I really think it is not just the convenience of food that is the problem but the safety of getting it. In the wild, eating is dangerous.

If there were a leopard sleeping on top of your fridge, you would snack a lot less.

quote:

Originally posted by smithnsig:
Exercising in a fasted state is better for weight loss.

But sub-optimal for muscle gain. Here's the thing: Muscle burns calories even when you're at rest. So: More muscle: More constant calorie burn.

Read a study, not long ago, where they compared the results of cardio vs. weight training for fat loss. Weight training won.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
The best any one of us can say, is "This worked for me."

Particularly true because we don't all have the same goals.

Fasting every other day boosts healthy weight loss as it mimics hunter-gatherer 'caveman' routine
~The Telegraph

I have not had good luck with fasting before, but I fell off the Very Low Carb Wagon a few days ago. So, I'm going to try a full fast today to see if it can help me get back on track.

Wish me luck.

Great thread! Thank you to all who posted! It helps!

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Fasting every other day boosts healthy weight loss as it mimics hunter-gatherer 'caveman' routine
~The Telegraph

I have not had good luck with fasting before, but I fell off the Very Low Carb Wagon a few days ago. So, I'm going to try a full fast today to see if it can help me get back on track.

Wish me luck.

How long did you make it? I think once I did 6 weeks no carb (or very low carb as you state). Currently, I am on day #3 and I feel like poo.

quote:

Originally posted by AirmanJeff:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Fasting every other day boosts healthy weight loss as it mimics hunter-gatherer 'caveman' routine
~The Telegraph

I have not had good luck with fasting before, but I fell off the Very Low Carb Wagon a few days ago. So, I'm going to try a full fast today to see if it can help me get back on track.

Wish me luck.

How long did you make it? I think once I did 6 weeks no carb (or very low carb as you state). Currently, I am on day #3 and I feel like poo.

What are we calling "very low"?

I've been at 20 carbs or less nearly daily for over a year, with perhaps 15 total of those days at 50 carbs, and only 4 or 5 days above that (mostly thanks to my MIL's Milky Way cake for birthdays).

It takes a bit of time to burn through your stores, and you do feel like poo. Great motivation to not do it again. A single 50 carb day doesn't screw me up. A slice or three of Milky Way cake screws me for a few days and I say I'll never do it again...

They recommend beef broth or such to help with the "keto flu".

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:

quote:

Originally posted by AirmanJeff:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Fasting every other day boosts healthy weight loss as it mimics hunter-gatherer 'caveman' routine
~The Telegraph

I have not had good luck with fasting before, but I fell off the Very Low Carb Wagon a few days ago. So, I'm going to try a full fast today to see if it can help me get back on track.

Wish me luck.

How long did you make it? I think once I did 6 weeks no carb (or very low carb as you state). Currently, I am on day #3 and I feel like poo.

What are we calling "very low"?

I've been at 20 carbs or less nearly daily for over a year, with perhaps 15 total of those days at 50 carbs, and only 4 or 5 days above that (mostly thanks to my MIL's Milky Way cake for birthdays).

It takes a bit of time to burn through your stores, and you do feel like poo. Great motivation to not do it again. A single 50 carb day doesn't screw me up. A slice or three of Milky Way cake screws me for a few days and I say I'll never do it again...

They recommend beef broth or such to help with the "keto flu".

Maybe low carb before keto.

Also potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium get depleted during the first phase.

haven't tried it yet, but in-n-out burger has a secret menu type deal:

Protein Style is a regular burger without the bun, wrapped in lettuce.

called and they said they don't use oil to cook the burger, so no omega 6 seed oils (canola, whathaveyou).

So, I had been eating less than 2000 calories and working out 5-6 times a week, predominantly lifting with a couple metabolic style workouts tossed in. Weight was trickling off while strength went up consistently.

There was some speculation in my head that I was eating far too little given my weight, so I ran an experiment for the last month or so. I increased intake to about 3000 calories and didn’t change anything else.

The result? Strength continues to grow as overall weight has remained largely flat.

What all that means, I don’t know. Maybe I did damage my metabolism by eating too little and it takes longer than a month to repair? Maybe. I don’t know.

What I do know is this: I’m still getting stronger. I’ll keep at it. My only goal for the scale is progress, on no hard time frame.

Note: it’s fun lifting weights that start to bend the barbell.

Muscle weighs more than fat.

Indeed. After two months of light exercise and reducing junk food my clothes fit better but my weight has not yet changed (I've been through this sooooo many times). Major and lasting diet changes began 3+ years ago. Along with light exercise 4x a week and longish walks.

It is not too hard to develop new nooks for your beau to fold herself into when her mood strikes. Merely eliminating sugar and fried foods, along with ten sit-ups a day, can have a profound impact.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
Muscle weighs more than fat.

True.

But in a months time I *should* have lost at least 8-10lbs, minimum, per my caloric deficit. I don’t think it is possible to build that amount of muscle in such a short time. At my weight the fat should be coming off PDQ. I’ve had weeks before where I’ve lost 10+Lbs and my BF% was lower then that it is now.

In any event, I’m not changing anything yet. I’m too close to hitting my 2/3/4/5 plate lifting goals to make a drastic change. I should hit the 3 plate bench on Monday and possibly the 5 plate deadlift as well.

You didn't slow down your metabolism by eating 2000 cals/per day, 1400-1600 maybe.

