Overweight, Out of Shape, & want to be a Paramedic

[EMTCop86]

People should not accept medical advice over the internet unless from a verified doctor.

Correct.

Weight loss qualifies as medical. Losing weight the wrong way can totally screw you up and mess with your overall health,

Abosutely.

taking it from the "Trust me, I tried this, it worked" average joe poster is just ignorant.

Why is it ignorant? There are plenty of "average joe posters" that have been overweight and lost it. They have learned tips and tricks that have helped them. Some of those tips and tricks were learned from other people. Why not share your knowledge to help someone else?

Of course one thing may work for someone and not the other but that is even more reason to get more advice from others to get different ideas. Again you need to consult your doctor before starting anything new, especially something as hard and complicated as weight loss.

 

[Sasha]

Correct.



Abosutely.



Why is it ignorant? There are plenty of "average joe posters" that have been overweight and lost it. They have learned tips and tricks that have helped them. Some of those tips and tricks were learned from other people. Why not share your knowledge to help someone else?

Of course one thing may work for someone and not the other but that is even more reason to get more advice from others to get different ideas. Again you need to consult your doctor before starting anything new, especially something as hard and complicated as weight loss.

Because they might have not done it safely and correctly.Maybe they did it wrong and nothing happened to them, but because every body's body is different, it may harm them. It's really just not a good idea to take advice like that unless it's from a doctor and dietitan or someone who'se job it is to help you lose weight.

 

[EMTCop86]

Because they might have not done it safely and correctly.Maybe they did it wrong and nothing happened to them, but because every body's body is different, it may harm them. It's really just not a good idea to take advice like that unless it's from a doctor and dietitan or someone who'se job it is to help you lose weight.

Again that is why you need to consult with your doctor. There are so many things out there on weight loss it can be mind blowing. When I needed to lose the weight I needed to lose I got plenty of advice from people on forums. I talked to my doctor about those ideas and she said go for it on some ideas and no that's not a good idea on others. Yes I got a lot of bad advice but again that is why you need to talk to your doctor.

 

[MSDeltaFlt]

Should have said, before this post I have had doctors visit. He rans all sorts of test. Found nothing wrong with me other than being considered morbidily obese, & high blood pressure. He also noted that I`m also a large frame.

He basically said I`m in no danger now. However, 10 yrs down the road it would be a different story if I continued this way. He recomend switching over to diet soda. Drinlkng alot of water before meals. Overtime lowering my food intake. & loose 2 to 3 lbs a months this way.

Physical activity can be moderate exercise up to what I think I can handle. Just not over do it to much. Whats a good moderate exercise program for a begginer? Is there any Cheap exercise equipment I should invest in? Kind of interested in the Kettle Ball. Considering my weight & Height what should I look for in a Kettle Ball?

OK, for your current body makeup right now, I strongly suggest you not go with the any home equipment. Invest the money and join up with a gym if possible. Gyms have all kinds of appropriate equipment. They also have trainers. The trainers there can work with you and get you going in the right direction, and to show you how to do things right. Believe me. Technique is everything when working out. The mirrors are not there for narcissism. They are there so we can make sure we do the exercises correctly and not hurt ourselves. Most of us don't know the right technique. And we usually end up hurting something that doesn't heal very fast... like a back or a joint for instance.

In order for this to take effect and have any lasting results, this will have to become a lifestyle change. Ever notice that lean people live longer? Just take a look at the 160lb 80yo men still playing golf in the dog days of summer. This is why I don't mean to just "lose a little bit of weight", but to actually live a healthy life... a heatlhy lifestyle.

Speaking of which. When I get done with this coffee, I'm going to my gym. It's Core Day today.

Good luck bro.

 

[Eydawn]

A note to those saying the body requires sugar: Yes, indeed it does. But you can easily get that sugar from sources other than refined corn syrup or cane sugar. You don't need to drink soda or eat highly processed carbs to get your sugar intake. Fresh fruit, complex carbohydrates, all of those are (according to sources like the AHA, I might add) much healthier food options.

