Weight Loss Thread.

[StuartGrant]

Spawned from the "Who are our members" discussion when we got off topic, here's a dedicated thread about weight loss. I hope this can become a helpful tool to learn how to do it, share your success stories, your struggles, and your knowledge with others. I hope this doesn't just become a thread to post motivational photo's and messages.

Please follow all forum rules, discussions of health, eating and exercise can get heated as everyone has very different opinions and everyone thinks they are an expert on the matter. If you don't agree with someone, do NOT attack them, make your argument rationally and respectfully.

Weight loss is a very tricky thing to accomplish if you have any significant amount of weight to lose. Even if you get off on a good footing and lose a lot of weight it is a fact that most people gain back anything that they lose, hopefully this thread will help out with keeping that from happening to you.

My name is Stuart, I'm an engineer/engineering student and I spend most of my day sitting at a desk typing away. On July 15th, 2013 I had a wake up call. I had driven from Detroit to Chicago that weekend to hang out with my car club at our annual meeting. 5 hours driving west in the afternoon without AC meant that my windows were down the whole time, and by Friday night my left eye was burning. By the time I got home Sunday my vision was going blurry, I was worried that binge eating Deep Fried Pickles at Quaker Steak and Lube all weekend had shot my blood sugar to dangerous levels. Testing myself I found my sugar was a bit high, 180 IIRC, but when I stepped on my scale I saw something that didn't expect. 470 pounds. That day I decided to change my life, lose the weight, and keep it off for good. To date, Sept 27th, 2013 I have lost 133.2 pounds.

In the long run, the eye thing was just a corneal sunburn caused by nearly staring into the sun for five hours without sunglasses on, but the whole event was a kick in the ass to me. It could have just as easily been a symptom of something much worse.

So I started counting my calories for a few weeks. I use an easy to use app/webpage called LoseIT! (http://www.loseit.com) which makes counting calories simple and fast. Don't know how many calories are in a product on a store shelf? Just use your camera to scan the barcode and fetch the information.

The first thing I want you to do is create a goal. A realistic goal. I'd encourage you to talk with your doctor to establish such a goal, but if you don't want to, look at a BMI chart and figure out where you want to be, 19-24 is the ideal statistical range. Now that you have a goal, write it down, seal it in an envelope, and don't tell anyone what that goal is.

Counting Calories isn't for everyone, some people just can't stand to sit for five minutes at the end of a meal and enter it into the phone, for them just eating smaller portions and moving more can get the job done. But if you're the type of person who can sit there and every meal of every day enter your food into your phone, and not lie to yourself while you do it, I guarantee you can lose weight consistently.

In an effort to not make this post too long, I'd like to direct you to the following FAQ from Reddit's Lose The Fat board, it answers just about every question you might have, offering differing opinions and letting you decide.
http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/faq

In closing, I want to say that there will probably be a lot of people who preach an "Eating Healthy/Natural/Organic/Paleo" as the only way to lose weight and get healthy. They're wrong. It works for them, but not everyone has time or money or skill to eat from such a diet. It is possible to lose weight eating a McDonald only diet, trust me, at times I go through phases where I eat at McDonald a lot, I tend to not get the menu items which I know are packed with carbs like French Fries, Big Mac, etc, but that's my choice because I find I perform best with a high protein, medium fat, low carb diet. Find out what works for you, and keep at it, day in and day out till you have reached your goal.

 

[StuartGrant]

In regards to exercise.

Exercise is a great way to get healthy and help lose weight, but it's not the be all end all of anything.

Weight loss is Thermodynamics, if energy out is greater than energy in, your change in energy (weight loss) is negative, if energy in is greater than energy out, your change in energy is positive. A thermodynamic deficit can readily be achieved without exercise, there are people who are bed bound that lose lots of weight, it just means going without food more often.

