The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

This is what 60 Pounds (27 KGS) Looks Like

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
I was in the grocery store the other day, and snapped this photo. Each bag of flour weighs 5 pounds. Next time you are in the grocery store, pick one up. Feel how heavy that is. The bottom shelf of this photo represents 60 pounds.

32829061_1663059267148863_8383368427661688832_o.jpg


That's how much extra weight I am carrying around. Every day. Every time I get up from a couch. Every time I play with my kid. Every time I walk down the street. Imagine carrying the weight of 12 of those flour sacks with you every hour of the day, every day of the week, every week of the year.

I'm killing myself. What would it be like to unchain that weight? I have no idea. I have been fat for years.

It all changes now.

There was one time in my life where I reversed the curve. As you've read all of the threads recently here, weight management for most people is not rocket science. You burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight. The one time I did this right was when I was eliminating all of the garbage and for me, cutting out the carbs.

So I looked at Paleo (pretty rigid) and Keto (unsustainable). I settled on the South Beach Diet, because in my younger days, that is the health regimine that I did that melted off the fat and was sustainable for me for the long haul.

I cheated this time, because I can. I ordered a month's worth of customized food directly from the folks at www.southbeachdiet.com so that I could have a turnkey, forced fat reduction. And I can tell you that for 30 days, I won't deviate from it. They're sending me breakfast, lunch and dinner, a month's worth along with a few snacks inbetween as prescribed by them. I will add to it some non-starch vegetables, and that will be it, kids.

And I will share with you here the real numbers. I won't wear you out every single day, but will do a few checkins a week. If you're not interested, simply ignore the thread. However, I am posting it to keep it real, and to hopefully encourage other fatasses out there to take radical action to achieve radical results.

If you want to do it but don't have the up front dough to hire them to be your chef for a month, no worries. South Beach is a plan that simply shows you from what you would normally have available what to eat and not to eat. We all kind of know that anyway, but they systemize it. They make it simple. The first week is radical, similar in nature towards triggering it Ketosis although they call it something else. However, you don't need to buy the food plan. You can simply buy the latest edition of the book from Amazon and follow that. https://www.amazon.com/dp/031237206X/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

I need a radical shakeup in my life, and @LightHouse gave me shit about not going all in on something so important.

Since I will adhere to the plan ALL IN with 100% discipline, you'll be able to see first hand if it works or not. You'll get the real numbers. But frankly, how could replacing chocolate donuts (@Chitown) with bell peppers NOT work? It will work. I'll be doing 30 minutes of exercise a day (up from zero) and eating what they think is the perfect low carb, balanced diet.

I'm going all in. Time to shake shit up. No big declaration without big action. I am expecting results. While this is not a 30 day plan (it's a forever plan) the thread will be alive for the next 30 days because I want you to see that you can do what ever you set your mind to.

Everyone's got issues. It is what you DO about those issues that defines your life. If health is a variable that to a certain degree I can influence for today, then I owe it to my family to make some radical changes.

The shipment of food arrives by Friday, but unlike a lot of people who make a "resolution" I'm not binging beforehand. I binged for decades. I am ready to rock and roll. Look for a photo from this weekend of what a 50# food delivery looks like.

::May 16, 2018 : 275 pounds.::
IMG_20180516_084920_1.jpg
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

MidwestLandlord

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
759%
Dec 6, 2016
1,479
11,226
Ever had your test and estrogen levels checked?

Being overweight causes a rise in estrogen(s) and a lowering of T levels (causes increased aromatase, which is the process of testosterone converting to estrogen)

A low carb diet would naturally have more fats, which is good for overall health and satiety, but fats can also cause an increase in estrogen production.

Plus, 1 in 4 men over age 30 have clinically low T levels already. (and clinically low is a joke. "Low" starts at 300 ng/dl, which is stupid low. Under 500 ng/dl is a problem IMO)

Extra body fat + high fat diet + age (over 30) = low T and/or high E most of the time.

