28 pounds in 28 days

[landrun]

I turn 40 this year. I've lost my hair and I'm fat.
Fortunately for me, I got married when I was a young stud. :D

I decided the last thing I need to be is a 40 year old man who is over weight and never exercises. So, I've made a commitment to change.

I'm losing 28 pounds in 28 days. That's my goal. I started on Jan 30th and weighed 226. Today I weight 214. So I'm on target. I'm losing a pound a day.
All I'm doing is some light exercises (I made a little step out of some scrap wood I had and I just setup up and down on it for 10-15 minutes. No more) and I'm on a no carb diet. I sometimes skip breakfast and never snack. So I eat at most 3 meals a day, sometimes only two. I eat dinner around 6 and don't eat anything after dinner. (which is what made me fat... eating at midnight as I complete tasks for work on my computer.)

My goal is to weigh 195 on March 1st! I lose much more than that and I'll look sickly.

No carb diets work. And they work fast! The combo of a no carb diet and drinking water - chugging water - the greatest appetite suppressant in the world- is very effective. I couldn't imagine another diet that works as fast as the no carb diet. :eek:

[OUDoc]

That's a lot of weight to lose in a short time. Your body doesn't like that. Be careful and good luck.

[OUDoc]

And be careful of your cholesterol on the no-carb diet, since people usually shovel down the meat.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

oh how do you know...you some type of a body inspector?

[olevetonahill]

Ive lost 23 lbs or so in the last month, But5 that was the easy part . I just cut my beer way the hell back and pissed the water away:D

Been eatin healthier also.;)

[SteelClip49]

Eat a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids!!! Take the fish pills!!!

Have sex for 28 days straight!

[olevetonahill]

Eat a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids!!! Take the fish pills!!!

Have sex for 28 days straight!

I think if i ****ed for 672 hours straight . Id be dead.:D

[Frozen Sooner]

Yeah, at that point you're either shooting brain fluid or cartilage.

[olevetonahill]

Be one hell of a lot of Viagra.:D

[Crucifax Autumn]

people usually shovel down the meat.

That is SO fuggin' sexy! I'm WAY worked up now.

[Crucifax Autumn]

I think if i ****ed for 672 hours straight . Id be dead.:D

Gene Simmons once claimed that's how he stays in shape. I tried to follow his advice, but I'm still a fat ****. :(

[TheBobbyTrain]

no carb diets were designed for obese people to drop weight quickly to allow safer cardiac-related surguries and were not originally intended as long term weight loss plans. Once you're done with this, your weight will come back. You didn't put all that weight on in 28 days so why would you think that you can safely get rid of it in such a short time frame? The human body just doesn't work that way.

[OUinFLA]

I did the no carb thing about 4 years ago.
went from 270 to 225 in 4 months.
over the next two years I gained back 15 and have been stable at 240 since then.
I may try it again to get back to 225, but I am lazy, and I do like potato chips.
I was seeing my VA doc every 3 months back then and didnt seem to have any adverse health problems.
I ate eggs, bacon, meat, cheese and a bowl of sugar free ice cream each night. Its the kinda diet I can stick too. If only they could figure out how to have no carb potato chips that didnt taste like copy paper, I would be on it forever.

Good luck with your goal, go for an extra 5 pounds once you reach your target, I do think you will gain some back. But at least you will know what you should not eat.

[Howzit]

And let me tell you, OUinFla is a very handsome man.

[OUinFLA]

And let me tell you, OUinFla is a very handsome man.

stop it, ya big tease


(I assume it was your hawt wife that told you that about me?)

[Howzit]

No, it was my cousin Sergie.

[OhU1]

I don't think it's possible to lose a pound of FAT a day. To do that you have to create a 3,500 calorie deficit. The typical man's daily caloric needs are less than that.

So if you lose a pound each day you are losing some combination of fat, muscle, and water. Probably a lot of water since carbs hold 4 grams of water for each gram. A loss of a mere quart of water is 2 pounds.

Even if you don't end up losing a pound a day you will be making progress and losing some fat and that is the important thing. Good luck.

[fadada1]

kudos to you, landrun. careful with skipping meals, however. you'd be better off eating 5-6 small meals (or big snacks) a day. with exercise, you're body will continue to burn calories (resting metabolic rate is the important thing) - don't starve your body of the energy it needs to keep your "furnace" going.

keep exercising and eating well. good luck to you.

[MrJimBeam]

What is the best and easiest diet? Anyone have advice?

[landrun]

What is the best and easiest diet? Anyone have advice?

I guess its a personal thing. To me, if you like vegetables and meat, you can't beat a no carb diet.

[landrun]

I don't think it's possible to lose a pound of FAT a day. To do that you have to create a 3,500 calorie deficit. The typical man's daily caloric needs are less than that.

