PyramidHeadcrab

We'll see. I have really bad genes for metabolism on my mom's side, so I'm giving myself a wide gap so that it's all achieveable. But with that said, I was eating probably upwards of 4000 calories on a daily basis. Cutting that in half on its own is sure to make a big change. My blood pressure is already down significantly, somehow - from 156/100 to 134/70. I don't know if such a fluctuation happens naturally, but this is Saturday and Wednesday, respectively. I lost 3 pounds since I got the scale on Monday night, but I'm willing to attribute that to error on the scale's behalf. I also just finished 10 straight minutes on the treadmill, which is an improvement over yesterday. As long as I keep tracking all this, it should be easy-peasy.

Hi folks, thanks for all the great advice. I started my own fitness thing, although I'm admittedly winging it a bit, which is probably the best way to do it - my weight as of Monday was 275lbs, roundabouts, but I did buy a scale so I could keep an eye on progress (knowing full well that weight will go up and down a bit for almost no reason). I downloaded an app (MyFitnessPal I think?) for my Blackberry so that I could keep track of dietary intake, not just calories. I've also made a goal of doing a very brisk walk (about 4mph according to the display) on the treadmill to start - I was able to handle it for 8 minutes yesterday, and given my poor fitness, that seems like a fine point to gradually work up from. My goal weight is 155lbs, and I hope to get there within 3-4 years of gradual weight loss. I know weight loss gets harder and harder as you lose more, so I've frontloaded it such that I'll lose 50lbs in Year 1, 35 in Year 2, and another 1-2 years to lose that last 25. I don't know how realistic the goal weight is though; while it is ideal given my height and age, I am a naturally stocky male, and my belly was almost flat at 190 lbs. But hey - setting a high benchmark gives more room for error. If my logic is flawed at all, let me know. I'm thinking of also getting some dumbbells to lift while I watch TV or Netflix, just for the sake of it. I also find that that fitness tracker is incredible for nutritional education - I had no idea that a muffin from Tim Hortons was 400 calories, or that a chicken sandwich at Burger King was 800 calories! I used to eat two of those things per meal! The app has me at 1780 calories daily, and it's actually surprising just how easy that is to work within without sacrificing good food... I had Wendy's chili for dinner and some banana chips for dessert!

Hi there, First off, I've been hesitant to make a topic like this for a long time, mostly because of the condescending "bro" attitude I've gotten from health and fitness sites in the past. I'm a 24 year old male who currently weighs about 250 lbs. My weight has gone up and down in the past, but since graduating college and settling into an industrial office-type job that doesn't require any strenuous activity (I'm a controls programmer), I've noticed my weight reaching scary new landmarks that I haven't seen before. I know part of that is age, part of that is the sedentary nature of my work, but I'm seeking some health advice that will be practical for me. I should note that I'm a very scientifically-inclined person, and I'm extremely skeptical of fad diets and "super-foods". I'm also quite introverted, and I experience a lot of anxiety and discomfort in gym settings. However, I know, at the core, weight management comes down to ingesting the right amount of calories vs. what you can burn, with a few modifiers. I also understand weight loss is not an overnight thing, and I'm very open to any solid advice I can get. As for my lifestyle - I'm not into physical activity at all. I work long days with a long commute, and I'm very much inclined to come home and sit/lay down - usually picking up fast food or snacks on the way, if I don't have much time to cook. I grew up in a single mother home, and I never really learned how to cook anything that couldn't simply be reheated or tossed in the oven. I suspect this is the crux of my issue, and I totally welcome suggestions on healthy foods that are affordable, easy to prepare, and don't make me want to reach for a bag of cookies after. I'm likely addicted to junk food, and I've been able to kick that addiction in the past... I'm just not sure how I managed to do that. I also don't eat a lot in the way of vegetables, because I can't ever seem to prepare them in a way that makes them at all appetizing. Any tips to help this? As for fitness, I own a treadmill. I'm not sure if this will be enough to make any significant impact, but as I mentioned, I'm way too intimidated by gyms and fitness culture to go that route. Assuming I just used the treadmill plus various stretches and exercises that don't require (expensive) equipment, what sort of investment, energy-wise, would I need to make to see any impact? I know that's all extremely wordy, but I'm grateful for any help I receive. A lot of it is probably questions that get asked every day, but I acknowledge my need to make a change - I was recently diagnosed with a severe obstructive sleep apnea that is affecting my abilities at work, and the last blood pressure I took was 156/100, which... Combined with my anxiety problems really makes me fear immediate health problems. Inaction is not an option for me. Thanks.