Exercise, fitness, weight, calories, and overall health: Christmas Eve 2016-until

[Darrell KSR]

OK, before the New Year begins, I thought I'd start a topic devoted to various health related issues. Let this be a brand new hodgepodge of stuff, and hopefully it will lead us all into the New Year and beyond with a new commitment to better health.

I need it. And I have had a decent last few days, so what better time to start a topic than with something positive.

For me, I'm still at 232.0, which is way too much for my body build and height. A really good number would probably be 180, but I'd be thrilled if I could get to 200. If I do that, I might shoot for 190 and call it good. That's the bad, but let's see what I can do, realizing I'm going to be eating poorly the next week or so.

Exercise--not bad the last few days. Went to the gym with my son, ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill. The next night went to the gym with my daughter, ran 3.8 miles. Tonight (literally, 30 minutes ago) my son and I were on the track at Heardmont at 11 p.m. local time, and I ran 2 miles in four 0.5 mile "sprints." (He's practicing for their "gauntlet," where when he returns to school the first day of "practice" they have to run 4:20 for 1200 meters).

My steps aren't great--I am SO sedentary unless I'm exercising--so I try to shoot for 7500 steps a day. I don't get it often enough. I'm going to work on it.

Health--I started with a cold Monday that really surfaced Tuesday--bad day Tuesday, but started my Zicam and Netipot treatment. Have not done my usual bombarding of Vitamin C--they say it doesn't help; your body can only absorb the recommended daily allowance, but from several years of experience, I think it does help. Anyway, the Zicam screws up your taste buds, but it seems to shorten the cold duration, and has made life tolerable the last two days. I go 3 days of Zicam (18 lozenges), and then I'm done with them.

The netipot sounds disgusting, and I swore I'd never do it, but was desperate one year, and thought I'd try anything. It is fantastic. I do use it prophylactically, but when I'm having allergy symptoms, been out in the yard working, pollen count up--or when I have a cold--I do it aggressively. Really gets the stuff out and makes my whole head seem lighter.

Calories-wise--I don't want to talk about it. :)

But will another day.

Hope that wasn't too much. Please join me in the exercise, fitness, weight, calories, and overall health topic!

[UKFlounder]

I really need to do this and ay more attention than such stuff. I don't know if I will, but I need to.

[Darrell KSR]

Breakfast was a piece of cornbread in skim milk.

Lunch was 3 Oreo cookies.

I'm having a healthy diet day!

[Darrell KSR]

231.6, which really is no change from the 232 (I easily fluctuate as much as a pound), but at least it isn't 232.6, which is what I feared with the stuff I've been eating...

[blueboss]

I've managed to stay under the 230 mark.... I'm not sure how though.

Now that the holidays are winding down I can get back into a routine both with diet and exercise.

It'll take me a week to 10 days to get in shape to exercise... the hard part is going to be getting started.


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[MickintheHam]

Darrell I hate this topic. I have struggled with weight loss for the last eight years. I finally came to grips with several issues.

1. I eat more than I need. I try to eat a light breakfast, half of a sandwich for lunch. No chips and only water, wine or milk with any meal.

2. Kill the sugar intake. I rigorously review the sugar content of everything. If it is more than one gram per serving I look at the rest of the content to see if there are some benefits. I won't go over 3. So, as a result, no orange juice, no sweets of any type (I allow myself two desserts a month. In two months my blood sugar levels are down dramatically, about 1/3 of previous levels.
3. The result is I am down 11 lbs towards the twenty I need to lose and the 30 I would like to lose. This is since Oct. 1. Granted half of my meals are away from home, but when I am home this is what I do. Eliminating fast food and restricting myself to pizza once a month helps.

[KSRBEvans]

I read a Lifehacker article (http://lifehacker.com/changing-your-habits-is-more-important-than-meeting-spe-1790356435) that basically says habits are more important than goals. This seems to go with a great Bill Barnwell article (https://medium.com/@billbarnwell/the-easiest-way-to-lose-125-pounds-is-to-gain-175-pounds-b4fca27ffcc5#.swg5j6hl6) I read about how he got out of control and what he did to lose over 125 pounds. (He summed up his weight-loss philosophy in 4 words: "Don't be a s#!^head.")

So this year I'm going to focus on doing, at a minimum, 3 things every day:

--Weigh myself (I find I lose weight more consistently when I do this);
--Move myself for at least 30 minutes (I've got a dog that needs walking, and I've got a treadmill in front of a TV, so I really have no excuse);
--Journal everything I put in my mouth (they say people who journal consistently tend to lose weight and keep it off--I find also eat healthier food when I'm accounting for what I'm eating).

I'm going to start this January 1 and see where it goes. I have a good feeling about it if I can just have the discipline to do it every day.

[Darrell KSR]

1. I eat more than I need. I try to eat a light breakfast, half of a sandwich for lunch. No chips and only water, wine or milk with any meal.

I know that's something that plagues me.

This morning, I awoke at 4:15 a.m. I was hungry. I waited in bed to see if I could get back to sleep. I could not. So I got up, fixed a bowl of instant oatmeal and a banana for breakfast.

Sounds ok, right? One packet of instant oatmeal is 100 calories, IIRC, and a banana about 90.

But then at 6:30, I am still hungry. My stomach is grumbling. I don't get it. I think I have eaten breakfast, but I fix a bagel and cream cheese. I don't know the calories for that. Probably ok, on its own, but for a 2nd breakfast, I've gone too far.

Now it's 12:25 p.m. and my stomach is telling me I am very hungry. I have no lunch plans, and I'm 2.5 miles away from my house, so I am thinking of going home and having a peanut butter & banana sandwich. That sounds ok, too....except I will be "starving" around 3:30 or 4. Why? I don't know, but I will be. If I go home early, which I will probably do today, I'll be anxious for dinner and hope that we have it around 5 or 5:30. If not, I'll be snacking inappropriately--there are too many Christmas cookies and candies around.

But overall, that's not horrible--EXCEPT--what happens around 8 or 9?

I'm hungry again.

Now, I KNOW I can't be hungry all these times, can I? Surely it doesn't take that much fuel, particularly when I am this sedentary on a normal basis.

I have to work on this.

I have been told that sometimes our bodies/minds confuse being hungry when we are really thirsty. Most of us are not as well hydrated as we should be, and we should be drinking more water. I have a 30 oz Yeti that was given to me for Father's Day that I try to drink water from all day, and of course, I leave it on the kitchen table this morning. So I've had....no water today. That's another reason to go home and get it.

That's something I really want to focus on next year--drinking more water. Maybe that's my confusion with hunger.

[Darrell KSR]

I read a Lifehacker article (http://lifehacker.com/changing-your-habits-is-more-important-than-meeting-spe-1790356435) that basically says habits are more important than goals.


I'm going to start this January 1 and see where it goes. I have a good feeling about it if I can just have the discipline to do it every day.

Read the same article. It also coincides with a book that my favorite personal sports coach, Todd Yelton, recommended to me--Burn Your Goals: The Counter Cultural Approach to Achieving Your Greatest Potential.

It reminds me of what Nick Saban does, when he talks about "the process." Establishing the routine, the habit, is what makes you obtain whatever you seek.

Eye on the prize? No. Eye on what you do daily.



--Move myself for at least 30 minutes (I've got a dog that needs walking, and I've got a treadmill in front of a TV, so I really have no excuse);


This is a GREAT thing to do daily. I am going to try to do the same. I have a "goal" (yeah, it's contra what we said above) of 7,500 steps daily, because I am so sedentary that my normal is around 3,500 unless I exercise. So if I can force myself to move--take a 15 minute break in the morning, another in the afternoon, or find time somewhere else, that will help.



--Journal everything I put in my mouth (they say people who journal consistently tend to lose weight and keep it off--I find also eat healthier food when I'm accounting for what I'm eating).


I have tried this and have done it for several months at a time, but it becomes so tedious to me that I inevitably give up. The fitbit app is very easy to use, the Lose It app easy to use, etc., and I've used both of them at times. Fitbit app integrates with my tracker, steps, I have my daughter, my wife, and a couple of my daughter's friends/friends of the family who "challenge" each other sometimes, so that app is a natural for me. But I inevitably miss a day, then two, then a week, and then say the heck with it.

Maybe a handwritten journal would work for me instead of the phone app. Hmm.

[Darrell KSR]

2. Kill the sugar intake. I rigorously review the sugar content of everything. If it is more than one gram per serving I look at the rest of the content to see if there are some benefits. I won't go over 3. So, as a result, no orange juice, no sweets of any type (I allow myself two desserts a month. In two months my blood sugar levels are down dramatically, about 1/3 of previous levels.

3. The result is I am down 11 lbs towards the twenty I need to lose and the 30 I would like to lose. This is since Oct. 1.

I haven't been to the doctor in many years. In fact, I had an insurance physical scheduled with their paramedic person, and they called me and told me I needed to go to the doctor also because I had not been in so many years that they needed it. I suppose that's one thing they need to address with me, and I wouldn't be surprised if my blood sugar level is bad.

Congratulations on the 11 pounds dropped. I found the ones you lost. Seriously, that's terrific, and a great time of the year to hit it head on as many of us are going the opposite direction during the holidays.

[MickintheHam]

D, seriously consider getting a physical My new doctor is there in Inverness (my old UAB doc retired in Aug). Both doctors were pretty good with setting goals. I credit my new doc for zeroing in on the blood sugar levels. My triglycerides are now at levels about 1/3 of what they were.

[Darrell KSR]

D, seriously consider getting a physical My new doctor is there in Inverness (my old UAB doc retired in Aug). Both doctors were pretty good with setting goals. I credit my new doc for zeroing in on the blood sugar levels. My triglycerides are now at levels about 1/3 of what they were.
I will. I know I need it.

[Darrell KSR]

3.75 miles on the treadmill tonight beginning at 10:30pm.

Ate very poorly today, at least a half dozen cookies in addition to four meals.

[CitizenBBN]

Darrell I hate this topic. I have struggled with weight loss for the last eight years. I finally came to grips with several issues.

1. I eat more than I need. I try to eat a light breakfast, half of a sandwich for lunch. No chips and only water, wine or milk with any meal.

2. Kill the sugar intake. I rigorously review the sugar content of everything. If it is more than one gram per serving I look at the rest of the content to see if there are some benefits. I won't go over 3. So, as a result, no orange juice, no sweets of any type (I allow myself two desserts a month. In two months my blood sugar levels are down dramatically, about 1/3 of previous levels.
3. The result is I am down 11 lbs towards the twenty I need to lose and the 30 I would like to lose. This is since Oct. 1. Granted half of my meals are away from home, but when I am home this is what I do. Eliminating fast food and restricting myself to pizza once a month helps.

Mick, you nailed it.

For most people weight loss is both the simplest and hardest thing. The two secrets are to eat less and to cut out the carbs. When I did that I dropped more than 50 pounds, but it's hard to do that forever and depending on your lifestyle.

If I can cut out snacks and carbs I lose weight. Sometimes I can do that, sometimes not so much.

[CitizenBBN]

D, seriously consider getting a physical My new doctor is there in Inverness (my old UAB doc retired in Aug). Both doctors were pretty good with setting goals. I credit my new doc for zeroing in on the blood sugar levels. My triglycerides are now at levels about 1/3 of what they were.

My blood sugar and cholesterol are a little high, but for how I live those numbers should be higher than my SAT scores. I may end up being proof that only the good die young, b/c physically I should be worse off than I am for sure.

[badrose]

A good article

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/28/well/move/work-walk-5-minutes-work.html?_r=0

[Darrell KSR]

Oatmeal and banana for breakfast.

Deli turkey on whole wheat bread for lunch.

Water to drink today.

So far I haven't screwed up the food thing, but give me time...

[Darrell KSR]

That didn't last long. Homemade pecan cookie by coffee pot at work didn't stand a chance...

[Darrell KSR]

Three more cookies after arriving home. Starving.

[blueboss]

Three more cookies after arriving home. Starving.

Thanks! Now I want a cookie.


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[Darrell KSR]

My normal too hungry before dinner problem. I need to stock something healthy and mildly filling as a 5-5:30 "snack."

[MickintheHam]

My normal too hungry before dinner problem. I need to stock something healthy and mildly filling as a 5-5:30 "snack."

Not a problem. Large can of Planters Heart Healthy mixed nuts and sun maid raisins. A handful of each will nail the cravings. Have two if it lasts.

[Darrell KSR]

Not a problem. Large can of Planters Heart Healthy mixed nuts and sun maid raisins. A handful of each will nail the cravings. Have two if it lasts.
Will get that tomorrow, thank you for the suggested solution.

[MickintheHam]

Will get that tomorrow, thank you for the suggested solution.

Large can of Planters at Walmartis a good deal. Its the only thing I buy at Walmart.

[badrose]

Planters NUT-rition:

Energy Mix

Protein Mix

Heart Healthy

...and more.

Great for suppressing the appetite.

