Most social media weight loss stories start with “I REALLY need to lose weight…I’ve tried EVERYTHING and failed!…what can I do next??” Then, once someone posts about weight loss success, the comments turn to “What did you do?? What did you eat?? Send pictures of meals!! I WANT TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID AND EAT EXACTLY WHAT YOU ATE!!!

After losing over one hundred pounds, I started documenting what I had learned that went well or did not. The “articles” got a little lengthy, so I’ll summarize the main points at the beginning of these posts.

WHAT I DID TO START LOSING WEIGHT – Tracked and restricted NET carbs to less than 25g daily (not strict keto – I’ll explain that later). Increased protein intake in every meal (chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, eggs, nuts) but did not track protein macros – allowed fats as desired (mayo/full fat dressings/butter) but did not track fat macros.

Eliminated processed/refined carbs – (bread, bagels, pasta, pastries, cereals, pizza, cookies, cake, fruit juices, condiments) all inflammatory.

It’s really not that hard and this is where most people fail/stall.

After a few days you may develop what is commonly known as the “Keto Flu”. Symptoms may include headache, irritability, brain fog, sleep issues, sugar cravings. THIS is when most people say “I NEED CARBS” and move back to their old habits. This is also a reason people say this type of dieting is “unsustainable”.

I recommend preparing for the keto flu – drink lots of water – warn your loved ones (LOL) – have your meals planned out ahead of time (including healthy snacks), exercise and just push through. Once you get to “the other side” (10-14 days) your hunger and cravings will decrease, energy will increase, and you will feel and sleep MUCH better! If you cheat here, you will just prolong the agony.

At the beginning I read labels on EVERYTHING – Total Carbs / Net Carbs / watched for any “added sugars” – (peanut butter, yogurt, and beef jerky are all good examples here). I’ll will be posting more details about total carbs vs. net carbs later.

I also adopted a “minimalist” approach to eating – this is key to ease and convenience – finding 2-3 meals – using whole foods with only 1-3 ingredients – that were low carb but also satisfying to me – then just eating the same foods – at the same portions – at the same times – pretty much every day.

This may not be necessary for those only needing to lose 10 or 20 pounds, but if you have 50 pounds of more to lose start making meals/eating more of a process that you follow rather then a “feeding ritual”.

Make meals like taking your medicine or your “prescription” of food for the day. Same dose at the same time – don’t overthink it.

My “go-to” was – and still is – chicken salad – yep nothing fancy – just chicken (white and dark meat), real mayo, and celery.

At first, I was cooking the chicken and making “home-made” chicken salad – after a while I realized the Giant rotisserie in-store chicken salad is pretty decent and A LOT less work!

I’ve told people I lost 100 pounds eating chicken salad…it’s really not far from truth.

I also get the whole rotisserie chickens from Sam’s/Costco and make those into chicken salad or buffalo chicken dip, or just tear off the bone and eat.

A LOT of protein there for under $5.00!

I’ll generally have about 6oz (I don’t weigh/measure) with some cheese (I eat a lot of cheese) , nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios) maybe add some berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries) or a green salad with full fat dressing.

Folks starting low carb also end up eating a lot of eggs at first. Yep, UNLIMITED BACON AND EGGS!!!

It’s funny to think about but it’s just a natural part of the transition.

Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, cheese are generally low carb (still watch labels for added sugars with the breakfast meats) and can really help kick-start your efforts. Reasonable and easy to prepare. I also ate a lot of hard-boiled eggs and egg salad.

Once you discover additional meal options/variety, the eggs and bacon will subside to a couple times a week.

Add in some beef (burgers, chopped ribeye, rare roast beef, steak) a few times a week for additional protein options – also seafood (steamed shrimp are high in protein, low in carbs, calories and fat).

I would eat 2 meals daily – approximately 65% chicken and turkey, 15% pork, 15% beef, 5% seafood – I’ll be sharing several meal photos to help you get a general idea of options.

