Down 30 lbs. since March 1st

[G-Man]

Since I began sitting in front of a computer for work, I've packed on the pounds.  I went from 205 (thin for 6'4") to 253 in about 7 years.  While the weight was adding up, I'd try dieting, but never kept at it and I was always thinking of food.  I even went to a hypnosis thingy and the whole time I was there, I kept thinking about where I was going to go eat afterwards. 

A few years ago, I spoke with one of the other docs I work with about dieting.  He, and his colleagues in France, researched several diets and had their findings published world wide.  Basically their conclusion was that the Atkin's plan was the one that more people stayed on and that more weight was lost on.

I've done a "modified" type of Atkins thing in the past by trying to eliminate as much carbs as I could.  Also, as I am lucky enough to be a kidney stone producer, I have to drink a lot, but I was having a tough time drinking water so I would make my own lemonade with water, lemon juice, and 10 Splenda (as I read that Slpenda is the one to use on the Atkins plan) in a 32 oz. cup.  Between coffee and lemonade, I was using 26 Splenda packs a day.  But, the weight was not coming off, even though I gave up everything I loved.

So, on Feb 29, I went to the Atkins web site and read more about the plan.  It's all about net carb count.  Even though Splenda has no calories, each packet contributes 1 net carb.  On the plan, only 3 Splenda packets should be used each day.  No wonder I wasn't losing.  I also read more about what to eat and when.

So, on April 1st, I began.  I eat 5 times a day.  I usually have two whole eggs with cheese and coffee for breakfast.  3 hours later, I have one of the Atkins mid morning snack bars.  3 hours later, lunch is usually a chicken ceaser salad minus croutons, or a small chef salad minus the tomatos, onions, pepers, and carrots with ceaser dressing (ceaser dressing is almost carb free).  Then 3 hours later (usually in the car on the way home) I have one of the Atkins shakes.  Then 3 hours later I have dinner which consists of a protein (chicken, fish, steak) and broccoli (or another low carb veggie).  No rice, potato, or pasta  .   On nights where I know I will be out late (or up late), I might have an Atkins "indulge" bar later on, but that's only once a week or so.

So, in three months of really sticking to the plan, I've dropped 30 lbs.  Yes, I still think about food all day.  I guess that 40 something years of training can't be overcome in 3 months.  However, I'm not hungry all day.  There is no mid afternoon crash where I NEED a cup of coffee.  I also noted something else I was doing wrong.  I was adding more protein to the plate to substitute for the lack of carbs.  As I am eating 5 times a day, I no longer do this.  In fact, I even eat less in one sitting.  I now cut my Sam's club rib eye (1.5" thich) in half, have 3 pieces of chicken instead of 6, but the same amount of fish because seafood never fills me up.

Sorry so long, but I wanted to share this with anyone struggling.  The Valkyrie is a very tight fit for tall, big guys (I have made so many mods to her, just to be comfortable) so maybe this will help.

[GiG]

All this food talk is giving me the munchies... 

[CaptainJD]

Good for you...

I am in the same boat kind of...

I stopped smoking 9 years ago and I put on immense amount of weight during the last 9 years. Around 67 pounds to be exact.
As a 6' tall person from 200 lbs I went up to 267 !!!
Weight is a silent, crawling problem. You don't realize how it happens but it creeps on you so effortlessly.
67 pounds in 9 years means that I gained average 1/2 pound a month.
One day you look at that mirror and don't recognize the person staring back at you.
It is disturbing...
When my Dr told me that I have diabetes that news kicked me in the but and since last 4 months I've lost 30 pounds and my waist size gone from 44 to 40.
I feel much comfortable now and the goal before the Christmas to go back to under 200 lbs. Even if it is 199.9 .
That's the goal!
Congrats and keep it up ( I mean down ) buddy!