Exactly. That's why there is no way on earth you can lose weight by exercise alone. You can't work off 3500 calories. You have to watch what you eat.

As far as losing fat, my understanding is that on a no carb diet, after 5 days your body has consumed all the available carbs it had. Then, since your not eating any more carbs, it turns to fat as its primary energy source and burns fat for energy rather than carbs.

[fadada1]

You can't work off 3500 calories.


wanna bet???

:D

[badger]

I have been attempting to turn back the clock a few years before single living (and now married living) combined with full-time work led to some unhealthy choices in meals combined with lack of exercise since the beginning of the year.

Here's what it's involved:
- No more soda at work (now refill a liter water bottle with water and crystal light powder a few times a day)
- Fruit breakfast, usually a banana but lately has been a green apple or V8.
- light, non-fast food lunch (healthy choice pasta bowls are my favorite) with another piece of fruit
- Afternoon snack of Emerald Mixed Nuts (only a handful)
- Working out for 45-60 minutes three times a week.
- parking a half mile away from the office and walking downtown
- giving up the elevator and walking up 78 stairs every morning

I have cheated on this practically every week and on weekends usually do not follow these rules. However, I'm seeing moderate results.

We're all in this together, guys! Let's get Oklahoma's crappy obesity ranking down!

[NormanPride]

Let me tell you, she looks amazing. I'm doing P90X and loving every day, even though it works me to death.

[OhU1]

Exactly. That's why there is no way on earth you can lose weight by exercise alone. You can't work off 3500 calories. You have to watch what you eat.

As far as losing fat, my understanding is that on a no carb diet, after 5 days your body has consumed all the available carbs it had. Then, since your not eating any more carbs, it turns to fat as its primary energy source and burns fat for energy rather than carbs.

I mostly agree with your first paragraph. Losing weight is simple physics - if you burn more calories than you consume you lose weight. Exercise and your basic metabolism is the burn part of the equation, what you eat is the other. It is difficult to lose a lot of weight through exercise alone because you would have to burn an extra 500 calories a day to lose a pound in one week (500 x 7 days = 3,500 calories = 1 pound of fat).

If you try to lose the weight just through calorie deprivation your body will go into famine mode and slow its metabolism in an attempt to prevent starvation. Your body will also try to preserve its fat stores and will burn lean tissue (muscle) as well as the fat.

The most sensible thing to do is to cut calories (but not too extreme) and exercise. I've done the crash diet thing a few times before and the early gains always grind to a stop after a few weeks. If I do both diet and exercise the results are much better. You can diet down rapidly and be a smaller flabby version of your former self. Or you can exercise and look leaner even if you don't lose quite as much weight on the scale.

[MrJimBeam]

I guess its a personal thing. To me, if you like vegetables and meat, you can't beat a no carb diet.

What if your favorite vegetables are fried?

[ouduckhunter]

Let me tell you, she looks amazing. I'm doing P90X and loving every day, even though it works me to death.

Pac10Sux is doing P90X too. He doesn't need to lose weight, but he wants to build muscle and endurance to improve his tennis game. That is one tough program!

[ouduckhunter]

Last year I went to an event that the head Orygun football program nutrition guy was at. He said that when their players need to lose weight, he puts them on programs where they drop only a pound a week so that they stay strong and healthy. That sounds ultra conservative to me, because I can drop a 3 pounds a week easily when I'm eating right. However, if that's the way the Quawkers want to do things, it's fine with me!

Pffutt on them!

[SteelClip49]

Gene Simmons once claimed that's how he stays in shape. I tried to follow his advice, but I'm still a fat ****. :(


You could sweat it off...Vegas gets to at least what, 130 during the summer months?

Talk about an Earthly sauna!

[badger]

Or you can exercise and look leaner even if you don't lose quite as much weight on the scale.

This is absolutely the worst part - I enjoy seeing tangible results on the scale, but they just aren't there all the time because my weak girlie muscles are getting slightly (but not really) stronger. It's like the two cancel each other out. NOT FAIR! :(

[OhU1]

This is absolutely the worst part - I enjoy seeing tangible results on the scale, but they just aren't there all the time because my weak girlie muscles are getting slightly (but not really) stronger. It's like the two cancel each other out. NOT FAIR! :(

True, it is more rewarding and motivating to see the numbers drop quickly on the scale.

I don't think that weight loss slows down because of "muscle building" when you exercise while you diet. I think the loss on the scale is slower or more steady because you are not losing as much of your lean body mass along with the fat. Lean muscle mass is composed mostly of water weight so to lose a pound of lean mass you are only burning about 500 calories of energy as opposed to needing 3,500 to burn a pound of fat.

