From Fat to Fit 2025 - I Really Mean It This Time! (1 Viewer)

[Alex P Keaton]

Ok, so I have been on a health kick since February and I might as well add myself to this thread to help keep myself accountable. I am taking a bit of a different approach from most people in this thread as I have done the big diet thing a few times and was able to shed the pounds but would end up just putting them right back on quickly. When I looked up in the mirror begginning of the year I was at 210 lbs for my 5'11" frame, which I would describe as fairly average and had a really big gut.

Since then I have really tried to improve my fitness and improve my diet generally but I am not doing a crash course in calorie counting since while it works it just doesn't last. Real focus is on exercise and have gone from working out once or twice a week to working out at least 4 times a week. Anyone interested in working out more should join the FBG strava team - check in the 10k running thread if interested.

Of course exercise alone won't reduce weight so on the diet side, I have purposely cut my intake of beef, pork and even chicken and really tried to improve my intake of fruits and vegatables. My plate at dinner honestly looks like a ton of vegatables, a few carbs and small piece of protein. I have hard rule of no eating after 8 pm and have managed to stick to that with a few exceptions. I very rarely eat junk type food except for rare special occasion where I will do some chips or something like that at a party. I have also made a real effort to cut back alcohol (probably hardest part for me) and rarely have drink other than a special occasion.

So far this has been working for me and feels much more lasting. On my Monday weigh-in I was down to 194.5 (so have lost just over 15lbs). I am not seeing immediate fast results as some weeks I won't lose any weight or maybe put on a little but overtime it seems to be working well. My cardiovascular fitness is probably the best since I played HS soccer, which I think is a huge benefit. My end goal is to be 180 lbs and I am about halfway there at this point.

This is awesome. And to your point, it seems more sustainable (certainly compared to what I’m doing)! Hard truth for me is that I ultimately need to pivot to your approach to make the life changes that will make this all long-term viable. But I haven’t accepted that fully yet!

I am actually enjoying being in better shape. Have been trying to sign up for actual events so I have a goal. Ran a 5k race in May and have another one signed up for August and will likely pick a 10k race after I do the August race. Having something on the calender to focus on has helped on that front vs. just heading to the gym or for a bike ride once a week, etc.

Absolutely. I always feel more motivated to train when I’m signed up for a race. Mrs APK is running her first 5K soon so I might run with her.

 

[SayWhat?]

Hi everyone, my name is SayWhat? and I have issues. I’d love to join your meetings. Similar to @SFBayDuck , I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit since the middle of 2021. An injury to my wife has thrown life into a bit of a tailspin, and I’ve done an extremely poor job of dedicating even the smallest amount of time toward taking care of myself. As a result, I’ve gone from an ideal weight of 175-180 to a career high of 205.

I don’t feel good about it, mentally or physically, and I’m ready to make a change. Time to get serious about this. I need to stop stress eating, and get my *** out and exercise far more frequently. Also going to start trying to do 10-15 minutes of strength training daily to get into a groove.

Short term goals are 192 by the end of July and 184 by the end of September. From there, just a continual focus on making good lifestyle choices to keep trimming away fat and living healthier.

Thank you for your consideration.

Is this a new injury for your wife after that bad ankle injury she had before you did Western States?

Hey tri-man! Yeah, unfortunately the same injury. She’s now had 5 surgeries over the past 2.5 years, still had problems with walking, and deals with 24/7 pain. For a family that loves being outside and active, it’s pretty much been a nightmare and has definitely thrown me into a bit of a funk/depression. She’s been tough as nails and does everything right from a health and recovery standpoint, but this is just grinding her enjoyment of life down. Sucks really badly tbh.

 

[tri-man 47]

Hi everyone, my name is SayWhat? and I have issues. I’d love to join your meetings. Similar to @SFBayDuck , I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit since the middle of 2021. An injury to my wife has thrown life into a bit of a tailspin, and I’ve done an extremely poor job of dedicating even the smallest amount of time toward taking care of myself. As a result, I’ve gone from an ideal weight of 175-180 to a career high of 205.

I don’t feel good about it, mentally or physically, and I’m ready to make a change. Time to get serious about this. I need to stop stress eating, and get my *** out and exercise far more frequently. Also going to start trying to do 10-15 minutes of strength training daily to get into a groove.

Short term goals are 192 by the end of July and 184 by the end of September. From there, just a continual focus on making good lifestyle choices to keep trimming away fat and living healthier.

Thank you for your consideration.

Is this a new injury for your wife after that bad ankle injury she had before you did Western States?

Hey tri-man! Yeah, unfortunately the same injury. She’s now had 5 surgeries over the past 2.5 years, still had problems with walking, and deals with 24/7 pain. For a family that loves being outside and active, it’s pretty much been a nightmare and has definitely thrown me into a bit of a funk/depression. She’s been tough as nails and does everything right from a health and recovery standpoint, but this is just grinding her enjoyment of life down. Sucks really badly tbh.

