The problem with crash dieting for me wasn't just its utterly unsustainable nature. It's that I got sick at the end of it. I stopped losing weight because I had a cold for weeks, and my immune system was slowed, my energy level was in the toilet despite a serious exercise regime... classic estivation... my metabolism slowed to famine-level. My skin was loose- not just in the formerly fat areas, but on my face, too.
Anyhow, earlier this past week, I hit the 75lbs gone mark again, after having made some lifestyle changes this year. I don't look like a cancer survivor this time, either, and I feel good. Healthy.
So what's working? I talked to my doctor, and got the straight dope from him, before I moved out of Boston this past spring.
Inappropriately Hot Foreign Wife and I had already booked our tickets to Florida to go house hunting. I was feeling pretty confident that we were going to make the move. Thinking about it, and with the pang of remembering that my dad died of heart disease, (despite his being more weight proportionate than I ever was), I decided that I didn't want the extra mass what with all the heat of living in the South.
My doctor was a great guy. Always honest and direct. He said that most men do best either with Weight Watchers if they're a joiner (I'm not), or a high-quality diet using calorie limitations based on maintaining metabolism.
He was right on all counts. With a limited number of calories to spend on food, avoiding hunger pains forces you to eat healthy- lots of lean protein (chicken breast and fish), little beef, and a metric shit-ton of vegetables, beans and salad. Fruit left me hungry, so I pretty much only get some berries and a banana on a daily basis. But no shit, I eat close to a pound of chicken breast meat most days. Beef, maybe only once every 2 weeks, so I indulge and get a decent piece of cow when it happens.
Anyhow, it's working well, thought my stomach looks like I'm 5 days post-partum.
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| April 1, 2014 |
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| Oct 1, 6 months later |
9 comments:
The before and after pics look like two totally different people. Congrats on the milestone.
Lookin' good!
The Mrs. & I are doing the calorie count thing (worked for Jay G also), & I'm down ~23# so far.
Eating is easier than "crash" diets; we both feel better too.
Good luck!
Can one of you guys point me at some literature or a book on how to do that? I need to shed a lot of ballast.
Congratulations! I know how hard it is to lose weight (I never can do it). It looks like you've found a way that works for you and not too stressful. I hope you keep it off this time too. :-)
Dave- see your gmail.
Got it, DT. Thanks!
Dave, I just went though it with my doc- the calorie limit was both a minimum AND maximum, to keep my metabolism going. I find that a lot of boneless chicken over a LOT of salad (and I throw a 1/2 a can of red beans in there, along with everything I can find in the fridge) fills me up for hours. Fat free Italian dressing helps. Counting calories and making sure I'm at my target for the day makes me make smarter choices... and Jay G years ago suggested keeping a food diary- which I do. Takes maybe a minute out of my day, now that I know what things cost me in terms of calories.
But no joke about the salad. One of those big gallonish disposable tupperware containers, and the damn thing weighs a good 2 lbs by the time its' full. I tend to eat at least one of those a day.
Thanks Paul. Your doctor seems to have a better idea of how to do it than mine does.
Doubletrouble suggested an online food log, which does about the same thing as a food diary. That sounds like a good idea.
Thanks folks!
Good job dude! If I kicked my starch and sugar habits and drank 2 gallons of water a day, I'd drop 30 lbs in a month. That's all it takes for me. Being 6'3", 240 lbs is ideal for me due to my muscle mass. I'm at 250 right now. Skinless chicken, salad, light dressing, and water is where it's at. If I eat another crouton though, my smokin' hot little barefoot gardening squaw says I have to share it with her. Deal. Keep up the good work bro!
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