Asking EMTLife for diet advice? Much smarter than lurking somewhere like the pro-Anorexia livejournal groups... you want to talk unhealthy weight loss tips, just lurk on there for a day and see what kind of crap floats around. I post on one of those LJ pages there to provide a non-ED viewpoint, especially with regard to the medical questions that crop up (these kids are doing serious damage and get scared, and get reassurance that everything's ok from fellow ED kids... I come in as the blunt voice of reason every so often...)

And I would agree on forking over for the gym... I've hurt myself before trying to lift and use exercise machines, and it's not pretty. Walking, however, is something you can do without a trainer helping you.

Wendy
CO EMT-B

 

[46Young]

Should have said, before this post I have had doctors visit. He rans all sorts of test. Found nothing wrong with me other than being considered morbidily obese, & high blood pressure. He also noted that I`m also a large frame.

He basically said I`m in no danger now. However, 10 yrs down the road it would be a different story if I continued this way. He recomend switching over to diet soda. Drinlkng alot of water before meals. Overtime lowering my food intake. & loose 2 to 3 lbs a months this way.

Physical activity can be moderate exercise up to what I think I can handle. Just not over do it to much. Whats a good moderate exercise program for a begginer? Is there any Cheap exercise equipment I should invest in? Kind of interested in the Kettle Ball. Considering my weight & Height what should I look for in a Kettle Ball?

I bought my kettlebells from lifelineusa.com. The handles are of appropriate thickness, and just gritty enough without overdeveloping calluses. Great idea considering your weight. Sets of kettlebell swings, kb clean&jerks, or snatches should ramp up your metabolism. Start with a set of 10, rest one minute, repeat for up to 10 rounds. Then, cut rest or increase reps, as your conditioning improves. any kind of running would be a bad idea, as it would only serve to wear and tear your joints. If you must do the treadmill, use a steep incline and walk. This should save your knees and lower back. I'll assume that you have no current cardiac or orthopedic issues. Buy two kettlebells, maybe 53lbs each. When you're properly conditioned, I recommend 5x5 of an upper body push, upper body pull, quad dominant, posterior chain(hip) dominant, and abs. Example: double kettlebell press, renegade row, front squats, swings, and floor wipers(from the "300" workout). Finish with a lactate threshold or anerobic energy system session, within your capabilities. Three times per week should be plenty. If you have the time, I recommend walking for one hour daily, preferably after dinner. This is referred to as non-exercise physical activity(NEPA). As for diet, you'll want to follow a plan that you can sustain long term. Start by gradually eliminating soda, then junk food, then juices, then refined(white) flour, while slowly adding foods that occur in nature, and can't be manufactured. This would include meats(preferably free range, grass fed), eggs, fruits/vegetables, quinoa, bulgur wheat, nuts/seeds, maybe some dairy. Strive for 90% compliance. This will keep you on track, and you'll keep your sanity by occasionally indulging your vices. Again, getting your nutrition to this level will take time, and is a gradual process. Make sure to keep adequately hydrated. If you eat a reasonably healthy salad prior to every meal, you'll promote fullness earlier, and slow digestion. Don't forget your MVI and fish oil supplements. Good luck, here's some additional resources: www.firegroundfitness.com www.rosstraining.com www.crossfit.com www.mikemahler.com

 

[Sasha]

A note to those saying the body requires sugar: Yes, indeed it does. But you can easily get that sugar from sources other than refined corn syrup or cane sugar. You don't need to drink soda or eat highly processed carbs to get your sugar intake. Fresh fruit, complex carbohydrates, all of those are (according to sources like the AHA, I might add) much healthier food options.

Asking EMTLife for diet advice? Much smarter than lurking somewhere like the pro-Anorexia livejournal groups... you want to talk unhealthy weight loss tips, just lurk on there for a day and see what kind of crap floats around. I post on one of those LJ pages there to provide a non-ED viewpoint, especially with regard to the medical questions that crop up (these kids are doing serious damage and get scared, and get reassurance that everything's ok from fellow ED kids... I come in as the blunt voice of reason every so often...)