[badrose]

Sitting is the worst thing you can do. If you can do your work standing, do that. Instead of cookies get some protein bars (or tree nuts) and graze during the day, and eat a healthy meal for dinner. Smaller portions, low starch, fresh veggies, and an ample source of protein.

[blueboss]

If anyone out there is feeling bad about how poorly they've eaten today, maybe this will make you feel better.

I stopped at a mini mart down the street from my work this morning. As I walked past their deli/lunch counter the worker lady was dumped a batch of freshly fried chicken gizzards into a steam table pan.

I not only couldn't resist buying some, I got a large order (1 lb)... man!! were they good!!!!


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[CitizenBBN]

Sitting is the worst thing you can do. If you can do your work standing, do that. Instead of cookies get some protein bars (or tree nuts) and graze during the day, and eat a healthy meal for dinner. Smaller portions, low starch, fresh veggies, and an ample source of protein.

I sit all the time. Doesn't help I'm still in good health.

I'm taking up smoking. The only problem is it makes me want to skip work and shoot pool.

[Critter]

I decided this fall to diet prior to the eating season (Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Years). That way I wouldn't be starting the New Year behind the 8 ball. I went from low 180s to low 160s which is basically my low weight (when I get there) for the last 10 years. I'm 44 (45 on 1/2). I'm going to try and keep this going into the new year.

I haven't been exercising much since it got cold even though my work pays for a gym membership. Just hard to leave home to go sweat once I've hit the easy chair.

My weight loss was all diet (mostly) as I wasn't looking to exercise when I was losing. For breakfast I eat either grits or a nature valley bar (granola, peanut butter or fruit & nut). For lunch I either eat soup or a salad Monday thru Friday. Basically I will have only eaten 300-400 calories through lunch. I usually eat some type of fruit either in the morning or afternoon. I love Honey Crisp apples and Cherries. For supper I eat what I want but I don't make a habit of eating poorly if I can. I do this because if I try to limit what I can eat I'll fall off the wagon in 24 hours.

I've made it a habit to drink water....as much as I can. I usually drink a whole cup/glass before each meal and some in between. I'll flavor it sometimes with many different flavors. Those pouches are generally only 5-10 calories. I think this has helped greatly.

One thing I've added is a Probiotic for digestive help. I think this has really helped but can't guarantee it.

Our church starts a 21 days of prayer and fasting on 1/1. It's basically the Daniel fast (http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/ultimate-daniel-fast-food-guidelines/) as in Fruits, vegetables and nuts allowed i.e. whole foods. Last year me and my wife lasted 3 days before succumbing to starvation :sad0119:. We've told ourselves we'll do better this year as we were unprepared last year.

I think you guys hit the nail on the head earlier. The key is not to diet but just change your habits. The second you tell yourself your on a diet your sub conscience starts rebel against you.

If I end up getting to 150 it'll be the first time since I was in my 20s.

[Darrell KSR]

3.2 miles at the gym as my son and I closed it tonight.

[Darrell KSR]

230.0 1/1/2017

3.9 miles at gym as son and I again closed it down.

[Darrell KSR]

I decided this fall to diet prior to the eating season (Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Years). That way I wouldn't be starting the New Year behind the 8 ball. I went from low 180s to low 160s which is basically my low weight (when I get there) for the last 10 years. I'm 44 (45 on 1/2). I'm going to try and keep this going into the new year.

I haven't been exercising much since it got cold even though my work pays for a gym membership. Just hard to leave home to go sweat once I've hit the easy chair.

My weight loss was all diet (mostly) as I wasn't looking to exercise when I was losing. For breakfast I eat either grits or a nature valley bar (granola, peanut butter or fruit & nut). For lunch I either eat soup or a salad Monday thru Friday. Basically I will have only eaten 300-400 calories through lunch. I usually eat some type of fruit either in the morning or afternoon. I love Honey Crisp apples and Cherries. For supper I eat what I want but I don't make a habit of eating poorly if I can. I do this because if I try to limit what I can eat I'll fall off the wagon in 24 hours.

I've made it a habit to drink water....as much as I can. I usually drink a whole cup/glass before each meal and some in between. I'll flavor it sometimes with many different flavors. Those pouches are generally only 5-10 calories. I think this has helped greatly.

One thing I've added is a Probiotic for digestive help. I think this has really helped but can't guarantee it.

Our church starts a 21 days of prayer and fasting on 1/1. It's basically the Daniel fast (http://www.ultimatedanielfast.com/ultimate-daniel-fast-food-guidelines/) as in Fruits, vegetables and nuts allowed i.e. whole foods. Last year me and my wife lasted 3 days before succumbing to starvation :sad0119:. We've told ourselves we'll do better this year as we were unprepared last year.

I think you guys hit the nail on the head earlier. The key is not to diet but just change your habits. The second you tell yourself your on a diet your sub conscience starts rebel against you.

If I end up getting to 150 it'll be the first time since I was in my 20s.
That's fantastic, K.

I love the idea of a spiritual fasting like that for cleansing all kind of things. I'm not going to tell you what I've had to eat today, but I want to commend you for your great work and root you on as you begin 2017. Keep it up!

[MickintheHam]

Congrats Critter!

Darrell, speaking of probiotics, a great breakfast or snack idea is at Publix. In the produce section they sell yogurt with fresh berries and granola. It comes in a dome cup. I get it as a snack or as breakfast. It is a great, healthy grab and go item. It takes no longer than stopping at McD's. Individual plastic spoons are at the end of the case.

[MickintheHam]

I miss my old physician. He and I were the same age. Anytime I complained he told me it was because I was getting old.

But he and I had a lot of good conversations about weight loss. The key take away was eating less. When you are overweight it mostly because you eat too much. As you age metabolism slows and you don't burn off the calories you were eating that made you overweight. So you gain more weight. In my case some of the meds were designed to lower metabolism. And as the the doc told me, you would have to do an incredible amount of exercise to lose any weight if eating remained a constant. So while I exercise some, the key to losing weight is to watch what I eat. It is so hard to do.

[Darrell KSR]

I miss my old physician. He and I were the same age. Anytime I complained he told me it was because I was getting old.

But he and I had a lot of good conversations about weight loss. The key take away was eating less. When you are overweight it mostly because you eat too much. As you age metabolism slows and you don't burn off the calories you were eating that made you overweight. So you gain more weight. In my case some of the meds were designed to lower metabolism. And as the the doc told me, you would have to do an incredible amount of exercise to lose any weight if eating remained a constant. So while I exercise some, the key to losing weight is to watch what I eat. It is so hard to do.

I am finding that to be absolutely the case with me. Not losing weight, regardless of exercise (although I have not become an exercise fiend), and I'm not just referring to recent events in the last month or so. I have to learn to eat less. I do well for breakfast and lunch, usually, but I falter from about 4pm til midnight, during my "eating frenzy" stage of the day.

Great idea about the Publix yogurt snack/.unch thing. I have one close to my work and one close to my home and one close to where I teach a 5pm class one day a week, sometimes two days. In fact, I have grabbed a McDonald's drive-through before in route to the 5pm class, and the Publix (Valleydale/Caldwell Mill Road) is right behind it. Crazy.

Update on the heart-healthy mixed nuts from Walmart--as I said, I picked up a large can that day. That night, I had a handful of nuts, and they worked fantastic. In fact, they worked so much that is all I ate for the evening--no dinner, no other nuts, no nothing, because--I forgot--many nuts give me bad indigestion. I can eat things like pistachios, but other nuts, like peanuts and walnuts, are ones in which I have a big food intolerance.

So I need to either get "just" the kind of nuts I can eat (pistachios, almonds, and then I have to see), or go a different direction with that.

[badrose]

I forgot about probiotics! I use Perfect Biotics. One every evening with my meal. They're wonderful.

[elicat]

And as the the doc told me, you would have to do an incredible amount of exercise to lose any weight if eating remained a constant. So while I exercise some, the key to losing weight is to watch what I eat. It is so hard to do.

This week I finally quit trying to handle my weight on my own when I hit a new high (260). I went the physician-supervised route. 800 calories a day for seven days starting yesterday to start with, but only twenty minutes a day of walking for exercise. So that's the proportion.

800 calories ain't much, in case you were wondering. I'm thinking of being hungry all the time as a badge of honor!

For some reason I remember that when I graduated from high school I weighed 184. I'll never see that again, but getting to about 200 or odd change over it would be good.

[Darrell KSR]

800!

If you don't mind, I would enjoy reading what you eat and drink for a couple - few days to see what it is like, if you get a chance to post it here.

Also, after your first week, what calorie intake are you going to consume?

[Darrell KSR]

By the way, my first trip to the doctor in many, many years is coming up Wednesday.

[elicat]

When you look at the menu options it's pretty austere. This morning I had one boiled egg and a protein replacement shake. (One of those goes with every meal.) At lunch in a bit I'll have 4oz of chicken breast and 4 oz of salad with various vegetables, plus the shake. Dinner is pretty much like lunch. I can have one shake by itself for a snack during the day.

There are a few other options. A little oatmeal can replace the egg, no sweetener in it though, which makes that pretty much inedible. Fish or pork can replace the chicken.

I don't remember how much the calorie intake goes up next week. There are five "phases," and there are little changes in each one.

Before I got on the scale on Monday I would have said this would not be worth it, I'd rather be fat. But once I was actually that fat and knew it, it became worth it.

[Darrell KSR]

My wife and I joined as a two-person team this afternoon on "Scale Back Alabama," where the goal is to lose 10 pounds in two months.

My official weigh-in was 235.0 this afternoon. That's wearing clothes, keys in pocket, wallet, etc., so it's about 230, I'd guess, in the morning when I normally weigh the least.

I need to weigh 225 or less in two months. Going to work on it. Ought to be doable, except I haven't lost real weight in a long time.

My wife goes to the gym often--usually 5 times a week--and walks at a brisk pace about 4-1/2 to 5 miles on the treadmill, in about 75 minutes. And she hasn't lost weight in 16 years (since my youngest was born), according to her. So I don't think she's going to make it, but we are going to encourage each other as a team.

If the team members both lose the pounds, they are entered into a drawing for 9 team prizes. Odds are pretty small, since it is state-wide, but it's just for fun anyway.

If only one team member loses the pounds, that individual is entered into a drawing for a $100 achievement award, where they give out 40 of them. Again, odds will be small, but it's just for fun.

There are android and iphone apps for it, too.

[elicat]

My wife and I joined as a two-person team this afternoon on "Scale Back Alabama," where the goal is to lose 10 pounds in two months.

Heard about that on the radio the other day. Maybe I should sign up. I might have lost ten pounds by the end of next week at this rate!

[Darrell KSR]

One packet of instant oatmeal and a banana for breakfast. Check.

[blueboss]

My wife and I joined as a two-person team this afternoon on "Scale Back Alabama," where the goal is to lose 10 pounds in two months.

My official weigh-in was 235.0 this afternoon. That's wearing clothes, keys in pocket, wallet, etc., so it's about 230, I'd guess, in the morning when I normally weigh the least.

I need to weigh 225 or less in two months. Going to work on it. Ought to be doable, except I haven't lost real weight in a long time.

My wife goes to the gym often--usually 5 times a week--and walks at a brisk pace about 4-1/2 to 5 miles on the treadmill, in about 75 minutes. And she hasn't lost weight in 16 years (since my youngest was born), according to her. So I don't think she's going to make it, but we are going to encourage each other as a team.

If the team members both lose the pounds, they are entered into a drawing for 9 team prizes. Odds are pretty small, since it is state-wide, but it's just for fun anyway.

If only one team member loses the pounds, that individual is entered into a drawing for a $100 achievement award, where they give out 40 of them. Again, odds will be small, but it's just for fun.

There are android and iphone apps for it, too.

I see you didn't list your wife's weight...you Sir are a very wise man!! Wiser beyond your weight in gold!!!


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[Darrell KSR]

Not wise. She didn't even tell me! I was there at weigh-in, and she would not let me see.

I have an idea, based on information given to doctors when she had an outpatient thing earlier this year, but you're right, she'd destroy me if I told. And it's much better than mine for me, but that's irrelevant to a woman!

[Darrell KSR]

Two hard boiled eggs for lunch.

Don't worry, I promise I'm not going to do this for every meal, just my way of being publicly accountable.

[Darrell KSR]

I am starving, by the way. I am going to have a snack in a minute. Drinking as much water as I can, with some coffee in between.

[Darrell KSR]

Banana.

[Darrell KSR]

We had chicken tacos last night, but I just had grilled chicken, tomatoes, salsa, onions and lettuce. Had a boiled egg before bed. Was a good day.

Woke up a little hungry, so had a mini-breakfast of another hard boiled egg.

#8tolose10

[Darrell KSR]

Have started with Bragg's organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (ACV) with "mother" now. I'm not believing it is a true weight loss thing, but I like the pectin in it as a little suppressant, I like the probiotics of the "mother" and the (at least anecdotal) ability to control and manage indigestion and acid reflux. I was prescribed proton pump inhibitors (nexium, prilosec) years ago for acid reflux and was told by my gastroenterologist I would have to take it daily for the rest of my life.

