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I don't drink soda nearly as much as I use to, but I do find myself craving it once in awhile, that's why I asked about tea because I love it and will substitute it for soda.
I admit I have been doing the live to eat thing, but I want to change it to eat to live.
That is something that you will HAVE to control and not let IT control YOU. Im offering advice on how to lose the weight you want to lose and get in better shape, but you seem just a tad bit too concerned about the food you eat. Change that and you are halfway to success. Like the other poster who found a way to "cheat" to cure her cravings for pizza, that is the wrong way to do it. You need to develop a taste for good food, and more importantly, take control over your body and not let "your body" cravings control you.
Soda is NEVER good (not even diet) so you should try to avoid it for the next 6 months. Its not like quitting smoking where your body craves it, so it should be easy to go without it.
Do your cardio in the mornings, and in the afternoon or evening do your weight training. I suggest every other day, do whole body compound exercises like Squats, Bench Press, deadlifts, military/shoulder press, rows, lat pulldowns and barbell/dumbbell curls. Use a weight that is heavy enough that you CANNOT do more than 10 reps. You want to be sure that you FAIL on or before rep #10. You should have slow controlled motion on the negative parts as well as on the postive parts of the lifts. For example: on the bench press, slowly lower the bar to your chest, then slowly push it back up, dont bounce it off your chest. If you do this along with your everyday 5 days on, one day off cardio, along with watching what you eat, you WILL lose the weight AND improve your overall health.
Drop all wheat/grain and dairy products for a few days. You'll be surprised. Avoid processed (prepackaged) foods, MSG, additives, etc. Stick with veggies and fruits that are fresh or frozen (not canned). Anything that is canned or boxed WILL have chemicals added, which make proper digestion and metabolism tougher for your body.
There are really only two ways to lose weight. You either A) create a calorie deficit or B) create an environment for your body is naturally burning fat for energy instead of carbs. The later is the best bet as you will lose the weight much quicker and safer.
I'm currently on a low carb diet similar to the Atkins/Abs Diet. Basically you go on a low carb/high fat/moderate protein diet for the first 10-12 days, then you drop the fat intake some and raise the protein intake. This teaches your body to burn fat for fuel instead of carbs and the weight will just start melting off. The great part of this diet is that you get the weekends to eat whatever foods you want (within reason) which doesn't kill your social life. Oh, and I do almost no cardio. Almost all my focus is on weight lifting.
It's a great diet in that you'll lose weight quickly while becoming much healthier in the meantime. This diet was recommended to me by a friend who lost over 100lbs on it in less than a year and he's helped people obtain similar results.
I'd like to explain it more, but I'm off to dinner for Mother's Day. I'll check in later and give more details.
Very good advice by all. I'm not going to reiterate everything but I tend to lean toward DaBeez's suggestions.
The problem I have with Atkins-type diets is they are often very difficult to maintain with a very low carb intake. Plus, the free weekends can lead to extended days of missing work-outs eating unhealthy. Especially for someone like the OP who states that he "lives to eat."
The main thing to remember is that not every program will work and it takes time to learn what works best for your body. And, the #1 thing, it's a lifestyle change. you are going to cheat from time to time. Anything too strict is a recipe for failure.
Here is a link to a "food diary" website. It's free once you sign-up. Many people on the P90x website recommend it. I used if for the first 45 days or so and it helps to monitor what you are eating.
Eat real food. (not processed, chemical filled foods)
Not too much. (stick to the daily calorie count that will lose weight for you)
Mostly vegetables. (ditch the simple carbs, high-fats and animal proteins)
And exercise daily...walk, bike, gym work-out, weight lift, karate, Pilates..at least 30 minutes/day.
Drink water for your beverage of choice, forgo the soft drinks and beer.
It's that simple. You'll lose weight, and better yet, be healthy
Now this is not what I have learned. I have learned that the longer you go at it, the more calories you will burn.
I suggest you continue your learning because everyone knows that HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is far more effective at burning calories/fat than long distance cardio sessions. Plus, its done in a much shorter period of time.
There's a thread on it here, look it up or Google it.
I suggest you continue your learning because everyone knows that HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is far more effective at burning calories/fat than long distance cardio sessions. Plus, its done in a much shorter period of time.
There's a thread on it here, look it up or Google it.
Wouldn't the area under the curve be the same?
500 calories an hour for two hours is the same as 1000 calories an hour for one hour
For example, my typical elliptical workout is 40 minutes at 160 (usually takes me about ten minutes to get there though). However, I may ride my road bike for an hour or 1:15 at lunch and I estimate my heart rate is like 130-140.
For swimming I do 2000 yards (four different strokes) in about 45 minutes, probably heart rate 145-150.
However, my main goal is heart rate, not calorie burning. I still think working out has very little to do with weight loss. I may burn 700 calories on the elliptical but I am at least that much hungrier. If I don't work out, I will eat less so there is a substitute for not working out. There is no substitute for not getting your heart rate up.
Drop all wheat/grain and dairy products for a few days. You'll be surprised.
As it happens, I found this out on the advice of my doctor. Wheat contains gluten--the moment I cut gluten out of my diet, I began to lose weight. 20 pounds and counting thus far! And it turned out to be easier than I imagined it would be, since there are plenty of products available that don't contain glutens.
"A few days," however, isn't such a great idea--because if you start eating foods containing gluten, you'll just put that weight back.
When did you start this diet?
How many more pounds?
Will you put it back on?
It is ten times easier to lose 20 pounds in 10 weeks than it is to keep 2 pounds off for a month.
You haven't accomplished anything unless you keep it off. Most people fail. Unless you are very unusual, you will put it back on, gluten or no gluten. Most people who give up X eat more of Y.
As it happens, I found this out on the advice of my doctor. Wheat contains gluten--the moment I cut gluten out of my diet, I began to lose weight. 20 pounds and counting thus far! And it turned out to be easier than I imagined it would be, since there are plenty of products available that don't contain glutens.
"A few days," however, isn't such a great idea--because if you start eating foods containing gluten, you'll just put that weight back.
This is very similar to the low carb diet I am on. Your body starts to burn fat for fuel as it doesn't have the carbs.
I'm getting ready to go to the actual weight loss portion of my diet. Been real easy so far.
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