Shooting and Fatness

[Grandpa Shooter]

As some of you will remember, I had surgery last October for abdominal problems. Then they said I had heart problems. Finally got it sorted out and got on some meds for blood pressure and cholesterol.

I think it was Zundfolge who wisely warned me to watch my weight or I would regret it. He was right, unfortunately.

The gremlins have shrunk my belts, made the ground farther away and made the hills go up in every direction. Just getting dressed gets me winded. By the time I carry my gear out to the truck I am too tired to get in it.

What I really want to know is who put the beach ball under my abdomen. I am the same size everywhere else, but now I have this ***** bulge where my semi flat stomach used to be.

How am I supposed to set targets out if just getting them out of the back of my truck makes me want to sit down and rest?

Just a friendly warning! Getting old isn't the problem, getting fat is.





I'm not knocking anyone else with this problem. I just hate being 20 lbs fat!

 

[Cosmoline]

My solution was getting rid of the car. Saved me a lot of money and got me back into some semblance of shape. The range is 35 miles round trip but with a good bike that's not a problem. I just hook up the BOB trailer and roll.

 

[jakemccoy]

Grandpa,

Are you fat for medical reasons or because you made a habit of indulging yourself. If the latter, I'd suggest working out and eating moderately. The weight will fall off.

Good Luck,
Jake

 

[Slvr Surfr]

Start small and work up.

I was 55lbs over weight this time last year. I was fed up with the way I looked, and the way I felt. I was tired a lot, and couldn't sleep right to save my life.

I started running. I am 28years old mind you but a full time job working nights, spending most of my time behind the wheel of a car did NOT do wonders for my physical conditioning.

I started a half a mile at a time, and just increased the mileage. I run 15 miles a week now, and work out lifting weights monday-thursday.

I am down to a solid 200lbs, and feel like I used to in High School. Except I like running now way more than I ever did back then.

I don't think that you need to do my routine, but small changes like getting out from in front of the TV and riding a bicycle is a great way to get started. Making small changes like taking the stairs instead of using the elevator. I realized that I had allowed my sedimentary life style to ruin any sort of physical fitness I used to have. I started to be conscious of the foods I ate. Making choices like avoiding fast food joints and eating at home made a huge difference in how I felt. Fast food really takes the energy out of me now when I eat it. The amount of crap in fast food is just ridiculous these days. It also amazed me just how much money I saved from eating at home compared to out. All the money I saved now goes to the ammo fund . Small changes such as drinking sodas vs water. It took me a month of solid cravings before I could quit drinking sodas and just drink water. Thank goodness for Ice Tea! Now I strictly drink water, and avoid sodas like the plague. I haven't gotten rid of my beer taste though.

Small changes in diet and behavior will go a long way to your personal well being. You are seeing the results of your past behavior. Now you just need to set some goals for yourself in the near future to attain. IE: Getting to your truck without breaking a sweat. Try walking around your neighborhood for 15 minutes a day everyday. See how that works out. Try upping your distance later. Keep your mileage comfortable for you.

Commit your self to attaining your goals and you will see a difference. It just takes the first step to getting there. Once you see the results of your labor its addicting.

(I am not a professional physical trainer by any means. This is just some friendly advise. As always consult your physician prior to physical activity......blah, blah, blah)

 

[Eric F]

I found a shooting club about 6 miles from my house. I was riding my bicycle 11 miles every other day and planned on joining the club to ride/shoot/ride/clean gun but some large type dork stole my bike so I then had to sacrifice my club membership money for a new bike. BUMMER. I would like to see the look on folks faces when they drive by me while I have an 1874 32" 50-90 sharps slung across my back lol!

Any way when I started getting fat I took up action shooting like uspsa idpa and 3 gun matches as they were plentiful around here but those days are long gone and good matches are few and far between now.
Best improvement yet was laying off of the beer droped 10 pounds last month just by drinking half as much and exercising more at work.

 

[mindwip]

I just started running again after 4 years of not doing much of any exercise. And boy that first day-first mile run was the worst i have ever felt hands down( or pathetically imitation of a "run") And thats after doing 12 miles a day on the high school cross country team 4 years ago. I am now back up to doing 4 miles and still feeling great, going to do 6 miles today.

I say nows the time to get back in shape, your never to old or fat to do it! But i wont sugar coat it you will feel like !#@% the first couple times you push your self. Start out easy with goals that push you put that you can do.

consult with your doc if you are cleared to exercise and what you can do. But a good start is...

A good way to start if your having problems walking is to walk. If you feel winded after 100yds then your first day should be a 400 yrd walk. Wait a day then do a 600yrd walk, wait a day do a 800yrd walk, wait a day then do a 1200yrd walk, 1400yrd, 1800yrd. Guess what you just walked a mile more in fact and it only took 2 weeks. Now with each new walk add half a mile. After you get some cardio built from this its time to move onto something harder like swimming laps or running ect.

