Diet successes

[SpokaneCY]

I made some lifestyle changes about 6 months ago with a big one being cleaning up my diet. I also quit having unprotected sex with Haitian IV drug using prostitutes but I think my weight loss success has been more diet related...

Anywhoo - I adopted a keto diet where I cut carbs way back, kept protein moderate but loaded up on fats of all sorts. Butter, nuts, avocados, olive oil etc... While I've whittled off 30 pounds, the part I'm most thrilled with is the biometrics... I'm off blood pressure meds, I'm off reflux meds, I'm off gout meds, my triglycerides are back into double digits. My HDL has risen while my LDL has fallen and the BEST part is my blood glucose has dropped solidly back into double digits.

I reduced my workout intensity as well. Went from heavy lifting to failure to way more HIIT sessions.

Great thing is I quit being on a diet about 5 months ago after adopting and adapting for 1 month. I've not fallen off the wagon as I don't have any cravings or desires for my old standbys - papa johns pizza for instance.

The toughest thing is to plan and pre-cook the meals as I've never been much of a cook OR a planner but have found I do enjoy cooking meals.

Who else has had successes to brag about?

 

[tre]

#NSNG

 

[Dopey]

Sounds like full on marksdailyapple stuff.

Nice work. Without trying for themselves, people rarely believe the bloodwork improvements of a paleo diet. Sugar is bad stuff, even most naturally occurring stuff.

I've had success with the same strategy.

 

[madguy30]

I haven't had a soda in about a year, and don't miss it. Did't drink a ton anyways, but it generally feels better to not have.

Also started eating more veggies and meats like fish regularly, including on the weekends.

Dropped down to a very healthy weight at one point until my hips went out of alignment (genetics) and I've had issues with my SI joint since, so can't get back to working out, and gained a lot back in a different way.

DID learn a lot about the how important it is to keep the core strong and intact correctly so things were still learned.

Need to get on track with it but I learned that eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive, and eating doesn't mean everything has to taste amazing, and I wish our culture was one that valued sustainable healthy eating and exercise as starting points, although some of the companies that have had a hand in contributing to obesity are starting to adapt a bit.

 

[BCClone]

Keto diet? Is that the dude who lived with OJ who did nothing but surf and stuff? Suppose he needs to pay the bills now.

 

[SpokaneCY]

Keto diet? Is that the dude who lived with OJ who did nothing but surf and stuff? Suppose he needs to pay the bills now.

Brah! Dude?

 

[dmclone]

I've never figured out why every year there is a new type of diet. I've never known a person who didn't lose weight by eating the right amount of calories. If you are fat than you're eating too many calories. Yes you may be able to work off some of those calories but on the other hand you can just sit on your ass 24/7 and eat the right number of calories.

 

[wxman1]

I did the 21 Day Fix through Beach Body last year. I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off but have not done anything since then. My fault not the diets. I am buckling back down trying to eat healthier and actually work out with the hopes of losing 30 more pounds.

Consumer Report: Beach Body had the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

 

[Dr.bannedman]

your post have become more civil.

 

[CyCrazy]

I have never needed a diet. Sucks for those that do.

 

[SerenityNow]

Diets have never worked for me, mainly because I can't stick to them. I've found the most success in moderation. Instead of no pizza or 5 pieces, I eat 2.

I miss the days when I could drop 5 pounds like that. Now it's the opposite.

 

[madguy30]

I've never figured out why every year there is a new type of diet. I've never known a person who didn't lose weight by eating the right amount of calories. If you are fat than you're eating too many calories. Yes you may be able to work off some of those calories but on the other hand you can just sit on your ass 24/7 and eat the right number of calories.

I saw a photo of myself from a few years ago, when I thought simply working out/running would even out the weekends of typical restaurant food/portions and beer. The fat around my face compared to the past year of focusing on diet says otherwise.

Changing eating habits takes some time but to me the mental and emotional results make it that much simpler to comprehend.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I've never figured out why every year there is a new type of diet. I've never known a person who didn't lose weight by eating the right amount of calories. If you are fat than you're eating too many calories. Yes you may be able to work off some of those calories but on the other hand you can just sit on your ass 24/7 and eat the right number of calories.

That's fine if your only concern is weight. If you want to get yourself into great shape and truly be healthy, there's far more to it than calories.

 

[Redman97]

I made some lifestyle changes about 6 months ago with a big one being cleaning up my diet. I also quit having unprotected sex with Haitian IV drug using prostitutes but I think my weight loss success has been more diet related...

Anywhoo - I adopted a keto diet where I cut carbs way back, kept protein moderate but loaded up on fats of all sorts. Butter, nuts, avocados, olive oil etc... While I've whittled off 30 pounds, the part I'm most thrilled with is the biometrics... I'm off blood pressure meds, I'm off reflux meds, I'm off gout meds, my triglycerides are back into double digits. My HDL has risen while my LDL has fallen and the BEST part is my blood glucose has dropped solidly back into double digits.

I reduced my workout intensity as well. Went from heavy lifting to failure to way more HIIT sessions.

Great thing is I quit being on a diet about 5 months ago after adopting and adapting for 1 month. I've not fallen off the wagon as I don't have any cravings or desires for my old standbys - papa johns pizza for instance.