And I would agree on forking over for the gym... I've hurt myself before trying to lift and use exercise machines, and it's not pretty. Walking, however, is something you can do without a trainer helping you.

Wendy
CO EMT-B

Who recommended him going to a pro-ED live journal??

Just a general note for anyone who is considering ED methods for weight loss, I can speak from personal eating disorder experience that it hurts more than you will ever imagine physically and it will hurt emotionally and the physical ramifications and side effects from it is NOT worth it. It is deadly, it can kill you. Eating Disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

And just a further note, eating disorders are not so much about losing weight as it is about control. Keep your blunt voice of reason to yourself. These kids aren't reasonable, they don't need your condescending "This crap is crazy" attitude. They need help and are in a bad mental place that you cannot understand unless you've been there.

 

[surub]

Yeah I mean all i can say is cut the soda and just drink water, milk, and hand squeezed juice.
In about 2 weeks i lost about 7 pounds just from drinking hand a glass of pure lemon and a cup of orange juice every morning.
Also try to eat lots of greens, stay away from fried foods. I mean you can have some sweets, but I would eat it @ lunch, nothing later. Also try to refrain from eating past 7 or 8 PM.

Exercise wise, I mean start walking and slowly move it to a jog, and then to a run. Also another option that is good is to swim. I have a friend that lost about 18 pounds in 2 weeks from swimming 2 hours a day Monday - Friday.

In conclusion it really comes down to your mind set.

Hope this helps.

~surub

 

[irish_handgrenade]

No diets or you will become a yoyo and go up and down up and down and up and down and it's bad for your body.

I'll echo the doctor and dietitian, as well as work on life long lifestyle changes and not something you abandon once you lose the weight you were looking to lose. Aim for health, not skinnyness.

I 2nd this motion. Don't "diet" you have to make a lifestyle change. Don't try to "lose weight" just be healthy. It doesn't matter what you weigh as long as you are healthy and fit. Good luck to you I hope everything works out for you, and BE CAREFUL WHO YOU LISTEN TO. Most people have NO CLUE wtf they are talking about.

_Handgrenade

 

[NomadicMedic]

It's really simple.

Eat less, exercise more.

Eat smaller portions and make sure your meals contain less pre processed crap and sugar, and more healthy, fresh foods.

Walk. Every day. even if you hate it. Walk. Then in a few weeks, walk longer distances.

You'll see the weight start to slowly disappear.

There's no magic cure all. It simply takes eating less and exercising more.

Good luck!

 

[Seaglass]

Good luck!

Seconding what Sasha said about eating disorders. If you ever find yourself thinking you're worthless because your weight loss slowed down, find therapy. If money is tight, check out church groups--they often give referrals to free secular places. Besides, by professional ethical codes, even religious therapists are supposed to be able to provide therapy without bringing religion into it.

If you're like me and really hate gyms, try other activities until you find ones you like. See if you can get friends to take walks with you, or if you can find some sports clubs that have cool people. As everyone else has said, start with light activity and move up as your exercise tolerance increases. If you do too much and hurt yourself, it'll get really easy to stop entirely.

 

[sop]

Here is what I been doing:
1. I frequently check-in with my doctor.
2. I do cardio-workouts
3. I lift weights
4. I have 1 meat, 1 source of fiber, and 1 dairy product for breakfast.
5. I have 1 meat, 1 fruit, and 1 vegetable for lunch.
6. I have some source of fiber for a snack during the day.
7. I have 1 meat, 2 vegetables, and 1 source of fiber for dinner.
8. I take apple-cider vinegar to burn fat.
9. I take blood-pressure supplements to help control my pressure.
10. I get a full night of sleep, when I can.

