Comments on: Path to Weight Loss: The Beginning http://www.gnorb.net/756/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning In your head it's only a memory, but written down it's working knowledge Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:01:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gnorb http://www.gnorb.net/756/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/comment-page-1#comment-22253 Gnorb Fri, 02 Feb 2007 18:40:31 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/health-and-fitness/20070118/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/#comment-22253 Hey, Colin: - Thanks for the information. Actually, I'm fairly well aware of the (my?) internal physical make up, which is why I spent so much time devising what direction I would go with this. - True, weight loss is my superficial goal, and as such it is working well. (Also, beating out my co-workers is in itself a rather nice bonus.) However, my ultimate goal with this has more to do with life extension than with actual weight loss. As it turns out, they go hand in hand. While I realize some of the possible side effects of high caloric restriction (namely slower injury repair response from the body), it is the only scientifically proven method of life extension. - One thing you must also keep in mind is this: I was 307 lbs when I started. For the past 2 years I'd been hovering around 320, dropping the other weight only due to very rigorous exercise, which I couldn't keep up. (2 hours + at the gym every day isn't condusive to much productivity.) While that was successful in certain ways, it failed in that I couldn't, evern after 3 months, make it part of my lifestyle. - For most of my life I've been fat. Real fat. Huge. I usually wansn't the fattest kid in my class, but I was always up there. In all my adult years I've never been able to go below about 245, and that was when I was in Puerto Rico, eating about 1200 calories per day, running around in the rain forest and climbing big dirt mountains. It may be the case that I'm just built to be large. Somehow I doubt it. As you may have also experienced, this is not my first attempt at losing weight. When it comes to being overweight, hanging around at 320 lbs meant that I could look forward to a fatal heart attack before I was 40. (I'm 27 now.) Even at a "measley" 320, I was an extreme case. I needed an extreme response. - I've since (if you read other posts in the same series) been eating a diet much like Ray Kurzweil's: low calorie, almost no grain, low general carb (between 30g and 60g per day, most of it coming from vegetables and legumes) and higher protein (mostly soy, whey, chicken and fish -- glorious, marvelous fish!). Alaso, high anti-oxidants, high anti-inflamatories, and lower glycemic foods. In a month my blood pressure has dropped back to the normal range (123/78 as of the last check) and I have more energy than I have in some time. What I'm doing may be extreme, but I make sure the foods I eat are very high nutirtion/low calorie foods, in addition to taking in adequate nutritional supplementation. I don't think my body is starving. In fact, I may be taking in more nutrition now than I have at almost any other point in my life. That was a rather eye-opening realization. - One of the side effects in all this will likely be the loss of muscle. As of this morning, I was at 284.8 with a 26.1% body fat percentage. I understand that when I go down in weight, a portion of that will be muscle. In the short run, the lower calorie plan combined with exercise (mostly walking, DDR, and cardio, some weights), plus the nuber of times I eat per day (5-6) should keep my metabolism high enough to help me get to my ideal weight. (Approx 180). In the long run, the decreased metabolism is -- believe it or not -- exactly what I'm looking for, since that's what will eventually lead to life extension. - So, is what I'm doing for my body OK? My doctor and my private physical trainer/nutritionist seem to think so, and they're the ones tracking me. My doctor had a few hessitations, but OK's it for the short term to see what would happen. After two weeks, she started to notice that my blood pressure was getting better. After she began seeing the transformations in weight, fat percentages, and cholesterol (I didn't have much of a problem with it, but had low HDL number; this number increased from 35 to 43) she was a believer, tellin me "Whatever you're doing, it's working. Well. Even my physical trainer had his reservations -- he insisted I go between 1300 and 1800 calories per day -- but after a few workout sessions at 1200 he realized that what I was doing was working. Mind you, he still contends I should eat more calories, and when I work with weights, I usually do by adding oatmeal with soy-protein to the diet. Total calories, about 300, which I eat in the morning, before the workout. That keeps me going well, and bumps up my calories to about 1400-1500 per day. Still, I like it better when I eat less: I just *feel* better, cleaner. - Anyway, I'll keep what you say in mind. If I need an adjustment as I do this, I'll go on and make them. I like to think of this as running an experiment on my own body, to see how I react and work. Might it cause problems in the long run? Sure. However, it's a risk I'm willing to take, and it seems to be a much saner method of doing things than others I've heard (gastric bypass, lipo-suction, etc). Still, I haven't felt -- or looked -- this good in years. - I'll go ahead and drop you a line sometime. I always love to learn, and realize that the answers I seek may be dependant on a number of factors, that there may not be one right answer for every instance. Well, other than "eat better and exercise", that is. Hey, Colin:
-
Thanks for the information. Actually, I’m fairly well aware of the (my?) internal physical make up, which is why I spent so much time devising what direction I would go with this.
-
True, weight loss is my superficial goal, and as such it is working well. (Also, beating out my co-workers is in itself a rather nice bonus.) However, my ultimate goal with this has more to do with life extension than with actual weight loss. As it turns out, they go hand in hand. While I realize some of the possible side effects of high caloric restriction (namely slower injury repair response from the body), it is the only scientifically proven method of life extension.
-
One thing you must also keep in mind is this: I was 307 lbs when I started. For the past 2 years I’d been hovering around 320, dropping the other weight only due to very rigorous exercise, which I couldn’t keep up. (2 hours + at the gym every day isn’t condusive to much productivity.) While that was successful in certain ways, it failed in that I couldn’t, evern after 3 months, make it part of my lifestyle.
-
For most of my life I’ve been fat. Real fat. Huge. I usually wansn’t the fattest kid in my class, but I was always up there. In all my adult years I’ve never been able to go below about 245, and that was when I was in Puerto Rico, eating about 1200 calories per day, running around in the rain forest and climbing big dirt mountains. It may be the case that I’m just built to be large. Somehow I doubt it. As you may have also experienced, this is not my first attempt at losing weight. When it comes to being overweight, hanging around at 320 lbs meant that I could look forward to a fatal heart attack before I was 40. (I’m 27 now.) Even at a “measley” 320, I was an extreme case. I needed an extreme response.
-
I’ve since (if you read other posts in the same series) been eating a diet much like Ray Kurzweil’s: low calorie, almost no grain, low general carb (between 30g and 60g per day, most of it coming from vegetables and legumes) and higher protein (mostly soy, whey, chicken and fish — glorious, marvelous fish!). Alaso, high anti-oxidants, high anti-inflamatories, and lower glycemic foods. In a month my blood pressure has dropped back to the normal range (123/78 as of the last check) and I have more energy than I have in some time. What I’m doing may be extreme, but I make sure the foods I eat are very high nutirtion/low calorie foods, in addition to taking in adequate nutritional supplementation. I don’t think my body is starving. In fact, I may be taking in more nutrition now than I have at almost any other point in my life. That was a rather eye-opening realization.
-
One of the side effects in all this will likely be the loss of muscle. As of this morning, I was at 284.8 with a 26.1% body fat percentage. I understand that when I go down in weight, a portion of that will be muscle. In the short run, the lower calorie plan combined with exercise (mostly walking, DDR, and cardio, some weights), plus the nuber of times I eat per day (5-6) should keep my metabolism high enough to help me get to my ideal weight. (Approx 180). In the long run, the decreased metabolism is — believe it or not — exactly what I’m looking for, since that’s what will eventually lead to life extension.
-
So, is what I’m doing for my body OK? My doctor and my private physical trainer/nutritionist seem to think so, and they’re the ones tracking me. My doctor had a few hessitations, but OK’s it for the short term to see what would happen. After two weeks, she started to notice that my blood pressure was getting better. After she began seeing the transformations in weight, fat percentages, and cholesterol (I didn’t have much of a problem with it, but had low HDL number; this number increased from 35 to 43) she was a believer, tellin me “Whatever you’re doing, it’s working. Well. Even my physical trainer had his reservations — he insisted I go between 1300 and 1800 calories per day — but after a few workout sessions at 1200 he realized that what I was doing was working. Mind you, he still contends I should eat more calories, and when I work with weights, I usually do by adding oatmeal with soy-protein to the diet. Total calories, about 300, which I eat in the morning, before the workout. That keeps me going well, and bumps up my calories to about 1400-1500 per day. Still, I like it better when I eat less: I just *feel* better, cleaner.
-
Anyway, I’ll keep what you say in mind. If I need an adjustment as I do this, I’ll go on and make them. I like to think of this as running an experiment on my own body, to see how I react and work. Might it cause problems in the long run? Sure. However, it’s a risk I’m willing to take, and it seems to be a much saner method of doing things than others I’ve heard (gastric bypass, lipo-suction, etc). Still, I haven’t felt — or looked — this good in years.
-
I’ll go ahead and drop you a line sometime. I always love to learn, and realize that the answers I seek may be dependant on a number of factors, that there may not be one right answer for every instance. Well, other than “eat better and exercise”, that is.