Dammit ...really bummed to hear that. I can totally understand how this ordeal over multiple years is taking a toll on your family. Stay strong, my friend ...be a rock for her.

 

[nirad3]

My goal is to get back under 200 by my 50th (ouch) birthday in August.

I turn 50 in late July and am going to Palm Springs (hello, pool time) with a bunch of folks in early August. Since mid-April I've been on a diet/exercise kick and am down nearly 13 pounds so far.

Kind of frustrated that I haven't seen much improvement in my "moob" section, but the gut is most certainly less bloated and my shirts are definitely fitting better. I had gone from an XXL in t-shirts to needing triple-X, which was kinda the straw the broke the camel's back for me.

I'm going to my doctor in a couple weeks to see if low testosterone is making it challenging to lose the moobs. I've been doing light weights / high reps to try and firm up that area but I'm not seeing the results quite yet.

My diet over the past few years has been atrocious. I've generally cut out fast food (kinda hard when traveling for work) and soda. I mean, I was a 3-4 times a week kinda fast food eater.... plus pizza a couple times a week. Cut out typical pizza crust and been eating cauliflower crust pizza (Blaze Pizza has a great cauliflower crust and found a cauliflower crust frozen pizza at Smart & Final which is delish).

Been going high protein, lots of veggies (which I rarely ate at all) and trying to keep the fat and sodium down.

We'll see what happens come mid-late July. Hoping to have lost 25-30 pounds overall by then.

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

I too am turning 50 the first week in Aug, so @nirad3, we were probably born a week apart (and you may have the same birthday as Monica Lewinsky).

I'm 5'10", and in late 2018 I fell while running and broke my scapula. I had already been putting on weight before then, but the month of no exercise had me up above 200 lbs. So in early 2019 I started doing Noom, and it helped me lose around 20lbs that first year. Then the pandemic hit, and as horrible as it was, it proved to be very good for my health. I started running every day, and with no eating in restaurants and no food in the office breakroom, I lost another 15lbs and by mid-2021 I was 165 lbs, which was skinnier than I had been in college.

Over the next year I mostly held steady at around 170, but starting in the fall of 2022 my weight started creeping up to 185, which is where I am now. Still much better than I've been in the past, but it's been frustrating because my diet and exercise habits haven't really slipped off. It's just like whatever I was doing stopped working. I even went back on Noom for a few months, with no success.

I've been trying to think of what I can do to shake things up a little. I'm still running every day, but I feel like I need to work in some strength training. In particular, I think it's important to improve my core strength as I get older. I've always hated going to the gym, but I'm thinking of doing yoga or Pilates (I did yoga years ago and loved it).

Also, has anyone tried any of the various glucose monitors? I know some people have the constant ones that you stick in your arm for a couple weeks, and on Facebook I'm bombarded with ads for Lumen, which is a device you breathe into to check your levels. I have heard that there is some science behind the idea that better regulating your glucose levels can help with weight loss, particularly if you use the data to inform your food choices. But I also can't shake the nagging feeling that these things are the 2023 version of Dr. MacGillicuddy's Olde Thyme Snake Oyl and Hair Tonick

 

[nirad3]

I too am turning 50 the first week in Aug, so @nirad3, we were probably born a week apart (and you may have the same birthday as Monica Lewinsky).

Spot on. We're exactly the same age. Add in Nomar Garciaparra, too. All born the same day in the greater Los Angeles area.

E2A: I've always been "broad shouldered" but up until my mid-30s I never really had to work out much to stay in good shape. I played a ton of basketball (probably 2-3 times a week if not more). But then a couple of things happened: one, I got into a terrible car accident that jacked my feet up and then two, probably a result of said jacked-up feet, I tore my Achilles playing hoops. It was all downhill from there and went from like 200-205 to 250+ in a few years.

I started at 256.5 in mid-April and am down to 244. Hoping to hit the 230s next week and if I'm anywhere in the 220s by my birthday I'll be pretty happy.

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

I too am turning 50 the first week in Aug, so @nirad3, we were probably born a week apart (and you may have the same birthday as Monica Lewinsky).

Spot on. We're exactly the same age. Add in Nomar Garciaparra, too. All born the same day in the greater Los Angeles area.

I share mine with Sen. Chris Murphy. Good to know we've been on the planet for the exact same number of days and he's been elected US Senator while I've accomplished nothing remotely close to that

 

[Corporation]

191.4 - I’ll take it with a birthday dinner at a brewery Friday night and a pool day yesterday. Trying to go super clean until Saturday when we leave for the beach for two weeks.

190.6 after my morning constitutional. Goal of being in the 180's by Saturday is doable.

Awesome job my man, you are killing it!

