Losing weight

[Kevin]

Hey Tallbald! You’ve got some competition!

Three weeks ago at my 3 month checkup; my doctor threatened me with even more medication (I’m diabetic). I guess I’m just sick of medicine and pills, so I figured enough is enough.

You’ve written a few posts about losing weight and I too have done it in the past. About 10 years ago I lost around 75 pounds... since then I’ve gained back probably 50 of them. Now here I am again, just leaving the gym. I’m down about 12 pounds in the last month. Bread and wine were the first to go...

I did manage to make it to the last hole in your belt. Perhaps later this summer I’ll order me a new SMALLER belt.

Here’s to the friends on the Ruger Forum with their positive influences! Thanks man.

 

[bogus bill]

Last year the wife and I were doing good, dieting and walking. We are both huge. She is about 5`11, me 6`ft. (shrunk a couple inches from when young). We each lost roughly 30 pounds. Then she fell and broke a ankle. I had a hole eat in my gut and almost bled to death and was in the hospital four days just before christmas. It was a medicine mix up. I was taking some kind of arthritis pills that I shouldn't have along with xarelto and the pair together ate a hole in my gut. Then arthritis hit me hard in a ankle from a old break and I can now barely walk and when I do wear a brace and use a cane. So much for diet, plans and exercise. Now we both are just hibernating.

 

[gunman42782]

I have lost 60 pounds, need to lose about 40 more.

 

[Backlighting]

If you lay off all sugar, grains and starchy vegetables (cauliflower, etc.) your body will be forced to convert your stored fat to energy. It's called ketosis and it certainly works, and quickly. Basically what you will be eating is fish, meat, eggs and non starchy veggies plus about 2 quarts of water daily.
I learned about this approach from a friend of mine years ago who was a professional bodybuilder at that time. I went from a 38 waist to a 33in about 2 months. I also included some aerobics 3x a week (that really speeded things up). I've pretty much kept to this regimen over the yrs and have retained a 34 waist. Go here for more info:
https://www.drperlmutter.com/?s=ketosis

 

[bogus bill]

That is what the Atkins diet is. I went on the atkins diet when it came out in the 1970`s and it almost killed me. Maybe I overdid it. I would stand up and the world would spin. I lost a lot but if I cheated with just a tiny piece of bread or whatever it would drive me nuts and I would lose control. I never could drink all that water and I heard many stories of how that diet would wreck your kidneys, liver or whatever. Still, it is about the only way I could ever lose weight. I have been up and down all my life, mostly up. I have been high as 315 or so and down to 190. I never felt worse in my life as I did that ten minuets I hit 190. Thought I was going to die and people that knew me asked if I had cancer. My problem now is I have arthritis so bad in a ankle I cant be active.

 

[Backlighting]

IF you look at the site I posted, the main difference from Atkins is that you eat "good" fats ie: nuts, avocados, salmon etc. On Atkins, foods with excessive saturated fats such as bacon and steaks were permitted.

 

[bogus bill]

I hadnt noticed that site you posted. Will check it out when we get home from the Golden Corral.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for the link. I’ll check it out as well. I know some about the differences between good fat and bad fat.

I’ve also been hearing more about the “Keto” diet, but don’t know much about it. I can guess now where the name of this diet came from.

One of my family members told me about someone they know that had to have their gall bladder removed because of an all meat diet. And I know others who have gotten in really bad health due to a poor diet. They lost the weight, but suffered consequences because they didn’t approach it from a healthy point of view.

My wife and I watched that movie “The Devil Wears Prada.” And one model mentioned her diet. She said something to the effect of: “My diet is working, basically I don’t eat anything. Then when I feel like I’m going to faint, I eat a cube of cheese.”

 

[Tallbald]

Kevin a hearty congratulations on your decision. In 5 weeks it will be a full year since I had to begin my weight loss journey. Actually, my tastes have changed over this time, as well as my ability to eat large amounts of food. Many foods don't attract me any more, and it's now rather easy to decline offers or temptations. Buffets still suffer at my hand though sometimes. But I've taught myself that I can only indulge once a week or week and a half in over eating behaviors, and even then I can't go crazy about it. I plan my eating at social gatherings around my once or so weekly indulgence. I'm happy my own doctor chose the diet regimen I should observe. Balanced but carb restricted. At 60 years old now, it finally dawned on me as an adult that I must behave as a diabetic should, with restricted intake of some food categories. Sadly (or happily) my body is very efficient in storing foods and excess carbohydrates. Something desirable and useful in another era and place, but detrimental to a modern man like me.
I grew up when food was appreciated greatly. Wasting food was truly a sin of some type. Sometimes there was little good food available. To this day I hate the idea of food wastage, and part of my overeating may be a holdover from those times. Our ancestors gorged themselves after a successful hunt. But these days my only hunting is in the aisles at Kroger. Little risk of starvation for me these days, but it's always an illogical risk in the back of my mind I guess.
I suggest people stay well connected with their doctor throughout any weight loss journey. I suggest folks follow her or his directions as to how to proceed. I had labs drawn at least every 2 months because of my radical eating changes. Interestingly, my labs are better than they have been since I was in my mid 30's.
A few nice things I've learned though. Many hard cheeses are carb-free or almost so. Smoked meats with dry spice rubs and vinegar based sauces too can be made almost carb free. Distilled spirits are often carb free if not flavored (I had to leave beer behind much to my sadness), . Grilled chicken, chops, and a lot of foods I love are almost carb free. I love salads, and Sam's Club has a 2 pound bag of mixed salad that is $1.98 here. I go through 3 bags a week. I have become very fast at looking up carb content online (Google) of a food I want to eat.
The last 8 pounds of excess weight I must lose are the hardest. I suppose my body is fighting it hard. I keep up the good fight though, and as my doctor insisted I do, stay balanced and in close contact with him.
All good things wished to you Kevin! Keep us posted as to progress if you don't mind.
Don

