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Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.

us Offline Lynn LeFey

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Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
on: February 27, 2019, 01:41:30 AM
This time last year, I weighed 212lbs.

Now, I weigh about 150, with a target of 140.

The first few months, I was losing about 10lbs a month, but for the last six, it's been more like an average of 5 lbs per month. And, of course, December was a complete wash. :D

I figured I'd post how I did it. I have to start by saying that my method is not necessarily available to everyone. It takes time every day to exercise, prepare food, and frequent stops at the grocery store for fresh foods. Not to mention, the benefits of having an exercise bike and treadmill in the house that I can use at my convenience.

So, the basics of the weight loss have been dead simple; eat fewer calories than I burn. Since I didn't want to feel like I was starving all the time, the next trick was to eat a lot of food that was low in caloric density. That mostly means vegetables, and surprisingly, a lot of fruit.

I didn't necessarily restrict myself from eating anything. I just had to calorically 'pay for it'. If I wanted a Whopper with Cheese, I had to come up with the calories in my budget.

The target for weight loss to begin with was a 1000 calorie deficit per day. That adds up to 7000 per week, or a 2 lb weight loss per week. After a few months at that rate, I decreased the deficit to 500 per day for a 1 lb per week loss, and have held that pretty steadily.

So, what a day looks like for me.

Get up, walk for 2.3 miles. that's -300 calories.
Eat breakfast. That's usually oatmeal with frozen blueberries and a cup of coffee, +200 calories
Walk another 2.3 miles. -300 calories
Eat lunch. Either crudites, salad or vegetable soup, usually +100 calories, sometimes +200 if I add rice to the soup or hummus with the veggies.
   The veggies are cauliflower, carrot, celery, tomato, cucumber, radish, bell pepper. If soup, I won't have cucumber or tomato, but might add turnip or rutabaga. Turns out 100 calories is a LOT of veggies.
Between lunch and dinner, I have a snack. Calories are +100 or +200, depending on lunch's calories. This is usually an apple and orange for 100, and then maybe ricecakes or something.
I sometimes do a 3rd walk after lunch.
I aim for +500 calories for dinner. If there's any oil, cheese, meat, etc. it'll be with dinner. There are almost always beans involved in some form.

This leaves me with something like 500 to 800 calories for after-dinner snacks. What I've found is that I'm fine in the mornings without eating. In the evening, I REALLY get hungry. And it happens whether or not I eat early in the day. I save a good chunk of calories for after dinner. So it's a sort of grazing for the last few hours I'm awake. Grapes, hummus on ricecakes, popcorn, and... of course, chocolate. Usually just a little 'fun size' bar or something, but pretty much every day. The snack time is also when I usually have any nuts, and sometimes bread.

What I DON'T eat a lot of? Oil. that's a big one. I still cook with olive oil, but use VERY little. 2 teaspoons for dinner, usually. I pretty much reserve meat and cheese for weekends only. I have very little refined sugar, usually a teaspoon of sugar in my coffee. I don't eat a lot of refined carbs. Spaghetti once a week. Other carbs, I've largely replaced with stuff that also has more nutrients, like sweet potatoes. In the last year, I've had 2 alcoholic beverages, which are a lot of calories.

And then... occasionally, I ignore all this and just DON'T diet for a day. On my birthday, we went to a buffet and I had very bad food, including fried chicken. I've had burgers and pizza, and ice cream, and pies and chocolate chip cookies. But all of those things in moderation, and 'paid for'.

My basal metabolic rate burns about 1400 calories per day. That means to be at a 500 calorie deficit, I get 900 calories to eat without doing anything else. So, that's how i do my math. 900 plus whatever I burn in exercise, and it seems to be working out.

I have lost a fair amount of muscle mass, but I expected, and wanted, that. I can't really tell a loss on lower body strength, because the weight loss seems about balanced with the strength loss, but the UPPER body loss is noticeable. I had been concerned about having loose skin, but that doesn't seem to be an issue. Luckily. I MIGHT be getting a little waddle under my chin.Otherwise, it's all good.

All the fruit and veggie eating has made my nails incredibly strong. So... there's that. The big benefit to me has been two-fold. First a LOT less joint pain, and second, and the BIG one... I no longer have sleep apnea. And i'd go through all this calorie counting and veggie weighing again in a heartbeat just for that.