I also added in Intermittent Fasting – increased physical activity (30-45minutes daily) – increased hydration – all 3 will be discussed in greater detail in future posts over the next couple days.

As I said above, I only tracked net carbs….not protein or fat macros. I didn’t even count calories but once you read enough labels – adopt the minimalistic approach to food selection – and repeat the same portions – you can get to a point where you just “know”.

The most basic element of any successful weight loss is a calorie deficit – burning more calories than you take in or your “total daily energy expenditure”. If you are interested in calculating what your specific calorie deficit would be, google “TDEE calculator” for some examples.

The obvious stuff that for some reason is not very obvious:

We all pretty much know the difference between healthy foods and unhealthy foods.

As an example, lean meats, fruits, and veggies are healthy; Pop tarts, Cheeze-its, doughnuts, Doritos, Cheetos, potato chips, cookies, and cakes have little nutritional value and are generally unhealthy.

Not trying to insult anyone’s intelligence, but just take a moment to REALLY think about that because in order to get healthy and STAY healthy you will have to make these choices several times EVERY DAY.

Yo-yo dieting happens because we make healthy decisions for a while, lose some weight, then go back to our bad eating habits and gain the weight back.…again pretty obvious to all of us.

We ALREADY KNOW how to make our bodies healthier, sometimes our determination, “self-worth”, and will power just are not strong enough to prevail.

Next time you reach for that snack take a second to REALLY THINK about it.

THINK about what is about to go into your body. It may satisfy a quick craving, but what are the long-term implications.

Find healthy snack options available that you like. I snack on natural almonds and walnuts (no sodium), pistachios, sunflower seeds, parm crisps vs. chips and pretzels.

Be more mindful of portions, again you will be “re-tooling” what you eat.

Lead your self-control with THOUGHTS/DECISIONS, not your body, emotions, or physical reactions.

Decision making is mental process, make your food choices MORE MENTAL and LESS PHYSICAL.

Sounds too easy right? but will come naturally with time, weight loss, and commitment to yourself.

The word “KETO”:

I learned a good bit about keto during my experience the most of which is I WAS NOT AND STILL AM NOT “KETO” LOL!!!

Yes, I restricted if not eliminated refined sugars and carbs to easily under 25g NET daily for months at a time but that alone does not make you “keto”.

Strict keto dieters measure and track ALL carb, fat, and protein macros to specific levels (10%/65%/25%) with FAT being the majority or those macros (one reason folks will say “that can’t be healthy”).

I just concentrated on eating proteins (chicken, turkey, beef, pork, eggs), utilized the fats as a tool (butter, full fat dressings, cream cheese), and added green veggies and berries as desired or needed for fiber.

Strict keto dieters also track and measure ketone levels in their blood, urine, or breath regularly to confirm the continued status of ketosis.

I never really knew or cared about that. I was more what would be classified as “Lazy Keto” in that I ONLY tracked net carb counts (mentally) to stay below 20-25g daily, then just made sure I ate plenty of proteins (eggs, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish) and some added fats (cheese, butter, full fat dressings, nuts, seed butters, fatty fish).

I did not measure or attempt to max fat macros like classic keto dieters.

Strick keto dieters will also ONLY eat natural grass-fed beefs, free range chickens or eggs, naturally caught fish, no store-bought shredded cheese (contains corn starch to reduce binding), no peanuts (legumes), avoid gluten (I see posts with “this 647 or “keto” bread fits into my keto macros – when the ingredients include modified wheat starch, wheat gluten, SUGAR – ALL make that NOT KETO).

If you eat most grocery or big box store meats (frozen burgers, chicken etc.) or eat canned tuna, shredded cheese, sugar free jello, artificial sweeteners of any type you ARE NOT keto.

That is generally referred to as “Dirty” keto.

In summary, when you are LAZY and DIRTY keto you are actually what should just be classified as “carb restricted” or simply “low carb”.

