You can do it ! ! !

[LurkerSpeaks]

Ok.. i have waited a month to post this to make sure it was gonna work for me... My 49th birthday is fastly approaching in November.. I can't do much about getting older (except lie about my age).. When I was preparing for my trip to Montreal a few months ago, I had to buy the largest size jeans I have ever bought... That made a major impression on me. I tried to diet, but as usual nothing stuck.. So finally, on July 13th, i went to see a personal trainer and started on a major diet. I am trying to make it to the trainer 3 x a week, but my schedule doesnt always let me do it that frequently. But more important is the diet I am on. It is a low carb diet, where I eat one meal a day.. I started off with two meal replacement shakes per day, but have already cut that back to one shake per day. I am allowed three small snacks per day as well. Two alcoholic drinks are allowed per day, as long as they are low carb, such as Mich Ultra beer, or Vodka (but most mixers are high carbs..so water or soda are allowed) or a dry red wine). I am even allowed one "cheat day" per week where I can splurge on a few higher carb items (I havent succumbed to it yet)..

 

The good news is that as of last Wednesday (Aug 5), I have lost 18 lbs..that is in just over 3 weeks..I have set my first "major" goal to be down 50 lbs by mid November when I return to Rio..After that, I want to lose 50 more for a total of 100 lbs..Only time will tell, but at this point, I really think I can do. The diet is easy.. I am not hungry..I am starting to notice clothes fitting looser..

 

If I can do it.. YOU CAN DO IT....

[Guest greatness]

Congrats

 

I hope you can meet your goal! It's always exciting when one can achieve one's goal.

 

 

Ok.. i have waited a month to post this to make sure it was gonna work for me... My 49th birthday is fastly approaching in November.. I can't do much about getting older (except lie about my age).. When I was preparing for my trip to Montreal a few months ago, I had to buy the largest size jeans I have ever bought... That made a major impression on me. I tried to diet, but as usual nothing stuck.. So finally, on July 13th, i went to see a personal trainer and started on a major diet. I am trying to make it to the trainer 3 x a week, but my schedule doesnt always let me do it that frequently. But more important is the diet I am on. It is a low carb diet, where I eat one meal a day.. I started off with two meal replacement shakes per day, but have already cut that back to one shake per day. I am allowed three small snacks per day as well. Two alcoholic drinks are allowed per day, as long as they are low carb, such as Mich Ultra beer, or Vodka (but most mixers are high carbs..so water or soda are allowed) or a dry red wine). I am even allowed one "cheat day" per week where I can splurge on a few higher carb items (I havent succumbed to it yet)..

 

The good news is that as of last Wednesday (Aug 5), I have lost 18 lbs..that is in just over 3 weeks..I have set my first "major" goal to be down 50 lbs by mid November when I return to Rio..After that, I want to lose 50 more for a total of 100 lbs..Only time will tell, but at this point, I really think I can do. The diet is easy.. I am not hungry..I am starting to notice clothes fitting looser..

 

If I can do it.. YOU CAN DO IT....

[Guy Fawkes]

Fantastic!

 

Ok.. i have waited a month to post this to make sure it was gonna work for me... My 49th birthday is fastly approaching in November.. I can't do much about getting older (except lie about my age).. When I was preparing for my trip to Montreal a few months ago, I had to buy the largest size jeans I have ever bought... That made a major impression on me. I tried to diet, but as usual nothing stuck.. So finally, on July 13th, i went to see a personal trainer and started on a major diet. I am trying to make it to the trainer 3 x a week, but my schedule doesnt always let me do it that frequently. But more important is the diet I am on. It is a low carb diet, where I eat one meal a day.. I started off with two meal replacement shakes per day, but have already cut that back to one shake per day. I am allowed three small snacks per day as well. Two alcoholic drinks are allowed per day, as long as they are low carb, such as Mich Ultra beer, or Vodka (but most mixers are high carbs..so water or soda are allowed) or a dry red wine). I am even allowed one "cheat day" per week where I can splurge on a few higher carb items (I havent succumbed

I am very proud of you!

 

I've just restarted on my "Low Carb" diet because 01-Aug-2009 marked one year without a cigarette when I relaxed on the diet (purposefully).