Low T or high estrogen(s) will cause your body to stay catabolic and make losing fat much more difficult. (along with a host of other symptoms)

I've seen a LOT of men IRL struggle with low T (or high E) when they shouldn't have to, and I hate to see that because it makes a huge difference in quality of life and staying thin.

Hope that helps.
 

Alex Nolte

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
92%
Sep 14, 2017
52
48
24
Hamburg, Germany
No excuses! Either now or never man!

Even though I've never been that overweight, I also struggled with binge eating so in that area I can defintely relate.
I believe to have a rough idea of how hard it can be to change yourself / your life. Overcoming the whole consumerism principle outlined in MJ's books is another example for a tough change. -> The bad choice always feels better first (like buying something NOW vs saving the money or choosing the junkfood over the fruit as an example for the eating category) but all those mini choices result in the big bad outcome.

One important question as you seem to know about the basic principle of calories in vs calories out (
weight management for most people is not rocket science. You burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight.
) would be will you track your macros for this 30 day period? Or have you even considered tracking macros generally for your everyday life? Cause I personally can highly recommend it. Combined with IIFYM it helped me to overcome a binge eating problem. I have also tried Keto, Low Carb, Vegan and all kinds of stuff but since I "discovered" IIFYM have successfully and happily stuck with that.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
No excuses! Either now or never man!

Even though I've never been that overweight, I also struggled with binge eating so in that area I can defintely relate.
I believe to have a rough idea of how hard it can be to change yourself / your life. Overcoming the whole consumerism principle outlined in MJ's books is another example for a tough change. -> The bad choice always feels better first (like buying something NOW vs saving the money or choosing the junkfood over the fruit as an example for the eating category) but all those mini choices result in the big bad outcome.

One important question as you seem to know about the basic principle of calories in vs calories out (
) would be will you track your macros for this 30 day period? Or have you even considered tracking macros generally for your everyday life? Cause I personally can highly recommend it. Combined with IIFYM it helped me to overcome a binge eating problem. I have also tried Keto, Low Carb, Vegan and all kinds of stuff but since I "discovered" IIFYM have successfully and happily stuck with that.

I did check that out here
What is IIFYM - The OFFICIAL website for flexible dieting

but decided to roll with a strict adherence to the South Beach plan that I know my body responds to for now.

Thanks for your note! Agreed.
 

Alex Nolte

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
92%
Sep 14, 2017
52
48
24
Hamburg, Germany
Plus, 1 in 4 men over age 30 have clinically low T levels already. (and clinically low is a joke. "Low" starts at 300 ng/dl, which is stupid low. Under 500 ng/dl is a problem IMO)

Should free testosterone should be checked as well? Cause I had my T levels checked a few months ago and they where at 768ng/dl but I do experience symptoms of low testosterone
 

Alex Nolte

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
92%
Sep 14, 2017
52
48
24
Hamburg, Germany
I did check that out here
What is IIFYM - The OFFICIAL website for flexible dieting

but decided to roll with a strict adherence to the South Beach plan that I know my body responds to for now.

Thanks for your note! Agreed.

Sure, you should stick to that for now, maybe consider the IIFYM approach at a point in time where you feel like you can't adhere to the south beach plan for any longer. I think you said that you want to make a change in your diet for the rest of your life and I think this is where IIFYM or a generally more flexible approach fits well. So cut down first and when you reached a point where your happy to maintain make everything easier and add some flexibility (if you like / or even crave)

Anyways, in german I would now say Viel Erfolg with the south beach plan :)
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MidwestLandlord

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
759%
Dec 6, 2016
1,479
11,226
Should free testosterone should be checked as well? Cause I had my T levels checked a few months ago and they where at 768ng/dl but I do experience symptoms of low testosterone

I don't wanna jack this thread to much.

But yes. (768 is a good number)

You should actually get 3 total reports on T levels.

Total
Bioavailable T
Free T

Low free T can cause low T symptoms, but so can high estradiol (estrogen)
 

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
Ever had your test and estrogen levels checked?

