Bass Player Belly-Off Club

SirGrotius · #1 08-10-2011, 03:24 PM

You know the stereotype. The fat bass player. It's usually a beer belly, and it usually makes the bass protrude from one's stomach. It hurts our passion to look like this (in more ways than one).

Last year I had enough of my belly and took to some modifications which helped me shed 37 pounds off my not-too-big frame. I feel much better, and it's probably helped my bass playing!!

We should have a belly-off club for bass players where we share advice and inspiration. I'm in the maintenance phase now and that's more difficult than losing the weight, because there's less immediate gratification.

Who's with me!

knucklehead G · #2 08-10-2011, 03:27 PM

Considering I had a Dr Pepper and a cheeseburger for breakfast, I'm in. How'd you drop the weight?

Jimbob Jones · #3 08-10-2011, 03:56 PM

Started cycling seriously (got a road bike, started at ~50mi/week, now up to just over 100), cut out snacking in between meals all together. I still eat hearty at mealtimes, just never, ever snack, and try my best to not eat after 8pm either.

I've lost just over 3 stone.

Popbumper · #4 08-10-2011, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbob Jones

Started cycling seriously (got a road bike, started at ~50mi/week, now up to just over 100), cut out snacking in between meals all together. I still eat hearty at mealtimes, just never, ever snack, and try my best to not eat after 8pm either.

I've lost just over 3 stone.

Jimbob, LOL. You started with english miles (~50 mi/week), and ended with british stones (3 stone). Wut up wit dat???

For those not in the know, a "stone" is about 14 lbs., so he has lost around 42 lbs. Congrats!

Chris

FL Knifemaker · #5 08-10-2011, 04:46 PM

I was about 305lbs two years ago. I'm now down under 260 and feeling much better. I found out I was diabetic and now I'm taking MUCH less meds to control it. My goal is to keep going until I need NO meds. My bass playing still sucks though

FL Knifemaker · #6 08-10-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbob Jones

Started cycling seriously (got a road bike, started at ~50mi/week, now up to just over 100), cut out snacking in between meals all together. I still eat hearty at mealtimes, just never, ever snack, and try my best to not eat after 8pm either.

I've lost just over 3 stone.

Now that I've lost enough weight to be able to do it, I'll be mountain biking again very soon. We have a really good bike shop that opened right around the corner from me as well as a FANTASTIC park with lots of wild trails, about 3 miles away.

fhm555 · #7 08-10-2011, 05:45 PM

I've always stayed around 200~215 until I got messed up in a bad wreck and pretty much lost the use of my legs for anything but carefully moving about. When it happened I was determined to prove the doctors who told me it was permanent they were wrong and I would be back up to my usual active lifestyle before they knew it.

Turns out they were right. I could no longer get out and walk, hike etc, but I continued to eat like I could. Between the refusal to accept my fate and the depression, I was soon approaching 400 pounds.

At around 375 I finally came to my senses, but by then my blood sugar was through the roof and...sufice it to say things were a complete clusterf*(k for me.

Right around that same time my doctor discovered I had a major artery in my heart with 98% blockage. He installed a stint and told me I had to lose weight and quit smoking. I was determined to lose weight first and then quit smoking, but as it worked out my last smoke was the one I had before I walked in the hospital. I applied the same process to smoking as I did to drinking and so far being grateful for being smoke free (and breaking the ritual) has been enough to keep me that way. I don't have any problem with people who smoke around me and as a matter of fact every member of the band I'm currently in smokes except me and I have zero problem with that.

With a lot of help and support from wifey and my PA sister who's a strong believer in holistic wellness, I've dropped close to 75 pounds and I'm well on my way to getting back to 200 pounds. It's slow, but it's more of a lifestyle change than a diet so even though it may take a while, I won't have to worry about it coming back.

jonathan_matos5 · #8 08-10-2011, 06:57 PM

count me in! i need to lose a few.

**NOLA Bass** · #9 08-10-2011, 09:09 PM

I am at my heaviest. A coworker had great success going to a nutritionist. I've been thinking of trying that over some type of prepackaged or fad diet.

knucklehead G · #10 08-10-2011, 09:14 PM

When I worked at IHOP and was eating chocolate pancakes every day and drinking every night, I hit 240 (6'2"). I got a warehouse job and dropped to 180 over about a year, still eating crappy but basically working out ten hours a day.

Then I got a desk job, which I still have, in a building with debit-card reading vending machines. And I got married, changed careers and moved 1300 miles... lots of high stress causing a lack of sleep causing a sudden addiction to caffeine via Dr Pepper which packs on lots of weight.. Two years in an office sitting all day and I'm at my heaviest, about 260. It doesn't help that my wife loves restaurants, something about not having to cook or clean.

We've started hitting the gym recently but it hasn't been long enough for that first noticible, motivating drop in poundage.

Atoz · #11 08-10-2011, 09:16 PM

I've lost over 40 lbs. since the beginning of the year. I'm sexy as hell now.

HiFi · #12 08-10-2011, 09:36 PM

I lost 60 pounds between September and December of last year doing the whole P90X thing. I changed jobs in December and was getting married in May -- adding huge levels of stress to my daily routine -- and shot back up about 30 pounds.

I need to get back to where I was.

iamlowsound · #13 08-10-2011, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFi

I lost 60 pounds between September and December of last year doing the whole P90X thing. I changed jobs in December and was getting married in May -- adding huge levels of stress to my daily routine -- and shot back up about 30 pounds.

I need to get back to where I was.

Try RushFit. It is like P90X, but better.

lowsound

HiFi · #14 08-10-2011, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

Try RushFit. It is like P90X, but better.

lowsound

Thanks! I'll definitely look into it. P90X was great for awhile, but it got too repetitive for me.

J. Crawford · #15 08-10-2011, 10:59 PM

Im going to college for exercise physiology, and currently work and train others at the YMCA.

If you guys ever need anything, my PM inbox is open.

Good luck!

Newfirstbass · #16 08-10-2011, 11:09 PM

Wow! Inspirational- I will join you guys, I need to!
Following a heart attack this April, stenting and being left with
Angina. I have put on over a stone- since I stopped smoking!!
I eat better, I used to eat big, late, meaty, spicy- with beer or whiskey!
I gotta lose at least 3 stone I imagine.
Think walking may be a great start for me- now I am back at work.

Absentia · #17 08-11-2011, 05:44 AM

Hit the 50lb mark this morning.

10 miles per day on a stationary bike
No beer :,( (diagnosed with celiacs)
realizing stirfry is the cheapest meal there is outside of canned veggies.

My right man boob no longer drapes over my bass when I play

Getting bored need a road bike.

Kawai-chang · #18 08-11-2011, 07:28 AM

I'm trying to cut the gut as well. All I'm doing is keeping the calorie count to about 1600 per day. It's taken a few pounds off, but seems to have reshaped my body more than anything. Next step is getting my lazy butt out of the comfy chair and walk or ride a bike. I've also been contemplating a body-weight workout in the basement.

**WackoStu** · #19 08-11-2011, 07:57 AM

One year ago I was 356# I am now 310 but was as low as 295. My solution is not real manly, but walking, and Weight Watchers works for me. I'm still a fat basstard, but i'm getting better!

Kawai-chang · #20 08-11-2011, 08:42 AM

Stu, whatever gets you through the night, as it were, is a good thing.