 

[vito]

Years ago I went on a low carb, but not "no carb" diet, mainly eliminating all cookies, donuts and other sweets and very rarely eating pasta or the like. I ate tons of meat, cheese and eggs. Over a several month period I lost about 35 pounds. But I could not live on that diet permanently, and over time (and with a few medical challenges along the way) gained it all back plus some. Now, at 75, I go back and forth in my own mind from "who is that fat old man in my bathroom mirror?" to "I don't give a crap, I'm an old man anyway".

I've thought about going on the Dunkin Donuts diet. I find it hard to believe it would work, but it sure would be fun while it lasts. It calls for normal meals plus 3 jelly donuts after each meal, but no water at all, only diet soft drinks and coffee.

Seriously, I am now thinking about the Nutrisystem diet. I guess the food is not great, it looks like eating three TV dinners a day. But having the food prepared and sent to me, and not having to think about food, might be the way for me to go. But even if I can lose the 30 or 40 pounds that I know I should lose, I doubt that I could stay on the Nutrisystem diet forever.

Frankly, as I have gotten older, some of what I really enjoyed doing is just not happening anymore. And I gave up smoking about 35 years ago, and cut back on alcohol about 10 years ago. That pretty much leaves eating as my one main enjoyment, other than riding my motorcycle. Giving up eating what I want just to get thinner and maybe have it add a year or two to the end of my life does not really seem like a worthwhile bargain. But I might give that Nurtrisystem a try. Now I wonder if I can get to meet the spokesperson for that system, Marie Osmond. That would help motivate me to give it a real try.

 

[Dave P.]

I will agree that different people react to different types of diet....not arguing that.
However I think it's real simple, eat fewer calories than you burn and you will loose
weight. A balanced diet, keeping other potential health issues you may have in mind,
with quantity eaten somewhat kept in check to create a calorie deficit, will result in weight lose.
When simply talking about weight, not overall fitness, diet trumps exercise.
If you want to loose weight, take in fewer calories....it's not rocket science.
Dave

 

[bogus bill]

Because of my wife, I have gave up copenhagen, a occasional drink, motorcycles and girling. Because I am retired with no income nor overtime I have given up my airplane and gambling. Now I fight the wife over a soft drink. Being winter I cant trail ride in our RZR. My ankle is shot with arthritis so I know it's dumb to ride this summer any farther than I can walk out. 200 yards?? All I can do now is hibernate and live on memories and probably not many believe them. Sucks. Live while you still are alive!

 

[SAJohn]

If you want to loose weight, take in fewer calories....it's not rocket science.
Dave

As a retired rocket engineer, I completely agree with Dave. When your energy input is less than your energy output, you will loose weight. It is not so much what you eat as it is how much and how often you eat.

Rather quickly, after reducing quantity, your stomach "shrinks" so you still feel as full as you previously did when eating larger meals. Because you are still eating your normal diet, this method of weight reduction is much easier to maintain than is all of those fad diets.

John

 

[gramps]

Then there are hormones in the body that suck up water to help you MAINTAIN weight. So if you sit around, eating/grazing on salty snacks, water builds up. As you reduce your intake, your metabolism will decrease also.
gramps

 

[gramps]

Because of my wife, I have gave up copenhagen, a occasional drink, motorcycles and girling. Because I am retired with no income nor overtime I have given up my airplane and gambling. Now I fight the wife over a soft drink. Being winter I cant trail ride in our RZR. My ankle is shot with arthritis so I know it's dumb to ride this summer any farther than I can walk out. 200 yards?? All I can do now is hibernate and live on memories and probably not many believe them. Sucks. Live while you still are alive!

Alkanalize your body, to decrease inflammation.Apple cider vinegar capsules from Walmart one twice daily, or use real lemon juice one Tablespoon twice daily. Turmeric/Curcumin capsules from WW to decrease inflammation naturally instead of NSAIDS. Nuts 2 ounces daily. Good luck. Research this online and with your doctor.
gramps

 

[kodiakken]

I've shed 60 pounds over the last two years started out at 320 down to 260.
I work at loosing a pound a week.
I downloaded an app on my phone and diligently track what I eat and drink.
When the weather is warm up here and the Art's isn't bothering to bad I try to walk.
The first summer I was doing 3 miles a day that helped a ton. Winter came and I slid backwards and gained 10 pounds.
This winter really watching and holding pretty steady.