Being overweight causes a rise in estrogen(s) and a lowering of T levels (causes increased aromatase, which is the process of testosterone converting to estrogen)

A low carb diet would naturally have more fats, which is good for overall health and satiety, but fats can also cause an increase in estrogen production.

Plus, 1 in 4 men over age 30 have clinically low T levels already. (and clinically low is a joke. "Low" starts at 300 ng/dl, which is stupid low. Under 500 ng/dl is a problem IMO)

Extra body fat + high fat diet + age (over 30) = low T and/or high E most of the time.

Low T or high estrogen(s) will cause your body to stay catabolic and make losing fat much more difficult. (along with a host of other symptoms)

I've seen a LOT of men IRL struggle with low T (or high E) when they shouldn't have to, and I hate to see that because it makes a huge difference in quality of life and staying thin.

Hope that helps.

Now I am looking for my blood test results as I had a full blood exam this past fall.

Pretty sure the donuts and sedentary lifestyle trump the blood work though. When I get the Krispy Kreme glaze out of my blood stream, I have fighting chance at significant weight loss.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

DavidK

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
171%
May 23, 2017
51
87
36
Hurricane, UT
I have been on Keto for about 3 months and don't see any sustainability problems once you get acclimated... Down about 20 pounds, 195 to 175, a heavier person would most likely lose more. Just speaking from experience, the best part is that I don't get hungry like when eating a carb focused diet. I just put some butter and coconut oil in coffee and that is all I have till the afternoon, then a meal and maybe a snake before bed. It is it also much harder to over indulge in low carb foods... most people are not going to eat 5 avocados in one sitting. Energy levels much more even throughout the day also.

Previously, I tried a low calorie diet and failed, I was exercising 1.5 hours a day and limiting calories, always felt hungry and didn't have much energy. That was unsustainable even though lost some weight but it came back once I started eating enough when I wasn't hungry all the time. On keto have only been exercising 30 min every other day...

Hope the diet works out, but if you are struggling take another look at keto :)
 

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
I have been on Keto for about 3 months and don't see any sustainability problems once you get acclimated... Down about 20 pounds, 195 to 175, a heavier person would most likely lose more. Just speaking from experience, the best part is that I don't get hungry like when eating a carb focused diet. I just put some butter and coconut oil in coffee and that is all I have till the afternoon, then a meal and maybe a snake before bed. It is it also much harder to over indulge in low carb foods... most people are not going to eat 5 avocados in one sitting. Energy levels much more even throughout the day also.

Previously, I tried a low calorie diet and failed, I was exercising 1.5 hours a day and limiting calories, always felt hungry and didn't have much energy. That was unsustainable even though lost some weight but it came back once I started eating enough when I wasn't hungry all the time. On keto have only been exercising 30 min every other day...

Hope the diet works out, but if you are struggling take another look at keto :)

I also have come to the belief that nearly any eating plan works if you can sustain it. Weight watchers? Works. Keto? Definitely works. Paleo? Many fastlaners here have been doing Paleo for years now. Works.

What doesn't work is sitting around, eating garbage, not moving, and being amazed by other people's transformations.

I am pretty convinced as you get older your body will reach a state of atrophy and you'll accelerate getting old by being a lazy fatass.

This weight ain't gonna remove itself!
 

Alex Nolte

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
92%
Sep 14, 2017
52
48
24
Hamburg, Germany
I also have come to the belief that nearly any eating plan works if you can sustain it. Weight watchers? Works. Keto? Definitely works. Paleo? Many fastlaners here have been doing Paleo for years now. Works.

What doesn't work is sitting around, eating garbage, not moving, and being amazed by other people's transformations.

I am pretty convinced as you get older your body will reach a state of atrophy and you'll accelerate getting old by being a lazy fatass.

This weight ain't gonna remove itself!
Yeah that is absolutely true and definitely an individual thing. A big problem with a lot of these diets for me was the road capability. But thats just me, there are people who like taking there pre cooked meals to the restaurant.

