Getting into shape.

[Jaw Breaker]

Gyms aren't a scam. Scammy gyms are a scam. It's best to analyze the one you want to join before forking over your money. If PF fits your needs ... then by all means ... join.

Gyms are usually a huge scam, pretty easy to make money when over half of your costumers just give you money without wanting anything in return.

This statement doesn't make any sense. That's how most businesses work. You pay for a product or service ... and it's up to you to take advantage of it or not.

 

[Zman007]

Gyms are not a scam. As a gym owner you don't want to know what you would have to pay if only those that used the gym paid for it. I hate stupid people.

 

[Dontrike]

Yeesh, guess I should know not to make fun of gyms, folks take a large offense from it apparently.

Gyms aren't a scam. Scammy gyms are a scam. It's best to analyze the one you want to join before forking over your money. If PF fits your needs ... then by all means ... join.

Not sure the ellipses are needed, makes you sound quite snarky and makes it seem you are looking down on me because of the "scam" comment. It was only an idea, plus it is the closest. The other is a Fitness 19, but at that point I would need a bike to get there and wouldn't need a gym.

This statement doesn't make any sense. That's how most businesses work. You pay for a product or service ... and it's up to you to take advantage of it or not.

The difference is that a grocery store doesn't bill me every month, even if I don't buy groceries. There are very few businesses that bill you monthly that you tend to forget you have, because the reason you got them is because you needed/wanted them.

If a person billed you every month and didn't tell you about it, and that you haven't used their service in a while you would say they scammed you out of money. Is it your fault for being scammed, yes, but you are still having money taken for no service.

Name another business that has similar things happen? What do folks tend to forget yet pay monthly for and get no service out of it?

Gyms are not a scam. As a gym owner you don't want to know what you would have to pay if only those that used the gym paid for it. I hate stupid people.

So others get it cheaper because they literally take money from people even if they don't use their product? Sounds like a scam alright. If they can't make a gym profitable through honest ways then that sure is a scam. Gyms require ID cards now and damn well know how long it has been since you last visited. An honest business would send you alerts to keep you motivated, show up at least one time, and therefore make you feel like you got your money's worth. At least that way of scamming is a hell of a lot more subtle.

I recently found myself losing a lot of money from hookup websites, so I think I know what a scam is.

 

[Dontrike]

So I think I have finally reached that point where I am starting to really notice that I can't keep this up anymore. Today I saw myself from the side in the mirror, I was checking on something, and even though I was fully clothed I was not filled with my normal amount of "not a big deal", but instead I was slightly grossed out by what I saw. My shirt, even though it is rather large looked like I was filling it in too much, almost like I was an oddly shaped parallelogram, then when I saw my stomach, or if I were to lay down in the street the city funded speed bump, and how it folded over disturbed me. Normally from the front I don't have an issue, but this was probably the first alarm that I won't sleep through that I should really lose some weight.

I guess what this means is that I want to really look, and I mean really look, into how to fix me. I can no longer look past that how I think of myself is nowhere near what I really look like. I just can't keep up that facade anymore in my head and while I do not believe I am worth the time that I should just deal with it like having to do the dishes.

I know that this isn't the norm, but there is an occasion coming this summer in which I actually might get to have sex so I would really like to not be the human equivalent of a bean bag chair. I know that external sources of motivation are not great, at least that is what I have been told, when it comes to getting in shape, but dealing with my internal thought process of thinking I am not worth it will take far too long so just focusing on the external will help greatly. It is just the way I work and I have accepted that.

So with that I will fully accept any help and put some real effort into trying to improve my body, even if just a little.

 

[Dontrike]

Have any of you folks had to work with a weight loss team or coach before? I was looking into some of the programs offered on Fitocracy and don't really know what I would be in for.

 

[rocket50]

Just do lots of cardio and cut out carbs and the pounds will fly off.

 

[rocket50]

BTW I can tell you as an employee of planet fitness that I really don't recommend it for people who are serious about heavy weight lifting. I myself am a member of a different gym just in case I want a better pump than planet fitness can give. That being said, especially at the one I work at, planet fitness is all about general fitness and supporting those who aren't as experienced at working out. A bunch of people actually appreciate the no judgment attitude. I understand the viewpoint of it not being a serious gym for serious athletes, but it does provide those people that are less athletic a place where they can safely workout without being intimidated.

 

[Dontrike]

Carbs would probably be close to impossible for me to cut, 'cause they are soooooooooooo good. I figured cardio might be my primary option, winter is putting a major damper on being able to really do anything significant. There is at least another month or so of winter before I can head out and start cycling again. Nutrition is my biggest flaw, that is for damn sure.

Planet Fitness was an idea, and probably will only be that as I am sure I would be one of those ones kicked out just because of some random reason.