There are psychological effects to deliberate exercise for the purpose of weight loss though. If you spend 40 minutes a day dedicated to exercising to lose weight, you are less likely to cheat on the diet because that means you're not wasting your time. But there's a pitfall with it as well. Exercise makes you hungry, a reward mentality can get started where you reward yourself for expending those extra calories by eating treats. But a lot of people don't stop to think about how many calories they're eating compared to how many you've burned. Walking for an hour at 3mph for me burns all of 400 calories. A Starbucks Tall Pumpkin Spice Creme is 490 calories, so if I treat myself to a tasty beverage after doing all that work I wind up with an excess 90 calories, about a medium sized banana.

Just as with how to lose weight, there are a million different ways to exercise and everyone thinks they're right. Some people claim that you MUST do Cardio, be it running, biking, eliptical, treadmill, etc. There are others who claim the opposite, that weight lifting is the way to go for fitness, this is where I fall, but I'm not fanatical about it. An hour of intense cardio, without a doubt burns more calories than strength training, about 1200cals/hr as opposed to 800cals/hr in my case. But I enjoy picking things up and putting them down, I hate sitting on a stationary bike for an hour.

People will argue that because it burns more calories, cardiovascular exercise is better, and to some extent this is true. It depletes blood glucose rapidly and causes the body to begin to scavenge energy from other sources, such as fat, but it also scavenges from muscle tissue, the proteins being broken down and used as energy, thus you can lose a bit of lean body mass over time on a cardio heavy routine, and for every pound of lean body mass lost you lose about 5 calories per day off your Base Metabolic Rate (BMR) and are generally weaker. Strength Training conversely builds lean body mass, thus increasing BMR. But there's a thing people don't often learn when they're starting out, it is all but impossible to add lean body mass while at a caloric deficit.

Body Builders, who aren't on steriods, typically try to gain .5lbs of lean body mass a weak when they're bulking, while cutting (losing fat but not muscle) the time it takes to get this is measured in months.

So again, you have to determine your goal and plan from there. Do you often have to outrun unruly mobs of zombies? Cardio might do the trick for you. Do you often find yourself in a situation where someone is trapped under a car that's on fire but can't lift them? Strength training might be something to look at.

 

[zelio]

Weight loss Year 1
My name is Z and I will be 73 in mid November. I started this weight loss journey at roughly 370 pounds in December 2009. I had learned that the pain that had increasingly limited my mobiity was because my right hip was missing the top 1/4-1/3 of the ball joint. I should have been in a wheel chair but refused to go that route because I knew at my age, I would never walk again if I gave in to it. It took 3 tries to find an orthopedic surgeon who knew how and was willing to replace my hip because of my extreme pear shape. He told me if I lost 100-150 pounds he could do the surgery. He also highly recommended Gastric bypass surgery. That was February 19, 2010.

I started reducing my food intake immediately and attended my first meeting at the weight loss clinic in Portland, OR in March. After all the tests I was told I would not lose weight until I got my calorie intake below 1100 calories. I bought a diet journal, recorded my first weeks intake without dieting to give me an idea what I was eating. I was at 2100 calories per day. The next week I dropped it down to 1800 calories and immediately started losing weight! LOL I realized they were judging my "lack of activity" inaccurately. It took much more engery for me to do what 99% of the population consider normal activities because of my extreme disability. To cut a long story short, I was scheduled for Gastric Bypass surgery in mid-July. The delay gave me the chance to lose more weight on my own and for my care giver/sister to recover from knee surgery in Bremerton, WA before coming to Sutherlin to help me.

In the meantime, I used Craigslist ride share to find people needing to go to Portland to help me drive there for my monthly appointments and for my support group meetings - always scheduled for the same day. I used the same source for finding people to help me drive home. My sister had a physical therapy set back in June so we moved my surgery date to mid-August. I still went to Portland for meetings and appointments and by surgery date I was down to 1300 calories/day and had lost 70 pounds - an averagem loss 11 1/2 pounds/month.

