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Counting Calories
- Thread starter stubeeef
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I've created some motivation to lose weight by entering the London Marathon - it's in 8 months time, so i have no choice but to get going with a jogging program.
Let's not forget the importance of exercise when trying to lose weight - eating healthily is great of course, but i find that i want to eat well when i'm exercising regularly - it's like my body knows it needs good quality fuel.
Of course you don't have to do a marathon to get fit, but i find it helps if i have a goal to aim for. And like one of the previous posters i'm a bit of a geek about it, and keep a running diary for motivation.
I've got about 30lbs to shift, so wish me luck!
Stubeef - you're so right about drinking water - I heard that most of the time when you feel hungry, you've just mistaken hunger for the sensation of thirst.
Let's not forget the importance of exercise when trying to lose weight - eating healthily is great of course, but i find that i want to eat well when i'm exercising regularly - it's like my body knows it needs good quality fuel.
Of course you don't have to do a marathon to get fit, but i find it helps if i have a goal to aim for. And like one of the previous posters i'm a bit of a geek about it, and keep a running diary for motivation.
I've got about 30lbs to shift, so wish me luck!
Stubeef - you're so right about drinking water - I heard that most of the time when you feel hungry, you've just mistaken hunger for the sensation of thirst.
I second that regarding exercise. I haven't reduced my calorie intake at all (that i've noticed although i don't count) but in the last 4 months i have taken to cycling to work. Since the start of august that has meant a 20 mile round trip and people are now commenting on the difference. For me it means that i get to eat a lot more cakes!!
The other good thing about drinking water is that it fills your stomach and so you tend to feel satiated - bye bye hunger.
The other good thing about drinking water is that it fills your stomach and so you tend to feel satiated - bye bye hunger.
Here's my thing:
Protein drink made of
2 parts Hemp protein (30%)
2 parts Chia seed
1 part Flax seed
1 part psyllium husk
grind the seeds into a powder in a coffee grinder. Have a heaping tablespoon in water, let stand 5 minutes for the powder to absorb water (tastes OK, not nearly as bad as soy protein).
The Chia seed is a Mexican desert plant, good protein, Omega oils and complex carbs. It is hydrophyllic, so it absorbs water like crazy. This means its a great thing to take before strenuous exercise, because it holds water in your gut and staves off dehydration. My son says if he has a helping of chia, he can work out an extra hour at the gym.
Flax is full of omega oils and lignins and is also hydrophyllic. The psyllium husk adds fibre. The Hemp protein (derived from the hemp seed after much of the oil has been pressed out) is a decent protein, relatively low calorie and doesn't need sugar and flavoring to cover it up like whey does.
This makes a satisfying feeling in the stomach, and damps down hunger nicely. I take a glass 1/2 hour before meals and have been able to completely cut out breads and baked goods from my diet (I used to have to have 4 slices with each meal (or thirds of potatoes) to feel "full").
At meals I have some lean protein - salmon, tuna, egg or chicken - plus a veg., and a spinach or tomato salad with olive oil and flax oil and some feta cheese. Sometimes, just a spinach and hb egg salad for dinner.
Important to have enough fats (like the olive oil) in your diet or your body will remain hungry, craving them.
Any juice labelled "cocktail" or "drink" will be mainly sugar water with some juice concentrate. "Blends" often are predominantly apple or white grape juice, which are high in sugars.
You can get an unsweetened 100% cranberry juice - Just Cranberry from Knudsen's, and an unsweetened 100% blueberry from Bremner. Together they make a good antioxident punch. I mix these with some Red Grape (for some sweetening and to get the grape bioflavinoids without the alcohol of red wine) and then dilute with water. The Cranberry straight is puckering sour, but is great 1:5 with water or soda water.
So: results so far are much fewer hunger pangs and cravings than on other diets, and 10 lbs off in 4 weeks.
Protein drink made of
2 parts Hemp protein (30%)
2 parts Chia seed
1 part Flax seed
1 part psyllium husk
grind the seeds into a powder in a coffee grinder. Have a heaping tablespoon in water, let stand 5 minutes for the powder to absorb water (tastes OK, not nearly as bad as soy protein).
