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| Display Name | Post: A different kind of fat loss discussion | |
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002 
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09-11-04 12:41 PM - Post#34955
Of all the threads we've seen on weight loss (meaning, hopefully, fat loss), from Extreme Dieting to Help! I want to lose 100 pounds!, we've covered exercise, supplements and diet, but haven't really addressed the underlying issues: What caused the fat gain in the first place? Until that reason is determined -- different in each of us -- no diet can possibly succeed over the long term. Even if a short-term loss is achieved, the weight will be regained, that and more usually. I came up with a base of six causes of fat gain, the six main causes I've traversed; others may have new thoughts to contribute. Each of the reasons I've been caught up in require different solutions, yet for 35 years I've always thrust myself into the same answer: diet some more, only try a different diet this time. Let's see if you can relate to any of these fattening problems. 1) Lack of exercise, no muscle 2) Bad food choices, ignorance 3) Appetite, always hungry 4) Habit, and physical addiction to sugar 5) Emotions, eating to relieve stress, boredom, for reward 6) Unbalanced chemistry, estrogen, testosterone, seratonin and more When we look at the list and think about each element, it's clear that simply dieting or eating this herb or that expensive weight-loss supplement won't address the real issue, meaning if (spelled with capitals I and F) the supplementation works, the weight will come back with a vengeance in the not-too-distance future. I have some thoughts on how to address each issue, too, and hope others will contribute to a thread we can archive for visitors in the future. |
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Steven Fightin' the good fight Posts 2063 
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09-11-04 01:06 PM - Post#34956
Quote: My success in keeping my fat loss permanent is due to a lifestyle change and this phrase which I first read from Clarence Bass, "Nothing tastes as good as being lean feels". The foods I eat now were not a big part of my diet a few years and 60 lbs ago. Shopping in the supermarket now is along the sides, very rarely down the middle isles. Veggies, dairy and mostly just whole foods, and I eat a lot more now than I did when I was fat. Of course the exercise and metabolism boost from weight training have a lot to do with the amount of food I can now consume. I now can't seem to get enough calories in to gain the muscle I want so badly and I thought I would always love to have the problem of trying to gain weight ;-) |
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Ms. KO Grand Pooh-Bah Posts 1856 
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09-11-04 02:33 PM - Post#34957
Quote: This one is a real bear. Especially for women in their 40s, there are some hormonal changes beginning to happen, and there is that natural propensity for putting on abdominal fat. A high protein, low-carb diet like the one I'm doing now, with carbo loading during the weekends, seems to have put the lid on my moodswings and cravings for now. Sometimes fine tuning is needed. But it has been a battle, especially when after four weeks of strict dieting the results seemed to be nil. That's when I began dialing into other possible problems, adding an herbal diuretic and Trader Joe's "Very Green" to my mix of supplements which contains spirulina and green tea to spark my sluggish system. That seems to have helped. Things seem to be moving forward. What we're all fighting is system stasis, hoping for the great metabolic shift. I was so thin for so long and now that I am able to put on mass, I have to now trick my system back into swinging the other way. New stuff to learn, new tricks. But I know people whose systems are so out of whack that dieting almost seems out of the question. That's when things get very difficult. They need to start gradually. Then they need to really focus on keeping hope and patience together. It's hard, but once the payoff starts to happen, and you feel better, things start to snowball towards success. So often, it's the body chemistry that's the wild card. When you're fighting with it you tend to feel fairly hopeless - but that frame of mind is directly related to the problem in question. Quite a pickle. Which reminds me, why am I craving so much salt? Geez. It's always something.
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Utonian IOL rocks Posts 428 |
09-11-04 02:49 PM - Post#34958
Laree, There is one more cause of being overweight/overfat, which came as a big surprise to me. Being as brief as I can, it came down to this. After consulting with both a nutritionist and personal trainer, I was told that my habit of eating 1000 calories less than what I needed on a daily basis, and consuming them in just two big meals, was flooring my metabolism. In my case, a major part of the key was eating more, and more often. Ron |
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002
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09-11-04 03:40 PM - Post#34959
I'd like to use this thread to point out that each person needs to identify his or her own specific barrier to fat loss, and to make an archive of the various ways to address each major problem. Rather than list a new diet every time someone asks (and I'm not saying that we won't, because we surely will... it's unending), if we can help each other discover our own personal trigger it will go a long way toward permanent, healthy fixes and lean, strong bodies. In my own case, I've dealt with each of the 6 I listed, and, in fact, with the Extreme Diet experiment earlier this spring, I jumped headlong and purposefully into Ron's number 7 on the list. Where I ended up after that episode was smack-dab in the depths of number 6, Really Messed-Up Chemistry, in which I'm learning a lot and having slow, steady success that I'll share as personal experience as we go along, in the event it helps others. |
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Anonymous |
09-11-04 04:09 PM - Post#34960
I think one of the really important factors you mention is hormonal. This is true for men & women. With this change in hormonal level as we age...oftentimes depression takes hold and the downward spiral becomes entrenched. Physical activity (weight training) becomes even more important then (at least to me) because it keeps "the demon outside" and even if I'm in a temporary "holding" phase ie.no fat loss, no increase in poundage of weights lifted, I consider it to be successful since there is no backsliding. For the past 4 months my weight has stabilized at a level + or - four pounds. This is with working out about 3-4 times per week and trying to be careful in my diet...if this was 10-15 years ago...I'm sure I would be where I think I should be by now. But with this lifestyle change stress is reduced and depression held at bay...one day at a time. As I sucessful...you bet...am I pleased...only when I am able to stick to 5 small meals a day! |
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DavidB Liking it Posts 142 |
09-11-04 05:11 PM - Post#34961
Fortunately, I don't have to deal with fat loss issues with my metabolism. even I wonder at it sometimes. My son-in-law, , 20 years my junior, thought he had to eat as I do to keep up the work pace and gained 20 something pounds. As I said I'm blessed but I do know , from experience with very close freinds, that weight gain in some cases has to do with emotional issues. When those people dealt with those first, as in the Lord, their weight dropped more towards normal. It seems some people eat to fill that hole that's left from a lack of , basically , love in their lives, or only one parent, or an abusive parent or what have you. Today the issues that destroy people are rampant. Anyway, until people gain some sort of healing or release from these issues , weight gain is a big problem.
