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Weight Loss Before/After Thread! (with pics)
- Thread starter lsslave
- Start date
Thank goodness for water, tea, and coffee being zero calorie. It seems like such a waste spending part of my daily calorie budget drinking calories.
Most of the time, I opt for tea or coffee. But after a workout, water is the only thing I can drink. If it was a particularly intense workout, I may only want water for the rest of the day.
Most of the time, I opt for tea or coffee. But after a workout, water is the only thing I can drink. If it was a particularly intense workout, I may only want water for the rest of the day.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
Aaaaah! I'm at work for the whole day and can't watch this on my phone but the pic I see is awful because my diet is very heavy on beans!
Please someone summarize the video since it's a lot easier to sneak in Gaf than a video at work :-(
Maybe I'll try to drop the diet soda again. I know it's the devil.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
Whew, I just now watched that sugar video and it's all just basic common sense silliness! I always just buy dried beans and soak and prepare them myself so I don't think this is a thing for me. I only really add lemon juice or mustard since I eat like a crazy hobo.
I should have figured something like this would be the case but when it comes to food science I always fear there will be some new study that says everything good for you is now insidiously killing you under cloak of darkness.
I should have figured something like this would be the case but when it comes to food science I always fear there will be some new study that says everything good for you is now insidiously killing you under cloak of darkness.
BigWeather
Member
This week's weigh-in was 286, marking exactly 50 pounds shed since January 1st. Would like to thank you all, this thread has been very inspirational and packed with great information.
I've still got a bit to go, I'm around 6'6" and aiming for at least 236 (100 pounds lost) and, optimally, around 220. It is starting to slow down a bit, and will continue to do so, but that's OK -- what I've done is sustainable I feel so whenever I get there I get there.
For those reading the thread that haven't started trying to lose weight and wondering if you can do it, you can! Just start, take it a day at a time, and don't fret -- it will eventually come off.
Some random things that helped me:
1. Eggs (and sometimes bacon) rather than cereal for breakfast
2. Cut out sodas, sweet tea, etc. I stick to water, unsweetened tea, and a glass of milk a day
3. You will slip up and make bad choices. Don't worry about it. Just learn from it and try to make better choices going forward. The 80/20 rule is in play as well -- the first 80% of making good eating decisions is the easiest -- and if you do make the right choice 80% of the time you're definitely taking steps in the right direction
4. Avoid fried crap, don't load up on bread, and have dairy in moderation
5. Eat food as close to the natural state as possible -- steamed veggies, meats without gravies, etc.
6. Almonds on stand-by for snacking, if needed
7. Don't eat late night
8. It's totally OK to splurge on something (and, some say, it actually helps weight loss as your body doesn't go into "starvation mode" and retain fat) -- but don't splurge on stuff at home. Tie it to going somewhere, and even better to an event or something with friends, so that it'll by nature be something you have to work for and won't be a very common occurance.
If anything I've said is incorrect or needs tweaking please do so. Just things that have been helpful to me so far.
I've still got a bit to go, I'm around 6'6" and aiming for at least 236 (100 pounds lost) and, optimally, around 220. It is starting to slow down a bit, and will continue to do so, but that's OK -- what I've done is sustainable I feel so whenever I get there I get there.
For those reading the thread that haven't started trying to lose weight and wondering if you can do it, you can! Just start, take it a day at a time, and don't fret -- it will eventually come off.
Some random things that helped me:
1. Eggs (and sometimes bacon) rather than cereal for breakfast
2. Cut out sodas, sweet tea, etc. I stick to water, unsweetened tea, and a glass of milk a day
3. You will slip up and make bad choices. Don't worry about it. Just learn from it and try to make better choices going forward. The 80/20 rule is in play as well -- the first 80% of making good eating decisions is the easiest -- and if you do make the right choice 80% of the time you're definitely taking steps in the right direction
4. Avoid fried crap, don't load up on bread, and have dairy in moderation
5. Eat food as close to the natural state as possible -- steamed veggies, meats without gravies, etc.
6. Almonds on stand-by for snacking, if needed
7. Don't eat late night
8. It's totally OK to splurge on something (and, some say, it actually helps weight loss as your body doesn't go into "starvation mode" and retain fat) -- but don't splurge on stuff at home. Tie it to going somewhere, and even better to an event or something with friends, so that it'll by nature be something you have to work for and won't be a very common occurance.
