xulf
Footballguy
xulf said:Haven't worked out in a couple days and now the drinking begins...
If you're too hungover tomorrow for your row or two-a-day, we may have ourselves an issue
That said, enjoy in moderation
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Otis fad diet thread — yoga, fasting, and kevzilla walking on🚶♂️ (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Otis
- Start date
gianmarco
Footballguy
Tecumseh
Footballguy
That's a fantastic job! Let's call it one and a half for me. For various reasons my attempt crapped out about 2 weeks ago. On Monday I'm starting 10k training, but that requires rest days, so I won't pick up the 100 days again until maybe this Summer. But hopefully it won't even be necessary, if the 10k training gets me to where I want to be.
DocHolliday
Footballguy
It happens. You can’t work out when you are that sick.
I went off the rails today. Had a beer. A bourbon. Too much spaghetti. Too many chocolate chip cookies. No exercise. Now I’m trying to watch TV with a sick, bloated stomach. This is the part where I beat myself up. I will be in the gym tomorrow.
Otis
Footballguy
Been there and done that. Gym in the morning will erase your day.
Bright side for me is I only ate some ice chips and water. The toast I tried earlier in the day, and the Gatorade, ginger ale, and Advil never stood a chance.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
Holy forking hell. I was feeling all proud of myself over my 20 pounds and look at you!We must be very different in that regard.
As of about 10 days ago I’d lost 40 lbs in just over four months. If I find on Monday that I gained, say, five of those back in two weeks of fun, then I’ll think it was worth it, and hunker down and lose those five back plus more. I know determination is my strong suit and am not concerned about it.
Good work!
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
Got up this morning at 7:10 AM and was in the gym before 8.
Climbed 1,100 feet on the Jacob's Ladder in just a shade over 10 minutes of active time, in 100 foot increments with 30 seconds rest between each one.
Circuit of KB snatches and push ups (3 sets).
Circuit of one arm (assisted) pull-ups and hammer curls (3 sets).
Finished with KB farmer carries (2 set, grip strength failure).
In and out in just under an hour total.
Climbed 1,100 feet on the Jacob's Ladder in just a shade over 10 minutes of active time, in 100 foot increments with 30 seconds rest between each one.
Circuit of KB snatches and push ups (3 sets).
Circuit of one arm (assisted) pull-ups and hammer curls (3 sets).
Finished with KB farmer carries (2 set, grip strength failure).
In and out in just under an hour total.
DA RAIDERS
Footballguy
Jacobs ladder? = Versa climber?
that thing is the devil. I call it the velociraptor
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
eaganwildcats
Footballguy
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
I did NOT go to the gym today, for the first time in probably 2 1/2 weeks. My wife isn't entirely enthusiastic about my new obsession, to put it lightly.
Otis
Footballguy
Thanks Gb. Glad you’re still in it. Well done with the row last night. You had a sick month last month, I wouldn’t swear a few days. Do push ups and sit ups in your hotel room—the push ups will work the only muscles you haven’t been working with the erg.
This morning I woke up thinking I should maybe give myself one more day to rest up before getting back to it. Hit the snooze at 4:45. When it came back on at 4:55, it dawned on me that summer doesn’t care that I was sick. It’s not forgiving; it doesn’t care about excuses. Summer is still coming just as fast. So I got up and rowed 10k (albeit at an easy 50+ minute pace to ease back in) and did some push ups.
Otis
Footballguy
She needs to get on board. I’ve found Mrs O and I being supportive of each other’s newfound diets and gym habits has been a massive reason we’ve finally made progress.
xulf
Footballguy
As a warning, I have found that my wife does NOT appreciate when I try to be helpful and gently remind her (5-10 times) that she has not yet done her workout for the day.
Otis
Footballguy
culdeus
Footballguy
Otis
Footballguy
The thought has occurred to me. Beach vacation in 2 weeks and I’m thinking about stepping up my game over that span.... hmmm....
DocHolliday
Footballguy
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Otis
Footballguy
Not to get ahead of myself and start prematurely doling out advice, but here are three lessons I took too long to learn, for anyone else who may be following this thread and struggling to lose weight and get healthy:
1. Cardio is Key. I used to think it was stupid and bad on my joints and I hated cardio. As a high school basketball player cardio was punishment--when you did something wrong, you had to run. Turns out making space for that extra 500-1000 calories each day goes a long way in the calorie balance; it also gives you energy and strengthens your heart and other muscles. That’s not to say you absolutely need cardio to do it. But I’ve learned that it’s a whole lot easier to do it in a sustained way with cardio. And if you’re like me and your knees suck or you hate one type of cardio, find another. For me it’s rowing which is low impact and easy on my knees and it seems to be working, and I don’t absolutely hate it. Heck, I almost look forward to it. But just find something that lets you get your heart rate up and burn 500-1000 calories in 30-60 minutes almost every day (at least 3-4 times a week, but more is better for a variety of reasons).