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Anonymous |
09-11-04 05:29 PM - Post#34962
You are right. Just look at all the pharmaceutical ads on TV...if someone didn't have a problem after watching those ads they would probably think they weren't normal. |
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Imystify Getting sick of me? Posts 799 
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09-11-04 05:37 PM - Post#34963
2) Bad food choices, (I wish I could claim ignorance) 4) Habit, and physical addiction to sugar 5) Emotions, eating to relieve stress, boredom, for reward For a #2, 4, 5 person like myself it is all intertwined. I eat out of habit or emotion and when I do eat its junk food and does spark the desire for more junk food/sugar thing. It starts with the mind for me. Any diet will work for me, provided I get my mind right. But right for the diet's time lenght or right for life? Therein lies the issue. Making peace with food not being a reward or consolation - cigarettes used to be that WITH food... all of this just highlights my personal need to deal with the mind and not 'diet'. How to do that? uh yeah, if I knew fully would I be carrying some extra fat around - no. I think I am the poster child for the 'it will come back' thing, a living piece of research to back up your hypothesis. |
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J G Old hand here on IOL Posts 510 |
09-11-04 06:38 PM - Post#34964
Laree, As somebody who was a fat adolescent (many moons ago).I was soft and out of shape. My mother used to buy my clothes in the "husky" section.I couldnt even do one pushup or one chinup. I just made up my mind one day that I didn't want to be a fat kid any more. I joined a gym and stuck to it. Freud might say that i was overcompensating for something. I got into long distance running in the 70's and 80's and soon I was running marathons. There is a very big component of the weight roller coaster that is all mental.If you want anything bad enough you will do what it takes to make it a reality. Sure it's harder the older you get, but you have to just keep on keeping on. walk slow and lift heavy, John G. |
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Amazonblonde Sun and Iron Worshipper Posts 12642 
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09-11-04 09:08 PM - Post#34965
Habit and emotions....boy those two hit home...for me it is a constent battle with myself to control eating...I don't necessarily overeat unhealthy food just too much of good foods....it is all in my mind..I find that if I am very busy all the time then food isn't a problem or if others are around...it's like I have to have someone be my food police!!!!!!!..... Being successful in losing weight and keeping it off is an accomplishment but I would like to not have to deal with the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other!!!!!! AB
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cajinjohn Old time trainer Posts 12495 
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09-11-04 10:01 PM - Post#34966
Number 6 covers me apperantly all of my life. I didn't find out what was wrong untill late in life. My mother was out of wack also all of her life. She wouldn't do anything about it. I have. Arn't genes wounderful ? HA ship
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6Footer West Coast Amazon Posts 1372 
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09-11-04 11:05 PM - Post#34967
For me, it's been mostly #5 all my life. I used to use it to relieve stress, and a most dangerously (to me) for reward. I never used it to temper emotions. In the last year I am living proof that #1 is a huge factor too. Going from a very fit and happy person instantaneously to a relatively sedentary post-accident pile of my former self was difficult. I was amazed at how quickly I lost the great muscle strength and definition simply due to the fact that I couldn't use my body. It all turned to fat of course. It's amazing how an accident that should have taken your life can change your perspective... I no longer struggle with #5. I've also found that having been relatively fit before, the muscle and cardiovascular strength has come back very quickly. My resting heart rate is down to 52 and I'm on the road back to a lean mean body.
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timber1 New here Posts 1 
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09-12-04 12:31 PM - Post#34968
The discipline thing is always there. I came down from 242@ 30% to 167@ 11% and now at 180 @13%. It never ends, for me anyway(discipline.) One thought that keeps me on track; I think to myself " If a genetic superior like Dave Draper has to eat clean, what makes me think I don't have to as well. Being a genetic in-superior I try to visualize myself in their shoes so to speak. Kent |
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002
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09-12-04 01:10 PM - Post#34969
All the people who've written in so far and those who will add their thoughts later are here to tell you getting a new fat burner supplement is not the answer. There's a place for fat burners, but it's limited to athletes cutting the last few pounds for a bodybuilding contest or dieters who have, fixed the problems below, nearly met their goals and need a final push. For most of us, we need to first identify our major obstacle(s) and implement the remedy in order to begin our progress. So... now let's flesh this out with some solutions, shall we? What do you do to fix the problem? Quote: This one and number 2 below are the easiest to fix. If you're not exercising, start. Start with a walk out the front door, get moving. You can learn the ins and outs of weight training and figure out how to join a gym soon, but right now you've got to put yourself in motion... today. Pull on some sweatpants and walk. If you can, walk and jog. Do this every day this week and then come back and we'll point you in the right direction to get started on a weight training program. Meanwhile, if you haven't already done this, order Dave's book Your Body Revival! http://www.davedraper.com/Merchant2/merc...Category_Code=B And if you have a little extra time right now, Stella has more information for you here: http://bodybuilding.about.com/ ... and we've collected our IronOnline sample workouts here: http://davedraper.com/iron-online-sample-workouts.html Quote: When you eat whatever it is you eat, do you automatically know the macronutrients contained therein? Without this knowledge, a new diet someone suggests won't help much, so start fixing your ignorance now. Go to your kitchen and read the labels of your favorite foods. Are you eating all carbs and fat and no protein? Write down your food intake of an average day, then go to http://www.fitday.com and build a day's profile of those foods. What is your normal macronutrient percentage? If you're an average adult on a North American diet, you're probably ultra high in carbohydrates and fat and low in protein; if you're female, it's probably worse. You can fine-tune this in a couple of weeks, but for today why don't you target your meals in thirds? 33% protein, 33% fats, 33% carbohydrates. Work on this for a while and come back when you've got this fixed and we'll help you hone this down to a perfect diet for your future. Here's the USDA nutrient database to search out your common foods: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ Dave's written a simple guide to good nutrition, here: http://davedraper.com/general-nutrition.html Quote: This one's relatively easy, too, assuming we're talking about true hunger. Start here: Drink water (not only is it filling, but sometimes thirst is confused with hunger -- it can feel the same); eat more protein; add healthy fats (EFAs) to your diet; eliminate sugar. When all the above are done, if appetite is still a problem, try the herb Hoodia Gordonil leaf. It's not a diet pill; you won't feel it other than perhaps noticing a decreased need to eat often. Once you've broken the appetite -- let's say a month or so -- you won't need the supplemental help, assuming you continue with the water, protein, fats and low sugar intake. Here's more on healthy fats (EFAs -- essential fatty acids), if this is a new term for you: http://davedraper.com/essential-fatty-acids.html Quote: Has eating a certain type of food at a specific time of day become habitual for you? Usually this is seen as a high-sugar or high-salt carbohydrate afternoon or before-bed snack, or perhaps even a middle-of-the-night raid on the fridge. This is very common and could possibly be the only fix you'll need to make to meet your bodyweight goal. Physical addiction to sugar is real, and if you have it, you'll want something sweat at about the same time every day. This includes non-sweet carbohydrates, which become "sugar" during the break-down process, triggering insulin and seratonin release. It's not as hard to break as a nicotine addiction, but it's still hard and will take your purposeful attention. The good news is it only takes about four days to break; the habit will be gone unless you willingly let yourself get caught up in the process again. To break the habit once you've identified it, you'll have to fill that time slot up with something else, either another activity entirely or another soothing intake such as herbal tea. Or how about this? Train yourself as an athlete and replace your afternoon potato chip gorge with a can of tuna, a glass of water with lemon and a fork. Food intolerances (allergies) fit into this category, too. If you always crave the same food, there's a change you're allergic to it, which sometimes creates an addiction and often causes bloat or hormonal imbalances and retention of fat weight. You got a regular craving? Begin eliminating that food and see if you notice a difference. Quote: Do you find yourself in the kitchen, standing with the fridge open, wondering what to eat and knowing you're not even hungry? Did you just eat, but eating didn't do the trick, even though your stomach is full? These are not food or diet issues that need to be addressed here, and no combination of foods we can offer will help until you solve the core problem: What's triggering the need to eat? If you have a low-grade depression, whether caused by desperate life and death issues, financial pressures, unhappy family situation or an unidentified chemistry problem, it always results in low seratonin. Low seratonin feels like a permanent black cloud; even bright days and happy events feel dull. Carbohydrates cause a seratonin release and physically make a person with low seratonin feel better for a little while. Bingo! Gotta fix this one first. Depending on what caused the problem in the first place, the fix could be easy or hard. For instance, if you're an ex-alcoholic, you're very likely to have low seratonin and need an anti-depressant prescription for the rest of your life. Sound yucky? Not so bad as a black cloud over your head forever! Go for the meds. If you have real stresses in life that are bringing you down, but are not completely impossible, you can make a test run on lifting your seratonin levels with the supplement 5-HTP. Try it three times a day for a week; if it's going to work for you, believe me, you'll know very quickly as each day brightens. Then you'll feel hopeful and able to take on the issues and solve the problems that caused the problem in the first place. Fixing a low-grade depression will go a long way toward curing emotional eating problems. Here's more on the symptoms and solutions if you think you might be depressed. http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/Depression_Information/symptoms.htm And an online questionnaire to help identify depression: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?id=973&type=doc&cn=Depression%20(Unipolar) Identifying the last two, eating to relieve boredom or for reward, should set you on a path to fix them. Boredom can be filled up with the activity of your choice -- pick a hobby you've always wanted to pursue and get started, or finish that