Ultimately who cares what the scale says? You only want to lose the fat anyway. If you lose 40 pounds through proper diet and exercise over 8 months you are far better off then losing 40 pounds in 3 months through a crash diet. See how long it takes to gain the weight back after that crash diet. The slower weight loss on the other hand tends to stay off.

Now I need to get my internet posting *** back in line and do it. I've become far too lazy in the winter coldness and dark.

[C&CDean]

It ain't about the scale. It's about the belt.

If you have to take a notch in on your belt, but you gained 3 pounds then you are golden.

I'm currently in my fatass mode. Going to lunch every day at Chelinos, Tarahumaras, Greek House, Jersey Mike's, Penny Hill, Panda Garden, etc. When I tire of it, I'll get back to doing the salads and chicken at work. And just so everyone is clear, there is not a single "diet" out there that works - unless you can maintain that diet for the rest of your life.

[badger]

Ultimately who cares what the scale says?

I care... but it might be a girl thing :(

Seriously. Girls care what that number is. When they weighed us back in high school for new uniforms (I have no idea why weight matters for uniform fitting when they measure everything else) the girls all freaked out... except me, because I was a tooth pick then. But man, the girls were screaming at the scale saying that it was broken (it wasn't) and that it added five to ten pounds (it didn't) and it wasn't the most pleasant experience to endure in front of everyone else.


I'm currently in my fatass mode.
I lol'd.

[soonerboomer93]

Exactly. That's why there is no way on earth you can lose weight by exercise alone. You can't work off 3500 calories. You have to watch what you eat.

As far as losing fat, my understanding is that on a no carb diet, after 5 days your body has consumed all the available carbs it had. Then, since your not eating any more carbs, it turns to fat as its primary energy source and burns fat for energy rather than carbs.

my understanding though, is that depends on your caloric intake. if you're not intaking enough (most men should be 1500 to 1800) then you're metabolism will slow and it will also begin to consume muscle mass

[soonerboomer93]

I have been attempting to turn back the clock a few years before single living (and now married living) combined with full-time work led to some unhealthy choices in meals combined with lack of exercise since the beginning of the year.

Here's what it's involved:
- No more soda at work (now refill a liter water bottle with water and crystal light powder a few times a day)
- Fruit breakfast, usually a banana but lately has been a green apple or V8.
- light, non-fast food lunch (healthy choice pasta bowls are my favorite) with another piece of fruit
- Afternoon snack of Emerald Mixed Nuts (only a handful)
- Working out for 45-60 minutes three times a week.
- parking a half mile away from the office and walking downtown
- giving up the elevator and walking up 78 stairs every morning

I have cheated on this practically every week and on weekends usually do not follow these rules. However, I'm seeing moderate results.

We're all in this together, guys! Let's get Oklahoma's crappy obesity ranking down!

You might try more breakfast with some protein in it. Even a whey protein powder with that fruit. That should provide a better energy curb then straight fruit.

[landrun]

And just so everyone is clear, there is not a single "diet" out there that works - unless you can maintain that diet for the rest of your life.

Or said in another way, ALL diets work.
And its not a diets fault that when you get off of it you eat like a horse and gain it all back.

[soonerboomer93]

Exactly. That's why there is no way on earth you can lose weight by exercise alone. You can't work off 3500 calories. You have to watch what you eat.

As far as losing fat, my understanding is that on a no carb diet, after 5 days your body has consumed all the available carbs it had. Then, since your not eating any more carbs, it turns to fat as its primary energy source and burns fat for energy rather than carbs.

Realistically, it's not that hard to work through 3500 calories a week of just exercise. The problem is most people just plain eat too much junk. That's what I tend to do, especially on fridays and the weekend.


My average cardio warmup at the gym is 300 calories in 20 minutes. I burned that walking on the tread mill at a 3 mph pace yesterday. You either have to increase the pace, or increase the incline (which is what I do). Then I go spend 30-40 minutes working out and then some core work. People have low calorie burns at the gym because they want to walk on the tread mill with no incline at a sub 3 mph pace, and then do extremely light, low weight reps. If you want to do light weights, thats fine, but do high reps. If you want to do low reps, increase the weight. One improves muscle tone, the other promotes muscle growth. You have to combine the weighs and cardio to get a longer, caloric burn post work out.

Actually, all the philosiphies are simple, it's just putting them into practice that people (including me) struggle with.


However, my belt is at it's smallest notch, and it's still lose, so I guess that's 1/2 way decent

[NormanPride]

You might try more breakfast with some protein in it. Even a whey protein powder with that fruit. That should provide a better energy curb then straight fruit.

I've been asking her to do that for years. She's just now eating breakfast at all, which I'm very happy about.

[JLEW1818]

what if i cut out carbs in food, but still drank beer 3 nights a week? and did not exercise

?