2. Alcohol is Poison. Lots of us grew up and live and work in a culture of alcohol abuse—where it’s totally accepted. And even though it never really made me do any alcoholic-y things like lose a job, and I still don’t and wouldn’t qualify myself as an alcoholic, the multiple or several bottles of wine Mrs. O and I ripped through on a nightly basis for years is just so awful for you. That’s hundreds upon hundreds of extra calories every day, and what’s worse, it makes you feel like crap in the morning, which means you’re less likely to make a good decision and exercise in the morning, you’re going to feel crappy, and you’re more likely to make lots of bad eating decisions all day. It’s a death spiral, quite literally. Do this over a sustained period of years and I don’t see how one could possibly be in good physical, or hell, mental shape. I’m not quitting alcohol—I’ll still have a beer on occasion, or a scotch or two at the end of a long week. I may still tear it up with a few drinks at a big event like a wedding. But gone are the days of daily and habitual alcohol abuse. All these years I thought that question on the form at the doctor’s office was laughable and didn’t apply to me (2 drinks a week, or 4, or 6+? How about per night???). Turns out them doctor folk actually know when they’re talking about when it comes to doctory stuff.
3. Don’t Diet. Everyone has told me this for a while but I never really understood it. I always imagine I had to be sitting there with an apron at my counter every night dicing tomatoes and arugula or whatever, which is never happening. But it turns out there’s a moderate way to eat. Instead of the bad sugary snacks, why not have some peanuts? Some cheese? A piece of thin whole grain bread with avocado? It’s actual food. You can have a Chips Ahoy on occasion when you’re really hankering, but just one, not a whole sleeve. Drinks lots of water instead of alcohol, or get saucy and stick up some flavored seltzers in your fridge to mix it up. This isn’t a diet. I’m not counting calories. I’m not only eating one type of food. I eat sensible meals, with proteins and some veggies; I work some salads in when I can. And I cut the really bad stuff and the excess. Could I eat better than I do currently? Absolutely, and I’d like to keep improving on it. But for now I just eat like a normal human should eat. No wacky restrictions, not staring at a piece of lettuce for dinner and thinking “man just two more weeks and then I’ll hit my goal and go back to eating what I like to eat!” Just find a real way of eating real food that works for you, and do that. Like, forever. And keep the sugary snacks to a minimum, because I’m convinced that, after alcohol, they’re the second worst thing for you. Again - a cookie is cool on occasion, a little chunk of dark chocolate is cool, but that’s it. Maybe a piece of cake after a Sunday dinner at a family party. All acceptable. It’s not about taking things off the menu entirely; it’s just about making the menu mostly about the good stuff the vast majority of the time.
***
I’ve come to figure out that, at least for me, it can’t be about weight loss. That’s the wrong way to think about it, sets up some perverse incentives, and just wasn’t sustainable. Instead for me it was about finding a lifestyle that makes me feel good and be fit and healthy, and the weight loss just follows all on its own. But it isn’t the driver.
Not preaching, because I ain’t quite there yet, but I feel like I’m sort of almost there. And maybe I just needed a decade or so to figure this all out for myself. It’s pretty simple stuff and yet was pretty enlightening for me.
1. Cardio is Key. I used to think it was stupid and bad on my joints and I hated cardio. As a high school basketball player cardio was punishment--when you did something wrong, you had to run. Turns out making space for that extra 500-1000 calories each day goes a long way in the calorie balance; it also gives you energy and strengthens your heart and other muscles. That’s not to say you absolutely need cardio to do it. But I’ve learned that it’s a whole lot easier to do it in a sustained way with cardio. And if you’re like me and your knees suck or you hate one type of cardio, find another. For me it’s rowing which is low impact and easy on my knees and it seems to be working, and I don’t absolutely hate it. Heck, I almost look forward to it. But just find something that lets you get your heart rate up and burn 500-1000 calories in 30-60 minutes almost every day (at least 3-4 times a week, but more is better for a variety of reasons).
