.  Even how much you eat plays a secondary(though of course still very important) role to those first two points.

Exercise is great and important for a healthy life but it is really not much of a factor at all in losing weight.  In fact a recent study on the Hazda people(one of the few true hunter/gatherer societies left in the world) showed that overall daily energy expenditure hunting and gathering all day was almost identical to an average modern western sedentary adult doing virtually nothing.  That was after accounting for such things as muscle mass, sex, body fat % and many other variables.

A great book that will not only help with weight loss but also with general health and well being is "Wheat Belly" by William Davis....

http://www.amazon.com/Wheat-Belly-Lose-Weight-Health/dp/1609611543

It details how modern wheat is vastly different to traditional wheat and plays a crucial, if not the primary, role in weight gain and many other modern ailments and health problems.  Couple this with the fact that wheat grain has almost nil nutritional value and you can start to see the argument for removing wheat from your diet.  I highly recommend the book.

Another good lifestyle change that will help with weight loss is intermittent fasting.  Such "diets" as the 5:2 Diet, The Fast Diet, The Every Other Day diet and The Warrior Diet are all based on variations of intermittent fasting.  I hesitate to call them diets because it really is more about changing how you eat rather than what you eat.  These diets are more about lifestyle than simply counting cals all the time.  Though of course if you combine that with also choosing healthy food options the results are even better.  Recent studies have shown many benefits to IF not only in weight loss but also in many other health related issues.

Good luck to everyone in their endeavours. 

southern granny

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #73 on: May 06, 2014, 04:38:20 PM »
Someone already mentioned myfitnesspal.com, but I want to second it. It is a very easy way to track your calories. I used it to lose 30 pounds, I wanted to lose 40 but stalled out after 30.  Maybe later I will get serious about losing the other 10.  A popular saying on their forums is " Losing weight is 90 percent diet and 10 percent exercise."

PtboEliz

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #74 on: June 02, 2014, 03:16:34 PM »
+1 for French Women Don't Get Fat and all of the books in the series. I lived for a few months with some girls from France and lost a lot of weight without realizing it. The French focus on eating for pleasure - they eat fresh and decadent food, but savour mindfully and generally in small portions. No guilt or suffering. La plaisir!

roselvin

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #75 on: June 03, 2014, 08:16:37 AM »
I have lost 13 pounds in 7 weeks, Still lot to loose.

Anton

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #76 on: June 03, 2014, 10:50:36 PM »
My wife and I have each been trying to drop 20 pounds over the last 2 years with little success. We are both in our 50's.

This January she started a 13 week  "Learn to Run" program for the local city 10K fun run at the end of April (Vancouver Sun Run). It started very slow - run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes, repeat 6 times, but by week 13 you were running 40 minutes non stop. I joined in for the extra training sessions because it's easier to keep motivated when you have a training partner. After 13 weeks, I can run moderately OK, but I found I hadn't lost any weight. My legs were in great shape and I could walk up stairs and hills with no problem but my weight stayed steady.

Meanwhile a co-worker suggested a program called 5BX. It's a program started in the 1950's by the Canadian Air Force to keep their flight crew in shape. It's 5 exercises that take only 11 minutes to complete. NO EQUIPMENT REQUIRED! You progress up a chart to where you should be at your age. It starts really slow, (ie touch your toes 2 times, 2 push ups) but gets you there. In my case it should take 18 weeks. I just finished week 4 and I've dropped 1 pound and 1 inch off my waist. I'm pumped!

Save the $28 a month gym fees, this is free.

Here's a couple of links:

http://gregsadetsky.com/_files/5bx-plan.pdf

http://fit450.com/HTML/5BX_Intro.html

or simply Google 5BX

Icecreamarsenal

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #77 on: June 03, 2014, 10:56:19 PM »
Eat less food.


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MoneyCat

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Re: Any Other Mustachians out there trying to lose weight?
« Reply #78 on: June 04, 2014, 07:40:03 AM »
I am a Beachbody coach. My wife and I help motivate, support, and give advice to those trying to get fit. You DO NOT have to buy a product in order for me to coach you. All I ask is that you sign up for FREE account and if you are on Facebook I will get you into my group.

https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free?referringRepId=249221

I help people help themselves and I like to save money as well. Remember this is free and you are not required to buy anything.

My wife and I workout in our home (garage) generally 5 to 7 days a week. She is currently recovering from surgery so I am flying solo for a month or more and I could even use the extra support.

I know this was posted months ago, but I just wanted to second the effectiveness of Beach Body.  I got a set of Turbo Jam DVDs off eBay for $9 (including shipping) and I combined that with the South Beach Diet and lost 30 lbs in about six months.  Turbo Jam is amazingly effective and I didn't need any equipment that I didn't already have.  For the South Beach Diet, I just borrowed a book from the library.

The toughest thing about doing South Beach is the first two weeks with absolutely no carbs or dairy.  I got really bad headaches as my body adjusted to the removal of sugar, but that soon passed and I felt a lot healthier.