Btw thanks for the rep reply! Really appreciate it, first time I received some. Hope I helped somehow!
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Limitless4Life

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
274%
Dec 20, 2016
78
214
29
The flour is an eye opening way to think about it. A few lbs of ground beef will also do the trick!
 

Jamie T

>>
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
390%
Oct 26, 2014
231
901
Phoenix, AZ
@Vigilante

Thanks for sharing what you're working to improve in your life!

Not sure if you're able to get a treadmill desk for your office. I purchased about a month ago. It's a game changer. I walk/stand over 10 hours a day now. Fatigue is non-existent.

If you can make it happen, you'll see some very good results.

Here's what my setup looks like:

treadmilldesk1.jpg

*Disclaimer: your body will feel extremely sore over the first several days of use. Especially if you're not used to walking that much. haha
 

scott.legendre

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
235%
Aug 5, 2013
82
193
38
You may want to take a before picture now, you'll appreciate it more later.

Some advice says not to weigh yourself every day, but for me that has always been a good motivator because it kept my purpose fresh on my mind.

I am pretty convinced as you get older your body will reach a state of atrophy and you'll accelerate getting old by being a lazy fatass.

I don't remember the name of the documentary/interview that interviewed several people over 90 and how they kept going. It had Jerry Seinfeld's dad and Stan Lee and a 100 year old lady who was still doing 5ks. The #1 takeaway was simply to get up and keep moving every day, even when you don't feel like it. Once you start moving, you'll "find" the motivation to move more.

I believe it was Scott Adams who had built himself a system of getting up, get dressed, and would go to the gym every single day no matter what. Only AFTER he walked in the gym door, if he still felt like leaving, would he finally justify that it was ok to rest that day. It rarely happened.

Looking forward to the progress!
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
@Vigilante

Thanks for sharing what you're working to improve in your life!

Not sure if you're able to get a treadmill desk for your office. I purchased about a month ago. It's a game changer. I walk/stand over 10 hours a day now. Fatigue is non-existent.

If you can make it happen, you'll see some very good results.

Here's what my setup looks like:

View attachment 19475

*Disclaimer: your body will feel extremely sore over the first several days of use. Especially if you're not used to walking that much. haha

How many miles in an average day
 

DVU

In Progress
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
236%
Sep 24, 2016
256
603
25
Croatia
Go for it!

I agree with others that you should weigh yourself every day. But also, write it down somewhere(recommend this) and take pictures every few days or so.

Its a big kick in the a$$ to look at the before and after picture when you feel like giving up and "not seeing the results".

I don't know how "experienced" are you in the weight loss game but allow yourself a cheat meal here and there. From a couple of times, I've gone up and down with my weight, every time when I'm starting it's always "I'm never eating that fast food and those chocolates again". And then in a week id kill for some. So I just have one meal of trash, get it out of my system and I'm good for a couple of weeks.
 

Jamie T

>>
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
390%
Oct 26, 2014
231
901
Phoenix, AZ
How many miles in an average day
Right around 9-10 miles per day.

I walk at a pace of 1.2 - 1.5 mph. Nice leisurely stroll.

Keep in mind that when I take breaks, I'm still standing and moving around. I try to save any sitting for after the sun goes down, before bed. I only sit during the day if I absolutely have to (bathroom, driving, etc).

There are studies out there somewhere that link sitting for extended periods of time to weight gain and an entire list of health problems. I believe there are also studies showing the benefits of walking and continuous gentle movements throughout the day.

It never made sense to me to workout for 30-60 mins, then just sit around the other 23-23.5 hours of the day. Your body is meant to be in continuous movement.

The other thing that I noticed is that if the laws of physics are true:

- what's at rest, stays at rest
- what's in motion, stays in motion

Then, I want to be continually moving since I'm part of the universe and work within the same laws. I can definitely say that my productivity has been insanely good since I added this to my lifestyle too.

Here's a pic from the past hour, after I stopped to grab a snack, almost 1.5 miles walked and I didn't even notice it haha. Getting work done and keeping my body healthy at the same time:

20180516_154842.jpg
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

G-Man

Cantankerous Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
544%
Jan 13, 2014
1,989
10,825
Good luck Vig! You're gonna feel way better in a month or so. It's all a momentum game. You'll be shocked at how soon you'll be physically unable to eat as much as you used to.