Instead, I learned over time I could control the acid with fewer doses. Maybe 2-3 per week, maximum. Friend of mine had the same issue, same diagnosis and prescriptions from 20 years ago, and I ran into him the other day and asked him how he was doing. I told him that I was managing mine with reducing the daily doses down to a lot less. He told me he hasn't had any for several years since he began taking ACV daily.

We'll see about that. I know my stomach creates far more acid than it needs; but I'm hoping weight loss and maybe ACV will either eliminate the need or at least further reduce and control the need for proton pump inhibitor medication.

[catmanjack]

How much ACV do you drink daily?

[Darrell KSR]

3 teaspoons currently, at most. Will be 2 today. It's on the light side, but I am going to ease into it.

Mix 1 teaspoon with 8 ounces of water, and drink 30 minutes or so before meals. The water alone will be beneficial.

[catmanjack]

Starting to have bad acid myself and taking prilosec but usually can control mine with the foods I eat.

[catmanjack]

I have heard there is the burn plant in liquid form that works really well too, will have to
find the name.

[elicat]

I jokingly said I might have lost ten pounds by the end of the week on this crazy diet. Turns out I'm down 11 as of this morning!
:confused0053:

[Darrell KSR]

I jokingly said I might have lost ten pounds by the end of the week on this crazy diet. Turns out I'm down 11 as of this morning!
:confused0053:

That's great, elicat.

There's probably some reasonable scientific explanation for it, and mine is not as drastic, but I, too, have lost EDIT--only 4.5, not 6--made an error in what I thought I initially weighed-- pounds in 7 days as well. The math doesn't really work for more than about 1-1/2 to 2 pound loss, so I can't really explain why it is more than that.

My maximum calorie intake during these 7 days has been 1238 calories, and I'm not necessarily trying to keep them that low, but just leaving leeway for a 1500 calorie thing. I'm trying to lose 15 pounds in this "Scale back Alabama" deal, and if I "fall short" and "only" lose 10 in 8 weeks, I won't be too disappointed, but I really want 15, especially with the fast start.

[blueboss]

I'm almost back in shape to do cardio. I'm up to ten minutes and in 4th day out of the 5 day goal, I'll bump it up to 15-20 minutes for the next 5 days, and then I should be good to go 40 minutes five days a week



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[Darrell KSR]

223.8. Lowest in awhile. Want to hit 215 if I can in March when I weigh back in on Scale Back Alabama. No bonuses for losing more than 10, but I think it would be cool.

In the past 8 days, my highest calorie total is still 1275. No exercise this week so far; but going to try to go around lunchtime today.

[Darrell KSR]

8 days worth of inputting every speck of food that went into my mouth. I'm not sure I'm eating "right," and as long as I am dropping some weight due to the caloric dietary intake, I'm not going to worry much about it, but for future reference....

Last night I had Chicken Salad Chick, which was not good for the diet, as evidenced by the 1140 calories alone I consumed for dinner, which is about what I've had for many of the entire days. Plus there was a lot of fat in those chicken salad scoops, which I guess makes sense, now that I think of it. I have to pay closer attention to what I eat when we go out. Much easier to control at home.

I'm guessing I'm not eating enough protein, I'm still having too much fat, not enough fiber, too much sodium, etc. I'll work on that after I get a little more weight under control.


6091

EDIT--thanks to the Fitbit App for all of the numbers. I just put them on the spreadsheet for ease of viewing.

DOUBLE EDIT--the average snacks number is actually 159.25. I did not have a "0" input for Tuesday, which skewed the numbers, since it divided by 1 fewer than it should have.

[blueboss]

223.8. Lowest in awhile. Want to hit 215 if I can in March when I weigh back in on Scale Back Alabama. No bonuses for losing more than 10, but I think it would be cool.

In the past 8 days, my highest calorie total is still 1275. No exercise this week so far; but going to try to go around lunchtime today.

Now you've got me motivated. I creeped up to 234...now it's on. Tonight I started on my 15-20 minute week. I went just over 17 and am still alive. I'll start looking at diet here in a week or two.... first things first.


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[Darrell KSR]

223.6 this morning. Need to introduce exercise back into the equation now.

[Darrell KSR]

221.8. Working on that 10 pound drop by the middle of March. I weighed in full clothing (except shoes) in the afternoon for the weigh-in, and was 235, and this weigh-in was just in briefs this morning before arising, the lightest i'll weigh in the day, so my guess is that I'm getting close. I want to be at least -15 by then, though, just to eliminate any concerns over temporary weight gain or fluid retention, etc.

[blueboss]

Roll on... I'm in my 25-30 minutes a day five days a week mode... working on getting in exercise shape I've managed to drop a couple pounds. I should be able to go 40 minutes per day starting next week.


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[elicat]

A conference most of last week slowed me way down, though I tried to stay as close to the straight and narrow as I could under the circumstances.

Dr. office check-in this morning showed me at 242, which is -18, and 2" off my waist. Now I'm on "phase 2" of the diet, which doesn't add a lot more calories, but some, and a few menu options. Slowly but surely.

[Darrell KSR]

Excellent exercise. I need to incorporate that back into my plan, as I have been solely focused on diet for the last 3 weeks. I thas worked, but will work better with exercise reintroduced.
Roll on... I'm in my 25-30 minutes a day five days a week mode... working on getting in exercise shape I've managed to drop a couple pounds. I should be able to go 40 minutes per day starting next week.


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Down 18 is outstanding, elicat. Keep up the great work!

A conference most of last week slowed me way down, though I tried to stay as close to the straight and narrow as I could under the circumstances.

Dr. office check-in this morning showed me at 242, which is -18, and 2" off my waist. Now I'm on "phase 2" of the diet, which doesn't add a lot more calories, but some, and a few menu options. Slowly but surely.

[Darrell KSR]

221.0 this morning. Had a weighing that was less a few days ago, but I knew that was an anomaly.

[elicat]

238, -22 at the doctor this morning. Progress! Waiting to see what "Phase 3" allows or demands.

[Darrell KSR]

220.8 for me this morning. Hoping to get under 220 by the weekend...

[KentuckyWildcat]

I don't know what I weigh but I'm down two belt loops the last few weeks.

I need to lose weight, I should weigh about 175 or so, instead I was probably 210/215 a month ago.

I've changed my diet, not so much for the weight but for an issue I have called EoE. So I've cut out bread, dairy, and tomatoes for the most part. Those were a big part of my diet so basically I'm just eating less and replacing some of that with fruit and some salad.

I don't have scales at home, but I'll check when I can and report back.

[blueboss]

I'm still hanging around 231... I'll never catch you guys. Got off of my "getting in shape" schedule last week... back on now, going 30-35 all next week.. maybe make it to 40.


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[blueboss]

230.3... I might actually be twenty something by the end of the week...


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[KentuckyWildcat]

You can do it Blueboss!

[Critter]

Been a while since I posted in this thread so....

When we started our 21 days of prayer and fasting we decided against the Daniel Fast and went.....Liquid Fast. We did not do the clear liquid fast i.e. you have to see through it. If it is liquid at room temperature then we could have it. I drank a looooootttt. I went to the bathroom aloooooootttt.

We allowed pudding, ice cream, jello, soups (with minor solid things). I never thought I would make it but after the first 4 days it was a lot easier. Also, having someone to do it with you made you accountable. When one of us got weak the other stepped in.

I did take Vitamins and drank several protein shakes along the way. My wife is addicted to Tru-Moo (Protein shake) now.

We both lost around 12 lbs in 21 days. I started at 165.

We've been off of it for 2 1/2 weeks now and I'm still at the same weight so hopefully I can keep it off.

We started playing racquetball (which I hadn't played for 25 years) and it's a lot of fun.

Kevin

[Darrell KSR]

That's a great thing, Kevin, for a lot of reasons. And losing that much weight at your weight? Wow.

[Darrell KSR]

218.4 this morning.

What has been good for me is just making sure that I value what I eat.

We had spaghetti last night. But my wife made regular pasta and spaghetti squash, which I chose over the pasta. Throw the sauce on it, and even meatballs make it a low calorie dinner, especially given my low calorie breakfast and lunch.

It's not a liquid diet, but drinking 2-3 apple cider vinegar teaspoons daily (1 per 12 oz water, with a straw) helps. While I am a little hungry sometimes, that really helps to keep me somewhat satiated. I drink my normal 2 cups of coffee in the morning and sometimes get an afternoon cup, sometimes don't, but I also keep my 30 oz Yeti filled with ice water all day. I definitely drink more of it with the metal straws recommended by several people here, and I give that credit for drinking more water. I don't keep count with exactly how much I drink, but I do refill it during the day, just don't pay attention to when or how much.

With 0.4 more pounds, I will be down 15 since starting "Scale Back Alabama," a fun little statewide competition to see if you can lose 10 pounds in two months.

I have one more month to go. I will be pleased with losing 20. (Also, I haven't really lost 15 because I weighed there at my official weigh-in after lunch and I weigh at home in the morning before I start gaining weight.

[blueboss]

Darrell you're rolling!!!

I did see the twenties Tuesday at 229.6, but that was in the afternoon after work when I'm at my lowest weight.

I still haven't added any type of diet, and have lost the 5-6 lbs getting back in shape.

I'm going between 35-40 minutes 5 days a week on the machine. I'm almost in good enough shape to start pushing it harder... maybe in another week, after which I'll add some dieting. I'd like to lose another pound or two by the end of February when I'll start the calorie counting more closely


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[Darrell KSR]

Well, thanks, blueboss--I've had a good start to this. As Pedro told me and others, if you want to lose weight, get out of the kitchen; if you want to get healthy, get into the gym. I just reached the point where trying to lose weight just by being healthy wasn't doing anything for me, to the point where I was actually questioning my health, metabolism, etc. After my regular-every-15-years-doctor-checkup, when my doctor just told me that I needed to forget my plus 2,000 calorie a day normal diet, and go to 1500 and less if I wanted to lose weight--which he said I needed to do, it validated that it was my age that cost me my metabolism and that even with exercising, I was still eating too much.

So I started with the kitchen. If I can get a small project completed this morning, I will head to the gym afterward. I have ten million things on my to do list, but if I can manage just that one, I'll go. I can't start it for another hour, though.

[elicat]

Not much progress for me this week. I've slipped off the strict regimen a couple of times the last few days, just giving in to temptation. A little bourbon last night, a piece of cake at a birthday dinner a few days ago. Also the "phase" I'm on now is less strict, I'm eating quite a bit more calories, including some from fat and carbs, so I guess slower progress is to be expected.

So 236, -24. But my waist size has gone down a half-inch since last week, so that seems good for only having lost two pounds in that time.

Onward and, uh, downward.

[Darrell KSR]

Not much progress for me this week. I've slipped off the strict regimen a couple of times the last few days, just giving in to temptation. A little bourbon last night, a piece of cake at a birthday dinner a few days ago. Also the "phase" I'm on now is less strict, I'm eating quite a bit more calories, including some from fat and carbs, so I guess slower progress is to be expected.

So 236, -24. But my waist size has gone down a half-inch since last week, so that seems good for only having lost two pounds in that time.

Onward and, uh, downward.

Slower progress is still progress. As long as the trend is that direction, you're doing great!

[blueboss]

I saw 228 this morning for my Tuesday weigh in...


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[Darrell KSR]

215.8 this morning. I will really start feeling better if/when I can drop it under 210.

[blueboss]

215.8 this morning. I will really start feeling better if/when I can drop it under 210.

Wow!! That's great! I was just thinking I would shoot for 223 by the end of March... of course that all depends on what I am at the end of February. Currently 229.

Ash Wednesday next week, or Phat Tuesday is next week depending on how you look at it.


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[elicat]

After a couple of weeks of more travel than not, I finally got back to the doctor for another weigh in. Of course, it's mighty hard to stick to the diet on the road. I'm glad it's no worse than it is; at least I managed to lose 1 more pound: 235, -25, which feels like a milestone.

(One result of the most recent trip is that I might well be moving back to central Kentucky at last, something I've wanted to do and dabbled with and have discussed before on here. I have an offer of a position near Lexington. Have to decide whether to take it.)

[Darrell KSR]

After a couple of weeks of more travel than not, I finally got back to the doctor for another weigh in. Of course, it's mighty hard to stick to the diet on the road. I'm glad it's no worse than it is; at least I managed to lose 1 more pound: 235, -25, which feels like a milestone.

(One result of the most recent trip is that I might well be moving back to central Kentucky at last, something I've wanted to do and dabbled with and have discussed before on here. I have an offer of a position near Lexington. Have to decide whether to take it.)

Good job, elicat. And good luck with the position.

214.0 this morning. Eating a lot of boiled eggs and oatmeal. Drinking a lot of water and apple cider vinegar.

[elicat]

Good job, elicat. And good luck with the position.

214.0 this morning. Eating a lot of boiled eggs and oatmeal. Drinking a lot of water and apple cider vinegar.

The boiled eggs thing has just about become a form of penance...

