348.5 this morning. I'm still dutifully tracking my intake. I've exceeded my calories twice, but not much.
Slow progress is still progress and that's good enough. I'm feeling pretty good. Cleaning the system out and not overloading it helped more than I thought it would. I'm not waking up with heartburn at midnight.
The weight bench showed up yesterday, so I will start clearing an area in the garage to set up the machine. Hopefully, it will be in next week. From there, it's game on.
Does your scale have an app or similar to track your losses? I always love getting a "good scale day", but the real win comes when you look at that trend line over a few weeks or months. For me that is one of the sweetest things.
As an aside, I hurt my back 2 weeks ago and am still not 100% back together. It has really taken the wind out of my activity goals, but the good news is the pain meds have really suppressed my appetite so I am still dropping some LBs. Just not in a way I want.
I didn't buy a smart scale when I replaced mine. I am tracking it in the MFP app which provides a chart.
Following it is helpful.
Logging is logging - and a great way to not get down after a few bad days of a positive trend line.
Since I am a slave to convenience, I bought Nokia scale back at the pointy end days of smart scales. Still a champ, needs a battery from time to time. If I had it to do over again and since i am big on my Garmin stuff, I would buy a Garmin branded scale to keep it all in the same ecosystem.
I've been watching this thread since you started it. It takes a lot of courage to do what you are doing, and you're killing it. Keep at it! It takes real inner strength to do what you are doing, Toyman. I am in a similar situation, and I want to share my story (by no means a thread jack).
I've struggled with weight my entire life. I've always been big, and genetics aren't on my side; I'm mostly Italian and French Canadian, and both my parents have morbidly obese people in the family. As an adult, I've grown to 6' 1" and carry a large, wide frame. I was at my best in my early 20's when I was in a band; I was going to the gym every other day and mostly eating right, and weighed in around 220lbs. Big for some, but thin for me.
Fast forward to today: I just hit 41 and I recently weighed in at 395lbs. That's not good. Doing something about it has always been "in the plans" but there's always excuses that I come up with to block my path forward. But something needs to be done. I'm always tired, I feel terrible all the time, and the literal weight weighing me down is making me lethargic. It really sucks. I don't want to die young; I have way too many unfinished project vehicles!
My GP told me that other than slightly elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, I'm doing well. That's a shock, because no one this big should have bloodwork this clean! The weight is the problem; it's taking its toll on my knees and joints. He did suggest some diets (especially the Mediterranean Diet) but I always have trouble committing to them, since I'm always "too busy" and I end up going for the fast food and convenient choices that take the least time to make. Also, finding time to exercise is tough with my schedule, but I need to do it. Funny part is I actually LIKE going to the gym! I also love getting on the bike, but it's winter right now and I'm not riding that thing until it's warmer, so gym it is.
My goal this year is to start knocking off this weight. My wife is on board; she's a diabetic, and she'll hold me accountable. Going to start hitting the gym again and make the time/effort to finally kill this beast I've been carrying for years. I've slowly been reducing carbs in my diet and increasing protein, and trying to find "fast food" that's not awful for you. Breaking these habits and removing these blockers are the only way I'll succeed.
It's good to see I'm not the only one going through this, which means we can support each other on this journey.
In reply to Tony Sestito :
Welcome to the club. You are welcome to tag in on this thread any time you like.
I also have pretty normal blood work though my A1c has been creeping up over the last several years and I have high blood pressure from all the gut fat. I think those will self correct as the weight comes down. I may even be able to get off the BP meds one day.
Rather than trying to eliminate all of my favorite foods, I have been concentrating on eating less of them. And rather than calling it a diet, I'm trying to form different eating habits that will result in less weight.
I have found that tracking intake helps a lot. I was eating enough calories every day to feed a small family. Just reducing the amount of intake has helped me feel better because the system isn't overloaded all of the time.
Good luck and keep us posted!
In reply to Toyman! :
I just started tracking intake again this morning. I am an Android/Samsung user, so I'm trying the Samsung Health app that I've used in the past. I already track steps/exercise with it (paired with my Samsung Galaxy Watch) so we'll see how it does tracking food and weight.
Breakfast is hardest for me. It's easiest for me to make or pick up a breakfast sandwich and a large iced coffee with cream and sugar on the way to work, so cutting that out is going to sting a bit. This morning, I had a protein shake instead with a yogurt for a snack, and black hot coffee. Also made a pile of grilled chicken last night for salads and dinner. Eating healthy is hard when you love to eat trash all the time!
Also, why are healthy foods so much more expensive to buy than the ones that are good for you? It's a racket, I tell ya!
In reply to Tony Sestito :
I knew that if I replaced all the foods I like with diet foods, I wouldn't last long. We usually eat fairly clean foods, meats, starches, and veggies. Not much in the way of sweets so I didn't have to cut soda or ice cream. I eat pretty much the same foods, just not as much of them. Last night was fondue or meats cooked in a broth with veggies. It was very tasty, I just didn't eat my usual pound+ of beef and chicken. I tend to eat slower now so the time spent eating is the same but with less intake. I do miss the plate of rice or mashed potatoes though. The smallish spoonful doesn't quite cut it sometimes.