Captain

[Oss]

ya see Gary that was the problem right there

You were on the wrong diet

I am on 2 diets because there is not enough food on one diet

The "see food" diet and the "if I eat it at work and nobody sees it dont have calories" diet

I have lost 9,347 pounds in 6 days

You know the  joke how a member lost 200 lbs in a day by getting rid of the mrs. Dont recommend that one to you though as she is a nurse and knows a million ways to cap your ass

[grandpaweaver]

good for you

I used the Akins a few years ago to drop from 250 to 200. the last few years I've added some carbs with my meals like bread and potatos and watch the scales. If I start to creep up I cut the carbs, Akins is the best diet for diabetes as well as weight loss.

This morning I weighed 194, would like to still lose 10+ pounds as I get older and less active it's tough.

[solo1]

30 years ago I went on the 'Protein Power' diet similar to Atkins and based on protein and carbohydrates (more protein and less carbs, don't worry bout the fat)   The book goes into great detail on 'insulin resistance' which is the key.

I lost 20 pounds and found increasing protein was easy but decreasing carbs was very hard.  I didn't worry about the fat and cholersterol.   As an experiment (to justify eating ice cream) I ate what I wanted in carbs but DIDN't put the weight back on for four months. As the insulin resistance became high again, the weight went back on.  This diet worked like promised.

Today, at 84, my height lowered to 5' 8"  from 6' and I weigh 223, still high but I'm no longer on the diet.  I try to watch carbs and my cholesterol is 160.  I should try the diet again.  I eat lots of bran and pistachios nuts for what it's worth. I am not diabetic.

Maybe I'll go simpler.  Dr. Gotts diet is no sugar and no bread. Makes sense especially if I cut down on potatoes and corn, lots of sugar and converted sugar from starches there.
 

[BF]

G-man.....

Are you excercising too, or just doing the diet?  If you're excercising, what kind?

[Bob E.]

Good for you!   

About 15 years ago, I loosly followed the Atkins plan, cutting out regular soda and sugar in my coffee, and really cutting back the bread and pasta, and lost about 60lbs.  The plan has changed somewhat since then, but I believe the goal was under 25 carbs per day with every 4th day or so off.  I used a goal of under 25 carbs per meal (I think) and took the weekends off...although I still was cautious to not go crazy on the weekends either. I basically just replaced potatoes with some other vegetable, usually broccoli.  I didn't lose the weight as fast as some.  But I still got down to 220 from 280.  I hadn't been that "light" since Jr. High school. 

Unfortunately, over the years with marriage and kids, I gained about 30 of it back and hovered around 250 for awhile.  Then last year, I hurt my back and was pretty much out of commission for a long while.  Without much exercise, my weight has ballooned back up just over 280.  So now I'm pissed at myself and want to get back into it.  The hard thing is my wife is a carb addict.  So that makes it tough because we end up eating totally different meals.  Plus, I love me some pasta and pizza.  When I was single and cooked for myself, it was alot easier to eat what I needed to follow the diet.

[G-Man]

G-man.....

Are you excercising too, or just doing the diet?  If you're excercising, what kind?

I gotta tell you, I had all the good intentions of walking EVERY night, but due to the crappy weather and kids science projects and playing chauffer for the other kid, I am walking (about a mile and a half round trip to the dog park) 3 times per week.  Coming back, it's almost all up-hill (my neighborhood is called Hilltop Farms  )   It's hard to do more with our lifestyle.  I even researched and planned on getting another bicycle, but haven't done it yet.

So, it's been the diet and walking 4.5 miles per week.

BTW, I had to increase the dog's food because not only does he do the walk to the dog park with me, he then runs around for about an hour.  Two weekends ago, we had some hot, humid weather and half way home, he just layed down and wouldn't budge.  We were with my son, so I left them there, got the car and came back for them.  Poor pooch was wiped out for the day.

[G-Man]

Good for you...

I am in the same boat kind of...

I stopped smoking 9 years ago and I put on immense amount of weight during the last 9 years. Around 67 pounds to be exact.
As a 6' tall person from 200 lbs I went up to 267 !!!
Weight is a silent, crawling problem. You don't realize how it happens but it creeps on you so effortlessly.
67 pounds in 9 years means that I gained average 1/2 pound a month.
One day you look at that mirror and don't recognize the person staring back at you.
It is disturbing...
When my Dr told me that I have diabetes that news kicked me in the but and since last 4 months I've lost 30 pounds and my waist size gone from 44 to 40.
I feel much comfortable now and the goal before the Christmas to go back to under 200 lbs. Even if it is 199.9 .
That's the goal!
Congrats and keep it up ( I mean down ) buddy!