[badger]

I've been asking her to do that for years. She's just now eating breakfast at all, which I'm very happy about.

I used to do QT breakfast sandwiches back when I got up at 4 a.m. I'm sure those had LOTS of protein :D

[NormanPride]

heh. Among other things!

[Czar Soonerov]

I hit 40 in November last year, went through the same deal. I only had to lose 20 pounds to get to my goal weight. I started at 185 in May and didn't hit my goal (165) til Dec. 23rd. I put on quite a bit of muscle and lost a LOT of fat. The last 5 pounds didn't want to come off, but at least I did it before Christmas!
My goal now is to just keep working out regularly (maintain). I'm good if I go to the gym 2-3 times a week. It's so much easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape.

[OhU1]

My average cardio warmup at the gym is 300 calories in 20 minutes. I burned that walking on the tread mill at a 3 mph pace yesterday.


Unless you weigh about 500 pounds there is no way that calorie count on that machine is accurate.

3 MPH is a 20 minute per mile pace. The formula for calorie burn at that pace is 1.6 calories x your weight per hour. If you weigh 200 pounds then you burned somewhere around 320 divided by 3 (1/3 of an hour) = 110 calories. To further be a Scrooge, your basal resting caloric burn is probably around 25 calories in 20 minutes. So you only burned about 85 extra calories from doing the exercise over that 20 minute period.

This is not to say that exercise is not a valuable part of weight loss, but don't buy the inflated caloric burn rates most of these exercise machines show. If you want to figure out how much of a calorie burn difference you made through the exercise you have to factor in how much you would have burned at rest. So if you burned 1000 calories in 3 hours of exercise for example, you have to subtract the 225 calories you would have burned at rest anyway to figure out how much of a caloric deficient you created. In other words you burned an extra 775 calories - not 1000.

No one needs to calculate or even care about these numbers when they work out. But too many people believe they burned many more calories then they really did and justify eating more or wonder why they aren't losing more weight.

[oudavid1]

Im 17, im 6'1, 135 lbs....i wish i could gain 28 lbs!!

[fadada1]

Im 17, im 6'1, 135 lbs....i wish i could gain 28 lbs!!

just wait, my friend. i was 135 at high school graduation. was 155 getting off the plane from OU at x-mas break. thankfully, 20 years later, i'm still just under 170... but could kick that 135 pound punk-*** around pretty good.

[jkjsooner]

Exactly. That's why there is no way on earth you can lose weight by exercise alone. You can't work off 3500 calories. You have to watch what you eat.


I don't disagree with you that diet and exercise are both important but why are you insisting that you must lose a pound a day (thus the 3500 calories)? Most successful weight losses are at a much slower pace.

There are many reasons that exercise is a key component. One big one is that for every pound of muscle it takes about 50 calories to maintain it. If you can put 10 lbs of muscle on your frame that's 500 calories. That's above a beyond the calories you're actually burning doing your cardio and strength training exercises.

It doesn't take nearly as many calories to maintain a pound of fat so as you lose fat the equilibrium doesn't adjust downward as fast as it adjust upwards with muscle gain. That is all good news.

Think of it this way. You're body is always searching for a new equilibrium. As you lose or gain muscle or fat your daily caloric requirements to maintain your current level constantly adjust. Let it work with you by adding a little muscle instead of against you.


All of that said, I'll go to the gym and run 5 miles at lunch and/or do strength training. I find a hard run to be a great stress relief in the middle of the day. My problem is that I don't enjoy dieting or really even eating healthy. I'd probably be in perfect shape if I ate better but I'm not good at that. I'm setting myself up to be one of those 50 year olds who were in decent shape but died suddenly of a heart attack. That's one thing I need to change ASAP. I think to some extent I use exercise as an excuse to not diet.

My wife likes to watch The Biggest Loser. When they explain their relationships with food, I see a lot of myself in them. When I'm stressed I eat. I associate food with certain activities, etc.

I do find it interesting that some people have an easier time dieting than exercising. When I exercise I have to be disciplined for an hour or so a day. When dieting it's a 24 hour a day struggle.

[badger]

I ran four miles on the eliptical last night - watching the premiere of Survivor and King of the Hill certainly helped. Unfortunately, it took me 46 minutes to run four miles. Wow, I've really crapped out since high school track :(


Think of it this way. You're body is always searching for a new equilibrium. As you lose or gain muscle or fat your daily caloric requirements to maintain your current level constantly adjust. Let it work with you by adding a little muscle instead of against you.
Oh, my system's entirely out of whack - I'm thirsty after drinking a liter of water, hungry only an hour after finishing lunch, and other things of uber annoyance.

I missed the Biggest Loser this week because they showed OU/Tech bbal instead, hehe - stupid Tech.