Halfway to my goal

[Further]

Denny, that sounds great! Congrats.

You have been doing this for quite some time and it seems to really be paying off.

By the way, do you get frequent check ups with a doctor and discuss your diet with them? Do they do a full panel of tests and blood work? I know all my vitals improved when I did Atkins, but over the long haul just make sure to keep an eye open for any changes.

There are more than one way to skin a laker fan.

 

[Denny Crane]

Denny, that sounds great! Congrats.

You have been doing this for quite some time and it seems to really be paying off.

By the way, do you get frequent check ups with a doctor and discuss your diet with them? Do they do a full panel of tests and blood work? I know all my vitals improved when I did Atkins, but over the long haul just make sure to keep an eye open for any changes.

There are more than one way to skin a laker fan.

Oh yeah, I go to the doctor. She recommended Atkins, so she's not thinking it's dangerous. I've had my blood tested in the lab test kind of way, and she's done the prick my finger instant diabetes kind of test, too, to test my blood sugar and ketones. My blood pressure is almost too low, cholesterol dropped from 200 to under 170, good cholesterol up, etc.

I feel mentally sharper, too.

 

[Further]

Oh yeah, I go to the doctor. She recommended Atkins, so she's not thinking it's dangerous. I've had my blood tested in the lab test kind of way, and she's done the prick my finger instant diabetes kind of test, too, to test my blood sugar and ketones. My blood pressure is almost too low, cholesterol dropped from 200 to under 170, good cholesterol up, etc.

I feel mentally shaper, too.

Isn't it cool what a little self-work can accomplish. Three years ago I was a pack a day smoker who was fat as shit and no real hope of better health without a bunch of effort. Now, I haven't taken a puff for over two years and am down 50lbs on my way towards a healthier weight. Not only are we expected to live longer after making these changes, but we are going to be living much more fulfilling and quality days. Glad you are doing your keto in a healthy way.

 

[MarAzul]

I bet you could get down to 215 real easily if you pulled that stick out of your ass!

I suppose you are thinking orifice here? Sigh!

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

NICE WORK!

 

[jlprk]

People walk up to me in the street all the time and ask, "Jlprk, how do you maintain your lithe figure and make money in your retirement at the same time?" I show them this amazing new plan.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/sell-your-poop-13k-year-and-help-worthy-cause

 

[Daweez04]

I use Myfitnesspal to track and use the IIFYM (If it fits your macros) method, it means that as long as my macros and my daily calorie allowance is exceeded, I can eat whatever I want. Naturally, it forced me to find better food to eat so I wasn't blowing my entire day with McDonald mcmuffins in the morning. So I eat pretty healthy, but if I want to splurge it isn't a big deal.

Aim for 150 g of protein on an average day (Whey, greek yogurt and Cottage cheese FTW!), higher on lifting days (extra Whey isolate after lifts for recovery). 80 g of fat and ~260 of carbs. Carbs are immediate energy, definitely not an enemy if you live an active lifestyle, then they are very important.

My protein is so high to maintain muscle mass while losing as much fat as possible.

My BP dropped to about 110/70 on average (was around 135/80 before), resting HR is down to low 50s (healthy/athlete range). Haven't gotten my blood work done in awhile but my cholesterol was in healthy ranges before I started.

I have noticed a huge difference in my day to day. When I was 100lbs more I was happy sitting on my couch watching tv and movies all day. Now I am constantly starting new hobbies and finding things to work on around the house. I just can't stand sitting still when there is so much stuff to do. I lost my weight over about 15 months, so it is crazy how you don't realize the changes in your day to day because they are so gradual. Then you actually sit back and look back at how you used to live and it is rather eye opening.

Keep it going, it is so worth it. Pissed I didn't do it earlier!

 

[Denny Crane]

 

[maxiep]

There really are some amazing stories in this thread. I admire all of you.

 

[Denny Crane]

I ate at the Cheesecake Factory last night. Steak Diane and herb crusted salmon combo with a double side of broccoli, three asparagus spears and a Caesar salad (no croutons).