 

[Corporation]

How tall are you guys? I’m 6’0 and 213. 190 seems impossible and at 180 I’d be razor thin. I haven’t been that light since college two a days.

Trying to get sub-200 by my 10 year wedding anniversary trip in August.

Also 6 feet. A year and half ago I was coming down from 226 and didn't think I'd ever hit 190. Managed to get into the BMI "normal" category at 182. I was not stick thin even at that weight. For me I think 190 - 195 is a good range and stayed there for over a year until I hurt my back.

 

[Corporation]

How tall are you guys? I’m 6’0 and 213. 190 seems impossible and at 180 I’d be razor thin. I haven’t been that light since college two a days.

Trying to get sub-200 by my 10 year wedding anniversary trip in August.

6’0, 219. I’d love to be 175-180 again, but I can’t even crack 210 these days.

I think you can. If I can do it, just about anyone can. Well I didn't get all the way to 180 but 182 is pretty close.

 

[Corporation]

Can't seem to break the 190 lb barrier.

Doing 10 miles of walking total per day till i get past (2-3 walks each day, oftentimes in 90 degree + heat)

For me at least, no amount of walking does anything for weight loss. It's all about cutting calories.

Ditto. It’s almost like the exercise doesn’t matter — a weird version where math (calories in vs calories out) no longer functions properly. If I keep my actual calories to about 1500-1600 / day, then I lose weight. If not, I stay flat or gain. This holds true for me regardless of blue much I exercise.

Are you guys lifting weights? I find the combo of walking and strength training to be a great combo for getting lean.

I'm not...

Thinking about getting a rowing machine.

All my weight to lose is in my core

This is me as well, I carry almost all my weight in my belly and under my chin. Not sure what I can do to exercise the chin

 

[Corporation]

Ok, so I have been on a health kick since February and I might as well add myself to this thread to help keep myself accountable. I am taking a bit of a different approach from most people in this thread as I have done the big diet thing a few times and was able to shed the pounds but would end up just putting them right back on quickly. When I looked up in the mirror begginning of the year I was at 210 lbs for my 5'11" frame, which I would describe as fairly average and had a really big gut.

Since then I have really tried to improve my fitness and improve my diet generally but I am not doing a crash course in calorie counting since while it works it just doesn't last. Real focus is on exercise and have gone from working out once or twice a week to working out at least 4 times a week. Anyone interested in working out more should join the FBG strava team - check in the 10k running thread if interested.

Of course exercise alone won't reduce weight so on the diet side, I have purposely cut my intake of beef, pork and even chicken and really tried to improve my intake of fruits and vegatables. My plate at dinner honestly looks like a ton of vegatables, a few carbs and small piece of protein. I have hard rule of no eating after 8 pm and have managed to stick to that with a few exceptions. I very rarely eat junk type food except for rare special occasion where I will do some chips or something like that at a party. I have also made a real effort to cut back alcohol (probably hardest part for me) and rarely have drink other than a special occasion.

So far this has been working for me and feels much more lasting. On my Monday weigh-in I was down to 194.5 (so have lost just over 15lbs). I am not seeing immediate fast results as some weeks I won't lose any weight or maybe put on a little but overtime it seems to be working well. My cardiovascular fitness is probably the best since I played HS soccer, which I think is a huge benefit. My end goal is to be 180 lbs and I am about halfway there at this point.

Welcome aboard! You are making great progress. Everyone is unique so when you find something that works for you, keep at it.

 

[Corporation]

My goal is to get back under 200 by my 50th (ouch) birthday in August.

I turn 50 in late July and am going to Palm Springs (hello, pool time) with a bunch of folks in early August. Since mid-April I've been on a diet/exercise kick and am down nearly 13 pounds so far.

Kind of frustrated that I haven't seen much improvement in my "moob" section, but the gut is most certainly less bloated and my shirts are definitely fitting better. I had gone from an XXL in t-shirts to needing triple-X, which was kinda the straw the broke the camel's back for me.

I'm going to my doctor in a couple weeks to see if low testosterone is making it challenging to lose the moobs. I've been doing light weights / high reps to try and firm up that area but I'm not seeing the results quite yet.

My diet over the past few years has been atrocious. I've generally cut out fast food (kinda hard when traveling for work) and soda. I mean, I was a 3-4 times a week kinda fast food eater.... plus pizza a couple times a week. Cut out typical pizza crust and been eating cauliflower crust pizza (Blaze Pizza has a great cauliflower crust and found a cauliflower crust frozen pizza at Smart & Final which is delish).

Been going high protein, lots of veggies (which I rarely ate at all) and trying to keep the fat and sodium down.

We'll see what happens come mid-late July. Hoping to have lost 25-30 pounds overall by then.