Good Luck and stay with it. Don't try to loose it all at once.

 

[bogus bill]

Thanks gramps. I will try that. I also have had a lot of bouts with kidney stones and gout through the years. I recently got fitted up with a foot-ankle brace. I thought this was a temporary thing but it hasn't let up and have had it a couple months now. When you can barely walk it stops your world. Thank God my good wife does everything for me but she has problems too. Thanks again!
Edit: Gramps, one big factor. Several days before christmas I went to ER and they held me four days. I am on xarelto and was also taking a arthritis pill, the name I forgot. I was pooping blood. The doctor said it was the combination of both pills that eroded a hole in my gut, and took me off that pill, meloxicam. ( I just looked it up).
My pain is worse and has immobilised me since I quit the meloxicam. Thanks.

 

[Dave P.]

Live while you still are alive!

Those are some key words!

I'd ride the ATV. Maintain it like an aircraft, carry some spares and
self rescue gear, like a winch. Tire plugs, small air compressor, water
and food to last a few days. First aid kit....etc.
Go ride the damn thing and live while you're alive.
Dave

 

[bogus bill]

That's what I did and plan on doing. I have all those things. Up to three years ago we USED to be members of a local club. I got in a "tiff" with the president at a meeting and threaten to whip his butt in front of all in the heat of the moment. It got out of hand and we quit. There is safety in numbers when you trail ride. Now we go alone. We often get as far as 30 miles away from our truck and trailer. Once I was riding with another couple. He hit a rock just wrong and knocked out his oil drain plug. I towed him out a little over ten miles. It happens. Last year I lost a belt but had just come out on a highway a few miles from our rig. We live near the best trails in the country. People will pass you up on a highway thinking someone else will rescue you but in my experience when you are "back in" most other riders will stop and offer help. Several years ago I hit a deer 35 miles from our rig. We were on the edge of Zion NP. By standing on the brake I spun a tire on the rim and broke off the inner tube valve. We had bought the RZR used and I didnt know the guy had put a tube in. Usually they are tubeless. It was getting dark. My wife is a big deer lover and I had to shoot the deer and she was beside herself. There was no fixing the tire. We were fixing on camping on the spot and it was almost winter and a cold night at close to 9,000 feet. A family came up in a 4WD truck, rescued us and drove us back the 35 miles to our rig. Wouldn't even take gas money! Our RZR.

 

[exavid]

I've shed 30-50lbs more than once in the past forty years. I've tried several different types of diets. They all worked okay. It was the interval between diets that didn't help. Long Arctic winters didn't help much either. I was doing well up until a couple of years ago when gout and arthritis flared up. Not much interested in working with weights or hiking when you hands and wrists hurt like hell under any strain. Of course the diabetes didn't help much either. Going on insulin instead of pills was much kinder to my CKD (kidney disease). I'd like to lose 25lbs, again, perhaps once the warmer weather comes back. Old age isn't being too kind to me but it looks like my old carcass will last long enough to see the grandkids grow up... with luck..

 

[bogus bill]

The town we live in has a college. They have a indoor track and let everyone come in and walk it, no charge. I think its a tenth of a mile around. Also there is a about a 1/4 mile walking path marked off around our hospital grounds with even a emergency phone and a few benches along it! Until last year I didn't know that stuff existed nor paid attention to it.

 

[Fox Mike]

I have never had a weight problem except never gaining any. Until I retired I was a 34 waist. Now a 36 is comfortable. I eat most anything that hasn't tried to eat me first. Never gained much no matter what I tried.

 

[bogus bill]

I know this sounds like a cop out but I believe it's mostly all about luck of the draw with genes. Yes, to some small extent we can control our body weight strength etc with really watching what we eat, working out hard, dieting etc. However the next person doesn't have to work at it at all. My dad was 6 ft 5"s about 225 lbs and straight as a ramrod. I never knew him to work out on purpose and he didnt know one thing about dieting and ate absolutely anything he ever wanted. He didn't pass up one thing due to health concerns. He put so much salt on his food his plate looked like a snow field. I was born fat and stayed fat. Once when I was a kid I was drinking water and he said I was drinking too much water and that was why I was fat!! He died at ninety from alzheimer's. My sister seemed to inherit his genes and I seemed to inherit my mother's. Dads side of the family, he was oldest of 10 siblings, had another 7 older half brothers and sisters, every one of them was built about perfect and most lived to their 90's and a couple made over a 100. I have a aunt still alive about 101 or 102. Some other people that look to be in good shape croak young. I dont swallow all the health talk preached as gospel. I am two months shy of 78, fat and out of shape. Yet I have known uncountable people that died far younger than me that looked to be in much better shape than me. I have already buried four beautiful women. Everybody is a expert but me.