The diet thread..

[zeroturbulence]

This is another piece of advice that's never worked for me, though for other people, it works like magic. Oh, how I wish.

I've been working out for 6 months, 2-4 times a week, 1-2 1/2 hours at a time (my typical routine is an hour on the treadmill, half an hour to an hour on the exercise bike, and then half an hour of weights), and haven't increased my food intake. If anything, I'm eating less, and have cut down restaurant/fried food to maybe twice a month (closer to once a month.) I've had a fairly healthy routine all my life, as well as regular activity (walking 30-60 minutes 4 times a week used to be my workout of choice, and I am constantly on the move at work, often carrying large stacks of boxes.)

And I've lost maybe 3 pounds on the scale. I've been like that my whole life. No matter how active I am, my weight doesn't drop much. When I was younger, I went on one of those diets where you substitute 2 shakes a day for meals and then eat one of the plan's prepackaged meal. After 4 months of adhering to their strict regimen, I hadn't lost anything significant and couldn't stand it anymore so I gave up. I tried numerous experiments over the years but nothing budged.

I can tell a difference in body composition and tone when I work out, but my size/shape has almost always been constant.

On the doctor's scales, I qualify as obese for my height (I've always weighed heavier than I look), but I wear a size 6, and the people at the CC meetup I went to last year thought I weighed about 30 pounds less than I actually do. Heh heh... one person even threatened to dead lift me on a scale in order to prove my weight.

I do think that some people have a body type or set point that can't be altered all that much, and I've just accepted that I'll never be a rail.

Sorry to go off on a tangent from the OP, but I just want to make a few quick points...

Kim, The lack of results you're describing could be attributed to one or more of these..

not enough sleep or recovery time
not enough protein
hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), could be caused by an iodine deficiency
zinc deficiency
not enough water throughout the day
not enough fiber
too much sodium (water retention)

 

[cmarieh]

Stop eating and learn how to cry every day.

Yes that does work however it's not the healthy way to go. Trust me in the past week I have been super emotional because reasons I prefer not to discuss, I cried at my pencil....not kidding and I didn't eat for two days because of it

I would suggest eating lots of fruits and veggies and also eat 5-6 small meals every day and keep your largest meal at lunch. Don't eat anything past seven because it's not healthy to go to bed with a lot of food on your stomach. When plating your meals I would use smaller plates because it would trick your mind into thinking you are eating more than you really are. I would also choose to take stairs rather than the elevator, park at the far end of the parking lot, and just incorporate walking more in your daily life. These are things that I do on a daily basis and it's helped a lot.

 

[Willie-T]

I've been 6'-6" most of my adult life... probably only 6'-5" now that I'm old. And I have usually run about 220 to 225. I once got up to 251, but my first wife brought that down to 220 within a few months. I now weigh a steady 237, and my doctor (and wife) are after me to bring that down at least 15 pounds. Easy enough to do.... IF I didn't like sweets and soda so much.

 

[cmarieh]

Easy enough to do.... IF I didn't like sweets and soda so much.

Well, since you like sweets so much, you could always eat berries with a little whip cream on it. That way your taste buds will be happy, yet it's avoiding all those unnecessary calories....just an idea

 

[AuntieAnt]

Man, you people do your homework! I'm impressed with all y'all. And I'm in agreement with ya, too on your excellent advice.

Here's what I'd eliminate for fast weight loss:

No refined sugar
No fatty meats
No packaged or processed foods

And drink lots & lots of spring water and take brisk walks in the sunshine!

 

[seoulsearch]

Sorry to go off on a tangent from the OP, but I just want to make a few quick points...

Kim, The lack of results you're describing could be attributed to one or more of these..

not enough sleep or recovery time
not enough protein
hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), could be caused by an iodine deficiency
zinc deficiency
not enough water throughout the day
not enough fiber
too much sodium (water retention)

Hi Zero!

I truly appreciate your taking the time to give these suggestions .