Welcome aboard and great job so far! I also got tested for Low T last year just because I'm always tired, but he said they were at good levels. Keep it on track and you have a good shot at making your goals. Even if you fall just shy, remember it is an arbitrary date so as long as the trend is in the right direction, keep at it!

 

[Corporation]

I too am turning 50 the first week in Aug, so @nirad3, we were probably born a week apart (and you may have the same birthday as Monica Lewinsky).

I'm 5'10", and in late 2018 I fell while running and broke my scapula. I had already been putting on weight before then, but the month of no exercise had me up above 200 lbs. So in early 2019 I started doing Noom, and it helped me lose around 20lbs that first year. Then the pandemic hit, and as horrible as it was, it proved to be very good for my health. I started running every day, and with no eating in restaurants and no food in the office breakroom, I lost another 15lbs and by mid-2021 I was 165 lbs, which was skinnier than I had been in college.

Over the next year I mostly held steady at around 170, but starting in the fall of 2022 my weight started creeping up to 185, which is where I am now. Still much better than I've been in the past, but it's been frustrating because my diet and exercise habits haven't really slipped off. It's just like whatever I was doing stopped working. I even went back on Noom for a few months, with no success.

I've been trying to think of what I can do to shake things up a little. I'm still running every day, but I feel like I need to work in some strength training. In particular, I think it's important to improve my core strength as I get older. I've always hated going to the gym, but I'm thinking of doing yoga or Pilates (I did yoga years ago and loved it).

Also, has anyone tried any of the various glucose monitors? I know some people have the constant ones that you stick in your arm for a couple weeks, and on Facebook I'm bombarded with ads for Lumen, which is a device you breathe into to check your levels. I have heard that there is some science behind the idea that better regulating your glucose levels can help with weight loss, particularly if you use the data to inform your food choices. But I also can't shake the nagging feeling that these things are the 2023 version of Dr. MacGillicuddy's Olde Thyme Snake Oyl and Hair Tonick

Welcome aboard! My birthday is on the 10th of August so we are probably just a few days apart. Lots of us in this range (which probably explains why we are on a message board and not SnapChat ). I would love to be at 185 so you don't have nearly as far to go as I do.

Yoga is so great. Strengthens the core and I just feel so much better with all the stretching. For some reason, I sweat more in a yoga class than I do my spin class and the group exercise class.

I don't know much about glucose levels but if Greg Cote referred you to Dr. MacGillicuddy, that might be part of the problem

 

[Corporation]

Been working a lot so missed posting yesterday (sorry for the Hippling). I've been strict on the diet and exercise (spin class Monday night, group exercise Tuesday night). Still fluctuating but trending the right way.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510

 

[Grahamburn]

How tall are you guys? I’m 6’0 and 213. 190 seems impossible and at 180 I’d be razor thin. I haven’t been that light since college two a days.

Trying to get sub-200 by my 10 year wedding anniversary trip in August.

Also 6 feet. A year and half ago I was coming down from 226 and didn't think I'd ever hit 190. Managed to get into the BMI "normal" category at 182. I was not stick thin even at that weight. For me I think 190 - 195 is a good range and stayed there for over a year until I hurt my back.

To stick at 190 I know I’ll have to completely eliminate alcohol, which I’m not very good at.

 

[AAABatteries]

191.4 - I’ll take it with a birthday dinner at a brewery Friday night and a pool day yesterday. Trying to go super clean until Saturday when we leave for the beach for two weeks.

190.6 after my morning constitutional. Goal of being in the 180's by Saturday is doable.

190.2 this morning. I’m doing almost all the right things and this is progress so I’ll take it. Wanted to be a couple pounds in the the 180’s but won’t happen unless I decide to fast.

I think a lot of us are in the same boat - doing the right things and frustrated or impatient - it’s a good reminder that it took a while to put on weight (for most of us) - it won’t be overnight taking it off.

 

[AAABatteries]

As a reminder to myself and for accountability- my longterm plan is to try and be in basically my best adult shape by May of next year when I turn 50. Not sure I will be able to do the same physical activity but weight and how I look and feel I think it’s doable. I’m gone for 3 weeks starting Saturday and I’ll be honest, it’s going to be virtually impossible for me to not lose some ground but 7/1 I start in earnest and will have 10 months to see how I can do.

 

[massraider]

I think a lot of us are in the same boat - doing the right things and frustrated or impatient - it’s a good reminder that it took a while to put on weight (for most of us) - it won’t be overnight taking it off.

People need to make sure they are doing the right things. I was not for a long time.

