Yes, while there is a lot of small choices that can tweak ones body metabolism, those are NOT primary weight loss techniques. They as tertiary techniques at best.
FIRST, you reduce caloric intake. Period. This is 80% of it.
SECOND, you eat healthy foots (reduce fat intake, reduce sodium intake, reduce carb levels, etc). That's 15% of it
The other 5% is substitution diets or only eating at certain times, or whatever.
The OP has about 150 lbs to lose. The first thing he needs to do is cut his caloric intake. This should account for about 100-120 lbs of his weight loss
Next, he needs to eat healthier, cutting down fat and sodium and carbs. This will cut 20 or so pounds.
The last 5-10 pounds he can try various suggestions posted here. But those are tertiary techniques, NOT primary weight loss methods.
After the first week of eating healthier I have lost 2 pounds, its a slow start but im sure ill get there.
This is what you want. Healthy, long term weight loss should be 2-3 pounds per week.
In other words, while it's possible to spend less money regardless of where you shop, it's easier to do so at some places than others.
This is my central argument, and I truly can't fathom how anyone can disagree with it.
If you can't fathom how shopping in a store is not a direct correlation to losing weight, you have deeper issues.
The way to spend LESS MONEY, is you keep a budget and spend LESS MONEY.
Trying to lose weight without realizing this, is like trying to save money WITHOUT KEEPING A BUDGET. ( "Yeah, if I just shop at Walmart & thrift stores, instead of Target, look how much I'll save! No sense looking at prices or monthly income or depressing stuff like that..." )
This. I eat incredibly healthy on a $35 a week.
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Pure, in its general form, is acting with selfless intentions whilst living a life of proactive, correct and logical choices where blame is nonexistent and there replaced with gratitude.
Join the Pure Alliance! For fun, making friends, and the purification of your soul!
Every *TBD*, right here, we discuss cute things over some healthy green tea.
Im going to jump back in and agree with the 100=100 statement.
But where those calories come from does have some bearing
To go onto a point, there is a reason why my diet is high in Fiber and Fat.
Oh, fat.....im gonna catch a ringing for that......except, fat doesn't make you necessarily fat (Low quality carbs do that much more easily.)
Trans fats are not what im talking about, no...my point is in the mono and poly variety.
Fats actually make you fuller. For anyone over 21 (or LDA), try drinking a gallon of beer(not endorsing it) within an hour. Notice how your kinda full.
Reason for Editing:
Repeat with a gallon of whole milk. You can't do it without throwing up (if you can, go talk to a doctor).
The reason is that your body takes longer to convert fat to energy. Thats why really rich meals can keep you satieated.
Also wonder why Chocolate Milk (made with homemade chocolate syrup, not the hersheys crap) is a perfect after-exercise drink. It has a good balance of sugar, carbs and protein. Sugar gives you quick energy, which if you exercised enough, should give you enough to cooldown. Fat gives you longterm energy, and protein does what it does best, helps repair your muscles.
The point im making is that, Fat is not bad, you just need to have the right kind.
Gary D. Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education and professor of Medicine and Public Health at Temple University in Philadelphia and his colleagues published a widely circulated study that followed 307 dieters and concluded either a low-fat or low-carb diet can help you lose weight, but a low-carb diet is, perhaps, better for "good cholesterol" values, or HDL.
But is Foster a convert to a low-carb dieting approach, popularized by cardiologist Robert Atkins in the 1970s?
"I think it's a disservice getting people to worry about the minutia of diets," Foster says. "There are pieces of dieting that we know work. One, track what you eat. Weigh yourself often. Make changes behaviorally that allow you to eat healthier."
In fact, many diet experts reel over the low-fat versus low-carb dieting discussion. It misses the point, they say. Americans, 60 percent of whom are either overweight or obese, need to eat less and lower the amount of sugar in their diets, through reducing carbs and sweets. They need to eat real foods, not overly processed, sugar-added treats. And they need to think about what they're eating instead of mindlessly consuming whatever tastes good.
"Honestly, it's more than just a question of should you go low-fat or low-carb, but more of the quality of what you eat," says Sooji Rugh, a doctor with the San Jose, Calif., weight-loss centers Greenlite Medicine. "Not all carbs are the same and not all fats are the same."
For example, saturated fats found in cheeses and fatty meats can contribute to heart disease, although protein-rich diets are considered good for people. Carbohydrates also differ: The sugar and white flour in white breads are considered less healthful than the whole wheat flour in some wheat breads. If you are trying to lose body fat on a low-carb diet, 20 to 70 daily grams are recommended, depending on your level of activity. People need some carbs for energy, and most healthful fruits and vegetables contain carbohydrates.
The promotion of a low-fat diet started in the United States around the 1950s, fueled mostly by Nathan Pritikin. Pritikin was diagnosed with heart disease and began his low-fat diet along with exercise and resolved the condition. He popularized the results in his 1979 book, "The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise." Low-fat diets became all the rage.
To lose weight on a low-fat diet, weight loss experts say total fat intake should be no more than 30 percent of total calories. The problem now, says Greenlite's Rugh, is that many foods in the grocery store that are labeled "low-fat," such as yogurts, are loaded with sugars to keep them appealing to the palate.
"If you lower the fat content in the processed food, it tastes horrible unless you do something else, so they heightened the sugar content," Rugh says.
The World Health Organization and the American Dietetic Association recommend that calories from sugar not exceed more than 10 percent of our total calories, she says.
"You have one can of Coke, and you've exceeded that," she adds. The problem with sugar is that, simply, it spikes insulin. And when insulin levels are raised, people accumulate fat.
"At one point, your pancreas (which produces insulin) will start wearing out and then you're looking at diabetes 2," says Ranveig Elvebakk, an Oakland, Calif.-based doctor and nutrition expert who is a long-standing member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians.
She likens the question of a low-fat versus low-carb diet to a nonsensical proposition.
"It's like, if I have a yellow car, what type of fuel do I put in it? It doesn't make any sense," she says.