household chore that's been nagging at you all year -- and there are plenty of rewards other than food if you take the time to choose your favorites. Finally, related to this category is guilt. If you feel like you're living a lie, it's time to address it. Let's say you post your great workouts in the forum, yet gobble a bag of McDonald's goop in the car before you get home to fix dinner, you've got a problem that needs attention. Take some time alone next weekend and sort this out so you can fix it. You're alone on this one and you alone can fix it -- no magic fat burner scientists will ever come up with will fix this one. Quote: This is possibly the hardest to solve, because our hormones are released or suppressed for a variety of reasons, most that we don't even realize are ongoing. Some are age-related; our sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone in particular, both of which men and women have) and growth hormone naturally decrease with age. Some change with trauma; for instance, thyroid often goes south after a major surgery. Others are stress-related; cortisol and adrenaline are high under stress conditions, while seratonin is low. Even good stress, such as an inspired workout session, causes a release of cortisol, so you can see how difficult an issue this can be. My recommendation is to attend to the other elements of this list first -- exercise, food choices, bad habits, etc. -- and come to the hormone issue last. If you've truly got your diet and exercise dialed and you simply cannot budge the tape measure wrapped around your waste, it's probably a hormone problem. Unrelated to weight loss issues, it's still a good idea to have your hormones checked as you age. Anything too high or too low is going to cause you some grief, even if your bodyweight satisfies you. A peri-menopausal woman, a menopausal woman, or a post-menopausal woman (either natural or post-hysterectomy) will all have hormonal issues -- some good, some bad -- and should take the time to learn the facts. Get a blood panel every year or two and make your hormone replacement decisions purposefully, rather than from a 90-second clip on CNN or your doctor's rushed prescription shoved in your sweaty hand. Here's a real good place to start your HRT education: http://hormonediva.com/ Here's Dr. Karlis Ullis on men's HRT, not yet talked about much outside athletic circles, but on the horizon of general medicine: http://www.musclemonthly.com/articles/010515/010515-ullis-hormone-replacement-therapy.htm If you have even more time, spend it at John Berardi's hormone article pages: http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/hormones/index.htm Quote: As hard as this is to believe, it's true: Ultra-low calorie diets slow the metabolism to match the calorie intake. Even using perfect nutrition and supplementation, if you go too low, your fat loss will stop, and at the same time, your body will suffer under stress, causing a high level of the stress hormone cortisol, bad juju. We don't seem to know how long this process takes; some researchers guess it begins in under a week, but my personal experience points toward weeks, perhaps a month or more. You can read the details of that experiment under the Extreme Diet thread, here: http://www.davedraper.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1328 ---- The above is a pretty good overview of the main problems that need attention before one will succeed at fat loss over the long term. Continue reading other thoughts the forum members will have on their personal success and failure, and possible solutions for you in your wholesome endeavor. Get your exercise and ask your questions here on the board and we'll help. |
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IB138 Too Dumb to Quit! Posts 9321 
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09-12-04 01:40 PM - Post#34970
For me, it's #2 and #3. I have a huge appetite and don't always make the right choices. I'de spend 5 hours a day lifting if I could eat as I pleased. Oh well, such is life.
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Lisa Grand Pooh-Bah Posts 1757 
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09-12-04 03:48 PM - Post#34971
Wow – super-fantastic and comprehensive post, Laree! Thank you! For me, the main "nut" of this thread is what’s behind the 6 categories. In many cases, it's pretty simple, such as the hormonal/genetic changes that KO, TomS, Cajin and others mentioned - or an accident like Khartoum described. Of course I'm experiencing some biochemical shifts as I progress through my forties. Perhaps the biggest changes along these lines took place years ago after I quit drugs and alcohol - big (metabolic, emotional)change! (this probably doesn't merit a separate category, and Laree covered it regarding antidepressants – it’s also pretty much a combination of 4,5 and 6). Most addicts with experience in recovery can tell you about the seductive pull of immediate gratification and how some degree of spiritual fitness helps develop the discipline to delay that gratification. So many people here on IOL are living proof of the tremendous transformative power of the mind, and I take a huge amount of inspiration from their stories. I'm guessing many of them have been able to muster the will to change because of "something else" - It's THAT thing that I am most interested in. For example what is it in Amazonblonde that made her one day decide to lose 60 pounds and what has helped her keep it off? Did Jan ever dream one day she'd be a personal trainer and "fitchick"? What's behind it all? By the way, I am not meaning in any way to try and assess anybody's spiritual growth - it's just another piece of the puzzle that's intriguing to me as regards fitness and personal betterment. |
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Subeer Nutso Originalium Posts 1214 
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09-13-04 02:01 AM - Post#34972
Laree Thank you for all the points. I will keep it for later when its gonna be my battle... now its the other way .... eat eat eat ... then a little more... TC Subeer
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/sk geek for "seldom posts" Posts 4826 
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09-13-04 10:51 AM - Post#34973
I have been a 2, 4 and 6 person for quite a while. Somewhere in here I feel the need to add something about my heart; I am not sure where to put it. After my surgery it became clear to me that I am getting much more return on my effort. My kid will tell you that prior to my heart attack I have worked very hard and ate very clean (although I did not for years before that) yet I continued to not get all the results I wanted. I have always seemed to stall around 10 - 12%. Nothing budges me off this. More cardio and cleaner eating seems to just cause me to lose weight, not fat. Now that I have a new set of pipes, so to speak, I do seem to be able to affect my composition better. I am hoping to get below 10% by the end of the year. /sk |
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Manor RIP 4/30/2011 Posts 6773 
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09-13-04 12:21 PM - Post#34974
I think it bores down to self-image, which also encompasses emotional aspects whether they be derived by abuse or not and external environmental influences, either by peer or media. Ok so my little sentence seemed to make sense in my head, but then it’s a scary place. What I am trying to say is that it boils down to self-image, as perceived by you or others. What influences self-image is highly emotional, and this is also derived from within and externally and this can be abusive or encouraging. You have an internal dialogue, what you keep telling yourself about you, and external dialogue, what others say to you or what you think they are saying to you in an un-verbalized way. So if you keep telling yourself you are fat, then you will be fat and the pattern (Lifestyle) you will lead will be that one which evolves around fatness, which most people associate fat with lazy, I’m simplifying here but you get the idea. If you were abused in some way, you may want to have people not be attractive to you, so again, you will make choices that will make you unattractive. It comes down to that doesn’t it? Choices, we can either choose to be fat or choose to be fit, we make extreme choices for extreme situations sometimes, dieting being one of them and like Laree said, dieting should be for a purpose not a be all for end all. People can be very motivating, provide empowerment etc. I learned something while taking a leadership course, simply this, as a leader my job is not to motivate you. The responsibility lies with you. You have to motivate yourself. As leaders we can provide tools that help you along the way, however it comes down to you and you are accountable to yourself. Sharing success stories is a tool, as well as this forum. You have to take control of your life and seek out what sabotages your progress, your growth (I’m not talking muscle growth) to self-fulfilment, personal growth or even spiritual growth for those that this applies to. The greatest saboteur is yourself, once you believe you are not worthy, prone to failure you will undoubtedly fail or feel worthless. You have to start with the negatives, focus on solutions not on the causes such as “I eat poorly” Do not dwell on the reasons you eat poorly, such as “It was a tough day”, “I feel down” “I’m sick today” When you should be looking for a solution, don’t eat poorly! Keep eating clean, you don’t have to be a fanatic about it, one thing that people do often which sets them up for failure is to go too quickly, they try to clean up their diets overnight, it becomes a difficult task, a lot of withdrawal happens, think about it, you didn’t eat clean for umpteen years and then expect to eat properly overnight? You haven’t really exercised before, yet you want to change your program after 4 days because “You don’t feel it” or “You don’t see results”. A positive attitude goes a long way, however everything has it’s limits, if the demons are not taken care of, if your internal dialogue is not in check then you are going nowhere. President John F. Kennedy said “Don’t ask what America can do for you, ask what you can do for America.” Same thing applies here, don’t ask what can be done for you, but what can you do for yourself, only you know what you want, what you need and what obstacles you face. Once you are in the right frame of mind, the rest will become simpler, diet will be easier, see it as a challenge, don’t ask what can you eat, educate yourself and find out what you can eat, exercise is easier, learn what to do, don’t be a robot and just do it, find out why you ‘re doing it, find out what best works for you. People willingly give advice and then it comes down again to choices. Surround yourself with positive people, keep an eye out for saboteurs and let them know they are not encouraging you. Your inner circle of friends and family should be there for support, not for deconstructive criticism. There will be milestones in life, hormonal changes, learn about them, embrace them don’t be depressed about it, look forward to 40, 50 60 and beyond. You are only here for a short while, how will you be spending the gift of life that was given to you? Dan
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Phil_N Carpal tunnel from posting! Posts 2924 
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09-13-04 01:58 PM - Post#34975
Quote: Bingo, bingo and double bingo I couldn’t agree with thread more. There is so much talk about losing weight and not enough about what puts it on, or more importantly how and why people let themselves go. I can understand fully discussing about cutting to get ready for a bodybuilding show or how to drop weight to make your weight class for a lifting com but for gaining muscle and improving health the emphasis should always be on living a better life style and what effects it. Because; It takes years to put on real muscle, weeks to loss fat. Your focus should be on what takes years, not weeks.