What I was doing wrong:

• Eating after a certain hour. I don't put a time on it, because it is different for different people, but I go to sleep around 6 or 7 hours after my last meal.
• Not paying attention to where my food was coming from. Learning how to read labels. Low fat salad dressing is BS. Look up emulsifiers in food and what they do in your intestines.
• Store bought proteins. Frankly, there isn't much at a supermarket that I buy. Veggies and proteins from local farmers.
• All processed carbs. The keto diet people have this correct, at least. Carbs and sugar are what your body will use before body fat. If you trying to lose weight, but taking in carbs and sugar, you don't get to wonder why you aren't seeing gains.
• "Cutting down". For my part, this was rationalizing and/or lying to myself. Cutting down on soda? LOL. Cutting down is better than not making any changes at all, but that is really just rationalizing, isn't it? Slow progress goes hand in hand with "cutting down".
• When I worked out, and how I worked out. I used to go the gym, and my workout was mirroring what I did in high school football. Stupid. So much time wasted. Do I really want a massive physique? No, no I do not. More stretching now, flexibility, lower weight, more reps, I love using the cables. Free weights, if I use them, I use much differently, and much lower weights. People get back in the gym, they hit the weights like the goal is Dorian Yates, stacking, increasing weights, lowering reps, all just wrong for me. I'd rather look like a tennis player than a linebacker.

Not knowing anything about the gut microbiome. Altering my diet to maintain healthy bacteria in my gut, improve digestion, and avoid chronic diseases naturally led me to losing weight. Not a fad, just a list of stuff I will eat. Real food, lots of fiber, which is key for gut health, and is also very filling.

 

[AAABatteries]

• Store bought proteins. Frankly, there isn't much at a supermarket that I buy. Veggies and proteins from local farmers.
• 
  
• "Cutting down". For my part, this was rationalizing and/or lying to myself. Cutting down on soda? LOL. Cutting down is better than not making any changes at all, but that is really just rationalizing, isn't it? Slow progress goes hand in hand with "cutting down".

Is the concern for store bout chemicals, pesticides, etc.? We still buy most of our animal protein from Costco, Sams, Publix

In general I agree with your sentiment on rationalizing but ultimately we all do that with our diet - save very few people. I'm always going to continue to eat and drink things I enjoy - that may shift over time in the amount and how bad it is for me it will be a balance. My current eating has me almost never ingesting sugar - but I don't think it's bad to have occasional dessert - I see the idea of a soda or beer or candy bar to be the same way. Very rarely but to some that's still cutting down.

 

[AAABatteries]

@massraider - on gut biome. I'm maybe wrong and it's more about being lazy or not caring but my initial reaction is that the science around gut biome is way too complex for the layman to understand. Do you have any good resources that break it down in understandable chunks? I feel like I've done a ton of reading and learning over the years and feel like I know nothing about this subject.

 

[massraider]

@massraider - on gut biome. I'm maybe wrong and it's more about being lazy or not caring but my initial reaction is that the science around gut biome is way too complex for the layman to understand. Do you have any good resources that break it down in understandable chunks? I feel like I've done a ton of reading and learning over the years and feel like I know nothing about this subject.

I can share some, I am learning myself.

I think that people paying attention to this is relatively new because prior to the last 40-50 years, we weren't really capable of eating badly enough to eff up our digestive system to this extent. We didn't need to build our entire diet around being able to take a dump regularly, but here we are. Gen X is definitely the first generation to have been able to eat mostly processed foods regularly for our entire lives. As a result, we need to know about good mucus in our intestine. It also means we don't have definitive data on the long term effects of some things we have been eating. There are a lot of educated guesses.

Paying attention to gut health is NOT about weight loss, it is about avoiding possible long term health concerns. It just so happens that for almost all Americans who want to lose weight, taking care of gut health will also cause one to lose weight. Here's some rather big news about Parkinson's, and why we all need more fiber.

At its core is the concept that the less unknown, man-made things we ask our body to break down and pass through our gut, the better. Forget everything else, doesn't that seem logical? The less things my body does not recognize, the better.

The more reading you do on gut health, you can get into science weeds a bit, but there is no big reveal. Eat a wide variety of fibrous foods, limit your carbs, limit sugar, smaller portions, but it all comes from a place of logic.

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

The more reading you do on gut health, you can get into science weeds a bit, but there is no big reveal. Eat a wide variety of fibrous foods, limit your carbs, limit sugar, smaller portions, but it all comes from a place of logic.

I think of the Michael Pollan line: "Eat food. But not too much. Mostly plants." You can quibble with elements of that, but his basic idea is that we all know what's healthy (unprocessed foods, smaller portions, vegetables), and we shouldn't overthink it too much.

 

[massraider]

Here's an example of what I mean. My buddy who really opened up my eyes and is my de facto nutritionist was talking to me about emulsifiers.

Emulsifiers break down the mucus in your gut, which is what it is designed to do, but with oil and vinegar in your salad dressing. But emulsifiers continue to be emulsifiers after they are swallowed. A simple search on emulsifiers and your gut

Now you can get really deep into reading about what happens when the intestinal mucus weakens, and the diversity of the microbiome becomes less diverse (feces leaking out through tiny fissures in your intestines, hooray!), but the fact is, you, and me, and everyone already knows that eating store bought salad dressing from a corporation isn't as good for as a little oil and balsamic. We know this already. We know farmers market veggies are better, we know sourcing grass fed beef is better. We know the less things on a label, the better. And if we didn't and someone told us that, it would seem logical.

