A weighty issue

[graceanne]

I did Atkins for a while, and have gone back to numerous times. Honestly, I dislike it intensely as written, and always had to modify it. It seems like every frikken Atkins recipe in creation had "5 tablespoons of mayonnaise" in the ingredients, and no reason for it. I get the idea that excess fat intake is not necessarily bad when you've modified your insulin cycle, but, fuck, is there a reason to load extra, useless, non-nutritive calories in there?

I am slowly playing with food, and trying to figure out what really works for me. I've cracked a couple of things (like how to properly recover from heavy lift days), and know certain foods that I should avoid. Other stuff I'm still working on. The big thing I need to do is up my activity level, and that's just a wee bit difficult considering my current workload.

I did manage to get some time on the bike on thursday though, wheee.

I'm back on a mostly liquid diet. Because it's so difficult for me to digest food I get more nutrition from liquids, and therefore loose weight. I'm also going to the gym five days a week. I do weight training twice a week, and the treadmill all five days. I've lost three pounds in the last week.

 

[Homburg]

As an aside, some notes about various diets:

Atkins is calorie restriction by reducing carbs, with the added joy of ketogenisis thrown in.

South Beach is calorie restriction by avoiding various sorts of foods with bad nutritional content, as well as GI-unfriendly foods. Insulin management is key.

The Zone is calorie restriction by portion control and meeting the "zone" ratio. It likewise avoids GI-unfriendly foods, and works on insulin management by doing so and by meal timing.

MLB or the Paleo Diet is all about avoiding bad foods. Insulin management is part and parcel as the things eaten generally don't screw with your insulin levels. Has the added benefit of avoiding wheat, gluten, soy, etc when done right.

Weight Watchers is pure portion control. Calories in, and calories out. Insulin unfriendly foods are weighted a bit more comparatively, but insulin control is not key like some of the above systems.

NoS is also about portion control, as well as avoiding certain extremely bad foods. It is a no-brainer of a diet, and can be a great system for maintenance, but you won't get fast results on it. Honestly, this is not a bad thing. Fast results are usually unhealthy.

The Hacker Diet is a really neat idea. Read it yourself, make your own judgements.

Precision Nutrition is a scientific system that is similar in ways to South Beach, but with some serious ideas on lifestyle, food choice, and a heavy minimum acceptable activity level that many diets don't stress. Berardi has some of the strongest science around and incredible credentials (nutritionist for a couple of Olympic teams, college ball programs, etc). Not for the weak of wallet though, nor is it for the sedentary. You will feel incredible if you follow it though. Best I've ever felt in my life.

 

[mickwannabe]

Oh, ok. I can agree with that - that you can't ever eat all the carbs you want. But you can't eat all the protein you want, either. You still need to keep your caloric intake in between certain numbers.

I agree completely. Eating "all you want" of anything is a silly concept. Unless of course what you "want" is a healthy balanced diet

You still need to keep your caloric intake between certain numbers, yes. But that varies from person to person like many have said. You for example eat about half the calories I do and that's just what your body needs. My body needs more. The problem to me isn't the exact number, it's that many people over-eat because it feels good or because that's their family's culture. I know people who are members of Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step program based off of the Alcoholics Anonymous program. That program stresses the causes of over-eating that are emotional and conditional. It's not the only answer, but it can be an answer for some in that situation.

I cry a lil inside when I see two fat parents bringing their kids to an "all you can eat" buffet and setting a horrible example for their children. Like you said genetics can predispose a person to obesity & that is not a risk factor we can change. Those chubby parents can change their eating habits for the sake of their children.

The view is pretty rosy from inside of this glass house though If I wasn't at the buffet too I wouldn't have seen them haha

 

[WriterDom]

So I'm in KFC trying out the grilled chicken. A girl probably around 300 pounds or more comes in with another girl almost as big. So I'm wondering if she gets a meal what will she get for sides. Fried potato wedges and corn on the cob. And of course it comes with a biscuit. She did appear to get the grilled and she had unsweet tea. But still that's a lot of starch. And grease. I don't know if she buttered her corn but I would have.

It doesn't bother me. I do wish she could make wiser choices. For her health's sake.

