The INGO Hardcore Weight Loss/Fitness Thread

[Snapdragon]

Keep in mind that food basically consists of three "component groups": protein, fat, and carbs. Carbs are a catch-all group- sugar, fiber, alcohol, starch, etc. Low-fat and low-carb basically means you will be eating a very high-protein diet. That is definitely not a rabbit diet.

Also, I'd question how old the dietary information is that your doctor is using. The body produces cholesterol naturally. The contribution from your diet is so small and its effect has been disproven so thoroughly that the US government has finally removed it's recommendation to lower cholesterol via diets.
New US Guidelines Will Lift Limits on Dietary Cholesterol

Yeah, I don't think my doctor is up to date on the cause/effect thing with animal protein and cholesterol. I was going to a doctor who was a serious proponent of high fat/low carb, but I switched because I could never get in to see him. I may go back to him for dietary and weight issues and keep my present doctor for when I have a sinus infection and need to see someone sooner than a month out.

This is the doctor I used to go to and will probably go back to. He's arrogant, but he's a great motivator.

[video=youtube;sfvdJVrQ1ZA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfvdJVrQ1ZA[/video]

 

[Hkindiana]

For those of you using a Fitbit (I LOVE mine, and it keeps me motivated to keep walking) I would highly recommend the Fitbit bathroom scale. It not only logs weight, but body fat as well. It sends all of this info to your computer/laptop and charts your daily weight loss progress. I have lost ten pounds since I got my scale with it's extra motivation.

 

[littletommy]

I don't know if it's been mentioned in this thread yet, but get the Myfittnesspal app, it worked really well for me. As long as you faithfully enter in the food you are eating, it works. You can enter your physical stats, set goals, and the app keeps track of where you are.

I was a bigger guy at the beginning of 2015, when I decided I needed to get a handle on the situation, I used the fitness pal app, and set my initial goal of doing a 90 day "boot camp" type program, of my own design. I swore off fast food, alcohol, sweets, and we ate only home cooked, healthy meals (some of which, we got the recipe from the fitness pal app). Probably the single most effective thing towards losing the weight, though, was buying a good elliptical machine in January of 2015, that thing is an ass kicker, but it doesn't tear up your joints! 20 minutes on the elliptical at a decent intensity level is way more tiring than going out walking or jogging for an hour. Anyway, between eating right, exercise, and keeping focused on my goal, I got down to 192 late last year, which for my height was a shade too skinny, so now I'm up around 220, which works very well for me. I do a lot of weight training and not quite so much cardio now, and feel great.

It sounds like you are in the right mindset to get it done, my motto in the first 90 days of last year was "you gotta tear it down before you can build it back up", and by focusing on that mindset, I got it done. It's ALL mindset.

 

[chezuki]

MFP is an excellent tool when used properly. It really helps see how the calories add up.

Lately, I've been slacking and just logging in daily to make sure I don't lose my "streak". Back at it today!

 

[Snapdragon]

I downloaded a free android app called RunMaster Pedometer. Walked the dogs 1.2 miles today. Average speed 3.5 mph. (I've got a 26 in. inseam, so I have to take a lot of steps to get that speed...LOL) Down 3 lbs since I started this thread.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I downloaded a free android app called RunMaster Pedometer. Walked the dogs 1.2 miles today. Average speed 3.5 mph. (I've got a 26 in. inseam, so I have to take a lot of steps to get that speed...LOL) Down 3 lbs since I started this thread.

Congrats. Remember that weight always fluctuates. No one just loses and loses. It's kinda like a zig-zag that trends down. Are you counting macros, or eating clean?

 

[Snapdragon]

Not counting anything. Just aiming for zero carbs, knowing there will be residual carbs in dairy, vegetables, etc.

 

[pudly]

SD- You know this, but you can't and shouldn't aim to eliminate carbs. There are good carbs and bad (particularly for those who are dieting). Remember, carbs are a catch-all for anything not fat or protein. Fiber is actually a very beneficial carb, while alcohol, sugars and starches should be minimized. So, eating a variety of lower starch/sugar veggies and fruits are a staple of pretty much every diet out there. Even Atkins, which is one of the most anti-carb diets out there, recommends these fruits and vegetables.

Potatoes, grains and some fruits are particularly high in sugars/starches vs. nutrition, so are minimized in low-carb diets. Leafy greens, celery, peppers, cucumbers and other low starch/sugar vegetables have a lot of fiber and phyto-nutrients vs. the bad carbs and so are encouraged. Fruits and berries tend to have more phyto-nutrients and sugars, so they are somewhere in-between.

I guess bottom-line: I'm encouraging you to have a more nuanced understanding of carbs. I've personally moved over time from an Atkins-style diet to Paleo, which better reflects the "good carb" vs. "bad carb" balance.

