Some Ute Fans are just natural athletes and some of us have to fight to keep the flab at bay. Here is a forum to share tips, tricks and successes as we all strive to be the best Uncle Rico we can be.
My weight loss method is not recommended.
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I started my New Year’s resolution before the New Year. It wasn’t too lofty of a goal. Cut out breads and join the gym to be more active. I didn’t want to go too bold and burn out, so breads and walking was a pretty easy start. I had a stroke over Thanksgiving 2022 and had to quit alcohol, so I’ve had a small head start by cutting out the booze.
There are mornings after I get off the graveyard shift, where there’s nothing better than French Toast dripping in real butter and thick maple syrup. We’ll see how I do.
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I’ve heard it could be the rage in Hollywood.
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I’m all in. I’ve lost 13 pounds recently and plan to lose another 35-40. I’m using medication to help the process and it’s working. I’m also running 3-4 times a week. I use MyFitnessPal to track calories. I rely on high protein foods and liquids to help me achieve my goal, and eat a low calorie diet. That’s pretty much all there is to it.
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That is fantastic!
I asked my doc about Ozempic and found I was no longer pre-diabetic. Woo-Hoo! I’m doing proteins, fruits and veggies, but not going too crazy. I had oatmeal for dinner with lots of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The bread thing is going to be difficult. I love toast. Oh, and cookies.
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I use MyFitnessPal! I like it. Do you find it valuable?
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Without it I don’t think I’d have any success. I also count protein as well. It’s essential to log calories in my opinion.
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I like it as well. I log all my good and even upload recipes.
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If I could go back in time, I’d take state.
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I started running a few years ago after 20 years of doing, well, nothing at all. Felt really good to be exercising again, and I lost about 35 lbs.
I ran around 500 miles each of the past three years (usually 12-15 miles a week), but a nagging injury has kept me sidelined for several weeks now. It’s really frustrating, but my only option is to give it lots of time to heal.
Will be very glad when I can get back out on the road again.
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I cycle about 3000 miles per year, and am back to the gym every other day. I injured my back about 18 months ago and cannot walk very far without having numbness in my foot, and just discovered that numbness is a problem for cross country skiing 
(THANK GOD I like and can still cycle).
I have cut out all breads, pastas, pastries, cookies/crackers and sugar of most types, other than a bit of fresh fruit.
I eat vegetables like they are going out of style.
I eat a very low fat diet, including one meal per day of animal protein, which is usually either chicken breast cutlets, eye-of-round steaks, or pork tenderloin, and never more than 1/4 lb. servings.
It’s taken two years, but I’m back to 175 lbs (5’11’') and 15% body fat, which at 67, my doctor tells me is about as good as I should expect.
Now for the bad: to do all of this, I have to invest a lot of time in exercise, shopping, and cooking almost all of my own meals. I’ve also had to largely give up alcohol. Since I retired, I’m finding it a lot more difficult to have much of a social life, and the diet doesn’t help. (Hence the comment in another thread about turning into Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men 
)
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Several years ago (ok, 7 now that I look), my dad asked me how much I weighed and I told him. He told me it was about at that age that he passed 200 and hasn’t seen below since. I was creeping up there so it kind of opened my eyes. With a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, and some diabetes, it shook me a little. I went on a pretty strict plant-based diet and lost 20ish pounds to 170 in about 12 weeks. I purposefully didn’t really exercise to do an experiment. 90% of my weight seems tied to diet. Of course, exercise is good for cardiovascular and skeletal health, so I have put that back in (cardio and some weights).
I have gotten lax on the diet little by little and have tracked my weight weekly for 7 years. What I noticed is that I gain 2-3 pounds on a trip (or 5 for deep south) because I always research local foods. but then I don’t really shed it and maintain at that new level. So, now I’m back up to 190ish.
I’m back in the office 4 days a week which has kick started a more disciplined schedule and also made meal planning more important (breakfast and lunch) and fewer snack opportunities since the kitchen isn’t close by. Both me and my wife are re-committing to cleaning up the diet and shedding a few pounds (her weight seems to be more impacted by exercise, but she’s ‘skinny soft’).