 

[Homburg]

I'm back on a mostly liquid diet. Because it's so difficult for me to digest food I get more nutrition from liquids, and therefore loose weight. I'm also going to the gym every day. I do weight training twice a week, and the treadmill all five days. I've lost three pounds in the last week.

That is good stuff. 2-3 pounds is roughly what most bodies can sustain without losing muscle. The fact that you are doing weight training will act to protect your muscle mass as well. Your schedule looks really solid. I'd drop another weights day in there, but I recall you having joint issues, so that's probably not a good idea. I'm also a weights nut, so I'm going to stress that over hated cardio anyway.

There's also some serious support for weight loss on a diet consisting largely of protein shakes. The Velocity Diet has a lot of adherents for burst weight loss. It's fuck-all difficult, and would likely drive me barking mad, but it has a lot of documented success when used in short term.

Velocity diet is basically protein shakes for every meal (and caseinated protein is a MUST in this situation, or you will be hungry constantly), with a tablespoon of peanut butter, fish oil, and a multi-vitamin or two added daily. Once a week you eat a clean meal. Something like grilled chicken with broccoli and a clean salad would be appropriate. No more than 30 days is the suggested limit, and I would be insane by then for lack of variety.

It drops the weight off though, and the huge abundance of protein (and mandatory 2-3 weight sessions a week) protects muscle while doing it. This is called a "protein-sparing fast" in the nutrition world.

 

[mickwannabe]

As an aside, some notes about various diets:

Atkins is calorie restriction by reducing carbs, with the added joy of ketogenisis thrown in.

South Beach is calorie restriction by avoiding various sorts of foods with bad nutritional content, as well as GI-unfriendly foods. Insulin management is key.

The Zone is calorie restriction by portion control and meeting the "zone" ratio. It likewise avoids GI-unfriendly foods, and works on insulin management by doing so and by meal timing.

MLB or the Paleo Diet is all about avoiding bad foods. Insulin management is part and parcel as the things eaten generally don't screw with your insulin levels. Has the added benefit of avoiding wheat, gluten, soy, etc when done right.

Weight Watchers is pure portion control. Calories in, and calories out. Insulin unfriendly foods are weighted a bit more comparatively, but insulin control is not key like some of the above systems.

NoS is also about portion control, as well as avoiding certain extremely bad foods. It is a no-brainer of a diet, and can be a great system for maintenance, but you won't get fast results on it. Honestly, this is not a bad thing. Fast results are usually unhealthy.

The Hacker Diet is a really neat idea. Read it yourself, make your own judgements.

Precision Nutrition is a scientific system that is similar in ways to South Beach, but with some serious ideas on lifestyle, food choice, and a heavy minimum acceptable activity level that many diets don't stress. Berardi has some of the strongest science around and incredible credentials (nutritionist for a couple of Olympic teams, college ball programs, etc). Not for the weak of wallet though, nor is it for the sedentary. You will feel incredible if you follow it though. Best I've ever felt in my life.

Great info, more than I can remember off of the top of my head honestly. Very informative

 

[graceanne]

That is good stuff. 2-3 pounds is roughly what most bodies can sustain without losing muscle. The fact that you are doing weight training will act to protect your muscle mass as well. Your schedule looks really solid. I'd drop another weights day in there, but I recall you having joint issues, so that's probably not a good idea. I'm also a weights nut, so I'm going to stress that over hated cardio anyway.

There's also some serious support for weight loss on a diet consisting largely of protein shakes. The Velocity Diet has a lot of adherents for burst weight loss. It's fuck-all difficult, and would likely drive me barking mad, but it has a lot of documented success when used in short term.

Velocity diet is basically protein shakes for every meal (and caseinated protein is a MUST in this situation, or you will be hungry constantly), with a tablespoon of peanut butter, fish oil, and a multi-vitamin or two added daily. Once a week you eat a clean meal. Something like grilled chicken with broccoli and a clean salad would be appropriate. No more than 30 days is the suggested limit, and I would be insane by then for lack of variety.

It drops the weight off though, and the huge abundance of protein (and mandatory 2-3 weight sessions a week) protects muscle while doing it. This is called a "protein-sparing fast" in the nutrition world.

I've tried protein shakes. I haven't found one that doesn't come right back up, yet. K's stopped buying them for me, it's a waste of money. As soon as I get some money I'm gonna try ensure - I've heard it's awesome for people with malnourishment issues.