* As you know, I've had sleeping problems for years. I thought I'd found at least a crutch (not a full solution, but something helpful at least) and it's causing some side effects I'm not comfortable with, so it's back to the drawing board on that one.

* No problems with thyroid or deficiencies, at least not according to my last doctor's report.

* I drink 2-3 liters of water a day. Any more than that, and it makes my sleeping problems even worse. I've also taken fiber, zinc, and protein supplements for years, so I don't have any worries about those.

* Sodium could be a slight problem, seeing as I get a good portion of my calcium through cheese (sometimes 2 cheese sticks a day.) I sometimes also indulge in cold cuts, but I don't eat these things every day, as they are processed and I really do try to limit processed foods, which is the primary source of hidden sodium.

* Sugar is by far my biggest hurdle. I don't drink soda at all and I don't have any kind of desserts in the house, but I'm prone to snacking on chocolate-covered raisins at work. I'm working on it, though!

 

[Oncefallen]

Hi Zero!

I truly appreciate your taking the time to give these suggestions .

* As you know, I've had sleeping problems for years. I thought I'd found at least a crutch (not a full solution, but something helpful at least) and it's causing some side effects I'm not comfortable with, so it's back to the drawing board on that one.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I recall you work an off shift (swing or grave).

Studies have shown that persons who work off shifts are considerably more prone to sleep disorders, and a wide variety of other health issues due to a combination of a lack of exposure to sunlight (it really does affect our health and sense of well being in a huge way) and it also messes with our circadian rhythms (your body is naturally programmed to be asleep when it's dark and awake when it's light).

 

[seoulsearch]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I recall you work an off shift (swing or grave).

Studies have shown that persons who work off shifts are considerably more prone to sleep disorders, and a wide variety of other health issues due to a combination of a lack of exposure to sunlight (it really does affect our health and sense of well being in a huge way) and it also messes with our circadian rhythms (your body is naturally programmed to be asleep when it's dark and awake when it's light).

Hi Oncefallen !

I want to thank you and Zero for taking the time to notice and post such thoughtful, compassionate responses to my posts. It means a lot to me that CC is a place where people remember and care about what's going on in our lives.

From the time I first started working (early teens), I have almost always worked early morning (4AM) and day (9AM) shifts, right up until the past 2 years. In the past 2 years my shifts would swing back and forth from 4AM to noon to the 10 PM to 6AM or midnight to 8AM shift, which was a bit challenging. The past 3 months I've worked yet another completely different time frame so getting used to the change is definitely tough.

However, and I am disclosing this in the hope that it will help others, I can pinpoint the exact day when it really became an epidemic for me, and it was in 1999--it was the day I came home from work and found the house half-empty because my then-husband had packed all his things and left without telling me. I did not sleep that entire night, as I had no clue as to where he went and no way of reaching him. And, due to a long story, for many years, I did not feel safe going to sleep at night, because bad things were always happening, or the phone would ring with even worse news. Anxiety and restlessness made it impossible to sleep. Some of it was caused by things I couldn't control, and some of it was the result of my own bad choices.

Although I am thankful God brought me through that long, journey, one of the lasting, and perhaps permanent, side effects is that I cannot nap or sleep very well for very long. I've tried many different things over the years and they don't work and have side effects that aren't worth it, so in the meantime, I try to cope as best as I can.

Phil, I apologize for "hijacking" your thread a bit , but I wanted to say that I hope anyone else going through this finds relief as well.

 

[themusicmiss]

The only diet that's worked for me has been stress and anxiety! I tried so so hard to lose a stone back in 2013/14 and I got very anxious in May 2014 and gradually lost the weight and by 2015 I was around 46kg .... As the summer came I went down to 44kg...unhealthy but goes to show cardio won't always do it.... I gained so much muscle from going to the gym in 2013 that I felt bigger :/ also acid reflux makes you feel horrible but makes your stomach look good haha it's the only benefit of having an icky tummy....

I hear the 5/2 diet works and slimming world..