QUESTION: Diet & Exercise - What do you do?

SELF | 8/12/08 | Bear_Slayer

[Bear_Slayer]

I want to lose some weight and have been working-out on an "Elliptical" trainer (I think it is called) for a couple months. I do 3.5 miles in 30 minutes per day, and I work up a good sweat. I burn 300 - 350 calories.

My diet is crappy. I eat when I can and when I reduce intake I feel nutrionally starved. I then go for fats and carbs.

Thus the following questions to those that are willing to answer:

How much do you exercise per day (or week)?

What type of diet (eating style, foods, calorie intake) do you eat?

Are you over-weight?

Were you once over-weight and how much weight did you lose?

In what time frame did it take you?

What do you do for self-discipline (motivation)?

[underground]

I have a very unique solution that literally only works for some 1-2% of the population, but the more general idea could be helpful for a lot more people...I'll try to explain but this ended up being a loooooong response!

How much do you exercise per day (or week)?

About 3-4 ~1 mile walks with the dog each week.

What type of diet (eating style, foods, calorie intake) do you eat?

I use 3 rules:

-Minimally processed foods.

-Only high quality fats and oils (olive oil, sesame seed oil, real butter, real cheese, sour cream). I avoid corn, canola, soybean - I think those are truly that much worse for you and mostly touted for their economic efficiency. Only fresh vegetables, only low-fat high protein meat. Spinach, broccoli, asparagus, these are like jet fuel when added to red meat protein. (I live in the richest country that ever existed, I'm not going to pick my food based on what is easily mass-manufactured.) The first priority is taste & nutritional quality, but I more than make up for the extra dollar cost of the higher quality foods by cooking them myself.

-Third rule is very unique to my own immune system: No gluten proteins (wheat, rye, barley). Like I mentioned, this only affects 1-2% of the general population, but some 15-20% might have a similar problem with a different set of proteins and the likeliest culprits would be milk, corn, soybean, other types of beans & grains, even shellfish or generally anything that can trigger an allergic response... Even plants have chemical defenses and not every person is necessarily adapted to handle every unique type of chemical defense.

A more general rule of thumb would be to "eat similar to what your ancestors ate." Chinese medicine has advocated an elimination diet for thousands of years and Western medicine has only begun to confirm its benefits in the last fifty years (since actually just after WW2 cut parts of Europe off of wheat supplies): Cut back to a really simplistic diet of meat and fresh vegetables. Once you get used to the energy rush you can introduce other things back in slowly and make a mental note of what drags your own metabolism down. If it makes you feel particularly tired, its probably going add weight too.

Even with all that in my way, I consider a perfect dinner to include something like this:

-8-12oz steak fried in olive oil
-onions fried in that olive oil (and maybe some extra cane sugar)
-broccoli covered in mozorella
-mashed potato with mayo or baked w/ sour creme. And more cheese.

I can still have pastas and starches as long as they are rice-based so I have nothing against the massive consumption of carbs.

For snacks I'll drink a lot of coffee & tea with sugar and milk. Raisins, nuts, chocolate, any other fruit or maybe even some potato chips once in a while (ingredients potato, oil, salt)

Are you over-weight?

I easily eat 3,500 calories and I'm still trying to gain about 5-10 pounds.

Were you once over-weight and how much weight did you lose?

When I stopped eating wheat (and this includes bread and most convenience foods) I lost about 50 pounds

In what time frame did it take you?

2 months

What do you do for self-discipline (motivation)?

I feel better and honestly the food tastes better too. The most discipline I have to exercise is in the kitchen making sure I have food prepared in advance anytime I'm away from home - my alternative was to be pretty sick so it was extra easy...At first it was tough in the grocery store, but

[Lijahsbubbe]

Thanks. I can’t believe I haven’t lost anything. I’m very focused and disciplined. Maybe my caloric intake is too low.

[randomhero97]

How much do you exercise per day (or week)?

I'm a competitive powerlifter so I train 3-4 times a week at 1.5 - 2 hrs a day.

What type of diet (eating style, foods, calorie intake) do you eat?

I try to take in as much healthy food as possible a day. Basically, try to average 3000 - 4000 calories a day. Food wise I'm all over the place but I do supplement some of the calories with protein shakes and what not.

Are you over-weight?

Nope, I'm at 185 right now and I compete in the 198lb class so I trying to fill the weight out.

