New here. Tired of being tired

[kage2]

So i finally decided to do something about it around a month and a half ago. Been a couch potato most of my life, and something in my head just clicked, that i need to start getting the weight off now, or i may not get the chance later. When, I turned 33, I officially outlived my mother who was also heavy.

Now, I'm currently on the higher end of the weight scale, and trying to get to somewhere in the middle. I'd be happy with that.

I've modified my eating habits from whenever, whatever to something a lot more sensible that includes more veggies (and not just the ones that come on the burger). I've (so far) lost 45 lbs through cardio 3 days a week and lifting the days in between, with alternating every other week. I hope to outgrow the machines (in a good way) and gradually move to free weights. I need a lot more work on my upper body than my lower... But like the saying goes, "Gotta start somewhere".

I still eat out a lot, but instead of McD or BK, its Subway, protein shakes, rice, pho, veggie steamer packs, and the occasional chicken taco...I know, the eating needs to be cleaned up even more, but considering the amount of garbage i used to eat, this is a huge departure for me. I still drink soda, but it's been relegated to one 12 oz can during dinner. It's more cause i found out the hard way I'm addicted to caffeine.

I know i still have a long way to go, and i'm sure all the advice and whatnot i can gather from reading this board, it won't exactly feel like I'm goin it alone. I've been lurking and reading, and so far, most questions that have popped into my head, i've been able to find the answers to, (a LOT of answers to).

From time to time, i will be popping my head in to ask about supplements if i can't find the answer to it from searching. Speaking of supplements. I believe I have the basics down, and was wondering if anyone has a critique on what I'm taking, whether or not it's even beneficial for me to be taking it. I'm open to all ideas and opinions.

Currently i have in my cupboard:
Controlled Labs - Orange Triad, Orange Oxi-Mega (fish & greens)
NLN - Lean Pro Matrix (whey)
iForce Nutrition - TT-33

I haven't opened the TT-33 as I'm not sure if i should just use it by itself, or stack it with something else. the CL basically seems to take care of a little bit of everything. The whey i bought because i was of the understanding that it is better (not a better product mind you, i don't know how it stacks up against other whey) to have it than to not, (if that makes any sense). Plus, it makes for a quick breakfast when i don't get to going anywhere.

Thanks for reading the wall o' text, and like I said, I'm open to all ideas about how i can better utilize what I'm doing.

 

[bighoss75]

Well, thats a very Informative post,..And let me be the first to say Welcome to the board and to a New way of life,..I'm pretty new to the board as well, and there are Lots of great ppl, here that will help with just about anything you would run into, during this adjustment period..I'm useing a few supp's as well, ON Whey protein, CLA-supplement ,..and Jacked, right now seem's to work for me so far, Clean diet, combo with Exercises, is by far the best thing, From my understanding best is 30-45 minutes in you're target Heart Rate, First thing in the morning before you eat anything, rest of the day your running on reserve's so the speak,..Best of luck and Dont give up if ya ever need motivation feel free to contact me I'm in the same boat as you,..

 

[kage2]

Thanks man... yeah, i had no idea what i'd be undertaking when i decided to jump into this boat...

 

[nattydisaster]

Have you had just a standard blood work done?

Maybe you have no B-12 or underactive thyroid?

I would definitely get some bloodwork done...and underactive thyroid will cause bad lethargy...hence people who take Alpha-T2 have more energy from the thyroid boost

 

[kage2]

i was more using the old "sick and tired of being sick and tired"... but i figured i wasn't really sick, (just lazy), i'd leave that part out..

 

[gainsvillian]

Kage, welcome to the boards. Seems like you took the hardest step in getting started and coming up with a plan. Doing research is probably the best thing you can do right now so it seems like you're off to a good start.
Your workout plan looks good for starting out, and just modify it as you continue to lose weight and get stronger. You'll see some of the regulars at the gym doing some staple exercises, so take notice and throw those into your workout. Focus on form over weight. Your supps look good for now. Triad is probably good for you since it has joint support. Since you're a bigger guy, this might be an issue, so Triad will definitely help. I can't overstate how bad soda is, and caffeine addiction is common, but there are other sources. Caffeine pills are very cheap, and used by a lot of guys on the forums as a preworkout supp. Overall, diet is the biggest factor here that'll get you to your goals. Work on a daily meal plan, invest in tupperware, and cook in bulk. This will ensure you're eating right, even when you're pressed for time or don't feel like cooking everyday. Keep a food log with macros so you know what you're actually eating in a day, instead of just guessing where you're at, and BE HONEST with yourself. Once you start to see the macro breakdown of certain foods, its amazing how you begin to look differently at how you eat. For me, this had the biggest impact on changing my diet for the better.

 

[kage2]

when you say macros, what are you looking at? overall calorie content, or...?

yeah, the soda thing is the hardest for me... other than being addicted to caffeine, i enjoy how pepsi tastes...