A Couple of Specific Diet Questions, please

[Sandy]

I finally am remarkably motivated to lose weight. Not to just lose weight, but to be genuinely lean. I have both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

A while back I started a new medication for my fatigue/energy problem. I was up to 240 pounds several months ago, after doing no cycling for 4 months. So I made a committment to myself to lose weight and improve, if I am able, as a cyclist. I found that without much trouble, my weight dropped to 225 ,after starting on the new med, by simply cutting back some. Two weeks ago, I decided to really adhere to a much stricter diet, one that I devised and that works for me. I have lost 10 pounds in a little over two weeks- down to 215. I will absolutely reach 185 if I do not look too thin. So here are the questions, please:

1. Assuming that I will cointinue to ride my bike regularly, could I possibly start losing muscle mass during the time that it takes to reach 185? How do I judge that?

2. I am taking an excellent multiple vitamin each day. Should I take any other supplement as I diet?

3. I am eating about 25% max of what I was eating when I was really heavy, and planned on a goal of 2-2.5 pounds per week. But I have lost 10 pounds in two weeks, even after dropping 15 pounds from 240. Am I possibly losing weight too fast? (It is not just water loss. It is fat.)

Thanks!


Sandy

[markie]

Your efforts are commendable.

However it seems that big cut backs like yours just lead to yo-yo'ing weight which is less healthy than just being big. Try and concentrate on healthy lifestyle changes. More fruit and salads, less candy and burgers. More riding and walking.

Sorry to be a downer and please prove me wrong.

[Bart001]

What are you eating on this diet that you "devised" for yourself?

Post what you're eating, along with your daily total carb, fat and protein breakdown and total calories, and I'll be glad to critique it. If you don't have that info right at your fingertips, well that's a problem right there.

5 pounds a week is a lot to lose; for some, it's definitely too much too fast. But it's hard to say whether its too much for YOU to be losing without knowing a lot more, such as what you're eating and how / how much you're exercising in total.

But CHEERS for getting committed to changing! I'm down 25 pounds myself, and I'm not working on my last 5. Ive actually put on a fair amount of lean mass during the process, but I lift weights 3x per week.

[sjbraun]

Hey, it worked for my dear spouse. She's dropped 26 pounds since January. She feels good, looks better and rides better. We are flying on the tandem these days.
The first two weeks were very challenging. She felt hungry all the time and actually gained weight. (That was not a fun afternoon.) But then her metabolism kicked in/changed. She wasn't hungry any longer and the pounds started to melt away.

Good luck. Its a great goal to work toward.

Steve

[Louis]

Sandy,

This may not be the way to go for you, but it will give you the data you need:

Tanita Scale Info (http://www.tanita.com/InnerscanIronmanChart.shtml)

good luck

Louis

[Sandy]

Your efforts are commendable.

However it seems that big cut backs like yours just lead to yo-yo'ing weight which is less healthy than just being big. Try and concentrate on healthy lifestyle changes. More fruit and salads, less candy and burgers. More riding and walking.

Sorry to be a downer and please prove me wrong.

I haven't eaten candy and most sweets for probably 25 years or more. I haven't eaten bugers for probably 15-20 years. I love salads, but because of the medication I take for my energy/fatigue problem, I was a little afraid of using salad dressings, but I will start that very soon. I must be very careful of what I eat, relative to the med.

Your advice about yo-yo'ing is extremely sound. I know that scenario and do plan to have both dietary and exercise life long changes.

Thanks for the excellent post.


Sandy

[Sandy]

What are you eating on this diet that you "devised" for yourself?

Post what you're eating, along with your daily total carb, fat and protein breakdown and total calories, and I'll be glad to critique it. If you don't have that info right at your fingertips, well that's a problem right there.

5 pounds a week is a lot to lose; for some, it's definitely too much too fast. But it's hard to say whether its too much for YOU to be losing without knowing a lot more, such as what you're eating and how / how much you're exercising in total.

But CHEERS for getting committed to changing! I'm down 25 pounds myself, and I'm not working on my last 5. Ive actually put on a fair amount of lean mass during the process, but I lift weights 3x per week.

First, eating a lot of small meals a day may be ideal for most, but it just doesn't work for me. The small meals get a little bigger, and then bigger, and then I would just eat all day. I am cutting way back on carbs (bananas- use to eat 4-6 every day, bread, rice, potatoes,....). I am presently eating a lot of no fat cottage cheese, tons of blueberries, strawberries, kasha knishes, lean chicken, tuna fish (cut back on the volume of tuna), some skim milk, some vegetables, but not enough, tomatoes,.....