2. Alcohol is Poison. Lots of us grew up and live and work in a culture of alcohol abuse—where it’s totally accepted. And even though it never really made me do any alcoholic-y things like lose a job, and I still don’t and wouldn’t qualify myself as an alcoholic, the multiple or several bottles of wine Mrs. O and I ripped through on a nightly basis for years is just so awful for you. That’s hundreds upon hundreds of extra calories every day, and what’s worse, it makes you feel like crap in the morning, which means you’re less likely to make a good decision and exercise in the morning, you’re going to feel crappy, and you’re more likely to make lots of bad eating decisions all day. It’s a death spiral, quite literally. Do this over a sustained period of years and I don’t see how one could possibly be in good physical, or hell, mental shape. I’m not quitting alcohol—I’ll still have a beer on occasion, or a scotch or two at the end of a long week. I may still tear it up with a few drinks at a big event like a wedding. But gone are the days of daily and habitual alcohol abuse. All these years I thought that question on the form at the doctor’s office was laughable and didn’t apply to me (2 drinks a week, or 4, or 6+? How about per night???). Turns out them doctor folk actually know when they’re talking about when it comes to doctory stuff.
3. Don’t Diet. Everyone has told me this for a while but I never really understood it. I always imagine I had to be sitting there with an apron at my counter every night dicing tomatoes and arugula or whatever, which is never happening. But it turns out there’s a moderate way to eat. Instead of the bad sugary snacks, why not have some peanuts? Some cheese? A piece of thin whole grain bread with avocado? It’s actual food. You can have a Chips Ahoy on occasion when you’re really hankering, but just one, not a whole sleeve. Drinks lots of water instead of alcohol, or get saucy and stick up some flavored seltzers in your fridge to mix it up. This isn’t a diet. I’m not counting calories. I’m not only eating one type of food. I eat sensible meals, with proteins and some veggies; I work some salads in when I can. And I cut the really bad stuff and the excess. Could I eat better than I do currently? Absolutely, and I’d like to keep improving on it. But for now I just eat like a normal human should eat. No wacky restrictions, not staring at a piece of lettuce for dinner and thinking “man just two more weeks and then I’ll hit my goal and go back to eating what I like to eat!” Just find a real way of eating real food that works for you, and do that. Like, forever. And keep the sugary snacks to a minimum, because I’m convinced that, after alcohol, they’re the second worst thing for you. Again - a cookie is cool on occasion, a little chunk of dark chocolate is cool, but that’s it. Maybe a piece of cake after a Sunday dinner at a family party. All acceptable. It’s not about taking things off the menu entirely; it’s just about making the menu mostly about the good stuff the vast majority of the time.
***
I’ve come to figure out that, at least for me, it can’t be about weight loss. That’s the wrong way to think about it, sets up some perverse incentives, and just wasn’t sustainable. Instead for me it was about finding a lifestyle that makes me feel good and be fit and healthy, and the weight loss just follows all on its own. But it isn’t the driver.
Not preaching, because I ain’t quite there yet, but I feel like I’m sort of almost there. And maybe I just needed a decade or so to figure this all out for myself. It’s pretty simple stuff and yet was pretty enlightening for me.
The Z Machine
Footballguy
Week 4 IF Check in:
Week 1 = -1 lbs. overall
Week 2 = -2 lbs. overall
Week 3 = -3.5 lbs. overall
Week 4 = -5.0 lbs. overall
Slow and steady. I think the fasts are getting easier, although that might be because I ate a lot at a Super Bowl party.
Week 1 = -1 lbs. overall
Week 2 = -2 lbs. overall
Week 3 = -3.5 lbs. overall
Week 4 = -5.0 lbs. overall
Slow and steady. I think the fasts are getting easier, although that might be because I ate a lot at a Super Bowl party.
gianmarco
Footballguy
So easy and yet still so hard.
And, for those of you following along, if Otis can do it, well.......
Congrats, Big O. You've done well and it looks like the light bulb may have finally come on. Your family will thank you years from now. Just make sure you stick with this.
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The Iguana
Footballguy
Totally blew up the diet this weekend. Chick fil a on Friday night with a milkshake, Saturday night went out to dinner for pizza and beers and appetizers and then duck pin bowling with more beers, and then super bowl extravaganza yesterday... rather bloated this morning. Oof.
E-Z Glider
Footballguy
I didn't quite go this far, but I did go over my daily points total yesterday for the first time in 2020. Had 37.6 points (supposed to stay below 32). Drank a sixer of slightly mighty IPA's and had (6) of the most delicious, unbelievably incredible chicken wings Ive ever eaten in my life. It was so good. Back to work.
![[icon]](/data/avatars/m/5/5167.jpg?1660313464){kind=avatar}
[icon]
Insoxicated
Jumping on Sober February bandwagon and considering stacking it with IF. Is 16:8 the way to go?