 

[Corporation]

191.4 - I’ll take it with a birthday dinner at a brewery Friday night and a pool day yesterday. Trying to go super clean until Saturday when we leave for the beach for two weeks.

190.6 after my morning constitutional. Goal of being in the 180's by Saturday is doable.

190.2 this morning. I’m doing almost all the right things and this is progress so I’ll take it. Wanted to be a couple pounds in the the 180’s but won’t happen unless I decide to fast.

I think a lot of us are in the same boat - doing the right things and frustrated or impatient - it’s a good reminder that it took a while to put on weight (for most of us) - it won’t be overnight taking it off.

Absolutely. Stay the course and the results will come. As we get older we have to acknowledge it's not just going to drop off as fast as it used to.

 

[Corporation]

Still moving.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510
June 8	207.6	11.8		1640

 

[Mitchie]

Ok as a pretty healthy guy who follows nutrition a good amount here are my general rules:

• There is really nothing wrong with "carbs", it's processed carbs that are bad, i.e. white unrefined flour, if you're eating whole grains you can eat a lot of carbs, but read the labels, not everything that says wheat is "whole wheat or whole grain" (i understand people may prefer the taste of white flour food products but if you switch you will get used to and possibly even prefer the taste of whole grain over time. you can also make pancakes with 50/50 white/whole wheat flour as a compromise if can't get all the way there)
• Olive oil is a healthy food product, yes it's got fat but it's good fat and helps with metabolism and gut health. Use whenever possible instead of butter/margerine, etc.
• Avoid processed sugar, yes fruit has sugar but this is natural sugar which is better than processed, and fruits have a lot of other health benefits, eat as much fruit as you want, within reason
• Minimize salt, some ok and is necessary but you'll get that amount without trying, but there's way too much sodium in store bought products. I used to go Trader Joes' quite a bit until I started to look at the labels, everything there has an absurd amount of sodium (same with a lot of store processed foods)
• There's too much focus on calories imo, an apple and a candy bar could have same amount of calories, focus more on the quality of food vs. quantity
• Eat real food, nothing processed whenever possible
• Minimize eating out to the extent possible, spend a little time and learn to cook if don't know how, restaurants don't give a crap if you die tomorrow, they want you to like the taste so load it up with salt, butter, sugar and fat
• Get some exercise after big meals when possible, i.e. a walk after dinner
• Drink lots of water, esp a big glass when you wake up as you get dehydrated over night

 

[Grahamburn]

Started 219.8 on 5/8/23. 211.4 yesterday. Heading out for a run. LFG, FatballGuys!

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Minimize salt, some ok and is necessary but you'll get that amount without trying, but there's way too much sodium in store bought products. I used to go Trader Joes' quite a bit until I started to look at the labels, everything there has an absurd amount of sodium (same with a lot of store processed foods)

The amount of sodium you get via processed foods dwarfs anything that comes out of your shaker.

 

[Tecumseh]

I know it’s not impressive in the grand scheme, but I benched 185 the other day, which is a lifetime max. I’m aiming for benching 225, and being able to knock out a few pull ups. I’ll do 185 again today during my workout, and shoot for 195 next week.

ETA- I’m currently at 30lb assisted pull-ups.

 

[AAABatteries]

Not sure I’ll hit the 180’s before I’m on vacation but 190.2 was close enough I think - will see where I’m at tomorrow morning before I go but I’m not super motivated to skip drinking on a Friday night before the beach

 

[Major]

Minimize salt, some ok and is necessary but you'll get that amount without trying, but there's way too much sodium in store bought products. I used to go Trader Joes' quite a bit until I started to look at the labels, everything there has an absurd amount of sodium (same with a lot of store processed foods)

The amount of sodium you get via processed foods dwarfs anything that comes out of your shaker.

Yeah, I haven't paid much attention to sodium in the past but man some of these protein shakes really pack in the salt. If you're watching your levels, definitely take note before you consume what you think is a healthy beverage.