Insulin spiked by sugars and carbohydrates -- which are processed by the body into sugars -- promotes weight gain, Elvebakk says. "Ninety percent of the weight problem we have is caused by eating sugar, not fat," she says. "If you want to lose, gain or stay the same weight, then you need to understand the mechanics of weight loss. And when you raise your blood sugar, you raise your insulin and insulin stores fat."
Perhaps the best-known version of a low-carb diet is the Atkins diet, which had a resurgence in the early 2000s. It's a common misperception that people can eat butter-laden steaks and lose weight healthfully. There are good fats and bad fats -- fats in nuts, olive oil and fish are better than most other fats.
"We can eat a small amount of fat," Elvebakk says. "People need about three tablespoons of olive oil a day and some omega 3s."
And the American Heart Association criticizes low-carb diets, saying the food restrictions in them often starve the body of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Dr. Diana Wright of Bay Area Nutrition, whose offices are in Gilroy, Calif., lives by the adage that if you want to lose weight, you need to eat less and exercise more instead of worrying about fats and carbs.
"You need to look at how you're eating now. Sometimes you can turn to a peer or a book, sometimes you need to turn to a professional to give you some advice about where you can make reasonable changes in your diet," she says.
She also doesn't want people to forget about exercising either. People are designed to be physically active, she says, and sitting hours behind a desk doesn't promote good health.
"We eat more now and exercise less. It's like you lose a job and you start spending more money. That's backward," Wright says.
Your argument is based on the assumption that the person is an idiot, who, when faced with a budget of $100 and a $110 shirt, will say "Gee, I guess no shirts for me this year."
If you keep a budget, normal adult humans will realize that in this country there are stores, and in some of those stores sell clothing, and in some of those stores that sell clothing, they also sell shirts that cost DON'T COST $110.
In fact, most normal adult humans, when faced with the crippling reality of a $100 budget for shirts, will recognize that they can spend ONE $96 shirt, or THREE $32 shirts. Or even buy ONE cheap shirt, and save the rest of the shirt budget for a nice tie (desert).
Nobody wishes to CONTRADICT your central argument.
The problem with your central argument is that people who are having weight control or money issues, end up using your principles as a SUBSTITUTE for having an actual budget. It's just a psychological loophole, where you can go to costco and buy $100 worth of TP to last you the year, for just$50... then when you have money left over, blow it on the 46" Vizio TV (because you've been enduring the agony of a 32" TV for so long). Ultimately, without a budget, you can eventually spend anything you have in your pocket or on that credit card limit. And the consumer electronics and other spending opportunities are SOOOO tempting, and there EVERYWHERE.
Your argument that buying "bargain items" is the KEY to saving money only gives people ANOTHER EXCUSE TO AVOID THE DISTASTEFUL REALITY OF KEEPING A BUDGET.
Money burns a hole in people's pockets. Its true. People spend what they have on hand. And they splurge whenever they think they've been "good" about their spending. Even if you shop in discount stores for most of your stuff, PEOPLE WHO DON'T ADHERE TO A BUDGET will still say "Wow, I just got paid, and I got $1500 in my account... I'm gonna buy the iphone 4s, and still have enough left for rent! Wooot!"
4 words that say so much about human weakness and money: "I JUST GOT PAID..."
Living paycheck to paycheck. Hand. to. mouth. People live way above their means in this country just as they are overweight in this country. The analogy holds. Getting paid is a thrill, but people get way too excited about it and go out and spend too much of it... You should have already budgeted for each paycheck, and know what you're going to save on it, put aside for a rainy dayand how much is discretionary spending.
Keep. A. Damn. Budget. Protein, fat, carbs, calories.
All the rest of it (bargain shopping opportunities, good carbs, trans fats, low fat, high protein, low carb, insulin, shopper's club, extreme couponing, mumbo jumbo) is tier 2, AFTER you've mastered to concept of BUDGET and the CALORIES.
I think we've reached a point of mutual agreement, if begrudgingly. We both acknowledge that cutting caloric intake is the primary way to lose weight, and that's the most important thing for the OP. All I'm attempting to add to that is that there are smart food choices that can make it easier to maintain that reduced intake.
Yes, while there is a lot of small choices that can tweak ones body metabolism, those are NOT primary weight loss techniques. They as tertiary techniques at best.
FIRST, you reduce caloric intake. Period. This is 80% of it.
SECOND, you eat healthy foots (reduce fat intake, reduce sodium intake, reduce carb levels, etc). That's 15% of it
The other 5% is substitution diets or only eating at certain times, or whatever.
The kind of decisions I'm talking about are quite obviously part of that secondary level (just as dcartist called them secondary) since they consist of eating better foods (whole grains, less refined sugar, more lean protein, etc.).
If you can't fathom how shopping in a store is not a direct correlation to losing weight, you have deeper issues.
It's an analogy. The creator of that analogy (who "nailed it" according to you, making your condescending criticism quite puzzling) and I were using it as a platform for discussion. Trolling me with personal attacks and trolling the analogy by ignoring its content doesn't add to that discussion.
In all honesty, and to get away from the nuanced (and honestly very entertaining and enjoyable) discussion about details, when I lost ~60 pounds between college and grad school, that's really all I did. People would ask me what my "trick" was and I would tell them, honestly, "I put down the fork and went outside".
In all honesty, and to get away from the nuanced (and honestly very entertaining and enjoyable) discussion about details, when I lost ~60 pounds between college and grad school, that's really all I did. People would ask me what my "trick" was and I would tell them, honestly, "I put down the fork and went outside".
Actually, this got me thinking....what's one of the things that has changed in 150 years?
We don't kill our own food or gather it.
150+ years ago, people had to kill, butcher and cook there own food, with wood the fell, and rocks they gathered. Plants had to be grown, Soil tilled and houses fixed by the community. People had to walk places and when they took transportation, they didnt have many food and drinks, just water, jerky and maybe biscuits.
I still eat 2500 calories a day, and im personally now at 295 (so, -45 pounds), yet im losing weight. I honestly wonder if we really should be trying to cut down on intake manually. If your out working hard labor or moving around all day, you dont have time to sit around and snack on cheese puffs and the ilk, you start to crave natural foods. (my view and experience)
@Macius:I don't follow the logic. Do you think you could re-organize that post and make things a little clearer? You seem to have at least a couple of different ideas in there.