WHICH IS OK AND SUSTAINABLE FOR LONG TERM WEIGHT LOSS, REVERSAL OF CHRONIC DISEASE, AND LIFETIME HEALTH MAINTENANCE.

ELIMINATE ALL processed foods/refined carbs (including chips, pretzels, crackers, bread, bagels, pasta, pastries, cereals, pizza, cookies, cake) completely. Read labels on everything before putting it in your body. Be mindful of hidden carbs (fruit juices, milk, creamers in coffee, pasta sauce, ketchup etc.) and “added” sugars.

Paleo:

I used to tell people I was on the “Caveman Diet” because I mainly ate meats, nuts, leafy veggies, seeds, berries – like the hunter-gatherer mindset.

When your shopping cart contains these items only you will be winning!

Paleo dieters will eat meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, seeds, healthy fats and oils and avoid processed foods, sugar, grains, dairy, soda, margarines and trans fats.

One theory behind the Paleo lifestyle is that modern day food systems and processes are damaging to human health.

If you have watched “Fat Fiction” on YouTube you will have a better understanding of this.

Keto and Paleo are very similar in that they both emphasize “whole” foods – meaning minimal ingredient foods with a minimal amount of processing.

Both eliminate processed foods, grains, and refined sugars, both allow healthy fats and both have been proven to be effective at weight loss.

Resources to start with:

Check out “Fat Fiction” and “The Magic Pill” on YouTube, Dr. Eric Berg and Dr. Jason Fung on Facebook and YouTube, “That Sugar Film”, Google “Keto shopping list” and get mindful of things to buy or avoid.

Consider introducing intermittent fasting to accelerate fat burning and reduce or eliminate binge snacking.

Remember, a lot of this info will reference “keto” types of dieting…but again my experience was as long as I was eating “whole foods” I used dressings, mayo, cheese as wanted but never measured or MAXED fat macros.

Like most situations, the right solution falls somewhere in the middle – not at either far end of the spectrum.

1/21/2023

Intermittent Fasting and One Meal a Day (O.M.A.D.)

“Everyone has a physician inside him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness.”- Hippocrates

Intermittent fasting when combined with a carbohydrate restricted diet can be a very effective way to control insulin levels, burn fat, and ultimately lose weight. Fasting can also help fight inflammation and enhance heart and brain function. Fasting has been used therapeutically since at least the 5th century BCE, when Greek physician Hippocrates recommended abstinence from food or drink for patients who exhibited certain symptoms of illness. Plato and Aristotle also praised fasting.

Benefits of Intermittent fasting:

– Promotes blood sugar control by reducing insulin resistance

– Fights inflammation

– May enhance heart health by improving blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels

– May boost brain function

– Aids in weight loss by limiting calorie intake and boosting metabolism

– Could delay aging and extend longevity

Fasting also influences some critical health mechanisms of the body such as the circadian clock/rhythm (your internal body clock controlling sleep/wake cycles, digestion, temperature), the gut (directly and positively influences the gut microbiome, also known as our second brain), and insulin sensitivity (lowers insulin levels allowing the body to mobilize energy from the liver and stored fat – reducing the “demand” for more insulin).

Fasting is more of a lifestyle than a diet.

How I fast:

Plan an eating “window” – same times every day – the most popular is 18:6 in a 24 hour day – 6 hours allowed of eating (suggested 12pm-6pm) – those who work shift work can open the eating window from 11pm-5am or 4pm-10pm – doesn’t matter – just make sure you open the eating window for 6 hours (only) and “fast” the other 18 hours.

While fasting – water is key to satiety (feeling satisfied) – more than you would “normally” drink but just space it out. PLAIN water – not flavored waters or ZERO type sport drinks – just PLAIN water.