I can usually fix breakfast at home faster than I can buy it. Fast food isn't fast around here. This morning was a piece of bacon with 2 scrambled eggs, a large glass of water, and coffee with honest to god sugar and heavy cream. That was 478 calories. That is kind of my go to breakfast. Sometimes it's sausage or cheese instead of bacon, but almost always 2 eggs with something. The coffee is 24 ounces of coffee with 2 tablespoons of raw sugar and 2 ounces of heavy cream. It goes in a insulated cup and it lasts until 10 or os.
Lunch is what used to kill me. I'm a huge fan of Chinese buffets, greasy hamburgers, Philly cheese, and fries. I could easily consume 3000 calories for lunch. Today is going to be a 270 calorie salad and water instead. I have still been to the Chinese buffet with the guys, but I don't eat 2 full plates of food. I eat one not quite full plate instead and follow that with a light dinner, usually a salad.
Dinner could be anything. We haven't really changed what we eat for dinner, just how much of it I put on my plate. If I eat a largish lunch I'll call my wife and let her know that I'm eating a small dinner just so she doesn't cook a huge meal that I don't eat, or worse do eat.
My daily goal is right at 2600 calories. I've been able to stay under that fairly easily and not feel starved. I don't know that I will meet the pound-per-week loss every week but as long as there is a steady decline I'll be happy.
You are dead on about the cost of healthy foods. Not only are they much more expensive, they also don't store as well so keeping them around is more difficult. A bag of chips will last for months. A bag of carrots is lucky to last a week.
Keep up the good work!
Tony Sestito said:
Also, why are healthy foods so much more expensive to buy than the ones that are good for you? It's a racket, I tell ya!
A few years ago I made a resolution to try and make more of my food from scratch. I found that it really gives you direct control over how healthy something is for you. I'm not trying to lose weight, just be healthier so I tend to focus on cutting out unnecessary sugar and salt from my foods, and saturated fat. Make your food from scratch that the sodium content will fall by like 95%!
Anyway, its an interesting experiment to try even if just for a month. It has some nice side benefits - you can meal prep for a week at a time, you don't have junk food around in a box when you get a craving, etc.
In reply to Toyman! :
Might try replacing 1oz of your heavy cream with half and half. Won't really be noticeable, and will save you about 70 calories.
In reply to mtn :
Good idea. Would it be 3/4 & 3/4 then?
Toyman! said:In reply to mtn :
Good idea. Would it be 3/4 & 3/4 then?
1/4 and 3/4 maybe?
In reply to Toyman! :
does your chinese buffet have sushi and, if yes, do you like sushi? you could eat a whole mess of sushi and be in better shape calorically vs a plate of breaded and fried buffet food.
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
I love sushi, they don't have it though. I usually get sauteed veggies, seafood, pepper steak, and chicken wings. I skip the rice and the sweets. With reasonable proportions, it's not too hard to get out of there for under 1000 calories. You just need to be cognizant of what you are putting on the plate.
It's certainly better than 1920 calories of double Whopper with large fries and a large soda.
Toyman! said:In reply to Tony Sestito :
I knew that if I replaced all the foods I like with diet foods, I wouldn't last long. We usually eat fairly clean foods, meats, starches, and veggies. Not much in the way of sweets so I didn't have to cut soda or ice cream. I eat pretty much the same foods, just not as much of them. Last night was fondue or meats cooked in a broth with veggies. It was very tasty, I just didn't eat my usual pound+ of beef and chicken. I tend to eat slower now so the time spent eating is the same but with less intake. I do miss the plate of rice or mashed potatoes though. The smallish spoonful doesn't quite cut it sometimes.
I can usually fix breakfast at home faster than I can buy it. Fast food isn't fast around here. This morning was a piece of bacon with 2 scrambled eggs, a large glass of water, and coffee with honest to god sugar and heavy cream. That was 478 calories. That is kind of my go to breakfast. Sometimes it's sausage or cheese instead of bacon, but almost always 2 eggs with something. The coffee is 24 ounces of coffee with 2 tablespoons of raw sugar and 2 ounces of heavy cream. It goes in a insulated cup and it lasts until 10 or os.
Lunch is what used to kill me. I'm a huge fan of Chinese buffets, greasy hamburgers, Philly cheese, and fries. I could easily consume 3000 calories for lunch. Today is going to be a 270 calorie salad and water instead. I have still been to the Chinese buffet with the guys, but I don't eat 2 full plates of food. I eat one not quite full plate instead and follow that with a light dinner, usually a salad.
Dinner could be anything. We haven't really changed what we eat for dinner, just how much of it I put on my plate. If I eat a largish lunch I'll call my wife and let her know that I'm eating a small dinner just so she doesn't cook a huge meal that I don't eat, or worse do eat.
My daily goal is right at 2600 calories. I've been able to stay under that fairly easily and not feel starved. I don't know that I will meet the pound-per-week loss every week but as long as there is a steady decline I'll be happy.
