WEEK NINETY-TWO :: What Are Good Diet And Exercise Programs For Obese People?

[the_fake_webmaster]

* Note: How can I win? 1. Answer all questions in the order that they are asked. 2. Go over reviews (located at the bottom of each TOTW article) and see what was said about those that did not win. Good Luck!
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TOPIC: What Are Good Diet And Exercise Programs For Obese People?

For the week of: August 30th - September 5th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Obesity is a major health concern and epidemic in the United States. It�s important to encourage and help any obese people who want to change their lifestyle.

What are some good diet and exercise programs for people who are obese?

What are some good foods for them to choose when dining out in a restaurant, e.g. buffet... while sticking to this diet?

If someone you know is obese, how should you go about helping them?

How can you encourage someone who is obese to stick to their diet and training?

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* New Rule (beginning: June 1st, 2006): Any exercise not listed on our exercise listing (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm) must be accompanied by a full and complete description and pictures (or a link to the exercise(s) where pictures and description are given).

Thanks.

Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

The best response will get $75 in credit to use in our online store! The other good responses will be used in an article on the main Bodybuilding.com site, with the poster's forum name listed by it. Become famous!

Thanks,
Will
Webmaster
Bodybuilding.com

[Holmer]

For the obese person exercize is more important than diet. The advice given here is given without knowledge of personal curcumstance or ability. Walking is the first step. If you cannot walk,please start trying. Raise your level of activity. Buy fresh food every day, walk to the shop: The food you eat should be prepared by you ( activity ). If you buy cook and consume fresh food six out of seven days ( one cheat day ) you are on the road to being fit.

[squat_princess]

Here's my attempt.

[coldblue21]

Holmer has an excellent point, anything that you can keep in a bag that won't rot after three months, is NOT fresh(yes this includes rice). Besides fresh stuff tastes better, get a george foreman grill if need be, I have two, I love em(knock offs, but you get my point). Just throwin my two cents in

[misterfutureboy]

I believe for obese people it's much more than just raising your activity level and buy fresh foods, but in your own mind you need to completly change your life style. Instead of going on a diet, you need to change your diet. Walking and other exercise should become a way of life for the obese. I speak from experience. Now a days, if I can't make it to the gym, I just feel terrible. It's almost like a drug to me, but I know it's a good drug. To be fit you have to understand that's it's not just about the image or response you get from others, but it's all about being healthy! That's my 07.

[cornwallus]

my effort

[kf6vci]

Being obese myself and having type to diabetes and a BMI of 34, I found weight loss one of life's great experiences: one gains more energy, feels better etc. Replace your sugary bars with protein bars, take vitamins & minerals and skip those sugary drinks! I see obesity as a major issue, just like a burning house. To fight the fire, attack from every angle! Simulateously! This is gonna be an all out fight! Because you have to fight the hog in you, that lazy bum, that voice telling you not to work out and go get a beer instead! ** The Roman's knew about this inner pig when they said "half of any task has the one done who got started! dimidium facti, qui coepet habet. Sapper aude: incipe!

[wendel34]

TOPIC: What Are Good Diet And Exercise Programs For Obese People?

A good diet would be something simple. First you need the knowledge of what carbs, fats, and proteins are and how the effect your body. The person would have to understand portion control and meal timing. They should also know that this would not be a diet but a lifestyle change. They would also need to know that they were not obese overnight and they will not lose overnight. Patients and persistence is needed, it�s not just one meal but a series of meals put together that make up a good diet. Lean meats, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats are needed in every meal. Don�t believe the hype in those fad diets, stick to common scene and portion control.

The exercise program should be adjusted to your athletic ability. I have seen some over weight people that are extraordinary athletes and some average size people who can barley walk. The first step for any one starting an exercise program is to check with your doctor. If your are new to the health and fitness lifestyle, you should start out with a brisk morning walk 4 days a week at a pace you can carry on a conversation while you walk. Walks should last at least 20 to 35 minutes and increasing as your abilities increase. After a few weeks, start using lightweights and weight machines. Learning proper form and technique is the most important key to developing a health lean body. Start out with 3 days a week of whole body workouts, followed by 4 days a week of upper and low body workouts, every other day. When you feel you are ready for the next level, I suggest doing 4 days a week, using a spit that hits each body part once a week.

Finally, use your knowledge and wisdom to help out anyone you see in the gym that might benefit from your help.

[Isadora]

My experience: I've lost 70 pounds, I use to weigh 240. I'm 5'6" I thought if it took me 10 years to put it on I could allow myself 7 to take it off and rethink my life style.. actually get back to the lifestyle I had. As a child I was not fat. I gained the weight in my early adulthood.
DIET
Beginning: 2 months
1. Eat the same foods you do now.. everything, just decrease the portion size. Eat your food more slowly. When at a buffet, take small portions of everything the first time and then go back for smaller portions the second time...
Use smaller plates for your meals.