Were you once over-weight and how much weight did you lose?

Never been overweight

In what time frame did it take you?

N/A

What do you do for self-discipline (motivation)?

Putting up big numbers in the weight room which hopefully means big numbers on the platform in competition. I find if I'm not training for something, competition or whatever, that I lose focus easily. I'm not sure if powerlifting would be interesting for you but maybe try to compete or play in a sport that requires you to train and condition for it.

[Tublecane]

If you want to ditch the scale and not spend money on a doctor, try taking pictures of yourself (front, back, side, flexing) once a week (if you’re impatient) or month. Numbers are just abstractions, anyway. Seeing yourself as others see you can be a big motivator.

[chasio649]

Something i wish i could do...take off from work for 6 months and hike the entire Appalachian Trail...you’ll be thin as a rail by the end, no matter how much you eat :)

[wastedyears]

I’m on a see-food and sitting diet.

[M203M4]

No health problems are herein assumed.

I would recommend that you lift weights - gain muscle, and increase your basal metabolic rate (the calories you burn while at rest). It will make fat-loss much more efficient, and relax the caloric restriction requirements a great deal compared to the cardio-only route. Cardio+diet has a tendency to result in muscle loss in greater proportion than fat loss - folks tend to look flabbier, despite the scale sporting a more cheerful number.

In terms of diet itself, the main shift if weight-lifting would be to increase protein intake somewhat, at the expense of carbs (though nothing near Atkins or keto or similar - diets are fairly benign unless you are trying to break into the sub-10% bodyfat threshold). If you can find a broad set of guidelines you like and just wing it thereafter, great - it is true that, within reason and with the right activity level, most diets will do. But if you are the kind of person who needs things to be better planned out, have a look at this site, which is something similar to what I found helpful in constructing my strategy.

The trouble one has with females when it comes to weight-lifting is in combating the notion that they will rapidly become mannish boobless muscled amazons (it won't happen without pharmaceutical enhancement, or dedication bordering sick obsession). With men, the main trouble is ego - it has to be left at the door. You have to be willing to lift what appear to be embarrassingly low numbers (at first), and it may seem silly to be lifting weights, especially if you are older; but keep in mind that 9/10 people lifting weights are NOT bodybuilders, they are just interested in general health and fitness). And a trouble for everyone is getting drowned in information, some of it unclear, some of it conflicting. There is no way around that, short of hiring a personal trainer. Find a strategy, go at it, and tune things later. The only thing to get right the first time is 'form'.

If you are willing to consider the weight lifting route, two free resources I would recommend are:

Bodybuilding.com

hotnfit.com

The first link is to an online fitness community - do not be intimidated by the connotation of "bodybuilding". I found the "Workout Programs", "Over Age 35", and "Workout Journals" sections to be particularly helpful, especially the "stickies" at the top of every subforum. There is some shilling for buying supplements, but most of that stuff is worthless.

The second link is to a dumbbell-only exercise routine (other routines are "better", but require barbells and a squat rack - it will take a few months of home workouts to be able to tell if investing in that equipment, or a gym membership, makes any sense). There are videos showing proper form and range-of-motion - proper form is CRITICAL for avoiding injury, and there is a fat-loss section there somewhere. Anyway, a dumbbell set should be fairly inexpensive (I bought mine from Wal*Mart, something like $40, though an exercise ball in addition would be helpful).

I went from 30% to 12% bodyfat with weight-lifting (2 years, upgrading to barbell set with bench and squat rack at month 4). Size 48 waist to size 34. At 2000 to 3000 calories per day (depending on specific routine and activity level of day). Protein shakes to keep food costs and kitchen time down, and that is it for "weirdness". Pretty good, considering a sedentary desk job and less than an hour of cardio per week. With a high BMR, weight maintenance is fairly trivial (but some explicit fitness activity is non-negotiable, as is reasonable dietary restraint).

[wastedyears]

What about for a young guy that no matter what I do to get the blood flowing, I never feel fully awake?

I was thinking today of getting a bike. Then I thought about what I feel like all day every day, and that leaning would probably make me fall. I had also hit the best condition I was ever in when I was 14-15, doing a leg press of 400lbs when I didn’t weigh 100.

I’m getting love handles and it makes me sad. For diet, I like to eat. I could try starting with a clean slate, but I dunno how long I could keep it up.