I started with 3 meals a day, but am down to two- breakfast at somewhere between 7:00-8:00 AM, and then a final second meal later in the day- as early as 2:30 or maybe as late as 7:00-8:00. My exercise over the last two weeks has been walking a friend's dog (dog sitting) and cycling- about 3-4 times a week.If my energy/fatigue problem does not hold me back, I plan to increase my cycling (I driink water and Gatorade during rides) to 150 mils or more a week.

I don't really count or weigh calories or grams, as I don't like doing that. I just try to be reasonable. So far it is working- almost too well.

Thanks for your great response. I need to build up my legs, and my upper body a little, too.


Sandy

[Sandy]

Hey, it worked for my dear spouse. She's dropped 26 pounds since January. She feels good, looks better and rides better. We are flying on the tandem these days.
The first two weeks were very challenging. She felt hungry all the time and actually gained weight. (That was not a fun afternoon.) But then her metabolism kicked in/changed. She wasn't hungry any longer and the pounds started to melt away.

Good luck. Its a great goal to work toward.

Steve

Thanks for sharing. I have a weight problem for a zillion years. MY personal observation (never tried it) is that over a very long period of time, no diet seems to have been even remotely successful as weightwatchers. It really seems to work and seems to be quite healthy, I think. I just prefer making up my mind and doing it all on my own. I think that the key to ANY diet is motivation and committment. With that, it isn't too difficult. Without it, forget about it. It will never work.


Sandy

[markie]

Gatorade




Sandy,

your food choices seem pretty sensible. Watch out for the gatorade though. Lots of calories and not a whole lot else. I prefer a bottle of water and a clif bar. More complex sugars, some protein and fat and it feels like eating something.

good luck

[Larry]

Eat at home moree often.
Better choices than all the temptations of resaurants.
Oatmeal, Cheerios, turkey, chicken, strawberries, blueberries, almonds.
limited bread (love a bagel), and lots of water.
I like Dasani flavored water.
Down 8 since early April. Muscle issues in upper body are troublesome.

Take away the red wine.

[Bart001]

Sandy if you arent food logging, and thus dont know what you're eating, you're really just shooting in the dark. Certainly things are working better for you, but instincts only go so far, and with diet unfortunately there is not instant feedback (other than how you feel, which has a substantial "placebo effect").

I use the free online site fitday.com I know how many calories I'm eating, and the macronutrient breakdown (carbs/protein/fat mix). May I suggest that that's the next stop on your 'eating as a new you' journey; understanding what you're actually eating.

Ps those foods are all on my list too -- a fair amount of non-fat dairy, and lots of berries when in season like right now!

[Sandy]

Sandy if you arent food logging, and thus dont know what you're eating, you're really just shooting in the dark. Certainly things are working better for you, but instincts only go so far, and with diet unfortunately there is not instant feedback (other than how you feel, which has a substantial "placebo effect").

I use the free online site fitday.com I know how many calories I'm eating, and the macronutrient breakdown (carbs/protein/fat mix). May I suggest that that's the next stop on your 'eating as a new you' journey; understanding what you're actually eating.

Ps those foods are all on my list too -- a fair amount of non-fat dairy, and lots of berries when in season like right now!

I am devouring pints of blueberries. Just went out yesterday and bought 6 more. I just wish that they were in season all year. From what I understand, they are suppose to be a remarkably healthy food.


Sandy

[J.Greene]

Sandy,

On a diet that allows you to lose that much weight so quick you may level out real soon. At that point focus on losing 1-2 lbs per week. You'll keep your muscle mass that way. Also, by limiting the weight loss per week you'll be reinforcing habits you'll need when you reach your ideal weight.

JG

[djg]

Sandy

First of all, congratulations on your progress.

Second, if you have any concerns at all, consult a doctor in person. There are smart folks on this board, including some well trained in medicine and/or physiology. But you're not their patient.

Third, big guys especially can drop significant pounds in the early weeks of a diet. It doesn't necessarily mean that anything is wrong -- in fact, it's common. But again, the question whether your diet and rate of weight loss raises any particular concerns FOR YOU might be something you can run by your doc. Apart from that, the trick is to find a regime that will continue to work for you (keeping you lean or leaner and more generally healthy) after the progress of the early weeks.

Congrats again. Hope to see you out there sometime.

[PaulE]

Sandy, you are doing fabulous and I wish you continued success.