2. Eat only when your stomach growls. It does not matter what time of day, but eat. EAT NO MORE than you can place in your hand if it is not breakfast, lunch or dinner.

3. No high calorie foods after 7 pm except 2 handfuls of mixed nuts and only if your stomach is growling.

4. Learn about the function of food in your body Carbohydrates
Learn the difference between slow carbs and fast carbs.

5. Drink 1 8oz glass of ice water every 2 hours.

6. Begin to increase your Omega 3 and 6 EFCs
in your diet.

3rd month
1. Slowly start to replace processed foods with better carbohydrates.
Increase your fibrous vegetables intake at your 3 major meal times.

2. Replace sugar cravings (candy bars etc..) with fruit and 1000mg vitamin C daily.

3. Continue to learn about nutrition. See above link.

4th month Middle
1. Face your addiction to food. What causes you to go to the refrigerator.
Substitute another activity you enjoy doing instead of going to the refrigerator.

2. Start to eat 6 meals a day. Calculate your BMR and nutrition requirements of protein/carb/fats.
Ease those amounts into your small portion, less sugar meals you are eating now.

5th month
1. Establish your diet in your mind as good progress and continue to make it more healthy and continue to eat small portions of food. Buffets: Take only one serving of each food item you enjoy.

2. Eat everything you enjoy eating. To deny yourself will sabotage your diet at this point.. Just eat SMALLER and less frequent servings of the cakes, cookies, chips, and fast foods.

6 month and beyond There is no end. It is a life style change.
1. Clean up your diet by eating the junk foods even less. Set a goal for yourself that you can live with such that you don't binge. Continue to identify the tiggers that cause you to binge and find alternatives to the binging.

2. Keep portions of food small and frequent.

3. Eat a variety of foods and take the time to enjoy them while eating them.

4. Add carb cycling and carb tapering into a stricter clean diet.

EXERCISE
Beginning:
First two weeks
Walk 15 minutes every day.
Invest in a mp3 player.
Listen to your favorite music or even tv show while walking.

Second two weeks
Walk 20 minutes

Second month
Walk 30 minutes every day.
You must make a commitment to 30 minutes of some exercise every day.
Study and understand the body's response to exercise.

Fifth month
Begin a weight training program at home or in a gym whichever you are more comfortable doing.

Low weights/low reps for 4 weeks. all body parts.
bar only no weight greater than 8 pounds.

one exercise for legs, arms, chest, abs, back each day. 5 minutes each exercise. 3 sets 10 slow controlled reps with 20 second break in between sets.

Continue walking for 30 minutes. Increase the distance you walk in 30 minutes by 1/4.

6th Month and Beyond
Increase weights and keep reps low
Move to a 3 day split on exercises. Increase work-out to 45 minutes.

Establish your own unique routine that will meet your needs for the physique you want.

Find an aerobic exercise routine that you like and add that on days you do not weight train.
Crunches will be difficult at first but don't give up on them. Start in a the sitting up position and slowly lower your back to the ground.
Pull the arch in your back flat with your abdominal muscles, breath out slowly pushing your back into the floor. Hold for 3 seconds and release.
Sit back up and repeat.
Do 3 sets of these with 6 repetitions to start.

What do I recommend when obese friends are eating out?
See above in the diet about buffets.
Best thing for eating out is to limit portions of food. Make the meal last for two meals. One while out and one at home. I'm a firm believer in doggy bags now.
Try to eat more complex carbohydrates and stay away from the processed foods and sweets. This; however, makes dieting a denial of appetite, therefore, limit portions.

How do I help friends who are obese?
I share my experience with them and wait to talk with them until they bring up a weight related health issue they are having.
I tell them how my blood pressure is lower, my cholesterol levels are good, I sleep better, I feel better.

How do I encourage them to continue their training and diet to lose weight?
I tell them that the compliments about my looks, the ability to sit in chairs and on public transportation comfortably, having more energy for the day, being able to purchase sexy clothes in the missus instead of woman's department are motivators for me to continue the program. Once they start to see the changes it is self-motivating.

I show my obese friends my before picture and they see me now and say, "Wow!" I tell them they can do it too, but they have to make a commitment to it and to the lifestyle change just as I did.

I tell them it becomes a habit just like eating too much WAS a habit. The hardest part about changing habits is the initial retraining of the mind and body. Once that is accomplished it is second nature.

The bottom line:
Execute some form of exercise everyday and find the diet with just enough carbohydrates to promote fat burning and keep your mental appetite satisfied as well.

I'm still losing weight and the body is definitely shaping up with some nice firm lean muscular curves. It's no fast fix but the weight is staying off.

[bigcalves]

I like this topic.. my article will follow soon.