I THINK that your main ideas seem to be that (a) exercise is good (everyone agrees), that (b) if you exercise a lot, you will crave healthy food & don't have to "manually" control your eating (I don't agree), and that (c) your own experience at 295 and dropping nicely with 2500 calories somehow illustrates this (but you haven't explained how you got to 295, whether you're "manually" forcing yourself to eat less, which "2500" implies, and what kind of exercise you're doing now).
We all agree that eating less and exercising more will be healthier and result in weight loss or less weight gain. Are you suggesting that "manually" making yourself exercise more, lets you avoid "manually" having to watch your intake? Because (1) it doesnt and (2) realize that most people will have a far harder time increasing their exercise to 1.5x than reducing their intake by a factor of 1/1.5.
One piece of information about history you didn't consider was that food was expensive. People couldnt afford to be fat. You might want an extra slice of pie, but it was not an indulgence the poor could afford. In the US, almost everybody but hillbillies in BFE, or people in deepest, deepest poverty, dont have access to enough calories to get fat.
Back when excess calories were a luxury, being fat was a sign of wealth.
@Macius:I don't follow the logic. Do you think you could re-organize that post and make things a little clearer? You seem to have at least a couple of different ideas in there.
/I THINK that your main ideas seem to be that (a) exercise is good (everyone agrees), that (b) if you exercise a lot, you will crave healthy food & don't have to "manually" control your eating (I don't agree), and that (c) your own experience at 295 and dropping nicely with 2500 calories somehow illustrates this (but you haven't explained how you got to 295, whether you're "manually" forcing yourself to eat less, which "2500" implies, and what kind of exercise you're doing now).
We all agree that eating less and exercising more will be healthier and result in weight loss or less weight gain. Are you suggesting that "manually" making yourself exercise more, lets you avoid "manually" having to watch your intake? Because (1) it doesnt and (2) realize that most people will have a far harder time increasing their exercise to 1.5x than reducing their intake by a factor of 1/1.5.
One piece of information about history you didn't consider was that food was expensive. People couldnt afford to be fat. You might want an extra slice of pie, but it was not an indulgence the poor could afford. In the US, almost everybody but hillbillies in BFE, or people in deepest, deepest poverty, dont have access to enough calories to get fat.
Back when excess calories were a luxury, being fat was a sign of wealth.
Sorry, DC...... I'll try to be a little more clear.
I was about 320-340 pounds. I drank 2 liters of sodas daily and ate 4000+ calories a day. I hated myself. I tried cutting back majorly (1850 calories) and I ate what many would be considered to be healthy foods. My body, still stuck in its old ways, basically wouldnt digest it properly and I got really sick. thats why im eating 2500 calories now.
My beliefs are that:
Exercise is good
By exercising you do end up craving healthier foods. I also believe that exercise does help you curb your intake, but its still up to the person to make sure they eat when there hungry and not out of boredom, as I find myself thinking sometimes
I only eat 2500, because after talking with my doctor after my sickness, me and him came to the 2500 number as a good number for me to eat.
Another of my beliefs is that we vilify certain things as evil. Some of this is good (trans fats are not good.) , but some (fat is evil, carbs are evil, only protien) is hogwash. Eating too much of one thing is bad, and I will attest to that.
Here is where I think I'll disagree with you and A LOT of people. Eating Fat does not make you fat necessarily. I eat a maximum of 100g of fat a day (20g or less saturated). I also end up eating a large number of that from nuts and fish. Personally here is my breakdown every day of food
100 g. fat (900 calories)
240 g. of Carbs (800 calories......You may look at this weird, but think about it, does fiber provide energy? It doesnt really, your body can't easily break it down.)
200 g. of protein (800 calories)
Mind you that this is averages, for every 2400 calorie day, I have a 2600 calorie day. I also eat 5 meals a day:
6 am- largest
9 am
12 noon
3 pm
6 pm.
I go to bed at 830-9, usually with a small bowl of steel cut oats
Im still overweight, by a lot.....but I feel better and I feel a lot more energy.
Take all the portions you eat and reduce them by 25-33%. You will feel hungrier at first but just mind over matter and deal with it, you aren't going to starve. After like a week you will be used to smaller portions, and overtime you will lose weight. This is the easiest way to lose weight. You can also still eat whatever kinds of food you want, just less of them.
My body, still stuck in its old ways, basically wouldnt digest it properly and I got really sick. thats why im eating 2500 calories now.
That's definitely a risk of "cleaning up" your diet after years of eating garbage, but proper GI support should mitigate that. It's not really a question of calories. You should try taking a Superfood suppliment and see if your GI issues improve.
Also, about your nutritional breakdown below - I would be a bit concerned about eating 200gm of protein each day if you aren't trying to build muscle by lifting weights. Even someone as large as yourself doesn't need that much protein to maintain muscle mass. I don't know what your workout regimen looks like, but it seems like an awful lot for someone who is just trying to get lean.
I have heard vague rumors of a moustache-dispensing vending machine in a distant laundromat, across the street from a tattoo parlor. However, this information is shaky, and time is of the essence.
Ok, I have read a little of this thread and it totally describes my viewpoints to en extent. HERE is what it takes to get in shape ... CHANGE EVERYTHING. I drink alot ... and thats fair, the skinniest I ever got was 3 summers ago when I had 1 meal a day and smoked cigs. At this point, I look even better, and here is what I am doing, I haven't quit smoking or drinking, but I have really begun to care about diet and exercise. I joined a gym w one of my good friends and we workout all the time.
I still lead that semi-selfdestructive lifestyle that I did, but I look better, and to me that is what is important. I have no inclinations to live forever and be healthy ... I just want to look attractive and appealing too women. And u know ... it worked. I adjusted my diet, eat fast food once a week, workout regularly and results follow. Now I have a online job so ... it is weird but, I eat 2 meals a day, most of the time it is a Subway footlong and a homemade smoothie for lunch and a slimfast and apple for dinner. You do that **** for a month and you will notice a difference. When I joined a gym results followed and everyone took notice. 2 this day I am still out of shape but have confidence in my appearance for the first time in my life.
