Before and after with lab results and pics (2 years of weight loss) (veggies, Alli)

[pipsters]

This all started in 2013. Had labs done in Nov 2013. Began exercise routines over two years. I travel 100% for work (on the road) so end up eating at hotels and airplane first class meals often, NOT good for you! But I still made it work. Even though I travel I pack food for the road. I'm normally gone from home 8-15 days a month depending on my schedule.

• Began at age 32
• ~195 lbs peak
• Labs and pic below of before (Nov 2013 is far right, Feb 2016 is far left on lab results)

Changes I made:

• Began weight lifting routine and cardio.
• Went to hotel gyms or local Planet Fitness on days off
• Alternated cardio (jogging). Worked up from 0.5 miles @ 6 mph to 3.0 miles @ ~19:45 pace (9 mph) run outside. Pretty regimented, sometimes getting up at 3AM-4AM to run before having to go to the airport
• At home I would eat home made granola on gym days, then eat a 2-egg whole wheat bagel (44g carbs! yes I know! I might find an alternative) slice of turkey with a smoothie. This smoothie had basic (Now! brand) protein powder, 1/2 apple, 1/2 banana, 1/2 orange, 1.5 oz spinach, 2.5 oz carrot, and normally 4.0 oz fruit (pineapple and strawberry) plus 1 tbl spoon chia seeds. Tons of carbs but no sugar or anything fake or unnatural. On jogging days I run before eating the breakfast sandwich and skip the granola. Lunch normally a PB&J sandwich with no salt PB, stone ground whole wheat bread. I'll be honest I have no idea the calorie content of my typical day, couldn't even estimate.
• For dinner sometimes ate healthy sometimes ate carby stuff like whole wheat pasta. I WEIGHED everything (ie serving is 56 grams, WEIGH IT!)
• Switched salad dressing to raspberry vinaigrette vs creamy dressings
• Still ate desert, normally ice cream at night, WEIGHED it out, 110 calories for 62 grams
• Still occasionally ate crappy food. It happens. I had a huge chocolate chip cookie probably 600 calories today.

After

• Age 34
• ~145 lbs (bottom of 142, now normally 144-145)
• Reduced workout regimen to Gym-Jog-Skip-Gym-Jog-Skip etc.
• Still eat my breakfast sandwich and smoothie (I love them! Yummy!)

Biggest changes to diet:

• A lot less sweets
• Very little friend food (French fries! I sub for salad or steamed veggies now if I have a burger)
• Switched to eat lots and lots of steamed veggies in place of fries, used to do 50%/50% serving of friends veggies now normally it's 100% green beans but eaten like friends (picked up and dipped in ketchup). Gives us our fry fix.
• Zero red meat. Turkey and chicken exclusively.
• I drink a ton of diet coke. No, seriously, a ton. But I also drink 2 liters of water a day.
• I weigh practically everything out to eat
• Cook a LOT at home. Very rarely eat out when at home and not on the road. Like once a month.
• Eating out on the road is typically Subway (turkey, the new carved turkey is AWESOME!), turkey burger, etc. with salad or veggies. Protein bar for "dessert" or sometimes Oatmeal (160 calories)
• All pasta and bread is 100% whole grain wheats
• Switched salad dressing to raspberry vinaigrette vs creamy calorie laden ones
• I don't "count" calories but am acutely aware of how many calories are in the things I eat. IE we eat these spicy buffalo soy burger patties that are 280 calories a piece, plus 180 calories for the bun, plus 90 calories for the blue cheese dressing.
• I realize I could've done this a lot faster/better but I enjoyed what I ate which was important to me. Life's too short for crappy food.

Good luck to everyone!

[hawaiiancoconut]

Look good. Keep it up.

[toosie]

Great job and great layout of the post - lots of practical info. I know for me that reducing sweets and fried foods alone would make a big difference. So just do it, right? Way to go and stick with it! Personally, I believe your approach sets you up for better long term success.

[SquirrelKate]

You look great! My husband also travels a ton for work, and it is hard to eat well with an airport lifestyle, unfortunately the food bag doesn't hold ten days' worth. Life is too short for crappy food indeed! Great info on how you got it done, thanks for sharing!

[jaminhealth]

Drinking tons of diet coke, yikes...maybe the water balances that out but I doubt it. I did enough coke/pepsi in my very young years and a mouth of dental work to prove it..so in probably last 30 yrs I don't touch that stuff.

When I was your age they NEVER did the labs they do today, called the modern medicine world, and I see how low your cholesterol is but maybe that's good for a person your age, I have no clue on that, but it brought me back to my very early years.

I know we do need cholesterol. I've done so much research and reading on this subject for years...I'm 77.

[L2DB]

Less jogging, more lifting, IMO. (unless you're training for an endurance event or something - if not, consider doing something like a Spartan race - they're good motivation).


I imagine it's hard to lift on the road - do you have a big national chain membership? If not, I'd probably find a really solid bodyweight program.


You've done the weight loss part. Now build some more muscle.

[Asgardian]

Great job.


The key I found out is no red meat at all and ike you said OP turkey and chicken.


Breakfast is key. At work I don't eat a big lunch, I tend to snack on small amounts of dried seaweed from Trader Joes. Drink plenty of water but also drink fiber to feel full. Dinner is generally a small item.


I do like to eat a lot of eggs but I scramble it with onions, scallions, kale ...no cheese.


I stay away from diary products as well.


It's hard but well worth it and after a while, you get used to it. The trick is not to take everything away. I do sometimes indulge in Chinese food but rarely.

[pipsters]

Originally Posted by L2DB

Less jogging, more lifting, IMO. (unless you're training for an endurance event or something - if not, consider doing something like a Spartan race - they're good motivation).


I imagine it's hard to lift on the road - do you have a big national chain membership? If not, I'd probably find a really solid bodyweight program.


You've done the weight loss part. Now build some more muscle.

No thanks, I like where I'm at. I like being smaller, more agile, faster etc.

I use hotel gyms on the road, most chains have dumb bells up to 50 lbs which is pretty much all I use normally. At PF I do use the 55-60 lb ones but it's not required on the road, I'm not missing much.

[Eazine]

Nice - great job!