 

[mom45]

So much great advice in this thread. I truly love that there are so many good people on INGO who are willing to help others.

I always gain in the winter and lose in the summer when I can be more active outside and work in my garden/flowers, etc.

Cutting out pop can be a huge impact on weight as someone else said up thread. We try not to eat any pre-packaged foods. I cook almost everything from scratch. It can take a bit more time but it is so much healthier. It is easier to control sugar and sodium content in our meals.

I also crochet a lot because when my hands are busy holding a crochet hook, it is very hard to snack. Maybe find a hobby for when you are in front of the TV relaxing.

 

[Snapdragon]

SD- You know this, but you can't and shouldn't aim to eliminate carbs. There are good carbs and bad (particularly for those who are dieting). Remember, carbs are a catch-all for anything not fat or protein. Fiber is actually a very beneficial carb, while alcohol, sugars and starches should be minimized. So, eating a variety of lower starch/sugar veggies and fruits are a staple of pretty much every diet out there. Even Atkins, which is one of the most anti-carb diets out there, recommends these fruits and vegetables.

Potatoes, grains and some fruits are particularly high in sugars/starches vs. nutrition, so are minimized in low-carb diets. Leafy greens, celery, peppers, cucumbers and other low starch/sugar vegetables have a lot of fiber and phyto-nutrients vs. the bad carbs and so are encouraged. Fruits and berries tend to have more phyto-nutrients and sugars, so they are somewhere in-between.

I guess bottom-line: I'm encouraging you to have a more nuanced understanding of carbs. I've personally moved over time from an Atkins-style diet to Paleo, which better reflects the "good carb" vs. "bad carb" balance.

Pudly, thanks. I do have an understanding of carbs, but I probably should have been more clear. I guess I meant I was trying to eliminate "obvious" carbs like starches and sugars. I'm eating vegetables and dairy, so I am getting carbs there. I'm cutting out all "white" carbs like sugar and grains (or as much as possibe, since I'm on this low-residue diet right now that necessitates eating nasty white rice instead of brown rice).

According to my doctor, there are no "good carbs" or "bad carbs". Carbs are carbs, and fruit is very high in sugar, so I need to avoid it most of the time.

I really hate artificial sweeteners and try to avoid them, so I am trying to acclimate myself to Stevia. I bought some flavored stevia drops for sweetening coffee and plain yogurt. The sweets are the hardest thing for me to let go of. Everything else is easy.

 

[Bigtanker]

Pudly, thanks. I do have an understanding of carbs, but I probably should have been more clear. I guess I meant I was trying to eliminate "obvious" carbs like starches and sugars. I'm eating vegetables and dairy, so I am getting carbs there. I'm cutting out all "white" carbs like sugar and grains (or as much as possibe, since I'm on this low-residue diet right now that necessitates eating nasty white rice instead of brown rice).

According to my doctor, there are no "good carbs" or "bad carbs". Carbs are carbs, and fruit is very high in sugar, so I need to avoid it most of the time.

I really hate artificial sweeteners and try to avoid them, so I am trying to acclimate myself to Stevia. I bought some flavored stevia drops for sweetening coffee and plain yogurt. The sweets are the hardest thing for me to let go of. Everything else is easy.

It may sound wierd but blend in a tablespoon of REAL butter (I like Kerry Gold) into your coffee instead of using a sweetener. I was skeptical at first but I really like it. Plus the fat will hold your hunger back for several hours. You can also use coconut oil but their isn't much flavor in it.

 

[Snapdragon]

It may sound wierd but blend in a tablespoon of REAL butter (I like Kerry Gold) into your coffee instead of using a sweetener. I was skeptical at first but I really like it. Plus the fat will hold your hunger back for several hours. You can also use coconut oil but their isn't much flavor in it.

I use half and half, but I like a little bit of sweetness and/or flavoring like vanilla. I'll try the butter thing. We've definitely got real butter in the house. Nothing but.

 

[chocktaw2]

Just reading some here.

 

[ccomstock001]

It may sound wierd but blend in a tablespoon of REAL butter (I like Kerry Gold) into your coffee instead of using a sweetener. I was skeptical at first but I really like it. Plus the fat will hold your hunger back for several hours. You can also use coconut oil but their isn't much flavor in it.

I thought you were a little crazy until I googled this. They say it must be butter from grass fed cows.

As for carbs I hate when people say you need to completely eliminate them all together. They still serve an important function of providing fuel in the body. Without them your body will start eating away at muscle protein which isn't a good thing. It's all about limiting yourself to the perfect balance which I have a problem with because bread is my biggest weakness and it doesn't help that I work in a bakery.