I'm down roughly 30 lbs. The other day I picked up a 30lb dumbbell and it hit me, I've been walking around with that thing strapped to the front of me 24 hrs a day for the last several years. No wonder I was so damn tired all the time.
 

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
Good luck Vig! You're gonna feel way better in a month or so. It's all a momentum game. You'll be shocked at how soon you'll be physically unable to eat as much as you used to.

I'm down roughly 30 lbs. The other day I picked up a 30lb dumbbell and it hit me, I've been walking around with that thing strapped to the front of me 24 hrs a day for the last several years. No wonder I was so damn tired all the time.

This
 

lewj24

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
369%
May 12, 2016
432
1,593
28
St. Louis, MO
You burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight

It is not ALL about calories. I wish people would stop talking ONLY about calories. Calories are just part of the equation of weight loss. You proved it yourself in your post since you are looking at the paleo, keto, and south beach diet. If it's really all about calories you would just stick to your same diet and eat a certain amount.

Weight loss and weight gain is about your hormone levels, the main one being insulin. The higher your insulin levels the fatter you are. Every time you eat you raise your insulin levels. Processed carbs raise insulin the most. Fat raises insulin the least. You can even eat 0 calories and still raise your insulin (think diet coke).

Your goal if you want to lose weight is to lower insulin levels by eating healthier and eating less frequently. Try out intermittent fasting, this keeps insulin levels low for a longer period of time.

Also you won't lose weight if you are always stressed out or sleep deprived. This raises cortisol levels which raises insulin.

Working out doesn't burn many calories. I think it takes something like 27 flights of stairs to burn off a half of an Oreo cookie for a man that weighs 220lbs. Working out does raise testosterone levels which in turn burns fat.

I'd also recommend taking a ton of vitamins for your health while you're eating less and so you lower your chance of developing an eating disorder while losing weight.

Also put in a cheat day or meal once a week. This screws up (confuses?) your hormones, preventing a plateau. It also keeps you sane, gives you something to look forward to, and makes you feel like shit so you want to get back on the diet.


Good luck.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Kak

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
492%
Jan 23, 2011
9,666
47,540
34
Texas
Bad a$$ thread! Looking forward to seeing the progress.

I decided last 4th of July sitting out in the hot waiting to see some fireworks that everyone around me was a fat F*ck and I was headed there. I decided right there and then I wasn't going to sit all uncomfortable as shit, bloated and tired.

I've had my ups and downs but today I'm 30 pounds off of that mark and I dusted off the rowing machine 6 weeks ago. I'm in pretty good shape and feel great. Not that I can't do better because I still have 15 to lose before my BMI is in the "normal" range.

You're going to kill it bud!
 

Vigilante

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
596%
Oct 31, 2011
11,116
66,265
Gulf Coast
Bad a$$ thread! Looking forward to seeing the progress.

I decided last 4th of July sitting out in the hot waiting to see some fireworks that everyone around me was a fat f*ck and I was headed there. I decided right there and then I wasn't going to sit all uncomfortable as sh*t, bloated and tired.

I've had my ups and downs but today I'm 30 pounds off of that mark and I dusted off the rowing machine 6 weeks ago. I'm in pretty good shape and feel great. Not that I can't do better because I still have 15 to lose before my BMI is in the "normal" range.

You're going to kill it bud!

Proud of you and your post made me laugh as usual
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,025
169,148
Utah
Dietary change is tough. Real tough. I would put it up there as the hardest challenge I'd ever encountered in my life. Why? Because EVERYWHERE is an obstacle; a burger commercial, a fast-food joint, a great menu at the restaurant -- you literally cannot escape the encitement and encouragement for a poor diet.

Just know this... it does get easier and at some point, your cravings for whatever is putting your weight out-of-skew (sugar, fat, empty carbs, etc.) will subside.