Captain

 

[G-Man]

Good for you!   

About 15 years ago, I loosly followed the Atkins plan, cutting out regular soda and sugar in my coffee, and really cutting back the bread and pasta, and lost about 60lbs.  The plan has changed somewhat since then, but I believe the goal was under 25 carbs per day with every 4th day or so off.  I used a goal of under 25 carbs per meal (I think) and took the weekends off...although I still was cautious to not go crazy on the weekends either. I basically just replaced potatoes with some other vegetable, usually broccoli.  I didn't lose the weight as fast as some.  But I still got down to 220 from 280.  I hadn't been that "light" since Jr. High school. 

Unfortunately, over the years with marriage and kids, I gained about 30 of it back and hovered around 250 for awhile.  Then last year, I hurt my back and was pretty much out of commission for a long while.  Without much exercise, my weight has ballooned back up just over 280.  So now I'm pissed at myself and want to get back into it.  The hard thing is my wife is a carb addict.  So that makes it tough because we end up eating totally different meals.  Plus, I love me some pasta and pizza.  When I was single and cooked for myself, it was alot easier to eat what I needed to follow the diet.

NOBODY loves pizza more than me.  I've lived in 4 boroughs of NY and can tell you where to go for the BEST pizza in each.  There are many nights when the Mrs. does a double or goes out with her boyfriend after work and I don't feel like cooking so I let the kids order a pizza and I'll find some leftovers.  If I don't take that first bite, I'm fine.  But, if I say, OK just one,............4 slices later I'm beginning to get satisfied.  Now pizza is my treat.  And I won't waste it on OK, or mediocre, I only go for the good stuff.  Last month I drove into east Harlem and had a few of my all-time-favorite....Patsy's on 1st and 118th.  The place is basically a storefront with a huge coal fed brick oven.  The crust is thin and crisp, the sauce is light and delicious with the perfect amount of cheese every time.  Used to hang out at L&B's Spumoni Gardens on 86th near McDonald Ave in Brooklyn on Sat nights for the bike and car shows.  This place had the best square (Sicilian) slices.  If you're a person who is a pizza purist, these two are it.  forget the toppings and gimmicks.  These places use the best ingredients so you don't need anything else.  If you're in Brooklyn and it's early, Totonno's it also great.  He makes about a hundred pies a day.....and that's it.  When they're gone, he closes.  No slices sold, just full pies.  Great, now I'm salivating.  Maybe a reward tonight for the 30 I've lost??

[Robert]

It easy to think about food all day with that many meals I dont know how you do it. I used to be into weight lifting and that was the routine also. Try to hold a job and do 5 to 6 meals a day, gym 6 days a week and the worst was leg day. Squats till you puked at 5 am it was really tough. I felt like I was stressed just trying to get the meals in. Measuring calories and portions its not a fun thing to do. Glad you lost weight though.

[cookiedough]

congrats on the huge weight loss, hope you keep it down to a good level forever.  I'm in the same boat as most here being 5'10" and 275lbs. was in high school same height but only 205lbs. and in college 215lbs. or so.  Kept it around 225 not too bad until about 12 years ago really packing on the lbs..  I'd love to get back to around 230lbs. to be reasonably fit again.  40lbs. may not seem much, but for me it would be.  I say I am big boned (yah, an excuse as a heavy load)  Doubt I will ever see 182lbs. when I worked my butt off one summer between college semesters and walked for miles at work per day in 3 months went from 215 to 182, pretty awesome, but I doubt I could work that hard some 20+ years later.  If I just cut the chips out and junk food and eat more veggies and fruit, I think I would lose some lbs. although it would be a slow process.

Word of caution on the Atkins diet.  My neighbor followed it and he did lose about 40lbs. and looked slim, but he passed out from lack of something in his diet  his Dr. thinks from following the Atkins diet too strictly.   Don't know if Dr. knew what he was talking about, but to lose that much weight in say 4-5 months makes you wonder what nutrients you are missing to live healthier inside??