If anything I've said is incorrect or needs tweaking please do so. Just things that have been helpful to me so far.
Sugar free soda is the only way I managed to pull through my first diet two years ago (I'm currently on my second one). I have a bit of a sweet tooth and sugar free soda and sugar free gum helped a lot with the cravings for chcolate and ice cream.
edit:
And a carb up day once a week too. Mine is usually Mondays (new Game of Thrones episode
). Yesterday I slipped when I was out with friends and bought some chocolate. Could slap myself for it today.
edit:
And a carb up day once a week too. Mine is usually Mondays (new Game of Thrones episode
). Yesterday I slipped when I was out with friends and bought some chocolate. Could slap myself for it today.Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
That's awesome work, man! It seems like you've found a great, sustainable path so just stay the course.
HalfBakedProphet
Member
Feb 24-209 lbsHalfBakedProphet on 03/22/2013 said:
March 22-196 lbs
April 11-194 lbs
I FEEL lighter, I can tell in the way my pants and shirts fit. I can see it in the mirror but my weight loss as crawled to a halt. I know initially there would be water weight, which would skew the results. Was hoping for under 190, kinda shocking I guess. Its still cold so I haven't done nearly as much walking as I expected, other than that I'm not sure what I should change. My diets been really solid, still below 80g of carbs. My one cheat day a week is below 2000 cal. Maybe I'm not eating enough? I'm around 1250-1400 a day.
That does sound strange. Your daily intake sounds fairly low, but not 'starving yourself' low or anything.
Are you weighing yourself in the exact same conditions every time? People can fluctuate +/- a few pounds during the day, so this or your last weigh-in might not have been exactly representative.
Either way, if you feel and look better and clothes are fitting nicer, then thats true progress and I wouldn't fret too much about what the scale says this one time.
EDIT: And I see its only been like 2 and a half weeks since your last weigh-in. Thats not too bad then. Probably not what you were hoping, but hardly something to seriously worry about.
Are you weighing yourself in the exact same conditions every time? People can fluctuate +/- a few pounds during the day, so this or your last weigh-in might not have been exactly representative.
Either way, if you feel and look better and clothes are fitting nicer, then thats true progress and I wouldn't fret too much about what the scale says this one time.
EDIT: And I see its only been like 2 and a half weeks since your last weigh-in. Thats not too bad then. Probably not what you were hoping, but hardly something to seriously worry about.
HalfBakedProphet
Member
Yeah, its only been a few weeks. All the weight ins were in the morning. (This last one was post-breakfast so who knows). Just the way my pants were sagging told be I was going to see a drastic change on the scale. When it was only 2 pounds I was pretty shocked.
I'm ready and willing to grind it out, just was hoping for faster progress I suppose. I have been drinking 2-3 Naked Juices a week, orange-mango for vitamin C. That's the only large source of sugar I consume. I'll cut those out and see if it changes anything. My only other beverages are water and straight tea (no sweetener).
I'm ready and willing to grind it out, just was hoping for faster progress I suppose. I have been drinking 2-3 Naked Juices a week, orange-mango for vitamin C. That's the only large source of sugar I consume. I'll cut those out and see if it changes anything. My only other beverages are water and straight tea (no sweetener).
You need way more than a single metric a month to accurately judge progress. Do it daily, at the same exact time, after having the same exact thing before, whether that is water or food or neither.
It's easier to see a trend rather than accurately judge two single measurements. Heck, the scale may have even been off.
It's easier to see a trend rather than accurately judge two single measurements. Heck, the scale may have even been off.
Horseticuffs
Full werewolf off the buckle
Yeah, man, I always weigh myself naked either before breakfast or in the middle of the night when it's been a few hours since I ate. Seeing any difference at all in a few week's time is pretty good anyways.
That being said, from early February through late March I kept fluctuating between 204-210 lbs and kept dreaming of being below 200. I would weigh myself multiple times throughout the day most days and I noticed that, while I kept fluctuating here and there, over time the fluctuations were trending downwards toward 200.