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Javier Old hand here on IOL Posts 941 
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09-13-04 02:19 PM - Post#34976
These are all great points. I've never really struggled with weight much. I was a stick all through college, and only in my late thirties have I witnessed fat appear all over me. Thinking about why I eat bad foods, I really have to add: 1) Because it REALLY tastes good. 2) Because it's easy to find bad food, and I can't cook. Let me explain #1 a little more. Once on a healthy diet, I agree that junk food stops being as pleasing. Even so, chocolate still taste *awesome* to me. But for the average unfit person, who's is NOT on a good diet, certain foods trigger responses in the body. I think humans are wired to value high-fat foods. In the "wild" high-fat is hard to get. I think a lot of these foods came about because of the response of the average taste bud, which is thumbs-up. #2 is much easier to explain. Let me publically praise Kym's cooking. If it weren't for her, I'd still be eating macaroni and cheese out of the pot with a wooden spoon. Instead I enjoy awesome and healthy food every day. It's a lot of extra work finding good food. It's almost impossible sometimes. For incompetent cooks like me, it's a chore to eat my cooking. About the only thing I do right is salad. I make great salads, it's my one kitchen duty.
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Barbara J Getting sick of me? Posts 791 
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09-13-04 03:11 PM - Post#34977
Another thought to look at. Javier stated.... "certain foods trigger responses in the body." Frankly, there is some truth to this . Food can be an addiction. For some, there are nuerobiological factors that interplay with the emotional "need" factor. Research is showing that as with many addictions, there are nuerobiological changes that happen in the Limbic system of the brain. And for some, a line is crossed between psychological/emotional abuse of food and the physical addiction to certain foods caused by the altered nuerochemistry in the brain. So, for those individuals, it is more than a matter of just will power and poor diet. For those who struggle with "trigger" foods, it may be wise to look at the psychological, emotional AND physical factors which may be present. It is kinda like just how ridiculous "just say no" is to substance abuse. An individual needs to have reasons for saying no and and a plan to avoid the substance use.Understanding trigger foods, trigger places or events and even people who support the unhealthy eating should be looked at for each individual. Remember the Lays Potato Chip ad "bet you can't eat just one" for some people one is too many and a thousand is never enough. |
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J G Old hand here on IOL Posts 510 |
09-13-04 04:59 PM - Post#34978
B, I have to agree with you on this one. I have known a few people over the years that have sucessfully shed 100 lbs or more only to gain it all back again. whether it is a form of depression of some other chemical imbalance in their brains, they just didn't feel normal until they were grossly overweight again. The human body is a beautiful creation, but it is a very complex organism with all kinds of feedback systems developed over millions of years of evolutiion but in many ways, still a work in progress. walk slow and lift heavy, John G, |
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ll-j-ll Master trainer Posts 1144 
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09-14-04 10:38 AM - Post#34979
"I'm guessing many of them have been able to muster the will to change because of "something else" - It's THAT thing that I am most interested in. For example what is it in Amazonblonde that made her one day decide to lose 60 pounds and what has helped her keep it off? Did Jan ever dream one day she'd be a personal trainer and "fitchick"? What's behind it all? " That is a really good question, Lisa and frankly it has had me thinking for a few days now. I never actually set out to lose weight. I was becoming really sick from my former diet and lifestyle (factors 1-6 were at play). I took my Doc's suggestions to heart and the changes were so immediate and felt so good that I knew that I never wanted to go back. Along the way after diligently practising my 'new' habits soemthing clicked...it changed from being something I do because I 'have to' to something I do because I AM. For example: I used to watch my carbs or I would 'get fat again' changed to "I eat lower carbs because I AM a fit and healthy person". My home gym morphed from being discreetly tucked in my basement to taking over 600 square feet of my home. I don't keep junk food in my cupboards-- not because I am tempted like I used to be... but because I *hate* what they stand for in our society. (Yes, Javier, it does taste good...now pass the carrot sticks) [; In short, I became the change I wanted to see in myself. That's where 'FITCHIK' fits in. That was the name of my company until guys in suits convinced me that it was derogatory at least to a different generation. After the legal change my personalized license plates arrived in the mail. I let them sit on my desk for a few days wondering if anyone would be offended by them. I put them on and was floored by the response. Everyone wants to see what a FITCHIK looks like, what she does, what she buys in the store. I live in a goldfish bowl now. Sometimes it is a little uncomfortable The plates are staying on though. I'm standing my ground. If this sends a message out to others that fitness is cool then so be it. Go ahead, analyze my groceries as I load my boxes of fresh veggies from Costco in the trunk! Sorry Laree if this seems a little tangential but... the point is that the plates have become an every day affirmation for me. Manor had some excellent points regarding how you think of and talk to yourself. This is how I stay true to myself. You have to have your head in the game to win. Period. I think this is the #1 key to living a healthy lifestyle and solving riddles 1-6 for yourself. There is no mustering of strength when you change your way of thinking about yourself, your world and your goals. j P.s. I always thought personal training would be a fun job to do while raising kids. It is. [= P.P.S I like little mantras...since the plates went on one of my favorites has been that "I" is the difference between being a FATCHIK and a FITCHIK. |
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Manor RIP 4/30/2011 Posts 6773
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09-14-04 10:55 AM - Post#34980
FITCHIK has got it together and without knowing it (She probably does) she is also an example for her children to follow. I guess I went a little deep with the internal dialogue stuff, however I felt it to be the starting point that most people neglect because we all seem to try the simpler things first, such as diet and exercise and forget about who we are inside. When I got my butt in gear over 3 years ago, I used to be on the Stairmaster doing HIIT and thought about “Fat bastard” from the Austin Powers movies, and I would actually say “Come on Fat bastard, don’t stop, keep going, finish it, only 5 minutes to go” etc. I had lousy workouts because I kept calling myself Fat bastard, at first it was a joke and then I started to believe I was because the failures came. I then changed my internal dialogue, I started to call myself the “Lean mean muscle machine” and when I would have poor performance on the Stairmaster, I would tell myself that I will complete it and not “try” anymore, I kept a positive attitude, and I keep a positive attitude, I spin bad workouts into learning opportunities, days that I don’t feel well to days of rest because I pushed myself harder then ever and so the bod says rest. I think it is a good thing when I catch a cold, why? Because they say that athletes since they are at a particular level tend to catch colds easier then non-athletes, the workouts are at such a high level that the immune system takes a beating. This is good, because the immune system will also fight infection more efficiently then non-athletes, in other words they tend to also recover more quickly compared to the non-athlete. So everything is good, even a poor workout. Progress is measured in various ways, overtraining is also progress, because then you have a chance to evaluate and learn from this. A fit mind a fit body? Get your head on right and everything else will make sense. Dan (Lean Mean Muscle Machine)
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Phil_N Carpal tunnel from posting! Posts 2924
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09-14-04 11:04 AM - Post#34981
To further broaden and confuse this thread, I would like to add, an interesting paradox. The more muscle you have the easier it is to loose body fat. In other words, if you only focus on losing body fat you will have a harder and harder time losing body fat. And if you focus on building muscle and increasing the intensity of your workouts, you might just find yourself not having the ability to eat enough. A good example of this is some of my friends who are seriously into doing triathlons. For them just to do the type of conditioning that is required to train for a triathlon you should see what they eat. Talk about having the problem of putting 7,000+ calories per day into your mouth. Pizza, ice cream, beer, pasta, cheeseburgers, etc… and that’s just for breakfast!