And I was kinda considering doing weight lifting three days a week, but I got vetoed. By a stern looking doctor. He says after I've lost some of this weight we can talk again, but for now I need to be careful.

 

[Homburg]

Great info, more than I can remember off of the top of my head honestly. Very informative

I got way into nutrition when I started lifting heavy. Well, heavy for me (445lb deadlift and a 400lb squat). I figured I'm in my mid-30's, and needed every advantage I can squeeze to prevent injury and enhance performance. I'm already too crotchety and moody for steroids, and they're really frikken awful for you long-term, so I turned to nutrition. Did shitloads of research, and generally read my ass off. It wasn't that tough, because all those heavy legs days meant lots of time where my pegs were too rubbery to do much but sit and read quietly.

I have my own take on diet and nutrition, and, when I can afford it, do pretty well. Haven't been able to afford it for a while, and motivation fell off for lifting, so I'm fat and outta shape. But, hey, I can spout all sorts of random crap on nutrition still...

 

[Homburg]

I've tried protein shakes. I haven't found one that doesn't come right back up, yet. K's stopped buying them for me, it's a waste of money. As soon as I get some money I'm gonna try ensure - I've heard it's awesome for people with malnourishment issues.

If you want, PM me and we can talk protein powder and MRP's. It's semi on-topic, but esoteric enough that I don't want to bore people.

And I was kinda considering doing weight lifting three days a week, but I got vetoed. By a stern looking doctor. He says after I've lost some of this weight we can talk again, but for now I need to be careful.

Yeah, that was a concern for me initially too. Weight lifting can do all kinds of fun things to the body, and respecting the weight you carry 24/7 is just as important as respecting the weight you tote during that hour at the gym.

 

[BiBunny]

The diet I always do when I have the money is Sugar Busters. The induction phase of South Beach nearly killed me. Never again.

I will admit that I eat the wrong kinds of food. It's goddamn expensive to eat properly. But I don't think I'm more prone to overeating than your average-sized person. In fact, usually what I struggle with is feeling extremely hungry, then getting nauseated-full off of very little food, then being hungry again in 2-3 hours.

Yay, insulin resistance!

Cutting out sugars, potatoes, corn, and white flour in all their various forms really, really helps, which is why I don't think the old "calorie in/calorie out" thing is necessarily accurate. Or maybe I should say it's oversimplified.

Most overweight people walk around in an insulin-resistant haze. This is NOT conducive at all to exercising. (By the way, exercise is much better for you as a weight-loss thing than dieting. Dieting alone is just meh. Exercise builds muscle, which speeds up the metabolism.) Even if at first you're still taking in more calories than you're burning off, the building of muscle will help you burn more calories even when you're just sitting on your ass, so that it will eventually even out.

Feeling like exercising is a big thing when you're trying to lose weight. If what you're eating makes you feel so crappy that you can't exercise, then I think you're shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[Homburg]

Feeling like exercising is a big thing when you're trying to lose weight. If what you're eating makes you feel so crappy that you can't exercise, then I think you're shooting yourself in the foot.

HUGELY important concept. You've got to feel good enough to exercise in the first place, and eating right will be a major step towards getting there.

 

[nh23]

I've lost another three pounds this week! However I can't really take credit for it. I found out I have a bad hormonal imbalance and my gyn started me on Prozac and birth control. I've spent the last few days forcing myself to eat the minimum. The Prozac causes anorexia, the BC causes severe nausea.

 

[WriterDom]

People eat six times a day on Body for Life and transform their bodies in 12 weeks. Of course you have to work out hard 6 days a week.

 

[nh23]

So I'm in KFC trying out the grilled chicken. A girl probably around 300 pounds or more comes in with another girl almost as big. So I'm wondering if she gets a meal what will she get for sides. Fried potato wedges and corn on the cob. And of course it comes with a biscuit. She did appear to get the grilled and she had unsweet tea. But still that's a lot of starch. And grease. I don't know if she buttered her corn but I would have.

It doesn't bother me. I do wish she could make wiser choices. For her health's sake.

If you keep posting what people eat in fast food establishments every day, someone is going to start to wonder why you're eating fast food so often. Sure you can find a few good things. But, by and large it's still not all that good for you. I looked at the grilled chicken on our KFC's menu here when it first came out. It still has the skin on it. Bad, bad.