Cutting red meat to 1x a week. Pork 2x a month. Increasing fish to 2-3x a week. Water & Coffee. Shooting for 2-3x a week on cardio/weights.
Want to lose some weight but overall health improvement is the primary goal.
Very much welcome input/tips from those doing IF currently.
Cutting red meat to 1x a week. Pork 2x a month. Increasing fish to 2-3x a week. Water & Coffee. Shooting for 2-3x a week on cardio/weights.
Want to lose some weight but overall health improvement is the primary goal.
Very much welcome input/tips from those doing IF currently.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
I agree with a lot of this, but would put a slightly different spin on it.
Resistance training combined with High Intensity Cardio is the right prescription, for me anyway. When I lift, I do it at an intensity and volume level that gets my heart rate up. Rest between sets is pretty minimal (60 seconds to 3 minutes). I use the StrongLifts program, but have added some supplementary lifts. For the supplementary lifts, I do super sets and circuits a lot to keep the heart rate up. When I am lifting I don't much spend time looking at my phone or BSing with other people in the gym. I am trying to get as much work done as quickly as possible.
When I do cardio, it is always High Intensity Intervals. You get more bang for your buck and the health benefits of cycling to max heart rate and back down again are considerable.
If you want to get buzzed, go with red wine. Or, if you live in a forward-thinking state, legal cannabis (but beware of the munchies). Red wine is low in carbs and you don't need to drink a big quantity to get a nice warm feeling, especially compared to beer. I have a couple glasses a couple times a week.
Agree on the diet thing almost totally. I have been pretty restrictive on the carbs for three months, but have found that now to sort of maintain I can do it by just eating sensibly. Refined sugar, simple carbs, and processed food are vices. Like most vices, they can be enjoyed responsibly in moderation, but moderation is the key. And my bias is towards extreme moderation.
With that said, it makes sense to do a cheat meal or a cheat day periodically. It won't destroy all your progress and will probably help in terms of sustainability. I have noticed that when I do it, the scale reading the next day will be horrifying. But a lot of that is carb bloat that will go away pretty quickly. For instance, the day after Thanksgiving I was up 8 pounds. But it was a bit of an illusion. Two days later I was back at the weight I was the day before Thanksgiving.
I would add that intermittent fasting is the secret weapon. I eat dinner and if I have dessert (which is generally something small and sensible), I try to have it immediately following dinner. Then I don't typically eat again until lunch the next day. That gives my body 14-16 hours of fasting. It isn't hard if you are eating the right kind of stuff. Drinking lots of water helps too. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" was literally a slogan created by breakfast cereal manufacturers. It is not in any way factual.
Otis
Footballguy
Just got home and had a big bowl of this turkey chili with tons of blended vegetables as my only meal of the day so far. Then I noticed several boxes of Girl Scout Cookies in the pantry. Those were NOT there yesterday and I was NOT consulted on that purchase. Yet even the mightiest of men have fallen prey to a Tagalong. As did I, to the tune of 70 calories for just the one. It was glorious. “Diet Otis” fires right from there into a cheat binge, because the night is shot anyway so why not. New Otis limits to one. (It was wonderful).
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
It doesn't compare to a Tagalong, but sometimes for dessert I'll just have a tablespoon or so of peanut butter (I like the Trader Joe's natural) with half a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Probably similar in terms of total calories to the Tagalong, but definitely less refined sugar.
Otis
Footballguy
Delicious and a good call. Cool Whip is a nice addition there — just 25 calories but would add a lot more goodness to your dessert.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
eaganwildcats
Footballguy
Big fan of 16:8 - I’m usually closer to 18:6. That said it’s pretty easy for me - I just cut out the half and half from the morning coffee, eat lunch a little later (usually between 1 & 2), then have early dinner (usually before 6). The biggest struggle is the late night cravings which I have helped curb by 1) sometime working out in the evening and 2) having tea if I’m feeling like having...something. For those not predisposed to breakfast it’s not that big of a deal - and is helpful mentally in not snacking at night ‘my eating window is closed’.Jumping on Sober February bandwagon and considering stacking it with IF. Is 16:8 the way to go?
Cutting red meat to 1x a week. Pork 2x a month. Increasing fish to 2-3x a week. Water & Coffee. Shooting for 2-3x a week on cardio/weights.
Want to lose some weight but overall health improvement is the primary goal.
Very much welcome input/tips from those doing IF currently.
krista4
Footballguy
Tagalongs are the devil. The sweet, delicious, incomparable devil.
I’ve studiously avoided any GS cookies this year. Screw you and your badges!
