Hi people, I just started a low-carb diet thing, and I was wondering if you can do too much excerise? Well I guess that's not the question, I'm wondering how much is too much.

I guess I'll mention that I am 303 pounds and want to get down to 185 or so, but I know I have to take it one step at a time and what not.

I used to be pretty good at cardio until the car crash, no more stupid 'dares' for me, hahah. Recently I've found I can use the cross trainer without impact, less than walking anyway. I've been doing it for 30 minutes first thing in the morning, and generally 'burn' 605 (approximate) calories. I don't feel exhausted or anything, but I feel like I did a good cardio workout. I'm also going to add a bit of weightlifting to my regime, mainly because I've always liked weightlifting.

I see I've strayed from the question. Oh, also how many calories should I be taking in? I keep the carbs at under 20g, and I've noticed my cravings have been significantly reduced. I eat a lot of meat, but I think I may be eating too little. I've read to eat until you're full, or atleast not hungry anymore, and that's what I am doing. I almost have to force down a protein shake just to make sure I am getting some sort of calories.

ANYWAY, thanks for reading this, and thanks for any replies your comments you may fling towards me. (Just avoid my face)

Brian

Hi, and welcome

the first thing I'll point out is that at over 300 lbs, you will be doing this or any program for a looonnggg time. How much can I exercise? Well, I can do it 24 hrs a day, but for only so long.

That's the key with diet and exercise. If you make the program too stringent, you will not make it. Start exercising once a week. Then after a couple of weeks your body should crave it more often, so go to twice a week. Don't go overboard. Too many people come in big and blustery and flame out in a month.

I have the same advice for food. If you are too restrictive, you won't make it. You have to live on this a long time.

For me, I do best when I don't count ANYTHING. That's the diet at its best. If you are hungry, eat until full and after a few weeks the cravings will cease and everything will be clear. If you have any questions, you can consult my journal, the Shark Tank

How many calories you should be taking and how many you need are going to change on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Eating until not hungry or until comfortable is a good rule of thumb to follow, as long as it's working. If you notice that your losses have slowed or you start to feel tired and lethargic then it's a good bet you're not eating enough. Just as eating 5000 calories on a daily basis isn't about to help you burn fat, neither is eating 1000. The odd lower calorie day and the odd higher one are also not bad - they help to keep the body guessing and keep it from thinking "diet".

If you're worried that you're eating too little or too much the best advice I can give you is to start up a Journal and keep track. Members can pop in and offer you advice and support. It's a good way to stay motivated and to track changes.

As for the exercise, start slowly and build up. There are some great threads that are stuck at the top of the General Excercise forum on how to begin a weight training / cardio program and which exercises are the best.

I would also recommend you pick a particular plan to follow and get the book in question. LCing is something you do not want to 'wing'; your health is too important. If you click on the link in the right hand margin titled "Which low-carb plan is right for me?" you'll get a synopsis of many of the plans available to you along with a sample menu.

Welcome to the forum, Brian
Nat

So glad that you've joined the forum and that you've found the Triple Digits Club...

I think eating until you feel full is a good idea, especially for the first few weeks. After that, you'll find that you don't want to eat as much, so don't worry too much right now about overeating and such. That way of thinking is a holdover from the "diets" you've no doubt tried in the past.

Exercise is very good for you, too. In fact, you're not really doing a program fully unless you incorporate exercise. However, don't set yourself up for failure by trying to do too much too fast. Start small and stick to your exercise schedule. It would be far more beneficial to stick to a smaller program for a few weeks than to over do it for a few days and then stop. That would also feed into your state of mind, which is tremendously important.

There are many journals here in the forum that would be worth reading. I invite you to check out mine, and szar's and several others by memebers of the TDC. And of course, start your own!

Good luck to you & keep posting!

Donald

First off I'd like to thank you all for your replies and information, it's greatly appreciated.
I thought eating less carbs would be extremely tough, like it would kill me or something (not literally, but up til recently I've been basically living off of Mr. Noodles and junk like that.) My mom didn't like that, mainly because she's the kind that has to make every meal a meal.. Ha. I told my mom about my master plan and she's happy, the whole idea of losing weight has gotten me in a good mood and optimistic and stuff.

A good thing is when I decided to do a low carb diet, my cupboards were already empty, like I didn't eat all the time or anything, I just buy in weeks worth. So nothing really to tempt me in here, and yesterday I bought a lot of tasty meat, mostly beef and poultry, although I kind of want some fish. Maybe later I'll get some.

I started to go to the gym a few years ago and tried losing weight, that wasn't my primary goul, I also wanted strength, just because I always liked doing the 'feats of strength' type things with my friends, like throwing logs and stuff. I'm originally from Northern Ontario, so that kind of explains the log throwing and rock lifting.. Anyway I started losing weight and I figured it would take me til I was 21 to be atleast somewhere where I wanted to be, and that kind of bummed me out. I wanted results too quickly and got extremely depressed. I think it runs in the family or something. Maybe not, I was always a pessimist. ANYWAY, I didn't continue with it, then I started college and the drinking ensued.. so I gained all the weight I lost back, and now I am 22, going on 23 in a couple months.

well I see that I am rambling, I just find it easy to talk here, this isn't the kind of stuff I share with my guy friends or anything, being a Macho man and all .

Oh yeah the point of my little story above, well not really a point, was if I kept doing what I was doing, I'd be where I want to be right now, it'd take time, but I'd probably be happier and a lot lighter. I know it's going to take some time to lose the weight, but I am not going to give up this time, because if I do, say in two years, I'll be where I am now. It seems like a lot of time wasted and I don't like wasting time, I like efficiency.
See there I go rambling again, sorry.

I went to the gym again today, I find it hard not too. I am not exhausting myself or anything, I'm also going to take the weekend off because that's when I usually go walk around galleries or something, or something else.. Maybe fishing, I haven't gone fishing in a while, and I have a hankering for some free meat.

Sorry for the long message, I ramble, I'm a ramblin man, I can't help myself. Take care everyone, and have a great day/whenever time of day you are reading this.

Brian