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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 19 October 2007 04:38 am |
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A year ago I as contemplating changing my life. I am a 32 year old stay at home dad (only for the last year). When I decided to stay home with my daughter, I weighed 250 pounds, wore size 42 pants, wore XXL shirts and did almost no real physical actvity. I could barely keep up with my 2 year old at the playground. I was ready to something about my health.
Today, as I sit here I weigh 175 pounds, run 2-3 miles most days, practice yoga, lift a little weight and bike everywhere.
Once I found this site and knew my RMR and BMR, it made losing weight easier. I started walking, which evolved to running. My wife bought me a bike that sat for a while, then I would ride for 5 minutes and would come home. Now I ride 20 miles every Sat plus 20 or more during the week.
I have never felt better in my life. I eat healthy and it is a lifestyle now it was never a diet. I eat little meat but occasionally have some fish or even a burger now and then. Eating healthy and exercising is a part of my life and hope to stay healthy and fit so I can enjoy my daughter's youth and huge amounts of energy.
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Theresa
Senior Member
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Posted: 19 October 2007 10:38 am |
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| Well done Tom! Your daughter will forever be grateful that her daddy can play with her and will be around much longer to help her through life because of his healthy lifestyle. Keep it up.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 25 October 2007 04:54 am |
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Great story! 
Peter
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 26 October 2007 03:51 pm |
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I will try to post some before and after pictures but when I was fat I didn't want people to take picture of me so it is hard to find a good picture. I will try to post one later on in the weekend.
Thanks for the kind comments.
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 26 October 2007 07:28 pm |
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Great, but we're having some problems with pictures right now:
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/forums/forum19/4092.html
So wait till it's fixed or send them to me via the e-mail link and I'll post them when it's fixed.
Thanks!
Peter
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 6 November 2007 12:47 am |
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Pictures should be working now. See the Help files.
Peter
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 9 November 2007 03:28 pm |
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| Here is a picture of me close to my heaviest. I will post a follow up with a current picture. Attached Image (viewed 602 times):
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 9 November 2007 03:31 pm |
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| Here is a more recent picture of me. My current weight is 174. In the previous picture it is closer to 245. Attached Image (viewed 601 times):
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Peter
Founder, caloriesperhour.com
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Posted: 9 November 2007 04:49 pm |
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I see the progress. Kid's cute too!
Peter
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pbf4326e
Senior Member
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Posted: 26 November 2007 03:16 pm |
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Great job, Tom! I'm working hard at it too.
I've been at it since mid July and have been averaging 2.2 lbs a week. I had a strategy for the Thanksgiving weekend and I'm pleased to say that I lost 1 lb. for the week! Total to date is 41 (down from 290). When I hit 190 (100 lbs), I'll see how much more I have to lose. A lot depends on how much muscle I build and how I feel.
Great to see your daughter. Often people say they want to lose weight for themselves but I wanted to lose so I'd be around for my wife, kids and grand kids. I'm 56 in two weeks and it's a battle but by the time I get to my goal it will be a lifestyle change.
Kudos, man! Stay fit!!!
Bert
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ndtx06
New Member
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Posted: 12 December 2007 05:14 pm |
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| Congratulations Tom on losing the weight! And also for being a at home dad, i am raising two with my wife and cannot imagine being at home with them all day all the time. I really do not know where my other half gets the energy to keep up with them. Last edited on 12 December 2007 05:16 pm by ndtx06
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 13 December 2007 01:31 am |
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I have had seversl people ask me how I lost the weight. Here is a quick rundown of how I lost 75 pounds and have kept it off.
Before I found this site, I had no idea how many calories I needed to consume based on my starting weight (250 lbs). Once I knew my BMR and RMR it gave me a place to start. I kept a food journal in which I wrote down every single morsel of food that passed my lips. I was so anal I wrote down everything, even a stick of gum or a nibble from my daughter's food. Because I wrote everything down, it kept me from eating the wrong types of food or things I didn't need once I had consumed the calories I was aiming for the day. I kept up the journal for months and still keep a running tab of how many calories I eat every day in my head. I found this to be the greatest motivator and way to keep on task.
At 250, I couldn't run or jog and certainly didn't want to walk very far either. I started getting up early in the morning and walking. I just walked until I felt like it was time to head home and gradually added more distance each week, eventually I started to run a little, then a little more and finally I was running miles every day. I still run 4-5 days a week.
My wife bought me a yoga DVD that I started to do at home and did it 5-6 days a week for months. I found it a great way to increase my flexability and get a little more exercise every day.
Just before Christmas last year, my wife bought me a bike. At first, I couldn't ride it 5 minutes without my legs hurting and being out of breath. Again, I kept at it and was riding 100 miles a month by the summer. I ride 20 miles every Saturday now and a few miles during the week.
I know this sounds like a lot of exercise but I love it. I can't explain it but after being inactive for so long, I feel like I am catching up for the last 14 years of being lazy. I also know that 97% of people gain back the weight they lose within 5 years and I am doing everything I can to stay in the 3% that don't.
My advice to those who have asked, keep a food journal and be honest with yourself, even when you each 6 doughnuts you didn't mean to eat. Exercise, no matter what it is. Eat breakfast, I hated to eat breakfast and would often skip meals, now I make sure I eat every few hours so I am never starving. Breakfast bars that are high in protein are great if you don't like to cook or don't have time. Drink water and only water, don't drink sodas, milk, juice, etc. Drink water, water, water. Everything else is full of empty calories you don't need.