Its the weirdest thing, and so empowering. The other day I went on a date with a girl wearing a Led Zep t-**** I haven't been able to fit into since the day I bought it on sale (4 years ago). Too me, healthy is whatever, I want to look good for the short while it matters. Some people want to live forever, I want to look good for the years that do matter. Because realize this, you have the rest of your life to eat terrible foods, you only have a few to look good enough to attract those that don't. Embrace it, and everytime I work out I chant this to myself "you will never be that fat piece of **** again". That should be motivation enough.
Ok, I have read a little of this thread and it totally describes my viewpoints to en extent. HERE is what it takes to get in shape ... CHANGE EVERYTHING. I drink alot ... and thats fair, the skinniest I ever got was 3 summers ago when I had 1 meal a day and smoked cigs. At this point, I look even better, and here is what I am doing, I haven't quit smoking or drinking, but I have really begun to care about diet and exercise. I joined a gym w one of my good friends and we workout all the time.
I still lead that semi-selfdestructive lifestyle that I did, but I look better, and to me that is what is important. I have no inclinations to live forever and be healthy ... I just want to look attractive and appealing too women. And u know ... it worked. I adjusted my diet, eat fast food once a week, workout regularly and results follow. Now I have a online job so ... it is weird but, I eat 2 meals a day, most of the time it is a Subway footlong and a homemade smoothie for lunch and a slimfast and apple for dinner. You do that **** for a month and you will notice a difference. When I joined a gym results followed and everyone took notice. 2 this day I am still out of shape but have confidence in my appearance for the first time in my life.
Its the weirdest thing, and so empowering. The other day I went on a date with a girl wearing a Led Zep t-**** I haven't been able to fit into since the day I bought it on sale (4 years ago). Too me, healthy is whatever, I want to look good for the short while it matters. Some people want to live forever, I want to look good for the years that do matter. Because realize this, you have the rest of your life to eat terrible foods, you only have a few to look good enough to attract those that don't. Embrace it, and everytime I work out I chant this to myself "you will never be that fat piece of **** again". That should be motivation enough.
So basically, your advice is that is it better to look good than to be healthy? I am sure there are countless obese people out there thinking thoughts like "I would start exercising and watching my diet, but why bother? No one will notice if I lose 50 pounds." If only they realized how much healthier they could be even if it didn't change their appearance.
And can you elaborate on the years that matter? I am turning 40 next year. Is my life over?
I'm really happy for you that this reasoning is working for you, but I don't think it is good advice to give to others.
I lost 55lbs in 1 year (It'll make 1 year tommorow). In fact, I lost that weight in 8 months and kept it. All my numbers were bad (weight, cholesterol, stuff...), now lots of them are decent. I'm 178 for around 4 months. No magical formula, no crazy book, not buying stuff. What I did:
- Exercise (walking) from 30m-1h at least 5 days/week.
- Diet
- Green Tea (it worked for me, crazy as it sounds - but I drink an amount that is considered too much - see a doctor before, just to avoid losing your stomach and heart).
I found out that - for me - cutting a great chunk of carbs and eating protein was the way to go (I only ate fruits and cereal bars - not a protein diet). (I know some people that just can't cut a great chunk of carbs - have that in mind)
Dieting was, in baby steps:
- cutting soda
- cutting white flour (now I eat some)
- cutting processed food
Once in a while (one day, every two weeks) I went for beers, hamburgers, stuff just to clear out toughts and then, back to the routine.
I crafted my theories reading google sites (no sign up, no money, not buying stuff) and I believed it was possible. And It was.
(People should see a doctor before/during/after doing diets, I was lucky to not hurt myself in the process - really lucky, by eating the minimum carbs from good sources instead of cutting them.)
Bottomline is: here I am, Mr. Complete Stranger, telling you it's possible, knowing that by experience.
If you want to do it, go see a few doctors (for nutrition, sports, heart condition) until you find the ones you like (not just Dr. First One or Dr. Google) and get it started.
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Decks Legacy - R Burn Commander - GWU Rafiq of the Many Modern - BGW Melira Pod (with borrowed fetchlands, but still) Standard - R Blitz
I lost 55lbs in 1 year (It'll make 1 year tommorow). In fact, I lost that weight in 8 months and kept it. All my numbers were bad (weight, cholesterol, stuff...), now lots of them are decent. I'm 178 for around 4 months. No magical formula, no crazy book, not buying stuff. What I did:
- Exercise (walking) from 30m-1h at least 5 days/week.
- Diet
- Green Tea (it worked for me, crazy as it sounds - but I drink an amount that is considered too much - see a doctor before, just to avoid losing your stomach and heart).
I found out that - for me - cutting a great chunk of carbs and eating protein was the way to go (I only ate fruits and cereal bars - not a protein diet). (I know some people that just can't cut a great chunk of carbs - have that in mind)
Dieting was, in baby steps:
- cutting soda
- cutting white flour (now I eat some)
- cutting processed food
Once in a while (one day, every two weeks) I went for beers, hamburgers, stuff just to clear out toughts and then, back to the routine.
I crafted my theories reading google sites (no sign up, no money, not buying stuff) and I believed it was possible. And It was.
(People should see a doctor before/during/after doing diets, I was lucky to not hurt myself in the process - really lucky, by eating the minimum carbs from good sources instead of cutting them.)
Bottomline is: here I am, Mr. Complete Stranger, telling you it's possible, knowing that by experience.
If you want to do it, go see a few doctors (for nutrition, sports, heart condition) until you find the ones you like (not just Dr. First One or Dr. Google) and get it started.
First off, congratulations! That's about how much I lost, so I know how hard it was. Bravo! Out of curiosity, how much green tea were/are you drinking, and why do you consider it too much?
I lost 50 lbs two summers ago. Unfortuntely, I'm an illustration of the fact that there is a big difference between loosing the weight, and keeping it off. I'm going to post a list of do's and don'ts, from experience.
- DO exercise. Make sure you are building up a sweat and breathing hard. Exercise for at least 30 minutes, several times per week.
