No way I can handle that much protein.
I am trying to lose the weight, and maybe somewhere down the road I can do the weight training.
But I don't have a home gym, nor can I afford a trainer or a gym membership to help me weight train.
I just want to drop 20-25 lbs, not become the Hulk.

0. Clean up your diet (you can't out-train the dining room table)
1. Some form of strength training is required for effective weight loss. Doesn't have to be weights, but some form of strength training.
2. You have a body (presumably). So do bodyweight exercises; push-ups, squats, bridges, mountain-climbers, boot-strappers, burpees, etc. Get a jump rope and a kitchen timer. Jump rope for 30 seconds, do 1 push-up, jump 30 sec, do 2 push-ups, and so on..(or do 1 push-up, 1 squat, then 2 push-ups, 2 squats, up to 10 and then back down to 1 each.
3. You're never going to look like the Hulk. Ever. The amount of work and chemicals involved are more than you'd be willing to do. If you are willing to work hard, and have some discipline, you will become more fit, lose weight and feel better.

Yeah, you might not become the hulk, but you could become Conan!

Seriously though, there is a HUGE difference between simple weight training for building muscle mass, and trying to look like Ahhnold, Lou, etc.

And there's a huge difference between what a body-builder does and what an Olympic-style lifter does.

I agree with AML- simple things you can do on your own to get in shape and lose the weight you want to Neo.

I don't believe you need a weight trainer or a personal trainer to do for you- but you have to do it for yourself. You're walking and that's a good sign.

You might want to try a bicycle. I started riding early last year and could barely make it around the block. By the end of summer I was doing 30 mile rides regularly. Walking is a good start, but eventually you will need to boost your cardio workout. Cycling was a great way to do that without placing unnecessary strain on my knees and hips, although that seat sure did hurt my butt at first! Now I cycle and run, which I couldn't imagine doing last year at this time.

....I dunno how to ride a bicycle....

I love all y'all's advice. (No, I'm not from the south; I just like saying that. ) My biggest challenge in weight loss is staying motivated. I get all gung-ho, walk, do really well with the healthy food, and then I lose steam and the cycle starts all over. I have always been a big water drinker, so I think my body is used to that, but I just can't stick to it. I have no one around me, either, who I can buddy up with.

That is really sad but it is never too late to learn.

Frank - my son didn't learn either.

Seriously, Frank? You can learn how then, it's not that difficult.

Neo, I love riding my bike and would recommend it as well. If you want to learn, "comfort" bikes are kind of popular right now--the have bigger seats, a more upright riding position, and easier to pedal gears.

I am not trying to be mean here, because this is a senstive topic which many of us struggle with, but in rereading this thread, and even learning a few new items myself, but I am only see you come up with excuses not to try.

"I cannot afford a gym, I cannot ride bike, I cannot see myself losing too much weight, muscle weighs more than fat, I only need to lose 20-25 lbs. I already feel better after only three days!"

It just seems to me that you are not yet at a point where you will be successful with any meaningful weightloss/management plan you start. And again I mean no offense, but I just do not hear a committment from you....just a lackluster "yeah, I should do something." Even for you to get down to 240-250 on a 5'10" frame simply is not going to help you in any health or stamina issues you might have.

I commend you for seeking advice, but it sounds like you might have do a little more soul searching to do to determine what is important to you, what you truly want, and what success will be for you. The sooner the better, but you will not be successful until you are truly ready to be successful.

Again, I truly intend no mean spirits here, but just calling it as I see it.

Commitment is the only real requirement to lose weight and get healthy. I didn't join a "program" or buy "special food". I don't have a gym membership, I lift weights in my garage - they are a set of $30 dumbbells. I don't own a treadmill, eliptical, or stationary bike for cardio, on rainy days that I can't run or bike I do an aerobic workout in the garage. I don't have an "Ab Master" - I do old fashioned crunches. I started out last year on a cheap bicycle that cost less than $100. When it comes to weight loss and fitness, once you get past all the reasons why you can't, you will.

And once it becomes a habit and part of your life it becomes much more easier to do and want to do and much harder to talk your way out of it.

Now...unless you're going to come out here to NJ and pay for my gym membership or teach me how to ride a bike, then I suggest you stop pointing fingers from Wisconsin on what kind of motivation I have.

Second...how do you know how dedicated I am? Do you see me eat? Were you with me jogging in the pouring rain last night?

BBS...I put you off of ignore b/c I thought you'd be willing to help.

Instead, you're still just an [censored].