I suppose things must change eventually though. I want to lose as much weight as possible by late June to early August. There is an occasion coming up that I wish to be as top notch as possible, even if all I can do is reach the middle.

 

[rocket50]

I wish you all the luck in the world on your endeavor.

 

[the journey]

If anyone want to get some training guidance just pm me, I am a bodybuilder and can help you to lose fat and build some muscles along the way

 

[Dontrike]

If anyone want to get some training guidance just pm me, I am a bodybuilder and can help you to lose fat and build some muscles along the way

Any help would be appreciated. I do have limited equipment, and any sort of nutrition needs to be kept in the norm. I definitely can't do something like seared northcoast salmon with a raspberry vinaigrette.

I just want to make sure that I can lose as much weight as possible by the summer. I know I won't be losing 150 pounds, which is what I need to lose in total, but just enough that I can enjoy this summer a little bit more.

 

[BTBrian]

Carbs would probably be close to impossible for me to cut, 'cause they are soooooooooooo good. I figured cardio might be my primary option, winter is putting a major damper on being able to really do anything significant. There is at least another month or so of winter before I can head out and start cycling again. Nutrition is my biggest flaw, that is for damn sure.

Dontrike, losing weight is 80% about how you eat and 20% about working out. If your diet is terrible you can work out 2 hours a day and keep gaining weight. If you do an hour of cardio you will lose probably about 500 calories (depending on how intense it is). This is the same amount of calories as 2 small bags of candy (think a bag of skittles or m&ms. Also, if you take in 500 less calories than you burn every day, you will lose 1 lb a week. The point is that if you snack a lot or just eat poorly, there is not enough time during the day for you to work out enough to burn off those extra calories. It is 10x easier to cut them in the first place than to burn them off. If you truly want to lose weight eating healthy must be priority #1.

 

[Dontrike]

Finally got around to asking my brother's wife about her diet. She has been doing this for the last 6 months or so (could be more if I am incorrect) and has lost 120 pounds. She is a part of some sort of Food Anonymous or some such thing like that.

She isn't allowed flour or sugar.

Breakfast
-8 oz. of plain yogurt
-1 oz. unprepared oatmeal
-1 whole fruit (apple or banana) or 6 oz. of fruit

Lunch/Dinner
-4 oz. protein (ham, chicken, pork, or cottage cheese)
-6 oz. cooked vegetables
-6 oz. of salad

Does this sound decent enough?

Frankly, to me this sounds like a quick way to starve yourself, but I have always been known to eat a lot, even when I was a kid. I'll do my best to keep my opinions of that group to myself.

 

[Closed039]

Finally got around to asking my brother's wife about her diet. She has been doing this for the last 6 months or so (could be more if I am incorrect) and has lost 120 pounds. She is a part of some sort of Food Anonymous or some such thing like that.

She isn't allowed flour or sugar.

Breakfast
-8 oz. of plain yogurt
-1 oz. unprepared oatmeal
-1 whole fruit (apple or banana) or 6 oz. of fruit

Lunch/Dinner
-4 oz. protein (ham, chicken, pork, or cottage cheese)
-6 oz. cooked vegetables
-6 oz. of salad

Does this sound decent enough?

Frankly, to me this sounds like a quick way to starve yourself, but I have always been known to eat a lot, even when I was a kid. I'll do my best to keep my opinions of that group to myself.

In my opinion that looks fine. The biggest mistake people do is go on these crazy diets where they say "I will never have another cookie again!" Well, that never works and then after you have the one cookie you fall off the deep end. The diet looks really good but I would add in one more meal, a flexi-snack meal of sorts, where you eat something else thats maybe less healthy, but smaller in portion. For example, ONE SERVING of pretzels on the package is only like 180 calories. That's a piss in the ocean and with your diet will hardly prevent weight loss. If you allowed yourself just that one serving you would be fine. Another idea would be something like peanut butter on whole wheat bread with a glass of milk. It may have some fats and carbs but they're pretty good as far as carbs go (lots of fiber) and the fats are from milk and nuts. Anyway just my 0.02, good luck.

 

[Dontrike]

Yeah, I think snack-esque meals would probably be necessary.

Now do you think this type of meal plan works while working? I don't have the luxury of being able to take the food with me, but I guess at least one day a week where a meal could be protein bars while I work wouldn't be the worst thing.

 

[kokprobs]

Didnt really read this except the last page. That diet your brother's wife is on is making her have a bad relationship with food. And so is any "diet plan" really.

You need to figure out what your macros are (fat, carb, protein) this doenst mean "percentages" and then track your macros on a daily basis hitting your targets. Add some low impact cardio (Walking) and you will lose weight.

This is the best approach. Go to youtube and type in 3dmj and watch their videos. They know what they are talking about.