- DO NOT eat after 8pm. Try not to eat anything after dinner.
- DO eat smaller portions. North Americans eat WAY more food than we need, on average. You only need one sandwhich. one burger, one slice of pizza. You don;t have to give up foods you like (I did not diet during ym weight loss), you just have to eat less of the,
- DO eat fruit and vegetables. not only are they better for you, but you will have more energy to exercise, and generally be in a better mood as well.
- DO NOT eat chips, candy, and chocolate. Remember when I said you didn;t ahve to give up for favourite foods? Well, these aren;t foods. They're snacks, they're bad for you, and they can only hurt your goal. Replace them with Peppers, Apples, and Oranges.
- Do NOT contantly weigh yourself, and don't weigh in AT ALL for the first few weeks. If you loose 5lbs, the first thing you'll think is "great, now a deserve a (break, bag of chips, etc....) as a reward. If you keep yourself guessing, you won't loose motivation.
That's what worked for me. Wehn I broke these rules, I gained the weight back.
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"A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men."
- Willy Wonka
The Quote function doesn't work for me on this forum. Sorry for any confusion created.
First off, congratulations! That's about how much I lost, so I know how hard it was. Bravo! Out of curiosity, how much green tea were/are you drinking, and why do you consider it too much?
From a medical standpoint (I am a trained Registered Nurse) the risk is too much cardiac stimulation from the caffeine and stress on your kidneys due to diuretic effects of tea.
I have not read this entire thread, but the best thing to keep in mind is "moderation". Low carb is good, no carb is bad. Low fat is good, no fat is bad. If a diet or plan requires you to cut anything not only is it probably not going to stick for you, but it is probably not good for you in the long run.
- DO NOT eat after 8pm. Try not to eat anything after dinner.
This may not be correct. There is conflicting data in studies conducted in 2005 (OHSU) and even more recently. It may be that you are more likely to crave foods that more negativly effect your sleep, but assuming the same level of activity our metabolism does not care what time it is. Factors that have poluted studies in the past are the fact that people who eat late probably stay up late, and probably get less sleep. Regular deep sleep durring night time hours is a huge factor in weight gain/loss as evidenced by studies done on sleep and night-shift workers.
One easy thing I would try is to begin your day with a decent sized low fat/high protein meal then you are less likely to be hungry throughout the day, and there is some evidence that it might boost metabolism too.
From a medical standpoint (I am a trained Registered Nurse) the risk is too much cardiac stimulation from the caffeine and stress on your kidneys due to diuretic effects of tea.
I have not read this entire thread, but the best thing to keep in mind is "moderation". Low carb is good, no carb is bad. Low fat is good, no fat is bad. If a diet or plan requires you to cut anything not only is it probably not going to stick for you, but it is probably not good for you in the long run.
This may not be correct. There is conflicting data in studies conducted in 2005 (OHSU) and even more recently. It may be that you are more likely to crave foods that more negativly effect your sleep, but assuming the same level of activity our metabolism does not care what time it is. Factors that have poluted studies in the past are the fact that people who eat late probably stay up late, and probably get less sleep. Regular deep sleep durring night time hours is a huge factor in weight gain/loss as evidenced by studies done on sleep and night-shift workers.
One easy thing I would try is to begin your day with a decent sized low fat/high protein meal then you are less likely to be hungry throughout the day, and there is some evidence that it might boost metabolism too.
I agree that the food itself may not be the priamry factor, but is it not true that metabolic processes work differently while the body is asleep and digestion is less efficient? Additionally, even if not so, the sleep factor itself is a good reason to get used to not eating after dinner, as once you're no longer craving after dinner it's easier to fall asleep and you're less likely to affect your sleep.
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"A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men."
- Willy Wonka
The Quote function doesn't work for me on this forum. Sorry for any confusion created.
I agree that the food itself may not be the priamry factor, but is it not true that metabolic processes work differently while the body is asleep and digestion is less efficient? Additionally, even if not so, the sleep factor itself is a good reason to get used to not eating after dinner, as once you're no longer craving after dinner it's easier to fall asleep and you're less likely to affect your sleep.
There's some evidence that circadian rhythms have an influence on weight gain, but it's all from animal studies. In general the "late night eating" stuff seems to be correlation, not causation. From my earlier post:
I haven't seen this research, but I don't doubt it. It's certainly not a "cut-and-dry" situation, as the cause / effect balance hasn't really been worked out. There is evidence in animal models that the culprit is circadian rhythms, as well as some evidence in humans that there is a correlation between eating after 8pm and gaining weight. However, it's entirely possible (likely in my opinion) that the reason for the association is less the time of eating and more the fact that night eating tends to be a) when you're not hungry, but are instead eating because you're bored, and b) with food that's high in fat/salt/calories.
I agree that the food itself may not be the priamry factor, but is it not true that metabolic processes work differently while the body is asleep and digestion is less efficient?
That is simply not true. Healthy, normal, digestion (along with other metabolic functions) are managed by the parasympathetic nervous system and this is not shut down when we sleep. As a matter of fact digestion is more efficient when we are at rest than when we are exercising- which demands more energy and thus put's digestion on hold.
Additionally, even if not so, the sleep factor itself is a good reason to get used to not eating after dinner, as once you're no longer craving after dinner it's easier to fall asleep and you're less likely to affect your sleep.
I agree that sleep is important, in fact given the above information it is even more critical, I just think a person needs to do things for the right reasons. It is one of those "moderation" issues. Exercise is good, but rest is just as important.
Would diverting energy toward digestion while your body is trying to rest and recuperate from the day (sleep) be a bad thing too?
Assuming I understand your question correctly, as DrWorm pointed out, rest and recuperation (sleep) go hand-in-hand with digestion because they're both part of the parasympathetic nervous system (the "feed and breed" side of the nervous system, as it's sometimes called).
I agree that the food itself may not be the priamry factor, but is it not true that metabolic processes work differently while the body is asleep and digestion is less efficient? Additionally, even if not so, the sleep factor itself is a good reason to get used to not eating after dinner, as once you're no longer craving after dinner it's easier to fall asleep and you're less likely to affect your sleep.
