Foodies The "Those of us trying to lose weight" thread.... ☺️

Kevin

Code Monkey
Staff member
I know I'm not alone in our little group here of trying to lose some weight so let's talk about it! Who else is working on a weight loss goal? What methods have you tried or are planning on it? What tips do you have for others? What has worked for you?


For me I started in earnest August 9th, 2018, following a trip to the local ER on August 7th. The 'Cliff Notes' version of the incident is that I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and literally on the edge of being prediabetic. An A1C level of 5.7% to 6.4% is considered prediabetic; starting at 6.5% is Type-2 Diabetes. Results of a blood test for me came in at 5.7%. I knew that I had been gaining weight since my Mom's death in 2016 but I didn't really appreciate just how much additional weight I put on until the trip to my doctor's office; getting on that scale and seeing the number was a wake-up call like none I had before. :eek: It was time for action.

After talking with Mrs. Kevin we realized that we both needed to change our habits. Mrs. Kevin just wants to lose a few pounds, she doesn't really need to, but having her onboard with the effort has been a big help. (y) Being a tech geek I ended up buying two gadgets, a wi-fi enabled scale and a Fitbit Versa.

With the Fitbit I'm using it for calorie tracking and activity tracking. Thanks to the backend database of food items and being able to scan package barcodes it has been really easy for me to track calories. I configured it to have a goal of a -500 daily calorie deficit and, for the most part, I've been achieving it. It took a couple of weeks to get used to wearing a watch again and now it feels weird when I'm not wearing it. With it also being able to show me incoming text messages and email from my phone it is a feature that I didn't think I'd use that much but now I really like it as it makes life a bit easier. You can install apps on it, like Pandora and news headlines, and while there is a bunch of things available it isn't a "smartwatch" like an Apple Watch or an Android Wear device so no Facebook, no Twitter, and so on. It can do a lot of things so maybe it'd be best categorized as a "dumb smartwatch"? :thinking: Anyway, the important thing is that it helps to motivate me to track my physical activity. By doing "challenges", like most steps on a weekend or during the work week, it adds a bit of fun competition with family & friends.

I've been weighing myself daily since the day I started using the scale. Besides weight it does a bunch of fancy stuff like measuring body fat, muscle mass, water weight, and BMI. I went with a wi-fi scale instead of a bluetooth scale so that I didn't have to have my phone or other device close to me when using it. Hooked to the home wi-fi my measurements are automatically synced with the scale's app on my phone. Now the neat part is that the scale app can integrate directly with the Fitbit app. The end result is that I'm never having to get on the scale and then manually entering the weight in a log, I just step on the scale and within a few seconds it automatically shows up in the Fitbit app. It literally couldn't be any easier.

I am not following any particular diet. I know myself all too well and I don't have patience or willpower to strictly adhere to something like Weight Watchers or Atkins or other programs. My brother, who is also working on losing weight, went with a Keto diet (no sugars, no carbs, high fat). I personally don't think a strict Keto diet is sustainable in the long run. Instead I'm going with strict portion control, counting calories, and cutting back on carbs like bread. Speaking of portion control, the Trident Fish Sticks from Costco.... a "serving" is 3 sticks! 3! :ROFLMAO: At the office I'm keeping stuff like banana chips in the drawer for snacks and popcorn, no more pretzels. Snacks at the house is now mostly pineapple, watermelon, and grapes.

So far at about 6 weeks in the results have been pretty good to the point that I'm pretty happy with myself. :smiley: There are some days I go up a bit, like after having fajitas at our favorite local Mexican place, and there are days that I see a bigger loss than others but the trend is definitely going in the right direction. Between the increased physical activity and dietary changes I'm confident I can sustain this till I reach my weight goals.


OK, enough of me rambling, how about you guys?
 
Hi, I watched a video about dieting and it was pretty informational.
I warn you that there is a product advertisement by the sponsoring company but the information is valuable even if you don't buy their product.

Give the video a peek and see what you think.
If you find the information useful, come back and let me know.
I've recommended this video to others that thought it was very enlightening and gave them useful dieting information.
I am curious about your assessment?

Anyway, here is the page with the video.
Bariatric Physician Reveals the 3 Harmful Foods That are Damaging You From the Inside

Here is the data about the video author
Dr. Amy Lee
Bariatric Physician

Dr. Lee has board certifications in internal medicine, physician nutrition and obesity medicine specialty. She practices internal medicine with a heavy emphasis on nutrition, wellness and weight management. Her goal is to standardize a diet plan that is evidence based through educating her patients and providing proven solutions that work.

I personally like the way the video is done. My arm gets tired just thinking about drawing it, lol.

Doctor Amy Lee reveals everything you need to know about improving your digestive system: The #1 drink to avoid, 3 Harmful "health" foods, The #1 carb to avoid, 4 Natural digestive helpers and one herbal supplement can help.