And there's the answer to what Lynn's been up to. Walking. And chewing veggies. Good God... SO much chewing... :D


00 Offline WWW

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #1 on: February 27, 2019, 02:04:12 AM
Im glad for you!! It takes some serious insert word here ___ willpower to do it. I need to get my ass of the couch and practice some exercise, I can totaly feel the difference between a more active me and the absolutely not actice at all. I'll take your example as an inspiration to lose some weight too!  :cheers: (low calory beer of course  :D)
« Last Edit: February 27, 2019, 02:07:28 AM by WWW »


us Offline gerleatherberman

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #2 on: February 27, 2019, 02:09:34 AM
Great work, Lynn! I think maintaining a healthy weight is the most important thing anyone can do for their health and well-being. Keep up the good work, even after you reach your goal! :cheers:

Pontificating particularly pious positions pertaining to polymorphic paraphernalia. G-Man.


us Offline SteveC

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #3 on: February 27, 2019, 02:20:15 AM
Way to go Lynn, that is quite the accomplishment  :hatsoff:


us Offline MadPlumbarian

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #4 on: February 27, 2019, 02:30:42 AM
Wtg! The Mrs topped out at 419lbs 6yrs ago, with all her medical problems things have been very tough but she’s been doing it slow, yet in 2 more lbs and she will have lost a total of 200lbs! Then another 24lbs and she will have reached her goal weight..
JR
"The-Mad-Plumbarian" The Punisher Of Pipes!!! JR
As I sit on my Crapper Throne in the Reading Room and explode on the Commode, thinking, how my flush beat John’s and Jerry’s pair? Jack’s had to run for the Water Closet yet ended up tripping on a Can bowing and hitting his Head on the Porcelain God! 🚽


us Offline Lynn LeFey

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #5 on: February 27, 2019, 02:36:27 AM
Wtg! The Mrs topped out at 419lbs 6yrs ago, with all her medical problems things have been very tough but she’s been doing it slow, yet in 2 more lbs and she will have lost a total of 200lbs! Then another 24lbs and she will have reached her goal weight..
JR

WOW!  :o Tell her I'm impressed. And yeah, slow seems to be the way to go.


us Offline MadPlumbarian

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #6 on: February 27, 2019, 02:39:25 AM
WOW!  :o Tell her I'm impressed. And yeah, slow seems to be the way to go.
She said ty and she’s impressed with your progress!
JR / SR
"The-Mad-Plumbarian" The Punisher Of Pipes!!! JR
As I sit on my Crapper Throne in the Reading Room and explode on the Commode, thinking, how my flush beat John’s and Jerry’s pair? Jack’s had to run for the Water Closet yet ended up tripping on a Can bowing and hitting his Head on the Porcelain God! 🚽


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #7 on: February 27, 2019, 07:35:02 AM
Well done Lynn.  Its no easy feat to loose weight. 
Esse Quam Videri


mc Offline Gerhard Gerber

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #8 on: February 27, 2019, 08:29:40 AM
Well done Lynn!  :salute:


au Offline Huntsman

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #9 on: February 27, 2019, 09:40:35 AM
A - M - A - Z - I - N - G

Congratulations - That is an incredible achievement - It sounds like you are really feeling the benefits!!

PS. You have approached your new health regime in exactly the same way you do you multitool review and evaluations
Very structured, scientific and thorough!  :pok:   :D

EDIT: PS You should be, and I am sure you are, super pround of yourself    :tu:
.... And I am feeling guilty and jealous !!
« Last Edit: February 27, 2019, 11:19:46 AM by Huntsman »


us Offline powernoodle

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #10 on: February 27, 2019, 12:33:24 PM
This time last year, I weighed 212lbs.

Now, I weigh about 150, with a target of 140.

I could tell from your keystrokes that you had lost weight.


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #11 on: February 27, 2019, 01:21:27 PM
Well done, Lynn  :cheers:

I could do with losing a stone, or about 6kg, which is a fraction of what you've shed. That'll just get me down to the top end of the healthy weight range. My issue is exercise though, and being limited to what I can do, so it's all about reducing intake for me.

Just like when I ditched the cigs, it's all abut willpower. If the determination is there, you'll do it, it not, you just make yourself miserable with no discernible gain.


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


pt Offline pfrsantos

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #12 on: February 27, 2019, 02:19:27 PM
Well done!

 :hatsoff: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Wish I had the same willpower and discipline. Darn pork chops and t-bones and pizza and wine and soft couches and warm beds...

 :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant:
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us Offline Lynn LeFey

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #13 on: February 27, 2019, 05:47:20 PM
Thank you, all.

On the issue of willpower. Just so you know, there have been days that the only thing that kept me on track was the fact that pickles have essentially no calories. :D

As I said, I really think that the trick has not been to NOT eat, just to eat stuff with fewer calories. So, while I still get hungry, I don't get that insanity inducing hunger. This has meant that I require a lot less willpower, and that's good, because no one has infinite willpower. Or at least certainly not me.