[Darrell KSR]

The boiled eggs thing has just about become a form of penance...
It's not my favorite, but I'm now buying them pre boiled and pre peeled from Costco. Has some sort of preservative that keeps them fresh longer. Probably terrible for me, but a lot easier, and if it isn't easy, with my personality, I stop doing it.

Not as tasty as ones I boil myself but a lot easier to peel.

[blueboss]

229 yesterday. Lent starts today and so does some semblance of dieting. I stop eating sweets (cookies, cakes, candy, pastries, ice cream, popsicles etc.) I will still allow myself cereal, granola bars, toast w/jelly, and an occasional waffle.

Anyway I usually drop close to 20 pounds during lent.


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[PedroDaGr8]

In case you need more impetus to lose weight: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/obesity-may-cause-11-types-cancer-review-finds-n727766

Truthfully, obesity doesn't exactly cause but it's co-causal in many of these. For example many carcinogens are fat soluble and will stay in your fat instead of being excreted by your kidneys. Also, fat produces estrogen (in both men and women) which is why the rates of hormonal cancer in women goes up because it is producing more estrogen. So the excess estrogen causes the cancer, which is produced by the excess fat.

Also, a really good video article from Vox on why controlling your diet is way more important for weight-loss than is exercise:

https://youtu.be/eXTiiz99p9o

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[Darrell KSR]

Not sure if this graph will show very well, but this is a guy that every day exceeded 2,000 calories. On February 5, I had 2,167 calories, which is the only time I've approached 2,000 since starting this diet/change of lifestyle eating thing I'm doing. If I ever get down to what normal weight is, I will slowly increase the regular calories, but I don't ever intend to make 2,000+ a norm again. Occasional? Yes. But my metabolism just won't burn it anymore, with or without exercise.

6166

[Darrell KSR]

To put that in perspective, I'm on a -750 calorie per day plan, where it supposedly calculates a varying number of calories to meet my goal based on my activity for the day. I largely ignore that, although my "plan" is that every so often--every 7-10 days--I'm going to ramp up the calories a little and try to do it on a day when I exercise more as well. But I have been "under" my -750 calorie goal every day except 2 during this plan. Charting my weight loss, it looks pretty darn accurate. I should lose 1.5 pounds per week at that rate, which I thought was a good, moderately safe goal. I'm well under the -750, and losing about 2.0 pounds per week instead.

[blueboss]

Well, so far I'm pretty disappointed with my first week of no sweets. I haven't budged from 229. I'm hoping it's taking a minute for my metabolism to start making the change.

I'm still doing 40 minutes five days a week on my gazelle which I usually burn about 700-900 calories each session depending on how hard I go.

I'm not dieting other than no sweets, however I am watching calories. I'm trying to stay between 1000-1500 calories which I'm pretty sure I'm usually coming in around 1000/day.

I think I'm going to stick to my routine for another week, if it doesn't start moving I'm going to have to make a "tweak".


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[elicat]

I'm still doing 40 minutes five days a week on my gazelle which I usually burn about 700-900 calories each session depending on how hard I go.

I'm not dieting other than no sweets, however I am watching calories. I'm trying to stay between 1000-1500 calories which I'm pretty sure I'm usually coming in around 1000/day.

That net calorie intake is going to take the weight off insanely fast. Faster than I can imagine could possibly be healthy. If it isn't for some reason, I would say go see a doctor sooner rather than later. Getting on a physician supervised program has really helped me.

[Darrell KSR]

211.8 this morning. Happy with the progress, until I look in a mirror.

[elicat]

232 (-28) this morning on my own scale. I have an appointment with the doctor (as against a weigh-in with a nurse) tomorrow morning. Hopefully I'll still be here or lower.

Darrell, your progress is amazing. I wish mine were still going that fast. But I'll get there. When I get to where you are now, I'll figure I'm about done.

[blueboss]

Tuesday weigh in, I came in at 226.2. Finally got off of the 229, as suspected it took a bit for my metabolism to start going in the right direction.

I got the Epizootic or something late last week so I got off of the exercise machine starting last Thursday. Whatever I had zapped my energy and I had body aches for two days along with sinus congestion. Still not tip top so I'm taking the week off from exercise... bad news, I kept my appetite, but the fast on sweets is starting to pay off.

Still trying to stay between 1000 and 1500 calories per day. Even though I've given up sweets I'm watching labels and trying to keep my added sugar intake to under 10grams a day.

Oh those pesky nutrition labels...


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[elicat]

The doctor's scale this morning says 229. I finally weigh less than my driver's license says I do.

[Darrell KSR]

You're not going to like this. Nor do I.

216.0 this morning.

I've had some Chinese food and Mexican food the last two days, and hope that there is some water retention there. But no doubt, I've gained weight. In-laws came in with cakes, desserts of all kinds, etc., and for 5 days, the diet was blown to heck and back. I still thought maybe I would be sort of maintaining status quo, but not even close.

It's a setback, but I'm back in the saddle again, and will work toward getting that down. Really disappointing, because the 210 mark is sort of a milestone for me, and if I got that under 210, I was going to really feel like I had made progress. Now it seems a long way away.

[Darrell KSR]

Excellent, blueboss--that's a nice jump start, almost -3 pounds. Big.
Tuesday weigh in, I came in at 226.2. Finally got off of the 229, as suspected it took a bit for my metabolism to start going in the right direction.

I got the Epizootic or something late last week so I got off of the exercise machine starting last Thursday. Whatever I had zapped my energy and I had body aches for two days along with sinus congestion. Still not tip top so I'm taking the week off from exercise... bad news, I kept my appetite, but the fast on sweets is starting to pay off.

Still trying to stay between 1000 and 1500 calories per day. Even though I've given up sweets I'm watching labels and trying to keep my added sugar intake to under 10grams a day.

Oh those pesky nutrition labels...


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What a great thing to see. Well-done, congratulations, elicat.

The doctor's scale this morning says 229. I finally weigh less than my driver's license says I do.

[elicat]

You're not going to like this. Nor do I.

216.0 this morning.

I've had some Chinese food and Mexican food the last two days, and hope that there is some water retention there. But no doubt, I've gained weight. In-laws came in with cakes, desserts of all kinds, etc., and for 5 days, the diet was blown to heck and back. I still thought maybe I would be sort of maintaining status quo, but not even close.

It's a setback, but I'm back in the saddle again, and will work toward getting that down. Really disappointing, because the 210 mark is sort of a milestone for me, and if I got that under 210, I was going to really feel like I had made progress. Now it seems a long way away.
You'll get it. You've shown you've got the discipline. I've done similar things in the last few weeks, I just haven't gotten on here and owned up to it. Just going back to what has proven to work gets it back off again in a few days.

[PedroDaGr8]

One of the prime reasons for the rise in obesity:

6208

[Darrell KSR]

My wife and I joined as a two-person team this afternoon on "Scale Back Alabama," where the goal is to lose 10 pounds in two months.

My official weigh-in was 235.0 this afternoon. That's wearing clothes, keys in pocket, wallet, etc., so it's about 230, I'd guess, in the morning when I normally weigh the least.

I need to weigh 225 or less in two months. Going to work on it. Ought to be doable, except I haven't lost real weight in a long time.


Officially weighed "in" at Scale Back Alabama a few minutes ago: 214.6. So my official weight loss was 20.4 pounds since 1-13-2017.

My wife was disappointed that she "only" lost 3 pounds, but she didn't need to lose nearly what I did. At our age, it's tough.

[Darrell KSR]

One of the prime reasons for the rise in obesity:

6208

That chart is spot on, Pedro. Some of us are old enough where we remember things like the 6½ oz Coca-Cola bottles, as opposed to the 20 oz bottles they send out of vending machines now. Portions for everything have increased in size.

[blueboss]

Weigh in Tuesday!! 224 even. Can't complain it's coming off pretty good. I took a week off from exercise due to the epizootic, got back on track Sunday. Started at 20-25 minutes should pick it back up to 30-35 by weeks end.


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[KSRBEvans]

I found this article and thought it was interesting:

Should 15,000 Steps A Day Be Our New Exercise Target? (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/well/move/should-15000-steps-a-day-be-our-new-exercise-target.html?_r=0)

[KSRBEvans]

As for me--I'm here in mid-March and have done very little to move toward my goals so far this year. I start out well on Monday and by the time I get to Thursday I'm slipping, both on diet and exercise.

I tend to do better when (a) I'm accountable to someone and (b) I'm working toward a short-term goal. Mrs. BEvans and I are scheduled to go on a trip to Europe in mid-June. It looked for awhile like it wasn't going to happen, but now it is and so I want to lose as much weight as I can between now and June 16, the day we leave. That's 85 days, or a little over 12 weeks. I figure I can lose 40 pounds in 12 weeks if I exercise 5 days/week and watch what I eat. And it's easier for me in my mind to think "I can do anything for 12 weeks."

So I'm jumping back in this thread with that in mind. I'm going to post daily what my previous day's activity and food intake was (I'm using My Fitness Pal which says I should have an intake of 1,720 calories/day).

[Darrell KSR]

I found this article and thought it was interesting:

Should 15,000 Steps A Day Be Our New Exercise Target? (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/22/well/move/should-15000-steps-a-day-be-our-new-exercise-target.html?_r=0)

Man....I'm hitting 7,000 steps a day in recent days and feeling pretty good about that, without making extra time for exercise. If I had to move it up to 15k, I'd be toast.

[Darrell KSR]

Weigh in Tuesday!! 224 even. Can't complain it's coming off pretty good. I took a week off from exercise due to the epizootic, got back on track Sunday. Started at 20-25 minutes should pick it back up to 30-35 by weeks end.


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Nicely done!

[Darrell KSR]

And it's easier for me in my mind to think "I can do anything for 12 weeks."



You nailed my mindset. In fact, I'm struggling a bit more right now with this idea that the "Scale Back Alabama" program is over, or it is for me, since I weighed in, and weighed out already. It was a 10-week deal, and it was sort of a sprint where I could see the finish line.

My "mini-sprint" now is making artificial weight loss goals. My "new" one is to get to 207. I was less than 5 pounds away before a recent hiccup, but I'm back now to about 6 pounds needed. But even that isn't fueling me as much.



I'm going to post daily what my previous day's activity and food intake was (I'm using My Fitness Pal which says I should have an intake of 1,720 calories/day).

Here's where I find I'm slipping a little. Whereas for a great part of the "Scale Back Alabama" program I entered everything I consumed in my Fitbit food app, I am finding it easy to nab a Hershey's kiss--or six--from the candy bowl, and eat them. Today I went home for lunch--had a bowl of oatmeal and a banana, and called it good--but saw some movie popcorn my wife had brought back from the movie last night. Before I knew it, I had eaten 4 handfuls of popcorn, and as I sit here now, realize I did not enter that in my consumption (I will now).

I have begun the rationalization process. "You're usually at 1100-1300 calories, so big deal if you miss a 100-calorie treat or something, you're still good."

I think that's a mistake as I sit here now. Maybe I'm not missing 100 calories, I'm missing 200, or 300 that way. And maybe instead of 1100-1300 calories, even without the info I am not inputting, I am underreporting the calories I actually consume. I don't weigh my food, and some of the calories listed for food I consume varies a great deal.

For example, last night, we had spaghetti and meatballs. Try looking that up on the Fitbit food menu app. There are ten tons of spaghetti and meatball entries on it and the calories vary widely. I took a medium range one, and called it good, but I don't know if I underreported, or overreported.

I figure in the long run it's probably ok to miss here or there. But I don't need to miss daily.

[blueboss]

We had dinner guests last night. Mrs boss did a pork tenderloin thingy she does in the slow cooker. That comes with potatoes and onions, then she had corn on the side...oh yeah, plus a tossed salad with fresh rolls.

That's all I had all day besides my morning yogurt and fresh fruit (fresh pineapple). Anyway I felt like I way over did it since that's the biggest meal I've eaten in a while.. plus no exercise, it was too late after everyone left.

We'll see what impact that has on weigh in day next Tuesday.




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[PedroDaGr8]

We had dinner guests last night. Mrs boss did a pork tenderloin thingy she does in the slow cooker. That comes with potatoes and onions, then she had corn on the side...oh yeah, plus a tossed salad with fresh rolls.

That's all I had all day besides my morning yogurt and fresh fruit (fresh pineapple). Anyway I felt like I way over did it since that's the biggest meal I've eaten in a while.. plus no exercise, it was too late after everyone left.

We'll see what impact that has on weigh in day next Tuesday.




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Don't be surprised if you see a huge spike. A lot of carbs there will result in some water retention. After a couple of days of going back to normal eating you will see the water weight drop off.

[blueboss]

Tuesday weigh in, 222.7. I looked back on my fitbit app, and last year at this time I was at 221.


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[Darrell KSR]

213.2 this morning.

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[blueboss]

Looks like I will meet my goal of 223 by end of March...unless I start going backwards the rest of this week.

I'm going to shoot for 215 by the end of April. Gonna be tough, the first 10 lbs are usually the easiest, the next 10 will require some discipline.


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[Darrell KSR]

211.4. Gotta get it under 210.

[Darrell KSR]

Looks like I will meet my goal of 223 by end of March...unless I start going backwards the rest of this week.