Here is a live video on youtube of one of Dr. Lee's presentations


I feel the nucific one is more fun to watch tho.
 
Having been a vegetarian for 23 years, and at year 23 about as unhealthy as you can be, I explored why. My sister sent me books. Oh yeah, cholesterol was crazy high too.

One book was “The Blood Type Diet”. An eye opener! Lol. Another was “How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost 40 Pounds!”
Well...I lost 40 pounds. :smiley: In a matter of months. Low carb is the only diet I know of that doesn’t tell you how much to eat, just what to eat. I remember being shocked that I could taste the sweetness of lettuce after 3 weeks of low carb. Actual sugar was overkill, tasted weird.
9 years later, I am pretty much Keto. Of course I occasionally eat crappy food. Lol. But I sure feel it the next day, like a hangover.

All I know is-
*EAT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY
*If you just ate a meal and are still hungry, then you ate the wrong food.
*do not eat foods you cannot stand

The best book was “Good Calories, Bad Calories”. What we now call a well-balanced diet is ridiculous. We never ate like this in all the centuries before.
 
my biggest problems are 1) eating as a result of stress, and 2) big meals in the evening then vegging out for an hour before bed.
maybe I'll go in and tell my supervisor I need a lower-stress position for health reasons. I'm sure the laugh would lower her stress.

I need to eat more apples and fewer pastries. easier said than done.
 
Well...I lost 40 pounds.
Congrats! I'm hoping to be at that mark by Thanksgiving (US). With the low carb Keto-like plan are you doing high-fat or low-fat? My brother is doing high-fat and I just can't see how that can be sustainable healthy in the long run.
my biggest problems are 1) eating as a result of stress, and 2) big meals in the evening then vegging out for an hour before bed.
maybe I'll go in and tell my supervisor I need a lower-stress position for health reasons. I'm sure the laugh would lower her stress.

I need to eat more apples and fewer pastries. easier said than done.
Stress eating is something most of my family suffers from; the only sibling who doesn't do it smokes instead. For the past several weeks I've been trying to consciously put my headphones on & walk instead of eating when stressed. It's easier to do when I'm at the office, the days I work from the temptation is stronger but so far I've been pretty good and on the days when I do grab something I'm going for stuff like fresh cut fruit in the fridge instead of junk food. I've been also trying to avoid any post-dinner snacks. I'm not sure that helps or not but I can say that these past weeks I've been sleeping more deeply than I have in years.
 
With the low carb Keto-like plan are you doing high-fat or low-fat?
@Kevin
What blood type are you?
If you are O (neg or pos is irrelevant) then you should consume fatty meats, protein dense meats, red! (fish won’t fill you up)
If you are A, go for the milk fats. Cheese, butter, WHOLE MILK yogurt. And turkey, chicken & fish will be fine.
Low carb & Keto are almost the same.
Keto warns you that too much protein will act like a carb, turn to glucose faster.
Keto is a better diet. You are denying your body glucose by eating fat. (starving the body without hunger)
 
Weight loss goals are paused on Halloween, right? Right? :LOL:
No, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only grace days and only on THOSE days specifically. So, yes, leftovers do count. But, you already knew that didn't you?
 
No, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only grace days and only on THOSE days specifically. So, yes, leftovers do count. But, you already knew that didn't you?
No, no... I'm pretty sure the rule is "He, or She, that buys the Halloween candy is given 'first dibs' to the good stuff if there are any leftovers.". Yep. 🍫🎃👻
 
"He, or She, that buys the Halloween candy is given 'first dibs' to the good stuff if there are any leftovers."
I was thinking there was a clause that allows the purchaser the ability to verify the quality and freshness of said purchase up to the implied expiration date of such product. (to verify that said product was of highest quality for the warranty specific date range) Otherwise, how will you know if you need to contact the person or persons that received the product if a quality or freshness issue exists that requires a recall?
 
Too much scientific analysis will confuse. To loose weight first reduce drastically sweet things of all types, choc bars, cakes, puddings. None of them have any nutritional value and each one is probably 15% of your max daily input of calories AND over on sugar. One slice of wholemeal bread max a day. No beer or Wine both of these rot the liver and other organs–except if you want a shorter life of course. If you are in your forties reading this then you won't be thinking about that but if like me you are older, boy, it is important. They say 5-a-day. Right. Make it 3 of veg incl. one of dark green and no more that two of fruit (that sugar again. Room to add a bit of your own idea. Problem is sticking to it! Oh, yes, if you can get an allotment then it's pure organic!
 
A personal progress update for me...

Since Aug. 9 2018 I'm down... 80 pounds! :eek: I'm not following any special diets nor have I made any major lifestyle changes, rather I'm doing measured portion control and making of a point of walking about 3 miles every day.
 