]]> By: Colin http://www.gnorb.net/756/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/comment-page-1#comment-22231 Colin Fri, 02 Feb 2007 17:24:39 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/health-and-fitness/20070118/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/#comment-22231 Gnorb: - Best of luck. A factor you may not have considered: - the metabolic disadvantage of losing lean body mass. I don't shill for weight loss techniques, but your perception of internal physical makeup isn't discerning enough to meet your goals. If you continue to starve yourself (and yes, 1200 calories per day is starving yourself), you will lose fat, but also muscle, which will eventually slow down your metabolism and therefore, your gains! (or losses, in this case). Let's focus on starving your fat, and keeping your muscle. - May I recommend the following nutritional information, in the absence of a trained professional. - Feed yourself 12.0 calories per lb of Lean Body Mass. Your LBM is your total weight - (%bodyfat * total weight). This LBM is directly proportionate to your metabolism, which will eventually crash on the course you're on. Stick to 40/30/30 profile of protein/carbs/fats. - Also, record your results and new bodyfat % weekly!! You'll be able to see if you're losing LBM or not. - again, best of luck. it's not easy to change one's mindset at the drop of a hat, but it sounds like you've already done a lot of the calorie work. Drop me a line if you need more info. - C Gnorb:
-
Best of luck. A factor you may not have considered:
-
the metabolic disadvantage of losing lean body mass. I don’t shill for weight loss techniques, but your perception of internal physical makeup isn’t discerning enough to meet your goals. If you continue to starve yourself (and yes, 1200 calories per day is starving yourself), you will lose fat, but also muscle, which will eventually slow down your metabolism and therefore, your gains! (or losses, in this case). Let’s focus on starving your fat, and keeping your muscle.
-
May I recommend the following nutritional information, in the absence of a trained professional.
-
Feed yourself 12.0 calories per lb of Lean Body Mass. Your LBM is your total weight – (%bodyfat * total weight). This LBM is directly proportionate to your metabolism, which will eventually crash on the course you’re on. Stick to 40/30/30 profile of protein/carbs/fats.
-
Also, record your results and new bodyfat % weekly!! You’ll be able to see if you’re losing LBM or not.
-
again, best of luck. it’s not easy to change one’s mindset at the drop of a hat, but it sounds like you’ve already done a lot of the calorie work. Drop me a line if you need more info.
-
C