My surgery went well but my reaction to pain meds did not so I ended up in PT rehab for 5 1/2 weeks in Portland before I was able to go home. My weight loss dropped to an average of 5 1/2 pounds/month between then and December when I reached my first goal - 100 pounds lost. I got a new referral to the orthopedic surgeon for January, got a call saying he would not be able to keep that appointment but could I come in the next day. I would have figured out a way to walk there if I had to but fortunatly I was able to get there by car. He said yes he could do the surgery but it would be 5 months because he was already booked through April. That was fine with me because that meant more weight loss pre surgery.

I started attending support group meetings in Medford that month and have continued to this day not only because of the shorter drive but because I really like the group. I went to the pool 3 times a week even though the only thing I could do without hip pain was tread water for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. I had to get in the pool using a hydraulic lift. I could not walk long distances and instead sat on my Mighty Mac walker (the largest seated walker made) pushed by my sister. I was still at 1300 calories/day high protein, moderate carbs, vegetables free except potatoes and corn. Thus ends year 1.

edited 11/5/14 for easier reading. :-) Z

 

[AriLea]

I also might suggest if needed get some Choline as a ?methane? group, helps with some types of 'depletion' headaches and hunger pangs. The 'dome' pang and not the 'flat' one. Don't know how else to describe it. It's all tied up with something like insulin - anti-insulin, insulin control and the anti-control, about 6 sets of those things involved. i.e materials your liver, pancreas etc needs to produce those enzymes and control factors.
Anyway, if it helps within 6 hours, you needed it. Use for a few days, and then can drop off until you need it again. Cheep and safe fix for that one issue.
Other less common diet depletions, if needed, dietary iodine. B's and Iron are more commonly known ones.

 

[Mike W]

My weight loss was nothing so drastic, I think I took a total of 26 pounds off. My wife and I used information we got from a book called State of Slim. It was written by a pair of doctors here in Colorado. They noticed that Colorado was at or near the top of the fittest/least overweight state in the Union and set out to find why. For us it was a common sense way to approach it, using both diet and exercise to lose weight. I know that sounds less than revolutionary but the way they approach it works amazingly well and not at all food/exercise nazi in it's approach. That's not to say it's not without effort or work, there's both. I suggest if you've tried a bunch of others, take a peak at this. Oh, I nearly forgot, what do you do when you've reached your goal? It seems like most diets just end at the goal, what about maintaining the result of your long weeks/months of hard work, this book covers that as well. State of Slim, James O. Hill and Holly Wyatt, M.D.

 

[Norahsbed]

Okay here's my story: I had a high stress, sit on my duff all day job, which resulted in stress eating! I hit 188#s and knew I had to do something, I quit the job and within a few months had dropped to 145#.that was 20+ years ago. I put a few pounds back on over that time and I bounced between 150 and 160 for the last several years.

My last trip to the Dr. Proved to be the push I needed to get back to a healthy weight! I have mild arthritis in both hips and taking off the extra pounds will make them last longer. ( My Mom just had a total hip replacement in May at the age of 83 ) My A1C level was 6 which put me in the prediabeteic category, not to surprising, as both parents have type2 diabetes. If you have a parent who has type2 diabetes, your chances are doubled that you will too, if both parents have it, well you really have to pay attention to your A1C level! I have mine checked twice a year and this was the first time it was higher than 4.7. My cholesterol levels were good including triglycerides and LDLs but my HDLs were a little low, I needed more good fats and fiber in my diet.

I had put my Dad on the "South Beach Diet" when his A1C level kept climbing. After 4 months his level was normal and he kept it there for more than 5 years. Age and other health problem started to catch up with him and he eventually had to go on insulin. So my answer was the "South Beach Diet"!

I don't like to call it a diet, as it's really teaching yourself or reteaching yourself to eat right! Lean proteins, good carbs and the right fats in your diet can make all the difference. So we started Sunday, July 6th and have both dropped more than 20#s. We eat 3 meals a day and 1-3 snacks per day and are never hungry. We are Averaging 1or 2 pounds per week. As Dr. Agatston ( author and developer of the diet ) puts it, you didn't put all that weight on in a few months, it took you years, so don't try to take it all off in a few months.