[Polynikes]

Google Ross Enamait and check his website
http://www.rosstraining.com/

Very good info. He also is big on low tech and also addresses variety and innovation. His training methods are usefull for competition as well as ordinary folks. I use his methods and have had good results. I fence foil & sabre for recreation and staying in shape using Enamaits methods to tune my basic physical condition

[longtree]

I want to try the Michael Phelps Diet: 800 to 1000 Calories per day.

Just hoping that the 5 hrs. of intense swimming daily is optional.

[longtree]

oops.... Make that 8 to 10 Thousand calories a day

[rbudd]

I lost 50 pounds. All diets recommend eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Here’s what I did... http://www.eleanorhoh.com/Health.html

exercise matters. If the calories consumed are greater than the calories you burn, you gain weight.

[Mad Dawg]

How do your clothes fit? You may be gaining muscle but losing size.

[Mad Dawg]

ROM Machine. 4 minutes a day, 6 days a week. No kidding.

People don't believe it. I'm tired of arguing about it. It's not perfect, but it's doable, as long as you either have $14.6K to burn (and room for the darn thing) or live near a place that has 'em.

It's fun being 60 and waking up with a pulse in the high 50s. (Actually, it stinks being 60, but if you HAVE to be 60, and evidently I do, you might as well be in some kind of shape ....)

"Zone" type diet. I hate all diets but this approach tends to lead to better results for me.

Sleep and water are critical for me. If I don't sleep right, then I start cheating on my diet.

[palmer]

How much do you exercise per day (or week)?
No exercise except weeding, planting and harvesting, chopping wood for the winter, building fences, etc.

What type of diet (eating style, foods, calorie intake) do you eat?
Occasional whole grain bread, never any rice, potatoes, beans, etc. Otherwise anything goes, lots of chocolate, sometimes a whole meal of chocolate. I don't overdo water.

Are you over-weight?
No

Were you once over-weight and how much weight did you lose?
Around age 30 I peaked about 10 pounds heavier (with less muscle).

In what time frame did it take you?
It was within few months of starting "Fit for Life"

What do you do for self-discipline (motivation)?
Read the book "The Present". Apply it to eating and exercise including what you are eating.

[torquinus]

(A bit of a long post, but please humor me)

To start with, a pound of body fat is 3500 calories, so you need to shortfall at least that many to lose a pound. If you burn X calories per day normally, you need to either restrict intake or increase calorie burning. If you restrict more than 500 calories per day for a few days, your body will begin to conserve energy and the net result will be less than a 500 per day loss. So if you stay around the 500 calorie level, you will lose around a pound a week of fat, although it might be a mix of fat and muscle depending on your condition. It is really that simple. Most immediate weight loss is water, not fat.

It’s hard for some to accept that realistically you can best lose only about a pound a week, but if you use that as a goal you can pretty much calculate the number of weeks it will take to reach your goal based on a reasonable reduction of daily caloric intake coupled with a reasonable amount of exercise. And while you gradually lose weight you can gain more insight into what’s best for you as an individual, which is probably the greatest advantage of a gradual diet and exercise change.

Think long term - when you approach your desired “form,” which is a combination of body form and condition, you’ll know best for yourself what got you there and what will keep you there.

>How much do you exercise per day (or week)?

weight lifting twice a week, but if I miss a few weeks, so what? squat, press, dead lift, rows,calve lift, push ups, curls. Form is of utmost importance and utilization of major muscle groups. 8-12 reps, 2 sets, add more weights when it gets too easy. Get somebody to help you out if you’re not familiar with lifting - FORM is the most important aspect.

I use a rowing machine in the cold of winter or when I feel like it, swim, or jog. Maybe 2 or 3 times a week. No fixed plan for me, just when it suits me.

>What type of diet (eating style, foods, calorie intake) do you eat?

Eggs for breakfast, I’ve become a blueberry eater as well, half science half hope on that. Salad at lunch and light dinner. But my eating habits took a while to define. I don’t usually eat meat at home but can chow down on a steak or burger at a restaurant. Mostly chicken and fish at home and veggies/fruits. Addicted to salty pretzel sticks, my downfall..

>Are you over-weight?

After vacation I’m slightly up, but not much at all.

>Were you once over-weight and how much weight did you lose?

Have always been working on the pregnant stomach look since my mid 20’s and was up as much as 40 pounds at various times. Now in early 50’s and lost around the 30 or so I needed to lose in about 12 months (see the above about calories loss).