]]> By: Gnorb.NET » Blog Archive » Path To Weight Loss: Matt’s Story and CR-Related Soreness http://www.gnorb.net/756/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/comment-page-1#comment-20768 Gnorb.NET » Blog Archive » Path To Weight Loss: Matt’s Story and CR-Related Soreness Thu, 25 Jan 2007 20:17:24 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/health-and-fitness/20070118/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/#comment-20768 [...] As I mentioned in the first post of this series, my caloric intake has been between 900 and 1300 per day, mostly proteins and vegetables, with almost no bread or starches, and few fats from things like cheese. (Nuts and egg yolks still make an appearance here and there.) I talked to Mr. Renato and he’s rather impressed I’ve been able to keep that up. This wasn’t the only thing I talked to him about: [...] [...] As I mentioned in the first post of this series, my caloric intake has been between 900 and 1300 per day, mostly proteins and vegetables, with almost no bread or starches, and few fats from things like cheese. (Nuts and egg yolks still make an appearance here and there.) I talked to Mr. Renato and he’s rather impressed I’ve been able to keep that up. This wasn’t the only thing I talked to him about: [...]

]]> By: Gnorb http://www.gnorb.net/756/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/comment-page-1#comment-20007 Gnorb Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:53:31 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/health-and-fitness/20070118/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/#comment-20007 Well, one advantage of eating much less is that I now can buy food at the local Whole Foods. Since I eat less, I'll just buy better stuff for the same price. Thanks for the encouragement! Well, one advantage of eating much less is that I now can buy food at the local Whole Foods. Since I eat less, I’ll just buy better stuff for the same price. Thanks for the encouragement!

]]> By: Melissa R. Garrett http://www.gnorb.net/756/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/comment-page-1#comment-20003 Melissa R. Garrett Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:32:52 +0000 http://www.gnorb.net/health-and-fitness/20070118/path-to-weight-loss-the-beginning/#comment-20003 Congratulations on taking such a big step in the right direction. I have to admit, though, the part of your post where you spoke of fasting left me screaming "No! Don't do it!" I eat very little to begin with, and I can't imagine not eating anything! I think you are on the right track, though. Watch your sugars - no more than 40 grams a day (juice has A LOT!). And as cost restrictive as it may be, you gotta go with the natural and organic foods. Say NO to most of what comes in a package. And consider starting your own small garden. Keep posting about your success!! And good luck! Congratulations on taking such a big step in the right direction. I have to admit, though, the part of your post where you spoke of fasting left me screaming “No! Don’t do it!” I eat very little to begin with, and I can’t imagine not eating anything! I think you are on the right track, though. Watch your sugars – no more than 40 grams a day (juice has A LOT!). And as cost restrictive as it may be, you gotta go with the natural and organic foods. Say NO to most of what comes in a package. And consider starting your own small garden.

Keep posting about your success!! And good luck!

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