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Everyone has to find their own path to a healthier lifestyle. For me it was drastically reducing my intake of carbs and getting regular exercise. Four years ago at age 58 I stepped on the scale and saw 273 pounds (I'm 5-11). My knees were swollen and walking was painful. I had a triple chin.
Went on a carb jihad -- 60 grams or less per day and started walking about 30 minutes a day. The weight came off and today I'm at 203, on the way to my goal of 190. The interesting thing is that most commercial "treat" foods like cookies and candy no longer appeal to my taste. French fries are a meh. I still enjoy good chocolate -- gotta have at least one vice!
Everyone has to find their own path to a healthier lifestyle. For me it was drastically reducing my intake of carbs and getting regular exercise. Four years ago at age 58 I stepped on the scale and saw 273 pounds (I'm 5-11). My knees were swollen and walking was painful. I had a triple chin.
Went on a carb jihad -- 60 grams or less per day and started walking about 30 minutes a day. The weight came off and today I'm at 203, on the way to my goal of 190. The interesting thing is that most commercial "treat" foods like cookies and candy no longer appeal to my taste. French fries are a meh. I still enjoy good chocolate -- gotta have at least one vice!
Like many on this thread, I too struggled with my weight and wasnt exactly sure why (even though it's blindingly obvious now). January 1st 2017, I weighed 285 lbs at 5'10. Not good. I resolved to hit the gym consistently with the goal of losing 50 lbs by June. Unlike many New Year's resolutions, I actually stayed the course, working out 5/6 days a week doing both cardio and weights. I went in to see the doctor May 26th and stepped on the scale; 308lbs. The doctor was now lecturing me about the dangers of obesity (which I already knew, hence the working out). Not a fun time.
While browsing youtube, I stumbled on to a new "fad" called intermittent fasting. That was my first step. I had always had this thing where I could eat a big meal in the morning and not need to eat again till dinner time. My wife said I just have a really slow metabolism and need to be more like her eating 6 meals a day. Hated that. The thought of spending the whole day searching for/cooking food just didnt appeal to me. So I was down to try this. I adapted very quickly to it Most people fast 16 hours a day (the fasting will be mainly night time but missing either breakfast or dinner). The idea being that your body goes in to fat storage mode EVERY TIME YOU EAT. That's only good for people trying to put on weight. Body builders do this. But for many of us trying to lose weight it's a bad idea. So that was the first step.
The second step for me was learning about the ketogenic diet, which is kind of what the OP is practicing. The diet removes ALL grains from the diet, eating only green leafy vegetables as the carbs, while eating more protein and fats. Carbs from grains IMMEDIATELY spikes insulin which controls fat storage. So it's not just the obvious carbs like sugar from candy and coke, but also bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, pastries, fried foods (the breading used) a lot of sauces like ketchup and bbq sauce. Sounds draconian, but I was willing to try it.
So I was at 308 lbs on May 26th. Started the diet a couple of days later, today July 13th, I'm down to 267lbs. I have had high blood pressure most of my life (usually in the 140s/150s). Now it's down to the high 120s. I'm recording my bp now in hopes that I can eventually get off all 3 medications I'm currently on. I was on the verge of becoming pre diabetic (both my parents are diabetic, so it's very likely I would get it too, but since i no longer eat sugars, I dont have this fear any more.
I will admit the diet sounds pretty draconian, but if you are like me and have tried other diets, you have nothing to lose. But do your own research and decide if this can work for you. I like Dr. Eric Berg on youtube, but there are others as well. Good luck to all.
Like many on this thread, I too struggled with my weight and wasnt exactly sure why (even though it's blindingly obvious now). January 1st 2017, I weighed 285 lbs at 5'10. Not good. I resolved to hit the gym consistently with the goal of losing 50 lbs by June. Unlike many New Year's resolutions, I actually stayed the course, working out 5/6 days a week doing both cardio and weights. I went in to see the doctor May 26th and stepped on the scale; 308lbs. The doctor was now lecturing me about the dangers of obesity (which I already knew, hence the working out). Not a fun time.