>In what time frame did it take you?
In my younger days it took 3-4 months, as you get older it takes longer. For me it typically takes twice as long to get rid of the excess as it takes to put it on.

>What do you do for self-discipline (motivation)?
Look in the mirror, are you satisfied? Keep your goals realistic and plan for your own well being on a long term basis. Check out other people to see what you want to look like and use that as motivation. Be good to yourself and you won’t fail.

Good luck

[coop71]

How much do you exercise per day (or week)?

Walk 3-4 miles 4-5 days per week, pushing a heavy stroller and light weight training 3-4 days per week. But some weeks, nada because I'm super busy.

What type of diet (eating style, foods, calorie intake) do you eat?

First and foremost, I eat whole foods and avoid pre-packaged, processed foods. BEER DOESN'T COUNT. I love beer and drink it on the weekends. Processed foods includes bread, pasta, anything from a mix, really anything that has more than one or two ingredients. I also avoid grains and rice: no wheat, no oatmeal. So on a typical day I eat eggs cooked in butter for breakfast, meat and veggies for lunch and dinner. If I want dessert I whip some heavy cream sweetened with Splenda or stevia and put it on strawberries or blueberries. Berries are fairly low-carb and really good for you. I don't count calories, but I don't overeat or eat between meals either. And I treat myself once and a while with whatever I want to eat. I just don't make it a daily or weekly event.

Are you over-weight?

Not now, but I struggled with my weight when I was younger. And I gained a bunch during my pregnancy.

Were you once over-weight and how much weight did you lose?

I lost about 30-40lbs before I switched to whole foods.

In what time frame did it take you?

About 3 months.

What do you do for self-discipline (motivation)?

I feel pretty strongly that I owe it to my husband and son to be healthy and in shape. For my husband, who's fit, because I love him and want him to be proud of my appearance, and for my kid because I want to be able to run and play with him. Plus we don't want him to be one of the kids with a "fat mom or dad". What kind of example is that to set for a kid? "You need to eat healthy, son, but don't mind if I have another slice of cake." I don't think so.

One of the biggest things people losing weight forget is that thin, fit people generally have to work at it. So you can't just diet for a few months and then go back to eating whatever you want. It's a life-long effort you have to constantly maintain. You need to find a way of eating you can live with. Oh, and always plan ahead! Always have the right foods available all the time. Don't get stuck being hungry and digging for something eat, then grabbing junk because it's quick and easy. Make the right foods you need available all the time with planning and prepping.

[Verloona Ti]

There has been recent research which suggests that diet sodas are even worse than HFCS sodas, and those are more damaging than sugar sweetened sodas. Some say it's simply that people who drink diet sodas feel virtuous and overeat more...Others say artificial sweeteners cannot be metabolized as efficiently as sugar and so it causes physiological changes in the body that makes the body store fat far more "efficiently"...Me, I loathe the taste of diet drinks and would rather drink battery acid, so I didn't read the studies when they were posted to FR about 18-24 months ago too carefully. Maybe someone saved the links and will post or e mail them to you. Have you ever tried Izze sparkling Juice? It's fruit juice and carbonated H2O, and that's it. It is sooooo good, especially the Sparkling Blackberry.

Hah! I remembered before I posted this that I e mailed the diet drink thing to a relative who drinks that noxious bitter crap-I pulled it out of Sent Items, and here's the article

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

I lost 125 lbs in a year.about 80 in seven months.

The first 3 months I ate NOTHING with sugar(drinks etc). very little alchol. NOTHING fried. I ate for breakfast - wheat english muffin/toast with peanut butter. lunch grilled chicken salad with light dressing. same for supper. Grilled fish etc lots of veggies to keep me full. no chips nothing. My cholestorol plummeted as did my weight.

I walked whenever and wherever I could.

I have kept it off for almost 5 years now.

I eat little meals thru out the day so I am always "full".

It is not as hard as you think.

The only thing I eat fried now is catfish. once every three months. i snack on veggies etc.

Everything is better when you are thin/in shape. It is unreal. Sex is better sleeping is better. it is worth it and it is not an exaggeration.

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

On another note, I am a male 38 years of age. My wife loves the new bod. Do reward yourself. On the weekends pig out with the kids.

For me this accomplished two things 1) spent time with the kids 2) two after pigging out I remember what it was like to feel like crap after eating all that. LOL!!!