I broke 180 today, down 8.7 lbs for the month. I'm eating heaps of food, not starving myself at all. Only 9.5 lbs to get to my target weight.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Gratz to all of you! As stated previously, there are some very inspiring stories here.

 

[Denny Crane]

 

[Further]

I'm down to 241 now, 69 pounds lost. I'm coming close to my second goal of 75. After that it's 100, then 111lbs (I'll be under 200 for the first time since high school, then comes my final goal of 130lbs lost for a healthy weight of 180 pounds.

I'm visiting my brothers family this week, making weight loss difficult. My main goal for this week is to not gain anything so I don't lose ground. When I make 75lbs, I'll post a before and current picture.

 

[Denny Crane]

I worry about the 1000 calorie diet you're on. They say anything less than 1200 is literally starvation, which cannot be good over a long time.

The 69 pounds is awesome though.

 

[Further]

Thanks for the concern Denny, but I'm doing it with a doctor and a nutritionist.

There has long been told an old wives tale, that the slower you take pounds off, the longer you keep them off. Although this sounds good, there have been actual scientific studies which demonstrate the opposite is true. The best way to keep weight off is to lose it fast. The reason is thought to be that if you drop weight quickly you get to really see the difference and you get to see the very difficult work to get that weight off, you don't ever want to compromise that effort.

But either way, I've done it slow many times in the past and this is the most energetic and happy I've beed during any weightloss. Because I make sure to eat a lot of protein and take vitamin ins and minerals, the starvation you worry about is targeted only towards fat since I have an abundance of all the other building blocks to maintain a healthy mind and body.

 

[Denny Crane]

I wouldn't trust a doctor's advice on nutrition, FWIW.

I think losing too many pounds per week or month has got to be harmful to many people.

The obvious thing is if you do a diet and it works then go back to stuffing yourself with pizza and other foods not on your diet, you will simply gain back all the weight you struggled and suffered to lose. Studies show that no matter what diet you choose, you will put the weight back on if you stop the diet.

I don't expect to ever stop doing the low carb thing, I'll just eat more to maintain weight.

 

[Further]

That's exactly why rapid weightloss is beneficial, studies show that the quicker people lose the weight and the more they lose quickly, the less likely they are to put it back on.

And I'm not just doing it with a doctor, I see a nutritionist who built the plan, the doctor oversees tests to make sure everything is healthy, and I also see a sleep doctor to help with that aspect.

Based solely on how I feel, more attentive, energetic, and centered, I don't believe the rapid weightloss is negative. I do have to take allopurinol because I'm gout prone and rapid weight loss can trigger gout attacks. Also I'm taking another pill because rapid weightloss can result in gall bladder problems. But those are minor compared to currently having blood pressure at 108/71

 

[Denny Crane]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/4...-regain-weight-after-rapid-weight-loss-risks/

Rebound Dieting

Nearly 65 percent of dieters return to their pre-dieting weight within three years, according to Gary Foster, Ph.D., clinical director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania. The statistics for dieters who lose weight rapidly, according to Wellsphere, a website sponsored by Stanford University, is worse. Only 5 percent of people who lose weight on a crash diet will keep the weight off. Crash diets include any unhealthy diet, from severe calorie-restriction diets to diets that consist of only a few kinds of foods.

 

[MarAzul]

Dang! I just got another email advertising Omaha steaks.

 

[Further]

I found the journal article a while ago, I can't look for it now, it has to specifically with large amounts of weightloss. Not one who does a 15 pound crash diet, but someone who loses 100+. If that 100+ is lost quickly it remained off longer.

Anyway, there ar more than one way to succeed.

 

[Further]

Also people are most likely to reach their goal weight before giving up on the diet if they lose rapidly. Losing a pound a week would have taken me 2.5 years of dieting to get down to 180. But I am trying to do it in under a year. I started the day before thanksgiving, so it's been less than 4 months to lose 69lbs. The rapid nature keeps me engaged so I can continue.

