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Finally, the weight is coming off a little at a time. The amount of exercise has remained the same for the last 8 months (which is how long I've been trying to get about 8 lbs off), and I'm finally at 155.5 lbs. The goal was to get to 155, but now I'd like to see it get to 150.
When I was younger and had a much higher metabolism and led a more active life, weight was never an issue. At 72, things are considerably different. 155 may not sound like much, but I'm only 5'7" and all of it is belly fat, which is dangerous for men my age.
What's changed is in addition to my usual 2 cups of coffee a day I now have a shot of the EE Eternal Energy drinks. This has enabled me to get my daily calorie intake down to around 950-970. Yes, I have to count every calorie or this doesn't work. W/o medication my blood pressure is a little beyond hypertension, but w/ medication it usually runs 135 over 80. With the increase in caffeine intake I now take 1 1/2 of my blood pressure pills vs my previous 1 1/3. The best part is the increase in mental clarity. Brain fog is a problem w/ many old folks, so this is a welcome change.
Most of the OTC supplements people take for brain fog don't do anything, but L phenylalanine does work. It's an essential amino acid that has been proven to give a mild increase in cognitive function and improve memory and learning ability. I'm going to go back to using it along w/ a cup of green tea, and find something else to stack w/ the L phen to hopefully boost its function. Whatever anyone takes for mental clarity, it has to be taken before eating so that our brain receptors will get the first thing we send to them. If you eat a banana or other carbs first, then nothing will happen.
Last edited by stephenMM; 03-15-2024 at 12:56 PM..
151.2 lbs. Should make 150 tomorrow or the next day. Might keep it at this weight for a month, then work on getting to 145, at which point its done. I keep learning new things:
Protein breaks down much slower than carbs, so if I eat a lot of that I don't get hungry as quickly. It's been mostly fish, chicken seems to be almost twice the calories of tuna or salmon. Peanut butter has too many calories, it's too easy to eat as much as a 3 oz serving of fish and the PB just makes me crave it more.
Not everything on the web is true. Websites say that 1 lb=3500 calories. But I've dropped the daily food intake down to 900-950 cal, and each morning is showing nearly a 1 lb lost. This is weighing at the same time every morning, so its accurate. I'm not sure where they got that 3500 calorie idea. Maybe on paper its true, but it isn't working that way in practice. The time I overate and had 700 calories more than usual, the next day showed 1.4 lbs gained.
Eating carbs activates my sweet tooth. On the high protein diet, daily sweets have gone from nearly a third of my daily calories to 1/10, and I don't really crave them anymore. About 40 are for bedtime. It's a treat, and I don't feel deprived that way. Generally speaking, sweets are ALL carbs.
Exercise really helps. The gym in our building has a simple machine that you pedal and row, w/ a calorie readout of calories burned. If I hit that thing twice a day, nearly 200 calories are gone. I'm 72 and can't eat like I used to. My activity level is a lot less even w/ a long bike ride most days and my metabolism is snail like.
151.2 lbs. Should make 150 tomorrow or the next day. Might keep it at this weight for a month, then work on getting to 145, at which point its done. I keep learning new things:
Protein breaks down much slower than carbs, so if I eat a lot of that I don't get hungry as quickly. It's been mostly fish, chicken seems to be almost twice the calories of tuna or salmon. Peanut butter has too many calories, it's too easy to eat as much as a 3 oz serving of fish and the PB just makes me crave it more.
Not everything on the web is true. Websites say that 1 lb=3500 calories. But I've dropped the daily food intake down to 900-950 cal, and each morning is showing nearly a 1 lb lost. This is weighing at the same time every morning, so its accurate. I'm not sure where they got that 3500 calorie idea. Maybe on paper its true, but it isn't working that way in practice. The time I overate and had 700 calories more than usual, the next day showed 1.4 lbs gained.
Eating carbs activates my sweet tooth. On the high protein diet, daily sweets have gone from nearly a third of my daily calories to 1/10, and I don't really crave them anymore. About 40 are for bedtime. It's a treat, and I don't feel deprived that way. Generally speaking, sweets are ALL carbs.
Exercise really helps. The gym in our building has a simple machine that you pedal and row, w/ a calorie readout of calories burned. If I hit that thing twice a day, nearly 200 calories are gone. I'm 72 and can't eat like I used to. My activity level is a lot less even w/ a long bike ride most days and my metabolism is snail like.
I've found this, also. Can go low carb for several weeks, then if I binge on some cake or cookies, I start craving more of the same, and there goes the diet.
Lately I'm doing the calorie limited diet (MyFitnessPal app) and overall I have found this the best approach. I can eat sweets, if I wish, but I need to account for them. However, I still believe low carb is the healthiest approach.
Speaking of exercise, I recently acquired an under-desk elliptical machine. Just put it under your desk or table, and whenever you're seated, you can exercise. I've burned 400 calories today, according to the machine. Not sure if it's an accurate count but it's at least an indicator of effort.
This, combined with gym, combined with an occasional walk or bike ride, and one can feel quite active and burn a fair number of calories.
One month ago I gave up eating all wheat and sugar. One very interesting effect: I no longer crave any sweets or alcohol. I don't even give it a thought.