 

Over the years, the "Low Carb" diet is the only one that I've found to work with any consistency. I just wanted you to know that your trainer is right on the money.

 

Your probability still in the induction phase which is critical. I know that you are experiencing some side effects that don't need to be discussed. Don't worry they will start subsiding soon.

 

Feel free to ask questions!

[LurkerSpeaks]

no real side effects.. the meal supplement shake i am taking is full of vitamins and nutrients so nothing really that I can attest to.. Just losing close to a lb a day..

[Guest zipperzone]

I am very proud of you!

 

I've just restarted on my "Low Carb" diet because 01-Aug-2009 marked one year without a cigarette when I relaxed on the diet (purposefully).

 

Over the years, the "Low Carb" diet is the only one that I've found to work with any consistency. I just wanted you to know that your trainer is right on the money.

 

Your probability still in the induction phase which is critical. I know that you are experiencing some side effects that don't need to be discussed. Don't worry they will start subsiding soon.

 

Feel free to ask questions!

 

Is the "Low Carb" diet the same as or similar to the "Atkins Diet"? If so my doctor has warned me against it as possibly doing damage to one's kidneys. Do you think that is possible?

 

And only one meal a day? If you are not eating carbs, why couldn't you have a breakfast of bacon & eggs? Lot's of fat - no carbs.

[alanalt]

I think the important point here is that LurkerSpeaks consulted an outside source with (hopefully) the knowledge, experience and training in the field to recommend a diet/food plan that was right for him. Let's face it, our bodies differ in the way they process food and consume/store energy. Sometimes those differences are minimal, other times they're considerable and so a diet that works wonders for Person A, can be equally wonderful for Person B or it can do nothing, or even be harmful.

 

I congratulate LurkerSpeaks for taking the sensible approach of consulting an outside source to find a plan that works for him and then sticking to it. With my birthday coming later this month, I'm going to be embarking on a similar journey and hope that I can show similar fortitude and have similar results to show for it!

 

Alan

[+ purplekow]

On low carb diet one could indeed have bacon and eggs every morning. One must be careful with their fats on this diet but the diet itself does not proscribe fats. As one who has been on this diet, the fact that you can have as much butter, bacon and eggs as you like does not prevent you from losing weight. The other aspect is that one quickly loses ones desire for things like butter which seems naturally to go with carb rich foods like corn on the cob and toast.

[LurkerSpeaks]

an update.. diet and trainer still going strong. I did reach a plateau after 4 weeks, as predicted. Went 10 days without any weight loss. But have gotten over that now and back losing again..Lost 4 more lbs in the last week, so 22 lbs total so far..the trainer changed up my workout routine today so lets see if that helps keep things going.. 28 more lbs to lose before Rio (November 17) to reach my first major goal....

[Guest greatness]

good luck

 

Way to go~~

 

an update.. diet and trainer still going strong. I did reach a plateau after 4 weeks, as predicted. Went 10 days without any weight loss. But have gotten over that now and back losing again..Lost 4 more lbs in the last week, so 22 lbs total so far..the trainer changed up my workout routine today so lets see if that helps keep things going.. 28 more lbs to lose before Rio (November 17) to reach my first major goal....

[seeker630]

Congratulations! Glad your willpower is still strong!

 

I did the South Beach diet a few years & lost 20 lbs, and I did make some permanent changes in eating habits (much less bread & starches than before). But lately, with the economy & job market so bad...I've been 'treating' my self again!

[Guy Fawkes]

Congratulations! Glad your willpower is still strong!

 

I did the South Beach diet a few years & lost 20 lbs, and I did make some permanent changes in eating habits (much less bread & starches than before). But lately, with the economy & job market so bad...I've been 'treating' my self again!

 

One of the things that I've found to work on Low Carb diets (South Beach I believe does count) is that taking a day off from the diet every couple weeks actually helps get you past the dreaded plateaus.

 

Being able to think: "A week from Friday I get to have a wonderful Pizza" actually helps me to stick to the diet when I'm being tempted.

 

Lurker: Keep it up.... You'll find that it'll start getting easier!