Remember while it does take time to lose weight or get in shape, sitting on the couch does not make it go any faster! Start now not later. Remember to give your body a rest between days, so work legs one day the weights the next. Its what i did

 

[bikerdoc]

I too had abdominal surgery and lost 50 lbs I just watch what i eat and count calories and have been able to keep it off
the out of breath you mention bothers me I suggest you talk to your doc, it could be a new problem

 

[TX1911fan]

My brothers and I decided to start our own "Biggest Loser" competition. One of my brothers weighed in at 276. All he did was start watching his calories and began moderate exercise and, after six weeks, weighed in today at 242. I started at 206 and can't, for the life of me, get below 200. I'm running more than usual, but I get bad about eating on the weekends. It takes some discipline, but its worth it. My motto is "Move more, eat less." Any excuse to move, I take it. I even park farther away from stores now so I have to walk just a bit more.

 

[Kingcreek]

Most of the BP and Cholesterol meds can make you feel fatigued. Doesn't explain the fat but it does make increasing your activity level more difficult.
High BP and cholesterol are diet/lifestyle problems, not a sign of drug deficiencies. (OK, genetics might be part of it also.)

 

[Hokkmike]

but I get bad about eating on the weekends

Probably the culprit!

24/7 !

 

[Dumptruck]

Talk to your doc about setting up a diet/workout plan. If you are winded from loading and unloading the truck then you may have to start with easing into a diet (jumping right in leads people to get irritable fast and want to quit) and maybe start exercising with some light dumbells.

 

[Danus ex]

Ever notice that travel slims you down like nothing else? You want to replicate the low-intensity, long-duration excercise you get from wandering around Phuket all day. To do that, the worst thing you can do is make excercise torturous. That only works for people who can self-flagellate. Normal people need incentive.

Instead of Thai "masseuses", let's make your incentive shooting. Going to the rifle range can give you a great amount of exercise. Leave your spotting scope at home, and set up targets that fall when you hit them. That way, every time you knock them all over, you have to walk whatever distance you were shooting at, and then walk back. If you hit all your 600 yard targets, you have a 1 km round trip ahead. You'll keep a decent pace, too--you've got more shooting to do.

Think of all the ammo you can buy with that monthly YMCA fee. Tell your wife it's all for your health!

 

[SoCalShooter]

Sounds like the others hit is on the nose. But its not so much about DieTING as it is about paying attention to what your eating and exercising enough .

Diets do not work they are a temporary solution to a larger problem. I do not eat fat (fast) food anymore and I save not only a lot of weight but I saved on the cash too. Avoid soft drinks even the diet ones, more water and drink milk its good for you and you can use it as an in between for meals, it takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice. If you can find a buddy who will help you and join you in eating healthier and exercising it helps having a buddy doing it too.

 

[siglite]

For those who wish to get back into shape without killing themselves... here's a REALLY good set of guidelines.

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

 

[rero360]

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum, I can't gain weight, I've lifted, eating insane amounts of carbs and protein and pretty much what I could stuff in my mouth and I still remain the same. I've yet to get above 160. I'm in good shape, cholesteral is probably alittle on the high side from the junk food, but I think I'm just a bit too skinny, I'd like to put on 10 to 15 pounds of muscle, I think I'd look right then.

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

Biggest problem I see is getting my lazy *** moving doing something. I never would have figured I would go so downhill so fast. Sure I ate some of the wrong stuff, sat around too much while healing through the winter, but what ever happened to "the get up and go?" I used to run everyone around me into the ground working 12-16 hour days doing my home repair business.

Now I sit and think about what I ought to be doing instead of checking off what I got done. Really starting to **** me off!

Thank heavens I only gained 20 pounds, not the 40 or 50 you guys are talking about. Got to get my girlish figure back. Yeah, you know, the one the girls used to look at!

 

[doc2rn]

I was so rev'd up that when I became a single dad with a 7 mo. old daughter with severe allergies, I had to stay in a hepafiltered environment, I gained 55 lbs. For the last 6 yrs I have given up doing things for me to keep her happy. This summer, for the first time in 6 yrs, my parents want to take her on vacation with them. I finally get to run, bike, swim, and exercise in general. I have to figure out what I wannna do first.

 

[Cosmoline]

But its not so much about DieTING as it is about paying attention to what your eating and exercising enough .

I'd go further and say it isn't even about losing the weight. It's about FITNESS, which starts at the core systems. Don't worry half as much about the scales as your heart rates and BP. The BMI readings are next to useless for individual assessment. They were intended as a broad statistical tool only. You need to find out how your circulatory and resp. systems are doing. Not to mention checking for signs of diabetes and other ailments. Then you can gear your exercise and diet accordingly. One single approach will not work for everyone. Nor will a single exercise program.

I started at 206 and can't, for the life of me, get below 200

We hates you.

 

[mindwip]

Everyone in the world is on a diet its what you eat. I have always liked water 87% of what i drink and orange juice, and other fruit juices. Whats funny that i am so used to drinking low sugar drinks that for my fruit juices i will always pour water in them to make it less strong. I know some people will be like i would never do that make it taste worse! But the truth is that you are so used to sweet drinks that thats all your body wants. When your used to drinking water any strong sugar drink will make you not want to drink it. I dont do this for a health choice though it is healthy i do it because i like it. Got used to drinking lots of water with a active childhood.

Same here there is nothing good about fast food and i have been cutting way back and am enjoying much better home meals.


Of course i do like my beers, and no diet beers either! The only good beer is a fat beer!