For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS

Posted by: MartinFocazio

For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/15/10 06:05 PM

OK folks. I need your help.

I'm up to 205 Lbs, I'm 5' 8" and I should be about 165 lbs, maybe less. It got fat after leaving the fire company. I plan on dropping 40 lbs by the end of 2010. . And keeping it off.

There's 291 days left to the year, that means I only have to drop 0.13 lbs a day, less than a pound a week and I can tell you I can start do that just by eating 0.13 lbs less food a day. I need to cut out refined sugars - that's going to be hard. Another trick I'm going to do is eat more seafood. I hate seafood. So I should eat a lot less of it.

What I need from you guys is this:

Pester me, taunt me, challenge me or join with me with your own commitment - does not have to be money, but maybe it could be something else for ETS. I need a goal. I can't do this alone and I need to get some help from like-minded people. Maybe some of us can get healthy again.

$200 direct to ETS if I wake up on New Years day and weigh 165.

Today, Monday, March 15th.
I weigh 205 lbs in stocking feet, for the last time in my life. I will never again weigh more.

Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/15/10 06:37 PM

Good luck! But there is one component missing: MOVE MORE!

Mad TV move more youtube

But for all I know you've got that one covered already....

For many of us, dropping a few pounds will be done most effectively and permanently by these few tips:
- MOVE MORE
- Eat less sugar and greasy junk food.
- Eat more vegetables, meat and seafood.

No need to skip enjoying the good things in life - just cut down on one (bad food) and increase the other (food that is good for you).



Posted by: MoBOB

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/15/10 07:18 PM

Hey Marty,

Go for it! I started training for a marathon. Something I should have done 30 years and 90 lbs ago. I am hoping the training trims a bit off of me; weight that is. I will join you in this way: I will commit $1 per pound to ETS when you meet and exceed your goal. Write it down.

Maybe when I get close to marathon time I will work with ETS to try and get a pledge setup for ETS.
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/15/10 11:03 PM

Originally Posted By: MoBOB
Hey Marty,

Go for it! I started training for a marathon. Something I should have done 30 years and 90 lbs ago. I am hoping the training trims a bit off of me; weight that is. I will join you in this way: I will commit $1 per pound to ETS when you meet and exceed your goal. Write it down.

Maybe when I get close to marathon time I will work with ETS to try and get a pledge setup for ETS.


OK, that's $40. I won't forget.
Posted by: ki4buc

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/15/10 11:22 PM

Sounds like a great idea Marty. I'm 5'8" also, and probably around 208-210 right now. I ran a 1/2 marathon last September, and quit running after that.

So, I pledge if I get down to 165 (I've been there before!) by January of 2011, I'll donate $200.

As a bonus, if I throw in another $100 if I do a full marathon (at some point to be determined, I have no idea when/where marathons are around here near the end of the year)

I should point out I do plan on participating in one of the Ragnar Relay's, so that is a short-term goal.
Posted by: Teslinhiker

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/15/10 11:40 PM

Martin:

On Jan 01, 2011 if you weigh 165 lbs or less, I will donate $50.00 to ETS.

On April 01, 2011 if you still weigh 165 lbs or less, I will donate another $50.00 to ETS.
Posted by: Blast

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 12:57 AM

Dang! What did you do, buy a donut shop or something?! Well, seeing as I don't want to have to take over your duties here if you drop dead from a heart attack I better sweeten the deal. Oops, I mean celery the deal...$1 per pound lost by Dec. 31st, 2010 but you have to be at 165 for ETS to cash in.

-Blast

p.s. Hmmm, I wonder what's a group that you HATE that I can donate the money to if you wuss out.
Posted by: Art_in_FL

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 01:14 AM

A friend lost a bunch of weight with the help of a therapist.

First thing she said was to control liquids. Eliminate any drink with any sugar or sweetener. No sodas. Only water, coffee (black no sugar), and tea (no sweetener). And she made it a rule that he couldn't eat anything without drinking eight ounces of water.

There is some science behind it. Sodas add calories if they aren't sugar-free. With regular soda it is easy to take in a lot of calories without being aware of it. The citric and phosphoric acids are thought to block the absorption of calcium. None of it does the body any good.

But artificial sweeteners are not necessarily any safer than sugar. They are thought to change how your body handles calories. In effect it makes your metabolism expect calories but them when denied calories the body shifts into famine mode where it lowers metabolism and conserves as much as possible into fat.

Exercise, contrary to popular belief, won't help you lose much weight. Work it hard and you trade in toned muscle for fat and feel better about yourself, all very good, but weight loss is not what you get from exercise.