Actually, there are studies pointing towards deeper/better sleep from eating a very light carby, protein filled snack before bed.
Actually, there are studies pointing towards deeper/better sleep from eating a very light carby, protein filled snack before bed.
Indeed. Specifically there's evidence that a spoonful of peanut butter right before bed can both aid sleep and weight loss. I'll have to dig up the reference somewhere; as I recall the study only looked at women, which is an important caveat.
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Yes, while there is a lot of small choices that can tweak ones body metabolism, those are NOT primary weight loss techniques. They as tertiary techniques at best.
FIRST, you reduce caloric intake. Period. This is 80% of it.
SECOND, you eat healthy foots (reduce fat intake, reduce sodium intake, reduce carb levels, etc). That's 15% of it
The other 5% is substitution diets or only eating at certain times, or whatever.
The OP has about 150 lbs to lose. The first thing he needs to do is cut his caloric intake. This should account for about 100-120 lbs of his weight loss
Next, he needs to eat healthier, cutting down fat and sodium and carbs. This will cut 20 or so pounds.
The last 5-10 pounds he can try various suggestions posted here. But those are tertiary techniques, NOT primary weight loss methods.
This is what you want. Healthy, long term weight loss should be 2-3 pounds per week.
If you can't fathom how shopping in a store is not a direct correlation to losing weight, you have deeper issues.
This. I eat incredibly healthy on a $35 a week.
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Every *TBD*, right here, we discuss cute things over some healthy green tea.
But where those calories come from does have some bearing
To go onto a point, there is a reason why my diet is high in Fiber and Fat.
Oh, fat.....im gonna catch a ringing for that......except, fat doesn't make you necessarily fat (Low quality carbs do that much more easily.)
Trans fats are not what im talking about, no...my point is in the mono and poly variety.
Fats actually make you fuller. For anyone over 21 (or LDA), try drinking a gallon of beer(not endorsing it) within an hour. Notice how your kinda full.
Reason for Editing:
Repeat with a gallon of whole milk. You can't do it without throwing up (if you can, go talk to a doctor).
The reason is that your body takes longer to convert fat to energy. Thats why really rich meals can keep you satieated.
Also wonder why Chocolate Milk (made with homemade chocolate syrup, not the hersheys crap) is a perfect after-exercise drink. It has a good balance of sugar, carbs and protein. Sugar gives you quick energy, which if you exercised enough, should give you enough to cooldown. Fat gives you longterm energy, and protein does what it does best, helps repair your muscles.
The point im making is that, Fat is not bad, you just need to have the right kind.
But is Foster a convert to a low-carb dieting approach, popularized by cardiologist Robert Atkins in the 1970s?
"I think it's a disservice getting people to worry about the minutia of diets," Foster says. "There are pieces of dieting that we know work. One, track what you eat. Weigh yourself often. Make changes behaviorally that allow you to eat healthier."
In fact, many diet experts reel over the low-fat versus low-carb dieting discussion. It misses the point, they say. Americans, 60 percent of whom are either overweight or obese, need to eat less and lower the amount of sugar in their diets, through reducing carbs and sweets. They need to eat real foods, not overly processed, sugar-added treats. And they need to think about what they're eating instead of mindlessly consuming whatever tastes good.
"Honestly, it's more than just a question of should you go low-fat or low-carb, but more of the quality of what you eat," says Sooji Rugh, a doctor with the San Jose, Calif., weight-loss centers Greenlite Medicine. "Not all carbs are the same and not all fats are the same."
For example, saturated fats found in cheeses and fatty meats can contribute to heart disease, although protein-rich diets are considered good for people. Carbohydrates also differ: The sugar and white flour in white breads are considered less healthful than the whole wheat flour in some wheat breads. If you are trying to lose body fat on a low-carb diet, 20 to 70 daily grams are recommended, depending on your level of activity. People need some carbs for energy, and most healthful fruits and vegetables contain carbohydrates.
The promotion of a low-fat diet started in the United States around the 1950s, fueled mostly by Nathan Pritikin. Pritikin was diagnosed with heart disease and began his low-fat diet along with exercise and resolved the condition. He popularized the results in his 1979 book, "The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise." Low-fat diets became all the rage.
To lose weight on a low-fat diet, weight loss experts say total fat intake should be no more than 30 percent of total calories. The problem now, says Greenlite's Rugh, is that many foods in the grocery store that are labeled "low-fat," such as yogurts, are loaded with sugars to keep them appealing to the palate.
"If you lower the fat content in the processed food, it tastes horrible unless you do something else, so they heightened the sugar content," Rugh says.
The World Health Organization and the American Dietetic Association recommend that calories from sugar not exceed more than 10 percent of our total calories, she says.
"You have one can of Coke, and you've exceeded that," she adds.
The problem with sugar is that, simply, it spikes insulin. And when insulin levels are raised, people accumulate fat.
"At one point, your pancreas (which produces insulin) will start wearing out and then you're looking at diabetes 2," says Ranveig Elvebakk, an Oakland, Calif.-based doctor and nutrition expert who is a long-standing member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians.
She likens the question of a low-fat versus low-carb diet to a nonsensical proposition.
"It's like, if I have a yellow car, what type of fuel do I put in it? It doesn't make any sense," she says.
Insulin spiked by sugars and carbohydrates -- which are processed by the body into sugars -- promotes weight gain, Elvebakk says.
"Ninety percent of the weight problem we have is caused by eating sugar, not fat," she says. "If you want to lose, gain or stay the same weight, then you need to understand the mechanics of weight loss. And when you raise your blood sugar, you raise your insulin and insulin stores fat."
Perhaps the best-known version of a low-carb diet is the Atkins diet, which had a resurgence in the early 2000s. It's a common misperception that people can eat butter-laden steaks and lose weight healthfully. There are good fats and bad fats -- fats in nuts, olive oil and fish are better than most other fats.
"We can eat a small amount of fat," Elvebakk says. "People need about three tablespoons of olive oil a day and some omega 3s."
And the American Heart Association criticizes low-carb diets, saying the food restrictions in them often starve the body of essential vitamins and nutrients.