I also started a stretching exercise program for my hips, which turned into streaching all major muscle groups. I can't run at all or walk on hard pavement, as this will aggravate my hip condition. So stretching is my answer. I have signed up at a health facility, where my wife works and will start next week (if my landscaping project is done, 1 week has turned into 2 weeks and I don't think they will be done today). I will workout with a friend to keep us both motivated. I plan on hitting the local indoor pool when the weather changes, if I can find my swimsuit.

Other thing we have also done is taking supplements, a multivitamin, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega 3-6-9, calcium, glucosamine for our joints and aspirin 81mg per day. We both have a family history of strokes, that's what the aspirin is for. It also helps stop plaque from clogging up your arteries, leading to strokes and heart attacks. These were all recommended by my Dr.

If you are planning a weight loss program, please consult your Dr. or a nutritionist prior to starting. Have your blood work done up so you know your starting point and have it rechecked every 6 months or yearly. This will tell you how well your diet changes are affecting your overall health. You can lose weight and still have your cholesterol level rise or your A1C.

Congratulations to all who have been successful, no matter your method, it worked for you and that's what counts!
To those who are starting out, you are only as successful as you want to be! Don't get discouraged because the scale doesn't move, it will! You don't have to "exercise" but you do need to get up and move! This will get easier as you drop the weight and you will find after awhile you can't sit still, you need to do something!
Good luck!

 

[Critter]

I was mostly always healthy and somewhat fit until a major accident 6/06/2006. 5'8" at 160 lbs. 31 inch waist. Had almost half my face knocked off with the crank handle from a boat trailer. After surgery and being totally blind for a few months. My eyesight came back in my left eye. Once the bandages came off and 12 stitches removed from my right eye, That eye works when wearing glasses. The 18 months of staying in a recliner at 45 degrees. and the meds and steriods I was on, my weight was at 408 lbs when the doc said I could go back to work on a Tuesday in January. That Friday my wife of 14 years left home. Said she married Brad Pitt, not John Candy. Started trying to lose weight, rebuild any sort of muscles that had just faded away. My father and Aunt are both Diabetics. The sugars levels I was watching was frequeltly too low. I was dieting seriously. After a few spacy moments and almost fainting spells. Doc sent me to a food specalist that told me I had to eat more and exersize only moderately so I would not pass out. I have recovered enough to do some of the things I used to do. Limits are no sudden pressure changes on my eye or it might implode. I feel good that I am down to 280 lbs. the loss is slow and methodical. Eating correctly, no sweets, low carbs, and make a point to exersize regularly. Now taking 2 kinds of meds to keep my sugar levels regulated. My girlfriend was upset that there are no sweets in the house. If any sweets was in the house I would be too tempted. She loves Chocolate. Fruits and nuts on the table and veggies in the fridge is my snacks. My kids when they were young helped me a lot. We frequently went to the roller skating rink on Friday nights. They had their fun while I slowly drove hard and turned left. The farm is dormant. No more critters around to take care of. I plant a few rows of corn and shoot a deer every year to put the corn in the freezer the easy way. Nice lean meat. I have felt if I tried to ride a horse again It would be too cruel . Had to upgrade my motorcycle. The 750 honda shadow did not like to haul me around. replace my little 14 ft fishing boat with a bass boat so I would be stable in it. Did not even try to use the 10 ft john boat. my son plays around in it.

 

[DWR]