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Manor RIP 4/30/2011 Posts 6773
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09-14-04 11:10 AM - Post#34982
I’m with you on that Bubo, which is another point, most men have little problem when they are told you will gain muscle and lose fat because muscle requires more calories to maintain etc. However, tell that to most women and they freak out, muscles! I don’t want to look like a man! It’s even worse when you are already a muscular male and they say, “I don’t want to look like you” This is where patience and education comes in. I have never seen a “natural” woman having more muscle mass than a “natural” male or even come close. They may be out there, but like I said I have never seen one. Dan
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Phil_N Carpal tunnel from posting! Posts 2924
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09-14-04 11:28 AM - Post#34983
Quote: Oh man did you hit the nail on the head with that one. The only way that I finally convinced my Commander in Chief that she will not get all bulky is luckily there are some excellent women athletes that go to the gym and do use some serious weight. And guess what, surprise, surprise they are not bulky. Oh PS: I have seen some naturally big muscular women. But they were big even without lifting weights. A couple of them were from Jamaica and the biggest one was from the Blackfoot nation from Wyoming. Whoohaaa…
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jkinnan Old hand here on IOL Posts 944 
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09-14-04 01:20 PM - Post#34984
Warning -going off on a pseudo-tangent. Something that I've always found astounding is people's ability to STOP maintaining an active lifestyle -often before they even start. So many excuses pop up: "I don't look good enough to go to a gym -I'll feel embarrassed." "I have kids -I don't have the time." "This eating right and working out stuff isn't working." "I work too much -I don't have the time." "Going to the gym will throw my dharma and my karma out of balance." That's the funny thing about complacency -people will actually expend effort to try to not expend any effort. I struggled with all of the above reasons that one is overweight. But the funny thing is, is that I worked pretty hard for a long time to stay where I was. I always SAID I gave it my best and I tried hard, but the bottom line was that trying to be a healthier person required effort and didn't come with guaranteed immediate results. Fat loss (in my mind) always comes via a catalyst -something to ignite the proverbial explosion. For most people it's either being sick -TRULY sick -of the person they see in the mirror, or bad and scary news from a medical professional. Just as Jill said -results are the best motivator. But the question is will enough results show up before the fear/disgust/dissatisfaction wears off? It took years and many tries for that to happen to me. But until that happened, I came up with some GREAT excuses, man . . . . OK -tangent over.
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Phil_N Carpal tunnel from posting! Posts 2924
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09-14-04 01:54 PM - Post#34985
I try to postpone procrastinating as long as possible.
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Amazonblonde Sun and Iron Worshipper Posts 12642
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09-14-04 02:15 PM - Post#34986
Well for me it all began many times and worked many times in the past but to always come back to the weight I had been before I started or even more!!!!Then one day I got sick(stomach bug) and was away on a business trip which made it even worse....lost ike 12 pounds in a week....with just that twelve pounds I knew I felt better and wanted to keep going......yes...soon after I went thru a divorce...which helped push me even more....But something about this time was different...maybe it was the independance in my life that finally made me take control of myself...and be responsible for my own actions...who knows but I know that that was 8 1/2 years ago...I have never strayed again!!!!!...Yes it is a constant battle....but I will NEVER be the Lori of old EVER again....that is a promise I made to myself and don't plan on breaking it!!!!! AB
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Mark P. Getting it Posts 22 |
09-14-04 02:22 PM - Post#34987
Wow!, what an interesting thread... Unfortunatly, I'm a high stress prone type person. I seem to have got it from both sides of the family. Maybe that explains why the last remnants of my belly roll just doesn't seem to go away,no matter how much jogging I try to do. High stress/anxiety levels seem to bring out a craving in me for fast carbs like breads,pasta,potatoes,etc. I analyzed my carb/protein/fat percentage intakes not too long ago and I was shocked that my carb intake was 57%! with protien at a mere 17.8%! It's time to make some mods here! Speaking of hormonal based problems, I heard an M.D. make a comment once that it was easier to get gold out of Ft. Knox than it is to loose weight if one's blood sugar levels are constantly spiking and crashing! |
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002
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09-14-04 03:09 PM - Post#34988
Not only insulin, Mark, but other hormones have this same effect. For instance, testosterone not only helps us build muscle, but it can also hold fat. Let me use myself as an example. Remember a few months ago when I couldn't lose weight on 800ish calories a day? As much as I trusted Jerry and others vis a vie slowed metabolism, I really couldn't buy into it 100%. I begged for help from our knowledgeable doc friend (Mike Nichols, M.D., from http://www.tempusclinic.com/ ), who ordered a hormone blood panel and found a few things gone haywire. One was too much testosterone at 192 (men will laugh at this amount, which would just about put them in the grave, I think, but average for women is 15-70. You'd think I'd be a muscle mamma, wouldn't you? Nope, in me the response I get is to hold bodyfat. Mike had me drop DHEA and drop my hormone replacement in half (reminder if needed: I have no ovaries due to surgery and take replacement hormones, shooting for optimum levels, not excessive levels). I've just done new blood tests to see what happened; don't have the results back, but I can tell you I'm weighing 130 right now, down from 134.5 when I started the extreme diet and 132.5 when it ended. This is with a completely normal, balance menu and my traditional exercise routine. I'm also convinced seratonin levels have a heavy impact on cortisol, both of which further complicate weight control issues. I did want to address hormones fully in this thread because I find myself proving that if they aren't aligned properly, weight control will be next to impossible. But I also want beginning dieters to address the other points on the list first, or perfectly balance hormones still won't work for them. And... the other points are easier to identify and control in my opinion. |
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Utonian IOL rocks Posts 428 |
09-14-04 05:32 PM - Post#34989
Quote: That looked very interesting....until I saw the price tag of $7000 (gulp). :) Maybe I can get Oprah to purchase the program for me. Ron |
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Helen IOL rocks Posts 340 
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09-15-04 09:29 AM - Post#34990
Quote: This is one of those triggering thoughts that makes you think more deeply. Thanks for sharing that Jan. :-) |
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Teresa Sweaty girl Posts 4427 |
09-15-04 09:30 AM - Post#34991
Quote: I tried to think of what my "something else" might have been. I know when the slap on the forehead or the kick in the pants took place, I know what was going on in my life at the time (lot of unhealthiness - both physical and mental), yet I can't say even today what that it might have been. But what it brought about was the motivation to get control of one tiny facet of my life, which at that time was to get through ten lessons in weight lifting with a trainer. That wasn't much of a goal, but it was a start for me. I discovered this was a lot of fun, and contrary to my expectations, I found I was pretty good at it. Diet changes came a little later. As I observed my body change and my strength improve, the messages in my head about never being this or always being that changed, too. So it all goes together, the mind and the muscle, at least for me. Fortunately, I've never had those critical words spoken to me about getting huge or whatever. I think it's because in terms of physical strength, no one expects much of me. Maybe it's a combination of being short, female, and Asian. What comments people have made to me inside & outside of the gym have been a combination of surprise & compliment. Like last week, I was sitting in a plane with all the overheads loaded. A fairly big guy sat down next to me with this huge overstuffed briefcase and asked if we could re-arrange the stuff by our feet so his bag would fit. I just reached down and picked up his bag, he said, "no, be careful, it's heavy." Well, I tried to first put it right in front of me, that didn't work, so I pulled it out, moved some of my stuff around, and finally got his bag shoved in. At the end of the flight, he told me he was impressed that I was able to pick up his bag - hardly anyone could. So it's little stuff like that that makes me kind of chuckle inside.... which is what you can do when your head and your body are going strong.