Dr. Diana Wright of Bay Area Nutrition, whose offices are in Gilroy, Calif., lives by the adage that if you want to lose weight, you need to eat less and exercise more instead of worrying about fats and carbs.
"You need to look at how you're eating now. Sometimes you can turn to a peer or a book, sometimes you need to turn to a professional to give you some advice about where you can make reasonable changes in your diet," she says.
She also doesn't want people to forget about exercising either. People are designed to be physically active, she says, and sitting hours behind a desk doesn't promote good health.
"We eat more now and exercise less. It's like you lose a job and you start spending more money. That's backward," Wright says.
Read more: http://www.pantagraph.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/article_15b91b9e-6535-11e0-8a57-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1f7aCx2eS
540 Peasant cube- Gold EditionSomething SpicyI think we've reached a point of mutual agreement, if begrudgingly. We both acknowledge that cutting caloric intake is the primary way to lose weight, and that's the most important thing for the OP. All I'm attempting to add to that is that there are smart food choices that can make it easier to maintain that reduced intake.
The kind of decisions I'm talking about are quite obviously part of that secondary level (just as dcartist called them secondary) since they consist of eating better foods (whole grains, less refined sugar, more lean protein, etc.).
It's an analogy. The creator of that analogy (who "nailed it" according to you, making your condescending criticism quite puzzling) and I were using it as a platform for discussion. Trolling me with personal attacks and trolling the analogy by ignoring its content doesn't add to that discussion.
I started exercising.
I lost 15 pounds in a month.
My doctor was very happy.
If I could "like" your post, I would
In all honesty, and to get away from the nuanced (and honestly very entertaining and enjoyable) discussion about details, when I lost ~60 pounds between college and grad school, that's really all I did. People would ask me what my "trick" was and I would tell them, honestly, "I put down the fork and went outside".
Actually, this got me thinking....what's one of the things that has changed in 150 years?
We don't kill our own food or gather it.
150+ years ago, people had to kill, butcher and cook there own food, with wood the fell, and rocks they gathered. Plants had to be grown, Soil tilled and houses fixed by the community. People had to walk places and when they took transportation, they didnt have many food and drinks, just water, jerky and maybe biscuits.
I still eat 2500 calories a day, and im personally now at 295 (so, -45 pounds), yet im losing weight. I honestly wonder if we really should be trying to cut down on intake manually. If your out working hard labor or moving around all day, you dont have time to sit around and snack on cheese puffs and the ilk, you start to crave natural foods. (my view and experience)
540 Peasant cube- Gold EditionSomething SpicyI THINK that your main ideas seem to be that (a) exercise is good (everyone agrees), that (b) if you exercise a lot, you will crave healthy food & don't have to "manually" control your eating (I don't agree), and that (c) your own experience at 295 and dropping nicely with 2500 calories somehow illustrates this (but you haven't explained how you got to 295, whether you're "manually" forcing yourself to eat less, which "2500" implies, and what kind of exercise you're doing now).
We all agree that eating less and exercising more will be healthier and result in weight loss or less weight gain. Are you suggesting that "manually" making yourself exercise more, lets you avoid "manually" having to watch your intake? Because (1) it doesnt and (2) realize that most people will have a far harder time increasing their exercise to 1.5x than reducing their intake by a factor of 1/1.5.
One piece of information about history you didn't consider was that food was expensive. People couldnt afford to be fat. You might want an extra slice of pie, but it was not an indulgence the poor could afford. In the US, almost everybody but hillbillies in BFE, or people in deepest, deepest poverty, dont have access to enough calories to get fat.
Back when excess calories were a luxury, being fat was a sign of wealth.
Seriously people read a health book.
Also, congratulations.
Sorry, DC...... I'll try to be a little more clear.
I was about 320-340 pounds. I drank 2 liters of sodas daily and ate 4000+ calories a day. I hated myself. I tried cutting back majorly (1850 calories) and I ate what many would be considered to be healthy foods. My body, still stuck in its old ways, basically wouldnt digest it properly and I got really sick. thats why im eating 2500 calories now.
My beliefs are that:
Exercise is good
By exercising you do end up craving healthier foods. I also believe that exercise does help you curb your intake, but its still up to the person to make sure they eat when there hungry and not out of boredom, as I find myself thinking sometimes
I only eat 2500, because after talking with my doctor after my sickness, me and him came to the 2500 number as a good number for me to eat.
Another of my beliefs is that we vilify certain things as evil. Some of this is good (trans fats are not good.) , but some (fat is evil, carbs are evil, only protien) is hogwash. Eating too much of one thing is bad, and I will attest to that.
Here is where I think I'll disagree with you and A LOT of people. Eating Fat does not make you fat necessarily. I eat a maximum of 100g of fat a day (20g or less saturated). I also end up eating a large number of that from nuts and fish. Personally here is my breakdown every day of food
100 g. fat (900 calories)
240 g. of Carbs (800 calories......You may look at this weird, but think about it, does fiber provide energy? It doesnt really, your body can't easily break it down.)
200 g. of protein (800 calories)
Mind you that this is averages, for every 2400 calorie day, I have a 2600 calorie day. I also eat 5 meals a day:
6 am- largest
9 am
12 noon
3 pm
6 pm.
I go to bed at 830-9, usually with a small bowl of steel cut oats
Im still overweight, by a lot.....but I feel better and I feel a lot more energy.
also, I did know I was forgetting another fact
540 Peasant cube- Gold EditionSomething SpicyThat's definitely a risk of "cleaning up" your diet after years of eating garbage, but proper GI support should mitigate that. It's not really a question of calories. You should try taking a Superfood suppliment and see if your GI issues improve.
Also, about your nutritional breakdown below - I would be a bit concerned about eating 200gm of protein each day if you aren't trying to build muscle by lifting weights. Even someone as large as yourself doesn't need that much protein to maintain muscle mass. I don't know what your workout regimen looks like, but it seems like an awful lot for someone who is just trying to get lean.