Do you know how to calculate weight loss and maintenance levels of calories for your current weight? There are free apps as well like "Lose It"

How are you measuring BF and do you use a tape on your waist and belly?

Well as of this AM, I am under 300 lbs. That is down more than 100 lbs from a peak weight some years ago of over 400. It has been long and there have been many of ups and downs, but what I am doing now is working, for me, for now.

VLCHF-ADF
- Very Low Carb High Fat (Keto)
- Alternate Day Fasting (Black coffee, tea, and green tea excepted)

I've said before on SF that I am addicted to carbs. As long as I stay off the carbs, all things are possible. If I stray from the path, I get lost and it can take me months or years and hundreds of pounds gained to manage to get back on the wagon. Usually, I prove incapable of quitting carbs on my own, and it takes essentially "divine" intervention to pick me up and set me right.

Now that I have met the milestone of getting under 300, I plan on starting to walk for exercise again. If my knees and ankles give me trouble, I'll give it a pause until I hit 275.

Find what works for you, your body, and your mind. And if something doesn't work one time, don't dismiss out of hand trying it again later. I had tried IF in the past, and found myself bingeing when it was time to eat on non-fast days often falling back into carb eating. But IF is working well for me today. <Fingers crossed>

Plus, there are suggestions that IF induces autophagy of excess skin. If true (big if) that would be nothing short of miraculous. Am I counting on it? No. But, I am hoping.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:

Plus, there are suggestions that IF induces autophagy of excess skin. If true (big if) that would be nothing short of miraculous. Am I counting on it? No. But, I am hoping.

Once in awhile do a more extended fast, that will really let the autophagy happen. 1st just do 24hrs if you haven't already. Next time go nearly 48, so no eating for 1 full day, then have dinner the next day. After that try a 3 day. You could just do one of these more extended fasts per month.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

But sub-optimal for muscle gain. Here's the thing: Muscle burns calories even when you're at rest. So: More muscle: More constant calorie burn.

Read a study, not long ago, where they compared the results of cardio vs. weight training for fat loss. Weight training won.

This is correct. If you are working each muscle each week in the gym, the muscles have to recover. They recover with time, and with protein. If you are working them fairly hard, ie not foo fooing sets, etc, they are burning calories 24/7, even when you sleep. It is the superior method for burning calories off. Then you double down with some cardio on top, which are the sprinkles. Do both and the results, with a solid diet, are the best method there is, at least in my opinion. And that's with 30 years of experience under my belt. 100 books or so on nutrition, weight lifting, exercise, etc. Countless magazines, etc. Being a personal trainer a few decades ago and studying nutrition throughout my bachelors.

This is also why, in the weight lifting community you'll see folks eating 4, 6, or even 8 times a day. Small meals, with frequency. Because the body can only digest so much protein at a time. General rule of thumb for weight lifters is one gram of protein per body lb per day. That takes some effort and can't be done in 3 meals, or what I don't care for, keto dieting. It just doesn't work. I've talked in this thread about eating small meals, with solid protein density but light on calories frequently and got an earful. But it's the reality. Those small meals also force the metabolism to act accordingly. It knows food is coming at the regular interval, every 3-4 hours so it stops storing fat, no need when another meal is coming. Dialing in your own metabolism is a science. I use trickery on mine and it works as my natural metabolism isn't 500 calorie meals 6 times a day, but that's what I do and it works in spades. Every body is different though, but funny thing is I find this is very common among weight lifters. There are videos on youtube about what the actors do who are very muscular or those who stay in excellent shape. Every one of them eats small regular meals all day long. Only Terry Crews is one that I know about who fasts a good portion of the day. Everyone else is eating. Just eating healthy, low call, high protein.

I had surgery on my right shoulder 3 months ago tomorrow. I maintained my metabolism throughout until about 3 weeks ago. I started putting weight on, fat, over a 2-3 week period. Well it started coming off immediately this week when I returned to lifting weights every day. I'm lifting much lower weight than prior to surgery to avoid re-tearing the labrum, but immediately, my body is crushing calories. I wake up with stomach yearning for something, protein shake, full breakfast, whatever. It's an amazing thing to dial in your metabolism and join that with weight lifting. You shred fat man, just fucking shred it. I've lost half of what I gained in fat in less than a week. Body instantly goes into memory mode as it knows the routine prior to surgery so it's like my metabolism woke back up and start busting its' ass.

I've been at it all summer. The key part for me was making everything a part of my daily life and accepting that this is the new norm. My goals are to get/stay lean and maintain good muscle tone and for overall longterm health.


I've tried to limit my diet mainly veggies and lean meats with nuts, fruit, and some beans mixed in. So absolutely no foods with added sugar, fast foods, or alcohol.
My daily exercise is simply a mile walk/trot with the pooch every morning, 20-30 minutes of moderate weight lifting, then 30 minutes on the treadmill or stationary bike.

I'm 5'11" and in January I was a pudgy 200 pounds down to a chiseled-ish 172 this morning so I guess whatever I'm doing is working.


This shit is a lot harder in my 40's.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryanp225:
This shit is a lot harder in my 40's.

Fucking A.

In my 50th trip around our sun, and I'm sure missing my twenties.

Reduce high fructose sugar as much as possible. The stuff is in almost everything under various names.

This is a long but excellent video from about 10 years ago that does an excellent job of explaining the real problem in great detail.
Weight isn't the only problem you can fix. You'll have to read a lot of food labels at first.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...-oM&feature=youtu.be