Way to go Kevin! That is awesome! Losing weight is always difficult. Walking is great and the only thing that works for me and I hope you keep it up. Sometimes people don't realize that once it's off you have to keep doing what you did to get it off, to keep it off.
 
I know I'm not alone in our little group here of trying to lose some weight so let's talk about it! Who else is working on a weight loss goal? What methods have you tried or are planning on it? What tips do you have for others? What has worked for you?


For me I started in earnest August 9th, 2018, following a trip to the local ER on August 7th. The 'Cliff Notes' version of the incident is that I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and literally on the edge of being prediabetic. An A1C level of 5.7% to 6.4% is considered prediabetic; starting at 6.5% is Type-2 Diabetes. Results of a blood test for me came in at 5.7%. I knew that I had been gaining weight since my Mom's death in 2016 but I didn't really appreciate just how much additional weight I put on until the trip to my doctor's office; getting on that scale and seeing the number was a wake-up call like none I had before. :eek: It was time for action.

After talking with Mrs. Kevin we realized that we both needed to change our habits. Mrs. Kevin just wants to lose a few pounds, she doesn't really need to, but having her onboard with the effort has been a big help. (y) Being a tech geek I ended up buying two gadgets, a wi-fi enabled scale and a Fitbit Versa.

With the Fitbit I'm using it for calorie tracking and activity tracking. Thanks to the backend database of food items and being able to scan package barcodes it has been really easy for me to track calories. I configured it to have a goal of a -500 daily calorie deficit and, for the most part, I've been achieving it. It took a couple of weeks to get used to wearing a watch again and now it feels weird when I'm not wearing it. With it also being able to show me incoming text messages and email from my phone it is a feature that I didn't think I'd use that much but now I really like it as it makes life a bit easier. You can install apps on it, like Pandora and news headlines, and while there is a bunch of things available it isn't a "smartwatch" like an Apple Watch or an Android Wear device so no Facebook, no Twitter, and so on. It can do a lot of things so maybe it'd be best categorized as a "dumb smartwatch"? :thinking: Anyway, the important thing is that it helps to motivate me to track my physical activity. By doing "challenges", like most steps on a weekend or during the work week, it adds a bit of fun competition with family & friends.

I've been weighing myself daily since the day I started using the scale. Besides weight it does a bunch of fancy stuff like measuring body fat, muscle mass, water weight, and BMI. I went with a wi-fi scale instead of a bluetooth scale so that I didn't have to have my phone or other device close to me when using it. Hooked to the home wi-fi my measurements are automatically synced with the scale's app on my phone. Now the neat part is that the scale app can integrate directly with the Fitbit app. The end result is that I'm never having to get on the scale and then manually entering the weight in a log, I just step on the scale and within a few seconds it automatically shows up in the Fitbit app. It literally couldn't be any easier.

I am not following any particular diet. I know myself all too well and I don't have patience or willpower to strictly adhere to something like Weight Watchers or Atkins or other programs. My brother, who is also working on losing weight, went with a Keto diet (no sugars, no carbs, high fat). I personally don't think a strict Keto diet is sustainable in the long run. Instead I'm going with strict portion control, counting calories, and cutting back on carbs like bread. Speaking of portion control, the Trident Fish Sticks from Costco.... a "serving" is 3 sticks! 3! :ROFLMAO: At the office I'm keeping stuff like banana chips in the drawer for snacks and popcorn, no more pretzels. Snacks at the house is now mostly pineapple, watermelon, and grapes.

So far at about 6 weeks in the results have been pretty good to the point that I'm pretty happy with myself. :smiley: There are some days I go up a bit, like after having fajitas at our favorite local Mexican place, and there are days that I see a bigger loss than others but the trend is definitely going in the right direction. Between the increased physical activity and dietary changes I'm confident I can sustain this till I reach my weight goals.


OK, enough of me rambling, how about you guys?
Apparently food experts-not touts- say our body weight is pretty well predetermined in our genes. However I lost some kilos last year when I got hit my a virus. That lost me weight. I changed my diet. Had to. But I never was into the heavy felgercarb stodge diet in the first place. What I did not go back to was 1} breakfast cereals. No matter the propaganda they have too much sugar. 2} so almost no sugar intake. Have not drunk a soft drink in decades. My parents never had any at home which was a good start. Sometimes yes but very very rare. Hot summer day when out somewhere. So no sugar is my hint. Asian stir fry essential. Butter and milk and eggs are all good. Animal fats are necessary for our immune system. This lite whatever is atrocious in taste and no value on necessary content. Junk food I haven't touched for decades either. So traditional ethnic food if one wants to pile it on. Doesn't harm them.
 
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