Getting even closer...

[yenner]

Talked to a recruiter 2 weeks ago. Taped me and allowed me to talk to him for 2 hours. Only time I've ever had a recruiter actually talk to me. Petty Officer Purdy has really motivated me to lose the last ~50 pounds. To keep a long story short I'll just share the pic. The first pic was actually Nov. 2009, but mom threw this together quickly and surprised me by posting it on Facebook. :) Anyway, here I am at 140 lbs. lost.

http://www.thenavycafe.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=210&pictureid=1491

[Craig]

You're obviously very committed. Congrats!

[VaBchMom]

Great job you're doing and keep going!!:woohoo:

[DK3]

Keep going Yenner....

[sassatease]

That is so awesome, keep up the good work!

[KC]

Nice! Keep it up!

[acer87]

good work keep it up!

[thelittlesignal]

Oh my goodness, talk about dedication! Good for you! You look good! Keep it up! The last bit is always the hardest but you clearly are more than dedicated enough to get it done! Kudos!

[MacSteve]

wow. Lookin good man!!

[yenner]

Thanks all. Really means a lot to know so many people are supporting me.

...The last bit is always the hardest...

You have no idea. lol

At 100 pounds I said, "The first 100 was the easiest." Now I'm saying, "The first 140 was the easiest." It's definitely NOT going to be easy here. I've now commited to ride my bike EVERY day, no matter what, to get the cardio up. I want to start running soon, but want to make sure my body can take it. I've got a LONG road to pave if I'm going to get in shape to go EOD.:shocked:

[KC]

You did all that by riding a bike!? AWESOME!

I'm going to offer some unsolicited advice, so please don't take offense. I only mean it as encouragement because you've come so far and I want to see you succeed!

If you want to start running, do it! You're ready now. Go in very slowly, and your body will have time to adjust. I've been running off and on for 15 years, and after a long period off (sometimes years) I work up slowly before hitting it hard, and I haven't had a single injury, not even shin splints. Google "Couch to 5K" for a good idea of how to work into running without worrying about getting hurt. It starts off with walking, but it will have you running a 5K in about 2 months. If you follow the plan, don't go too fast, focus on developing good form, don't go too fast, don't go too fast (don't go too fast!), I promise you'll be able to run 5K with no injuries. Once you get up to 5K, you can start working up distance incrementally, or start working on getting your time down.

If you're not lifting weights now, doing some big compound strength exercises before you start running (or any time really. strength training is key) will help you get stronger, which makes running easier on the body. Squats, lunges, push ups, pull ups (I still can't do one--getting there), all build up your strength but especially SQUATS! I can't stress enough the importance of strength training on overall fitness. I've been a bike geek for years, running here and there, but only recently got serious about strength training, and it has changed my life.

Ok, I digress. The Navy is already an unstoppable force, but imagine if ALL of our future shipmates were at least half as dedicated and hard working as you... wow.

[yenner]

Thanks KC. I never seen advice as offensive. :)

I didn't do it all by biking. I started by merely cutting back to single servings of everything, no pop, and walking around the block once. That's about all I could do at first.

I'm biking a ton now b/c I'm training to ride in Pelotonia (www.pelotonia.org), a ride in which 100% of money raised goes to cancer research. I'm riding the 23 mile route, which I'm sure I can do now. I'm also starting to run slowly, but I'm going to look up that Couch to 5K thing for pointers so I can do it right. Thanks for the heads up. :)

Also, thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I'm sure there are more dedicated people out there than me. :)

[MacSteve]

some good info right there from KC.
I'd like to add with the strength training: find somebody who knows what they are doing, or ask for help at the gym. I can't even begin to stress the negativity and possibility of injury that exists when you do exercises such as weighted squats (whichever style they may be) incorrectly.
I see DOZENS of in shape people doing them wrong too.... youtube has TONS of videos on proper technique also.. If i ever partake in an exercise I'm not sure about form and such, thats the first place i look for help

[KC]

I can't even begin to stress the negativity and possibility of injury that exists when you do exercises such as weighted squats (whichever style they may be) incorrectly.
I see DOZENS of in shape people doing them wrong too.... youtube has TONS of videos on proper technique also.. If i ever partake in an exercise I'm not sure about form and such, thats the first place i look for help

Yes, yes, and yes. Form is incredibly important with any exercise, there's a lot of risk of injury especially when you add weight. It's better to learn to do the move correctly, even if you're doing it with no weight, than to lift big right away. I still advise using free weights over machines, and it never hurts to ask for help from a knowledgeable person.

And you'd be surprised how few people give up on something when it's hard. You're already miles ahead of many people already IN the Navy... who wouldn't bother working off 140 pounds, maybe not even 40, if they had to. It's so encouraging to see your hard work!

[Will619]

Good work on losing that weight bro. Seriously that is awesome! Im curious as to what exactly you have been doing to get that weight off? Im currently trying to lose enough weight so I can just go talk to a recruiter. At my heaviest I was at 330 and now Im at 270 and have been losing about 10-15 lbs a month average. Im 6ft tall so I have to lose 70 more lbs to be within the weight limit. Maybe I could tape in beforehand but who knows really. Thats just me doing cardio for about an hour and a half a day usually 5-6 times a week on top of just eating better and leading a better lifestyle in general. Just wondering anyway because maybe theres something I could do differently.

[KC]

Will619, that's awesome!

You're already halfway there. You have a good diet, exercise, and a goal to push for.

The last part is the hardest, and cardio won't take it off. You need to add in some weight training. It could be pushups, pull ups, lifting weights, or whatever works for you. At that point, you may not see rapid weight loss, since muscle is heavy, but that's why there's a tape test. Some people are just big, but as long as it's good weight--lean muscle not fluff--you can still be fit. The tape is an estimate of your body fat content, and designed for exactly that--big guys who are lean and fit. As a side effect, you'll also be strong enough to do tons of push ups and probably a lot faster at running, too.

Even though our goals are reverse (I'm trying to bulk up, I'm borderline minimum weight), I can tell you that building muscle is hard! I can't imagine the challenge of building muscle AND losing fat! The trainer who trained the actors for the movie 300 is quoted as saying something like "Appearance is a consequence of fitness" which means we may be shooting for a size or weight goal, but in order to get there we need to focus just on getting fit instead of getting bigger (or smaller).

[Will619]

Ill eventually get into some weight training. Right now Im looking at building some endurance and shedding some weight. I can already feel an improvement since I dont get winded as much and my legs dont feel like jell-o afterwards. What youre saying KC is exactly what my brothers been telling me that I shouldnt focus on weight but on improving overall and that the weight will take care of itself. Im pretty fortunate that my brothers been a Marine for almost 13 years now. Hes been giving me guidance through the whole process and really believes in me so Im completely motivated through the whole process. When I feel the pain I push myself harder to get through it.

[KC]

That's good to hear your brother is supporting and encouraging you. My family isn't big into fitness, so I had to find support outside, but now my brother has started running and weight training! 13 years as a Marine, I'd bet your brother has a lot more experience in fitness than I do, but hey! We're here for you too!

[yenner]

Just an update.

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=654&pictureid=5381