Plan ahead daily – 2 meals and a couple healthy snacks – as an example:

5:30-6:00am Wake up – Black coffee and water (during 75hard I generally did my 45 minute indoor workout fasted after the 1st cup of coffee)

Then 2-3 black coffees with at least as much volume water through the morning – NO FOOD AT ALL – I stop the coffee by about 10:00 – continue the water. Your body will be burning fat while fasting – even in your sleep – the longer you hold off to “break” the fast, the more fat burned.

12:00 Noon: Meal#1 Chicken salad (about 6oz – I never weigh foods – just estimate) or 4 chicken wings or 2 chicken thighs (dark meat is just fine – even skin), some cheddar cheese, strawberries (3-4), almonds or other nuts (about 20) or parm crisps. I had A LOT of weight to lose so did not even use low carb sandwich wraps during my “diet” – I do eat them now – again just watch the NET carb counts as some are much higher than others.

Hydrate into the afternoon 32-48oz water.

Snack ideas – almonds, walnuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, string cheese, parm crisps, “no sugar added” peanut butter or other nut butters w/ celery. low carb beef Jerky (read labels carefully – several Jerky’s have a bunch of sugar), hard boiled eggs, guac w veggies, low sugar/carb yogurt (2Good brand).

5:30 Meal#2 Large salad (you will need fiber..) Lettuces are fine also most green vegetables(celery, cucumber, broccoli) tomatoes/onions in moderation, avoid carrots (if you have ALOT of weight to lose) .

ADD-IN EZ peel steamed shrimp (from any Giant) or some decent rare roast beef – OR BOTH – Surf and Turf Salad (I like those almost as much as chicken salad) – use FULL FAT Salad dressing – NO LOW FAT or LOW CAL dressings – I honestly think the “good stuff” works much better with this chemistry. I use blue cheese.

6:00pm – Eating stops – period – done – until noon the following day – no exceptions. Breaking the fast will trigger your insulin response and stop the fat burn.

FASTING will help you win the battle against evening/night snacking. After 6pm – water only.

Additional water is encouraged during your evening fast window.

If the 18 hour fasting window it too much – start with an 8 hour eating window (10am-6pm?). Bottom line – if you structure your fasting times and stick to them, you will snack much less on junk and unnecessary calories and be more successful with your weight loss in a shorter time frame.

I’m easier on myself now because I can be BUT I still fast several times a week – still eat 2 meals daily – still plan for 1-2 afternoon snacks – and after doing it for so long, I seldom just go looking to “graze” on food for no reason – when I do – it’s almonds, seeds, berries, cheese, low carb yogurt.

One Meal a Day (OMAD)

Some people will adopt the “One Meal A Day” (OMAD) habit – basically fasting 23.5 hours a day and only opening the “eating window” for (1) meal daily – (1) BIG MEAL. Not starving oneself but mainly maximizing the closed “fat burning” window and ingesting ALL of your daily calories at once.

This is NOT OMAD: “I starve myself all day, then eat a large pepperoni pizza and french fries at 7pm because it fits in my daily macros.

This is OMAD: “I went to Chili’s this afternoon at 2pm with family, I fasted all morning and increased my water intake knowing I’d likely eat a larger than usual portion while eating out. I order the chicken fajitas – tossed the “shells” to the side (eliminate the carb)– ate ALL of the chicken & veggies, topped with the lettuce, guac, sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa”

The chicken fajitas at Chilis would normally be about 2 servings, but I eat it all, take nothing home. After that meal you will obviously be pretty darn full (but a good-protein full – not a “sick” full – there’s a difference), it’s about 3pm now – WHY THE HECK WOULD YOU EAT AGAIN AT 6PM?

Proteins will last longer when it comes to feeling satisfied – introduce the carbs and you’ll be eating again in a couple hours – “WHY?” because your insulin levels will “trigger” and you will feel hungry. Eating protein is like putting a big log on the fire – eating carbs is more like throwing a can of gas on – quick flash vs. a slow long burn.

For folks that may not be familiar with fasting, the first reaction to a OMAD approach may be “That’s crazy…I’d be so hungry…”…or “that can’t be healthy” the truth is once the processed sugars/carbs are out of your system the hunger and cravings will greatly subside. Fasting is mainly for those with a large amount of weight to lose and plenty of stored fat to burn.