Basically, I found great success cutting out processed foods (including white flour, white sugar, added sugars, etc.), adding lots of vegetables (can eat almost as much as you want), beans are the magical ‘fruit’ (and there is something to say about Mesoamerican trinity of corn, beans, squash) and making ‘good food’ count. The SAD (standard American diet) is so wrong for us. Cooking from ‘raw’ ingredients is big. Going almost vegan for breakfast (chia pudding, avocado toast, fruit [the fiber helps reduce insulin spikes from the fructose], smoothies, can’t do oatmeal - makes my stomach feel hungry for 2-3 days, etc.) and lunch (salads, veggies, hummus, soups, etc.) with a modest dinner (if there is meat, it’s more of a condiment/compliment and lean like fish, chicken, etc.), I can usually lose 1-2 pounds a week. Add in snacks and I maintain 
. We have date night Sat night, but almost always only eat half of whatever it is and save the rest for another meal (or 2).
I have an elliptical and rower I do 3x/wk during the winter + pushups, curls. I could climb on my garage climbing wall. When it’s warmer, I’ll go for a mile or two run or ride 5-7 miles to get the heart pumping. I know I could get more results with more activity (calisthenics, body weight exercises), but I really do enjoy getting exercise through sports like tennis and such but just haven’t put in the effort to find a partner or league like I have in the past. I like volleyball, but same.
I’m just in my middle 40s, but definitely am seeing the body start to heal more slowly, metabolism slowing, hair graying, and need to get into better health and shape to last a lot longer and avoid a lot of things that could start showing up in 50s, 60s and beyond. But being an amateur foodie is hard when most of the time food needs to be fuel and grain bowls just don’t excite me .
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But being an amateur foodie is hard when most of the time food needs to be fuel and grain bowls just don’t excite me
I was pleasantly surprised by the Cafe Zuppa Curry Bowl. Was it worth $12? As a splurge, yes. To try and recreate at home…too complicated.
Shopping at Costco for fruits and veggies as a single person dedicated to no cheating…completely doable. The large size hummus is to die for. Just wear the Clydesdale blinders when walking past the cookies and cheesecake.
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My wife has learned how to make the best baba ganoush. I haven’t liked it in most places and have preferred hummus for a dip, but hers is really good. Eggplant is understated - great nutrition, low calories. I found an eggplant parmesan recipe and prefer it to chicken (restaurants too), although the cheese puts the calories back in . My wife also found a good carrot hummus that is quite tasty. And I’m not a huge dip person (unless it’s french onion dip, my sinful delight). Mushrooms and sweet potatoes/winter squashes have been good substitutes for meat in a lot of recipes and dishes.
Things have gotten a little more complicated with a wife that is now lactose intolerant and a kid that has a gluten allergy.
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I’m not giving up cheese!!! Can’t do it. Don’t even ask.
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I would starve. 
My diet isn’t at @salUTE levels of healthy, but it’s not too awful. I eat the exact same thing for breakfast (cheerios and a yogurt) and lunch (ham and cheese sandwich with an apple) every single day. I very rarely eat anything fried, I eat very little fast food, I try to mix in some fruits & vegetables every day, and generally try to be at least somewhat healthy.
My biggest challenge is that I have a nightmare of a sweet tooth. I eat SO many empty calories because I simply cannot stay away from candy, soda, and other sweets. I’ve asked Mrs. SkinyUte to quit buying them (because I won’t go to the store and get them myself), but between her own sweet tooth and the kids, there’s always sugary snacks around the house.
I was down to 205 (from my pre-running weight of 240) but have since put back on a few and am up to 210 as of this morning. I really need to get running again and figure out how to curb the constant sugar cravings. Crack would be less addictive, I think.
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Play a sport. Competition is the spice that makes exercise fun. Being overweight and out of shape worsens your ability to compete and activates motivation.
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In theory, sure.
In reality, a competitive sport generally requires a) other people and b) a time commitment that I simply don’t have. I run for exercise because I can do it at 5:30am before my day starts. With 60+ hours a week of work and kids in a bazillion different activities, that’s about the only thing that will fit the schedule these days.
I did play racquetball with my brother for the first time in a decade over the holidays. That was fun, but definitely more challenging at (almost) 50 than it was in my 20’s and 30’s. I used to play 2-3 times a week in the pre-kid days, but all of my racquetball partners have moved away.
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I’m impressed by all the seniors at the gym. There’s a fellow who hops on the treadmill and cranks it up to the highest incline and speed and totally kicks ■■■. He’s got to be in his 80’s. Reminds me of the Mandelbaum’s from Seinfeld. Fiercely competitive. My goal is to lose 20 lbs before I entertain the thought of pickleball. That should be attainable by springtime…
OK! the gym awaits!
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