Time to Take Weight Loss Seriously

[shayde]

I only eat one meal a day and have since I was in high school. It’s essentially a form of intermittent fasting, but at this point it’s more of a life choice. The biggest issue with diets is that almost everyone regains the weight after they are finished with their diets. The only real way to lose it and keep it off is a lifestyle change. One meal a day is by far the easiest for me to stick with. Anytime I get hungry I just use some form of tobacco or drink black coffee. That one meal you can pretty much eat whatever it is that you want, to me, is worth not eating all day.
Would I rather have:

egg white breakfast with turkey bacon for breakfast

Chicken breast salad for lunch

And like salmon broccoli and rice for dinner
Or would I rather:

Just wait and smash a pizza, steak and shrimp, ice cream, hamburgers brats hotdogs, etc

 

[darwin]

Brian I can testify to the efficacy of low-carb. In fact I've been zero-carb for six months. I'm down 50, BP is dead normal. Blood glucose is in the range of 85 and very steady. Psoriasis gone. Esophogeal ulcer and GERD gone. Even my vision's improved. I am on no meds, prescription or otherwise. I'm 71.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

I lost 120 pounds in seven months in 2012. I went from 330 to 208. I've gained back most of it back since and am back to almost 300 pounds. The good news is that I'm 6'4 so I can kind of carry it, and gaining it back has not been a mental or physical pleasure. It really comes down to eating less and exercising. It's not rocket science.

 

[brian64]

Brian I can testify to the efficacy of low-carb. In fact I've been zero-carb for six months. I'm down 50, BP is dead normal. Blood glucose is in the range of 85 and very steady. Psoriasis gone. Esophogeal ulcer and GERD gone. Even my vision's improved. I am on no meds, prescription or otherwise. I'm 71.

Good for you...that's great to hear. And it makes perfect sense to me.
I think another factor for many people is that a lot of their carb intake is typically coming from processed foods, which also usually contain any number of other toxic ingredients. So by drastically cutting carbs a lot of people are also cutting out other stuff that is very likely contributing to ailments they may have.

 

[darwin]

Brian it's true that cutting out the processed crap yields big benefits but the supposedly "good" carbs, whole grains, legumes, fruits, etc., aren't any better in terms of metabolic health. Also seed oils, incorrectly called "vegetable" oils, contribute extensively to our modern chronic disease woes. It is truly amazing how enormously powerful a low-carb way of eating can be. Weight loss is almost the least of the salutary effects.
Suggested initial reading; Lies My Doctor Told Me by Dr. Ken Berry.

 

[hawky454]

and drink a 24 pack of sodas per day

My God man! That doesn’t make you feel crappy?

 

[brian64]

@darwin: Well said...agreed on all counts.
And I love the title of that book. With that title it's bound to contain valuable insights.

 

[krizzose]

FWIW I’ll share my experience. About 5 years ago I started regular exercise, which I’ve continued to the present. I didn’t lose an ounce, but it felt good having a basic level of fitness and I remember how shitty it felt to be stiff and have no stamina. That’s long gone now. About 1.5 years ago I started the 5:2 diet (restricted calories — for me, 600 calories) 2 days a week, and I’ve stuck with it. I lost 35 pounds, a pound a week, right from the beginning and then plateaued. I plateaued for a simple reason: I drink no alcohol during the week, but I drink beer like a frat boy about 2 weekends a month. Thats fixable, but the 5:2 thing has been great. It took some getting used to, and is not easy, but I learned that I can do it. I fined tuned my “meal” choices, and I don’t think about it much any more. It’s taught me what true hunger feels like, and makes me mindful of everything I eat all week long. Also, I get more sleep because on my low calorie days I just want to go to bed earlier. Obviously, it might not be right for someone with blood sugar issues. One of the best things about it is it makes room for the occasional big meal, holiday, beer bong contest, etc., and you can maintain your weight, and then hopefully get back on the loss cycle in “normal” weeks.

 

[stanwellman]

All diets have one major trap built into them for the majority of people: as soon as one gets down to the target weight, slowly but surely, old habits start to creep back in and before one know, another diet program is required.

From my personal experience, it is a much better idea to change the objective from a weight loss to an improved cardio state. By doing this, one eliminates the yo-yo effect since cardio health is an ongoing and never ending goal.

So take all the steps described above: limiting certain food and beverages, exercising, staying physically active but do it all with the target of cardio health. Weight loss will follow, and it will not come back.

Just my two cents on this issue.

 

[cshubhra]

I lost a total of 8 pounds and 4 more pounds since I posted in this thread a month back. Only thing I did ... walk/run for 55 minutes 2/3 times a week at a pace of 15 minutes/mile. I eat everything... except I stay away from sugar by choice.
My physicals also came out best - considering last 12 years or so.
Special note - I love fat / fatty greasy food.

 

[skydog]

I think the 1 pound a week mentioned earlier in this thread is a healthy goal. I lost 30 pounds over a 1 year period a couple years back by cutting out sodas and sweets and focusing on reducing my calorie intake and eating smaller portions. I've since gained it all back but am working to get back to where I was. My problem is portion size, I generally am happy to eat pretty healthy but even with lower calorie food you can gain weight by eating too much. Like anything in life, you've just gotta set realistic goals and stick with it. I'm down a few pounds over the past month and I'm trying to exercise more and continue focusing on smaller portions to lose another 20 or so pounds. Good luck to you!

 

[pinchoftobacco]

Keep at it, over the last year I took of 70lbs and I feel like a knew man.

 

[mso489]

Commendations on your weight loss. If you can weave in strategies on diet and activity that maintain a lower weight, that will make your good work last. My challenges with diet and exercise are different, as these often are with some age, but everyone has to handle these issues. People at their best weight still have to maintain it. No one gets home free. You're doing great.