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002
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09-15-04 11:10 AM - Post#34992
As a general rule, addicts need a pivot point -- a specific instant that in the future they'll always remember as the defining reason for breaking an impossible habit. Dieters don't need a pivot point to succeed, but if they have one, long-term success is far more likely. So, maybe we can consider ourselves lucky when someone yells something derogatory from a passing bus, or a relative's comment cuts to the bone. |
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Utonian IOL rocks Posts 428 |
09-15-04 11:14 AM - Post#34993
Quote: Ah, yes. Well, it is the Simon Cowells of the world that often provoke the greatest change for improvement in others. :) Ron |
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Vicki Carpal tunnel from posting! Posts 8196 
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09-15-04 11:25 AM - Post#34994
My pivot point was not a lightening flash but an awarness. I realized I was out of shape and slugish and only 48 and that it was my choice how I would live the rest of my life. I could continue the way I was and slowly feel worse and be able to do less OR I could change the way I lived. I chose life. It is a struggle at times but I am constantly aware that I can always change again and the choice still looks better to do the best I can for health. I am with Teresa in the "kick" out of showing unsespecting others my strength.
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Alberta070 Mikey Posts 80 |
01-20-08 02:04 AM - Post#398841
I guess I can chime in on the hormone aspect too - with a tendency towards stressing thrown in for good measure. I know I dpn't lack for discipline; but when I started working out and eating right in earnest, I knew my body would push back. After having experimented with quite a few different supplements, I've found a few that help keep a wonky thyroid fairly steady, and some that seem to help the usual 'male menopause' symptoms. Still waiting for that well-defined 6 pack, but I'll spend the rest of my days working out hoping to make it appear. The alternative (doing nothing) just doesn't compute.
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pink.pixie watch your step and wear the shoe if it fits.... Posts 5576 
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04-08-08 03:57 PM - Post#429729
Emotions, eating to relieve stress, boredom, for reward I guess into this category belongs also depression when you just don't care and let yourself go. Lack of interest, lack of energy, eating too much or too little. Often exercise is recommended for depressed people but it can be a steep (if not impossible) hill to climb at those dark times when nothing at all matters. You loose your soul and gain fat, not a good exchange. Great topic, Laree, fat loss. pixie
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Anonymous |
07-14-08 03:55 PM - Post#462499
Emotions, eating to relieve stress, boredom, for reward I guess into this category belongs also depression when you just don't care and let yourself go. Lack of interest, lack of energy, eating too much or too little. Often exercise is recommended for depressed people but it can be a steep (if not impossible) hill to climb at those dark times when nothing at all matters. You loose your soul and gain fat, not a good exchange. Great topic, Laree, fat loss. pixie Pink Pixie, you have some great posts. I visit quite a few bodybuilding websites and know great posts when I see one. |
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Hack 'The Standard remains the Standard" Posts 4182 
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08-09-08 12:27 PM - Post#471113
You don't lose your soul, you lose direction and you lose control. If I was an excuse making man, I could blame my large weight gain of 2007 on the depression triggered by my marital problems and the medications prescribed to smooth my mood out. I switched the psychiatrist around the time I became conscious of the large change in my weight. I ate comfort foods for comfort(imagine that) when I should have hit the gym harder instead. When I became aware of my gain, I posted a cleansing message here and was encouraged by several friends here. I will never 'arrive' but I'm on the trail again
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Jim Higgins shwiiiing!!!! Posts 1847 
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08-22-08 06:01 PM - Post#475572
Sometimes people seem to hit rock bottom,when you're alone and in the dark,the brightest light just happens to be the one that comes on when you open the fridge door. It's sad but true. Sometimes people need a reality check, a passing glimpse in the mirror, realising that you're breathless at the top of a flight of stairs would be enough for them to say enough is enough. For others they might need to be shocked into action,near miss with the old ticker or whatever. The bottom line I'm shooting at is an individual will need to decide when they want to lose weight and sometimes ego/pride/embarassment holds them back. Thinking a gym is filled with beautiful fit people sniggering at the noobie on the treadmill? Not so. Most people that use a gym are all there for the same reson as you, to improve their well being and feel good about themselves. Looking good in the process is a bonus. It comes down to having the courage to step in and go at it. Small steps on the road to fitness. My personal kick in the backside came whan my son asked me when I was going to stop smoking, that he'd seen a video in school saying that people died from smoking related illness and he didn't want me to die. I smoked my last cigarette that day.That was 18 months ago and I've goten my ass to the gym to try undo what 20years of smoking has done to my cardiovascular system. Sorry about the length of the post
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Cliff Master trainer Posts 1595 |
08-22-08 06:22 PM - Post#475580
Nice post Jim. Great job on quiting smoking! |
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seniormuscle Just doin' it Posts 28 
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 04-23-09 08:18 AM - Post#546003
I'll begin where I am right now first. May (It's now April) marks the one-year mark to when I knew instantly I had to lose at least 20 pounds and hopefully a bit more. I was at my cardiologist's office last May. They weighed me. I'm 5' 2" but, at 65, have shrunk a bit. Sad to say. But say it I must to be honest. I weighed 160. I was floored. I knew I'd gained weight. I had no idea I'd gained that much. While I didn't look it, I was obese. And I pride myself on my health and being in good shape! That day, I knew I had to turn it around. The doctor didn't have to tell me to. Nor did he. But I'd be damned if I'd live with that. But the question here was what caused the weight gain. In my case, I didn't necessarily overeat. As I've gotten older, I have less appetite. But, I had chips with my lunch. I ate that sort of thing. I bought my groceries in the center isles of the grocery store, the canned goods, the boxed foods, with all the hidden "crap" in it. On my way home from the doctor's office last May, I stopped at a big grocery store and bought a book on men's fitness. (Men know how to put quick meals together) and learned how to eat and fix fast but healthy meals. I ate all organic and natural. No more middle isles except for toilet tissue and cat and dog food! I used less salt and switched to sea salt. I used protein powder in most everything I fixed. I kept a log of all I ate for six months. I kept it in my Palm Pilot so it was accurate. I stayed within about 1300 calories per day. I got back into a regular schedule of weight lifting. I was suffering from a shoulder injury and had to heal that before I could do anything. That, in part, helped me pack on the weight as I couldn't work out. I lost slowly. About a pound a week. Sometimes none at all. If I hit a plateau I ate more. You have to shake up the metabolism, as I'm sure you already know. Well, the bottom line is that I'm now at a normal weight and body fat for my age and sex. I want to get rid of more but it's not a danger now like it was then. I could, for example, get into the Army or Navy at my current weight and body fat. (Not that they'd want me nor I'd want them!) I call what I had weight creep. It crept up a bit every day and month until I was pure fat. It's best, in my opinion and in my case, to weigh at least every week. Daily fluctuates too much. But it's so easy to pack the fat on. It's NOT so easy to unpack it. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
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Wicked Willie The mouth of the South Posts 16864 
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04-23-09 08:55 AM - Post#546013
Well done, Susanna. Wicked
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DanF At home here Posts 356 
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04-23-09 08:58 AM - Post#546014
Susanna, your description of how you got to the point of being out of shape is all too common. Your ability to recognize what needed to be done and taking personal responsibility and corrective action is all too uncommon. Congratulation on taking control of that aspect of your life. That's what true strength is all about. 