There have been times when I wanted to eat an entire pizza, or entire loaf of bread. But instead, I make a little salad of celery and tomato with low cal dressing. 50 calories, and I'm satisfied. Okay... not 'satisfied', but under control. :D


us Offline MadPlumbarian

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #14 on: February 27, 2019, 06:04:37 PM
The Mrs went nuts with the pickles but then noticed they were to high in sodium, which make you retain water, plus bad for your heart, she also switched to wheat tortillas, which are only 50 cal for the whole thing rather then 80 for just one piece of bread..
JR
"The-Mad-Plumbarian" The Punisher Of Pipes!!! JR
As I sit on my Crapper Throne in the Reading Room and explode on the Commode, thinking, how my flush beat John’s and Jerry’s pair? Jack’s had to run for the Water Closet yet ended up tripping on a Can bowing and hitting his Head on the Porcelain God! 🚽


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #15 on: February 27, 2019, 06:08:53 PM
Being hungry is part of the process.  There are just certain food the satiate us while other do not.  You have done a great job.  No fads and no premixed stuff.  Real food and exercise.  Well, as real as food as it can get while maintaining a certain caloric intake. 

While I'm sure you already know, building muscle will also aid in weight loss not to mention helps in many other areas.  Yes the scale will show the added muscle gain but not such a bad trade off. 

Keep up the great work.   :like:
Esse Quam Videri


fr Offline Whoey

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #16 on: February 27, 2019, 06:09:42 PM
That's pretty awesome.

I've teetotalled since Christmas, lost about 5lbs from that alone. Exercise is not my friend.
The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer.


us Offline sir_mike

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #17 on: February 27, 2019, 06:29:30 PM
Great work Lynn!

Me and the misses started in January to both lose some weight and we set a goal of 5 lb's per month as we wanted to keep it realistic and obtainable!  We are watching our intake and eat alot of fruits, veggies and chicken/turkey!  My wife says that I can lose weight faster then her and we both are doing great so far!  My total loss so far since January is just shy of 20 lbs. so I am ecstatic for sure!  I figured I had a total of 60, maybe 65 lbs to lose altogether (dream goal there) and once we reach our targets, we will work on maintaining it.

As far as exercise goes, we don't have any equipment in the house so we mainly just go for walks.  Outside when the weather is above 30 degrees or so (lol) or inside at the local mall.  The other main exercise I get is keeping the driveway clean either by shoveling or snow blowing and both are some work out with drifts and the amount I have to clean up.  Once the weather gets to Spring, we will get out hiking and biking with a plan on doing some longer treks!  We will have to see how far we can go cause the wife gets some sore knees if we do too much so if we go on longer ones, we will figure on some breaks now and then.  Where there is a will, there is a way!  :)


 


scotland Offline Gareth

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #18 on: February 27, 2019, 07:34:38 PM
That's fantastic Lynn.  :hatsoff:  I hear about the latest fad diet and my heart sinks.  There is no magic wand.  There are no short cuts.  You have to burn more calories than you consume.  Simple, but also very hard.  :-\
Be excellent to each other and always know where your towel is.


us Offline Lynn LeFey

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #19 on: February 27, 2019, 10:20:04 PM
Again, thanks all.  :hatsoff:

Pickles. Yes, they're high in salt. But when I went to the doctor last time, my blood pressure was 100/58. Salt's only negative effect seems to be to increase blood pressure. Also... with so much of my food being fresh made, I get a lot less in most of my other food.

Muscle burning calories. Mmm... Muscle increases your basal metabolic calorie requirement, yes, but strangely enough, your heart doesn't care if it has to supply blood to muscle or fat. It's added work either way. So I figure my plan is to just eat fewer calories. Also, it would be kind of cool to be built like a lady, not a lumberjack. :D

sir_mike... yeah, we found out what a great workout keeping snow off the driveway is this year. LOL Good work! Don't get discouraged if the the drop in weight starts to slow. It's one of the annoying things in weight loss. The less you weigh, the fewer calories you need to maintain your current weight, so the less you have to eat to lose more.



us Offline Aloha

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #20 on: February 28, 2019, 12:55:34 AM
Built like a lady,  :hatsoff:.  You are doing fantastic.   :tu:
Esse Quam Videri


nz Offline Syncop8r

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Re: Weight loss, or what I did to lose 60 lbs.
Reply #21 on: February 28, 2019, 10:53:21 AM
Well done Lynn!  :cheers:

I want to add something about gut flora but I am too tired to think...


 

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