Understand this and you avoid one of the major pitfalls. People work themselves like a fogged slave exercising and then get disappointed when they fail to lose a significant amount of weight. Then they give up on their program, stop exercising altogether and take up speed eating Twinkies on the semi-pro circuit. Next time you hear about them the fire department is using a chainsaw and crane to get them out of their apartment because they wouldn't fit through the doors.



Posted by: ILBob

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 02:04 AM

I have lost 70+ pounds since July. Low carb.

I agree with the sugar thing. It is almost impossible to lose weight on any diet that has any significant amount of sugar allowed from any source.
Posted by: Susan

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 03:05 AM

Some years ago, a woman I knew dropped 150 lbs with the help of hypnosis. Just a thought.

Good luck!

Sue
Posted by: Alan_Romania

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 04:56 AM

Marty,

I hope you don't mind, but I am going to jump on your band wagon. I mean a good idea is a good idea!

I too have a bit too much weight, like 60lbs or so… actually more but I would like to lose 60 by December 31st 2010. So not only will I put up $1 per pound you lose, I will put up another $200 if I can lose 60 pounds before 2011.

I will weigh myself in the morning and post the “before” pictures here…

So who else will join us? ETS Fitness Challenge 2010! This a matter of survival after all…

Com'on Tom your next!
Posted by: Todd W

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 05:22 AM

I`m thinking you guys should do monthly progress pictures so we have something to judge by, and also motivate.

Posted by: sybert777

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 11:26 AM

"So who else will join us? ETS Fitness Challenge 2010! This a matter of survival after all…"

Not Me unfortunately...125 pounds, If I lose 1 more, I would probably croak! (notice: 5'10" 125 too skinny!!)
Posted by: Compugeek

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 01:01 PM

Even more important than what you eat is how much you eat. Learn portion control. Use measuring cups and a scale. If you try to eyeball your portions, you will almost certainly overestimate. It's just human nature.

Moderate exercise will keep your body from dropping into famine mode from the reduced calories. Some exercise is pretty much mandatory for successful weight loss.

As mentioned, significant exercise will improve/add muscle, and trade weight loss for fitness increase.

I'm not going to join your commitment because after yo-yo-ing between 160 and 230 for a couple of decades, I know that even if I get it off, I won't keep it off.

Good will to you all!
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 01:21 PM

I'll do the monthly progress picture. No nudity, though (sorry).
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 01:23 PM

Originally Posted By: Blast

p.s. Hmmm, I wonder what's a group that you HATE that I can donate the money to if you wuss out.


If I posted that here, I'd be violating our own terms and conditions. Suffice it to say that I'm a life member of the ACLU and the NRA - that should make it easy enough for you to figure out a group that I would not like.

Posted by: Tjin

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 03:02 PM

I got thinner when i left the fire department. Didn't know what to do with mine spare time and went sporting... a lot. It went up to 9 - 10 times a week, after a year it went down to 'only'
5 - 6 times a week. Lost about 8kg (20 lbs?) in the first half year without even trying to loose weight. Not sure how much i weight now, i need to buy a scale someday.

What i did sportswise, was training for a triathlon and climbing. The weight just started to fly off.

Posted by: desolation

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 03:36 PM

Go to the butcher shop and ask them if you can buy a one pound bag of fat. Put that in a plastic bag in the front of your refrigerator so you have to look at what one pound of fat looks like before you decide if you really want the food product behind it. Gross, but likely to work.

I'm 185 at 5'10". Looking to drop 10-15 by the end of summer. Best of luck to you all.
Posted by: GarlyDog

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 03:48 PM

So if you fail you donate nothing?

How about committing to $1,000 donation if you stay the same. Then deduct a prorata amount for every pound you lose to get you to the $200 donation that you would prefer to make by Jan 1.

So lets say you only get halfway to your goal, then your donation is $600

This way it is far more painful to fail than succeed, at least financially.
Posted by: MoBOB

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 09:40 PM

GarlyDog, You are truly diabolical. cry
Posted by: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/16/10 11:05 PM

Quote:
There's 291 days left to the year, that means I only have to drop 0.13 lbs a day


That would of course be 0.13 lbs of pure fat per day. 0.13 lbs of subcutaneous fat equates to approximately 520 calories of food or in a balanced diet would equal around 3 times 0.13 lbs or more than a 1/3 of a pound of actual food. This would equate to 4-5 slices of bread or a rather large bowl of porridge.

520 calories also equates to around 1 hr of moderate exercise in terms of calories expended.

To lose the weight I would firstly take a weekly diary of exactly what you are eating and spreadsheet it into days versus meals versus calories consumed. An analysis will give you some surprising results. i.e. alcohol consumption will most likely be a major offending entry in the spreadsheet.