 

[Corporation]

Ok as a pretty healthy guy who follows nutrition a good amount here are my general rules:

• There is really nothing wrong with "carbs", it's processed carbs that are bad, i.e. white unrefined flour, if you're eating whole grains you can eat a lot of carbs, but read the labels, not everything that says wheat is "whole wheat or whole grain" (i understand people may prefer the taste of white flour food products but if you switch you will get used to and possibly even prefer the taste of whole grain over time. you can also make pancakes with 50/50 white/whole wheat flour as a compromise if can't get all the way there)
• Olive oil is a healthy food product, yes it's got fat but it's good fat and helps with metabolism and gut health. Use whenever possible instead of butter/margerine, etc.
• Avoid processed sugar, yes fruit has sugar but this is natural sugar which is better than processed, and fruits have a lot of other health benefits, eat as much fruit as you want, within reason
• Minimize salt, some ok and is necessary but you'll get that amount without trying, but there's way too much sodium in store bought products. I used to go Trader Joes' quite a bit until I started to look at the labels, everything there has an absurd amount of sodium (same with a lot of store processed foods)
• There's too much focus on calories imo, an apple and a candy bar could have same amount of calories, focus more on the quality of food vs. quantity
• Eat real food, nothing processed whenever possible
• Minimize eating out to the extent possible, spend a little time and learn to cook if don't know how, restaurants don't give a crap if you die tomorrow, they want you to like the taste so load it up with salt, butter, sugar and fat
• Get some exercise after big meals when possible, i.e. a walk after dinner
• Drink lots of water, esp a big glass when you wake up as you get dehydrated over night

All good suggestions, thanks!

 

[Corporation]

Started 219.8 on 5/8/23. 211.4 yesterday. Heading out for a run. LFG, FatballGuys!

Keep it up, doing great!

 

[Corporation]

I know it’s not impressive in the grand scheme, but I benched 185 the other day, which is a lifetime max. I’m aiming for benching 225, and being able to knock out a few pull ups. I’ll do 185 again today during my workout, and shoot for 195 next week.

ETA- I’m currently at 30lb assisted pull-ups.

It is impressive, both the weight and the fact that you are getting stronger than you've ever been. Keep it up!

 

[Corporation]

Not sure I’ll hit the 180’s before I’m on vacation but 190.2 was close enough I think - will see where I’m at tomorrow morning before I go but I’m not super motivated to skip drinking on a Friday night before the beach

Ultimately these are arbitrary goals and deadlines we are setting. Enjoy yourself, then use that time to recharge and focus on the healthy lifestyle once you get back if you want to go further.

 

[Corporation]

As I post this (after midnight my time) it is now 2 months to 50. Hit a new low (for this cycle) this morning but we took a friend out for lunch today and it was the dreaded mexican. I ate more chips and jalapeno ranch salsa than I wanted but kept the meal down (the steak from a fajita and some beans). I have no idea how to estimate the calories on that. I'm going to guess 1800 for the meal. Other than that just my protein shake and a chicken breast.

I'm going to have a dead week almost assuredly on this mission trip. I'm not going to gorge myself but I won't have a lot of control of the food choices and I don't want to risk being too calorie deficient while in the heat and being responsible for 10 high schoolers. If I can average a pound a week loss the other weeks I should be sub-200.

Went to the heart doctor today and I have premature ventricular and atrial contractions. Not frequent and he didn't seem concerned, but I'll get a stress test next week and then wear a heart monitor for 2 weeks.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510
June 8	207.6	11.8		1640
June 9	206.3	13.1		2300

 

[Corporation]

Uptick as expected after yesterday's mexican. Will probably see another hopefully small increase tomorrow as my body usually takes 2 days to process it all.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510
June 8	207.6	11.8		1640
June 9	206.3	13.1		2300
June 10	207.2	12.2

 

[Nugget]

Uptick as expected after yesterday's mexican. Will probably see another hopefully small increase tomorrow as my body usually takes 2 days to process it all.

Nice work! I have traditionally retained more water after eating chips/beans - I’d bet it comes right back off by Monday.

 

[The Iguana]

I had thought about dining Fred's thread as I'm trying to get back in the workout train. I'm currently back up to about 225 after doing from ~240 down to 192. Stayed under 200 for awhile before slipping up and slowly getting back to almost 230 to start the year. Have been better this year but not fully motivated. This week I finally made a commitment to get back 'on the wagon'.

Got it and ran 3 times this week, had one cross training session and have gone back to starting my day with pushups, air squats, and soon to add a daily plank for core strength.

I'll try to join you on the journey and see if I can turn this ship around.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Uptick as expected after yesterday's mexican. Will probably see another hopefully small increase tomorrow as my body usually takes 2 days to process it all.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510
June 8	207.6	11.8		1640
June 9	206.3	13.1		2300
June 10	207.2	12.2

Small upticks or singular cheat days aren’t a big deal. I’ve found that as long as I stay the course and get back to basics immediately, instead of letting bad days compound, then it all works out ok.

Just got home last night from 4 days on the road for work. Kept my gameplan going mostly, but had one bad day. Back at it the past two days. Will weigh in tomorrow…..

On a different note, I’m having trouble with the MyFitnessPal app. It won’t let me search for foods anymore. Does anyone have a different food / health app they prefer to use?

 

[Sand]

On a different note, I’m having trouble with the MyFitnessPal app. It won’t let me search for foods anymore.