Eventually I got below 200 and I've been pretty steadily dropping since then and am now 194 flat. As you know weight loss is all a waiting game. Sometimes you won't be "losing weight" but you can tell from various means that your body is changing. That's how I was earlier this year. Now I'm in a phase where it's actively coming off again. I don't expect that to last for too long, but I'm trying to make the most of it while I can.
Your doing an awesome job, HBP. Just keep on being patient and I'm confident you'll reach your goal.
On my end I just stepped inside for a break since I bought a new toy to help with my weight loss. I bought a manual push-powered lawn mower off of Amazon since Spring is in full effect here and my lawn is going nuts with weeds. I've been at it for about two hours and have about half the yard done, and have been working up a good sweat out there in the heat.
I don't know what kind of caloric burn I'm looking at here, but it's gotta be better than staying inside on Gaf and my Xbox all day. It's not quite as easy as I thought it would be since I thought I'd be able to just power over little sticks, but every little one makes me have to stop so I'm going around and clearing those little bastards up, too.
Anything I can do to try to get physically active is a good thing, I reckon. I've been spending way too much time being active in Columbia and Rapture lately
That being said, from early February through late March I kept fluctuating between 204-210 lbs and kept dreaming of being below 200. I would weigh myself multiple times throughout the day most days and I noticed that, while I kept fluctuating here and there, over time the fluctuations were trending downwards toward 200.
Eventually I got below 200 and I've been pretty steadily dropping since then and am now 194 flat. As you know weight loss is all a waiting game. Sometimes you won't be "losing weight" but you can tell from various means that your body is changing. That's how I was earlier this year. Now I'm in a phase where it's actively coming off again. I don't expect that to last for too long, but I'm trying to make the most of it while I can.
Your doing an awesome job, HBP. Just keep on being patient and I'm confident you'll reach your goal.
On my end I just stepped inside for a break since I bought a new toy to help with my weight loss. I bought a manual push-powered lawn mower off of Amazon since Spring is in full effect here and my lawn is going nuts with weeds. I've been at it for about two hours and have about half the yard done, and have been working up a good sweat out there in the heat.
I don't know what kind of caloric burn I'm looking at here, but it's gotta be better than staying inside on Gaf and my Xbox all day. It's not quite as easy as I thought it would be since I thought I'd be able to just power over little sticks, but every little one makes me have to stop so I'm going around and clearing those little bastards up, too.
Anything I can do to try to get physically active is a good thing, I reckon. I've been spending way too much time being active in Columbia and Rapture lately
HalfBakedProphet
Member
You guys are right, my weight-in strategy hasn't been the best. Horseticuffs has a much better routine.
My first 2 were at the doctors office, this last one was at the university health clinic. I'm going to do multiple weight-ins next week at on the same scale. We'll see what happens, I just want an accurate indication of where I'm at.
Edit: don't feel to bad, Horseticuffs. I play a shit ton of Xbox (and GAF in between classes), its just the nature of the beast sometimes and you ARE staying active. Yard work is great. If it was warmer out I know if be outside doing other things. I love going to the park to read or spending time on the bike trail. Winter just won't go away, this March and April have been fucking terrible. Its snowing right now when the average high this time of year is over 60.
My first 2 were at the doctors office, this last one was at the university health clinic. I'm going to do multiple weight-ins next week at on the same scale. We'll see what happens, I just want an accurate indication of where I'm at.
Edit: don't feel to bad, Horseticuffs. I play a shit ton of Xbox (and GAF in between classes), its just the nature of the beast sometimes and you ARE staying active. Yard work is great. If it was warmer out I know if be outside doing other things. I love going to the park to read or spending time on the bike trail. Winter just won't go away, this March and April have been fucking terrible. Its snowing right now when the average high this time of year is over 60.
Hasn't crawled to a halt to me; you've lost two pounds in three weeks, that's not bad. IF you do it for another month and a bit, you should clear 190.
HalfBakedProphet
Member
this is true. I wanted to hit my goal of 180 by my birthday in late May. On that front, its a little disappointing. I'm not going to push harder and lower calories, I feel really good and I'm willing to grind it out the right way. This is the healthiest I've been in several years
are you actually allergic or just one of those man babies?
not eating vegetables and going low carb will have your butthole prolapsed in no time.
More of a psychological thing, broccoli and other dark leafy greens literally make me nauseas/vomit. I can do fine with everyday things like green/string beans, peppers, salads but they gotta be in small quantities.
reggieandTFE
Member
You'll be eating just meat and cheese. You'll likely lose some weight but your shots will be epic.