Good luck my friend. Would love to see you transform into a lean, mean, fighting machine! ;)
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

DVU

In Progress
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
236%
Sep 24, 2016
256
603
25
Croatia
Dietary change is tough. Real tough. I would put it up there as the hardest challenge I'd ever encountered in my life. Why? Because EVERYWHERE is an obstacle; a burger commercial, a fast-food joint, a great menu at the restaurant -- you literally cannot escape the encitement and encouragement for a poor diet.

I think most people lose the battle because they buy their regular food and tell themselves "I'l eat just a little bit", and that is when it's lost.

If you crave some sugar after a meal and there is nothing in the kitchen, you will get an apple. Chances are, the craving is going to pass and you will save yourself a lot of calories for the day.

If you buy that pound of ice cream, you will eat it, no matter how much you tell yourself you won't when putting it in the cart. Especially if you are just starting out.

That's why I think it always best to stick to the "don't go to the grocery store hungry"
 

The EL Maven

No longer life's passenger
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
319%
Dec 3, 2015
83
265
Some advice says not to weigh yourself every day, but for me that has always been a good motivator because it kept my purpose fresh on my mind.
I weigh myself every morning and write the number in the top right corner of TheFastlaneDaily. If you saw me today, you'd probably wonder why since my physique is pretty good. It's simple, you can't manage what you don't measure, besides a huge benefit is....

Go for it!

I agree with others that you should weigh yourself every day. But also, write it down somewhere(recommend this) and take pictures every few days or so....

I don't know how "experienced" are you in the weight loss game but allow yourself a cheat meal here and there.

When I go off diet, I have a daily record of how it affected weight and how long it takes me to recover. On Mother's Day we hosted a party where people brought all sorts of food, I wasn't going to turn down those fresh donuts while clearly on a cheat day (don't cheat hard when you start, wait a while and get the habits down first). A few days later, and I'm back on track.

If you're doing something wrong, you'll know within a few days if you weigh every day, whereas if you measured once a week or longer, it could take a month or more to correct the problem.

It is not ALL about calories. ...

Weight loss and weight gain is about your hormone levels, the main one being insulin. The higher your insulin levels the fatter you are. Every time you eat you raise your insulin levels. Processed carbs raise insulin the most. Fat raises insulin the least. You can even eat 0 calories and still raise your insulin (think diet coke).

Your goal if you want to lose weight is to lower insulin levels by eating healthier and eating less frequently. Try out intermittent fasting, this keeps insulin levels low for a longer period of time.

I'd also recommend taking a ton of vitamins for your health while you're eating less and so you lower your chance of developing an eating disorder while losing weight.

Also put in a cheat day or meal once a week. This screws up (confuses?) your hormones, preventing a plateau. It also keeps you sane, gives you something to look forward to, and makes you feel like sh*t so you want to get back on the diet.


Good luck.

Good post here. Watch some Gary Taubes lectures youtube if interested. I actually believe in the cheat, but pretty much only do it for family events or special occasions, which is usually a few days per month.
I did not read the whole thread, but if you cut gluten out of your diet, you will definitely loose weight.
There's a very good reason why this happens. Gluten is in wheat products, wheat products are usually carb heavy.

Vig, I love your contributions here, and that is why I'm posting. Six years ago, I was disappointed in my weight and was clinically overweight (for me that was a big deal). From then until now has been a process. First I cut sugar, then later I cut carbs, then I gained back weight because I made a mistake going high fat with starch, then I stabilized for a few years, and finally this year decided to stop feeling embarrassed when I take the family swimming.
My steps were as follows
1. Keto (but any restricted diet can work)
2. Thermogenic freezing for a half hour per day for 6 weeks straight, 360deg mid section using chiropractic ice packs on belly, sides, and back secured via velcro waist straps.
3. Strength training every other day
4. First few weeks of this I was GAINING weight, so I began shortening my eating window
5. After shortening eating window (not eating past 4pm for instance), I threw in "insane" durations like 22-24 hrs of fasting once a week or once every other week, and frequent 6hr eating windows.