 

[Hallofo]

I agree with the above... I started my weight-loss program as a 6'4", 360ish pound rolly-polly. I lost 135 pounds in a year and a half! Some of that has come back in the form of muscle, and some from wearing out my knees running; which brings me to my first point:

Go Slow! Don't set some insane goal like "lose 30 pounds a month" or "eat only salad". Set goals you can reach. You will still have to work at them and excersise some self-disipline, but it can be done.

Don't Get Discouraged! Some weeks will be bad. Some weeks will be good. The big thing is to not let minor failures derail your goals! If you don't meet your weight-loss goal for the week, don't get depressed and decide you'll "never be able to do it", find out why you did not loose the weight and work to correct the problem!

Get a Friend! Probably the only thing harder than making a lifestyle change like this is to make it alone! There are web resources out there (forums like these, etc...) that you can post on to track your weight loss and thoughts. A real workout buddy would be the best way to go though, check out local gyms and colleges.

Keep At It! After you get going, you really need to keep going. A bad habit I have (and still fight!) is to get a little indulgent. I think "hey, I worked my butt of this last month, I'm getting pizza!". Rewards are fine, and I encourage them IN MODERATION! Don't get sucked into the downward (or upward in weight) spiral of thinking you "deserve" treats constantly to keep you going. Treats got you where you are now, and self-disipline with hard work is the only thing that will get you out.

I hope this can help you, feel free to PM/email me with any modivational questions. I can honestly say I've been where you are, and I think can help you get to where you want to be!

 

[emt33]

I lived the same lifestyle you have for a long time and am breaking away from it and the longer I do it the more I love it..... I was not very active at all in the beginning but I am becoming more and more active as the weeks go on. I'm not saying my routine will work for you but its working for me.

First thing is I was a smoker- which we all know when your trying to get or be fit is almost next to impossible- So before I quit I started to exercise lightly- I would do a slow walk around one of the school tracks and I bought a park pass and use it regularly.

At first the walks sucked- my legs would start to burn and my lungs would hurt within a quarter of a mile or so- but after a few weeks the endurance started to pick up, now walking a few miles is no problem.

So after a few months of walking I started jogging (slowly) and am building up endurance there- It definitely takes some times but I'm enjoying the rewards.

The other things I've started doing is playing catch (softball, football) and playing basketball and volleyball- There are a ton of things to do out there you just have to get out there and do them! after a month or so you'll start to enjoy how your feeling from the activity and you'll want to keep doing it more.

But I think my biggest thing is the soda- I used to drink about a 2-liter or so a day- I switched to diet, and I tend to drink more water or unsweetened tea more than anything....

Good luck to you!

 

[fit4duty]

I agree with the above... I started my weight-loss program as a 6'4", 360ish pound rolly-polly. I lost 135 pounds in a year and a half! Some of that has come back in the form of muscle, and some from wearing out my knees running; which brings me to my first point:

Go Slow! Don't set some insane goal like "lose 30 pounds a month" or "eat only salad". Set goals you can reach. You will still have to work at them and excersise some self-disipline, but it can be done.

Don't Get Discouraged! Some weeks will be bad. Some weeks will be good. The big thing is to not let minor failures derail your goals! If you don't meet your weight-loss goal for the week, don't get depressed and decide you'll "never be able to do it", find out why you did not loose the weight and work to correct the problem!

Get a Friend! Probably the only thing harder than making a lifestyle change like this is to make it alone! There are web resources out there (forums like these, etc...) that you can post on to track your weight loss and thoughts. A real workout buddy would be the best way to go though, check out local gyms and colleges.

Keep At It! After you get going, you really need to keep going. A bad habit I have (and still fight!) is to get a little indulgent. I think "hey, I worked my butt of this last month, I'm getting pizza!". Rewards are fine, and I encourage them IN MODERATION! Don't get sucked into the downward (or upward in weight) spiral of thinking you "deserve" treats constantly to keep you going. Treats got you where you are now, and self-disipline with hard work is the only thing that will get you out.

I hope this can help you, feel free to PM/email me with any modivational questions. I can honestly say I've been where you are, and I think can help you get to where you want to be!