Wafflecakes
Member
I am essentially the same way. My veggies are pretty much limited to beans, carrots, and the occasional peas (not ideal).
Lost over 100 lbs. So it is definitely doable.
Duuuuuuude teach me your ways, what kinda meal plan am I looking at to get those kinda results? And as far as exercise goes I can last about an hour on the treadmill brisk walking/jogging.
Is that a bad thing? I assume shots means b4/after pics.
Felix Lighter
Member
Ruffage just generally keeps your system running smoother.
Wafflecakes
Member
To begin with my diet was pretty limited since I am a naturally picky eater.
I ate a ton of eggs, baked chicken, cheese, beef etc. The staples of most low carb diets.
I did count calories early on to just train myself to pay attention to how much I was eating. Sometimes I will check on my calorie intake if I am unsure, though I never went are far as weighing my food (insanity).
I also am a big fan of hot dogs and I usually top them with mustard since it has 0 carb. Nathan's and Oscar Meyer's in particular are brands that have the lowest carb options. Also, if you MUST have ketchup for various foods Heinz makes a low carb version that most grocery stores carry.
If you are going on a more moderate carb path Flat Out breads are a great option for making wraps and burritos. Availability of low carb options is limited to your local grocery stores selection. Smith's (Kroger) I know carried things from low carb yogurts, to tortillas, etc.
I never really subscribed to the "no artificial sweetners" camp. Dieting is hard enough and losing the weight is MASSIVELY more important than any negative effects (real or perceived) of artificial sweeteners, and honestly, I never would have made it without them.
Overall I would just keep it simple. Educate yourself and try to cut through a lot of the BS that surrounds weight loss.
I also weighed myself VERY often. Sometimes daily. Even now that I am virtually at my goal weight (have 10 lbs or so left to go) I rarely go a week without weighing in. I think it is useful as a daily reminder of what you are doing if nothing else. Though it may not work if you are a person who gets frustrated over slight weight fluctuations.
Another thing I never subscribed to was cheat days. I never had planned cheat days early on (nowadays I do when I go to family gatherings).
I also never prepared a whole lot of food in advance, and I never kept a lot of food in the fridge. If I want to eat I had to cook it or go to the grocery store.
Even though I didn't follow Atkins I do agree with their philosophy of starting out extremely hardcore. My diet for the first month was brutally restrictive, and then I slowly added things as I decided what I could or could not live without. I believe that everyone adds things as they go along so if you START on a moderate diet you may find that it is far from ideal by the time you have adjusted it.
Anyways. I hope that makes sense. My post jumped around a lot. May not work for everyone, was just my approach.
Zoe
Member
I'm pretty sure he meant to say "shits".
Wafflecakes
Member
Why? It's not like he doesn't eat any veggies at all.
Losing weight is dramatically more important to his health than customizing it to fit the "norm" when he can get most of the same nutrition from the foods he is willing to eat, like string beans.
Though I am probably biased since I was never into veggies either.
Another thing with veggies is you might not like them because of how they've been served to you before. Try these with some hot sauce, or things like mashed cauliflower. Really, the stuff you listed to eat isn't too bad, I mostly eat the same things you do too, but I no longer dislike broccoli, either. Keep an open mind!
Also, correcting a typo Wafflecakes made so there's no confusion: he said "flaw out bread", he meant "flatout bread." That stuff became impossible to find where I live so I stick to high-fiber/low-carb tortillas.
Also, correcting a typo Wafflecakes made so there's no confusion: he said "flaw out bread", he meant "flatout bread." That stuff became impossible to find where I live so I stick to high-fiber/low-carb tortillas.
Wafflecakes
Member
Oops. Fixed.
Wafflecakes
Member
Naw.
I find it to be a useful tool to stay motivated, but different people are motivated by different things.
reggieandTFE
Member
Haha, I meant shits.
Appreciate the advice, I definitely like the hotdogs idea since it can be cheaper than eating fresh meat every meal..
Also whats the consensus on protein shakes for low carb eating? I like taking a protein shake(muscle milk) after 40 min interval training.
And are beans(black/pinto/etc) ok on low carb?
LOL that makes more sense now.