Weigh-in this morning showed a three-pound gain for my two-week bender, putting me right at my initial goal weight. Also, I’m currently at a bar. It’s OK!!!!
MAC_32
Footballguy
The path to good health is simple - commitment and discipline to exercise, sleep, minimize stress, and fuel yourself appropriately. Identifying your own specific mixture of ingredients - that is the hard part. Keep sustaining the good work, fellas. And anyone reading this that isn't, prioritize figuring it out. Until you do you will not accomplish anything.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
I am only speaking for myself, but I would really struggle doing intermittent fasting if I was eating the way you are suggesting. I eat a lot of animal proteins and fats and very few carbs that aren't leafy vegetables, so the vast majority of my caloric intake is from protein and fat. I am not doing keto, more of a high protein, moderate fat, low carb diet. The combination keeps my energy very level even for long stretches of not eating. I can't imagine I would feel that way if I was eating a low fat or Mediterranean diet, which is what it sounds like you are describing.[icon] said:Jumping on Sober February bandwagon and considering stacking it with IF. Is 16:8 the way to go?
Cutting red meat to 1x a week. Pork 2x a month. Increasing fish to 2-3x a week. Water & Coffee. Shooting for 2-3x a week on cardio/weights.
Want to lose some weight but overall health improvement is the primary goal.
Very much welcome input/tips from those doing IF currently.
If you don't mind me asking, what is the rationale behind your diet plan?
Again, this is just my perspective though. YMMV.
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gianmarco
Footballguy
You probably had some water weight on board. This is probably close to your actual weight now.222.8
And I’m freeeeeeeeeee
free falllinnn
Use this motivation to continue the discipline of exercising each morning and cutting out the alcohol. Don't even get into the Bud Select pattern again.
Otis
Footballguy
MAC_32
Footballguy
IF is difficult to accomplish when you exercise the way you do. I'm mostly the same way, but I have identified spots to incorporate it. Amidst it right now actually - and I expect hanger to be at a fever pitch before lunch. I ran 10 miles Sunday with 8 fatigued sprints at the end, lifted over lunch yesterday, did 11 relatively intense miles after work, then got up and did 5 easy miles this morning. No more exercise til tomorrow lunch though. So, this is a good spot to IF. I cut myself off about 9 pm last night and this afternoon seems so...so far away. I probably won't make it the whole 16 hours, but if I can at least make it til 1-something I'll call it a win.
But, again - there's a good argument IF's not ideal when mixed with more intense exercise. I'm burning 3,500 calories plus each day and if I want to have the ammo for the next workout I have to properly fuel. If I can get through today at about 2K that'll probably net my one pound weight loss for the week then I can get back to normal til the next spot to IF.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
I try to eat pretty soon after I lift, most days. I don’t push lunch too late or skip it altogether. That would impair muscle growth and repair, on top of really sucking.
I ate dinner last night about 6:45 and then played an hour and a half of indoor lacrosse until 9:30. Often I don’t eat when I get home and workout the next morning, then eat at noon or 1 PM. I really never had an issue with it.
But last night I had a big bowl of Icelandic style yogurt after I got home. I am less focused on losing weight now and more focused on trying to build and repair muscle.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
167.5 this AM, and I haven't even pooped yet.
I last weighed this in 2008 or early 2009, immediately prior to blowing out my knee.
I last weighed this in 2008 or early 2009, immediately prior to blowing out my knee.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
I haven’t read through the whole thread. What was your initial weight when you decided to change your life around?
Otis
Footballguy
Pushing 240. My ideal weight is probably around 210-215, I'd like to be lower than that at the end of this.
RedmondLonghorn
Footballguy
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Wow. This is unbelievable but also getting boring. Can you get back to old Otis before you transformed into Rowtis? It was much more exciting when you would go off the rails, get wasted, eat everything in the house, and gain10 pounds in three days.222.8
And I’m freeeeeeeeeee
free falllinnn
Just kidding of course. This is impressive. Congrats on the effort and discipline.
Otis
Footballguy
I know. To be honest, I feel a little bit guilty about it. Like I’m letting everyone down a little. Maybe I should do a stint with Bale or potatoes for a week or two, just for old times sake?
eaganwildcats
Footballguy
Feb 2 Row: 7,500m in 31:42
Feb 4 Row: 7,500m in 32:39
Traveling is hard.
Feb 4 Row: 7,500m in 32:39
Traveling is hard.
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Otis
Footballguy
Awesome that you’re doing this while you’re traveling. They have a rowing machine at the hotel gym? How you making it happen?