Holy crap!!! The voice of reason and common sense finally rears its ugly head. Don't deviate from the above one iota

 

[Dearing Baymiller]

i don't know if i missed this in previous posts, but if i did it's worth mentioning again.......

don't worry about body weight.
you will eventually see less overall weight loss when you start to lose and are exercising because you are adding muscle. it'll look like your fat loss is slowing down when it is prob staying the same.

forget the weight numbers, they can be a discouraging trap.
worry about your percentage of body fat or even your belt size as another good indicator of how you're doing.

good luck man, i'm working on the same thing.

David

 

[ChargerGirl]

i found the best motivation to get out and walk everyday is to get a dog.than you want to walk your best friend

 

[That_Guy]

There are few things that I need to get taken care of before becoming a Paramedic. Physically, I`m at 340 lbs at 6' tall. This is a major hurdle to overcome for me. I also have high bloodpressure. I`m in my 30`s & was a professional coach potatoe. What should I do start loosing weight, & get in shape?

I know the first thing I have to do is quit drinking 2 liter of soda day. A year ago it was 4 liters of soda day.

weight and height don't me jack crap (no offense) what's your BMI?

340lbs can be literally nothing to your body composition, especially if you have a large frame. Your blood pressure, once you get into a normal workout routine, with some good cardio, overtime it'll help lower your blood pressure.

There are guys who are 5'10 420lbs but have hardly any body fat. See what I mean?

and drink calorie free/sugar free drinks. (5 calories or less per serving) don't drink your calories.

Put yourself (count calories) to 2200 a day, with a good workout program. (firegrounds.com works pretty good, also hundredpushups.com combined with twohundredsitups.com and twohundredsquats.com is a good workout routine, do all three consecutively, and once you hit the miles stone, take everything and double it. there are guys who've gotten to 200 PU, 400 SU, and 400 squats without stopping. and they lost serious body fat overtime doing it)

I've lost considerable body fat doing workout routines, different types of diets, and all in all, the best diet I've ever been on to date, is take out whites. No white rice, no white bread, no white pancakes, etc. (aka, high carb foods go out the window)

Stay away from the Atkins, I don't know a single person who has not developed some kind of heart problem when on that diet. don't take the chance. (too much fats)

Oh, and another good diet tip, portion control. (counting calories helps) veggies? go to town. =)

 

[That_Guy]

i don't know if i missed this in previous posts, but if i did it's worth mentioning again.......

don't worry about body weight.
you will eventually see less overall weight loss when you start to lose and are exercising because you are adding muscle. it'll look like your fat loss is slowing down when it is prob staying the same.

forget the weight numbers, they can be a discouraging trap.
worry about your percentage of body fat or even your belt size as another good indicator of how you're doing.

good luck man, i'm working on the same thing.

David

On the dime

 

[Dominion]

I'm in a similar situation currently and already in paramedic school. I'm one of about 15 paramedics/students I can think of that are extremely over weight. In the last month I've bought a bike and started watching a little more closely what I eat and cutting out fast food (I've slipped up lately and I felt terrible about it). I still drink sodas but not like before, before I could almost finish off a 12 pack in a day. My crutch right now though is sweet tea, I generally drink water, sweet tea, or crystal light. I limit myself to one soda if I have to have one, and it's usually something like a Coke Zero or Pepsi Zero, to get the soda feel but not as much bad crap.

When we shop we don't buy beef, anything we use alot that has high fructose corn syrup in it. We buy mainly ground pork and turkey, chicken breasts, salmon, white fish (cod or whatever we can get cheaply). Multigrain breads for our breads, and I allow my self a breakfeast treat of an 'Everything Bagel' from Panera Breads (my wife is a baker there).

My issue has been my eating habits lately. I don't over eat at the meals but I will eat maybe once or twice a day sometimes over a 15-18 hour period.

I ride when possible, at the very least 2 or 3 times a week and a min of 3 miles (very hilly terrain around here). My crutches to take care of still; eating out, soda, my eating habits (times).