While browsing youtube, I stumbled on to a new "fad" called intermittent fasting. That was my first step. I had always had this thing where I could eat a big meal in the morning and not need to eat again till dinner time. My wife said I just have a really slow metabolism and need to be more like her eating 6 meals a day. Hated that. The thought of spending the whole day searching for/cooking food just didnt appeal to me. So I was down to try this. I adapted very quickly to it Most people fast 16 hours a day (the fasting will be mainly night time but missing either breakfast or dinner). The idea being that your body goes in to fat storage mode EVERY TIME YOU EAT. That's only good for people trying to put on weight. Body builders do this. But for many of us trying to lose weight it's a bad idea. So that was the first step.
The second step for me was learning about the ketogenic diet, which is kind of what the OP is practicing. The diet removes ALL grains from the diet, eating only green leafy vegetables as the carbs, while eating more protein and fats. Carbs from grains IMMEDIATELY spikes insulin which controls fat storage. So it's not just the obvious carbs like sugar from candy and coke, but also bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, pastries, fried foods (the breading used) a lot of sauces like ketchup and bbq sauce. Sounds draconian, but I was willing to try it.
So I was at 308 lbs on May 26th. Started the diet a couple of days later, today July 13th, I'm down to 267lbs. I have had high blood pressure most of my life (usually in the 140s/150s). Now it's down to the high 120s. I'm recording my bp now in hopes that I can eventually get off all 3 medications I'm currently on. I was on the verge of becoming pre diabetic (both my parents are diabetic, so it's very likely I would get it too, but since i no longer eat sugars, I dont have this fear any more.
I will admit the diet sounds pretty draconian, but if you are like me and have tried other diets, you have nothing to lose. But do your own research and decide if this can work for you. I like Dr. Eric Berg on youtube, but there are others as well. Good luck to all.
That's pretty much what I do too and I am keeping the old weight off. I love it, it's a good rhythm for me. I eat at 10 & 7, never hungry. I eat seafood, meat and vegetables. Plenty of energy, I walk, hike or swim almost every day. And I spend as much time as I can outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air. Good luck! You can do it.
I posted this in another thread and I watched it yesterday. For those of you who did not some of this info, it may help. It does focus on sugar itself but IMO does apply to all carbohydrates which at the molecular level are pure glucose just like sugar. It is a bit long at almost an hour.
I don't really eat sugar at all but I eat a lot, and my belly has got fat. I have these rolls of fat on it that feels annoying because they never used to be there and its like having extra parts on my body taking up space. I can't fit into old pants any more properly because my blob (that's what I call my previously flat belly) just bulges over the top of them (once I finally do them up). I like to eat a lot but can't be bothered to do more exercise so my belly will get enormous at this rate but who care.s
So why are you posting here if you don't not care? This is a place for people to talk about weight loss. Not how fat they are and how they don't care to do anything about it.
Yes, I am doing the same from now on. I just wish I had realized SOONER how fat SUGAR makes you.
Because like I said it wasn't like I was eating burgers and french fries every day. Who would have thought that
something so innocent like a soda or iced coffee (with sugar) or even like a lemonade that you buy could make and keep your stomach HUGE? I honestly thought I had to eat fattening food like ice cream and butter for that to happen. But now I realized I was wrong.
Also, when I cut back on snacks last summer, I did cut back on things like bread. But that alone had little to no effect on my weight. That was super frustrating.
But then as soon as I limit my sugar intake (not using sugar in my coffee, no sugary drinks of any kind) BAM! The results have been immediate. Now I am still limiting bread but the biggest change I have made is the no sugar and that has made a big difference as far as losing weight. I am actually seeing the results now.
My husband did some internet research earlier on stomach fat (we both have the same problem) and he said the research said it was because of sugar but at that time I was still in denial about it and/or just wasn't ready to cut sugar out.
Now after being the same weight and then being told by a doctor that I am overweight I am ready to deal with this pesky problem once and for all. Sick and tired of not having pants fit right or having to buy a thousand different sizes of pants, etc.