I'm going to shoot for 215 by the end of April. Gonna be tough, the first 10 lbs are usually the easiest, the next 10 will require some discipline.


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A little backwards is OK if it's one step backwards, two steps forward. At least I keep telling myself that lol.

[blueboss]

A little backwards is OK if it's one step backwards, two steps forward. At least I keep telling myself that lol.

I was 222 flat Friday evening, coming in under by one pound for my March goal.

Shooting for 215 by end of April. I'll have to work at it to make that lofty goal..... no more late night snacks.

Prolly won't get off to a very good start either. Ms boss says we're having spaghetti and meat balls tonight.


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[uklandrn]

Well - I had gastric sleeve surgery in October 2016. I was very, very fat and am not inclined to actually post my original weight on here - but anyway - since my surgery I have lost right at 93 pounds. I have about 65 more to lose to hit my goal weight - and if you look at me I am in no way thin - but I am very proud of my loss to this point. My activity level has improved, as has my self esteem, and my confidence. I no longer feel like a hypocrite teaching health promotion things to my patients. Weight loss is hard no matter how old you are. It is harder for women just due to our biology. It is especially hard for middle age women like me! (I can't believe I just called myself middle aged when I feel about 17 most of the time.) Congratulations to all of you for all the hard work you have put in. Hope that this time in 6 months I will have hit my target weight and I may even post a picture where I am wearing something besides scrubs!!

[PedroDaGr8]

Well - I had gastric sleeve surgery in October 2016. I was very, very fat and am not inclined to actually post my original weight on here - but anyway - since my surgery I have lost right at 93 pounds. I have about 65 more to lose to hit my goal weight - and if you look at me I am in no way thin - but I am very proud of my loss to this point. My activity level has improved, as has my self esteem, and my confidence. I no longer feel like a hypocrite teaching health promotion things to my patients. Weight loss is hard no matter how old you are. It is harder for women just due to our biology. It is especially hard for middle age women like me! (I can't believe I just called myself middle aged when I feel about 17 most of the time.) Congratulations to all of you for all the hard work you have put in. Hope that this time in 6 months I will have hit my target weight and I may even post a picture where I am wearing something besides scrubs!!

That is really great news! I'm very very proud of you! Weight-loss surgery has some of the best outcomes of all forms of weightloss. It still requires a lot of strict dilligence through out your life but has by far the highest rate of success and the best results at resetting hormonal issues that can make long term weight-loss much more difficult.

[Darrell KSR]

Well - I had gastric sleeve surgery in October 2016. I was very, very fat and am not inclined to actually post my original weight on here - but anyway - since my surgery I have lost right at 93 pounds. I have about 65 more to lose to hit my goal weight - and if you look at me I am in no way thin - but I am very proud of my loss to this point. My activity level has improved, as has my self esteem, and my confidence. I no longer feel like a hypocrite teaching health promotion things to my patients. Weight loss is hard no matter how old you are. It is harder for women just due to our biology. It is especially hard for middle age women like me! (I can't believe I just called myself middle aged when I feel about 17 most of the time.) Congratulations to all of you for all the hard work you have put in. Hope that this time in 6 months I will have hit my target weight and I may even post a picture where I am wearing something besides scrubs!!

Well done, Niki--keep up the good work. It is very hard for women, even more difficult than for me. And for some of us who have reached a certain age where our metabolism doesn't help us any more, even more difficult. You can do everything right and still not lose. It's tough.

Keep up the good fight!

[blueboss]

I forgot my Tuesday weigh in post...made it to 220.6.

My new thing is no snacks after 1900.


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[Darrell KSR]

I forgot my Tuesday weigh in post...made it to 220.6.

My new thing is no snacks after 1900.


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Excellent.

I need to focus on that "late night" thing. I finally got to the point where I realized my issue was a) snacking and b) portion control. My weight loss has slowed, but it's still occurring because, although I now allow snacks, I compensate--3 chips ahoy cookies are 160 calories, but if I ate a small breakfast, small lunch, and reasonable dinner without a lot of fatty foods (usually no bread), it's still easily a net loss. But I'm very bad about staying up late, and eating late.

Of course, when I get home from two back-to-back soccer games, and it's 9:30 p.m. my time, I don't feel like skipping dinner, but that doesn't happen every day, either :).

[badrose]

Snacking is good. I try to keep some healthy nuts around and grab a fistful every so often. Tree nuts is the way to go, lightly salted. I'm on my feet most of the time I'm at work and try to avoid sitting for long periods when I'm at home.

[Darrell KSR]

Thought I'd go back to the first of the year and revisit some posts.




1. I eat more than I need.

When I finally got that "annual" physical from my new physician, he basically said the same thing. Asked me how many calories I was eating, and I guesstimated what it was, and he said, "too many." Told me if I wanted to lose weight, I needed to go to 1500 calories a day. That seemed low; but now that I have gotten used to it, when I "pig out" and blow up to 1700 calories or so I seem like I'm overstuffing--and that was a light day in the past.

Pedro talked about portion control at various points in the thread, but this is the first real reference to it.


Mick, you nailed it.

For most people weight loss is both the simplest and hardest thing. The two secrets are to eat less and to cut out the carbs. When I did that I dropped more than 50 pounds, but it's hard to do that forever and depending on your lifestyle.

If I can cut out snacks and carbs I lose weight. Sometimes I can do that, sometimes not so much.

I haven't intentionally cut out the carbs, but as I am sitting eating dinner and such, I find it easier just to eat the spaghetti, and skip the bread, counting my calories.

Right now is a good time for me, because I'm working so close to home that I can often run home for lunch (and/or I sometimes work at home through an early lunch, and go to the office around 11).


Sitting is the worst thing you can do. If you can do your work standing, do that. Instead of cookies get some protein bars (or tree nuts) and graze during the day, and eat a healthy meal for dinner. Smaller portions, low starch, fresh veggies, and an ample source of protein.

I wear a Xioami Mi band (Pedro has that one, too), and I have it set automatically to notify me anytime I have sat for close to an hour. It shows a stick man getting off a chair and walking, (after gently vibrating to let me know to look at my wrist).

I know this is going to sound dumb, but I have a 30 oz Yeti that I sometimes remember to bring to work. When I do, I keep it full, and drink it constantly. This serves three purposes:

a) helps keep me hydrated;
b) helps keep me full (enough) that I don't snack; and
c) has me walk to the restroom pretty regularly. It's not far, but it's far enough to give me a little break, and the steps seem to help.

My issue with nuts and snacking is one I forgot--many of them give me indigestion. Even a nut or two. Has nothing to do with the quantity, it's just some stupid food intolerance I have with them.



I've made it a habit to drink water....as much as I can. I usually drink a whole cup/glass before each meal and some in between. I'll flavor it sometimes with many different flavors. Those pouches are generally only 5-10 calories. I think this has helped greatly.

One thing I've added is a Probiotic for digestive help. I think this has really helped but can't guarantee it.



I excerpted the water and probiotic thing from yours, which I'm doing as well this year. I have definitely increased my water intake since January 1, and only recently have I begun drinking apple cider vinegar. It's just a teaspoon in a 12 oz glass of water 2-3x per day, but it is causing me to drink an extra 24-36 oz of water, which is a good thing, the ACV seems to have some satiation effect even beyond the water--not a miracle, but a little (pectin?), and although it's not a probiotic, it's a prebiotic, which somehow works with probiotics or something to help digestion, or your heart health, or something. I'm not sure it's doing that, but I'm not sure it's not, either. I've almost finished my 2nd bottle of ACV.

[Darrell KSR]

210.0 this morning. My next goal is 207.6. I don't even remember why that was chosen, but I chose it some time ago as one of the interim goals. It has been much more slow than when I started, but I'm hopeful if I can get under 210 I can get under 207.6.

[MickintheHam]

Congrats Darrell. Since I no longer work I have taken up riding my bike again riding about 40 to 50 miles a week. I am trying to get to the 60+ range in another week or two. I have dropped two pounds off of a previous 12 lb loss from dieting. But the difference in my gut is significant.

[Darrell KSR]

Congrats Darrell. Since I no longer work I have taken up riding my bike again riding about 40 to 50 miles a week. I am trying to get to the 60+ range in another week or two. I have dropped two pounds off of a previous 12 lb loss from dieting. But the difference in my gut is significant.

That's excellent.

Two Decembers ago, I bought a brand new Pure City "Commuter" bicycle.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1109/6048/products/31274_1024x1024.jpg?v=1480634847

Bought it from the Dad of a golf team member with my daughter; he was the manufacturer's rep for it, and got a great deal (less than ½ price). Not really meant to be super lightweight, or for serious cycling, just tooling around the city. At that time, I had just begun work at an office in my neighborhood (old Rust building area), and had the bright idea that I would ride a bike to work 2½ miles a day (each way).

What I didn't think through is that my building has no shower. I can't hardly ride it, sweat, and then fail to take a shower. So I have not ridden it 10 feet. Ridiculous!

I read an article on Lifehacker a couple of weeks ago on how to exercise at work without a shower, and it involved cleaning yourself up with a change of undergarments, fresh deodorant, baby wipes or something similar, etc. I'm not sure that will work. I may try it on a Saturday and see how it goes.

My stomach is still my stomach. I'm just losing weight, but not toning because I really haven't exercised. I need to add that into the equation. I've been threatening to do that for a couple of months, but nothing so far.

[blueboss]

That's excellent.

Two Decembers ago, I bought a brand new Pure City "Commuter" bicycle.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1109/6048/products/31274_1024x1024.jpg?v=1480634847

Bought it from the Dad of a golf team member with my daughter; he was the manufacturer's rep for it, and got a great deal (less than ½ price). Not really meant to be super lightweight, or for serious cycling, just tooling around the city. At that time, I had just begun work at an office in my neighborhood (old Rust building area), and had the bright idea that I would ride a bike to work 2½ miles a day (each way).

What I didn't think through is that my building has no shower. I can't hardly ride it, sweat, and then fail to take a shower. So I have not ridden it 10 feet. Ridiculous!

I read an article on Lifehacker a couple of weeks ago on how to exercise at work without a shower, and it involved cleaning yourself up with a change of undergarments, fresh deodorant, baby wipes or something similar, etc. I'm not sure that will work. I may try it on a Saturday and see how it goes.

My stomach is still my stomach. I'm just losing weight, but not toning because I really haven't exercised. I need to add that into the equation. I've been threatening to do that for a couple of months, but nothing so far.

How much you want for the bike? I'll be through BHam in May.


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[Darrell KSR]

Oh no, I couldn't sell it. Then there would be no pretense of actually exercising. I have to at least have the facade available.

[MickintheHam]

That's excellent.

Two Decembers ago, I bought a brand new Pure City "Commuter" bicycle.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1109/6048/products/31274_1024x1024.jpg?v=1480634847

Bought it from the Dad of a golf team member with my daughter; he was the manufacturer's rep for it, and got a great deal (less than ½ price). Not really meant to be super lightweight, or for serious cycling, just tooling around the city. At that time, I had just begun work at an office in my neighborhood (old Rust building area), and had the bright idea that I would ride a bike to work 2½ miles a day (each way).

What I didn't think through is that my building has no shower. I can't hardly ride it, sweat, and then fail to take a shower. So I have not ridden it 10 feet. Ridiculous!

I read an article on Lifehacker a couple of weeks ago on how to exercise at work without a shower, and it involved cleaning yourself up with a change of undergarments, fresh deodorant, baby wipes or something similar, etc. I'm not sure that will work. I may try it on a Saturday and see how it goes.

My stomach is still my stomach. I'm just losing weight, but not toning because I really haven't exercised. I need to add that into the equation. I've been threatening to do that for a couple of months, but nothing so far.
I cart mine downtown to ride. It's much flatter there. And amazingly, i can find some roads less traveled, even on a weekday afternoon.

[Darrell KSR]

Mick, you may see my son pedaling around downtown from time to time as well. He loves it as well. He lives a block from Dreamland near UAB, and he enjoys it as well.

Me? I'm still trying to get over this rotator cuff thing I have. Headed back to the doctor--done with my PT appointments, and now have to go back and I guess get an MRI to figure out what's going on, as I'm not getting better. I foolishly took a shot in my driveway Sunday and thought I'd be reduced to tears.

[blueboss]

I know a couple of people that went through the rotator cuff deal. Both went through the PT, and both ended up having the surgery to repair it. Both said they wished they had skipped all the time, pain and money spent on the PT and just had the surgery.

A few years back I had major shoulder pain, so severe I couldn't lay down, sit up, or stand up to get comfortable.

It turned out to be discs in my neck/cervical area that were pretty mangled putting pressure on my cervical cord resulting in the shoulder pain.

I went through a pretty amazing group of surgeons The Leatherman Spine Group. I got a young very talented surgeon who specialized in cervical area surgery. Plus it didn't hurt that he was from Mason county and a huge Ky fan. He told me I had three options 1) physical therapy 2) pain management therapy/pain pills 3) surgery . He told me 1&2 were usually followed by 3, so I skipped 1&2 and went straight for 3. Anyway he put in three cadaver bones a plate and six screws... ez-pz and I was cured.