[LurkerSpeaks]

diet update....

 

The diet continues...weight is still coming off but at a slower rate than the first month. As of this morning, it has been 10 weeks, and I have lost 28 lbs...

[Guest greatness]

Congrats

 

It's like 2.8 pounds a week. That is significant! I hope you can achieve your goal.

 

The diet continues...weight is still coming off but at a slower rate than the first month. As of this morning, it has been 10 weeks, and I have lost 28 lbs...

[LurkerSpeaks]

the first month I lost 20 lbs.. and then 8 the second month..

[Guest greatness]

well

 

At least you keep losing your weight.. Maybe you can introduce your exercise routine here sometime...

 

Good news is that you won't be like Brooke Wyndham in Legally Blonde. S

the first month I lost 20 lbs.. and then 8 the second month..

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Congratulations.......

 

The diet continues...weight is still coming off but at a slower rate than the first month. As of this morning, it has been 10 weeks, and I have lost 28 lbs...

 

 

Good for you, LurkerSpeaks. Making change like that is no small feat...the weight you have lost is equal to almost 2 bowling balls.

 

Imagine if you now had to carry 2 bowling balls with you everywhere you went, and for everything you did. How awkward and tiring...and yet that's what you were doing at your old weight.

 

Have you noticed a significant increase in energy? Any other positive benefits?

 

[LurkerSpeaks]

Thanks for the encouragement. I still have a long way to go to reach my final goal.. I know it wont be easy, but I have developed some much better eating habits which, as long as I continue to follow them, will help me get to where I want to be. My goal is to lose a total of 100 lbs.. so I am about 30% there. The weight I have lost is 10% of my starting weight (for those of you who are arithmetically challenged, that means I started at 282 and am now at 254..)

 

I always swore I could never do a low carb diet--I love breads and sweets too much.. but it hasnt been all that difficult...you just get to where you look at every label when you go grocery shopping.. and you find ways around the "bad foods". for example.. bread is a big no no.. and so are tortillas.. so no sandwiches, no wraps.. but I have started making wraps with my favorite sliced meats, but instead of using a tortilla, I use a lettuce leaf..and for sweets, there are sugar free ice cream bars you can buy that are VERY low in carbs and calories.. so they help satisfy that sweet craving....or an idea one of my trainers gave me is to keep a can of "redi whip" in the frig.. when u crave something sweet, just take a shot of whipped cream.. it isnt bad for you and it is a quick fix...

 

also i was told that it is good to cheat on your cheat day because it shocks your metabolism into kicking into high gear again and will help you keep losing..

[Guest Merlin]

Studies have shown the low carb diet to be the most successful. But, I think you should monitor your calories as well. A diet under about 1000 calories without medical supervision may not be safe. Be sure to take salt in your diet and take a potassium supplement. A low carb diet causee the body to lose those electrolites with possible unfortunate consequences.

The critics of the Atkins diet usually assume that you will eat a mountain of fatty meat every day. But you clearly are not doing that. What the critics miss is that on a low carb diet you do not feel hunger as you otherwise would and are not tempted over eat fat and protein. It is very large quantities of protein which are said to eventually injure the kidneys.

If you cheat and eat more than 40 carbs or so in a day you will probably feel a quick change and find yourself unable to get food off your mind. The carbs release insulin and sets up a craving. If you want to experiment, try to eat half a glazed doughnut and notice how quickly you feel differently.

Cardio exercize is particularly effective in losing weight on a low carb diet. I am not convinced weight lifting ever helps lose weight. It is a great theoty that bigger, firmer muscles burn more calories. But unless your muscles get very large you probably will not notice a difference.

Again, you are on the right track, and we hope you will report back on your success. For the record, I am not a health care professional.

[best hotel]

... i recently heard on OutQ radio that there are only 147 calories in the average ejaculation.....hope it helps

[Guest zipperzone]

I think Lurker Speaks is to be commended for his perseverance and determination to loose 100 pounds. Not only will his appearance be improved but his lifespan will probably be extended by a considerable margin.

 

The one negative, apart from possible kidney damage, is that once you have met your goal weight, it is harder to keep the pounds off.