Pounds melted. Now chiseled.

You can do it! Zero doubt about it.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

KLaw

Gold Contributor
Speedway Pass
Aug 4, 2012
917
1,075
ohio
- what's at rest, stays at rest
- what's in motion, stays in motion
Absolutely love this. I never ever thought of applying this theory to us humans. Thank you. I've been thinking about this all day since you posted it. I look around at people around me. Family, friends and co-workers. It's a sound theory to apply to humans. Folks that are in motion stay in motion and they appear to be happy and healthy. The opposite appears true for others that sit around. Rep+
 

Brindas Andrei

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
189%
Apr 27, 2018
9
17
Hey @Vigilante, the flour example is an awesome eye opener. :D

I've also started losing weight a couple months back and I would like to share my experience and some insights. Hopefully all of you will find something helpful. In a month and a half I've lost 22 pounds (from 220 to 200). My ultimate goal is to reach the weight of 176 lbs (that would be 80 kg).

Diet:
The diet I've been following is the "Brindas Diet". But wait...that's my name :D. Yes. I'm not following a certain diet, but counting my calories in order to achieve a calorie deficit of 500-800 kcal per day.
Still, there are some main foods I eat regularly like, eggs, milk, yogurt, chicken breast, oats and fiber bread. Basically, I'm on a high protein, high carbs and low fat flexible diet.
My flexible diet allows me to eat whatever I like (yes, sometimes I even indulge with KFC, or some shawarmas or kebabs) and still lose weight.
Protein is essential in losing weight because it prevents muscle loss. None of us wants to lose weight, but we all want to lose body fat, so, eating protein will prevent the body "eating" your muscle for protein. A general rule is to eat one gram of protein for 1 lbs of lean body mass (that would be your total weight - body fat). I eat about 150-160 grams of protein per day. Also, eating enough protein helps with muscle regeneration after my workouts.
Carbs. I've just stated that I also work out. I eat lots of carbs because they help me during my intense workouts. Carbs help replenish the glycogen stores in the muscle, thus giving me more strength at the gym. If you have problems with diabetes, please consider a low carbs, high fat diet.
Fat is what I eat less. I try to stay away from processed foods as they have a lot of trans (bad) fat.
A word about calories.
You have to know how much calories your body burns throughout the day. We need to know 2 things: the BMR (basal metabolic rate) and the TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).
For finding out your BMR just google "bmr calculator". Let's take myself as a case study. 23 y/o male, 90 kg, 1.8 m -> 1915 kcal per day. That's how much calories I burn for just sleeping 24/7.
Then, we go on to finding my TDEE. I do the following calculation:
  • For 1-3 hours of exercise per week - BMR * 1.2 (that would be 2298 kcal)
  • For 4-6 hours of exercise per week - BRM * 1.35 (that would be 2585 kalc - this is where I am at the moment)
  • For 6+ hours of exercise per week - BMR * 1.5 (that would be 2875 kcal)
After figuring out how many calories I burn, I can calculate how many calories I should eat in order to stay in a calorie deficit. So, if my TDEE is 2500 kcal, I can eat 2000 kcal and will be in a deficit of 500 kcal. That's a total of 3500 kcal in a week, that is about 1 lbs of fat.
A word of caution: you don't want to remain in a caloric deficit forever, that means death. After you've reached your goal weight you should begin eating more, up to your maintenance calories (2500 kcal for me). Even after you've reached your goal you should count calories; well, that's already became a habit for me and it will become for you too.
Exercise:
I do resistance training 5 times per week. Lifting weights has a twofold benefit: first you consume energy, second the more muscle you build, the more calories your body will burn helping you lose even more fat.
As for the training philosophy I have, it is doing compound exercises with progressive overload, with 3-4 exercise types per workout. I haven't done too much cardio, but I will implement some HIIT exercises.

This post is too long already, so, if you want, I can write another going a little in depth with the exercise philosophy I follow.

Have a great day everyone,
Andrew
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top