[BF]

Two weekends ago, we had some hot, humid weather and half way home, he just layed down and wouldn't budge.  We were with my son, so I left them there, got the car and came back for them.  Poor pooch was wiped out for the day.

You'd end up killin' that poor dog if you moved down here.   

Hot and humid is the norm every day here. 

[Fudd]

Hey G

So far I'm really impressed with your weight loss achievement.  The toughest part for me is, when I loose the weight, I become unmotivated to maintain the loss.  I wind-up putting it all back on, and sometimes even a little extra.

Keep us informed over time.  I need to give the 30 lb drop another go, and your story is inspiring.

[G-Man]

It easy to think about food all day with that many meals I dont know how you do it. I used to be into weight lifting and that was the routine also. Try to hold a job and do 5 to 6 meals a day, gym 6 days a week and the worst was leg day. Squats till you puked at 5 am it was really tough. I felt like I was stressed just trying to get the meals in. Measuring calories and portions its not a fun thing to do. Glad you lost weight though.

It's actually very easy.  My three meals are the same, only now I actually do eat breakfast.  The 2 additional meals are really only snack that are pre-packaged.  I do one snack bar and one shake.  I don't count calories at all and I reduced the portions automatically it seems.

[G-Man]

congrats on the huge weight loss, hope you keep it down to a good level forever.  I'm in the same boat as most here being 5'10" and 275lbs. was in high school same height but only 205lbs. and in college 215lbs. or so.  Kept it around 225 not too bad until about 12 years ago really packing on the lbs..  I'd love to get back to around 230lbs. to be reasonably fit again.  40lbs. may not seem much, but for me it would be.  I say I am big boned (yah, an excuse as a heavy load)  Doubt I will ever see 182lbs. when I worked my butt off one summer between college semesters and walked for miles at work per day in 3 months went from 215 to 182, pretty awesome, but I doubt I could work that hard some 20+ years later.  If I just cut the chips out and junk food and eat more veggies and fruit, I think I would lose some lbs. although it would be a slow process.

Word of caution on the Atkins diet.  My neighbor followed it and he did lose about 40lbs. and looked slim, but he passed out from lack of something in his diet  his Dr. thinks from following the Atkins diet too strictly.   Don't know if Dr. knew what he was talking about, but to lose that much weight in say 4-5 months makes you wonder what nutrients you are missing to live healthier inside??

I only went on the diet due to the research that my colleague had done.  When I went on-line to the Atkins site, they highly reccomend a multi-vitamin and a fish oil suppliment, which I do take every day.

[G-Man]

Hey G

So far I'm really impressed with your weight loss achievement.  The toughest part for me is, when I loose the weight, I become unmotivated to maintain the loss.  I wind-up putting it all back on, and sometimes even a little extra.

Keep us informed over time.  I need to give the 30 lb drop another go, and your story is inspiring.

It's been like that for me too.  As soon as someone says "hey you look like you lost....." that was enough and I'd eat again.  Hopefully I can overcome it this time.  We'll see.

[Bob E.]

It's been like that for me too.  As soon as someone says "hey you look like you lost....." that was enough and I'd eat again.  Hopefully I can overcome it this time.  We'll see.

Yep!  I fall into that same trap. 

[Oss]

So Gary let me help you out here

YOU LOOK LIKE CRAP..............YOU HAVE SURELY GAINED WEIGHT SINCE LAST TIME I SAW YOU

THE VALKYRIE CRIES WHEN YOU SIT ON HER.... THE SHOCKS ARE IN SHOCK

Now lets see 50 pushups and pullups while the dog is running in the park

How was that am I doing good?


 

[G-Man]

So Gary let me help you out here

YOU LOOK LIKE CRAP..............YOU HAVE SURELY GAINED WEIGHT SINCE LAST TIME I SAW YOU

THE VALKYRIE CRIES WHEN YOU SIT ON HER.... THE SHOCKS ARE IN SHOCK

Now lets see 50 pushups and pullups while the dog is running in the park

How was that am I doing good?


 

I can always count on you, brother!