 

[MisterSir]

The skin is the most delicious part, though. Chicken is chicken is chicken (and you have no idea how many tries it took me to spell the word "chicken" properly), but the secret recipe skin is what makes KFC the greatest fast food chain on the face of the planet. It's so damn good I'd use that as proof humanity deserved to exist if aliens threatened to destroy the planet.

 

[WriterDom]

If you keep posting what people eat in fast food establishments every day, someone is going to start to wonder why you're eating fast food so often. Sure you can find a few good things. But, by and large it's still not all that good for you. I looked at the grilled chicken on our KFC's menu here when it first came out. It still has the skin on it. Bad, bad.

The skin comes off. I've had a few sandwiches from there but it has been years since I had their chicken. I wanted to try the grilled.

 

[nh23]

The skin comes off. I've had a few sandwiches from there but it has been years since I had their chicken. I wanted to try the grilled.

Was it good with the skin off? I would imagine all the spices and whatnot are in the skin.

 

[Keroin]

The skin is the most delicious part, though. Chicken is chicken is chicken (and you have no idea how many tries it took me to spell the word "chicken" properly), but the secret recipe skin is what makes KFC the greatest fast food chain on the face of the planet. It's so damn good I'd use that as proof humanity deserved to exist if aliens threatened to destroy the planet.

Colonel Saunders is Satan. I can easily avoid all fast food but those delicious herbs and spices....oh baby.

And if they handed out free pieces of bubble wrap with their meals? I shudder to think.

It has been about four years since I succumbed to the temptation but KFC is my fast food Achilles heel. And, yeah, it's all about the skin, I could just eat a bucket of skin. How disgusting is that?

 

[MisterSir]

It has been about four years since I succumbed to the temptation but KFC is my fast food Achilles heel. And, yeah, it's all about the skin, I could just eat a bucket of skin. How disgusting is that?

You have never been more attractive to me than right now.

 

[Keroin]

You have never been more attractive to me than right now.

*SNORT*

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Colonel Saunders is Satan. I can easily avoid all fast food but those delicious herbs and spices....oh baby.

And if they handed out free pieces of bubble wrap with their meals? I shudder to think.

It has been about four years since I succumbed to the temptation but KFC is my fast food Achilles heel. And, yeah, it's all about the skin, I could just eat a bucket of skin. How disgusting is that?

You have never been more attractive to me than right now.

*SNORT*

If I'd been on here, I might have said that before he did.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I've been known to pull the skin off, eat the chicken, and then (essentially) have the skin for "dessert."

 

[MisterSir]

If I'd been on here, I might have said that before he did.

See? I'm not insane!

 

[Netzach]

The popeyes on Lake St. in Mpls is owned by the premiere heart surgeon at Mayo.

He's got a good racket, charges em on the in AND out.

And it's freakishly good. Other popeyes is gross, this one is weirdly amazing.

 

[graceanne]

If you keep posting what people eat in fast food establishments every day, someone is going to start to wonder why you're eating fast food so often. Sure you can find a few good things. But, by and large it's still not all that good for you. I looked at the grilled chicken on our KFC's menu here when it first came out. It still has the skin on it. Bad, bad.

I got a bucket of it once for me and the kids, and their was a puddle of grease in the bottom of the bucket. If I'm going to eat that much grease, I want it to be FRIED.

The skin is the most delicious part, though. Chicken is chicken is chicken (and you have no idea how many tries it took me to spell the word "chicken" properly), but the secret recipe skin is what makes KFC the greatest fast food chain on the face of the planet. It's so damn good I'd use that as proof humanity deserved to exist if aliens threatened to destroy the planet.

LOL

Colonel Saunders is Satan. I can easily avoid all fast food but those delicious herbs and spices....oh baby.

And if they handed out free pieces of bubble wrap with their meals? I shudder to think.

It has been about four years since I succumbed to the temptation but KFC is my fast food Achilles heel. And, yeah, it's all about the skin, I could just eat a bucket of skin. How disgusting is that?

Eh. Not really. The skin is the best part. My daughter watches me prepare her chicken like a hawk, cause I'm known to steal the skin as my 'preparation fee'.

See? I'm not insane!

I wouldn't use the fact that SW agrees with you as proof of your sanity.