Maybe that's a hint.

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Uptick as expected after yesterday's mexican. Will probably see another hopefully small increase tomorrow as my body usually takes 2 days to process it all.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510
June 8	207.6	11.8		1640
June 9	206.3	13.1		2300
June 10	207.2	12.2

Small upticks or singular cheat days aren’t a big deal. I’ve found that as long as I stay the course and get back to basics immediately, instead of letting bad days compound, then it all works out ok.

Was just going to post this. When I have a "bad" day, I don't let it get me down, I just put an emphasis on making better choices for the next couple days.

I've found that, while I enjoy looking skinnier, fitting in tighter clothes, being healthier, etc., the biggest benefit to weight loss for me is the feeling of being in control. The idea that it is my decision what I eat, how much I exercise, how I feel is incredibly valuable (though it does make it disheartening when I feel like I'm doing everything right and still gaining weight).

 

[belljr]

Ok starting now!!!

 

[Corporation]

I had thought about dining Fred's thread as I'm trying to get back in the workout train. I'm currently back up to about 225 after doing from ~240 down to 192. Stayed under 200 for awhile before slipping up and slowly getting back to almost 230 to start the year. Have been better this year but not fully motivated. This week I finally made a commitment to get back 'on the wagon'.

Got it and ran 3 times this week, had one cross training session and have gone back to starting my day with pushups, air squats, and soon to add a daily plank for core strength.

I'll try to join you on the journey and see if I can turn this ship around.

Welcome aboard! You know what it takes if you went from 240 to 192. Keep the motivation up and pick up accountability partners, big things for me.

 

[Corporation]

Ok starting now!!!

It's like deja vu all over again! Good luck my man!

 

[brun]

Made some improvements a couple years ago, but fell off the wagon and gave back those improvements. Now I'm kinda, sorta, committed to maybe getting fitter this year. Decided to take a snapshot this morning 5/21/2023, no prep or warm up. Measuring 3 things:

• Weight - 272
• Blood Glucose - 132
• Max Push ups - 8

Goals (no exact timeline, but 2023):

• Weight - <220
• Blood Glucose - <110
• Max Push ups - >20

Planning on:

• 16 hour fast, at least 4 days a week
• 20-24 hour fast 1 day a week
• Reduce processed carbs significantly
• Add exercise / physical activity (TBD, I have some limitations due to injuries & arthritis)

GL to all of you

So june 11.
Didn't stick to my diet plan very well. Still, improvements in 2 of 3 metrics. Obviously it's just a snapshot. Time will tell.

• Weight - 270
• Blood Glucose - 142
• Max Push ups - 13

 

[brun]

Uptick as expected after yesterday's mexican. Will probably see another hopefully small increase tomorrow as my body usually takes 2 days to process it all.

Date	Weight	Chg From Start	Weekly Loss	Avg Calories/Daily Calories
May 15 Week	219.4	-	7.1	1516
May 22 Week	212.3	-	3.1	1686 (forgot to update this to weekly avg instead of the daily intake)
May 29 Week	209.2	10.2	1.3	1407
June 5	207.9	11.5		1440
June 6	207.6	11.8		1440
June 7	208.2	11.2		1510
June 8	207.6	11.8		1640
June 9	206.3	13.1		2300
June 10	207.2	12.2

Small upticks or singular cheat days aren’t a big deal. I’ve found that as long as I stay the course and get back to basics immediately, instead of letting bad days compound, then it all works out ok.

Just got home last night from 4 days on the road for work. Kept my gameplan going mostly, but had one bad day. Back at it the past two days. Will weigh in tomorrow…..

On a different note, I’m having trouble with the MyFitnessPal app. It won’t let me search for foods anymore. Does anyone have a different food / health app they prefer to use?

I used this for a while and thought it worked well. I may start with it again to support my fat to fit journey.
https://cronometer.com/

 

[AAABatteries]

Not sure I’ll hit the 180’s before I’m on vacation but 190.2 was close enough I think - will see where I’m at tomorrow morning before I go but I’m not super motivated to skip drinking on a Friday night before the beach

Somehow I did it - first day of vacation and was 189.8 this morning.

Now to try the impossible and lose weight on vacation. How? I plan to continue with IF, zero beverage calories outside alcohol, no or limited sweets and pescatarian diet for the most part with lots of seasonal fruits.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Not sure I’ll hit the 180’s before I’m on vacation but 190.2 was close enough I think - will see where I’m at tomorrow morning before I go but I’m not super motivated to skip drinking on a Friday night before the beach

Somehow I did it - first day of vacation and was 189.8 this morning.

Now to try the impossible and lose weight on vacation. How? I plan to continue with IF, zero beverage calories outside alcohol, no or limited sweets and pescatarian diet for the most part with lots of seasonal fruits.

Great job, keep it up!!!