The Chia seed is a Mexican desert plant, good protein, Omega oils and complex carbs. It is hydrophyllic, so it absorbs water like crazy. This means its a great thing to take before strenuous exercise, because it holds water in your gut and staves off dehydration. My son says if he has a helping of chia, he can work out an extra hour at the gym.
Flax is full of omega oils and lignins and is also hydrophyllic. The psyllium husk adds fibre. The Hemp protein (derived from the hemp seed after much of the oil has been pressed out) is a decent protein, relatively low calorie and doesn't need sugar and flavoring to cover it up like whey does.
This makes a satisfying feeling in the stomach, and damps down hunger nicely. I take a glass 1/2 hour before meals and have been able to completely cut out breads and baked goods from my diet (I used to have to have 4 slices with each meal (or thirds of potatoes) to feel "full").
At meals I have some lean protein - salmon, tuna, egg or chicken - plus a veg., and a spinach or tomato salad with olive oil and flax oil and some feta cheese. Sometimes, just a spinach and hb egg salad for dinner.
Important to have enough fats (like the olive oil) in your diet or your body will remain hungry, craving them.
Any juice labelled "cocktail" or "drink" will be mainly sugar water with some juice concentrate. "Blends" often are predominantly apple or white grape juice, which are high in sugars.
You can get an unsweetened 100% cranberry juice - Just Cranberry from Knudsen's, and an unsweetened 100% blueberry from Bremner. Together they make a good antioxident punch. I mix these with some Red Grape (for some sweetening and to get the grape bioflavinoids without the alcohol of red wine) and then dilute with water. The Cranberry straight is puckering sour, but is great 1:5 with water or soda water.
So: results so far are much fewer hunger pangs and cravings than on other diets, and 10 lbs off in 4 weeks.
There are plenty of great ways to lose weight, here are a few (feel free to add more):
1: diet and exercise (and forget fad diets, senible calorie counting is all you need)
2. Anorexia +/- bulimia but not bulimia alone (for further distinction see psych textbook)
3. Severe d+V
4. Cancer
As a medical professional i can't recommend methods 2 through 4.
1: diet and exercise (and forget fad diets, senible calorie counting is all you need)
2. Anorexia +/- bulimia but not bulimia alone (for further distinction see psych textbook)
3. Severe d+V
4. Cancer
As a medical professional i can't recommend methods 2 through 4.
stubeeef said:
yes i have... but gawddamn it's slow going for some reason. i am pissed that after all this i only lost 6 measly pounds. i guess i need to be more "extreme" about it.
[grrrrrr] sorry, seemed a good time and place to sort of vent about it.
this thread was very informative and inspirational though and i sure appreciate that! i'd still be packing those 6 pounds had i not stumbled into this thread
Try ignoring the scale and looking at the tape.iBlue said:yes i have... but gawddamn it's slow going for some reason. i am pissed that after all this i only lost 6 measly pounds. i guess i need to be more "extreme" about it.
sorry, seemed a good time and place to sort of vent about it.
this thread was very informative and inspirational though and i sure appreciate that! i'd still be packing those 6 pounds had i not stumbled into this thread
My wife is finding that after the first 15 lbs (she started before me!) her weightloss has plateau'ed but her dimensions continue to reduce.
The only time that I have been aware of calories is during my participation in multiple research studies. The dietitians are the ones that monitor my calories via daily weights. Wanted to keep my weight with 5 lbs so that it would affect my blood pressure.
That's probably because muscle weighs more than fat... so as you lean out, you might even gain pounds if you're also exercising and gaining muscle mass. But like Canada pointed out, no problems because you look/feel better and muscle mass burns more calories!CanadaRAM said:
Over a span of 10 months (late Jan. '04 to end of Nov. '04) I lost 51 pounds, going from 200 to 149. During the first two months I kept daily intake to between 600-800 calories.
The regimen consisted of vegetables, chicken, tuna, apples, yogurt and salad with no fat dressing. At my recent weigh-in during my last doctor's visit I was 150. It has not proven to be that much of a struggle as I enjoy the foods I eat ... sure, it's not an especially scintillating array to choose from, but what matters is that it has proven effective for me.
Cholesterol went from the 210 range to a low of 149. If you get into the proper and determined mindset, you can achieve impressive results.
