I need help...

T

TAC

New member
I'm 5'11" and about 205lbs. I'm 32, and as the years go by the weight is becoming harder and harder to lose. I usually get down under 200 over the summer. I want to get back down to 180-185.
I work in a physical job. I'm working my butt off all day long and always sweating, even during the winter. Part of my problem is my sleep schedule sucks. I start work around 1am everyday. I deliver bread for a living. I work until I'm done with all my stops for that day. Somedays it's 8:30am, some days it's 10:30am. I pick my son up between 11:30am and 12pm. When we get home, we both usually lay down for a nap. Typically I get 3-4 hours of sleep during this time. I go back to bed between 8 and 9pm, and then get up again between 12:30 and 1am. My days off are Wednesday and Sunday, and those are the only days I get a full nights sleep. I'm always hungry and can't seem to stop eating. I take 2 or 3 apples or bananas with me everyday to work, and drink 2-3 bottles of water everyday while I'm working. When I get home though I'm always starving, and I just can't seem to get enough food. Same thing at dinner time, I just want to eat, eat, eat. I'm very unhappy with myself. I've tried cutting back on portions, and I've tried eating more filling foods, but it just doesn't seem to help. Are there any good appetite suppressants I could look into some I'm not constantly starving? My wife cooks healthy for dinner. She's 5'6" and 115lbs. For my lunch I typically eat a sandwhich or 2, or have a big salad. I rarely drink soda, mostly only water or occasionally milk. I get what excersise I can, usually it's just some sports with my older son. I'm tired a lot because of my schedule, but I try to do as much as I can with my family. 3/4 of the guys at my work are very overweight, and I can only guess it's because of the same things I deal with. My dad has been at the same employer as me for over 30 years and he is very VERY overweight and needs knee replacements. I don't want to end up like him. Anyone out there with any ideas? If my job wasn't physically demanding, I could understand the wight gain. I honestly work harder than most of the guys at my job becasue I not only try to get done as quickly as possible, I try to make that my excersice. It's a lot of lifting, fast walking, in and out of the truck, with all kinds of various movements all day long. Like I said in the beginning, even over the winter, I'm all sweaty by the end of the day. I hope somone can help me, cuz I'm not happy. Anyone?
 
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I'd stop being so restrictive during work so you don't stuff yourself uncontrollably when you're home.

Once you eat more regularly, it's on you to consciously control your eating.
 
What I take to work to eat is more than I used to take to work a few years ago, and I wasn't this heavy. I used to not eat an entire day while working. I only have a few oppourtunities a day to wash my hands, and they get very dirty from the trays we carry the bread in, and from the bread wrappers themselves. The ink used on bread wrappers is graphite based. So, I try to be selective as far as what I take because I don't want to be eating with dirty hands, and, I only have a few minutes to eat between stops while I'm driving. Those are my only break times; there is no half hour for lunch.
 
Gotta give you credit, man. That's quite the grind you're going through day in and day out. And you're doing it all for your family.

Full props to you, dude.

Anyhow, there are other factors to consider. Physiological ones. It seems after age 30, it's sort of all downhill for the majority. They say the average person begins to lose 1/2 lb. of muscle or so per year.

Besides the fact we're not as active as when we're younger, other factors that account for this are poor nutritional choices, hormonal changes and decreased protein synthesis, to name a few.

Then there are hereditary factors. If our parents are large boned and prone to weight gain, then we'll tend to do so likewise.

From what you say, TAC, you sound like a classic Mesomorph. That's just a body type - nothing derogatory. Rectangular shaped (male), muscular body, thick skin, gains fat more easily than ectomorphs, etc. Some of the traits.

As an aide, I'm quite a bit older than you, but I trend towards the Ectomorph side of things. I worked in the same industry as you for years, as a pastry chef, but never gained weight, no matter what junk I ate. Even now I still don't have to be too careful what I eat, as long as I stay away from the refined carbs.

What I'm saying basically, TAC, is don't beat yourself up unnecessarily. There's just some things we have no control over much and we have to accept certain facts. I know that I'll never win the Mr. Universe, not that I have any desire to, because I don't have the genetics. And you likely won't get down to 180 lbs and ripped because you're not predisposed to do that.

You just have to work with what you have and do the best you can with that.
 
Thanks Doc. I've never expected to get ripped by any means. I never have been. Even though growing up I was in sports all year round, I was never ripped. I always had rather big muscular legs, but my upper body was never very muscular. I played soccer, a lot, where your lower body is more heavily utilized. I'm definatelly not big boned though. I just worry about heading down that road as my dad, he's easily 325. I just don't know if something like any appetite suppressants would help me so I don't over eat at lunch time and dinner. When I'm done with work for the day I feel like a vulture. I'm at a point where I feel pretty bad about myself. I'm not looking forward to summer and going to the pool. Any thoughts on supplements to help like 6-OXO maybe to boost metabolism some more and give me some more energy?
 
I'll defer that question to Steve, TAC, but I'd suggest you add a quality protein supplement to your diet. 100% whey protein. Scout out Optimum Nutrition. Rated one of the best products. Stuff tastes good, and mixes readily in water if you want to go that route. Protein tends to sates the appetite too. Healthy fats, good carbs, nothing processed from wheat.

As a matter of interest...

A recent study pitted a protein-rich and carb-rich diet against each other. 48 obese individuals started this study by adopting a very low calorie diet for 5-6 weeks to induce weight loss. After this, though, individuals were instructed to eat a low fat diet. Some of the individuals supplemented their diet with carbohydrate (in the form of maltodextrin), while others supplemented their diet with protein (50 g of casein or whey protein each day). Individuals could eat as much of their new diet as they liked for a period of 12 weeks, at which point they were assessed in terms of weight and various biochemical measurements.

At the end of the study, compared to the carb-supplemented individuals, those supplemented with protein lost an average of 2.3 kg (5 lbs) more. Crucially, this improved weight loss was almost entirely from fat.

The authors of this study concluded that: “These results show that low-fat, high-casein or whey protein weight maintenance diets are more effective for weight control than low-fat, HC diets and do not adversely affect metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in weight-reduced moderately obese subjects without metabolic or cardiovascular complication.

Claessens M, et al. The effect of a low-fat, high-protein or high-carbohydrate ad libitum diet on weight loss maintenance and metabolic risk factors. Int J Obes (Lond). 20 Jan 2009 [Epub ahead of print]

Something interesting to keep in mind when considering adding a quality protein supplement to your diet.
 
Doc is handing you some excellent advice. I'd optimize your nutrition plan as best you can given your schedule before relying on supplements.

a) they're often times a waste of money

b) they're effects, even the 'good ones', are minimal compared to an optimized diet.
 
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