[heathershubby]

OK first thanks for caring as an extreamly over weight person I always hated you people who took care of yourselves cause I always thought you looked down at me. I have seen a very different carring side out here and it is very appreciated. I have to first say that as far as food goes PROTIEN I have made my priority (after learning some things out here from reading) knowing my Lean Body Mass and making sure I am getting enough protien to keep it so as to keep my metabolisim moving. I for the record can not walk but 25 to 50 steps deppending on how my back and legs feel but I can work my but off in the gym. There are excercises I cant do yet like lunges squats bent over rows because of back issues but I have managed to gain some muscle and lose fat without any real cardio to speek of. My understanding is that the muscle gained from body building will keep me burnning more cals as long as I have it so I think the best exercise for us fat people is weight training. It is very rewarding and you see results from week to week right away and that makes it very easy to stick with. I have made rules for what when and how much I eat but there are very fluid rules I have to eat every 3 hours if I want to or not I have to get 25 grams protien min at every meal I have to drink 1 gal of water a day these rules are working for me great right now they let me have the occational double cheesburger from McDonalds and still lose 26 lbs this month I know as I lose more and more weight I will have tightin up the diet but these rules help I am adding new rules all the time I when I get what I think is a real commplete set of guidlines I am going to post. Thats my 2 cents thanks again for carring about us fatties and keep up the good work.

[Spaniard00]

This is what I thought.

[Nevel]

Should be attached.

[israelr9r9]

heres mine. I hope im the last one.
Good luck to everyone!!! Hopefully i will place cuz i could use some credit right now!!!!

[BurningHeart]

Here's mine

[imajika]

I have lost 85 pounds since last November and I love the boost in confidence I have gained and my overall lifestyle changes.

The most important thing for me was exercise. My employer provides a free, state of the art gym for all employees. I started going to the gym after work and, before I knew it, three of my co-workers started going with me. It was important for all of us to have each other for motivation and support. When I didn't feel like going to the gym, my friends motivated me and I am SO glad they did. I am now in the mindset that if I don't go to the gym, I feel guilty and I feel like I am missing something from my day. I actually look forward to going to the gym now.

I started out walking on the treadmill for 10 minutes, 5 times a week at a slow pace. I gradually increased the time and speed of the treadmill. I now walk/run on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes at a higher speed and the total distance is about 2.5 miles on the treadmill now. I also started using the eliptical trainer and I use it for 30-45 minutes and walk/run about 3 miles. I vary my cardio so I use the eliptical 3 days a week and the treadmill 2 days a week.

I also started using weight machines during week 5 of my personal plan. I started out with no weight on the machine at all just to get a feel for the machines and to get my body used to lifting weights. Gradually,I have worked my way up and increased the amount of weight I am lifting and the amount of reps/sets. I am not looking to compete in body building contests, I just wanted to make sure that my muscles are well toned and defined and I didn't want any loose skin on my body.

I bought a George Foreman grill and I love it! It's a snap to make foods that will fill me up and are good for me. A big point for me was controlling portions. Instead of having 3 HUGE meals a day. I started eating ONLY when my body told me I needed food. When my stomach was growling, I knew it's time for a small meal. This translated into 4-5 small meals a day and I have now figured out a meal schedule that works for me and I stick to it! It was hard at first because I felt like I was actually eating MORE but when the concept of portion control and having several small meals a day kicked in, I realized that I was actually eating less, eating foods that were better for me and I was actually feeling full for longer periods of time.

I watch what I eat 6 days a week. Sunday is my 'cheat day' so I will have whatever I want for dinner (this week it was a double cheeseburger, onion rings and a milk shake!). Having a 'cheat day' has kept me motivated and prevented me from cheating when I am not supposed to. Whatever I am craving, I know I can have that item on Sunday so I am not tempted to cheat during the week. I start counting down the days until I can have that ice cream, candy bar or pizza.

One thing I had to overcome was my embarrassment. I was embarrassed to go to the gym initially because I thought that all of the healthy people there would laugh at the site of a 220 pound tub of lard trying to walk on a treadmill. What I found out was that the people I met at the gym were supportive from day one. They were always helpful with fitness tips and suggestions and were great at motivating me to continue with my lifestyle changes. I made some great friends and they were all eager to help me achieve my goals and VERY supportive of me.

Whenever I see a new person at the gym and they are wandering around aimlessly or trying to figure out how to use a machine, I always introduce myself and offer to help them out. I know that made a HUGE difference to me when I first started going to the gym. I felt like people there actually cared about me and wanted to help me achieve my weight loss goal...not that they were secretly laughing at me. Having the 'body builders' at the gym talk to me (even just to say hi) and offer to help me out is what made me decide to keep going back every day. I realized that my friends and I were at the gym for the same purpose as the 'body builder' folks...to achieve our own personal goals, no matter if it was for losing weight or bulking up for the next body building competition. We were all there for a common purpose and we all admire each other for achieving those goals and motivate each other.

I know this might not be the BEST post about this topic but I wanted to share my story and introduce myself. Since I have been on both sides of the issue (tub of lard AND NOW getting in shape and loving it!), I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings.

It's very nice to meet all of you and I look forward to getting to know you all!

[a_metalica]

Great work borther , May god bless you and help you to keep going and achieve your dreams