The regimen consisted of vegetables, chicken, tuna, apples, yogurt and salad with no fat dressing. At my recent weigh-in during my last doctor's visit I was 150. It has not proven to be that much of a struggle as I enjoy the foods I eat ... sure, it's not an especially scintillating array to choose from, but what matters is that it has proven effective for me.
Cholesterol went from the 210 range to a low of 149. If you get into the proper and determined mindset, you can achieve impressive results.
congrats cinnamon
question: were/are you exercising at all? especially during the 800 calorie days... i am just thinking that an hour walk/run would burn like 600 cals and i would think that on 800/day that could be a bit extreme....
so just curious on that
question: were/are you exercising at all? especially during the 800 calorie days... i am just thinking that an hour walk/run would burn like 600 cals and i would think that on 800/day that could be a bit extreme....
so just curious on that
jelloshotsrule said:
As a long-standing headache sufferer, I typically avoid strenuous exercise. What I did do was walk about 20 minutes after lunch on workdays during those first two months. Fortunately, everything worked out nicely and I am very pleased with the results. Thanks for asking.
stubeeef said:
I'm checking in right now at 157 with plans on getting down to a Jagger-esque 145. Nonetheless, I used to weigh 200 about 6 years ago. I was an absolute feastman. Every meal was an event. I wound up dropping about 40 lbs in 5-6 months. Man, it felt great to buy new clothes because I knew anything I tried on would look good. No more going with the untucked shirt look to hide the beef. There seemed to be a latent stress when getting dressed every day.
One thing I recommend to anyone who has lost considerable weight - the next time you are at the gym, pick up a 25-35-45 lb weight (depending on what you've lost), hold it up against your hip and walk around for a minute or so. Just think about and feel that excess stress on your heart.
I think I've evolved from living in the north. Every fall I pack on about 20-30lbs and every spring I drop about 20-25 over about 2 months. It's weird, all my Christmas photos make me look fat. Anyway, if you do the math, you'll notice that I never quite lose all of it and I end up "with interest".
Last year was the worst, I saw 250 for the first time in my life and just had to do something. Physics wins every time. I cut my calories (not to 800 that's just plain crazy and unhealthy, but I fully understand the military's take on it) and threw in some exercise and I lost 25 of them. I've since moved and have had a hard time getting back into the gym, but I've at least managed not to gain it back. We'll see how this winter goes.
Last year was the worst, I saw 250 for the first time in my life and just had to do something. Physics wins every time. I cut my calories (not to 800 that's just plain crazy and unhealthy, but I fully understand the military's take on it) and threw in some exercise and I lost 25 of them. I've since moved and have had a hard time getting back into the gym, but I've at least managed not to gain it back. We'll see how this winter goes.
Oh yeah, for any of you considering the calorie counting method here are some notes from my brother (the certified personal trainer)
The average human body burns 13 calories per pound just sitting on it's butt. So, basically, you do absolutley nothing but eat 10 calories per pound of body mass and still lose weight. It may not be fast (about 1-2 pounds every other week) but it's a healthy way to lose weight. If you cut your caloires too much, you can put your body into shock, and in the event you start cheating, your body will be like "yay, calories. I haven't seen you for so long! I know just where to put you (pick your most unsighly part)." Moreover, your body likes to burn muscle more than it does fat (it's just easier). So you can become weaker. It's good that most of you guys are doing some sort of resistance training--keep it up.
Your body will not lose weight where you want it to. No matter what the guy on TV says, his product will not just focus on your abs/butt whatever. Sure you can build muscle in these areas, and tone up. But, your body will basically burn fat from the outside in. You (or someone else, usually) will notice it in your face first. So don't get discouraged if you've been eating right and exercising for a few weeks and your clothes still feel tight. Just keep it up and you will prevail.
K, I'm starting to write an essay here, so I'll leave you with this bottom line:
diets are fine if you want to lose weight; they work. But to be healthy, exercise and nutrition are key. I'm glad to see Stubeeef is supplementing with vitamins and at least some exercise. It doesn't take much, and you'll be surprised at how good you feel. GOOD LUCK!