I still lead that semi-selfdestructive lifestyle that I did, but I look better, and to me that is what is important. I have no inclinations to live forever and be healthy ... I just want to look attractive and appealing too women. And u know ... it worked. I adjusted my diet, eat fast food once a week, workout regularly and results follow. Now I have a online job so ... it is weird but, I eat 2 meals a day, most of the time it is a Subway footlong and a homemade smoothie for lunch and a slimfast and apple for dinner. You do that **** for a month and you will notice a difference. When I joined a gym results followed and everyone took notice. 2 this day I am still out of shape but have confidence in my appearance for the first time in my life.
Its the weirdest thing, and so empowering. The other day I went on a date with a girl wearing a Led Zep t-**** I haven't been able to fit into since the day I bought it on sale (4 years ago). Too me, healthy is whatever, I want to look good for the short while it matters. Some people want to live forever, I want to look good for the years that do matter. Because realize this, you have the rest of your life to eat terrible foods, you only have a few to look good enough to attract those that don't. Embrace it, and everytime I work out I chant this to myself "you will never be that fat piece of **** again". That should be motivation enough.
So basically, your advice is that is it better to look good than to be healthy? I am sure there are countless obese people out there thinking thoughts like "I would start exercising and watching my diet, but why bother? No one will notice if I lose 50 pounds." If only they realized how much healthier they could be even if it didn't change their appearance.
And can you elaborate on the years that matter? I am turning 40 next year. Is my life over?
I'm really happy for you that this reasoning is working for you, but I don't think it is good advice to give to others.
- Exercise (walking) from 30m-1h at least 5 days/week.
- Diet
- Green Tea (it worked for me, crazy as it sounds - but I drink an amount that is considered too much - see a doctor before, just to avoid losing your stomach and heart).
I found out that - for me - cutting a great chunk of carbs and eating protein was the way to go (I only ate fruits and cereal bars - not a protein diet). (I know some people that just can't cut a great chunk of carbs - have that in mind)
Dieting was, in baby steps:
- cutting soda
- cutting white flour (now I eat some)
- cutting processed food
Once in a while (one day, every two weeks) I went for beers, hamburgers, stuff just to clear out toughts and then, back to the routine.
I crafted my theories reading google sites (no sign up, no money, not buying stuff) and I believed it was possible. And It was.
(People should see a doctor before/during/after doing diets, I was lucky to not hurt myself in the process - really lucky, by eating the minimum carbs from good sources instead of cutting them.)
Bottomline is: here I am, Mr. Complete Stranger, telling you it's possible, knowing that by experience.
If you want to do it, go see a few doctors (for nutrition, sports, heart condition) until you find the ones you like (not just Dr. First One or Dr. Google) and get it started.
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First off, congratulations! That's about how much I lost, so I know how hard it was. Bravo! Out of curiosity, how much green tea were/are you drinking, and why do you consider it too much?
- DO exercise. Make sure you are building up a sweat and breathing hard. Exercise for at least 30 minutes, several times per week.
- DO NOT eat after 8pm. Try not to eat anything after dinner.
- DO eat smaller portions. North Americans eat WAY more food than we need, on average. You only need one sandwhich. one burger, one slice of pizza. You don;t have to give up foods you like (I did not diet during ym weight loss), you just have to eat less of the,
- DO eat fruit and vegetables. not only are they better for you, but you will have more energy to exercise, and generally be in a better mood as well.
- DO NOT eat chips, candy, and chocolate. Remember when I said you didn;t ahve to give up for favourite foods? Well, these aren;t foods. They're snacks, they're bad for you, and they can only hurt your goal. Replace them with Peppers, Apples, and Oranges.
- Do NOT contantly weigh yourself, and don't weigh in AT ALL for the first few weeks. If you loose 5lbs, the first thing you'll think is "great, now a deserve a (break, bag of chips, etc....) as a reward. If you keep yourself guessing, you won't loose motivation.
That's what worked for me. Wehn I broke these rules, I gained the weight back.
- Willy Wonka
The Quote function doesn't work for me on this forum. Sorry for any confusion created.
I have not read this entire thread, but the best thing to keep in mind is "moderation". Low carb is good, no carb is bad. Low fat is good, no fat is bad. If a diet or plan requires you to cut anything not only is it probably not going to stick for you, but it is probably not good for you in the long run.
This may not be correct. There is conflicting data in studies conducted in 2005 (OHSU) and even more recently. It may be that you are more likely to crave foods that more negativly effect your sleep, but assuming the same level of activity our metabolism does not care what time it is. Factors that have poluted studies in the past are the fact that people who eat late probably stay up late, and probably get less sleep. Regular deep sleep durring night time hours is a huge factor in weight gain/loss as evidenced by studies done on sleep and night-shift workers.
One easy thing I would try is to begin your day with a decent sized low fat/high protein meal then you are less likely to be hungry throughout the day, and there is some evidence that it might boost metabolism too.
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I agree that the food itself may not be the priamry factor, but is it not true that metabolic processes work differently while the body is asleep and digestion is less efficient? Additionally, even if not so, the sleep factor itself is a good reason to get used to not eating after dinner, as once you're no longer craving after dinner it's easier to fall asleep and you're less likely to affect your sleep.
- Willy Wonka
The Quote function doesn't work for me on this forum. Sorry for any confusion created.
There's some evidence that circadian rhythms have an influence on weight gain, but it's all from animal studies. In general the "late night eating" stuff seems to be correlation, not causation. From my earlier post:
I agree that sleep is important, in fact given the above information it is even more critical, I just think a person needs to do things for the right reasons. It is one of those "moderation" issues. Exercise is good, but rest is just as important.
Reprint Opt for Modern!!
FREE DIG THOROUGH TIME!
PLAY MORE ROUGE DECKS!
Assuming I understand your question correctly, as DrWorm pointed out, rest and recuperation (sleep) go hand-in-hand with digestion because they're both part of the parasympathetic nervous system (the "feed and breed" side of the nervous system, as it's sometimes called).
Indeed. Specifically there's evidence that a spoonful of peanut butter right before bed can both aid sleep and weight loss. I'll have to dig up the reference somewhere; as I recall the study only looked at women, which is an important caveat.