You are dead on about the cost of healthy foods. Not only are they much more expensive, they also don't store as well so keeping them around is more difficult. A bag of chips will last for months. A bag of carrots is lucky to last a week.
Keep up the good work!
You might really like the recent Stronger By Science podcasts. It is run by actual scientists, not "fitness influencers". In the spirit of the new year most of the episodes have focussed on weight loss strategies. In an recent episodes they detail a lot of helpful methods. Many of which you are already using.
Great progress so far. Congrats!
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to Toyman! :
does your chinese buffet have sushi and, if yes, do you like sushi? you could eat a whole mess of sushi and be in better shape calorically vs a plate of breaded and fried buffet food.
Yes sushi is better than breaded and fried and sushi, rice rolled around a small piece of protein, probably does not have a macro profile a person focussed on weight loss will want.
In reply to TheGloriousW :
There are some great articles on their website. Thanks!
Tony Sestito said:I've slowly been reducing carbs in my diet and increasing protein, and trying to find "fast food" that's not awful for you.
When I travel for work, I end up eating "out" pretty much 100% of the time. For a reasonably healthy meal, I'll look for a Chipotle/Qdoba/Moes and get a burrito bowl. I skip the beans and rice, getting a protein (chicken 95% of the time), lots of grilled veggies, pico, lettuce and maybe guac. It tastes great, is fast and isn't loaded up with too many calories.
In reply to dyintorace :
I've recently started going back into the office more for the day gig, and when I do go in, I usually get lunch in the area within walking distance of the office. We do have some "healthier" choices in the area, and Chipoltle is one of them. There are a few "salad bowl" places and a sandwich shop that makes decent salads, so I have options. Yesterday, I got a southwest salad with grilled chicken, and that was about 750 calories. Sounds like a lot, but it was packed with protein, so that offsets it for a bit. Better than choking down a Texas Double Whopper meal at 2000+ calories on its own, and I didn't feel like trash afterwards!
Toyman! said:348.5 this morning. I'm still dutifully tracking my intake. I've exceeded my calories twice, but not much.
Slow progress is still progress and that's good enough. I'm feeling pretty good. Cleaning the system out and not overloading it helped more than I thought it would. I'm not waking up with heartburn at midnight.
11.5lbs in about a month seems like amazing process so far.
If you don't mind me tagging along, I have also been losing weight and am down 7.2lbs so far. Going to hit 200lbs by the end of the year from 228lbs
Tony Sestito said:He did suggest some diets (especially the Mediterranean Diet) but I always have trouble committing to them, since I'm always "too busy" and I end up going for the fast food and convenient choices that take the least time to make. Also, finding time to exercise is tough with my schedule, but I need to do it. Funny part is I actually LIKE going to the gym! I also love getting on the bike, but it's winter right now and I'm not riding that thing until it's warmer, so gym it is.
Going to start hitting the gym again and make the time/effort to finally kill this beast I've been carrying for years. I've slowly been reducing carbs in my diet and increasing protein, and trying to find "fast food" that's not awful for you.
IMO the problem with diets is sticking to them. I have found the best thing for me is just tracking calories in and out. Find things you like that aren't too bad at various restaurants like the Chipotle meal you mentioned and while they aren't going to be as good for you as home made due to sodium and stuff, it is still going to be a lot better then a big burger for those times you are in a hurry. For time crunch, try to find some workouts you can do around your house in shorter times periods and if you work a office job get up every now and then do a short walk around and stretch.
Personally I have also found that the start is the hardest as you will be hungry a lot of the time but that settles down.
Unfortunately I am good at the losing part but it is continuing to track calories after I have lost the weight that is the hard part for me.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Yeah, I think that rapid loss has come to an end though. Now it's down to the pound or so a week. This morning it was 350, which is within normal fluctuation for me. As long as the low fluctuation keeps dropping, I'll be happy with the result.
The balance of the exercise machine came in so I'll get it set up over the next week or so. Maybe that will help pick up the pace a little. It may also slow it down some since muscle weighs more than fat.
And everyone is welcome to join in. This can just be the weight loss thread.
Toyman! said:The balance of the exercise machine came in so I'll get it set up over the next week or so. Maybe that will help pick up the pace a little. It may also slow it down some since muscle weighs more than fat.
Usually adding strength training... the lbs come off the scale at the same rate, but the inches come off the waist faster.
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Yeah, I don't consider what I just started a "diet". It's basically tracking what I eat, setting a calorie cap and using common sense. Most healthy people consume about 3000 calories a day. My doctor told me to shoot for about 2500 and cut carbs where I can. For example, yesterday I ate 3 full meals with snacks and came in at 2326 calories. My app tracks all the metrics of nutrition, and basically it was high protein and fiber and low carbs. Sodium was high, so I can try and cut that down a bit.
Basically, I'm trying to burn more calories than I consume. I burned 3622 calories and consumed 2326. That is a win, and keeping that rolling should produce results, even without exercise. I didn't "work out" at all yesterday, but I did walk down the road to get my lunch, so there's that.
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