The average human body burns 13 calories per pound just sitting on it's butt. So, basically, you do absolutley nothing but eat 10 calories per pound of body mass and still lose weight. It may not be fast (about 1-2 pounds every other week) but it's a healthy way to lose weight. If you cut your caloires too much, you can put your body into shock, and in the event you start cheating, your body will be like "yay, calories. I haven't seen you for so long! I know just where to put you (pick your most unsighly part)." Moreover, your body likes to burn muscle more than it does fat (it's just easier). So you can become weaker. It's good that most of you guys are doing some sort of resistance training--keep it up.
Your body will not lose weight where you want it to. No matter what the guy on TV says, his product will not just focus on your abs/butt whatever. Sure you can build muscle in these areas, and tone up. But, your body will basically burn fat from the outside in. You (or someone else, usually) will notice it in your face first. So don't get discouraged if you've been eating right and exercising for a few weeks and your clothes still feel tight. Just keep it up and you will prevail.
K, I'm starting to write an essay here, so I'll leave you with this bottom line:
diets are fine if you want to lose weight; they work. But to be healthy, exercise and nutrition are key. I'm glad to see Stubeeef is supplementing with vitamins and at least some exercise. It doesn't take much, and you'll be surprised at how good you feel. GOOD LUCK!
CanadaRAM said:
that would explain all the hair in my shower drain....and how I'm so crabby all the time....You know, I think you're on to something here.
I spent a good deal of my senior year of high school sitting on my ass and eating and I gained a lot of weight, l lost almost 30 lbs by cutting wheat and dairy out of my diet over a period of about 2 months. I never counted carbs or calories, but I'm sure I significantly reduced the amt of calories I ingested just because of food changes.
I went from 200 lbs to ~170-174. Last time I weighed myself I was 172, I believe (I am just under 6' btw, 5'11.5 or so). Since moving to New York I've actually put on two or three pounds of muscle, I think. I've been off my no-wheat, no-dairy diet for a long time now, but I try to eat healthy. I never eat dessert foods. I avoid starches, but that's hard when you have a tight budget.
I certainly see more definition in my legs from all the walking and dancing I do. I was dancing at a club the other night and a guy taking pictures for a magazine actually asked me to lift up my shirt to show off my stomach.
I'm trying to get as much cardio workout as possible, which means lots of dancing (at least 3 times a week, usually 4, for at least 3.5 hours each night) and an occasional hour long jog. Oh, and I avoid elevators like the plague. I always take the stairs given the option. Most of my classes are on the tenth floor of my school building, so I climb 10 flights of stairs pretty often. Also, when you live in NYC you are taking elevators all the time, so if you try to start taking the stairs rather than the elevator it can make a huge difference in the amount of exercise you get from day to day.
Basically, my recommendation for weight loss and muscle building when you're too cheap to get a gym membership would be to cut out wheat and dairy from your diet and then try to get exercise in your daily life. Do crunches before you go to bed, go jogging, take a walk, just get off your ass.
_Emerson
I went from 200 lbs to ~170-174. Last time I weighed myself I was 172, I believe (I am just under 6' btw, 5'11.5 or so). Since moving to New York I've actually put on two or three pounds of muscle, I think. I've been off my no-wheat, no-dairy diet for a long time now, but I try to eat healthy. I never eat dessert foods. I avoid starches, but that's hard when you have a tight budget.
I certainly see more definition in my legs from all the walking and dancing I do. I was dancing at a club the other night and a guy taking pictures for a magazine actually asked me to lift up my shirt to show off my stomach.
I'm trying to get as much cardio workout as possible, which means lots of dancing (at least 3 times a week, usually 4, for at least 3.5 hours each night
) and an occasional hour long jog. Oh, and I avoid elevators like the plague. I always take the stairs given the option. Most of my classes are on the tenth floor of my school building, so I climb 10 flights of stairs pretty often. Also, when you live in NYC you are taking elevators all the time, so if you try to start taking the stairs rather than the elevator it can make a huge difference in the amount of exercise you get from day to day.Basically, my recommendation for weight loss and muscle building when you're too cheap to get a gym membership would be to cut out wheat and dairy from your diet and then try to get exercise in your daily life. Do crunches before you go to bed, go jogging, take a walk, just get off your ass
._Emerson