 

IMO the best possible diet is the Weight Watchers regime, for the following reasons.

1: It works

2: It is very healthy as you eat from all the food groups and can eat anything so long as you watch the portion size.

3: It trains you to think differently about food

4: It makes dining out easy as you can control the number of points (their way of measuring portions) you are consuming.

 

I've done both Atkins and WW. On Atkins I lost 100 lbs - it was right back on again with a year. With WW I lost 110 lbs and have kept it off for six years. I weigh myself once a week and if I have gained any pounds, I'm right back on the diet again until it's gone. That way the most weight you have to shed at any one go is 3 - 5 lbs.

 

Keep up the good work Lurker - we're all routing for you!

[Boston Guy]

Atkins works well for me and many of my friends. I go on it for a few weeks and then off it for a few weeks and maintain a weight that I'm happy with.

 

After seven years of this, I've found a few things that help me on Atkins:

 

 

• Eat three meals a day. Atkins himself strongly stressed that. If you don't eat often enough, you actually lose less weight. It's better to eat several smaller meals than one larger one.
  
• Eat breakfast. After hours of no food, eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism. After many different trials and errors, I've found that a simple two-egg omelet with cheese and a cup of coffee with cream and Equal will keep my hunger at bay until lunch. I often add some cooked green pepper or onions or mushrooms for variety. But the omelet with cheese is how I start my day most days now.
  
• Berries. Berries are our friend on Atkins. Many fruits have too many carbs but most berries are pretty good. I happen to like blueberries quite a lot, along with raspberries, strawberries, etc. Sometimes in the evening, when I'm craving something sweet, I'll have a cup of berries. I add one packet of equal and a small amount of heavy cream and toss. It's so darned good that I'm happy and don't need anything else.
  
• McDonald's grilled ranch snack wraps. Don't laugh. When you're on the road as much as I am, there will often come times when you need to grab lunch on the go and fast food is the only option. A grilled ranch snack wrap (or two if I'm really hungry) is easy to unwrap. I eat the chicken, lettuce, etc. that's on the inside and don't eat the wrap. One of them is generally enough and, truth to tell, they're just not bad. A small diet coke and a wrap without the wrap is something like $4.00 at most McD's and will keep my hunger at bay for four hours. So if you're on the road and have to have something fast, remember the snack wraps.
  
• Diet Snapple Iced Tea. I like the peach flavor best. No calories, no carbs and pure bliss.
  
• Equal. I found I far prefer it to Splenda or the pink stuff. I carry extra packets with me in my briefcase because lots of places don't have it for their coffee.
  
• Prime rib. Yum.
  

Congrats on your progress so far. You will find that your weight loss slows down and that's to be expected. But it's not a race. You set an arbitrary goal and that's cool. But don't get disappointed if your progress doesn't match that arbitrary goal you set. So long as you're moving in the right direction, the speed isn't so important. With the weight you've already lost and the exercise you are doing, you've already done your body many favors.

 

Also, remember that your exercise is helping convert fat to muscle. Guess what: muscle is heavier than fat. So you can stay the same weight but look better and better as you shrink the size of your fat cells and build muscle. If I were to guess, I'd say that you can already see a difference in how you look when you look in the mirror.

 

Congratulations!

 

BG

[Guest RianB]

On low carb diet one could indeed have bacon and eggs every morning.

 

I'll never forget the time I was cracking a boiled egg at my roommates house and his Madre reprimanding me in a LOUD tone showing me her pills for lowering chlorestrol from eating too much eggs...LOL

[+ purplekow]

On low carb diet one could indeed have bacon and eggs every morning. One must be careful with their fats on this diet but the diet itself does not proscribe fats.

 

Since this was take out of context, here is the full quote.

[Guest zipperzone]

With all this talk about the Atkins diet I am reminded that I recently read that the doctor, when he died, left his entire estate to his wife - and that it exceeded 600 million dollars.

Who knew there was so much $$$ to be made for inventing a diet!

[Guest RianB]

Since this was take out of context, here is the full quote.

 

LOL, no I didnt mean to say you were incorrect...I was just giving a quick anecdote related to that