 

[Bigtanker]

I thought you were a little crazy until I googled this. They say it must be butter from grass fed cows.

As for carbs I hate when people say you need to completely eliminate them all together. They still serve an important function of providing fuel in the body. Without them your body will start eating away at muscle protein which isn't a good thing. It's all about limiting yourself to the perfect balance which I have a problem with because bread is my biggest weakness and it doesn't help that I work in a bakery.

Yep. Kerry Gold is from grass fed cows.

And fat provides a more efficient fuel to the body than carbs.

 

[pudly]

I thought you were a little crazy until I googled this. They say it must be butter from grass fed cows.

As for carbs I hate when people say you need to completely eliminate them all together. They still serve an important function of providing fuel in the body. Without them your body will start eating away at muscle protein which isn't a good thing. It's all about limiting yourself to the perfect balance which I have a problem with because bread is my biggest weakness and it doesn't help that I work in a bakery.

It is nearly impossible to eliminate carbs from the diet.* If you eat any vegetable matter at all, you will get some form of carbs. However, excessive eating of sugars/starches is what got most of us fat in the first place. They are not essential and should be minimized. Modern humans have spent 90+% of our existence eating little or no grains before the agricultural revolution. The body burns fat just fine, but there is a hierarchy to what is burned**:

1- Alcohol (carb)
2- Sugars/starches (carb)
3- Fat
4- Protein
Never- Fiber (carb)

The body will burn off alcohols immediately. If no alcohol is present, then it will burn sugars/starches that have been recently eaten and are in the bloodstream (in the form of glucose) or that are stored primarily in the liver as glycogen (another form of sugar). Finally, if your glycogen is depleted, then the body will turn to burning fat. The body automatically adjusts to get energy from any of the levels listed above. Level three is where dieters, particularly those of us facing substantial weight loss, need to spend as much time as possible. So, the key is to minimize the amount of alcohol/sugar/starches while maximizing the non-digestible carbs (primarily fiber) and nutrients from plant consumption (aka: salad greens good, potatoes/grains bad). This allows us to get to the fat and burn it off.

* Some groups such as native Eskimos do subsist entirely on animal products just fine.
** No, carbs are not carbs. Sugars and starches (which are quickly converted to sugars for use in the body) are treated essentially the same, but other forms of carbs are treated differently.

 

[Snapdragon]

** No, carbs are not carbs. Sugars and starches (which are quickly converted to sugars for use in the body) are treated essentially the same, but other forms of carbs are treated differently.

Do you have more info on this? I know about simple vs. complex and high glycemic vs. low glycemic, but don't all carbs ultimately convert to sugar?

 

[pudly]

Do you have more info on this? I know about simple vs. complex and high glycemic vs. low glycemic, but don't all carbs ultimately convert to sugar?

No- As I noted above, only starches are converted to sugars (that's saliva's function). Alcohol and fiber do not. There is also another obscure category of carbs called sugar-alcohols that are basically indigestible. The best single source I'd read on the subject is:
Gary Taubes- Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It

I've also gotten a lot of useful information from various paleo articles/books that place things in historical as well as functional perspective. Here is a pretty good article for a faster read: ARE YOU A FAT BURNER OR A SUGAR BURNER? - Primal Body Primal Mind

 

[Snapdragon]

No- As I noted above, only starches are converted to sugars (that's saliva's function). Alcohol and fiber do not. There is also another obscure category of carbs called sugar-alcohols that are basically indigestible. The best single source I'd read on the subject is:
Gary Taubes- Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It

I've also gotten a lot of useful information from various paleo articles/books that place things in historical as well as functional perspective. Here is a pretty good article for a faster read: ARE YOU A FAT BURNER OR A SUGAR BURNER? - Primal Body Primal Mind

OK, thanks. That's in direct contradiction with the info I have gotten from my doctor, who has also written books on the subject, but I will take everything with a grain of salt and do what is best for me.

And today what was best for me was a Culvers vanilla custard waffle cone to celebrate being five pounds down in a week. And now back to the regularly scheduled low-carb programming.

 

[pudly]

OK, thanks. That's in direct contradiction with the info I have gotten from my doctor, who has also written books on the subject, but I will take everything with a grain of salt and do what is best for me.

Good.

And today what was best for me was a Culvers vanilla custard waffle cone to celebrate being five pounds down in a week. And now back to the regularly scheduled low-carb programming.

Cool. As long as such treats remain occasional, you are on the right track. Ideally, you are building a lifetime habit and occasional treats while sticking to a healthy overall diet is a good thing.

Unfortunately, unlike smokers or alcoholics, food-addicts don't get to go cold turkey. Temptations will always be around us, but if you build a habit, they become easier to resist.