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[MickintheHam]

Mick, you may see my son pedaling around downtown from time to time as well. He loves it as well. He lives a block from Dreamland near UAB, and he enjoys it as well.

Me? I'm still trying to get over this rotator cuff thing I have. Headed back to the doctor--done with my PT appointments, and now have to go back and I guess get an MRI to figure out what's going on, as I'm not getting better. I foolishly took a shot in my driveway Sunday and thought I'd be reduced to tears. I will keep my eyes peeled for your son. I have started taking a picture on every bike ride and posting it to my Facebook page. It gives me one more reason to take a ride. There are so many interesting places in downtown Birmingham, it is tough to pick just one. The game I play with myself is if I ride more than ten miles, I can stop and grab a s
Snakehandler at Good People or a Scottish ale at Avondale. Otherwise it is a smoothie at the Red Cat. I like smoothies, but I love Snakehandler.

[blueboss]

Boooom!!! I'm a teen...again 218.2!! I just might get my 215 goal by months end.


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[Darrell KSR]

Welcome, teenager!

[Darrell KSR]

210.2 this morning, so up a tic from last weigh-in. Not shocked by it, not too disturbed by it, but was hoping to be under 210.

[blueboss]

Welcome, teenager!

Thanks, sadly I'm about right where o was last year at this same time. The challenge this year is not to gain it back so I don't have to take it off again.

I'm off sweets for lent which ends Easter Sunday this week. I am going to stay on the sweets fast through the end of April and on into May. I'll be entering a weight gain mine field in May when I start a two week vacation in FL. I never worry about weight while on vacation.

I'd like to be around 213 by May 9.


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[blueboss]

216.7... still creeping along. Took a big hit on Easter Sunday eating big at both sides of the families. Surprised I lost anything at all. My routine is all out of whack as far as exercise, not getting my regular 40 minutes 5days/week.


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[MickintheHam]

Well, last week I rode the bike 62 miles, the most ever. So far this week I have clocked 32. I only have one more day this week I can ride so I am planning a 34 mile ride from Anniston, AL to Piedmont and back. I haven't ridden that far in one day, but maybe with 2 or 3 rest stops I can do it!

[Darrell KSR]

Mick, last year I had a day when I was returning a rental car on a Saturday to my neighborhood Hertz location. I don't remember why, but I did not have my car, and did not have a ride (and they had discontinued Saturday courtesy rides at that location,) so I thought I would just wear running gear and run home.

Across Hwy 119 into Corporate Parkway was easy enough and the rest of the route was through neighborhoods to my house, about 3.5 miles.

No problem.

I began it, and it was unseasonably warm. Or really, appropriately hot. I should have dropped it off before 9, but waited til close to midday when they closed.

Anyway, I got about halfway home, and was hot and needed to rest. There was a patch of woods on the side of the road and a nice tall stump perfect for sitting, so I took advantage.

I had been sitting there just a minute and this man comes running out of his house across the street at me. "Sir, sir, are you ok? Are you having a heart attack?"

I told him almost, that he came close to scaring me into one, but I was really better than I looked.

I'm sure your rests won't be that bad lol.

[blueboss]

I rarely get on the scale between weigh ins, but I felt fat this morning so I got on the scale.

Wednesday I was at 216.7, this morning I'm at 220 even.... I don't know what happened other than Chinese food on Wednesday night. I'm hoping it's water weight and will disappear by next Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.

Lent is over, but I'm still watching my sugar intake. I've eaten like five Peeps and a handful of jelly beans, three white chocolate truffles and a piece of cake since Easter.

We'll see, but I'm disheartened...


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[Darrell KSR]

If I eat Chinese food or Mexican food, I know not to worry about my weight for a couple of days because of all the sodium water retention. It's ridiculous how much that sways the scale. I think you'll be fine.

[PedroDaGr8]

I rarely get on the scale between weigh ins, but I felt fat this morning so I got on the scale.

Wednesday I was at 216.7, this morning I'm at 220 even.... I don't know what happened other than Chinese food on Wednesday night. I'm hoping it's water weight and will disappear by next Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.

Lent is over, but I'm still watching my sugar intake. I've eaten like five Peeps and a handful of jelly beans, three white chocolate truffles and a piece of cake since Easter.

We'll see, but I'm disheartened...


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It is literally physically impossible for you to gain that much weight in this short of time. You would have to consume 11,500 calories to gain that much in fat therefore it is water weight and it can take a while to come off.

[blueboss]

It is literally physically impossible for you to gain that much weight in this short of time. You would have to consume 11,500 calories to gain that much in fat therefore it is water weight and it can take a while to come off.

That's what I was thinking... thanks for the heads up.


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[MickintheHam]

Well I came up a bit short on my Anniston to Piedmont bike ride. Once I saw how hot it was going to be I decided to scale it back to Jacksonville to Piedmont, 26 miles. I am glad I did as them temp was 91 degrees as I was finishing. There was an early morning rain shower and the asphalt surface was still damp, increasing the humidity. It was bearable but not what I wanted for my first long ride. Alas, I finished with 59 miles for the week, one short of the goal. But, my2 week avg. is 60.5 miles per weekk. This week will present another stiff challenge to meet the goals as I will only have three days to ride. Likely I willcome up short, but never say never.

[Darrell KSR]

It was way too hot today to do much. Still sounds like a lot to me.

[blueboss]

I read something a while back about different combinations of food and beverage that aid in weight loss. The combo that stuck out in my mind was apples, peanut butter, and cinnamon, mostly because it sounded like a good replacement for sweets which I gave up for lent.

I know apples are good, and cinnamon pops up a lot in concoctions that are good for you, and then I guess the protein in peanut butter can't hurt.... but i still can't wrap my fat little brain around how the combo could actually promote weight loss. Unless perhaps eating those things are better than the alternative.

What say you fellow pound slayers??


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[Darrell KSR]

I read something a while back about different combinations of food and beverage that aid in weight loss. The combo that stuck out in my mind was apples, peanut butter, and cinnamon, mostly because it sounded like a good replacement for sweets which I gave up for lent.

I know apples are good, and cinnamon pops up a lot in concoctions that are good for you, and then I guess the protein in peanut butter can't hurt.... but i still can't wrap my fat little brain around how the combo could actually promote weight loss. Unless perhaps eating those things are better than the alternative.

What say you fellow pound slayers??


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207.4 this morning. Creeping toward 200.

Blueboss, my dietary plan has been simple. When my doctor told me I needed to shoot for 1500 calories per day if I wanted to lose weight, that's what I did. Took Pedro's advice and input everything I consumed, down to 10 calorie pieces of candy. I have relaxed that kind of thing somewhat now after weeks of working with it, I have a better feel.

But the interesting this is this. My breakfast and lunch have been almost identical for 5-6 days a week.

I eat 3 things.

A. Oatmeal (160 calorie instant packet, generally Cinnamon and Spice, but I'll take anything)
1 teaspoon of Jif peanut butter

I dunno if is Jif. It's generally a nice scoop of teaspoon, but it's not overwhelming, either. Makes the oatmeal a little more hearty, a little smoother, too. I nuke the microwave, and go get the peanut butter jar. Take out a spoon and scoop out the peanut butter and as soon as the oatmeal is ready, stir it in by dumping it under the oatmeal and letting it "melt," then stirring.

Total calories I input is 208 (48 calories for the peanut butter).

I will eat that for either breakfast or lunch.

B. Grits and a banana. 100 calorie instant pack of grits, any kind but if I were choosing either Cheese or bacon flavored. I actually "cook" the banana in it--my wife grimaces and says that's disgusting, and she's probably right, but it's ok, and for me, it's like a decent flavored medicine.

Total calories for that is 190 (90 calories for the banana). Will eat for breakfast or lunch.

C. Boiled egg. Each one is 60 calories from Costco, although I'm going back to boiling my own because they taste better. I salt them and put cracked pepper on them. I will eat 1 or 2 for breakfast or lunch. Total calories is 120.

I'll pick either A and B, A and C, or B and C each day to eat. Sometimes I will double up on A for breakfast and lunch. So worst I have is 416 calories through lunch.

By the time I get to dinner, I usually have had less than 400 calories on the day. I shoot for about 800 for dinner, but really, I eat about what I want for dinner, and if it is something decent (low calorie chicken breast and vegetables, etc.) I don't mind grabbing 3 chips ahoy cookies or a bag of baked chips, etc.

My goal is 1200-1300 per day, as I figure that allows in a factor where I inadvertently miss something or understate something.

Once every week or two, I'll "ramp up" my calories to about 2000. I try to do it on a day when I am more active. I may even do that twice in a 2 or 3 day period. I don't know if this is accurate or not, but there's a claim that your body adjusts to a lower amount of calories, so I "ramp up" them every so often. Not enough to gorge myself, or to blow a week's worth of dieting, but enough.

My very final part of my diet has been another simple fix. I drink one glass of water 2-3 times a day with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it with the mother attached. Does that really "work?" Does it improve metabolism? I don't know. My thoughts are probably, a tiny percent, and not enough to make a difference. But I do think drinking that one glass of ice water in the morning helps to jump start the metabolism for the day, AND I think 2-3 extra 12 oz glasses of water help with bodily functions, AND I think that the pectin in the apple cider vinegar may help with satiation and not making me "as" hungry all the time so I avoid snacks.

That's the entirety of my diet plan. It's boring as heck, and it is helped tremendously by the fact that I work 2.5 miles away from my house so I can go home and boil eggs or fix oatmeal/etc. if I don't bring it with me.

I don't worry about what I eat, as long as I follow this plan.
I don't worry about when I eat, as long as I follow this plan.

My weight loss has been slowed recently, but it's still going down, so I'm going to continue this for awhile.

[blueboss]

Unbelievable... 215.2. What a roller coaster ride this last week.

I might just make my 215 by end of month goal.


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[Darrell KSR]

Excellent, Blueboss!

[Darrell KSR]

Two boiled eggs for lunch. Good eating!

[blueboss]

I started putting cinnamon on my breakfast apple slices. We'll see Tuesday if it's supposed magical weight loss powers work.

I am watching calories, cinnamon apples (1/2 Apple) and Oikos triple zero yogurt for breakfast... 220cals

Nature valley protein bar for lunch with some kind of zero calorie beverage...190cals

Dinner whatever in a reasonable size portion usually comes in around 800 caps.

Night time snack if any 100-300 cal popcorn.


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[Darrell KSR]

That looks like a great dietary plan, blueboss. Your calories look like they are in the just about perfect range for losing weight at a reasonable rate.

[blueboss]

I just added the apple vinegar concoction. That stuff is flat out nasty!!! Couldn't I just use apple vinegar to make coke slaw and eat that a couple times a day.... cabbage would also provide roughage.


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[Darrell KSR]

I just added the apple vinegar concoction. That stuff is flat out nasty!!! Couldn't I just use apple vinegar to make coke slaw and eat that a couple times a day.... cabbage would also provide roughage.


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1 tsp in a full glass. Gotta make sure it is diluted. I like it. But the glass is a good 12 oz of water and a few ice cubes.

[Darrell KSR]

Oh, but yeah, it can be on anything. I tried it once on a salad and it was fine.

[Darrell KSR]

206.4 this morning. Lost 5 pounds in a month, 9 in two months, so it has definitely slowed down to about 1 lb a week (recently, probably even less than that), even though theoretically I'm on a 1½-2lb loss per week calorie type plan.

[blueboss]

Here we go again back up to 218, from 215.2.

Man this is disheartening! I was continuing to lose 1-2 lbs a week until the last couple of weeks.

My calorie count really hasn't wavered and I have managed to stay off the sweets... with the exception of a few warhead sour jelly beans here and there.

....again I hope it's water weight.

Man!! I was shooting for 213 by next weigh in. I'm heading to the beach next week and I know what I'll be eating down there. While on vacation I never concern myself with dieting. Two weeks of vacation eating it's hard telling what I'll weigh in at when I get back.

Oh well.... damn!!!I hate going backwards.


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[Darrell KSR]

Up to 208.6. I knew it would be bad. Birthdays, graduation events, work lunches, traveling and eating has been poor.

[blueboss]

Not sure what I'm at these days. There's no scale at the condo and I've been tearing up some seafood. Probably going to McGuire's tonight for a big fat steak.


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[Darrell KSR]

I've become very comfortable with my idea of dieting. Just get used to long stretches of being consistent with it, and then go off the wagon a day, two days, maybe even a week. But then return. I almost think it helps the body a little. Doesn't allow it to get used to operating on those lower calories, so the metabolism stays up.

Graduation party last night for a girl going to LSU, parents from Houma (south Louisiana), and those Cajuns cook. She actually owned a bakery (mainly cupcakes, but anything, really). So the cooking was crazy good (although the "main" event was a crawfish boil, which I couldn't eat due to shellfish allergy).