If your current lifestyle has mean't that you have gained 40lbs in the last year then the difference in cutting out those additional calories could well be 1000 calories or nearly 2/3 of lb of food per day or to put it another way 1 hrs of moderate exercise per day combined with 1/3 lb less food per day (actual weight of food in a balanced diet).

1000 calories per day difference reduction to the current intake could be very tough and sap the willpower. The only way I can think of to achieve this difference would be to cycle 20-40 miles per day and become a vegetarian or Lacto-ovo vegetarian as keeping up a demanding diet for 9 months will most likely end in failure.

BTW you will never achieve the linear reduction in weight loss, you make have to rethink the line shape in your on-line spreadsheet.

Posted by: Art_in_FL

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 01:35 AM

Originally Posted By: GarlyDog
So if you fail you donate nothing?

How about committing to $1,000 donation if you stay the same. Then deduct a prorata amount for every pound you lose to get you to the $200 donation that you would prefer to make by Jan 1.


I don't know that I would make it too self-executing. Lest martinfocazio find himself chained to a radiator in a dark basement with nothing to satisfy his hunger but a canteen full of tepid water.

Posted by: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 02:19 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKs0oEIVOck

LOL ...Keller Double Stuffing Marshmallow Fudge Sludgers laugh

You could sell quite a few of those over here in Scotland.

Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 11:28 AM

Originally Posted By: Am_Fear_Liath_Mor


1000 calories per day difference reduction to the current intake could be very tough and sap the willpower. The only way I can think of to achieve this difference would be to cycle 20-40 miles per day and become a vegetarian or Lacto-ovo vegetarian as keeping up a demanding diet for 9 months will most likely end in failure.

BTW you will never achieve the linear reduction in weight loss, you make have to rethink the line shape in your on-line spreadsheet.



Thanks for the correct advice, I don't expect to follow a linear curve. The 40 lbs took more than two years to put on, and I know that my linear curve is highly improbable.

However, as far as the 1,000 calories a day reduction in intake? That's not only possible, I found 1,000 calories to drop just because in New York, the law requires sellers of most food to post their calorie count. So, I took a look at my outrageous snacking habit:

Post-Commute Snack: A Jalepeno Cheese Bagel (420 Calories)
Office Snack: Cookies (300-500 Calories), Occasional can of soda (200-300 Calories)
Pre-Commute Snack: Box of Candy (200-300 Calories)
After Dinner Snack: Chips and Salsa (400-500 Calories)

Not to mention that in my office, we have unlimited free soda, candy and other snacks, as well as regular birthday cakes and people bring in home-baked banana bread, muffins and cookies all the time.

Fortunately, I really like string beans and baby cut carrots, as much as I like chips and salsa, so my snacking habit is satiated with that.

I don't expect a linear decline at all (I'm well aware that it's going to be a curve with flat spots, bumps and dips) but I also know that I need the overall path to generally conform to a downward trend. I do a lot of statistical analysis at work, and I've looked at other folks who have trended their own weight-loss and the success cases all have a similar shape, a steep drop, then a level off, increase in muscle mass and then a gradual taper to target.

The logging the food thing - I used a product called "Event Tracker" for the iPod Touch - it really works. I know calorie counting is not in fashion but for me that's working. I like the empirical nature of calories.




Posted by: Compugeek

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 01:15 PM

Martin:

In an environment with cakes, muffins, etc., you don't have to completely forgo them, depending on your willpower.

Have a THIN slice of cake or banana bread, for example, or ONE cookie.

I don't know about for the iPod, but when I actually lost weight, the tracking program I used on my Palm had a HUGE database of food calories, including most of the major fast food chains. It was very helpful to just look up the food and enter it in a couple of clicks.


Good will!

(I won't say "good luck", because luck has nothing to do with it. smile )
Posted by: thseng

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 01:18 PM

Personally, I find that stress does wonders for weight loss. This probably explains the gain since leaving the fire company.
Posted by: Cauldronborn

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 01:54 PM

Martin, just something that came to mind that you might want to consider is a larger number of meals but with SMALLER portions that add up to the same number of calories. I seem to recall that the idea behind this is that by having less time between meals reduced hunger levels which means your less inclined to want too snack.
Posted by: raptor

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/17/10 07:13 PM

I saw one documentary from BBC about latest scientific facts regarding losing weight - it was called "10 things you need to know about losing weight". Quite interesting (I already knew some things but some were new for me). It can be found on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVSDHwA6nFw .
Posted by: Art_in_FL