I was mostly always healthy and somewhat fit until a major accident 6/06/2006. 5'8" at 160 lbs. 31 inch waist. Had almost half my face knocked off with the crank handle from a boat trailer. After surgery and being totally blind for a few months. My eyesight came back in my left eye. Once the bandages came off and 12 stitches removed from my right eye, That eye works when wearing glasses. The 18 months of staying in a recliner at 45 degrees. and the meds and steriods I was on, my weight was at 408 lbs when the doc said I could go back to work on a Tuesday in January. That Friday my wife of 14 years left home. Said she married Brad Pitt, not John Candy. Started trying to lose weight, rebuild any sort of muscles that had just faded away. My father and Aunt are both Diabetics. The sugars levels I was watching was frequeltly too low. I was dieting seriously. After a few spacy moments and almost fainting spells. Doc sent me to a food specalist that told me I had to eat more and exersize only moderately so I would not pass out. I have recovered enough to do some of the things I used to do. Limits are no sudden pressure changes on my eye or it might implode. I feel good that I am down to 280 lbs. the loss is slow and methodical. Eating correctly, no sweets, low carbs, and make a point to exersize regularly. Now taking 2 kinds of meds to keep my sugar levels regulated. My girlfriend was upset that there are no sweets in the house. If any sweets was in the house I would be too tempted. She loves Chocolate. Fruits and nuts on the table and veggies in the fridge is my snacks. My kids when they were young helped me a lot. We frequently went to the roller skating rink on Friday nights. They had their fun while I slowly drove hard and turned left. The farm is dormant. No more critters around to take care of. I plant a few rows of corn and shoot a deer every year to put the corn in the freezer the easy way. Nice lean meat. I have felt if I tried to ride a horse again It would be too cruel . Had to upgrade my motorcycle. The 750 honda shadow did not like to haul me around. replace my little 14 ft fishing boat with a bass boat so I would be stable in it. Did not even try to use the 10 ft john boat. my son plays around in it.

Sounds like things are slowly falling back into place for you Critter. Glad to hear it! Oh, and if you ever need help thinning that deer herd. just let me know.

 

[Mike W]

I was mostly always healthy and somewhat fit until a major accident 6/06/2006. 5'8" at 160 lbs. 31 inch waist. Had almost half my face knocked off with the crank handle from a boat trailer. After surgery and being totally blind for a few months. My eyesight came back in my left eye. Once the bandages came off and 12 stitches removed from my right eye, That eye works when wearing glasses. The 18 months of staying in a recliner at 45 degrees. and the meds and steriods I was on, my weight was at 408 lbs when the doc said I could go back to work on a Tuesday in January. That Friday my wife of 14 years left home. Said she married Brad Pitt, not John Candy. Started trying to lose weight, rebuild any sort of muscles that had just faded away. My father and Aunt are both Diabetics. The sugars levels I was watching was frequeltly too low. I was dieting seriously. After a few spacy moments and almost fainting spells. Doc sent me to a food specalist that told me I had to eat more and exersize only moderately so I would not pass out. I have recovered enough to do some of the things I used to do. Limits are no sudden pressure changes on my eye or it might implode. I feel good that I am down to 280 lbs. the loss is slow and methodical. Eating correctly, no sweets, low carbs, and make a point to exersize regularly. Now taking 2 kinds of meds to keep my sugar levels regulated. My girlfriend was upset that there are no sweets in the house. If any sweets was in the house I would be too tempted. She loves Chocolate. Fruits and nuts on the table and veggies in the fridge is my snacks. My kids when they were young helped me a lot. We frequently went to the roller skating rink on Friday nights. They had their fun while I slowly drove hard and turned left. The farm is dormant. No more critters around to take care of. I plant a few rows of corn and shoot a deer every year to put the corn in the freezer the easy way. Nice lean meat. I have felt if I tried to ride a horse again It would be too cruel . Had to upgrade my motorcycle. The 750 honda shadow did not like to haul me around. replace my little 14 ft fishing boat with a bass boat so I would be stable in it. Did not even try to use the 10 ft john boat. my son plays around in it.

That is nothing short of amazing! Well done! Hang in there and continue on, step by step!

 

[Norahsbed]

Stuart, I agree with you on exercise in any form is a sure fire way to help lose weight. Recent studies prove that just 5 minutes a day of mild exercise can improve your over all health. Basically it's the get up and move
" movement "! It requires no equipment, you don't have to join a gym, you can do it anytime of day, you can break it up into 1 minute blocks but you have to move! Just standing there doesn't count! You won't hear to many people saying its a great exercise program but the reasoning behind it is, if we can get you up for 5 minutes everyday, that's more than you were doing before and hopefully you'll do more as time goes on.