Edit: my claim in this post was just a guess, I am not sure that losing slowly results in more people quitting their diet, but it makes sense to me.

 

[Further]

Ok, I'm in a shitty hotel room and decided to take a pic in the mirror to post. The first one was about a month brfore I started and the second one is today.

Next two posts

 

[Further]

 

[Further]

 

[Denny Crane]

Huge difference.

Pun intended.

You can lose 2 lbs a week in a healthy manner and have made your target in 1.2 years instead of 1.

FWIW

 

[Daweez04]

I wouldn't trust a doctor's advice on nutrition, FWIW.

I think losing too many pounds per week or month has got to be harmful to many people.

The obvious thing is if you do a diet and it works then go back to stuffing yourself with pizza and other foods not on your diet, you will simply gain back all the weight you struggled and suffered to lose. Studies show that no matter what diet you choose, you will put the weight back on if you stop the diet.

I don't expect to ever stop doing the low carb thing, I'll just eat more to maintain weight.

That is spot on, Denny. That is why when I was dropping tons of weight, people would ask "what diet are you on?" I would just reply, "eat less, move more". I specifically went the route of not depriving myself of things that I wasn't willing to go the rest of my life without. I was still able to go to Buffalo Wild wings with my friends, go to a buffet, etc. I just made it fit my new lifestyle (didn't have a snack that day, or went for a longer walk).

I now maintain my current weight without tracking anything, I have just trained my body on about what I should be eating in a day. Sometimes I go over, but somedays I go under. It all balances out.

There is definitely more than one way to skin a cat, but if you don't teach yourself how to live "normal" once you reach your goal weight, you are doomed to relapse. Same reason so many gastric bypass people fail, they go back to their old ways thinking they are "done".

 

[Denny Crane]

I generally don't go to restaurants that won't have at least one menu item that is on my diet. But that's a rare thing. Every place I've gone to and asked for burger with no bun, nobody has not given me any hassle about it.

Even at Fillipi's, a really good Italian place, I was able to get an antipasto salad and italian sausages.

It's just a matter of knowing what works.

The longer I've been on this diet, the less and less I've cared about eating foods with high sugar content. I don't crave bread or pasta or whatever. The food I eat is tasty because of all the fat. When I did low fat/count calories, I was always wishing my portions could be bigger or wished I could have a big juicy burger or butter in the food, etc.

So when I reach my target weight, why do I want to mess up the ketosis (which is super good for you) and start eating sugars and grains again?

 

[Further]

I just spent a week traveling in Seattle and Walla walla and celebrating and eating out all the time. My goal for the week was a change from the usual, it was just to keep up the exercise and not gain. I managed that perfectly. Now, I'll go back to trying to drop, but maintenance went well. I'm well aware that people often put weight back on, that's something I've done in the past. There are several things I've put in place to keep that from recovering once I reach my goal. I was a very fast eater, now I take minutes between bites and as soon as I feel like I'm filling up I stop, regardless of what I have left on my plate. I don't eat after 8 at home or after 10 if I'm out and about. I exercise daily. I use myfitnesspal even when not trying to drop o just keep my eating habits on my mind. I've cut out sugars except for celebrations. I Go for lean meats and cheeses for daily eating. I don't buy any breads, pastas, rices, crackers or chips. I always have fruit options available. I keep some healthy food in my car, gym bag and office all the time. I make sure all my friends know my goals do they don't tept me too often with crap food. And more. The maintance process starts now when though I still have a bunch more to lose.

 

[MickZagger]

Carbs are of the devil.

 

[Denny Crane]

Time to get a few new pairs of shorts. For the third time now, I've lost enough weight and inches that my clothes fall off me if I don't wear a belt. I needed a new belt, too, because my old one didn't have enough holes to tighten it sufficiently.

I'm about 5 lbs from my target weight, but I could (likely will) keep on going and lose another 10-20 lbs. after 20 more, I'd still be 15 lbs heavier than I was at age 30.

A good read:

http://www.wired.com/2014/08/what-makes-us-fat/