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/19/10 04:57 AM

Some interesting information from science:
http://scienceblogs.com/obesitypanacea/2010/03/body_mass_index_bmi_as_a_measu.php

http://scienceblogs.com/obesitypanacea/2010/03/is_weight_loss_associated_with.php

That blog is focused on the issue.
Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 03/19/10 09:14 AM

Ah, nice to see it put so clearly:

Originally Posted By: Art_in_FL

http://scienceblogs.com/obesitypanacea/2010/03/body_mass_index_bmi_as_a_measu.php

However, as we have argued most recently in a paper in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, several lines of evidence suggest that weight loss or changes in BMI are not absolutely necessary to observe substantial health benefit from a healthy lifestyle. Thus, an apparent resistance to weight-loss should never be a reason for stopping your healthy behaviours.

... In fact, significant reductions in fat mass often occur concurrent with equal increases in muscle mass in response to physical activity - equal but opposite (and beneficial!) changes which are not detected by alterations in body weight on the bathroom scale, and thus BMI.



In short: MOVE MORE! And... eat less. And adjust your intake away from sugar and junk food towards quality stuff.
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/04/10 01:29 PM

BUMP

OK, just to remind folks in this thread of what's been committed if I make it to 165 by Jan 1

Martin Focazio (Me) $200
MoBob $40
Kibuc $200
TeslinHiker $50 (and another $50 if I'm still @ 165 April 1 2011)
Blast $40
Alan Romania $40

TOTAL: $550.
I'd love to see that go up to $1,000.

My current weight loss from March 15th until now is 25 Lbs. I have made many changes in my diet, and have successfully implemented an exercise routine. I do not feel like I'm depriving myself of anything and I'm feeling great. It's going to take a while to get to 165, but I don't think it's going to be a problem to get - and stay - there.

So anyone else want to buy a pound of Marty fat for ETS?


Posted by: MoBOB

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/05/10 11:30 AM

As a reminder to all, I have already given my "Marty Fat" money to ETS as a way to undue pressure on him. I will make another donation for the weight loss beyond the 165 mark.

Yes, it was a shameless act of bragging. But, I want him to succeed.
Posted by: Rooster

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 01:57 AM

Good luck ... I need to do the same thing. As you get older, it gets tougher. No excuse.
Posted by: Art_in_FL

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 03:39 AM

Y'all better be careful making people losing weight profitable for ETC. DR will open up a survival school/fat farm where he drops you into the middle of a desert. If you make it out he gives you a graduation certificate and charges you $5 a pound for every pound lost. Anyone who doesn't pay gets dropped back into the desert.
Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 06:02 AM

Originally Posted By: martinfocazio
BUMP
So anyone else want to buy a pound of Marty fat for ETS?


This have been great fun so far, so I'll chime in another $40.
Posted by: MartinFocazio

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 11:42 AM

Absolutely. It's taking 4 times the effort for half the results - but there ARE results.

And last night, after treadmill, I came upstairs from the basement just to do the rest of the workout - and my 11 yo son joined in, and that felt great.

By far the hardest thing is motivation when I'm dragged out from the day. I don't have the ability to work out in the AM, but I hope that will change soon, I'd prefer it.


Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 12:14 PM

Originally Posted By: martinfocazio
I don't have the ability to work out in the AM, but I hope that will change soon, I'd prefer it.


Best way to start the day.

You have been an inspiration for me smile I don't have such well-defined goal, just doing work-out on a regular basis is good enough for me.
Posted by: MoBOB

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 01:29 PM

Originally Posted By: Art_in_FL
Y'all better be careful making people losing weight profitable for ETC. DR will open up a survival school/fat farm


So what would the name of it be?

Doug Ritter's Equipped To Survive Organization For-Profit Survival School and Fat Farm Life Enrichment Health Course or DRETSOFPSSAFFLEHC for short?
Posted by: Art_in_FL

Re: For every 5 lbs I drop, I'll donate $20 to ETS - 06/07/10 08:36 PM

Motivation is always a limiting factor. I have a hard time exercising by itself. I exercise more frequently and longer if I watch TV or a movie while I exercise. Because I find commercials break the flow TV is usually limited to PBS. Movies tend toward action, comedy, and history documentaries. If I get a roll going with a good show I can work it hard for a long time without really noticing.

A friend tells me that I will get better results if I practice exercise as a 'conscious process'. The idea being that focusing attention on the parts being worked causes the body to work harder and get better results. I figure this is mostly nonsense. My body doesn't seem to need conscious supervision to know what to do. Besides, if I have to focus on every move I'm going to get bored and lose motivation.

As an additional benefit I get to catch up on all those movies and shows I've missed.