Greetings!

I just joined the "50" club this past May. My BMI is "around" (pardon the pun) 30-31 and I believe I weigh 235lbs. It's the midsection. I have bad dietary habits. I eat late (anywhere between 7:30pm-9:00pm) Then, I lay right down, watch TV, and crash out. Only walking maybe 10 miles a week. Have a desk job and sit at computer all day. Lazy and low pain threshold. Military Veteran (1975-1978) I just signed up for a free 2-week membership at a nearby Bally Fitness. Begins on Jan. 6th. I know that exercise is mandatory. I have no clue as to how to lose weight safely, without the pills or gimmicks. Please advise as how to devise a plan whereby I adhere to a daily caloric intake while burning the required calories according to exercises not only targeting the unsightly midsection( there are washboard abs under there somewhere ) I quit drinking, drugs, and cigarette smoking almost 16 years ago. I know I can do this with proper guidance. I am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks.

Robert in Albany, NY

Greetings!

I just joined the "50" club this past May. My BMI is "around" (pardon the pun) 30-31 and I believe I weigh 235lbs. It's the midsection. I have bad dietary habits. I eat late (anywhere between 7:30pm-9:00pm) Then, I lay right down, watch TV, and crash out. Only walking maybe 10 miles a week. Have a desk job and sit at computer all day. Lazy and low pain threshhold. Military Veteran (1975-1978) I just signed up for a free 2-week membership at a nearby Bally Fitness. Begins on Jan. 6th. I know that exercise is mandatory. I have no clue as to how to lose weight safely, without the pills or gimmicks. Please advise as how to devise a plan whereby I adhere to a daily caloric intake while burning the required calories according to exercises not only targeting the unsightly midsection( there are washboard abs under there somewhere ) I quit drinking, drugs, and cigarette smoking almost 16 years ago. I know I can do this with proper guidance. I am open to any and all suggestions. Thanks.

Robert in Albany, NY

Well, welcome to the Club!! Now get off that couch!! And the Club membership is a great idea, but really make an effort to "go", it'll become a habit. Watch the amounts of foods your eating and of course what your are eating! Cut out the fast food, sugar filled and fried or fatty meats. Eat more salads, veggies and leaner cuts of meat, chicken and fish. Eating late at is no good, you need to completely stop eating 2 hours before you normally go to sleep. Instead of taking that last "snack" go for a walk around the block.
Cut out colas, chips, whole milk, try low fat milks and products, look at the labels on food product and check what the sodium and sugar and fat contents of the food you might want to eat. Look into recipes that are low fat, and try different ways of cooking, like broiling instead of frying. Use olive oil, or vegetable sprays instead of butter and oils that are full of trans fats and calories. To lose weight, you need to creat a calorie deficit by reducing your calories below your maintenance level, There are 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat, so it takes some readjusting to lost excess weight.Reducing calories by 15-20% is a good place to start. Hope this helps!!