The toughest thing is to plan and pre-cook the meals as I've never been much of a cook OR a planner but have found I do enjoy cooking meals.

Who else has had successes to brag about?

I did this once and never felt better.
Now I'm all ice cream and beer. [shrug]

 

[Dopey]

I've never figured out why every year there is a new type of diet. I've never known a person who didn't lose weight by eating the right amount of calories. If you are fat than you're eating too many calories. Yes you may be able to work off some of those calories but on the other hand you can just sit on your ass 24/7 and eat the right number of calories.

All calories are not necessarily equal when trying to lose weight. And if the goal is overall health, as it should be, your method would not be ideal.

 

[Tre4ISU]

I did the 21 Day Fix through Beach Body last year. I lost 15 pounds and have kept it off but have not done anything since then. My fault not the diets. I am buckling back down trying to eat healthier and actually work out with the hopes of losing 30 more pounds.

Consumer Report: Beach Body had the worst customer service I have ever experienced.

I don't know about their CS as I've only had to cancel a few things and that got done but I really like some of their stuff. I've used their Pre and Shakeology and I thought both were great. I did do some research and found much cheaper ways to get the same things but it takes a little work so I understand why people do it. I'm a big fan of a lot of their workout programs. I got great results out of Hammer and Chisel and those workouts were really fun to do.

The one thing that I changed when I had the best success was my mindset. Look at food as fuel and don't look at eating as an event. I made a few simple rules that still allowed me to enjoy some things I liked but otherwise stuck to eating well. For me, pizza is a killer so I said I could eat that once a week and I could eat another cheat meal per week. For the most part that was getting fries at a bar with my grilled chicken sandwich. I cut out a lot of sugars. The biggest thing, for me, was going home and working out over lunch and having my shake for lunch. It was kind of a double whammy.

 

[Lexclone]

I cut out alcohol and dessert during week nights in June and kept it up (with a mild holiday hiatus). The rest of my diet was already reasonably healthy so I am glad this worked, or I don't know what I would have done. I also put in a 3 mile walk everyday with 10 minutes of light resistance training. I've dropped 15-20 lbs.

I had a physical with blood work recently. My triglycerides were low (60s), but my cholesterol was in the high next to high (230s). The odd thing was my HDL was a healthy part of that total such that my HDL ratio was a respectable 3.3. I had hoped for my cholesterol total less than 200, but I guess higher HDL is OK.

 

[BikeSkiClone]

The last few months I've been diligent about recording all of my intake. Currently aiming for 40/30/30 Carbs/Fat/Protein %s each day and tend to be closer to >45/<20/35+/- so trying to get carbs under control more. Have hit protein goal (by grams) every day for weeks now. Today I'm at 39/22/39 and a big reason for that is I subbed cauliflower "rice" in place of brown rice in my stirfry (not bad, btw). I love pasta, rice, bananas, wraps, and taco shells. Extra note that I tend to eat a decent-sized lunch and dinner, small breakfast (usually yogurt cup + vitamin, fish oil, etc combo + milk or shake) and have 2 - 3 small snacks (a banana, protein bar, yogurt cup, etc) at other times. It works well as a student to have something I can eat quick in class.

I don't like how MFP, Fitbit, and the like track non-cardio exercise so I just track my loads and reps in a spreadsheet on my own. One thing I can't stress enough to people who are just jumping into diets and/or fitness plans with the aim of losing weight: Do Not Weigh Yourself Daily. Your body will fluctuate day to day, especially for women, and the progress will feel so much slower. Especially if you're trying to build muscle too -- your weight may not change much but your appearance will. There's no need to know your weight every single day unless you're a wrestler, boxer, or jockey. I currently weigh myself about every 10 - 14 days.

Today I got excited when I sat down in the Hip Thrust bench/sled and could roll a barbell w/ regular-sized bumpers over my legs without it touching my quads. First day I've been able to do that since I added that exercise two weeks ago. My clothes aren't so tight and I have to readjust the drawstrings in shorts and sweatpants -- winning! Edit: I also workout in the morning, either on an empty stomach (with a preworkout water-mixed drink) or two hours after having a yogurt cup (still w/ a preworkout drink).


Since I just saw @Dopey's post, an addendum to his: A gram of carbohydrate and a gram of protein are each 4 calories. A gram of fat is 9 calories.

 

[Gorm]

Keto diets rock. I myself did a modified Ideal Protein diet, and while on it was averaging about .5 pound lost a day. Still have plenty more to lose, planning on getting back on the wagon here this month.

 

[alarson]

All calories are not necessarily equal when trying to lose weight. And if the goal is overall health, as it should be, your method would not be ideal.

When trying just to lose weight, yes, yes they are.

Though certain calories make it *easier* to lose weight, due to being more satiating so you arent hungry and ready for more food as soon (this is where diets like keto can excel).

Ultimately there's no 'secret' diet when you're trying to lose. Its whatever you can stick to that keeps you at a deficit. If thats 8 small meals but that helps you stick to it, then do that. If that's 1 large meal, do that.

Lost 80 a few years ago. Unfortunately a lot of **** happened in life and i gained 2/3 of it back. Lost 20lbs again this fall though so working it back down. So... i know the process pretty well, unfortunately.