Me? I ate before I left so I could control what I had. My calories were spent with two measly lite beers. Avoided the cakes, cupcakes, bread pudding, and everything else that looked great. Came home and ate an apple cinnamon nutrigrain bar with 120 calories. Oh well.

207.2 this morning. Worth it.

Next week my daughter graduates. SEC baseball tournament. In-laws in town. I'll eat poorly, but then re-set afterward.

[Darrell KSR]

Oh--and for those of us who do not "naturally" drink a lot of water, and sort of have to train ourselves to do it--I have two recommendations.

1. Buy some version of a Yeti-type tumbler. Walmart sells their brand for about $10. Bought my wife a RTIC one for about $10-12. I have a Yeti that kids bought me for Father's Day last year, or else I wouldn't have spent the money on it, and they chemically etched my initials in it so I couldn't return it. Darn kids. Anyway, put some amount of ice in it--you can fill it up if you want, but you really don't need to fill it with ice, as it stays cold forever, and you'll always have cold water around.

2. To me, this 2nd one is key. Buy a metal straw. I was not a fan of them, and finally decided to try (somewhere there's a discussion of this). You drink more water because you're not gulping in as much air with each "drink." It's way more efficient. The straws are cheap; you can generally get a set of 4 to 6 for about $10, too.

With those two things, I have a 30oz tumbler that I typically refill at least once a day. And remember, I'm also drinking three 12-oz glasses of water with apple cider vinegar in a separate glass each day. Part of the 30oz is ice, so it's not quite 60 + 72 oz, but it's significant. Helps keep the metabolism up, helps keep you hydrated for general health, helps keep you somewhat full so you don't snack on crap stuff (which I am awful at doing), etc.

If I just had # 1, I wouldn't drink nearly as much. Same if I just had # 2. But having both have helped me.

[blueboss]

I'm on the way home from vacation, upon arrival I will officially start all over...

Big Bobs and Dreamland were worth the lbs.


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[MickintheHam]

I have dropped 14 pounds in the last 9 months with no concerted effort at dieting, other than to watch how much I eat. Big breakfast and minimal food at dinner and supper. In the last 4 weeks I have ridden the bike just over 235 miles. I hope to keep that up through June and then take a break for my cross country Amtrak trip.

I attribute the weight loss to appetite suppressant as I lost the weight in the first five months. The bike work has mostly been adding muscle in the arms and legs and hopefully improved cardiadic health.

[Darrell KSR]

I do exactly the opposite on when I eat more, which bucks the normal protocol of eating substantively early to get the metabolism going. Just works for me. Breakfast is between 120-210 calories. Always some combination of boiled eggs, instant oatmeal with a teaspoon of peanut butter, instant grits, and a banana. Not many combinations work there, but I don't really require that much variety. Lunch is the same, but usually flip the switch on breakfast and have the opposite. Today I will have oatmeal for lunch because I had 2 boiled eggs for breakfast.

The problem I have is late afternoon. I would like to eat an early dinner, as I am well hungry by 5:30, but dinner at my house is normally closer to 6:30. So I tend to start to eat junk.

What has helped in that vein is having boiled eggs handy, since one is about 60 calories and filling, and I have recently started picking up a snack I love, those beef steak things that are similar to jerky, but not as tough. Flavorful, and for 1 oz., pretty satiating, but only 50 calories.

I have changed my "bad" snack habits, too. I used to be able to sit and eat a "row" of cookies while snacking. Now if I'm bad, it's 3 chips ahoy. Tolerable.

I desperately need to start back exercising, which I haven't done. I am jealous of that terrific bike riding. Fun, get out and see and experience things, and great exercise. Maybe some day, but not soon.

[blueboss]

Not as bad as I thought it would be 220.4... I made it to 215 and change then crept back up to 218 before I left for vacation. After two weeks at the beach and feasting on Alabama BBQ and seafood 220 isn't too bad.

I need to get back on track with diet and exercise to start losing again. So as I recuperate from vacation I'll start getting back in exercise shape, followed by calorie counting.


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[blueboss]

218.8, going back in the right direction.


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[Darrell KSR]

Afraid to step on the scales for awhile.

[uklandrn]

I am currently down 106 pounds since October 14, 2016. I am 44 pounds from my goal weight - but I am totally thrilled with my current weight loss.

[PedroDaGr8]

I am currently down 106 pounds since October 14, 2016. I am 44 pounds from my goal weight - but I am totally thrilled with my current weight loss.
That's incredible! Great work. Soon you will have to focus on transferring to maintenance eating. I call this dieting phase II. It is just as hard as dieting at first, because you are so used to losing that it is hard to find that balance. Good luck to you.

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[blueboss]

I am currently down 106 pounds since October 14, 2016. I am 44 pounds from my goal weight - but I am totally thrilled with my current weight loss.

Holy moly!! Great job!!! I am embarrassed to post my paltry weight loss numbers.

What is your secret? What does your diet consist of?

You are an inspiration...


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[MickintheHam]

I am currently down 106 pounds since October 14, 2016. I am 44 pounds from my goal weight - but I am totally thrilled with my current weight loss.
Great work!

I rewarded myself last week and bought a new bike. I am totally thrilled with it and wish I had done so sooner. My old bike I bought about 7 years ago was after a stroke and wanted something with wider tires and lower center of gravity. But, after getting my rides up over 50 miles a week I decided to get a hybrid/urban type cycle. And, Cannondale had a bike with which I fell in love. My top speeds are up to about 18 miles an hour and average 11 in the city. That includes waiting at the traffic signals. I am anxious to take to the Chief Lidiga trail next week to see what I can do on a trail with minimal road crossings.

[uklandrn]

I upped the protein and cut the portions and basically stopped eating sweets. Of course I had gastric sleeve in October - so I cannot eat very much at a time. I try to get some sort of exercise everyday - but being a nurse I do a lot of working everyday. Thank you for the acknowlegement - I am so much closer to my goal weight than I ever thought I'd be.

[Darrell KSR]

207.2 this morning. I bounced back up awhile, with plays, family in, graduation, etc. but settling back into the routine. I keep breakfast and lunch at 200 calories or less (low is 120, high is 208), and mostly eat what I want for dinner. I have adopted these beef jerky type snacks that are pretty satiating at 50-80 calories each that I will eat for a snack, and back to 3x per day of the apple cider vinegar water.

I'd like to get under 200 before the summer is over, and preferably by July, but that probably won't happen.

[Darrell KSR]

I upped the protein and cut the portions and basically stopped eating sweets. Of course I had gastric sleeve in October - so I cannot eat very much at a time. I try to get some sort of exercise everyday - but being a nurse I do a lot of working everyday. Thank you for the acknowlegement - I am so much closer to my goal weight than I ever thought I'd be.

You are doing fantastic, Niki....very inspirational. Despite your hard work, I also know that lifestyle is tough, and easy to eat the wrong kind of foods, etc.

[CitizenBBN]

If it makes you feel better D, your current weight is pretty much my goal weight.

I had a good stretch of weight loss, but that's gone now. Too much stress, too many carbs, not enough exercise. When I cut out the carbs that weight goes away.

[blueboss]

218.... trying to get back to 215.


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[Darrell KSR]

If it makes you feel better D, your current weight is pretty much my goal weight.

I had a good stretch of weight loss, but that's gone now. Too much stress, too many carbs, not enough exercise. When I cut out the carbs that weight goes away.

It's just tough. You're not as old as I am, but you hit a certain age anywhere near our age, and it just takes more (or I should say, a lot less). Used to be I could skip lunch and go run and lose 5 pounds (and not water loss), I used to joke only half kiddingly. Now the exercise means little to my weight loss, and deviating from an established calorie intake plan means the weight not only doesn't go down, it freakin goes up. Just very difficult.

[blueboss]

217.4


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[uklandrn]

Down 111 pounds now. 39 pounds to my goal!! I am really excited about it even though I am still classified overweight - I am no longer in the Obese category!! I actually have to go sometime and get some clothes that fit me because right now I am wearing a bunch of things that are much too large - but that is perfectly ok with me. I am just happy to not be embarrassed to leave my house anymore.

[Darrell KSR]

Fantastic, Niki. Way to go!

[blueboss]

216.7 slow going.


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[Darrell KSR]

211.0. Knew I was going up. Need that to stop.

[Darrell KSR]

208.8. Headed back down. Don't I look great? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170628/5e6507845f1fae22089314f710d97f01.jpg

[blueboss]

217.2 not bad for literally not moving for four days last week...unless coughing, sneezing and blowing my nose counts for moving.

Still not going in the direction I'd like. Might have to find 300 calories to eliminate. I had hoped to be at 215 by months end.


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[uklandrn]

Down 115 pounds and 35 to goal weight. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170630/8896471bf07a461d109c6f969879a2dd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170630/f64d3a61c4a2ed7b7aa8d72682b14fd4.jpg


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[blueboss]

Wow! Just wow!!


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[Darrell KSR]

Niki, why are you posting your high school graduation pictures?

;)

Great work. You look terrific.

[PedroDaGr8]

Wow! Just wow!!


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My thoughts exactly, just stunning!

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[blueboss]

Down 115 pounds and 35 to goal weight. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170630/8896471bf07a461d109c6f969879a2dd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170630/f64d3a61c4a2ed7b7aa8d72682b14fd4.jpg


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Keep it up and you're going to have to run around in the shower to get wet!!


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[Darrell KSR]

207.0. It's funny how the weight sometimes comes off more easily. Recently, I have had occasion to have doughnuts, muffin tops from a local bakery, and other goodies around the house due to various circumstances including birthdays and the like.

I have indulged, but I have taken extraordinary steps to to make sure that my calorie intake for the day stays under my goal. For example, I am making the "cardinal" sin after having two large doughnuts at breakfast of skipping lunch.

I drink a lot of water, have some coffee, and go running in 90 degree weather and it saps my appetite for lunch anyway. I'm sure I'm violating all of the rules related to your metabolism and all that, but it is working for me just focusing on the calories, rather than the type of calories or the timing of the calorie intake.

[uklandrn]

Niki, why are you posting your high school graduation pictures?

;)

Great work. You look terrific.

Thanks for the sweet compliment. Truthfully I don't think I looked this good in high school - but in my defense it was the 80's and aqua net was very important then!
I am now 30 pounds from goal - just wish I could make certain places tone up at will.

[uklandrn]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170709/cd086a879c6d28a5c4c87d0618f482f0.jpg27 pounds til goal weight!!


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[uklandrn]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170709/a4c221b5cf6d2cdef0caa797f65befe9.jpgm

Closer to my goal everyday!


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[Darrell KSR]

Keep it going, Niki. This last part will be tough, but you have already come so far... Great job.

[blueboss]

Smoke'n !!!!


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[blueboss]

Jeez, now I've gone backwards from 216 to 219 again... it's gotta be the sodium and holding fluids.

I'm still trying to stay in the 1500-2000 calories/ per day range with very little sweets.

The one thing I haven't been doing is regular exercise. That may need to change to get going in the right direction again.


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[Darrell KSR]

Jeez, now I've gone backwards from 216 to 219 again... it's gotta be the sodium and holding fluids.

I'm still trying to stay in the 1500-2000 calories/ per day range with very little sweets.

The one thing I haven't been doing is regular exercise. That may need to change to get going in the right direction again.


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If you've been sub-2000 calories a number of days in a row (1-2+ weeks), you might try ramping up one day to 2600 or so, and exercise that day for possible metabolism boosts. Then return for 7-10 days of sub-2k calorie intake.

I'm just sorta stuck in this 207-208 range. But the reason is I'm doing well 3 or 4 days and not doing well the other days. Not awful, but not good. I'm going to try to get a little more consistent and see if I can get under 200.

[blueboss]

If you've been sub-2000 calories a number of days in a row (1-2+ weeks), you might try ramping up one day to 2600 or so, and exercise that day for possible metabolism boosts. Then return for 7-10 days of sub-2k calorie intake.

I'm just sorta stuck in this 207-208 range. But the reason is I'm doing well 3 or 4 days and not doing well the other days. Not awful, but not good. I'm going to try to get a little more consistent and see if I can get under 200.

Thanks for the tip. Should be easy to ramp up the calories for a day, it's the exercise that's the hard part. It's just so hot, when I hit the door I get real lazy. I'm only working outside doing yard work maybe two days a week. I'd like to get down to 210 and kind of hanging there going into the eating season Oct-Dec.


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[blueboss]

Thanks for the tip. Should be easy to ramp up the calories for a day, it's the exercise that's the hard part. It's just so hot, when I hit the door I get real lazy. I'm only working outside doing yard work maybe two days a week. I'd like to get down to 210 and kind of hanging there going into the eating season Oct-Dec.

My meager weight loss pales to Nikki's achievements...

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[uklandrn]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170720/4f99aa45cda4e35a4346f342f8943794.jpg

My first time wearing shorts in 8 years. I'm down another 2 pounds and these finally fit and I wore them OUTSIDE!! I know it's not a big deal for you but it's huge for me!!! Only 39 pounds to hit my new target.


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[Darrell KSR]

Looking terrific. What a great, successful journey!