Spiritual Fasting – All of the information outlined above relates to “physical” fasting. In my 12/22 post, I mentioned leading eating/snacking impulses with your MIND not your EMOTIONS. Spiritual fasting helps us transcend our addiction and attachment to food, and to realize that we don’t live by food alone. The mind gets clearer, and spiritual awareness deepens. Freed from having to satisfy physical hunger, one can then turn one’s attention to feeding the mind and spirit. Spiritual masters like Pythagoras wouldn’t admit any disciple into their higher teachings unless they had first purified themselves through fasting.

Fasting Links:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide?fbclid=IwAR3WlOrVx35TyMG700G8zfJn4QzLVhbzuddT5TtY_SNVFmmuK1pPYN53iaI#effects

https://www.thefastingmethod.com/blog/2021/10/25/snacking-the-cardinal-sin-of-weight-loss?fbclid=IwAR0bgIF20JJzXEm_dpavpBUbEaW6jzko6mkYL_1C619somTR4T3lhrmOFdc

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fasting-benefits

1/21/2023 (Originally posted 12/25/2021)

WHAT I DID – I started tracking my daily progress September 9th 2019 – I was at 291.4 pounds that day –I weighed in every morning – documented day count, daily weight, daily gain/loss, exercise (if any) duration/type, introduced BMI calculation later (for graphing) – on March 8 2020, I weighed in at 191.4 pounds – 100 pounds lost (exactly 6 months to the day). Today is 12/25/2021 – it’s been 839 days since September 9th 2019 – 119 weeks 5 days – my average weight in 2021 is 186.4 pounds – my average weight in December is 184.6 – current BMI = 24 . All of the information above is documented – from day 1 to day 839, and tomorrow will be day 840, and I’ll track my progress again.

Some people don’t like to weigh-in every day – I do – I like to see the number – and document it daily. I use a simple Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. If you need an example, let me know.

I mentioned in the earlier posts I didn’t track food macros, other than to keep net carbs below 25g daily. If you want to track food macros, there are plenty of apps available to help.

Progress pictures:

Make sure you have a REALLY BAD starting picture…like so bad you could wake up the next day and just comb your hair and look 10X better LOL!!. I knew I was starting in early September 2019 so I did take a couple “before” pics – the one on my current profile pic is the worse…I’m not proud of it…actually a little ashamed – I used it as motivation – still do – I never want to look like that again – that’s why I document my progress – still – every day.

I did not take many – if any – progress photos in the middle of my weight loss so I’ll never have a cool tic-toc video to stitch together. I actually wish I had documented more.

When I did the 75hard program this past fall, one requirement is a daily progress picture. The main reason is to look back and see the subtle changes.

Bottom line, once you start losing the weight you will feel much more photogenic but regardless – document your progress frequently with a photo – same pose(s) – same angle – they should show your body (tank top/shorts etc.) – your progress pictures are for you – only – they DO NOT have to be shared on social media – or anywhere – your decision – but document your progress.

Goals:

Set goals – 2 or 3 to start

I had turned 55 years old and my first goal was to lose 55 pounds (Goal#1). Once I lost the 55, I realized I was still “overweight” at 236.4 pounds (Day#74 11/21/2019) – so I decided to get down to 205 pounds (Goal#2 – lowest weight I had been since the mid 1980’s). I got to 205 on 2/9/2020. By then I was really good at losing weight and realized how close I was to losing 100 pounds (so enter Goal#3) – I then got down to 191.4 to check the 100 pound weight loss block. My final goal was to get to a BMI of 24 or less, which is entry into the “normal” BMI slot. That happened at 187 for me (Goal#4) so that is where I’ve averaged for the past year or so.

One reason I’ve kept all of the weight off is tracking – if I start to go up 2-3 pounds – I realize it quickly and cut back on portions, fast a little longer, increase water, back to the basics!

Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculation / Formula

How do I calculate my BMI (Body Mass Index)?

Weight (in pounds) X 703 / height in inches2

Height: 6”2’ = 74 inches

74 x 74 = 5,476

Weight: 187 pounds

So 187 pounds x 703 = 131,461

131,461/5,476 = BMI of 24.01

BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5

Normal weight = 18.5–24.9

Overweight = 25–29.9 (60-70% of Americans are here)

Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater (30-35% of Americans are here)

1/21/2023 (Originally posted 12/26/2021)

Water/Hydration

Water consumption and sleep are likely the 2 unsung heroes of weight loss success. I mean how easy is it to drink water, and sleep, we should all have these 2 skills mastered! The truth is most people do not drink enough water and do not get enough sleep. Both should be tracked closely as “cheating” on either can be detrimental to your weight loss progress.

I’ve seen posts on weight loss groups that go something like “I know I’m supposed to drink water, but I CAN’T STAND drinking water!!! It makes me gag!!?” – I think “What do you drink?” because if it’s something like diet soda that’s like saying “I HATE breathing clean air – it makes me gag!! – I prefer to BREATH SMOG!!” LOL!

Breathing and drinking water should be 2 things we do naturally – we have the breathing part down – water should be just as important.

WHAT I DID:

I drank @ 100oz of water daily (and still do). I’ve gone through long periods where I’ve consumed at least a gallon daily (128oz).

The most important thing here – space the water out – DO NOT try to drink 64oz of water at once – just to catch up – EVER!

Hyponatremia is a serious health condition that can occur when the sodium in your body becomes too diluted due to excess water ingestion over a short period of time.

When this happens, your body’s water levels rise, and your cells begin to swell. This swelling can cause many health problems, from mild to life-threatening.

Space the water out. If you drink 10-12oz of water per hour – over 12-14 waking hours – you can easily (and safely) get 100oz to a gallon in daily.

Will you urinate more – yep – will you burn more fat too – yep.

Benefits of water:

– Drinking water before meals can curb appetite

– Boosts metabolism

– Replaces sugary beverages and extra calorie drinks

– Water is a natural appetite suppressant

– Water increases calorie burn

– Water helps process waste and flush toxins

– Water is necessary to burn fat

– Helps muscles, joints, and vital organs function properly

– Reduces muscle cramps and fatigue

How much water should you drink?

Do your research here and determine what is best FOR YOU. General recommendations are about 50% of your body weight in oz.

For example, if you weigh 200 pounds – 100oz of water daily would be recommended.

The old school rule was 8×8 (8 x 8oz glasses per day)

The following water intake recommendations are from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in the United States:

2,700 mL/day (91.3oz) for adult women

3,700 mL/day (125.11oz) for adult men

Some people require more or less water, depending on a variety of factors, including:

– activity level

– age

– body size

– temperature

– humidity

– sun exposure

– health status

1/21/2023 (Originally posted 12/27/2021)

Today’s theme is SLEEP! As I mentioned yesterday proper sleep and hydration are both just as important to weight loss as diet and exercise. Improper sleep habits are linked to poor food choices, increased hunger and calorie intake, decreased physical activity, and weight gain.

The Healthline article provided for reference recommends 7-9 hours of sleep daily (8 average). I try for 7 hours – sometimes it’s closer to 6 (normally driven by the dog’s sleep schedule!) but if you are in the 4-5 hours of sleep routine because “I don’t need a lot of sleep” you should consider the information provided here.

If you have issues sleeping, it very well could be diet related. Once I “kicked the sugar” habit, my sleep improved enormously. When I cheat (like Christmas cookies), my sleep is very restless. Regular exercise is also beneficial in improving sleep while LACK of exercise can be detrimental to your sleep quality.

Tomorrows 10 Days of Fitstmas topic will be STRESS.

#getfitsyc #healthiswealth #2022resolution