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002
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04-23-09 10:50 AM - Post#546059
Yep. Sounds right by me, too. That's how it works, sneaks up on us, but doesn't go away easily. Sticking to the diet for a year is what it takes pretty often, yet most of us only have about three weeks in us. Good work, Susanna! |
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seniormuscle Just doin' it Posts 28
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04-23-09 12:42 PM - Post#546115
Thanks Laree and all. Actually, it's not so much a diet as a good eating lifestyle. But, on the other hand, I did have to really watch the calories for the first six months until I had a real handle on what I was eating and expending. I think one of my mistakes while putting the weight on was not weighing regularly. Had I weighed at least weekly, I would have seen the weight creep at perhaps five pounds. At that point, it would have been relatively easy to take it off. But when you get up to fifteen or twenty pounds, that's tough. Especially a woman and especially an older woman. So now, like it or not, I weigh weekly. And I'm quick to take action if necessary. I appreciate all the feedback.
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seniormuscle Just doin' it Posts 28
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04-23-09 12:45 PM - Post#546117
Thank you, Dan. As I said in my post to Laree, I wish I had weighed weekly and I would have caught the problem while it was manageable. I get my willpower from knowing that I have only myself to depend on and when I mess up or get laid up, I'm in deep trouble. I don't have the luxury of depending on anyone else. So, in a way, I guess that's a good thing.
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garyed aging powerlifter Posts 10226 
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05-26-09 12:18 PM - Post#555025
here is a quote: “It’s not that exercise doesn’t help with weight loss,†says Melanson. “It’s that it’s harder to lose weight with exercise than diet.†from this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30826120/page/2/ |
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Wicked Willie The mouth of the South Posts 16864
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05-26-09 12:27 PM - Post#555032
Basically true...you can't outrun your mouth's ability to consume excess calories. However, exercise coupled with diet is far more effective than diet alone. Wicked
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garyed aging powerlifter Posts 10226
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05-26-09 12:31 PM - Post#555034
While it’s true that a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat — about seven to 10 calories a day versus two calories — most people don’t put on enough muscle to make much of a difference. I like the statement above as well.. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30826120// |
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garyed aging powerlifter Posts 10226
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05-26-09 12:37 PM - Post#555036
Essentially, weight loss comes down to math, experts say, and the number of calories in versus calories out. To lose a pound of fat, you need to create a deficit of about 3,500 calories. That can be done with both diet and exercise. To lose a pound a week, for instance, you could reduce your food intake by 500 calories a day or burn an additional 500 calories each day through exercise — or do some combination of diet and exercise that knocks off 500 calories. So if you exercise and then don’t replace the calories you burned during the workout, your body will burn more fat because you’ve created a caloric deficit. Good quote. |
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RxBlaster John Posts 79 
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05-28-09 11:14 AM - Post#555585
All true...it all comes down to simple math. You just have to burn more than you consume. |
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Cliffhanger Haven't posted much Posts 1 |
06-16-09 04:15 PM - Post#560411
Let's see if you can relate to any of these fattening problems. 1) Lack of exercise, no muscle 2) Bad food choices, ignorance 3) Appetite, always hungry 4) Habit, and physical addiction to sugar 5) Emotions, eating to relieve stress, boredom, for reward 6) Unbalanced chemistry, estrogen, testosterone, seratonin and more I think your spot on with your solutions too. When I was overweight I had all those problems. Plus I would spend all day on my arse. I found when you start taking exercise seriously it becomes a habbit. I no longer crave fatty foods because of how much effort I put into my working out, it just does not seem worth it. Ive lost over 30 kg (66 lbs) without a personal trainer or nutritionist (I was lucky enouogh to have a hoe gym though)just by making smart lifestyle choices but Im finding in trying to take my body to the next level I need a lot of advice. |
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pink.pixie watch your step and wear the shoe if it fits.... Posts 5576
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06-16-09 06:37 PM - Post#560443
Small things matter... A former colleague lives nearby. His apartment is on fourth floor in the building. Last year they built an elevator in the house. Since then he gained almost 20 lbs. Just in and out of his flat a couple times each day was a WO that when missing, caused a considerable fat gain.
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Cris Haven't posted much Posts 1 |
 02-27-11 11:30 PM - Post#678248
What if...none of the above. I do heavy workouts, control my eating most of the time, but still gain weight and it is not just muscle, it is more fat. Can´t do long cardio training because of an old knee injury, can barely use that leg, still I try some leg exercises...with the good one. I am now lost, I don´t get it, I am bulkier and still have NO definition. My periods are normal. 5 meals a day, 7 hours of sleep. Maybe and I am getting old? (almost 45). |
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Bill Keyes Still Tryin' Posts 2558 
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02-28-11 12:39 AM - Post#678255
Some of it has to do with age. Metabolism simply slows as we get older. Try speeding up your workouts with minimal rest between sets for a cardio effect. I've gone down to 30 seconds between sets and I'm huffing and puffing pretty good. Weights necessarily drop as well which has been joint beneficial.
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ErwinK At home here Posts 205 
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02-28-11 08:36 AM - Post#678277
I keep my rest periods short as well Bill. Kind of "cardio lifting". I'm huffing at the end of a 30 minute workout. Weights suffer, but some of what I read says hypertrophy does not. |
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Bill Keyes Still Tryin' Posts 2558
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02-28-11 03:08 PM - Post#678382
You kind of hit on what was going to be my next point which was the duration of the workout. When I train in the 'hurry up' mode, I'm in the 28-35 minute range so it sounds like you're already there. What's the issue with your knee? No cartilage and bone on bone? I'm in that boat and cardio is very tough to do. I've found that putting the treadmill on a gentle incline (1.5 degrees) at a 2.5mph pace will both strengthen the quad surrounding the joint and provide some measure of cardio work for burning calories. The other thing I do - which works wonders for me when I do it faithfully - is maintain a food journal. When I don't jot down everything that goes down the hatch, I gain weight as I'm not conscious of what I'm doing at the moment. Not onerous to do as when I'm at work and out and about, it's just on a scrap of paper in my wallet which I transcribe to my binder at the end of the day. It's amazing the difference it makes for me. I would swear up and down that I eat well when I don't keep the journal but I'm only 80% correct. At my age and metabolic rate I need to be in the 99% 'good' range in terms of quality and quantity. I'm one of those people who's not much for sweet stuff but I will have that second piece of steak. :)
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Bill Keyes Still Tryin' Posts 2558
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02-28-11 03:10 PM - Post#678384
Oops, read the reply without looking at the poster. First paragraph, therefore, for agreeing with Erwin.