[blueboss]

Outstanding on every level!!


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[Diana Welch]

Guys, do you know a fat-burning exercise for asthmatic people?

[KentuckyWildcat]

Higher intensity workouts with short intervals has helped my brother's asthma a lot. Weight is not an issue for him.

As far as fat burning, I would think you work out just as anyone else while learning your limitations.

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[blueboss]

Somebody, or everybody remind me again why I'm drinking apple vinegar with the mother.


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[uklandrn]

I am now down another couple pounds - so I am 32 pounds away from my goal. No new pictures to post - I think you guys have seen enough of my ugly mug on here for a while. Just hoping to hit my goal in the next 3 months.

[UKHistory]

Losing weight is very hard. To all my fellow Cat fans congrats on your progress. I have been going back up with current job and torn acl.

Trying to get back focused. Drink water that is so important.

[MickintheHam]

Since I have been on this trip around the country my regular exercise has gone on hiatus. Instead of my 50-60 miles a week on the bicycle I am doing zero.

I am desperate for serious exercise over the next two weeks. This past Tues however I did manage 10 miles on a rented bike in Reno. I walk just about everywhere I did over 15 miles last weekend in San Francisco including 5 miles over the Golden Gate Bridge. I walk frm the train station tomthe hotel, if it is under 5 miles. And I have cut back to one meal a day plus one snack.

Still I believe I am gaining weight. I dont want to face the scale when I get home. I am sure I have wiped out any improvements over the last 10 months. It is especially disappointing since my annual physical is in Aug.

[uklandrn]

Since I have been on this trip around the country my regular exercise has gone on hiatus. Instead of my 50-60 miles a week on the bicycle I am doing zero.

I am desperate for serious exercise over the next two weeks. This past Tues however I did manage 10 miles on a rented bike in Reno. I walk just about everywhere I did over 15 miles last weekend in San Francisco including 5 miles over the Golden Gate Bridge. I walk frm the train station tomthe hotel, if it is under 5 miles. And I have cut back to one meal a day plus one snack.

Still I believe I am gaining weight. I dont want to face the scale when I get home. I am sure I have wiped out any improvements over the last 10 months. It is especially disappointing since my annual physical is in Aug.

I am concerned you are not getting enough calories for the amount of calories you are expending. If you don't take in enough and you are doing so much walking you might have sent your body into a survival mode where everything you eat is being stored because your body is afraid you are starving. Try upping your caloric intake by 500 cals or so. I bet you start to see a drop in weight. That is just my 2 cents - and you don't have to take it -but I have noticed when I don't eat enough I don't lose anything. when I increase my intake I lose. Just food for thought. (no pun intended)

[Darrell KSR]

Just returned from a vacation. I ran 4 miles a day (well, 20 total since I did not run the day I traveled). Played/swam in the ocean. Played 18 holes of foot golf (you walk the entire regulation golf course).

And gained 4 pounds.

[blueboss]

I'm at 219. I am starting to get back into a more regular exercise routine. I'd like to drop 5 lbs by the end of August. Summer is tough on me and my weight management. Crazy food options, random activities disrupting a regular schedule, plus excessive heat that wears you down.

... but hey, most of all summer makes it easier for me to make up excuses of why I let my weight management stagnate.


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[Darrell KSR]

I'm 208.8. I'm not trying hard enough to get it under 200. I'm messing up my breakfast, lunch and snack plans, going too light on them, and absolutely starved when I get home. And since dinner isn't ready by then, I snack--HORRIBLY. Like 8 chocolate chip cookies.

OK, it was just that one time. But man...

I'm trying to get my wife to get us all on an early dinner schedule. Unless I am teaching, I can make my schedule where I can be home by 5 almost any day. My son's soccer training will be at 7 every night with his new season, so he really needs to eat "dinner" when he gets home from school, almost--at least by 4 or 4:30. That would work for me, too.

She is much more in the "I'll start cooking around 5-5:30, and we'll eat around 7" mentality, which I should adjust to--we've been married for 31 years almost, and it hasn't changed much--but I am hoping to change that. I eat breakfast around 6:30 to 8 (just depends on the day), and lunch is usually around noon. I can have a snack like a boiled egg if needed. I can also do the same mid-afternoon, but by 5, I am just starved. That extra 2 hours is a killer for me. I need to eat fruit, or something, I guess, that is healthy and filling--nuts, or whatever. But I'm ready for a full meal type of thing by that point lol.

[uklandrn]

Today I have officially lost 121 pounds and I'm 29 away from goal. Hope I make it by October - but even if I don't it makes me happy to be losing at a steady rate. Alec informed me today that I've burned over 423000 calories to achieve this amount of weight loss. When I think about it like that it seems incredible. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170802/f95524d9fd7e4c96c8ff7613338b3181.jpg


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[uklandrn]

This picture was taken Friday night.


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[Darrell KSR]

Niki, we may have to ask you to leave. You're classing up the joint too much. ;)

[uklandrn]

Darrell you can't make me go!!! Lol.


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[blueboss]

Stunning!

Me on the other hand... I come home tonight there's a pork shoulder simmering in the slow cooker getting ready to be pulled pork. Then I open the fridge and see a white chocolate raspberry tort, next to a giant bowl of potato salad.

Mrs. boss didn't get the memo on my weight loss goal for August.

Damn!! That cakes good!!!


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[KSRBEvans]

Interesting article:

You Literally Can’t Pay Us to Go to the Gym, According to New Study (http://mentalfloss.com/article/503217/you-literally-can%E2%80%99t-pay-us-go-gym-according-new-study)


A new study finds that financial incentives are not enough to motivate people to exercise, even when those people really want to develop good habits. The findings were reported in a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper.

...

To find out if paying people to hit the gym pays off, researchers recruited 836 new gym members: that is, people who already had a financial stake in working out more frequently. The experts divided the participants into four groups. The first group, the control group, was paid $30 no matter what they did. The other groups were told that they’d be rewarded for attending the gym just 1.5 times per week during their first six weeks of membership. The rewards were either a $30 or $60 Amazon gift card or a $30 item of the participant’s choosing.

The researchers tracked how many times each participant swiped in at the gym. To ensure that people weren’t just showing up, swiping in, then leaving, they enacted a 10-minute minimum halfway through the study. The new policy didn’t make much difference; people still showed up with the same frequency.

Or, more accurately, they didn’t show up.

Before the study began, participants said they planned to visit the gym an average of three times each week. Reality looked a bit different. People in the control group started out fine, going 1.5 times per week, but by the end of the study they were down to once a week. The folks in the incentive groups didn’t fare much better. They averaged 1.73 weekly visits during their second week, but tapered to a single weekly workout by the end of the study period. After the six weeks ended, all four groups’ attendance declined even further.

[KSRBEvans]

As for me, I talk a good game, but I'm not serious yet. I've lost about 15 pounds this year, walking the dog twice/day and making some very basic food changes. (How basic? My big thing I'm working on is avoiding buffets and not eating after 8 pm. We'll get those down and go from there. Baby steps.)

[KSRBEvans]

Today I have officially lost 121 pounds and I'm 29 away from goal. Hope I make it by October - but even if I don't it makes me happy to be losing at a steady rate.

:sHa_clap2:

[Darrell KSR]

As for me, I talk a good game, but I'm not serious yet. I've lost about 15 pounds this year,

Outstanding. To be -15 and not having been "serious" with it yet speaks well.

I made a move yesterday designed to help me stave off that 4pm-7pm hunger phase. I bought an egg cooker, and brought it to work. Made 4 hard-boiled eggs yesterday as my first effort with the cooker, and it made fantastic eggs. Had two for lunch, and then about 3:45, I was starving again. Ate another hard-boiled egg then. Got home at almost 6 yesterday, and wife was in the preparation stages of cooking. Sigh. Anyway, I didn't eat anything until dinner was ready at 7.

[KSRBEvans]

^That's good work, Darrell. Eggs are nutritious, relatively low in calories and a good source of protein. Unfortunately for me, I can't stand boiled eggs--the smell grosses me out.

[Darrell KSR]

I doubt it would change, but the egg cooker actually steams a hard "boiled" egg. Very much like the original to me, but not sure what part of the smell is bothersome to you.

Here's what the egg looks like after you cook it. I was dweeby yesterday.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-0iTdii0EE

[Darrell KSR]

And the most boring 48 second video ever--watching the egg cooker steam. It is very small--looks larger on the video, I think, but it's roughly the size of the blender base next to it, so it's small.

I like boiled eggs. I get tired of them, but I do like them.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI3mu6hlj78

[Darrell KSR]

Went to the office today around 11. Had the extra hard boiled (steamed) egg from yesterday and made two more. Had both of the extra ones today too.

I think I'm going to start making 6 eggs every other day.

[KSRBEvans]

I doubt it would change, but the egg cooker actually steams a hard "boiled" egg. Very much like the original to me, but not sure what part of the smell is bothersome to you.


It smells like a sewer to me. :puke:

[Darrell KSR]

Had two of those bad boys today for lunch. Didn't have time to have an afternoon snack.

[MickintheHam]

Survived my train trip and lost 3 lbs in 3 weeks. In addition to the hiking and biking, I think the secret was walking anywhere where the destination was 3 miles or less.

[uklandrn]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170813/7784f71faa29be77422b0da80120a0e8.png

Me and my niece Gracie. Down another 2.5 pounds. Closer to goal everyday. Still a ways to go but not as far as yesterday.


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[Darrell KSR]

You're not only losing weight, you're getting younger. Ponce de Leon has nothing on you.

Meanwhile, back up to 207.6. Ate like a pig.

[blueboss]

219.6


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[BigBluePappy]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170813/7784f71faa29be77422b0da80120a0e8.png

Me and my niece Gracie. Down another 2.5 pounds. Closer to goal everyday. Still a ways to go but not as far as yesterday.


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Are you the one on the left, or the right?

Good going and keep up the good work!

[blueboss]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170813/7784f71faa29be77422b0da80120a0e8.png

Me and my niece Gracie. Down another 2.5 pounds. Closer to goal everyday. Still a ways to go but not as far as yesterday.


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That purse is bigger than you are...


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[uklandrn]

I can assure you that it only weighs slightly less than I do now but it is smaller!!


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[blueboss]

I can assure you that it only weighs slightly less than I do now but it is smaller!!


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Better be careful lugging that thing around your shoulders will end up having the same problems as Darrell.

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[Darrell KSR]

Contrary to popular rumor, I am fairly certain that is not how I suffered my injury. But there was that one time in the French Quarter... Nah...

[bigsky]

Congratulations. This is an in tedible achiement. To significantly change your life habits as an adult is close to impossible.

[bigsky]

I have gone one hour on the steep trail up to and past the "M" 32 times this summer. Going today.

God's own stairstepper. Ran a 5k for the Bozeman Fire Dept foundation, inaugural event, 37:40. Fast guy finished in 15 minutes. 64 yr old woman in 29. Just in comparison.

All that with minimal weight loss and no belt holes gained. But it's all an effort to mend my "broken heart".

[bigsky]

So my goal is "one hour up" hoever far that takes me. I stop and recover frequently. I have extended to 1.5 hours 3 times to get to the ridge above and peer over the other side.

Going today.

Still at 184 instead of 160. gonna need a real dietary revision for that part.

[blueboss]

I'm starting to creep up a bit. I'm a day early on my weigh in day but I've gone from 219'ish to 222'ish.


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[uklandrn]

I am down another 4 pounds. These last few I have to hit my goal are coming off much more slowly - even with a decrease in caloric intake and an increase in activity - but I am chalking it up to being stressed about this new semester of school and all the other things going on in my life. I am just glad to see the scale going down and not up. I am just keeping on keeping on.

[uklandrn]

I have no idea why my picture is turned sideways. I can assure you it was not taken sideways.

[Darrell KSR]

205.4.

Down 2 pounds since May. Really hit a plateau.

[Darrell KSR]

I have no idea why my picture is turned sideways. I can assure you it was not taken sideways.
I figured you took the pic lying on your side. ;)

[blueboss]

Still at 219-221


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[KSRBEvans]

Interesting article on Eddie Lacy and his struggle with weight. Even though he's a professional athlete, it still has to be hard having all this stuff play out in public.

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/20756278/seattle-seahawks-eddie-lacy-opens-public-struggle-weight

I read about how he grew up (specifically his family's eating habits) and I see a lot of my background in it.

[Darrell KSR]

Interesting article. South Louisiana comfort food is like about anywhere else, I guess. Tasty, filling, unhealthy and high caloric.

[Darrell KSR]

205.4.

Down 2 pounds since May. Really hit a plateau.

Weighed this morning. 205.4. At least it hasn't gone up.

[uklandrn]

Yesterday was my 1 year surgiversary. I’ve officially lost 137 lbs. I’m thrilled with my progress but I’m still a few pounds from my original goal - but that’s ok- I’m happy with myself for the first time since I was 11 years old. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171015/8edbed2a799f212361b4009ca9833e2b.jpg


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[Darrell KSR]

Fantastic, Niki. Great work. So proud of you.