I am no expert in this area, but I know my weight can vary based on how much water I drink. At work during the week I drink a lot of water, but on the weekends I sometimes don't and that can affect my weight. So make sure you're drinking enough water and that none of your weight loss is due to insufficient hydration.

[Bart001]

I am devouring pints of blueberries. Just went out yesterday and bought 6 more. I just wish that they were in season all year. From what I understand, they are suppose to be a remarkably healthy food.


Sandy

I dont mean to pick on you, but this is evidence that you really don't have a PLAN. "Devouring pints of blueberries" is not part of any long-term plan to get your food intake under control and in the right place. In fact, this may be just the opposite. (Not to mention that while blueberries indeed are a great part of a BALANCED DIET, no one food alone is the answer. Your problems in the past were NOT related to a lack of blueberries in your diet ;) ).

It's quite common for over-eaters to turn, first, to overeating better food. You might hear, "I used to gorge myself on ice cream, and now I gorge myself on broccoli and cucumbers." While that works for a while, the long-term solution for said person is to stop the gorging.

Again, my recommendation would be to learn a macronutrient ratio that works for you (such as 40/30/30) and then learn how to eat to that ratio and keep within a narrow range of total calories per day. THAT is a long-term eating plan.

[Sandy]

I dont mean to pick on you, but this is evidence that you really don't have a PLAN. "Devouring pints of blueberries" is not part of any long-term plan to get your food intake under control and in the right place. In fact, this may be just the opposite. (Not to mention that while blueberries indeed are a great part of a BALANCED DIET, no one food alone is the answer. Your problems in the past were NOT related to a lack of blueberries in your diet ;) ).

It's quite common for over-eaters to turn, first, to overeating better food. You might hear, "I used to gorge myself on ice cream, and now I gorge myself on broccoli and cucumbers." While that works for a while, the long-term solution for said person is to stop the gorging.

Again, my recommendation would be to learn a macronutrient ratio that works for you (such as 40/30/30) and then learn how to eat to that ratio and keep within a narrow range of total calories per day. THAT is a long-term eating plan.

You again make a great deal of sense. You should realize that I am down to a max of 25% of what I was eating just several months ago.We don't have too much variety of food at home, but I am going to try to expand that so that I do exactly as you say- a more balanced and sensible eating plan. I am trying to head in exactly the direction that you mentioned.

Thanks for your excellent insight and direction!!


Sandy

[deanster]

Your efforts are commendable.

However it seems that big cut backs like yours just lead to yo-yo'ing weight which is less healthy than just being big. Try and concentrate on healthy lifestyle changes. More fruit and salads, less candy and burgers. More riding and walking.

Sorry to be a downer and please prove me wrong.

You are spot on. I had my BP spike to 180/100 last December and my MD was trying to put me on meds. I decided to give up dairy, deserts, and my 3 daily expressoes. I dropped from 238 to 200 in 2 months and my BP is now at 114/70. Not bad for 64. I am now living a healthy life style and my wt is staying between 200 and 205. I allow a little sinning on the weekend with expresso and german chocolate cake.
It took a lot of resisting backsliding and cravings just like a cigarette junkie. It is now easy. My diet is mainly eat less and wait at least 20 minutes after eating what I need before eating what I want. Usually the 20 minutes is enough to be satisfied.
No pills just life style changes will make you feel better.
And what a difference 35 lbs makes in my riding...unbelievable!!!!!

[Ozz]

I am devouring pints of blueberries. Just went out yesterday and bought 6 more. I just wish that they were in season all year. From what I understand, they are suppose to be a remarkably healthy food. Sandy
Blueberries freeze well....so save a couple of those pints for the winter! :p

I don't know much about dieting or such, but I do know that losing weight is simple math...more calories out than calories in. The key is finding the numbers in that equation, and then formulating food choices you can live with.

Have you done any metabolic testing to find out how many calories you need each day? My health club offers this (pricey) but if I was serious about losing weight, it sounds like a good place to start.

It sounds like you are getting some good advice here.

Congrats on your success so far!

[Larry]

This was the result of a very gradually improved life style.
Knocked out the frieds, cheeze, switched to egg beaters, and less bread,
most diet drinks (more drinks like Dasani water with a little flavor.)
Lots of water.
Diet more geared to foods like almonds, Cheerios, Grape Nuts, low fat yogurt, blueberries, bananas, skinless chicken, turkey, salads with a little dressing, occasional red meat.

Total cholesterol early April. 243

Total cholesterol 8 weeks later 193

Dropped 8 pounds of weight and gained muscle mass.

Bottom line. You have to make better choices