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cajinjohn Old time trainer Posts 12495
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03-06-11 01:26 PM - Post#679469
Bill I have tought myself to eat a lot less the last bunch of years. Now even Dorothy is worried that I don't eat enough. I have plenty of energy and hardly ever feel hungry.
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Wicked Willie The mouth of the South Posts 16864
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03-07-11 09:40 AM - Post#679605
Bill I have tought myself to eat a lot less the last bunch of years. Now even Dorothy is worried that I don't eat enough. I have plenty of energy and hardly ever feel hungry. How you feel trumps science...again. If I remember correctly, both Jack Lalanne and Artie Levine (fitness tv show pioneers) recommended a gradual weight loss and decrease in food intake as you aged. The benefits should be obvious - increased energy, less joint pain and just a general feeling of well being. Disadvantage is that you need to be aware, or rather, more aware of your food's nutrient density. Since you're taking less in...your food needs to be of higher quality. Wicked
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Teddy Moore Resident Alien Posts 1105 |
03-08-11 10:38 AM - Post#679957
This thread is one I'll need to read a couple times. Laree, I like the way you identified what key groupings can impact in this case fat loss. This may have been a better way to label it than the Book "Cracking the Metabolic Code" Can't remember the author and I didn't have the time to devote to reading it(borrowed from the library). For me, my blood work that I had done through the hospital this past year is/was a prime motivator for me to get more fit and lose fat weight. My health/ risk appraisal says I am a step or two from having "Metabolic Syndrome" or whatever the term du jour is. Diet and exercise are two huge keys in this (area 2,3,6 from your list). Regarding diet, the prevailing thought is that 3 meals and 2-3 snacks is the way to go. DanMartin made the comment that he "never could understand eating 6 times a day to gain or lose weight." I heard from another guy that when trying to lose weight it is best to eat just 3 times. I understand the basic premise is to keep the furnace stoked by eating small frequent meals and the cause smaller releases of insulin. As poorly as my body handles insulin right now, is the 3 meals a better way to go or is the meals and snacks a better way to go? Along that same vein for exercise. Would I be better served to do "2 a days" on days where I do weights 30-45 mins and steady state cardio for 20-35 mins? Rather than doing my one workout for 1 - 1.5 hrs to allow another time where I lower insulin resistance. I guess an added thought I just had is will grabbing a light 8-12 lb KB when I wake up and doing some halo's pumps, swings, around the world's, figure 8', etc for 5-10 mins whether I break a sweat or not impact my insulin resistance?
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Laree (Rhymes with Marie) Posts 26002
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03-09-11 12:15 PM - Post#680244
For me, my blood work that I had done through the hospital this past year is/was a prime motivator for me to get more fit and lose fat weight. My health/ risk appraisal says I am a step or two from having "Metabolic Syndrome" or whatever the term du jour is. ... As poorly as my body handles insulin right now, is the 3 meals a better way to go or is the meals and snacks a better way to go? Along that same vein for exercise. Would I be better served to do "2 a days" on days where I do weights 30-45 mins and steady state cardio for 20-35 mins? Rather than doing my one workout for 1 - 1.5 hrs to allow another time where I lower insulin resistance. I guess an added thought I just had is will grabbing a light 8-12 lb KB when I wake up and doing some halo's pumps, swings, around the world's, figure 8', etc for 5-10 mins whether I break a sweat or not impact my insulin resistance? I agree with your general idea of spreading the food across more meals. Have you looked into the Zone diet? Mixing the macronutrients is also a good tool for insulin control, and the Zone handles that nicely. I like your idea of doing a few minutes of kettlebell work in the morning, although I probably wouldn't do it until a little time had passed. You might try that again in the afternoon or evening when you get home, and adjust the weight training down a notch to balance things out. |
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Teddy Moore Resident Alien Posts 1105 |
03-09-11 12:44 PM - Post#680249
Sounds good. Glad I had some decent thinking.
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gizmonel Nelson Posts 2451 
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03-11-11 05:38 AM - Post#680591
I tried the three meals thing and found myself too hungry between those 4-5 hours. diverted back to three meals plus two snacks and I feel so much better.
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bsparhawk Working it Posts 675 
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03-11-11 10:17 PM - Post#680832
Teddy, I've been on a 6 meal a day plan for about a month now and it has worked tremendously for me. I know Dan Martin didn't agree with it but you've got to find what works for you. One thing that also seemed to help me out a lot (and my complexion) is cutting out dairy. Made a huge difference. After a month I'm down 20lbs and have had more energy than I've had in a long time. The other thing I did was actually cut back my workouts. I'm still losing weight and not murdering myself day in and day out like I used to. It's like Dan John said once, "people should eat more and spend less time in the gym". It was from one of his chapters in Never Let Go. Excellent book. Good luck with everything Teddy.
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Teddy Moore Resident Alien Posts 1105 |
03-11-11 11:26 PM - Post#680845
Neither has really worked for me...but lack of exercise and over eating was the basis before... and overeating is overeating. My thought was the impact of 5-6 insulin releases vs 3 and if one might be better when the body sucks at managing it. The food allergies you and this thread mention will be worth a look. Thx
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bsparhawk Working it Posts 675
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03-11-11 11:48 PM - Post#680848
Depends on what you eat to cause an isulin release. Here is a good read on I found on IOL. http://www.davedraper.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/77/
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Uncle Jamie Haven't posted much Posts 1 |
08-26-11 01:05 PM - Post#703385
Thanks for the perspective. You're right of course.Look forward to reading and gaining more insights. At 68 I'm newly retired and starting to get back in the iron game. As an executive, I spent the last 10 years rewarding myself for surviving with food and drink. Now its time to start rewarding myself for starting a new life. Jamie |
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Anonymous |
11-25-12 09:57 PM - Post#754165
Of all the threads we've seen on weight loss (meaning, hopefully, fat loss), from Extreme Dieting to Help! I want to lose 100 pounds!, we've covered exercise, supplements and diet, but haven't really addressed the underlying issues: What caused the fat gain in the first place? Until that reason is determined -- different in each of us -- no diet can possibly succeed over the long term. Even if a short-term loss is achieved, the weight will be regained, that and more usually.<br /><br />I came up with a base of six causes of fat gain, the six main causes I've traversed; others may have new thoughts to contribute. Each of the reasons I've been caught up in require different solutions, yet for 35 years I've always thrust myself into the same answer: diet some more, only try a different diet this time.<br /><br />Let's see if you can relate to any of these fattening problems.<br /><br />1) Lack of exercise, no muscle<br /><br />2) Bad food choices, ignorance<br /><br />3) Appetite, always hungry<br /><br />4) Habit, and physical addiction to sugar<br /><br />5) Emotions, eating to relieve stress, boredom, for reward<br /><br />6) Unbalanced chemistry, estrogen, testosterone, seratonin and more <br /><br />When we look at the list and think about each element, it's clear that simply dieting or eating this herb or that expensive weight-loss supplement won't address the real issue, meaning if (spelled with capitals I and F) the supplementation works, the weight will come back with a vengeance in the not-too-distance future.<br /><br />I have some thoughts on how to address each issue, too, and hope others will contribute to a thread we can archive for visitors in the future. I can think of another one that comes from foods and environment. Chemical calories. There's a quality book I have that talks about them called The Body Restoration Plan. |
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