Used to weigh 280 lbs @ close to about 40% body fat (I'm 5'11"
myself. Managed to trim that down to under 170 @ about 10% body fat within a few years (of seesaw dieting at one time, I'll admit). That was about 10 years ago, tho, so but I'm still maintaining my weight at under 190lbs @ 15% body fat these days.
The best advice I can offer you are (that people haven't mentioned yet):
1) Keep your goals manageable. Morale is your biggest ally/enemy in dieting/weight loss. Success keeps your morale up and setting goals too far beyond your current ability to attain is the best way to ruin your entire weight loss program. I use the "5 lbs" rule. Where I try to use 5 lbs within a 2-3 week period (during the initial few months) and then lower that to 4 lbs a month (about a lbs a week) after you're beginning to hit the dreading weight loss "plateau". Most importantly, do what you KNOW is possible for your body just so you won't procrastinate due to lack of motivation (daunting goals are hard to get the will to tackle) With that said:
2) Keep a scale. Have a set time each day to weight yourself to keep your weight at least consistent to the time you take it. I chose doing it as soon as I wake up each morning (around 8am). Don't get the normal scale, get the digital scale that at least tries and monitors BMI. That is because:
3) Losing weight =/= getting more fit. You need muscle to burn more fat. Muscle also makes you more active, less prone to injury when exerting and overall allows you to be more efficient in your weight loss. Do at least 3-4 days of weights/resistance training each week. Doing cardio for 4 hours a day is not your best bet at weight loss. Doing around 30 mins of cardio a day (6x a week) with about an hour of resistance training (4x a week) is what I do now (I can do more, but I'm taking it easy now due to hitting my target weight a long time ago). at my heaviest, I started at 10-15 mins of cardio and about 20-30 mins of resistance (both 3x a week) due to my poor stamina.
4) If the gym bores you, take up a sport. A sport that you love. I did basketball (til I injured both ankles)/badminton/boxing/ultimate frisbee/beach volley/karate/tae kwan do (w/c I have to say was lame)/Arnis at interval periods of my weight loss life. Those were some of the more fun parts of my effort to lose/maintain my weight and also the most effective. IF you're of advanced age/have bone deterioration or injury, take a low-impact sport like swimming.
5) Stick with something that works for YOU. Don't let other ppl dictate to you what worked for them. At the end of the day, YOU have to stick to your exercise regimen. However, if you hit a plateau, don't be afraid to mix things up.
6) Don't forget to consult a physician about your heart health before undergoing any strenuous diet/exercise regimen.
That's all I can think of right now. Good luck, man!!