Thomasj,

I heard an interesting anecdote on this a couple of days ago. An acquaintance heard someone say that the only exercise equipment they needed was a front door. My friend started thinking about doing door pull-ups, got stuck and asked what else you could do with a door. The response was, "You go out through it. There will be ground to do push-ups on, ground to run on, if you run far enough, there will be tree-limbs to do pull-ups on..."

thomasj.
sounds good.
I've been dedicated this whole week to at least increasing my heart rate and eating healthier.
maybe i'll take a trip to walmart or something and find a set of cheap weights to play around with.

The most important thing to remember is to not overdo it at first. Work your way up, even if it seems way too easy at first. Last thing you want is an injury that will sideline you when you are first starting out. For me, increasing the heart rate was THE key to weight loss (along with eating right). Building muscle is important as well, but pumping up the heart rate is vital to get things started.

If you want to start with walking, walk a measured distance and time yourself. Keep cutting down the time each day a little until you are walking at a really good pace. Then you can increase the distance and work on cutting down that time.

As a matter of fact Neo, yes I was jogging in the rain too last night. I have been working at it over the last 8 months to get to the point where I can consistently jog 4 miles 4-5 days a week.

I knew last night that I should not have posted....there was no malice or personal attack intended...I am sorry for you that you see it that way.

Neo, you are a 22 year old man...please refrain from the name calling. I have not launched unprofessional terms your way. I only suggested that before you begin to go full force, please take some time to evaluate what you want to accomplish, devise a sensible plan to do so, and then successfully ago at it.

Regardless of what you think of me, I still wish you all the good wishes in your weight loss program. From a personal level, I know that it is a ongoing lifestyle change from day one to the last day that you take a breath. It takes daily planning, and once you start, you cannot go back....it takes a lot of work to be successful at this.

Since you feel that I am not being helpful (and I do not feel that blowing smoke up someone's skirt from the "Me" generation to make them feel good about themselves as being helpful), I will refrain from posting in this thread any longer.

I encourage you to take a step back, look at yourself, be honest with yourself, and stop using excuses like needing a gym membership or bike to be successful.

Use the advice from all of us here. Use the tools readily available to you. Take gradual steps. Make true lifestyle changes. Put an actual plan in place with measureable steps and goals. Perhaps even involve your family doctore. Take it day by day.

I wish you the best.

There is a lot of good advice on this thread. I have to say, Neo, I don't think that bbsgrant was trying to offend you at all with his advice. Seems there is a bad history between the two of you, but I thought he came across as straightforward and sincere in his comments. Actually, I took it to heart myself. I need to lose about 10-15 lbs., but having gone through some personal things that resulted in the weight gain to begin with, I have not had much motivation. But he is exactly right when he says all it takes is commitment. I am one that has the exercise equipment and yet, it sits there collecting dust because I have not committed myself to doing it. About 1 1/2 years ago, I was determined to lose weight and actually did lose 20 lbs. My determination was all it took. It's not easy, but once you make up your mind, it can be done. I need to get myself to that point again as well.

Bones...just because I don't go join a gym or learn how to ride a bike over night doesn't mean I am not committed to losing the weight.

You're right, there is a history between BBS and I; I thought he had changed, I was wrong.

If you are committed then that is great! That is all it takes. Like thomasj said, there are a lot of things you can do besides joining a gym or riding a bike. Old fashioned exercises, like crunches, walking, jogging, etc., and eating healthy will do the trick. I wish you all the best.

If it's bicycling - a good bicycle shop will be happy to teach you beginning or more advanced riding skills, and sometimes local bicycling clubs or groups will have classes to help newbies learn.

The latest studies are that diets prove temporary, increased exercise is much longer lasting. I took for granted how much walking I did at college and was shocked by the increased weight (and waistline) I and others had within a year of graduation just from the change from walking to class to commuting to/from work in a car.

Any sort of increased movement will help, a good combination of aerobic and strength training the best. So if it's parking further away from the office and stores, or taking steps rather than elevators, stepping up/down on escalators rather than staying on one step, or doing squats/crunches/pushups while watching TV - all will help. Different people like different sorts of movement, and they're all fun to try, sometimes a variety at a time. Some folk like to workout alone, others get more incentive in groups or team sports - try it all!

OK, I take back the blurb about not posting in here again.

Neo, I am not a child. Do not hang "rewards" over me such as taking me off ignore or such. I really do not care if you like me or not.

When you take measures like that, you are only denying yourself an honest an open dialogue with others who can offer help because we have been/are in the same situations ourselves. That is your loss only. I lose nothing, because I have nothing to gain or lose by trying to be helpful in the first place.

Sometimes even the most committed and determined of us still need a kick-in-the-arse to get ourselves in the right direction from time to time.

I still wish you best in whatever you choose.