I was 250 lbs in Oct, I was 205 by New Years, and 180 by March and have been 163-178 ever since. I include the 163 but it was due to an illness that caused me to lose 9 lbs one day.
If you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask. I hope to motivate anyone I can. You can do it. Belive in yourself, I belive in you.
Tom
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Theresa
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 December 2007 10:56 am |
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Thanks for sharing Tom. It really helps motivate and I cant wait to lose my 70lbs or so. 61 more to go
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pbf4326e
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 December 2007 01:08 pm |
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Hi Tom,
Your detail of your plan is great. I'm doing something very similar. I eat the three basic meals and snack mid morning and mid afternoon on a piece of fruit or a cereal bar. I look for organic ones that don't have high fructose corn syrup.
I've been keeping a weekly log of my weight, average per week, total lost and BMI. I count my calories daily although I don't keep a log of what I'm eating. I just write them down so I know what I'm eating daily.
I started exercising back in July with a stationary bike and, like you, could do about 5 minutes but now I'm up to 48 minutes at an average speed of just under 20 miles per hour. One days that I only ride a half hour I do three sets of pushups and lift weights.
Like you, I don't want to gain this weight back. This web site and all those who are on the forum is great. It's terrific having people going through the same situations and challenges to support and to receive support from.
Stay tough over the Christmas holidays and have a great one. I'm down 46 lbs as of this past Monday. I'll let you know when I hit 50!!!
Bert
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Victor version 4.0
Senior Member
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Posted: 13 December 2007 01:52 pm |
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WTG TOM!
How are you dealing with maintenance? What is your eating strategy?
I found the transition from "loss-mode" to "maintenance mode" particularly difficult.
It was "unthinkable" for me to up my calorie intake from 16-1700 to 2400! I really struggled for a while till I finally realized that maintenance was how "typical" people ate!
I also found that an eating and exersize log is a requisite for the rest of my life.
Again Way to GO!
Victor
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 13 December 2007 03:55 pm |
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Victor --
I also found it difficult once I hit the maintinance phase. My daily caloric in take is supposed to be just under 2900 calories. In the beginning I found it near impossible to eat that many calories when I had been aiming for 2000-2200. Even today, I still aim for 2500 - 2600 calories because I find no matter how careful I am, I know I am missing some calories somewhere. We keep lots of fruit in the house, mostly apples as they are filling, high in fiber and tasty. My tastes changed a lot over the last year and I find fruits and vegetables to be so important in my life now. I use soy crumbles (Boca product) in place of ground beef when I make spaghetti sauce or lasagna and like the soy fake chicken patties and chicken nuggets. If you haven't tried them, give them a chance. They are lower in calories, fat and have no cholesterol and they are really good.  (my daughter wanted me to put the cat here).
While I am not a vegetarian, I don't eat very much meat any more for my health (my cholesterol dropped from 208 to 163).
I look forward to hearing more great news from people. Having someone to share your successes and failures with makes the journey easier.
Just remember, you can do it. Do it for yourself most of all but remember (especially if you have kids) that you are modeling good eating and exercise habits for you children. It is the best gift you can give them, a healthy parent and a healty lifestyle.
Tom
Last edited on 13 December 2007 07:13 pm by Tom S
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Theresa
Senior Member
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Posted: 14 December 2007 07:22 am |
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Tom S wrote: Just remember, you can do it. Do it for yourself most of all but remember (especially if you have kids) that you are modeling good eating and exercise habits for you children. It is the best gift you can give them, a healthy parent and a healty lifestyle.
Tom
That is so so true and most of us realise that so much later in life than we should have. Well done and keep that attitude.
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 1 February 2008 12:27 am |
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I found an old picture of me at my heaviest. I must be 250 or real real close. I didn't like my picture being taken so there are very few pictures of me when I was heavy. A more recent picture shows what I look like now.
Attached Image (viewed 488 times):
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Tom S
Member
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Posted: 1 February 2008 12:28 am |
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| Here is a picture from the summer of 2007, in this picture I am probably around 177 or 178. Attached Image (viewed 483 times):
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Victor version 4.0
Senior Member
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Posted: 1 February 2008 02:24 am |
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Tom S wrote: I found an old picture of me at my heaviest. ... I didn't like my picture being taken so there are very few pictures of me when I was heavy. ....
I hear ya Bro, that was me also...very few pictures
V
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Theresa
Senior Member
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Posted: 1 February 2008 07:38 am |
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| Even the pictures tell when you are happier with yourself.
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pbf4326e
Senior Member
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Posted: 1 February 2008 01:27 pm |
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Tom S wrote: Here is a picture from the summer of 2007, in this picture I am probably around 177 or 178.
Tom,
It appears that there is a lovely lady standing next to you. 
I have a pic my daughter took of me last summer just before I started my fat reduction plan. I look like a beached whale.
Although Monday is my official weigh in day, I'm down 64 lbs as of this morning. When I hit 100 lbs lost I'll send some photos too.
You should be very proud of yourself, in a good and positive way. And you're right; we have to do this for the people we love. It's not just about us.
I'll really be interested in getting some guidance when I get to maintenance. I'm not really sure how to figure my calorie needs yet as I'm not sure what my final weight is yet. We'll see. First things first.
Bert
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rockinrocker
Member
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Posted: 6 February 2008 09:27 pm |
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You Look Amazing!
I cant find any other words to describe how you look
Congrats on your Weight Loss
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