I am surprised that sugar makes such a difference. So here's to some more conscientious eating (and drinking) since there are so many drinks out there that you may not think have much sugar but have TONS of sugar and that are sabotaging your healthy plans.
Just about every beverage out there has the sugar content on the label so isn't as easy as, "you may not think", it's more of a "you chose not to look". Sugar is in a lot of food items so read your labels. (I don't mean you personally, but you in the generic sense)
Good for you for making a healthier choice...keep it up, but do add more exercise...walking the dog isn't enough.
It's all in moderation. I eat occasional sugar and am not "FAT" or "HUGE" or "ugly". In fact I'm in great shape and though am a married woman often get mistaken for a high schooler so I guess sugar isn't quite the devil it's said to be.
Congratulations. . . you're in that minority of the population who has no issues with sugar. We should all be so lucky but there's two problems here. One is that many people simply cannot moderate their intake of sugar and need to never eat it. I am one of those--I consider it to be like alcoholism and abstain entirely except for the very occasional occasion, like Xmas day only. If I started this moderation thing like I have done before, it would be all over and years before I'd summon up the will to abstain entirely again. No thanks.
The other problem is defining moderation. How exactly do you define it? How do you keep from going over the line? Here's a question for you. . . if you had a nice box of your favorite candies or sweets and no one knew about them but you, how long would it take you to eat them? If your answer is two weeks or more, then perhaps you are perfectly capable of moderating your intake. Us sugarholics know very well that it would be a miracle if that candy was still there the next day.
Congratulations. . . you're in that minority of the population who has no issues with sugar. We should all be so lucky but there's two problems here. One is that many people simply cannot moderate their intake of sugar and need to never eat it. I am one of those--I consider it to be like alcoholism and abstain entirely except for the very occasional occasion, like Xmas day only. If I started this moderation thing like I have done before, it would be all over and years before I'd summon up the will to abstain entirely again. No thanks.
The other problem is defining moderation. How exactly do you define it? How do you keep from going over the line? Here's a question for you. . . if you had a nice box of your favorite candies or sweets and no one knew about them but you, how long would it take you to eat them? If your answer is two weeks or more, then perhaps you are perfectly capable of moderating your intake. Us sugarholics know very well that it would be a miracle if that candy was still there the next day.
I take a different approach, which is also valid. Whatever works for you. As for me, I am a sugarholic. Very much so. Maybe that's why I have no intention of giving it up and haven't, even while dieting.
What is moderation? For me, I eat exactly one Skinny cow chocolate bar as a snack (110 cals) and one frozen Skinny Cow ice cream cone dessert (170 cals) at night. That's it. It's enough to scratch the itch without breaking the caloric bank. These daily treats offer no nutritive benefit other than "feel good" (the ice cream does have a decent amount of calcium, though), but they help me keep on track. if I abstain from anything, I end up bingeing. So yes, I would eat all of the cookies in an uncontrolled frenzy because I deprived myself of something I love.
I'm faced with "temptation" all of the time, especially at work (pastries, cookies, etc.) I walk past them, or on occasion just take a bite and move on. How am I able to do this? because i "treat" myself daily. I also have a "cheat day" for when I feel more decadent. I consume a lot of calories on that day. Seems counterproductive, but in the long term it's not. It helps build my willpower to not go off the rails during the rest of the week.
It took time to develop this system and trial and error. there were times (and still are) that I eat one more cookie than I'd care to. but I don't beat myself up over it. I work out as I normally do and pick up again the next day. I hate to say this, but if I abstained from anything, I'd set myself up for failure down the road. YMMV. I just don't agree with dietary "devils". One can enjoy their favorite foods. it takes time to train your body, but it can be done.
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Congratulations. . . you're in that minority of the population who has no issues with sugar. We should all be so lucky but there's two problems here. One is that many people simply cannot moderate their intake of sugar and need to never eat it. I am one of those--I consider it to be like alcoholism and abstain entirely except for the very occasional occasion, like Xmas day only. If I started this moderation thing like I have done before, it would be all over and years before I'd summon up the will to abstain entirely again. No thanks. 