One month ago I gave up eating all wheat and sugar. One very interesting effect: I no longer crave any sweets or alcohol. I don't even give it a thought.
Weird!
I believe it. I am visiting a relative right now and have been eating foods I haven't eaten in ages, breads, bagels, cereal, etc. I am craving sweets like I haven't in years. I really don't have much control on what food is available for the rest of the week so I just hope I can get back on track quickly when I get back home.
I believe it. I am visiting a relative right now and have been eating foods I haven't eaten in ages, breads, bagels, cereal, etc. I am craving sweets like I haven't in years. I really don't have much control on what food is available for the rest of the week so I just hope I can get back on track quickly when I get back home.
I know. Twice a year I have to go get bloodwork done before I see a doctor. Because I am not allowed to eat for 12 hours before, and cannot even have coffee before I go (which makes me really cranky), I used to treat myself to a bagel from a real bagel shop I pass on the way home. I always noticed that even though I just ate a big-ass bagel with cream cheese, I could eat more, or at least I'd be hungry again a couple of hours later.
I got bloodwork done this morning, and I resisted the urge because I knew that's what would happen. I made my coffee and put it in a container that I took along to have right after the vampires got done. Short line today, too, so it all worked out. I was not cranky for long, and I did not have a bagel this time.
I've been rigidly counting calories and dropped 10 lbs doing that. Then things got stuck. Some days it even creeped up a little. My daily calorie goal is 1200 calories, and it occasionally hits 1300. Other times 1150. But this calorie counting scheme has me hungry mostly all the time. If I'm busy, no problem. Being active either mentally or physically works well, sitting around is when I'm always hungry.
A week ago I got sick of how this weight loss had stopped working and how I was always hungry, and went to skipping breakfast and delayed eating my first meal until 1-2 PM. Now a little weight comes off every day and I'm not even hungry until that 1-2 PM. It also feels like I'm getting plenty of food this way. Even though I may still be hungry after I finished that first meal, I get to splurge and snack a little because I'm only eating for the rest of my waking time, which is now only 8-10 hours instead of all day long.
It's important to know what your current weight is:
What is your current weight?
What are your weight (fat loss) goals?
Worth noting is that if your goal is 1200 calories daily - which you state - if it's a large caloric deficit (for example 30% or even less) you will stall and your calorie burning will lessen and re-adjust...when you increase calories again in the future - if you do - you will blow up like a balloon.
It's important to know what your current weight is:
What is your current weight?
What are your weight (fat loss) goals?
Worth noting is that if your goal is 1200 calories daily - which you state - if it's a large caloric deficit (for example 30% or even less) you will stall and your calorie burning will lessen and re-adjust...when you increase calories again in the future - if you do - you will blow up like a balloon.
Interesting point, but suppose someone stays active. If a male is burning 1800-2000 cals/day but eating 1200 (which is my approximate numbers) he is simply going to lose weight.
Then, after reaching goal weight, increase his caloric intake to 1800/day, maintain physical activity, and keep that level of fitness.
I cut at least 40% out of my diet ten years ago, and lost 28 pounds. Since then my equilibrium (eating more normally) has been back about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way back, but I'm still noticeably down.
I've never counted calories, but significant cutting has worked. It's actually easy...it takes about a day for my stomach to start getting full with 40% less food.
I need to get back to this...the 3/4 is just recently. It might be habitually eating throat lozenges for a while.
151.2 lbs. Should make 150 tomorrow or the next day. Might keep it at this weight for a month, then work on getting to 145, at which point its done. I keep learning new things:
Protein breaks down much slower than carbs, so if I eat a lot of that I don't get hungry as quickly. It's been mostly fish, chicken seems to be almost twice the calories of tuna or salmon. Peanut butter has too many calories, it's too easy to eat as much as a 3 oz serving of fish and the PB just makes me crave it more.
Not everything on the web is true. Websites say that 1 lb=3500 calories. But I've dropped the daily food intake down to 900-950 cal, and each morning is showing nearly a 1 lb lost. This is weighing at the same time every morning, so its accurate. I'm not sure where they got that 3500 calorie idea. Maybe on paper its true, but it isn't working that way in practice. The time I overate and had 700 calories more than usual, the next day showed 1.4 lbs gained.
Eating carbs activates my sweet tooth. On the high protein diet, daily sweets have gone from nearly a third of my daily calories to 1/10, and I don't really crave them anymore. About 40 are for bedtime. It's a treat, and I don't feel deprived that way. Generally speaking, sweets are ALL carbs.
Exercise really helps. The gym in our building has a simple machine that you pedal and row, w/ a calorie readout of calories burned. If I hit that thing twice a day, nearly 200 calories are gone. I'm 72 and can't eat like I used to. My activity level is a lot less even w/ a long bike ride most days and my metabolism is snail like.
That's worth highlighting.
Here are my truths: Sugar is addictive. All calories are not equal, so I don't count them. Protein is good for you; so is fat. You don't need fiber; don't really need carbohydrates at all. America style bread is unhealthy and addictive. Margarine is a concoction of chemicals; should not be eaten. Cook with lard or butter; vegetable oil should never be consumed - never.
The vegetable oil/shortening promotion is one of the most successful scams in human history. It's killing us.
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