Beans are generally very high-carb. Not really recommended, but that doesn't mean you should avoid them entirely if you like them. Just dont make them a staple of your diet.
Protein shakes are perfectly fine with low-carb for the most part. Just dont pick 'mass gain' shakes, obviously, which are very high in carbs. Read the labels if you're unsure.
You should really try and find a way to get over your dislike of vegetables, though. Besides the clear health benefits of a diet higher in fiber, it helps a lot when it comes to feeling full/satisfied, too.
Anyways, progress so far,
Early March - 215
Now - 202
Weight is coming off nice and easy. Still hardly doing any exercise, but I'll change that soon. Pants are fitting a little better already.
Thanks man, I'll skip the beans but will hang onto the protein shake.
Anyways started officially today, I forced down an omelete with steamed cauliflower/carrots on the side. The omelette was good but I feel light headed and nauseous thanks to the vegetables =[
Also do you guys use vegetable oil for omelettes or is butter preferred for lowcarb..
sweetvar26
Member
Oh man, pics like these are very inspiring, whatever your goals are!
Keep it going guys.
Forgive the instagram filters. I've nearly hit my first goal of 183lbs (which is the upper maximum of a healthy weight bmi for someone my height) and I have never felt better.
![ZnI29Wi.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/ZnI29Wi.jpg"]http://i.imgur.com/ZnI29Wi.jpg)
The left photo is not me at my biggest, but I am now 188lbs (down from 261).
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is what is the consensus for cooking and using avocado oil? I believe Coconut oil has a taste, Fry Light or its alternatives are a bit crap to be honest and I cannot have butter in the house because I can (and will) eat it thick on anything I can spread it on. Can you get virgin / non virgin varieties, and what is best?
The left photo is not me at my biggest, but I am now 188lbs (down from 261).
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is what is the consensus for cooking and using avocado oil? I believe Coconut oil has a taste, Fry Light or its alternatives are a bit crap to be honest and I cannot have butter in the house because I can (and will) eat it thick on anything I can spread it on. Can you get virgin / non virgin varieties, and what is best?
There's different types of vegetable oils, but if you're talking about the general 'Vegetable Oil' labeled oil(usually canola oil), then go with butter(real butter). Doesn't really have anything to do with low-carb, it just has healthier fats and I think its tastier, too.
If you're eating omelets, its a good opportunity to maybe throw in some veggies in there. Spinach and cheese goes good together.
And are you really having to 'force down' an omelet? How picky are you? Cuz none of this is going to be sustainable for you if you dont learn to enjoy healthier eating. I would really start making an effort to find ways to get over your mental aversion to this stuff. It is extremely beneficial in the long run and will make this whole weight-loss thing easier and more sustainable.
@teeny - Wow, fantastic. I bet that feels good.
It really does. Still got a bit of a way to go, have a fair amount of wobble around the stomach (the photo up there hides it well), but still persisting. I eat such a wide variety of different things that would have made me heave a year ago, it's been enlightening.
I kinda typed that wrong, the only thing I was forcing down was the veggies. I used hotsauce/ranch to hide the taste, I know sounds kiddish being an adult but its a real mental block for me.
Also Teeny very inspirational pic man.
Thanks. Jumping in, I had a massive problem with fruit and vegetables, and I still do to a certain extent though it is nowhere near as severe as it used to be. Trying to eat them used to make me heave and just made every meal unbearable if it had a focus on veg.
What I did was introduce tolerable vegetables to my diet and slowly start increasing portion size and frequency. At one point I could only eat a small part of the broccoli florets. I began to put broccoli into omelettes, have it as a side with every dish, cook it in stir fries. I cut it up small at first. I began to experiment with cooking it, I fried it with some garlic, baked in in sauces, had it with mustard. I used that vegetable as a gateway to other, similar types like cauliflower. And then I gradually expanded my diet to include most.
Smooth soups are also a brilliant way to introduce yourself to the taste of veg without having to deal with the texture (this was the problem for me, I think). Once the taste hurdle had been overcome, I found it much easier to deal with.
Trust me, I understand your reservations but if you persist and force yourself through little by little, you will even begin to love and enjoy foods you previously hated.
As a side note, I had my first strawberry ever last Friday dipped in a little bit of 80% dark chocolate. It was glorious.